72 replies to this topic

[Culler]

I bought the 1X, 2X, and Ilya to do my Cataphracts. I loathe the 2X, but love the Ilya and 1X. I'm having an absolute blast with my 1X loaded with an XL 340 engine and 4 large lasers. It's fantastic for precise damage at medium-long range and is nice and fast. When I leveled it without DHS I went with a 300XL, 5 medium lasers, and an LBX-10 and that worked very well too. With a smaller/cooler ballistic weapon and a significantly lighter engine I was able to get very good heat efficiency even with single heat sinks.

Side note: I loathe the 2X. It's way too busy for my tastes. You can mount like half of 3 good weapons loadouts, but no good whole one. 4 SRM6 is awesome. 2 is OK. 2 ballistic weapons are great in a heavy. 1 is OK. 4 lasers gives you some interesting options. 3 is OK. It's like building a mech out of secondary weapon systems and the lasers have the added pain of being 2 torso 1 arm.

[Lynette Steffeld]

It's not always about boating a certain amount though. Prolly won't mean much coming from someone such as myself due to UAC5³, but I like the 2X because of its hardpoint diversity.

I'd have preferred Torso missiles and Arm ballistic though. Can't get used to the missile arms even though I've been trying for QUITE a while now...

[pseudocoder]

This sounds basically like a HBK-4G (with 3 mlaser, that's how I roll), but with 2 extra mlasers on a bigger rig (slower, more armor etc). It's not my favorite HBK, but, for all the frustration of an AC/20 you really can't argue with the face-smashing it can pull off on a fairly frequent basis.

I've almost maxed out HBK and I have been considering which chassis to work on next. I have a muromets so I was thinking CTF. Pretty sure I want a heavy, anyway, and catapults seem like they have all the d00d builds. I don't want to be a d00d. Anyone have any thoughts?

Edited by pseudocoder, 15 January 2013 - 08:21 AM.

[KinLuu]

Poor man's Nova Cat.

Best 1x ever. Just got to handle the heat.

[Lynette Steffeld]

pseudocoder, on 15 January 2013 - 08:20 AM, said:

I don't want to be a d00d. Anyone have any thoughts?

If you think about it a blue and yellow catapult with a white belly WOULD look like a d00d, d00d.

Thoughts? What thoughts? I think I've (or you maybe) have just discovered the biggest unofficial conglomerate of MWO's ECMs (Eccentric Cataphract Meisters).

If you scour the thread I think you'll find out scattered feedback on the various models here and there, as well as some unrelated jargon that may or may not have been posted by me.

That being said... what do you wanna know?

[Sedant]

Cataphracts just done do it for me anymore, they were fun at first, now there just fun to turn into smoldering scrap heaps! Especially those cheese balls that load as many Ultra/AC5s onto one and thing they can stop me in my D-DC.

[Yokaiko]

pseudocoder, on 15 January 2013 - 08:20 AM, said:

This sounds basically like a HBK-4G (with 3 mlaser, that's how I roll), but with 2 extra mlasers on a bigger rig (slower, more armor etc). It's not my favorite HBK, but, for all the frustration of an AC/20 you really can't argue with the face-smashing it can pull off on a fairly frequent basis.

I've almost maxed out HBK and I have been considering which chassis to work on next. I have a muromets so I was thinking CTF. Pretty sure I want a heavy, anyway, and catapults seem like they have all the d00d builds. I don't want to be a d00d. Anyone have any thoughts?

Grab a Flame, mine has an AC20 +4 Mlas, hits like a AC20pult and runs like a crackhead with the stock motor. It's like a 4G on steroids.

Phracts are a lot of fun, the trip UAC build is good for giggles. It jams up...a lot....like all the damn time.....but when you get a good tear with all three guns at double rate it just shreds things.

Sedant, on 15 January 2013 - 08:29 AM, said:

Especially those cheese balls that load as many Ultra/AC5s onto one and thing they can stop me in my D-DC.

I stomp D-DCs all of the time.....

......just from 400m.

Unless it is the rare LRM/LLas D-DC a Ily is one of the few mechs I'll actually seek an Atlas in.

