241 replies to this topic

[NRP]

Nah, it's pretty much impossible to run a "cheese" build on an Awesome. You are correct that lasers work far better against fast movers. PPCs work better for larger, slower targets. 4-5 LLs on anything will wreck. One of the coolest things about MWO is being able to customize your mech to suit your play style preferences.

[Vimeous]

My notes on LRM boating with the 8R (AWS-8R).

During the Assault tourney I squeaked into the top 100 Awesomes running just this build with Adv Sensor and Adv Target Decay modules.

First off I tried using TAG but frankly I'm rubbish with it so swapped for the extra ML. TAG's range is perfect for max LRM damage but it's hopeless when boating as faster enemies are far to close and eat you up before you fire thrice.

With a well organised team you'll pull around 450-600dmg because they'll tease enemies out from under ECM cover. With poorly organised opposition and no ECM cover you'll be heat limited to getting as much in the air as possible!
Of course run into opposition glued to 1 or 2 DDC's and you'll be lucky to grab 50dmg before a Cicada or Raven skips through your lines and laughs at your ML's.

Scoring beyond 600 is circumstantial. You need opposition to sit inside 500m range and be wilfully ignorant of the endless stream of explosive rain.

I run my LRM15's in 2 pairs so in high heat situations so I can keep the flow of missiles supporting any skirmish within reach. It's quite possible to dump all 1200+ missiles down-range in a 5min PUG with careful heat management and a solid team to work with.

When comparing the 8R to other boats such as Stalkers is that the only other 2M(15) mech is the JM6-A. This means an 8R has much greater first-hit punch than any boating Stalker.

Having not tried LRM's pre-nerf I'm fascinated to see what this build was able to score back then.

[Regrets]

Vimeous, on 27 April 2013 - 07:16 PM, said:

I run my LRM15's in 2 pairs so in high heat situations so I can keep the flow of missiles supporting any skirmish within reach. It's quite possible to dump all 1200+ missiles down-range in a 5min PUG with careful heat management and a solid team to work with.

Not trying to burst your bubble, but most stalkers have 10 on each arm and 6 on each torso, with 2lrm20 and 2lrm10 they would fire at the same rate as your 4lrm15. The 4H has 20 on each arm and 6 in each side torso, and can fire 50 lrm simultaneously, the most in the game currently. I think number 2 is the Catapult C4 with 20 missile tubes on each arm, but there maybe another that has more.

[Regrets]

Certainly 30 lrm artemis is nothing to mess around with. I'd suggest you drop the launchers down and go with something like this... trimming off the unnecessary lrm launchers for 2 ssrm2, taking out the ML replacing with ERLL, and adding a tooonnnnnn of ammo.

This way you have a little in close defense and are balancing the LRM low heat with the ERLL high heat, with plently of DHS to match. I guess ERLL will work as well as large lasers if you are getting attacked by an ECM light, you will certainly not be using much else.

[Vimeous]

Heh that's what I get for being up at 4am!

My grouping has one LRM15 per torso on each button. Click both buttons you get 60 simultaneous.
Maybe this is a bug ......



Thanks for the build suggestion, it'd certainly be better balanced and more flexible. I've a similar 3H which is one of my most successful mechs.
Until game lengths increase I'd stick with 7t of ammo. Currently I run out when the game is 95% complete and with half the launchers you'll use it slower. Maybe use the spare tonnage for a Beagle or drop another ton for a DHS + leg armour.

Mind you with 12-man drops coming we might need the ammo and even have to start adding a second ton for the Streaks!

Edited by Vimeous, 28 April 2013 - 03:55 AM.

[Regrets]

Oh, wow look at that medium laser in the head that I didn't notice, ok.. revised build.

[xengk]

Regrets, on 28 April 2013 - 09:32 AM, said:

Oh, wow look at that medium laser in the head that I didn't notice, ok.. revised build.

It is safe to stuff that much ammo in the arm?
Although I usually die to CT even before I lost my arm.

Im running an AWS-8T.

[4lex]

I like the AWS-8T for lrms better than the 4x15 8R cause it doest heat as much and the meds really keeps them pesky light respectfull. I use the AWS-8R as a short range brawler. Some ppl like to add Llazorz but id rather have the extra heatsink and keep pushing when they have to slow down.

