140 replies to this topic

[Eddrick]

The losses are not directly your fault if you score higher then everyone else even with a lower XP from the loss (Unless, your actions put the rest of the team in danger).

Using an XL engine is both good and bad for an Assault Mech. Try both and see if the extra speed is worth it.

I would just drop the Small Lasers and use the extra ton for something else (Like an extra Heatsink). You don't have to use every hard point.

[GioAvanti]

Noodlesoup, on 03 January 2013 - 02:32 PM, said:

i'd love to see how you guys play. good teamwork is rare. i compensate by not being the one out in front. i do a lot of ninja-stalking and just plain avoid counter-fire until absolutely necessary that i go head to head, then i play for position to try and get the drop on my opponents. i know that in a head on fight with another assault i'm at a disadvantage so i try to ensure i have every other advantage before engaging by leveraging what the xl give me. more guns, longer range, faster movement.

Bingo. The reason why I'm harping on this being (in general) a bad idea is that I've turned around entire matches just because a few people who had XL engines had them and shouldn't have.

On a brighter note a lot of good players will do the ninja thing.... surprisingly people don't turn around all the time when you hit them in the back.

[GioAvanti]

PaintedWolf, on 03 January 2013 - 02:41 PM, said:

Sure that's possible- they can be taken out of context. Noodlesoup also admitted he or she plays different then most assaults- more like an ambush predator then a tank.

At the same time, I question the premise that an XL is always bad on a brawler. The Mech is extra vulnerable- but it is also faster. It can have more firepower. These can, if played a certain way, compensate for the loss of versatility.


The REAL downside is not that the Mech will be ineffective,

The REAL downside is not the cost (come on Painted they don't even have repairs in the game right now).

It's that you run the risk of being taken out quickly....

[jakucha]

I love Assaults that have XL engines, just get another guy with you to focus fire on them with you and they go boom so fast.

[Noodlesoup]

Eddrick, on 03 January 2013 - 02:42 PM, said:

The losses are not directly your fault if you score higher then everyone else even with a lower XP from the loss (Unless, your actions put the rest of the team in danger).

Using an XL engine is both good and bad for an Assault Mech. Try both and see if the extra speed is worth it.

I would just drop the Small Lasers and use the extra ton for something else (Like an extra Heatsink). You don't have to use every hard point.

there's no more available space for dhs, and i like having small lasers for when i just need to drop a few more points of damage on a single location but i don't want to waste a lot of heat doing it. if/when we get the larger maps, i may drop the BAP or SLs for additional SRM ammo for extended operational capability

[Joe Mallad]

Noodlesoup, on 02 January 2013 - 10:58 PM, said:

300 XL Engine, 4xLLs, 0.93 heat efficiency, how can i improve my stalker?

edit: in the interest of full disclosure. my stalker also has 4xSRM6s and 2xSLs. it still overheats though.. what can i do?!

if the stalker works for your play style, I dont see anything wrong with it. The problem is EVERYONE else thinks they know what the best build is for someone else. Building any mech in this game to fit you and play how you want it to, is one of the main reasons they gave us the option to built our own mechs. Now granted, some mech builds will not work at all but like I said above, it it works for you... run with it.

[Acenan]

One Medic Army, on 03 January 2013 - 02:31 PM, said:

Looks fine to me
Since the extra 2 DHS go into the engine there aren't any space issues.

The problem is that when you placed all of the gear(weapons,DHS) in the machlab the mech only has 8 slots left the XL 310 needs 12 slots

And forgot to mention theres 4 tons of SRM ammo in the legs

Edit: and you have no armor on, i have ferro fibrous armor maxed out

Edited by Acenan, 03 January 2013 - 03:01 PM.

[PaintedWolf]

Okay a couple more examples on how having XL on even a Pure Brawler can be useful:

1- Replace the 5 MLs with 5 MPLs- now those pesky Lights/Mediums which were running circles around you and destroying you with impunity have something to fear.

2- Extra-HS in the Engine. Remember DHS in the Engine are 2.0, outside they are 1.4. So you go XL and replace that 250 with 300 XL- you lost 3 free spaces on the side torsos but gained 2 DHS in the engine.

[One Medic Army]

Acenan, on 03 January 2013 - 02:54 PM, said:

The problem is that when you placed all of the gear(weapons,DHS) in the machlab the mech only has 8 slots left the XL 310 needs 12 slots

And forgot to mention theres 4 tons of SRM ammo in the legs

Use the net mechlab, put in everything short of the engine. I'm not quite clear how you're using up that much space, I loaded the equipment you listed.