[Lynette Steffeld]

Sedant, on 15 January 2013 - 08:29 AM, said:

Cataphracts just done do it for me anymore, they were fun at first, now there just fun to turn into smoldering scrap heaps! Especially those cheese balls that load as many Ultra/AC5s onto one and thing they can stop me in my D-DC.

I happen to love both my Ilya and DDC, lol.

I think anything can turn anything into a scrap heap. With Ilyas boatin UAC5s, everything is just more of a gamble than it should be.

That's why I like it, though.

Ilya, never change. (Your loadout at least)

[Spinning Burr]

I agree that the 1X is the classic Hunchback on steroids, or an anorexic Atlas brawler depending on which way you want to go. It is exactly between those two mechs. I agree that a ballistics boat like 4X and Ilya while fun are not really a brawler due to aiming inconsistency of the weapons. They are great gunners and snipers but marginal brawlers. Not unusual for a savy Hunchback pilot to take it down in close range one-on-one duel. Lets face it. Lasers aim better than cannon except for the gauss which aims like a laser. Ironically I love the word "loathe." Please keep using it in this thread. Finally, there is something that feels right about all your weapons designed for the exact same range and firepower sweet spot. With the 1X mounted up for 270 meters or less, you know going in what you have to do. 270 meters becomes your kill zone. Same mentality goes with the 6xSRM6 A1 splatcat. You just know what you gotta do.

Final thought: I exclusively PUG which means you can plan ahead for one thing and be faced with something totally different since your teammates may not be playing along with your fantastic LRM boat or streak cat or PPC stalker with no weaponry within 90m. These super specialists have serious weaknesses that are easily exploited and need coordinated team protection. I have found the 2X statistically the most useful in PUG play among all phracts exactly because it is the only real nonspecialist. It lacks identity, but you may find yourself wishing to LRM stuff, then snipe, then brawl with an SRM6 backing up your brawl. You go with the flow where the action dictates and not stuck in your box. It's fun when your enemy is in your sandbox but not fun when you're in their sandbox.

Edited by Spinning Burr, 15 January 2013 - 08:45 AM.

[Lynette Steffeld]

1X: Apparently brawls. Has lazors.
3D: Apparently brawls while flying. Has 2 ballistic points.
2X: Does a bit of everything, although I configure mine to blow things up close range.
4X: Resident AC2/5/U5 Boat. Not to be confused with Uboat. Awesomeness limited by Engine rating (255)
Ilya: Resident UAC5 Boat with 3 lazor points. Also makes me sad that I cannot change her paintjob.

While I have no idea what is wrong with zero-range ballistics, if I have a range of 540 I shouldn't really be chestbumping people anyway... unless it's a centurion, because hunting centurions is kind of like hunting pheasants. That aside, phracts do perform a lot better after speed boost. I'd still like to see a 4Ballistic point phract though.

Inb4willnothappen etc

[RickySpanish]

Every time I see a Cataphract I panic for a moment, because it could be running the same build as me and then I'd be screwed. But then I see it wittle off its 4 ACs in my *general* direction or kind of sort of hit with half its lasers while the other half are still turning to catch up, and I sigh with relief as I blow it away with my gauss rifles.

[Lynette Steffeld]

RickySpanish, on 15 January 2013 - 08:53 AM, said:

I sigh with relief as I blow it away with my gauss rifles.

I think the only ballistic weapon I don't like and/or use is the Gauss. Kinda probably why I don't use the PPC also although it's technically a ballistic energy weapon.

Something about "Not being able to hear the constant rumbling" and the general "lack of obnoxious red text telling you that 25% does not qualify for IS insurance policies" makes me avoid the weapon in general.

There was also something about explosions.

But I don't really remember that well.

[Spinning Burr]

Ilya with hero status and rewards and 340 engine rating makes the slow 4x feel inferior and chubby to all parents except the most die hard NRA ballistics fanatics. There is very little the 4X can accomplish that 3UAC5's can't. I like the 4X but for entertainment not logic.

RickySpanish, on 15 January 2013 - 08:53 AM, said:

Every time I see a Cataphract I panic for a moment, because it could be running the same build as me and then I'd be screwed. But then I see it wittle off its 4 ACs in my *general* direction or kind of sort of hit with half its lasers while the other half are still turning to catch up, and I sigh with relief as I blow it away with my gauss rifles.