[Aethos]

just pumped out my largest dmg game ever in an Awesome, this time using my 9M, 930 dmg, running 3LPL all in torso's, and 1 MPL in head. I much rather prefer a variety of SRMs and more MPL's, but it was quite fun to saw components off like a hot knife through butter.

Edited by Aethos, 29 April 2013 - 02:35 AM.

[Gelion]

Excellent guide,

Decided to get the 8R, and after learning the hard way about positioning, the damage potential is crazy.

My 8Q has got 5LLa's instead of 4, but other than that am probably going to farm up and get the 9M sniper to have a rounded off assault class.

Thanks for the 8R build.

[Jeremy Wade]

Hey guys, really enjoying my 8T at the minute. Originally I ran it in a 4 LL configuration with SRMs but wasn't really having much success with it, seemed to run quite hot when opening up with the LLs and with SRMs in their current state it lacked short range stopping power.

So I switched things up to a more balanced loadout below:

Engine: STD 290
DBL Heat Sinks:15 (5+10 from engine)
Endo

2xLRM 15 (3 tons ammo, NO arty)
2x Large Laser
2x Med Laser
Tag
BAP

I also run it with a Lvl 2 advanced sensor range module for maximum spotting of those naughty bad guys.

So far it's working out really well. Pour the LRMs liberally over anything coming your way, LRMs are not as powerful as they were but 30LRMs will still ruin your day after a couple of volleys if you get caught in the open. If the LRMs dont force them into cover then open up with lasers, often the enemy will turn away for cover so you can also get in free laser shots if they are in range.

Other than that standard fire support rules apply, don't make yourself an obvious target, luckily with all the PPC rage these days people tend to concentrate on those mechs first. Once the LRMs are gone start moving up and picking off weakened targets, the 2LL 2 ML setup runs pretty cool and you can get off a fair few volleys before heat becomes an issue, from their you can continue to use the MLs while you cool off.

[Cold Cash]

been playing with ranged builds for my 8v and pb, tried 3 LL and lrm 20 on the 8v which is decent, but enjoying the pb with 2 erppc and 1x lrm20+art.
The speed on the pb makes positioning easier, the 2 erppcs still hit hard at all ranges and the artemis is just amazing for those lone mechs that have moved out of position or chased to far.

Ive kept the 8v as a 3 erppc boat which it excells at.

Strangely enjoying playing these alot, sure you struggle agaisnt all these cookie cutter mechs and loadouts but as support mechs the awesomes are hella fun to play.

Managed a 272 on day 3 of the tourny while mucking around with the pb so its decent.

[xengk]

4lex, on 29 April 2013 - 01:49 AM, said:

I like the AWS-8T for lrms better than the 4x15 8R cause it doest heat as much and the meds really keeps them pesky light respectfull. I use the AWS-8R as a short range brawler. Some ppl like to add Llazorz but id rather have the extra heatsink and keep pushing when they have to slow down.

I switched my build to yours and now my 8T runs alot cooler, I no longer have to fight the urge to reach out and touch someone with LL while LRMs are reloading. The 4 MLaz also packs abit more punch and reload faster to fight lights.

[YueFei]

I read thru the whole thread, but I may have forgotten if someone mentioned this stuff, but here are a couple small observations:

1.) The Awesome's cockpit has great peripheral vision. If you need to peer around a corner, rather than facing your torso around the corner as you stride out, you can walk up to the edge, and then lean your mech forward at the waist and use freelook to the left or right. This minimizes your exposure, and even if someone manages to shoot at you, it'll probably hit your giant arm. It also makes it fairly snappy to pull back into cover, just reverse throttle and lean backward.

2.) Protecting the Awesome's torso is such a big part of playing an Awesome that we all try to twist away ASAP if we're not shooting. If you are using PPCs, the recycle time means you can shoot twice in the time it takes most other weapons to cycle. If you are forced into a medium/short range fight that you can't immediately escape, against an enemy with heavy ballstics, you can trade the first hit with the enemy, and then fire again when the PPC's recycle, usually 1 second faster than heavier weapons like AC/20 or Gauss, or some of the non-pulse lasers. This means you can get two salvos in before needing to twist away to use the giant shield arm again. You do have to hit the other guy within about half a second of him hitting you, though.

[Vimeous]

You may have noticed I really like my 8R lrm-boat.
Turns out quite a few of you do too as over the last week I've been battered like a cod in a fish 'n chip shop by different 8R's hurling bucketloads of explosive over ridge and office block.
Good job one and all.