[PaintedWolf]

Yoseful Mallad, on 03 January 2013 - 02:51 PM, said:

if the stalker works for your play style, I dont see anything wrong with it. The problem is EVERYONE else thinks they know what the best build is for someone else. Building any mech in this game to fit you and play how you want it to, is one of the main reasons they gave us the option to built our own mechs. Now granted, some mech builds will not work at all but like I said above, it it works for you... run with it.

This. That is why I love Battletech- you can make those crazy A-1 with 6 SRM-6s and make it work.

[Gallowglas]

I cannot wait for people to be able to drop against other people of their choosing for practice matches. That way, folks can prove how good or terrible their build/skill really is instead of just mouthing off about how awesome they are and how everyone else's build sucks.

[Monky]

to OP;

I get similar in my 5S with 2 AMS, 4 med las, 2 ER large, and 4 LRM 5's.

Stalker, in nearly any config, can pump numbers. That's the purpose of the mech. It isn't near as durable as other mechs (excuse the lack of current assaults heavier than 85 barring the atlas of course) and can be outmaneuvered with ease. By trading up for an XL engine you gain mobility but sacrifice durability (I know my stalker's side torsos are about the only thing to get blown off, ever.) so it comes down to play style. Can you effectively leverage that extra speed/agility to make use of it? Clearly you can, as an individual, so carry on.

Edited by Monky, 03 January 2013 - 03:29 PM.

[Sug]

[Ricama]

Responding mainly to the title, there is one quick and easy way to improve it: Ignore the forums.

[SpiralRazor]

GioAvanti, on 03 January 2013 - 01:55 PM, said:

Honestly... it is rather stupid.
Why?

Pro: You get more damage (subjective.... btw due to heat and other load outs actually putting out more alpha dmg)
Pro: Better speed (last guy I talked to bragged he was going 65 kph with his xl engine)

Con: Major loss in durability (compounded by the mech's body)
Con: 6 critical slots lost (which are really needed for heat sinks)


Simply put: The pros you get are weak pros and the cons are nasty as hell.

Yes, because 65 is a HELL of a lot more agile then 48......Engine size is DIRECTLY related to how fast you can torso twist and how fast you can track targets with your reticules.

There is a HUGE difference in a 310 engine vs what the Stalker comes with stock. A standard 310 is simply too heavy to allow you to utilize all your hardpoints effectively, thereby massively decreasing the amount of damage you can do.

A 310 XL however, loses me 2 DHS, another 2.8 cooling which is trivial when I already have 18-20 DHS on the mech anyway.


PROS:

MAJOR increase in agility, with MAJOR BOOST in turning speed, reticule tracking speeds, over land speeds, and torso twist speed.

LARGE increase in cooling due to have a 310 XL engine with DHS.

CON: Loss of durability.. Its not major, but its not trivial...often times the rest of my mech is chewed up pretty badly before i lose an ST.....would i have survived a little longer? Perhaps, but most of my weapons would have been destroyed in that case anyway. 2 MPLs or one LL left on the CT is trivial

CON: 6 Critical Spots lost.....trivial considering the 310 has 2 spots in the engine, and i have plenty of tonnage.




TLDR:

Standard engines are for people who want to build walking bunkers. If you drop your engine low enough, you can get pretty huge alphas. However, you are hopeless in repositioning yourself, and if a light mech ever DOES decide to pester you, you will NEVER be able to track him well enough with a smaller standard engine.

If you go for a large standard engine, then you will be severely undergunned or under heat sinked...either of those is bad bad bad for an "Assault" mech.

[Solis Obscuri]

[Taemien]

OP are those screens from solo queues? If so, I look forward to seeing you in community warfare. If your in a 4 man, thats still some pretty decent shooting. Usually only see damage numbers and scores like that next to my name

[Noodlesoup]

Taemien, on 03 January 2013 - 05:35 PM, said:

OP are those screens from solo queues? If so, I look forward to seeing you in community warfare. If your in a 4 man, thats still some pretty decent shooting. Usually only see damage numbers and scores like that next to my name

those are from solo queueing. i occasionally run a 4-man but not too often since i'm also waiting for the skill-based matching and community warfare to show up.

Glory to the Dragon! Woo

[Taemien]

I'm in the same boat. Solo drop maybe a handful of games a week. Usually run a 4 man if one of my friends gets a new config idea and wants to test it out... usually all of us are running slightly tweaked versions seeing which one is best.

Either get 700+ damage... or... well we won't speak about the tweaks that don't work so well lol.

[King Arthur IV]

4LL 0.9~HE
kind of a waste of any stalkers hardpoints isnt it?
meh i have dumb builds 2 but it works for me.