37 replies to this topic

[Raynz]

Let me preface my post with acknowledging the fact that all I've played so far are Commandos. They're what I could afford at the time and I decided to just work on their Master XP leveling and then go from there.

With that being said, the biggest thing I've noticed about my mech building is I just can't bring myself to launching with less than appreciably max armor. Granted, I'm running commandos so they have extremely little armor to begin with, but I just feel so much more squishy when I drop a ton or two worth of armor to fit in another weapon or ton of ammo, depending on my commando variant.

TLDR: I'm more than willing to sacrifice firepower and speed if it means I can keep my armor at or near maximum.

[Tarrasque]

Great topic, OP. I exclusively run heavy mechs (until the Stalker anyways), so my ideas are specific to that weight class.


My philosophy for builds is mostly about survivability, with emphasis on being able to hit at nearly every range. My builds usually are pretty similar to one another with usually a single stark difference that allows me to choose one of my six mechs for a specific purpose.

That said, almost every build I have runs ~XL300 with nearly full armor. I throw 4 extra SHS in the legs and go from there with whatever I can cram on it. I almost necessitate 2 LL in almost all my builds (ERLL if I can stand the heat), a few smaller lasers, and an ammo based weapon or two for some real punch.

It seems like most pilots opt for a specific build that does massive damage at a specific range, but as a battlefield leader of my unit, I need to be able to adapt to whatever circumstance I'm handed. Jump jets are a fantastic tool, and I use them in every mech that I own that is capable. Adaptability and survivability mean that you alive longer, doing more damage.

/.02

[Ricama]

First I consider size, I have very different philosophies with Assaults and Lights but a big thing is engagement envelope, which is a combination of mech speed and weapon range. Too large an engagement envelope and you're wasting damage on range to damage balancing in the game. Too small and things can pick you off at range. If you have a slow mech, you need something long ranged (in TT I set it at around 10-15 pts, here you need a gauss, 2 lrm 15 or a couple of the small ac's). If you have a fast light, anything longer range than an mla starts to loose out in damage.

Assaults: it is said that in battle, the enemy gets a vote. Well when it comes to range and an Assault, your opponent doesn't just get a vote, they usually get a veto. So an assault needs to be able to hit both long ranged and close up. Assaults are the best at area control and need to be able to scare everyone.

Mediums and Heavies have the greatest flexibility, you can do just about anything you want with them. They can be heavy hitters, long ranged support, scout hunters, I usually experiment most with these classes. "lets see what happens when"

Lights (and Cicada, it's just a big light) speed is foremost. Max out speed first and then add weapons with whatever's left. Long range is wasted on a light (I am the bullet).

[Solis Obscuri]

Garth Erlam, on 11 December 2012 - 04:52 PM, said:

Also, I need digitigrade "chicken walker" legs. I just do - they're more realistic and let me sit lower.

"Chicken walkers" aren't digitigrade.

[Vulture2k]

thats how i do it usually

#1 play the stock mech immediatly if you bought it without any changes
#2 Strip it
#3 Engine, is the one in there right, do i want another? if yes.. which ones do i have in stock (i usually dont buy engine, i use the ones i got of other mechs 210XL of raven, 280XL of phract, 300XL of cent, 320XL of aws)
#4 fully armor the thing to the next best ton or half ton close to 100%
#5 put in weapons i feel could be useful for the build (personal preferences of course, mlasers, ssrms, srms..)
#6 put in heat sinks (DHS are nearly a must for everything) and look at heat efficiency.. all above 1.3 or so is usually fine for a full loadout
#7 if i have space left see if BAP/AMS may fit
#8 remove armor again if useful, mostly legs, not less than 50% but maybe to fit one or two more tons of ammo/dhs/stuff
#9 take it for a walk, change after that if necessary, if the overall mech is fun, i count free slots and consider endo.. if its even more fun and could use more free tons and still has slots, consider ferro

also as old battletech player i normally use solaris skunkwerks or other software to make rough drafts of new concepts or save fittings i thought were fun..

but i change some of my variants a lot.. like dragon or k2 that i used with every pair of ballistics there is..

