402 replies to this topic

[Rushin Roulette]

That Jenner can only really use all 6 laser points if it takes small lasers with. That is not a "lot" of firepower. The Jenner can easily whittle any mech down slowly using its speed, maneuverability and the small wepaons... but that does not make it a mech with a lot of firepower, just an efficient mech.

Just because you keep missing with your big Atlas gun, does not mean that it cant deal damage at all. You can easily put on multiple larger weapons on the Atlas which you could never even dream of fitting on a Jenner.

You are mistaking the amount of hardpoints a Mech has with the amount of damage it can produce. The amount of hardpoints means nothing.

As an extreme example, you can put 6 TAG lasers on a Jenner and see if you can outdamage one Atlas with a single AC20 mounted. One mech uses 6 hardpoints and the other Mech only uses one hardpoint. As per your argument,. the Jenner should easily outdamage the Atlas, because it has 6 weapons mounted.

Edited by Rushin Roulette, 19 December 2012 - 04:22 AM.

[Vincent Lynch]

Took out a stalker with LRM fire from a single LRM15 rack yesterday.
That was actually quite simple: the Stalker travels so slowly that LRM hit it even if losing lock inflight, and it seems to have a pretty big head hitbox from the angle in which LRM come in.

[Roadbuster]

Stalker is a team mech. It's not that great for pugging if your teammates don't help you out.
Light and medium mechs can kill you rather easy.
Firepower is good, but heat is high, making it a good alpha striker and support mech. Not that good for constant damage if you don't change loadout.
Bad brawler because of low speed and small torso twist.
CT not that easy to hit but side torsos are vulnerable.

I'm trying to run it as LRM support mech with TAG and some LL as backup. Had some bad games though because my pug teams left me alone vs groups of opposing mechs.

[Greers]

Pugastrius, on 18 December 2012 - 12:43 PM, said:

(...)
What do you get in return for these 3 hard points as an awesome?
Nothing... The 8-R can't even equip a speedy engine.
(...)

Arms! You have a larger tracking-radius using the fully maneuverable arms of an Awesome. And well... Looks. An Awesome doesn't look like an oversized male attribute on legs...

[Rivy]

I tried my 3F with 6medlas and 4 SRM6 but it sucked, so I changed to 4 large lasers and staying behind my team (so I had to change my mindset also) and now it's working pretty well !
I put 22 DHS in it and I can fire them in pairs quite often. Max armor too, and a 300 standard.

Oh and if I get a group I'll probably put 2xLRM20 and 6xsmlas in it.

Edited by Rivy, 19 December 2012 - 03:15 AM.

[Mordin Ashe]

Judging from playing both, Awesome is more versatile. I've seen far too many Stalkers dying because they are too clumsy and turn around slowly. Also, not everyone is capable of using weapons like LL for effective eradication of light Mechs. Both have their uses, but one can hardly look fore more different Mechs in just 5 tons difference.

[Squigles]

Sniper061, on 19 December 2012 - 02:23 AM, said:

I have to say that I really like the stalker. Once you tweak it a bit, it really isn't too bad.

My current loadout:

STK-5S (I had enough C-Bills lying around and liked the layout)

Ran a match with it and I agree, the heat management on a base model is terrible. Also, with the way the side torso is mapped you are much more likely to die with an XL engine.

So, once I got back the first thing I did was was just dump everything out of the mech. Then I pulled the XL engine and traded it for a 300 Standard. I also upgraded to DHS and added two into the engine.

Next the actual loadout. I decided this would work best at near to mid ranges but not quite a brawler.

4x MLas
2x LLas (got rid of the pulse. Too much heat)
4x SRM6
2x AMS
18 DHS

2 tons SRM ammo and 2 tons AMS ammo.

Loaded up ever remaining crevice with DHS and then tweaked the armor. (400 total).

Groups are:

LLas
MLas
SRM

Every battle since then has been pretty decent. I've gotten in the 400's on the lower ends either from being on the wrong side of the map from the fight or from being on a team that can actually shoot. Best performance for the evening was 995 damage with 3x assault mech kills and 2x assists. The DHS and standard engine make a BIG performance difference. Firing any one of my weapons groups by itself and waiting for the next refire ensures that I'm back at 0% heat. Firing all of my weapons groups I can get basically two alpha strikes off before I'm in serious heat territory. Considering that the amount of damage those two alphas put out though (196 total max), I'm not complaining.

This is effectively the exact same load out I use, except I have a 275 standard and 19 DBL sinks. Also, firing just the 2 large lasers at range generates next to no heat, and I NEVER fire them up close as 4 ML's and 4 SRM 6's generate ample heat (and damage) already. Because of this, I swapped out the 2 Large Lasers (played 1 match with them in) with ER Large Lasers, with the basic heat skills unlocked the heat build up is fairly negligible, and really gives you a "reach out and touch someone" direct fire option with the lack of ballistics.

