153 replies to this topic

[Athena Pryde]

Is there a way to link to specific posts so I can make a bunch of links in the original post to my various updates?

@Warrax the Chaos Warrior
With fixed netcode a fast heavy like the Dragon seem like they would have value on a large conquest map where they can chase down light or get to other capture points quickly. They also sound like they would be better in an organized team with 2 or 3 operating together. Unfortunately we don't have that.

@Serapth
I agree the Dragon should have had 50 ammo for the Ultra AC5. In Game 28, I was doing decent chewing up an Awesome from behind. Then click I ran out of ammo.... Seriously.......

@Aym
Thank you. Is your group west coast since it says your location is LA? I play at odd times usually late nights when I have a bout of insomnia and voice chat is not possible. I also don't play regularly so can't really commit to a Merc group that wants regular players.

Part of the reason my early videos didn't get posted other then FRAPS crashes and forgetting to push the record button till halfway in the fight was I didn't even play with sound (laptop was on mute and I was too lazy to get headphones) and did silly stuff because of it. I later bothered to get a pair of headphones and put some music on so posted all those.

Is your group serious it sounds like it is from the tournament post I saw on your website. I really am not that serious just want to stomp around in giant robot blowing up other giant robots with my friends unfortunately most of them don't touch anything beta with a 10 foot pole or wanted me to do this write up before they sink their feet in.

@Vassago Rain
I need to get better at legging ECM Ravens. They really shoot up my Stalker.

Edited by Athena Pryde, 15 January 2013 - 02:25 PM.

[Scyther]

Hi Athena, interesting project, thanks for sharing your new player experience and thoughtful posts.

I haven't read all the posts nor watched all the vids, so forgive if I am repeating things you already know.

I noticed in one of your early videos, you launched your LRMs then moved your cursor off to check another target. I didn't watch a lot so maybe this was an odd occurence. It is my understanding that you have to maintain the red cursor lock on the mech until the LRMs hit, or they just continue towards the point of last aim.

I have also seen mentioned in other threads, that you can dumbfire LRMs at the point your cursor is aiming at, or that you can fire them at a target, then re-acquire that target before they hit (if you lost targetting) or even another target, and they will steer towards the current target lock. I have not tested either of these though.

Like you, I also thought the Streak SRMs were the answer to lights. However, I found they don't kill lights fast enough, and they really leave you short when a heavy or assault pops up in front of you.

A 3F build I found very effective was 2 LL(arms), 2 SRM6, 2 SRM4, 3 tons ammo, AMS/1 ton ammo, and the rest taken up with the 300 standard engine (which you plan on anyway) and double heat sinks.

Decent speed, decent turning, a lot of punch. Because the SRM6s and 4s each have a different spread out/gather pattern, you have a good chance to hit even lights. One tactic is to reverse or move in a way so that for the space of a shot they are moving (close to) straight away from or straight towards you. Then blast with your SRMs and the lag shield won't help them.

Your turn speed/radius works better if you aren't at top speed, so if you need to circle slow to about 60% max speed. Also, counter-turn as they are running around you in one direction, and you will get at least one shot in per circle.

Hope that helps, have fun and good hunting!

Badger

(PS: http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/ shows the various weapon numbers and mech configs)

Edited by MadBadger, 16 January 2013 - 05:32 AM.

[Capriocorpus]

Hi Athena nice write up but Ive noticed that you have the wrong heat and damage numbers for the LL and ML. The LL does 9 dmg for 7 heat and the ML does 5 dmg for 4 heat. This link http://mwomercs.com/...s-excel-inside/ has the stats for everything and you should probably take a look at it.

[Hawkwings]

You can link individual posts like this: http://mwomercs.com/...23#entry1743123

In the upper right hand corner of each post is a little number that is a hyperlink to that specific post. That one I just linked is post #141. If you click on that number, you will be brought directly to that post.

[Athena Pryde]

Sorry for the slow updates been pretty busy in real life.

Update: Finally can afford double heat sinks

Game 35 Stalker 3F
Well back to my own mech. Thos trials were pretty sad.

