13 replies to this topic

[Cstriker]

I'm buying my first Assault mech today, thoughts on which beast I should roll with?

Deciding between the Atlas D or the Stalker 5N for 6 Large laser slots and lots of streaks or SRM6s...(to bad about ECM, took tactical thinking out of the game making LRMs crap).

[Culler]

I would opt for the atlas ddc or a stalker 5s or the 5m. The other variants are inferior in some way. Ddc for the ecm or 5s for the slots and extra ams if you want it.

[Ascendent]

If you go for a Stalker go for 5S if you want dual AMS, but 3F if you want the same hardpoints with greater torso twist range (85 vs 60 degrees). The 3H makes the better LRM boat (20 tubes per arm in 1 salvo) but that doesn't seem to be what you're going for. The 5M is your best bet if you want 5 SSRMs. Note that 1 of the missile slots on 5M is only 1 tube, so it will fire 1 rocket at a time from that slot. 5M only has 5 energy hardpoints so 6 LL wont fit. To be honest I think 6 LL is pushing it a bit in the heat department anyway. In general though, if you're looking for an Assault brawler, the Atlas is the superior choice. If you are looking for energy weapons, missiles, and fire support roles (direct or indirect) Stalker is the way to go.

[Woodpeckr]

If you want best performance go with the Atlas. DDC model is the best option because of ECM and extra missile hardpoint for one more ezmodo streak srm launcher.

[80Bit]

I have the AS7-D, AS7-D-DC, AS7-RS, and STK-5M so can only advise on those.

The AS7-D and AS7-RS are currently strictly inferior to the AS7-D-DC for PUG gameplay because of ECM. My AS7-D is the founders model and even with the extra C-Bills I never play it.

That brings it down to the AS7-D-DC and STK-5M, and I play a lot of both of them.

The D-DC lets you be an everything, center of the team mech. People will stick with you because you have ECM. You have plenty of loadout options to spec as a sniper, close range brawler, or a mix. Personally I have 1x ER PPC, 1x Gauss, 1xLRM15, 2xSSRM2, TAG, ECM, and BAP. It is truly an everything mech. You can TAG your own LRM targets and snipe from long range, but the Gauss and ER PPC, mixed with the streaks, give you the ability to fend things off closed range too.

The STK-5M is also a ton of fun. I tried a brawler setup with 6xSRM6+Artemis, and Medium Lasers. The close in damage is huge but the Stalkers are just to slow and cumbersome to be great brawlers. Stalkers giant weapon platforms that excel at fire support. I found a mixed loudout of LRM15s, SSRM2s, and Medium lasers, as well as self TAGing, has served me very well. When your team holds their own, you will throw out a ton of damage and be a monster at all ranged. But with any Stalker, you are even more vulnerable to light mechs and brawlers getting behind you than an Atlas is.


So in summary

Atlas D-DS
Pros: Can do it all. The most armored mech, able to load anything on it including ECM, and can handle almost any situation.
Cons: Not a "boat" mech so damage output is not the highest. Low on arm weapons so you need Streaks to have any chance against light mechs that close in.

Stalker-5M
Pros: Can mount a huge array of weapons, dwarfing any other mech. Can be boated for huge damage at a specific range, or setup to put out good damage at any range.
Cons: Very slow, very limited mobility. Any mech going over 80 kph is going to murder you in a close range fight.

[Elizander]

D-DC. Get your ECM first then collect the rest later.

[Woodpeckr]

AS7-D-DC atlas may not be a boat but it's certainly not lacking for DPS. I run dual UAC5, 3xSSRM2 and 2 MPL in mine and it's unusual to have a round where I don't top damage numbers. I've had round with over 1350 damage dealt, over 600 is pretty routine.

[80Bit]

Woodpeckr, on 21 December 2012 - 09:12 PM, said:

AS7-D-DC atlas may not be a boat but it's certainly not lacking for DPS. I run dual UAC5, 3xSSRM2 and 2 MPL in mine and it's unusual to have a round where I don't top damage numbers. I've had round with over 1350 damage dealt, over 600 is pretty routine.

It's true that the D-DC can still put out great damage. A lot of that is from the fact it will stay in the fight so long though. Honestly I think the most powerful Mech I own is the D-DC, especially now that TAG works at range. I love it when people are between 180 and 270 range. I am blasting them with 15 LRM and 4 SSRMs constantly, and driving home 25 damage Gauss/ER PPC combos. The mech is just flat out fun to play.

[Mordin Ashe]

Atlas. As long as it is really your first assault, don't go for Stalker, turso turning requires a lot of experience to handle.
As regards variants, DDC is the obvious one. Put in large lasers and srm6 and you will be murderous for any range. Other variants are capable fighters too, but lack one missile hardpoint (forget K with only 1) and laser slots are placed in not so great parts of torso, which basically means that you will have to take one extra ballistic weapon to keep up the DPS of other variants.
I had great success with 4xML, 3x SRM6+artemis and UAC5. Huge alpha and enough heat sinks to fire a couple of them.

Stalker may look appealing, mostly due to many hardpoints, but you will be clumsy an usually dead when fighting up close. Reasons: All stalkers overheat (logical, everyone wants to use all those shiny hardpoints) and torso turning angle. Also, with speed at 50 kmph, you are too slow to dodge anything.
Skilled player with Stalker is more dangerous than Atlas can ever be, but, well, you have to be carefull.

[Uridan]

Yea, I think it comes down to: If you PUG, go Atlas, if you have reliable backup, go Stalker. Armor will not kill the enemy, it's damage.

[Broceratops]

well it depends if you're willing to put effort into piloting the DDC correctly. if so, the DDC is flat out better at damage because it can LIVE.

stalkers get eaten, especially competitively, with their impossible to miss torso. i can go through two stalkers in a DDC, provided they're not sandwiching me.

[p00k]

Mordin Ashe, on 21 December 2012 - 09:49 PM, said:

Skilled player with Stalker is more dangerous than Atlas can ever be, but, well, you have to be carefull.

i disagree
there are a few stalker builds that, if you're careless, or sometimes just plain unlucky, can wreck a target pretty quick, but the atlas will get you more consistent mileage, and has plenty of hardpoints too though not as many as a stalker. and there are enough atlas variants to accommodate any future game balance changes (unlike the stalker, where many of the variants are essentially redundant, only the atlas k right now is bad).

[AllOuttaBubbleGum]

As stated go with the atlas ifmitmismyour first assault. It has better survivability. The only caveat is an atlas is a focus fire magnet amped an ECM atlas doubly so. I find I last longer in my RS. Don't count on having good pugmates to cover you.

I have two stalker stand I love them but they require more thinking( heat mgmt, limited torso twist, many weapons) With all those weapons ive found the stalker really shines in the late stage of a game where enemy mechs are beat up.

[John MatriX82]

All atlases besides K are fine imho, I like the RS with lots of large lasers, the D is a midpath able to do everything (from brawling to long range support) and the DDC is good as well in both and has the ECM as a plus.

About the stalkers I'd advice 3F if you like to brawl (85 torso twisting compared to 60 of the others), then 5M (llas in the CT is a lifesaver many times) and 5S; the latter is however redundant with the 3F and adds only a dual AMS capability.

The main difference between them is not only tonnage, but the total lack of ballistics for stalkers and so a grief heat management. In general stalkers do their best as upgraded and more dangerous awesomes as direct/indirect fire support, so it's up to your playstyle, if you want close encounters atlases may be better, more armor, more torso twisting, ballistics.