56 replies to this topic

[Nullzero]

What do you think?

Awesome, as I see it, is basically a support mech for the Atlas. The Atlae take the hits, and the Awesome provides good back-up firepower. Awesome just does NOT have the armor to go toe-to-toe vs another Assault mech... and now with the firepower of the Stalker, it doesn't have the firepower either.

So, does the Stalker completely surpass the Awesome? Better armament, slightly better armor, comparable speed, and smaller hit profile. As a support role, it seems to be better in every respect.

The ONE saving grace for the whole class of Awesomes is the the AWS-9M. It is easily the fastest Assault mech of the bunch, topping over 85kph with Speed Tweak. This make it an effective harasser/skirmisher, and is my favorite variant of the Awesome class. But... since the Stalker was released, the 9M may be the only viable variant for the Awesome.

Thoughts?

[One Medic Army]

The awesome is still better at laser+missile brawling than the stalker.
The stalker is good at long-range support or flattening whatever's in front of it, but handles fast/maneuverable opponents much worse than an awesome (no horizontal traverse on arms, very limited torso twist, gigantic blimp side profile).

[Elizander]

I think that, for now, it's good enough that one variant is capable while the rest are mostly niche or flavor. We can't have so many mechs that are all equal, unique, and cool at the same time. That's just not possible.

As long as the 9M can run circles around any Stalker variant and the rest of the Awesomes have better turning with the advantage of arm-mounted weaponry then it should be okay.

Looking at the game in a face-to-face, stand-and-deliver point of view to compare the mechs isn't usually a good thing.

Edit:

Still waiting on a Hero Awesome to be released before I finish up my Awesome efficiency trees.

Edited by Elizander, 23 December 2012 - 01:58 AM.

[GalaxyBluestar]

it all depends on a stalker's weapons layout, a sepcialised awesome that can outrange a stalker will win. smothered many stalkers to death cause they can't manouver well enough and they weren't packing enough closerange weapons. if they do then a sniper awesome such as lrglaser boat or erppc boat can out gun the med laser srm stacked stalkers. it is true though that the deciding factor is the stalker is too slow and can only fire straight ahead so ripping their sides is a treat no matter what you're using against them.

so what ever you do don't attack a stalker head on always go for the sides and even in an average awesome you'll move around and keep out their fireing range. personally the worst stalkers are lrm or srm heavy ones so try and find out which is which or you'll get a nasty surprise!

[Buck Cake]

Awesomes are junk and the only people that can get a kill in an awesome are probably so good they could kill a mech with nothing but a skateboard, a landmine and some yarn.

[Soy]

Before the Stalker even came out the 9M was the only legitimate variant...

...and it's always been a boss mech.

[GalaxyBluestar]

Buck Cake, on 23 December 2012 - 02:06 AM, said:

Awesomes are junk and the only people that can get a kill in an awesome are probably so good they could kill a mech with nothing but a skateboard, a landmine and some yarn.

thanks X)

[J4ckInthebox]

Quote

Awesomes Completely Outclassed By Stalkers Now

Well at least the Awesome doesn't look like an obese Raven.

[The Cheese]

The Awesome was never that great to start with. The better companion to an Atlas was always another Atlas... at least until now.

[MustrumRidcully]

GalaxyBluestar, on 23 December 2012 - 02:04 AM, said:

it all depends on a stalker's weapons layout, a sepcialised awesome that can outrange a stalker will win.

A comparision between two mechs is not necessarily about them fighting each other, but whether both mechs fulfill the same role equally well. Range for example seems like a terrible example here- the Stalker can carry 4 LRMs or 4 ER PPCs just as well as an Awesome, but it still has more armor then, so it will be better.

You may have a better argument if you think about brawling ,in which an Atlas can at least bring similar firepower and its more flexible arms. That may not be relevant in a fight against a Stalker (neither side being mobile enough to outmaneuver each other), but it may be useful when engaged by lighter mechs.

I think that is pretty much the Awesome's niche compared to the Stalker - Brawling. But... The Atlas can do it even better than him. So... Hmm.

[Horned Bull]

nothing has changed - awesomes were completely outclassed by atlases before. Also awesome has one of the biggest cockpits in the game.

[Thirdstar]

Well the 9M can be a fast assault. But I'm not exactly sure what kind of niche that fills though. I mean other weight classes can probably do the job better.

[Exoth3rmic]

Elizander, on 23 December 2012 - 01:57 AM, said:

I think that, for now, it's good enough that one variant is capable while the rest are mostly niche or flavor. We can't have so many mechs that are all equal, unique, and cool at the same time. That's just not possible.

I agree with this.

