294 replies to this topic

[orion343]

Been having good success with this, normally 500-800 damage dealt per round if I don't do anything stupid:

Stalker 5M
Stock engine
20 DHS
**MAX ARMOR**

4 LL's (2 per arm)
1 ML (center)
2 SRM6's
1 SRM4 (put SRMs in left and right torso)
2 tons SRM ammo

I keep the LL's grouped into pairs (each arm), and the mlas/srms grouped in my "punish people who get close" button. The LLs are very effective if you're good at picking out weak components, and a 16-srm-shotgun is plenty to discourage someone who wants to brawl (or switch them to chain fire during big mosh-pits).

The maxed armor is enough to let you hang in there against most atlas builds, provided you don't get swarmed.

[Stingz]

orion343, on 25 January 2013 - 10:17 PM, said:

The maxed armor is enough to let you hang in there against most atlas builds, provided you don't get swarmed.

65 per leg is probably enough, unless you already maxed out slots and need to burn weight.

[Aileen Dover]

Chassis Name: Stalker
Model Name: STK-5M
Variant Name: Stompy

Engine: 300 Reg Engine
Internal Type: Std Internals
Armor Type: Std Armor
Heat Sinks: 22 (12) Double Heat Sinks

Tonnage: 84.94
Speed: 57.2 kph
Armor Total: 526
Alpha Strike Damage: 52.00
Alpha Strike Heat: 35.00
Firepower: 13.91 dps
Heat Efficiency: 33.47%
Effective Range of Loadout: 270m

Head: 18/18
Right Torso: 54/72
Right Rear Torso: 18/72
Center Torso: 86/108
Center Rear Torso: 22/108
Left Torso: 54/72
Left Rear Torso: 18/72
Right Arm: 56/56
Left Arm: 56/56
Right Leg: 72/72
Left Leg: 72/72

Right Arm:
Medium Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Streak SRM2
Double Heat Sink
Double Heat Sink

Left Arm:
Medium Laser
Medium Pulse Laser
Streak SRM2
Double Heat Sink
Double Heat Sink

Right Torso:
Streak SRM2
Double Heat Sink
Double Heat Sink
Double Heat Sink

Left Torso:
Streak SRM2
Double Heat Sink
Double Heat Sink
Double Heat Sink

Center Torso:
Large Pulse Laser

Head:

Right Leg:
Streak SRM Ammo
Streak SRM Ammo

Left Leg:
Streak SRM Ammo
Streak SRM Ammo

Based on a design I saw on YouTube. Works all right, needs heat regulation though.

[Peter von Danzig]

At the moment I am into a 3H with four 20 lrm racks.
It pretty rocks

Edited by Peter von Danzig, 26 January 2013 - 01:49 PM.

[Mental Hippie]

Build that I have had some success with.

4xLRM5+Artemis (4 Tons of ammo)
4xLlas
TAG
As big a standard engine you can fit.
As many DHS as you can cram in there.
As much armor as you're comfortable with.
Beagle for faster locks if you find it worth it.

Works great for mid range support and can really lay down the hurt with those fast recycling LRMs coupled with the Llas. Fits any Stalker except the crappy one with only 4 energy hardpoints.

[Spectre250]

I am a rook to MWO, but I started with a STK-5M and got this:

3x ML, 2 in the right arm with another in the center torso.
3x LRM 10
1x LRM 15
AMS w/ 1 ton ammo

Left the stock engine and split the remaining tonnage between LRM ammo and a little extra armor on the torso and arms. Though that is probably due to far more heat sinks than necessary.

She runs pretty cool, and I have yet to get it even come close to the overheat mark. Only real downside is I get eaten alive if anyone closes inside of 150m, so I am limited to standoff fights from cover. It has actually been a little laughable engaging Catapult A1s and C2s at range, as between the AMS and armor, they cannot get enough lead in the air to cause a real problem.