Thank you Patrick Bateman for adding your 2 cents!

[Lynette Steffeld]

I find that the engine limitation was really thrown in as an awesomeness limiter. If the 4X had no engine rating cap on it I could easily stuff it with a UAC5² and an AC2² Combination, then proceed to make many things upset.

We can all wait for the jager, but short of being accused of being a cheese manufacturer (I actually DO like cheese, but only with my curry), I think the short-term goal of anything with multiple ballistic arm HPs is "How many of this can I cram in the box?"

The 4X was something I bought to derp around with. I do have to admit that placing 4 AC2s on that thing and simply holding the button down is very amusing though. It seems to upset snipers and LRM boats the most in particular...

I wonder why...

[Yokaiko]

Spinning Burr, on 15 January 2013 - 08:59 AM, said:

Ilya with hero status and rewards and 340 engine rating makes the slow 4x feel inferior and chubby to all parents except the most die hard NRA ballistics fanatics. There is very little the 4X can accomplish that 3UAC5's can't. I like the 4X but for entertainment not logic.



Thank you Patrick Bateman for adding your 2 cents!

X2 AC5 and X2 UAC5, It can dump out a fair bit of damage when you get it going.

I'm not a huge fan or Gauss on my phracts, they always get me killed. I do still have a K2, its my gauss mech..and its faster.

Lynette Steffeld, on 15 January 2013 - 09:02 AM, said:

The 4X was something I bought to derp around with. I do have to admit that placing 4 AC2s on that thing and simply holding the button down is very amusing though. It seems to upset snipers and LRM boats the most in particular...

I wonder why...

That reminds me I was going to refitt mine to a troll-o-phract.

[RickySpanish]

Lynette Steffeld, on 15 January 2013 - 08:58 AM, said:

I think the only ballistic weapon I don't like and/or use is the Gauss. Kinda probably why I don't use the PPC also although it's technically a ballistic energy weapon.

Something about "Not being able to hear the constant rumbling" and the general "lack of obnoxious red text telling you that 25% does not qualify for IS insurance policies" makes me avoid the weapon in general.

There was also something about explosions.

But I don't really remember that well.

Oh boy do they ever go off with a bang! Thankfully in an Ilya they're in the arms so it's not utterly catastrophic, but my other ballistics mounting Cata variants aren't so lucky. Caught a couple of nasty explosions in my side torsos from those things going off.

I didn't like the gauss either to begin with, it looks and sounds so damn weedy, but it's surprisingly easy to hit lights with them because of their projectile speed. Oddly enough the PPC is a complete pig in this regard.

[Bagheera]

XL280, 3LL and a gauss.

I love my 1X

[Lynette Steffeld]

There's something wrong with PPCs in game right now, I don't think I've EVER been killed by one before, in fact I see incoming PPCs as a sign of "Coast is clear please punch its face", especially in caustic.

I'm just not a fan of something that doesn't FIRE TEH BULLETZ at a very high speed. I think I'll be positively just laughing and holding down one button when RACs come out... that is, until they inevitably jam.

But that's when I hold down my OTHER button and pretend that lazors are green bullets. FUGGIN' FOOLPROOF/10

I've killed more lights who've made *mistakes* as opposed to lights actually moving. The one time I did kill a moving light was when both my lasers converged on the red core of a raven running towards me in a straight line.

Ain't that a b*tch?

That's heavy, man.

NOT AS HEAVY AS MY ILYA THOUGH HA HA H- *is shot*

[Spinning Burr]

I agree that hunting Centurians is like hunting pheasants. Well said! I have a favorite Centurian A but it's still a pheasant. Does that make Ravens hunting quail? Bring 3 shotguns to this hunting party.

[Lynette Steffeld]

Unfortunate I'm the moron who tries to hunt pheasant with a Colt SAA.

On the bright side it's a lot better than our Mosin toting gauss friends, but word is that actually get their shots in... Out of my 200 rounds I usually miss 40-50, lol.

Speaking of shotguns, here's the million dollar question:

VIABILITY OF LBX-10 OUTSIDE OF LIGHT HUNTING.

DISCUSS.

*Strikes obligatory fabulous pose*