Video


Results


Pushed to far ahead and ran into most of the enemy team ECM jamming radar is quite annoying.

Can finally afford double heatsinks yay



Can't afford any additional weapons so underweight for the time being. Will have to save up for some LRM 15s and a TAG.

Game 36 Stalker 3F

Video


Results


Yay actually got a kill. Maybe should have pulled back off that hill sooner when I saw all those enemies instead of killing that Ilya and losing half my mech in the process. This is why I feel XL engines are bad. Ran around with half a Stalker for awhile after that still doing some damage.

Game 37 Stalker 3F

Video


Results


Double heat sinks really makes a difference. Can fire pretty often even on Caustic. Still need to be more careful watching the heat as I overheated a few times. Actually getting some kills now. Too bad about that overheat at the end would have been nice to destroy that Ilya. Ilya seems really good. Broceratops got over 1000 damage with it. Lost due to capture points. Not much I can do though stayed with the team and did good damage. Going off on my own to get a capture point is a good way to die.

Game 38 Stalker 3F

Video


Results


Probably wasn't the brightest idea to run up front and stand on the hill exchanging shots with a Centurion but I got impatient and everyone else on my team was standing around. I did kill that Centurion but then lost half my Stalker to an Atlas. Another example of why XL engines are bad. Still did some damage with only half a Stalker.

Some observations
I noticed the c bill income is pretty slow once your cadet bonus runs out. That seems to be intentional so you buy premium.

I noticed I am starting to get some kills but still not winning much. I really don't play that often to join a Merc Company just yet.

Next up
Further updating the build adding LRM15s and a TAG. Will post some videos of how that performs. I also managed to play a few games on double exp weekend to get all the basic skills. Still saving for the 300 standard engine.

Some replies.
@Mad Badger
Thank you. Your 3F build seems interesting. Might have to give it a try once I get the 300 standard engine.

@Capriocorpus
Thank you. I was going by table top values where Large Lasers are 8 damage for 8 heat and medium lasers are 5 damage for 3 heat. Didn't know they changed that. That would explain why 4 mediums is more heat then 2 large in this game. It wasn't just my imagination.
MWO
2 Large lasers =14 heat for 18 damage
4 medium lasers = 16 heat for 20 damage
Table top
2 large lasers 16 heat for 16 damage
4 medium lasers 12 heat for 20 damage

@Hawkwings
Thank you will have to link all my later posts to the first one then.

Edited by Athena Pryde, 22 January 2013 - 10:47 PM.

[Dukarriope]

I was thinking of reconfiguring my 5M into a LRM boat; 4 med lasers, central TAG, two LRM15s and two LRM10s and a SSRM2 in the NARC tube. But I took the DHS off it and that config only sounds sensible to me with DHS.

[Warrax the Chaos Warrior]

Athena Pryde, on 22 January 2013 - 10:19 PM, said:

Too bad about that overheat at the end would have been nice to destroy that Ilya. Ilya seems really good. Broceratops got over 1000 damage with it.

If the Ilya seems really good, it's because the Cataphract chassis in general is really good. All the other hero mechs are based on chassis that are largely regarded as sub-optimal; and while they are unique, they still have the base chassis' weaknesses.

[Kell Draygo]

Athena Pryde, on 22 January 2013 - 10:19 PM, said:

Probably wasn't the brightest idea to run up front and stand on the hill exchanging shots with a Centurion but I got impatient and everyone else on my team was standing around. I did kill that Centurion but then lost half my Stalker to an Atlas. Another example of why XL engines are bad. Still did some damage with only half a Stalker.

XL Engines are definitely risker to fit but sometimes the benefits can be pretty rewarding. However, your play style will have to change when playing the Mech with an XL engine and one with STD. The former is more of offensive focused while the latter ups your tankish factor.

[Warrax the Chaos Warrior]

Kell Draygo, on 23 January 2013 - 08:22 AM, said:

XL Engines are definitely risker to fit but sometimes the benefits can be pretty rewarding. However, your play style will have to change when playing the Mech with an XL engine and one with STD. The former is more of offensive focused while the latter ups your tankish factor.