Edited by Vulture2k, 11 December 2012 - 06:37 PM.

[Kadassa]

I like speed and tend to like fighting at short range. But it all depends on the Mech I'm building :3 I am starting to turn into a big fan of just plain ole SRMs and usually have Medium lasers as backup. It might Change when I master the Commando and Centurion.

[RobarGK]

Alcatraz968, on 11 December 2012 - 02:42 PM, said:

I would like to first start off by saying this post is deep and makes you think.

How do i build? How do i build what is the question really.

I build a battlemech with research and trial and error. I run the off builds and the common builds. I stick to what i am best at regardless if its a common or rare or never seen build.

As for how i build in life. Matter can not be created nor destroyed. So i never truly build, only change.

Well done good sir, you made me laugh.

[Quad Ace]

I build scouts/skirmishers. They are one and the same in my book. I scout until the furball begins, then run about taking potshots with my dps weapons while lining up an alpha on whatever is primary. Also, I can't bring myself to drive something without arms. It just doesn't work for me.

I always start with endo, DHS, and an engine upgrade. I never use the biggest engine, but try to get something up around 80kph (faster for lights), and always size the engine to the nearest 25. This is then the mech that I apply weapons to. In weapons, I look for a decent alpha backed up by dps, preferably with the alpha in the torso and dps in arms.

My philosophy centers around building the mech, then figuring out what weapon loadout works with it. My favorites are the Commando, Hunchback, and Dragon, and they all get played the same way. I'm really excited for the Trebuchet though.

[Triordinant]

OP gave me something to reflect on and I noticed that 1) I almost always max out armor (less half a ton at most), 2) I never use XL engines (although they might work for light mechs) 3) I tend to group together weapons with similar ranges like medium lasers and streaks 4) if I have 2 range groups, I try to make sure the 2 groups generate similar amounts of heat, i.e. short range group of 2 streaks and 2 medium lasers (12 heat), long range group ER PPC (13 heat).

[FoxyFlashbang]

Ahhhh awesome topic OP! I try and go for longevity and consistency. Lots of armor, if not maxed, then fairly close. Not too concerned about speed, I think rushing leads to careless mistakes. I also try to go for heat efficiency, lots of heatsinks. Not to have a high alpha, but to be able to put out steady, constant damage. I say that, but I also love me som a dat PPC swag, so go figure. Its just such an awesome weapon, I love the sound it makes. I like to stay out of brawls, but still in LOS to the melee. Second line, you could say. I tend to think in an RP mindset, like what would an actual mechwarrior do? Not a Clanner, lets not get ridiculous, but a gritty IS mechwarrior, trying to fight for survival. I find that to be a fun mindset, I love the exhiliration, the desperation.

[KingNobody]

I go for fast, hardhitting light 'mechs. I build like a Clanner, and I strip off armor to make room for more firepower. My primary 'mech atm is a Jenner-D, with 300XL, endo, DHS, 2 ML, 2 MPL, and 2 SSRM2. I designed it to be close in function and loadout to the Eyrie which we won't see in this game unless it lasts 14 years.

[Shard Phoenix]

I like to build with weapons that allow me to do a couple of things. Basically, I like having a mix of Long/Med/Short range weapons at my disposal. Nothing is worse to me than seeing an opponent off in the distance that I can't do any damage to because I boated a bunch of Small Lasers. I also don't want to be stuck with high heat/slow cycling weapons when the battle enters knife fight range. I also work very hard to have a low heat profile, because I think nothing sucks more than to be in a close in fight and not being able to throw a lot of punches for fear of over heating.

I like the "Jack of most trades" builds because I don't put a whole lot of emphasis on doing the most damage or getting the most kills. If weapon versatility means I spend most of my games with few kills and a lot of assists, then I'm okay with that. It's how I play.