The Stalker and Awesome do require different styles of piloting in both positioning and engaging the enemy. With heat issues being looked at which may impact the use of the awesome in a positive way I think we can wait a little longer before writing the awesome off.

[Rivy]

I still feel the stalkers go down faster than awesomes. Just my experience though.

[John MatriX82]

Atlas and Stalkers are a better choice than any Awesome besides the 9M. They are way too big and easy to target and hit, lacking armor, speed, heat management.

Although I'd like to run a 9M, the idea of exping other 2 variants for it isn't a joy.. stalkers are way better for whatever role you want to employ them, although they aren't that much more resilient as well especially in close range fights.

[Nullzero]

John MatriX82, on 23 December 2012 - 05:27 AM, said:

stalkers are way better for whatever role you want to employ them,

This is what I am worried about. I mean, I love my 9M, but eventually, I think people are just going to stop using the under-powered mechs. Especially when the netcode gets fixed. Lights are going to be fodder for any laser volley. People will be flocking away from Lights in droves, because up til now they have had lag armor as a handicap advantage.

So, when all those people leave lights... I think they will just gravitate toward the opposite... something huge with a lot of weapons and armor. And that means, not an Awesome.

I kind of blame the match making. The fact that my team can have two Awesomes on it, and be put against a team with two Atlae is just terrifying. It's 40 ton difference in weight with that matchup. I'd rather see the weight brackets tightened up a bit.

[Trauglodyte]

I'm going to sound like a broken record again but, hey, its the interwebs so who cares?

For everyone bagging on the Awesome, you have to look at the fact that the Atlas and Stalker all top out at 58 kph while the 9M caps at 78 kph (the other Awesomes also top out at 58 kph). If you're wanting to brawl with heavy alphas, the Awesome is going to fail in comparison to the Stalker and Atlas due to lack of "heavy damage" weapon points. Three PPCs is nice but its a ton of heat and adding in missiles, namely SRMs, just makes it worse. Plus, at 80 tons, you're losing out on armor versus the Stalker and Atlas.

BUT, what is really holding the Awesome, namely the 9M back, is the fact that we're playing in a sandbox. Yes, this is broken record time. The distance from bottom edge of each map to the center point is about 1000m. At 58 kph, it would take you 62 seconds to go from edge to center. But, with the range of weapons and the added "double range" provided, it would only take you 30s to get into max Md Laser range. Many people in assault mechs are boating Lrg Lasers (450 range, 900 extended range) which means that if your target is at the center point of the map, it would only take you 7s to get into range of where you're doing damage. SEVEN SECONDS!!! Because of that, the speed benefit of the 9M is made moot which means that you're now driving a mech with lighter armor, lighter weapon points, no benefit of ECM (D-DC), etc. So, why bother with the Awesome when its only benefit is trashed?

The only way that the Awesome will be viable is if they start making maps 3-4x the current size of what we have. Then, you could emply actual scouting, fast strike groups, etc thereby employing the use of all valid combat tactics other than "lets go center and rumble".

[KingCobra]

I still have a Awesome and use it only for missile support but it needs a hit box and armor update it is so weak I get killed in 2 shots from a medium its just sick and wrong of PGI to let this happen.

[Soy]

The only time I lose to an Atlas in my 9M is if it's a brawl situation where I can't regain range, and they pack something like an AC20.

Or if I'm in some sort of ****** up situation where I'm reduced to closing range from 900m in completely open territory with zero cover against a boater.

I don't understand how you people think the Awesome is non-awesome. Sure 4 of the 5 variants are pure garbage, but the 5th... the 5th is a gem I tell you.

PS -

KingCobra, on 23 December 2012 - 07:58 AM, said:

I still have a Awesome and use it only for missile support but it needs a hit box and armor update it is so weak I get killed in 2 shots from a medium its just sick and wrong of PGI to let this happen.

It just got a hit box update...

Edited by Soy, 23 December 2012 - 08:01 AM.

[paladin yst]

Quote

The awesome is still better at laser+missile brawling than the stalker.
The stalker is good at long-range support or flattening whatever's in front of it, but handles fast/maneuverable opponents much worse than an awesome (no horizontal traverse on arms, very limited torso twist, gigantic blimp side profile).

Explained everything, u can basically close this thread now lol.

2 pilots of equal skill, both brawling in a stalker and awesome, stalker has 0 chance. Majority of the hits will be on the stalker side/center torso, minority on the arm. Where as the awesome arm will block a lot more and the arms man, arms is the single most important thing in brawling. You cant arm shield stalker the way u use awesome. Not to mention stalker legs are so much easier to break than awesome ones

Edited by paladin yst, 23 December 2012 - 08:17 AM.