17 replies to this topic

[Jack Corvus]

Just looking for any tips from any pilots out there who are working a stock AWS-8Q. I like to run my new mechs stock for 20-30 games, just to force myself to try and be a better pilot, but the 8Q has me baffled.

I've managed to figure out the teeny bit of torso twisting needed to get your wide-set left torso and right torso PPCs to hit a specific enemy location reliably, and I feel like I'm doing that well now, but the PPC in general on this bulky frame is really hard to work with.

So if anyone has tips (or just wants to say running stock on this mech is suicide) I'd appreciate them.

Edited by Jack Corvus, 08 December 2012 - 04:44 PM.

[Taizan]

I hate to tell you this, but go for a different chassis. The AWS-8Q is the laughing stock of MWO. You can either load it up with medium/medium pulse lasers to have somewhat of heat efficiency or you throw in large lasers and constantly be at the verge of overheating, not able to deliver continuous fire support (like any other heavy or assault can do).

[Slaytronic]

I still use it once in awhile still get 3 or 4 kills a round with it trust me it's not as bad as everyone thinks they just suck at piloting it. I use it for a brawler though all mediums as said above the pulse run hot.

Edited by Slaytronic, 29 December 2012 - 08:15 AM.

[Tarman]

Jack Corvus, on 08 December 2012 - 04:43 PM, said:

Just looking for any tips from any pilots out there who are working a stock AWS-8Q. I like to run my new mechs stock for 20-30 games, just to force myself to try and be a better pilot, but the 8Q has me baffled.

I've managed to figure out the teeny bit of torso twisting needed to get your wide-set left torso and right torso PPCs to hit a specific enemy location reliably, and I feel like I'm doing that well now, but the PPC in general on this bulky frame is really hard to work with.

So if anyone has tips (or just wants to say running stock on this mech is suicide) I'd appreciate them.

I can't help you with the piloting of this beast but I like your style, pilot.

[Orzorn]

Slaytronic, on 29 December 2012 - 08:10 AM, said:

I still use it once in awhile still get 3 or 4 kills a round with it trust me it's not as bad as everyone thinks they just suck at piloting it. I use it for a brawler though all mediums as said above the pulse run hot.

It is as bad as everyone thinks, you just have to be an amazing pilot to squeeze a modicum of performance out of it.

The important part is that you could use any of the missile awesomes and make most of the same builds anyways if you wanted, but still perform way better with your additional SRMs or LRMs.

[SmokinDave73]

The stock 8q is a tricky one. 3 PPC's cant really deal with stripping a mech's armour efficiently, so you in a bit of a bad place if you just want to run it as is. My main sniping mech is my 8q I use 3 large lasers and 2 PPC's on it. It's a great feeling 1 shotting someone's core after you have stripped the armour of it with your lasers. Also with PPC's its almost a must to have double heat sinks they just generate to much heat atm. With the extra weight you gain from the upgrade you can use the spare tons else were. But if you absolutely have to stick with stock I reccomand sitting back and fire controlled bursts at the enemy trying not to go over 70% heat. Whilst doing this you can lock on to targets and find ones with exposed core's and right/left torso's if you see that on your read out shoot for them and if a mech has a XL engine they will go up in smoke very quickly with 3 PPC's
Pic of my 8Q http://puu.sh/1GOI8

Edited by SmokinDave73, 29 December 2012 - 08:37 AM.

[Taizan]

Slaytronic, on 29 December 2012 - 08:10 AM, said:

I still use it once in awhile still get 3 or 4 kills a round with it trust me it's not as bad as everyone thinks they just suck at piloting it.

Not saying you can't do much with it, but you can do better with most other chassis. I would not recommend a mech that "can do good in some instances" and pales in comparison to all the other available chassis to anyone.

The AWS-8Q has some inherent problems as a energy only chassis due to how DHS works and on top of that is limited by a 290 engine which makes it slow and either with little punch or high heat generation. The 9M, 8T, 8R are preferable chassis if you want to pick an Awesome, don't know about the 8V.

[MustrumRidcully]

Well, the Table Top Awesome is a direct fire support mech that delivers constant barrages of PPC fires that keeps the enemies head down.