[Regrets]

Spectre, drop down to 10 DHS, add Artemis and endosteel, change medium lasers to 1 TAG and as many small lasers as you can fit (you don't have the heat for anything more). This way you should be able to fit like 4xLRM15 with art and will do a bit more damage. Oh well no medium lasers, getting rid of a 7 tons in heatsinks and fitting endosteel is worth it.

Also with LRM build you will rarely be able to fight anything <180m, so don't bother except some minimum defense to help fight off lights. Use positioning to protect yourself from short range fights more than any weaponry.

[Peter von Danzig]

After playing the Stalker for over a month (in all different styles like brawler, lrm boat, sniper) I finally have my own favourite:

Stalker STK-5M
Name: Tyson - you guess why? ;P

Engine: 300STD
Internals: STD
Armor: STD

Weapons:
4 Medium Lasers
5 SRM6
1 AMS

19 Double Heat Sinks
Armor 512/526


Pro:
Fast - 63 kph with Elite
Lethal - If you can aim a bit and have a good ping even an atlas in no match for you

Con:
Torso restrictions
Only one Command mudule
No long range abilities

Edited by Peter von Danzig, 27 January 2013 - 08:16 AM.

[Stingz]

Regrets, on 26 January 2013 - 10:54 PM, said:

Also with LRM build you will rarely be able to fight anything <180m, so don't bother except some minimum defense to help fight off lights. Use positioning to protect yourself from short range fights more than any weaponry.

ECM, mechs can easily sneak under 180m when it doesn't show on radar.

TAG will only help with one target, the entire enemy team can shoot back at you.

[Regrets]

So don't try to brawl with your LRM boat? Idk what you want me to say, but you can't make your LRM boat super effective at close range anyway.

[SPencil]

Speaking of LRM boats, here's a 4xLRM20 Stalker

I have two stalkers: 3F for SRMs (that extra torso twist range makes it that much better :>), and a 5M for LRMing.

edit: I didn't put armor in my examples because laziness. Assume armor is maxed.

Edited by SPencil, 27 January 2013 - 10:26 AM.

[Dendrobium]

STK-4N: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...ded2f0ef6976647

Stats:
526 Armor
72 Firepower
4.48 sustained
22% cooling efficiency
STD 285 engine


Weapons:
2ML
2MPL
3SRM4 + Art 600ammo
2PPC

upgrades:
Endo Steel
DHS
Art

The build works pretty well. The standard engine does limit me on some weapons but, it allows me to be much more mobile without having to put in the glass engine and running the high risk of engine death. All I need to do now is buy 2 more stalkers so that I can get this guy into the next level of mech tree unlocks.

[Limekiller]

Thinking about the following three builds:

5S mixed-range build: STK-5S
2 PPC, 4 MedLas, 4 SSRM2, 2 AMS, 512 armor, std 275 engine, 19DHS.

3F brawler build: STK-3F
2 LL, 4 MedLas, Artemis, 2 SRM6, 2 SRM4, 496 armor, XL310 engine, 18 DHS Note: If you're paranoid about the XL engine here, you can drop to a STD 250 engine, and go to 17 DHS.

5M LRM boat build: STK-5M
Artemis, 4 LRM 15s, 4 MedLas, TAG, 512 armor, XL255 engine, 12 DHS

[Regrets]

SRM > LL for brawler imo. With the mixed range build, Stalker has tons of options (LRM+SSRM+LL+PPC+ML+SPL in any combination). My only thought on your 5S build is that ML will be too hot, but I am a known ML hater!

[Limekiller]

Just came up with the following idea for a 3F build: STK-3F

2 PPC, 4 MLs, Artemis, 3 SRM 4, 1 SRM 6, AMS, XL305 engine, 512pts armor, 18 DHS.

Can hit people at range with the PPCs, but the build really shines up close, with 4 medium lasers, and 18 SRM tubes (w/ Artemis) that can fire in one volley. You could probably do something similar on a 5S chassis, which can net you a 2nd AMS in the bargain, at the cost of the 3Fs better torso twist arc.