[Eltyr]

I build mechs that never stop moving, and can plow alpha after alpha after alpha into some hapless mech, at knife fight range. If it is a light, its a slow light, anything else, I speed it way up. The idea is to be fast enough to shoot any other mech, no matter how fast they are, which is significantly slower than they can go. I am not a scout, no matter what mech I'm using. I am a striker and member of the wolf pack. I hate fighting in confined spaces, such as tunnels. I know that I will rush headlong into the fray, so skimping on armor is idiotic.

Pick weapons that synergize together. Hitscan with hitscan. (Did I mention hitscan?) Similar ranges. A high damage divided by heat weapon to go along with my high damage weapons. High damage per ton to allow heatsinks for my other weapons. Never use a weapon with less than 270m full damage (excepting occasionally full MPL loadout). Streaks are not particularly on the table if I can fit an SRM6, unless it is a light hunter. (This was true before the existence of ECM too. It would perhaps change for Streak SRM6s.) I do not min/max, because my personality does not fit the result, which results in a mech I cannot pilot, but balance is always a significant concern.

My current favorite is a 'phract with 2 LL and 3 ML, along with a 325 standard engine. All else equal, I love Large Lasers. (Yes, I'm a knife fighter who likes a little bit of range on my knives. Call them throwing knives. So sue me.) I prefer arm mounted weaponry very strongly, whether lasers or missiles. I hate the arm movement nerf. MY RVN-3L runs 3 MLs and 2 SRM6s. I've been using the 3L lately to give my team ECM.

I don't think I explained all that well. Oh well.

[twibs]

My guideline to min-maxing.

Take too much stuff and only then drop those you need the least. Test and modify accodingly.

[Cato Phoenix]

My loadout are generally weapon heavy, rather than heat efficient. I don't usually go above 1.2, and most of mine hover at 1.1.I tend to wait for better shots than keep up a constant damage stream. Along those lines, I don't usually chainfire. I'll usually stock up a big nasty ballistic or SRMs and keep up a hefty laser loadout to round things out. I usually group lasers by range, with missiles/ballistics separate. As far as weapon groups, sometimes go left/right side, sometimes arm/torso depending on the mechs.

Armor generally as much as possible, and generally go for less speed than some whilst still keeping manueverable.

I just find it hard to justify -not- bristling to the teeth with weapons.

[Kmieciu]

I always seek to exploit The System and use the most efficient \ annoying weapon combinations.
I used to run a Trollmando with XL300 and two flamers and it literally teleported around enemies.
Then I owned the battlefield with XL300 9SL Hunch.
I used a Dragon back when it could run into a group of enemies and tackle them all.
When they turned off the collisions I switched to Jenners with streaks and medium lasers (only 1 JJ tho).
I also used Gausscats, Streakcats, LRM Atlases and tried all the builds reported as "OP".
I even had a AC/2 + 3xSSRM Centurion "The Stunlocker".
Right now I run a ECM Streak Commando with TAG.

I take a specialized mech and I shift my strategy to maximize it`s effectiveness. I never duel if I don`t have an advantage. Most of the time I coordinate fire with my teammates.

I have two rules in MWO: never repair your XL engine and don`t pay for ammo
Current K/D ratio = 4.6

Edited by Kmieciu, 12 December 2012 - 05:17 AM.

[Evil Ed]

I build specialized mechs, LRM-Awe, SRM-Cat, Gauss-Cat, Laser-cat with the purpose to try and learn the different roles, tactics and how the different weapons are utilized. Next up is a scout/harasser. When PUGing I usually switch between 2-3 mechs in between every drop. Maybe I'll try multirole mechs in future, finding a good blend of speed/weapons/armor etc.

[kilgor]

I go mostly energy based, but I like having hard points for missiles as well, although I don't use them very often. That said, the Large Lasers and Medium Lasers are my main weapons and I tend to single fire instead of group firing, to help keep heat down and to have better control of where the lasers hit. I'll go ER Large Lasers if I have the heat sinks to handle it. All my heat sinks are also double heat sinks and I try and max armor.