Don't use it like that in MW:O, unless you find a way to trick everyone else to fire only every 10 seconds, too.

I think your best chance to use the Awesome is a Sniper (that has the same alpha strike potential as the Gauss Cat but with more heat problems, less range and worse performance in close combat).

Find a good spot from which you can get into hiding quickly, that is preferably not easily accessible to your enemies. If you can, find some lighter mechs that will keep an eye out for you and anyone trying to force you into a brawl.
Aim carefully and precisely, and deliver about two to three Alphas before you find a hiding spot to cool off. Generally, as a Sniper you shouldn't always come back to the same spot, it makes you too predictable. If you see that the enemy is engaging your allies, you should focus on getting shots in - the time you spend cooling off is the time the enemy spends killing your allies, after all, and anything to divert their attention and directly damage them will be appreciated. When you see an enemy is trying to engage you, make sure you keep a good shot at him and you stay away, using torso twist between shots to avoid getting shots to your center torso, head or your weapons. Note that should you lose a weapon, you can probably fire more oftne (but with less firepower) - unless you also lost a lot of heat sinks with your weapon.

[Fuggles]

Good luck, it's tough to snipe in a giant refrigerator. You massive CT will be an easy target for enemy snipers especially since you'll be glowing hot.

I found more than 2 ppcs kind of useless as can't take shots when you want to. I even ran 6 ppcs alpha, overheating every shot. It wan funny but not very usefull, I did 1 shot a hunchy though.

Best I've found is 5 LL, std stock engine, 32 shs.

[The Amazing Atomic Spaniel]

I run an 8Q and enjoy it - but I swapped the PPCs for a LL config. MWO's PPCs just aren't very good. The damage, heat and range aren't very attractive compared to large lasers. Every time I try and run a PPC set up, the game either drops me on the Caustic map (fire, overheat, fire, overheat...) or it turns into a brawl where the 90 m minimum range is a real handicap. So although I really want to run a PPC-based Awesome, I know it will just be an exercise in frustration.

An 8Q build that does work OK is to use a simple 4 LL, but putting them all in the torso. Use either DHS or endo to get better or more heatsinks and max out the armour on both arms and use them as shields. Try to keep out of SRM range and be ready to chain fire against the inevitable horrid little warping lag-shielded Ravens. I did try 5 LL, but found the heat more than my modest skills could manage.

Edited by RocketDog, 29 December 2012 - 10:56 AM.

[Jungle Rhino]

I used to run an 8Q in CB and found it was reasonable for coring out Atlas' but you need to be very aware of what is going on around you as you are helpless if a brawler gets on you. But doing it stock would be awful (I under-engined mine and from memory had 32HS on it + AMS.

I would also suggest that in order to get value out of an Awesome you need to be soaking some damage for your team. You have to be the first to crest the ridge and take a beating while you shoot your 3 aplhas off then back down to cool off before you die - pop back up after you have cooled off and everyone has switched targets. Hopefully that will give your 'proper' assault mechs a bit of a launch to close in with the enemy.

But yeah, stock would be unimaginably difficult due to heat issues.

[Wrenchfarm]

Pfft, ignore these haters. The 8Q can be wonderfully effective. However, this is after you take out those PPCs and replace them with 4xLLAS and 3xMLAS, upgrade to DHS, and put in a 290 engine. Running it stock? Few mechs run particularly great stock, and the 8Q will hurt more than most given how the game treats heat/energy weapons.

Can it run hot? Sure. Can 4xLLAS MELT a mech from 400m away? Damn straight. Can an array of focused highly accurate weapons allow you to strip off specific components in a hurry? Hell yes!

With the 290 engine limitation you won't have the highest top speed, but it is certainly tolerable and much quicker than the rest of the assaults. While Atlai and Stalkers lumber around the field, you can move and re-position to constantly find a better, safer firing angle. Unlike the previous poster, I would never recommend leading the charge - the Awesome isn't that sort of assault mech. You need to support from behind the very first line and use your mobility to stay with your team, or be where you can do the most damage.

