167 replies to this topic

[MGoo]

The only atlas that is weak IMO is the K, only 2 energy hard points to play with (the torso ones are limited to medi-small lasers).
1 missile and 1 ballistic hard point give it significantly less fire power and options to play with compared to the others. an extra AMS does not make up for the gimping of its offensive capability, it does not even have an extra module slot.
I do significantly better in any other atlas be it support of balls out brawling with the D-DC (but the ddc brawl is boring for me)

EDIT :-the others are fine and like any mech if you get caught alone your in trouble.

Edited by MGoo, 26 January 2013 - 12:35 PM.

[Red squirrel]

LoganMkv, on 26 January 2013 - 12:33 PM, said:

True, you can kill an atlas with a melee boat, but it's our small maps that allow melee boats to exist. Also atlas suffers from unimplemented "real" arm shielding, if it ever gets into the game you'd have to do a lot more damage to kill one unlike stalker.

I wouldn't call a 4xAC5 build a melee boat. After all it has a range of 540 (1,620 max).

[Ravn]

Red squirrel, on 26 January 2013 - 12:28 PM, said:

Mhh .. have you ever faced a Cataphract 4X with 4xAC5 ?
When I use this mech and meet an Atlas I tend to stand still for a few seconds core the Atlas ... then walk away.
But maybe there are too many people using the Atlas as an LRM boat and the previously suggested 3ASRM6 variant is a stronger brawler....but still CTF-4X is a real thread to an Atlas. ANd I think it should take two of them to bring down an Atlas.

Again, this depends on the one piloting the atlas and the build he has used. Any poor pilot who stands still and fails to distribute damage about his person deserves to get cored.

[Red squirrel]

Vlad Ward, on 26 January 2013 - 12:32 PM, said:

Quad AC5 CTF is also extremely squishy. You can't twist to dissipate incoming fire, so if you're facing anyone with a modicum of hand-eye coordination you're taking 90%+ of their shots straight to your center torso. It may be able to kill an Assault in a few seconds, but it won't last much longer itself.

True if you face a veteran pilot you are also toast after that fight.
But my point in this thread is that it feels so wrong that I can pretty constantly
core Atlai 1 on 1 with my Phract.

In the last game the Atlas tried to flee from me, I felt some pitty for him (killed him anyway )

[Roughneck45]

Red squirrel, on 26 January 2013 - 12:37 PM, said:

True if you face a veteran pilot you are also toast after that fight.
But my point in this thread is that it feels so wrong that I can pretty constantly
core Atlai 1 on 1 with my Phract.

In the last game the Atlas tried to flee from me, I felt some pitty for him (killed him anyway )

You are just running into bad Atlas pilots.

The skill gaps in this game are pretty tremendous.

Give yourself some credit too, takes good aim to keep all 4 AC's on CT for the duration needed to core it.

[Cerlin]

You are kidding right? The atlas (driven well) is still a beast of a machine. Versatile, heavy armor, lots of mounts and 15 more tons than the stalker. However the stalker is made to boat and has more mounts, so it may outshoot you but you should be able to tank the damage in an atlas (if you move.)

[LoganMkv]

Red squirrel, on 26 January 2013 - 12:35 PM, said:

I wouldn't call a 4xAC5 build a melee boat. After all it has a range of 540 (1,620 max).

At this range you are likely to miss half shots and disperse others, at least I haven't ever seen a dakkaphract to kill an atlas at medium+ range. Point-blank atlas has very little chances though unless he is melee-brawler and destroys at least one gun quick.

[Aym]

Joseph Mallan, on 26 January 2013 - 12:11 PM, said:

If using stock builds... yes. Even though I don't always win(80ish % success) I go hunting Assaults and Heavies

You don't ALWAYS win? Come on buddy you're beating up pugs for that 80% win-rate same as I am ;-) The Brotherhood of Atlai can afford to be honest about that, lol.
Also, Hell no Atlas isn't too weak. You're going against un-skilled pilots plain and simple.

[Warskull]

The D-DC is probably one of the best mechs in the entire game.

[SpajN]

im not saying im a good player but i always do 600-900 dmg when im in an atlas.. i think its a very good mech you just have to think more carefuly how you move since you are so slow but you can outgun every mech on the battlefield.

only mech to watch out for is the stalker but i dont think i have ever lost a duel vs a stalker yet so wouldnt say atlas is too weak but i wouldnt mind it having a bit more armor on center torso since its so huge and easy to hit.