Sadly I'm growing to dislike the 8Q and 8T as my current builds lack impact. Going to have the re-read this thread and see where I'm going wrong.....

Edited by Vimeous, 13 May 2013 - 04:12 AM.

[Tremendous Upside]

Vimeous, on 13 May 2013 - 04:11 AM, said:

You may have noticed I really like my 8R lrm-boat.
Turns out quite a few of you do too as over the last week I've been battered like a cod in a fish 'n chip shop by different 8R's hurling bucketloads of explosive over ridge and office block.
Good job one and all.

Sadly I'm growing to dislike the 8Q and 8T as my current builds lack impact. Going to have the re-read this thread and see where I'm going wrong.....

If I still "had" my 8T, I'd be running it kind of like this:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b75cdf6843d7284

Use the large lasers to strip armor off a target. Use the ML/SRM6s to kill them at close range. Really, you can ditch the ML for a 3rd ton of ammo too if need be (but it's nice having at least one weapon on the torso that isn't ammo-limited). Jagers, CTFs... anything that typically runs XL engines will fold with 2 clean volleys to a side torso. The key is resisting the urge to alpha, alpha, alpha till your target dies. It's totally unnecessary. Lasers are for removing armor (and for larges, hitting outside 270m). Missiles are (still) very good for blasting out internals - despite what you'll read around here. Test it in the training grounds yourself and you'll see.

[bowlie]

Ok, so Ive decided my second mech should be an Awesome. They just look amazing, and I want something heavier than my current Jagger. I want to run it as a lazer awesome, as im not too bothered about missles. I was thinking of going for the 8Q, but then I realized that the 9M still has 6 lazer hardpoints, and some missle spots for flexibility. I dont want to sacrifice much direct fire for missiles at the moment, but that could change in the future, so im leaning towards the 9m atm. Thoughts?

[NRP]

9M if you can afford it. It's a lot faster than the 8Q, and speed is life.

[Aethos]

Vimeous, on 13 May 2013 - 04:11 AM, said:

You may have noticed I really like my 8R lrm-boat.
Turns out quite a few of you do too as over the last week I've been battered like a cod in a fish 'n chip shop by different 8R's hurling bucketloads of explosive over ridge and office block.
Good job one and all.

Sadly I'm growing to dislike the 8Q and 8T as my current builds lack impact. Going to have the re-read this thread and see where I'm going wrong.....

AWS-8R

Having a blast running this. Sure LRM's aren't what they used to be, but they can still have quite the impact on the outcome of a match. I get overjoyed with excitement when I see a DDC or HGH charge the battlefield in plain view. TAG/Artemis is a must.

The best part of a match, when things start getting really crazy, and you're team has a slight advantage, start playing mid-range brawler with this, keeping targets around the 250-450m zone, 60 missiles get to the target very fast, and the accuracy is pretty impressive.

I used to run 2 MED lasers, but tbh, they aren't gonna do much to help you suppress, brawl, or defend. I found having more ammo, and making it rain as much as possible is more effective. The 1 MEDL can still scare some lights off, as they don't always check loadouts, and getting hit by 1 laser can still cause them to bail out.

EDIT: just layed down 864 damage on alpine with 6 kills and 1 assist. LRM's are not dead. But as mentioned earlier Arty/TAG is a must. Wish I would have had this mech built before the Assault Tourney, could've gotten me higher than 37th.

Been messing around on smurfy's, and honestly I cannot build a better LRM boat than the 8R. (Arty/TAG essentials) I looked heavily into the Catapult C4, and the STK-5M. The C4 can't carry anywhere near as many missiles with even close to the same amount of ammo. And the 5M can do VERY close to the same, with 5 more missiles, an extra DHS, but no MED laser, its 5 kph slower, and carries 1T less ammo. Not that impressive considering its got 5 more tons of cap space. AND its tube #'s are horrible. 3 of the Missile launchers are going to have to fire 3 salvo's.

BTW, I've tried running the 8R as a brawler, STD300, 2 ERPPC, 4 SRM6, but I just found the torso twist extremely limiting on aiming with the SRM's, not to mention the lack of maneuverability, despite max engine, I found myself getting cored faster than in my XL380 PB and 9M.

Edited by Aethos, 13 May 2013 - 06:39 PM.

[Davoke]

My build on the 8Q Awesome is 2xERPPC, 1xLPLas, 1xMLas