I really believe people on these forums just make assumptions looking at the load out screen, or repeat other folks comments as dogma without ever trying things out for themselves. Give the 8Q (fully equipped) a shot, it is well worth it.

[Nothing Whatsoever]

I'm glad I saw this thread, because I still have an interest trying the Awesomes, and I was considering to use the 8Q.

I had fun with the HBK-4P so considering another laser boat is at least an option for me at this point, but I have my concerns about the 8Q as others have already mentioned.

So, I was wondering, here is a build I was looking at today for the 8Q, playing around in the Mech Lab: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...6d268f7a3013523

I hope the build can work in practice, I don't have the Mech to try it out yet, so i thought sharing it here would be great to critique a possible build that could possibly help the OP and others in customizing their 8Q.

Could such a build be fine for supporting other Assaults and Heavies?

[The Amazing Atomic Spaniel]

Praetor Shepard, on 29 December 2012 - 09:30 PM, said:

Could such a build be fine for supporting other Assaults and Heavies?

It might work out OK so worth a try. My reservation about having too much firepower in MPLs or MLs is that they require you to get in close to do much damage - and the Awesome is a big target for return fire. The advantage of the LL builds is that you can deliver full damage from a rather safer 450 m and still do something up to 900 m. Lots of mechs are now carrying multiple SRMs, so being able to attack from more than 270 m away can be very useful.

[Fuggles]

That's exactly right, I tried medium/large mix as well. I found 5 larges and a slow engine the best simply because the slow engine kept me at the back of the lines. The mech works best from 200-400m chain firing large lasers on a single mech part striping it and out of the range of short range brawlers. You can chain fire for a while before heat is a problem.

[v4skunk]

In my 8Q i only use 4LL(2in arm,1 in each side torso) with double heatsinks and the biggest engine i can fit in. Does 65kph and 4LL hit harder than you think we they dont stop firing...ever...

Edited by v4skunk, 30 December 2012 - 08:57 AM.

[Mishfal]

While I'm definitely not "skilled" by any means, I have used the 8Q for a large number of games. First thing is this: everyone telling you not to keep it stock is correct. It's a very bad mech in stock config because of the issues with PPCs. If someone gets within 90m of you then your DPS drops considerably and you only have a single, crappy small laser to defend yourself.

With that being said, I still like to keep my mechs as close to stock config as possible so with the 8Q I added Endo Steel, and stripped away some armor from its left arm (and legs) to free up some additional tons. The most important thing to me is giving at least some close range defense--even if it's only 2 medium + 1 small lasers. You can fit even more lasers if you're willing to drop the 3rd PPC. Having a large laser in your arm is very good for mid-close range and it frees up additional tons/slots for heat sinks.

You have to tailor your play style completely around around the PPCs, obviously. That means staying waaaayyyyyy back in your group, and using your PPC alpha to pop any mech that gives you a clear shot.

AMS is a must because you can't rely on an ECM teammate to be around all the time, and you will end up in situations where LRMs can ruin your day.

My build is definitely not the best but I use it as a refreshing change from the brawlers & light mechs that I usually play. It's pretty much my only sniping mech.

Edited by Mishfal, 30 December 2012 - 09:39 AM.

[Wrenchfarm]

Praetor Shepard, on 29 December 2012 - 09:30 PM, said:

I'm glad I saw this thread, because I still have an interest trying the Awesomes, and I was considering to use the 8Q.

I had fun with the HBK-4P so considering another laser boat is at least an option for me at this point, but I have my concerns about the 8Q as others have already mentioned.

So, I was wondering, here is a build I was looking at today for the 8Q, playing around in the Mech Lab: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...6d268f7a3013523

I hope the build can work in practice, I don't have the Mech to try it out yet, so i thought sharing it here would be great to critique a possible build that could possibly help the OP and others in customizing their 8Q.

Could such a build be fine for supporting other Assaults and Heavies?

I like the creative use of single heatsinks and light weapons to get more heat efficiency, but I'm unsure about the build. You really need to be able to keep your distance with an AWE. Maybe this build could work better with the 9M and a big honking XL engine that could keep you moving quick (although that means brawling with a weak chest.)

I really think LLAS is the way to go.