[Bobby Bolivia]

I don't think Atlas' are weak overall, but they definitely do need a certain bit of thought when using them and are very unforgiving if you put one in a situation that it shouldn't be in. I can definitely see why some people might consider them "weak" from some in game experiences, but they have the ability to shift the momentum of a match if piloted properly.

Personal opinion of course

[8CH Trooper]

I pilot an Atlas pretty much all of the time, the D-DC is the best now because of ECM, if you take the ECM out of the equation, for me the D is the best, I run 2 LL, 2 ML, 2 A/C5's, 2 SSRM's, AMS and 19 DHS. With the smaller crits for the A/C 5's they last longer and linked together they out perform the A/C 10. If you have an A/C20 or gauss once the RT is gone your affectively neutered, with this set up it allows me to hang in there a little longer dishing out damage.

[Adridos]

When I fight in pugs, I sometimes feel Dragon is OP and sometimes that I'm the biggest noob in the world for doing X/Y against a decent oponent.

Wait for ELO, so you don't run into so many bad Atlas pilots and you'll see it is a beast of a mechine if pilotted right.

Edited by Adridos, 26 January 2013 - 01:09 PM.

[Gaeb]

I think if anything the stalker's too strong, Atlas is ok and quite viable.

[MiG77]

Red squirrel, on 26 January 2013 - 12:37 PM, said:

True if you face a veteran pilot you are also toast after that fight.
But my point in this thread is that it feels so wrong that I can pretty constantly
core Atlai 1 on 1 with my Phract.

In the last game the Atlas tried to flee from me, I felt some pitty for him (killed him anyway )

You have run bad Atlas pilots/setups(or you are simply better player than most). Proper brawler Atlas can core Phract (fully armored) in about two alpha shot.

[ArmandTulsen]

Atlas forever.

Well, at least the Highlander gets here.

Edited by ArmandTulsen, 26 January 2013 - 01:19 PM.

[Khobai]

Atlas' got weaker when Level 2 tech was added. They just don't benefit as much from XL engines or DHS as they should. I will explain why.

In tabletop the chance to hit an Atlas in the side torso was exactly the same as the chance to hit a Commando in the side torso. For that reason, an XL engine was worth using on an Atlas in TT. However in MWO, the Atlas' side torso was scaled up in size significantly. Combine that with the fact players can pinpoint specific locations and there's basically no reason to use an XL engine on an Atlas anymore. So the Atlas just doesn't really benefit from having an XL engine while lights benefit from them tremendously.

And as far as DHS go, PGI has it completely backwards. By having engine heatsinks be 2.0 theyve given light mechs a huge boost. The light mechs don't suffer the penalty of 1.4 DHS because they generally don't mount heatsinks outside their engines. It's the Assaults that suffer the most from 1.4 DHS and they don't get nearly as much heat dissipation as they should have.

Quote

The D-DC is probably one of the best mechs in the entire game.

That has everything to do with ECM being overpowered and nothing to do with the D-DC specifically. You could put ECM on a Stalker 3H and it would suddenly become one of the best mechs in the game overnight.

Edited by Khobai, 26 January 2013 - 01:30 PM.

[Gaeb]

Khobai, on 26 January 2013 - 01:19 PM, said:

And as far as DHS go, PGI has it backwards. By having the internal engine heatsinks be 2.0 theyre just giving light mechs a huge boost. The light mechs don't suffer the penalty of 1.4 DHS because they generally don't mount heatsinks outside their engines. It's the Assaults that suffer the most from 1.4 DHS.

This!

[Squigles]

Weaselball, on 26 January 2013 - 12:21 PM, said:

That is also false information. It's a 10% reduction to damage to the component in the torso: IE: the LRM or SRM launcher itself. That means it takes 10% more CRITICAL damage to blow it out. The torso itself is not affected in any way at all.

And here's a Dev comment confirming exactly that:

http://mwomercs.com/...20#entry1788620

That's actually a quote confirming that damage received is reduced by 10%, not that you have 10% more armor in the location.

As an example, a location with 50 armor doesn't have 55 armor because it has missile bay doors, it reduces incoming damage by 10% when the doors are shut, an AC/10 hits for 9 damage.

If you look at the post immediately before the dev's post, you see why they needed to clarify that.

[H Seldon]

I find Phracts pretty easy to kill in my Atlas. I work on taking out the ballistics first, then finishing it off quick. Stalkers are a chore though. Same with an A1 with 6 SRM6, though not as bad as a stalker.