[Reitrix]

I'm using 4 LL and 5 SRM6 with 17 DHS.
I can actually handle 1 alpha without shutting down, from cold. But i wont alpha if if theres a second enemy nearby. The 111 damage Alpha this morning cored a Centurion trying to cockpit me. Fire 1 Laser in his gut to make sure of my angle, then Alpha and BAM he falls. Turns out he had an Awesome behind him. Which didn't work out so well for me. lol .

[Kenach]

I immediately fell in love with this giant death machine

Even though I have no experience in past mech games, I can definitely say that the stalker is officially my all-time favorite battlemech Now i'm gonna try to understand which house uses it the most and who created it on sarna.net (also i hope they make a hero stalker in MWO ... i would insta-buy with real money )

[Isolani]

Bought a 5S, put 6 X med las and 4 X srm 6 in it, 2 AMS. Didn't like it personally, I just don't like the slow speed, and it doesn't seem to hold up to fire very well. Heat is a big problem of course. Brutal alpha though, just have to watch your heat.

Due to the heat problems, I think loading up with a bunch of LRMs might be better. Didn't bother trying, just played it enough to get all the basic pilot xp I needed, now I'm back to playing mechs I like.

It's the first assault I have played, light and medium mechs are a PITA to fight in a stalker...you just do everything so damn slow.

[Noth]

My favorite assault by far. I've always loved machines that can have mixed ranged loadouts and still have enough punch at each range to be effective. Both my 5m (uses tag and 2 LRM15s with 4ML and 2SRM, 1SRM4 for shorter range damage) and 3f (pure short range with 4 SRM6s and 6 ML) can be beasts if I play with them right. Still can't stand toe to toe with an atlas worth his salt, but I don't expect to, I just expect to leave them massively hurting before dieing. Also those that thank height is safety are unpleasant surprised by a 4 laser and 2SRM6 Alpha on my 3f thanks to it all being arm mounted.

[RadioKies]

#this post has nothing to add to the topic#

Mancu, on 18 December 2012 - 12:45 PM, said:

You do realize that not all mechs have to be equal right?

Not everyone would agree with you, please think of the Calimero's

[Slanski]

Actually my biggest gripe with the Awesome are the stunted legs. It cannot clear terrain that a Catapult easily steps over (try the piping on Caustic). Besides I feel that for artwork reasons only it is just too broad, horizontally stretched by a factor of 1.2.

The Stalker is hugely limited in torso twist and horizontal arm movement. It's a fire support and line mech in dire need of support and a wingman to protect its 6. The Awesome is a fast assault designed to outsnipe and outflank slower assaults. On the sniping I fear the PPC Stalker is going to steal its role, because the closer, higher positioned arm pylons and torsos of the Stalker give it better convergence. Also the higher mounts permit shooting over terrain better, once again a function of the stunted legs on the Awesome bringing its primary battery too low to the ground.

[Stimraug]

If stalker had the same hardpoints you would be crying about a useless new mech since we already have the awesome.

[HammelHauer]

I find its a support mech which can make massive damage with his missiles. Slow torso twist but massive armor. Me and a friend fired nearly 1 min in the back of a stalker and only armor was down. It goes faster to kill an atlas from behind as a stalker.

I find the stalker a bit small to carry 10 weapons +ams. The stalker is smaller as a cat and can carry much more firepower? Always when i see one i think how can such a 'little' mech have so many weapons.

[Jay Kroc]

My first impression is: "Hummm... it is not as ugly as I thought it would be."

[Vassago Rain]

It has quirky hit zones. You'll typically blow off at least one side torso before you kill the center.

[Noth]

Vassago Rain, on 19 December 2012 - 04:17 AM, said:

It has quirky hit zones. You'll typically blow off at least one side torso before you kill the center.

That is because it has huge side torsos. It's basically the opposite of the Catapult in that aspect.

[Waladil]

Greers, on 19 December 2012 - 03:11 AM, said:

Arms! You have a larger tracking-radius using the fully maneuverable arms of an Awesome. And well... Looks. An Awesome doesn't look like an oversized male attribute on legs...

Why does everyone think the Stalker is MALE? Put two of those side by side and tell me what you see.

I see a female attribute. And -- hey -- my pilot is up here.

[Steinar Bergstol]

The Stalker has always been a slow, lumbering, overheating, overgunned machine. If you're running a stock, as I imagine many are until they get the funds to alter it, then the name of the game is knowing that your weapons are not all meant to be fired at once. Know your range bands. Long range, LRMs. As you close in Large Lasers are added to the fire. Closer still and you switch to Medium Lasers and SRMs while leaving the LLs and LRMs alone. With the way heat works in MWO having the discipline not to alpha everything all the time is even more important than it was for Stalker pilots in TT games.

I'm happy the Stalker is in the game. It's only right for the most common assault mech in the Inner Sphere to be represented on the battlefield.