XLs work in light mechs, Cicadas, Dragons, and Catapults. It's been my experience that the risk is too high in any other chassis.

[Athena Pryde]

Any ideas on what Stalker variant to save up for after I get the 300 engine? Already have the 3F which was the trial with the better torso twist.

5S for 2 AMS but I don't use an AMS right now
3H for 20 LRM tubes in each arm for LRM boat or are LRM boats just bad?
5M has 5 missle hard points to make an LRM boat but 1 is a narc tube (Dukarriope's LRM build for this looks interesting)

@Dukarriope
Let me know how you like the LRM boat configuration. I might try a LRM boat at some point. The 3H sounds like it would be better for an LRM boat because of the 20 missle tubes in the arms.

@Warrax the Chaos Warrior
I have noticed an Ilya being the top scorer in several of my games not just that one but it stands out that Broceratops did 1000 damage in that one. Does Ilya do anything better then the other Cataphracts other then the 3 Ultra Autocannon 3 medium laser configuration I seen most of them use? 3 Ultra Autocannon 5's can be really nasty when they don't jam.

XL engine just seems not worth the huge cbill cost to buying one as well as the liability of dying sooner if your side torso is destroyed. At least in a Stalker I lose a side torso before dying very often.

I think the Ilya comes with an XL engine. Do people down grade it or keep it?

Edited by Athena Pryde, 23 January 2013 - 10:51 AM.

[Yokaiko]

Athena Pryde, on 23 January 2013 - 10:50 AM, said:

I think the Ilya comes with an XL engine. Do people down grade it or keep it?

Yes it does, and no most don't.

My Ily still has the stock engine in it, and it rather destructive.

[Hawkwings]

The 3 x UAC5 Ilya needs an XL engine, so next time you see one of those shoot for the right torso. Right now it seems to be the premier mech for pure DPS, barring jams of course.

[Warrax the Chaos Warrior]

Athena Pryde, on 23 January 2013 - 10:50 AM, said:

@Warrax the Chaos Warrior
I have noticed an Ilya being the top scorer in several of my games not just that one but it stands out that Broceratops did 1000 damage in that one. Does Ilya do anything better then the other Cataphracts other then the 3 Ultra Autocannon 3 medium laser configuration I seen most of them use? 3 Ultra Autocannon 5's can be really nasty when they don't jam.

It looked like he was running a dual Gauss setup, which you can also do on a CTF-4X (-1laser,+1 missile). I would usually get less damage than that just because it's pinpoint and tends to kill fast, but it depends on how the game plays out and what you are shooting at I suppose.

3 UAC5s can be devastating and a hell of a lot of fun. But; it's a very heavy loadout that chews through ammo like there's no tomorrow. With a standard engine it is slower that I would like and you don't have the tonnage to get more than 5 tons of ammo in, and I often find myself wanting 6-7 tons. You can increase speed and/or ammo with an XL engine, but then you are less likely to actually survive long enough to use all that ammo. Keep in mind that once you go over 5 tons of ammo, you have to start storing it in unsafe places (head and legs are generally safe, case is useless with an XL, and you don't want your arms blowing off too easily either.)

I've tried a lot of different builds for the Ilya, and I think the most balanced is 3 AC5s with 5 tons of ammo, standard 280ish, and 3 mlas. Doesn't have the damage output of some other builds, but it is quick enough and has plenty of durability and staying power. People assume I have an XL and tend to target the side torsos, I like to disappoint those people.

Edited by Warrax the Chaos Warrior, 23 January 2013 - 11:12 AM.

[Yokaiko]

x3 UAC5 +7 tons of ammo and I run out damn near every game.


The side torsos are less of a concern if you watch you engagement ranges, its pretty mobile at 71.3kph and if you can get a 400(ish) meter headstart you can just go nose to nose with brawler assaults and easily win that match up. Not to mention if you can get all three guns going at double rate, they can't see enough through the explosions to target accurately anyway.

Its the ONE mech I'll go nose to nose with an atlas in...that isn't another atlas.

Edited by Yokaiko, 23 January 2013 - 11:20 AM.