Anyway, thoughts?

[EXPNobody]

Stalker 5S LRM build (dont have c bills to buy 5M)
Stock Engine
Stock Structure
Artemis
2xLRM20
2xLRM15
total of 11DHS(include the onces that's given)
Rest for LRM ammo (total of 1900 rounds of ammo)

gives nightmare on whoever taking the hit of those LRM barrage.

Edited by EXPNobody, 08 March 2013 - 06:53 PM.

[Dawnstealer]

So just decided to resurrect this one rather than start a new one. Debating buying my first Assault mech (played the tabletop for YEARS, so I'm not a complete rook to these things).

Was debating trying to figure out a pseudo-LRM boat (two LRM 10 or 15's), but with a pair of LPL and four MPLs, if possible. Just playing the game as a scout, it seems like the pulses are WAY more effective at taking me out. Since I'd be a big, fat target, have all pulses seems like a way to mitigate the threat of smaller mechs.

[Spheroid]

Dawnstealer, on 29 April 2013 - 03:37 PM, said:

So just decided to resurrect this one rather than start a new one. Debating buying my first Assault mech (played the tabletop for YEARS, so I'm not a complete rook to these things).

Was debating trying to figure out a pseudo-LRM boat (two LRM 10 or 15's), but with a pair of LPL and four MPLs, if possible. Just playing the game as a scout, it seems like the pulses are WAY more effective at taking me out. Since I'd be a big, fat target, have all pulses seems like a way to mitigate the threat of smaller mechs.

You should get a Stalker then. However pairing mplas with Lplas is not a good idea. Lplas can be paired with mlas with good effect. Massed mlas, Llas, Lplas are all better options. Also IMHO pulse lasers are best for mechs that are fast themselves, not slower mechs that are shooting at them. The longer range more efficient damage of standard lasers can be aimed at the legs over time which increases the chances of crippling light mechs. With medium pulse the window to hit or miss is shorter.

Edited by Spheroid, 29 April 2013 - 05:23 PM.

[Regrets]

Agreed, I'm running a 5M with 3ppc 2xLRM10 (make sure to check the number of missile tubes or you are wasting lots of tonnage).

[Dawnstealer]

Should have read the above first (thanks for the response - I'm debating buying a couple more stalkers (M and F) and am really having a blast with my current build).

After a bit of playing around on my new 5S, I settled on a TAG, Beagle, 2 AMS, LRM15 x2, LRM10 x2, and 4 ML.

While I get called "noob" and worse a lot since taking this boat out, I'm 37 and have been internetting since the web was a single page and Gofer was a search engine: someone typing at me doesn't mean much especially when I just killed them in a game. Besides, with so much ECM out there, LRMs have become a "skill weapon" again and take some amount of finesse and teamwork to work well.

The TAG is essential, as is being aware that stomping around in a Stalker makes you a big honking target and one that Lights LOVE to sneak behind (something I loved to do when I was piloting a Light). As usual, if you get cornered by a couple lights out in the open, you're pretty much dead, but at a distance, this is a great support mech.

I take shots of opportunity with it and having waves and waves of LRMs rain in on a mech is usually enough to get them to duck back for cover. Likewise, if a light is out in the open, I can TAG them and make it rain. As I said above, even when I was piloting my CDA, my deaths usually came at the hands of smaller, lighter mechs (outside of the rare bad luck when I'd walk around a corner right into an Assault Lance), so I tend to focus on Lights closing the gap first, saving not only my butt, but also protecting fellow bigs and giving my own team's Lights a chance to focus on the enemy bigs.

And once you're out of ammo, the enemy's usually so chewed up that the four MLs can polish them off. While it doesn't have ECM, it does have that AMS bubble to protect nearby teammates from enemy LRM boats and weaken the attacks of SRM-heavy mechs (which are rising in dominance, I'm seeing).

Edited by Dawnstealer, 01 May 2013 - 10:46 AM.