The Dragon (Why Use It?)
#1
Posted 05 February 2013 - 06:25 AM
#2
Posted 05 February 2013 - 06:39 AM
I find that the Dragon is best thought of as a slightly oversized medium - a real medium, not a Hunchback - rather than as an undergunned heavy. You're not going to match the firepower of a Catapult or a Cataphract, but you will generally be faster to a lot faster than those other 'Mechs. With a 350XL and Speed Tweak my Flame can hit 104 kph, and that's not even the highest-rated engine in the class. Neither of the game's other heavies can match that, and the JagerMech can't even realistically hope to try when it comes out.
Dragons can make effective light hunters and fast responders. Their value is lower in PUG fights which're generally decide by brute force/which side landed more D-DCs, but in a more coordinated group your Dragons can skirmish at the front with the fatties and still be fast enough to fall back and protect any missile boats still brave enough to try for locks in this day and age, or outrace a lot of other machines to cap points in Conquest.
If you're not making as much use of the Dragon's mobility as you can, you're not really making use of the Dragon.
Edited by 1453 R, 05 February 2013 - 06:39 AM.
#3
Posted 05 February 2013 - 06:43 AM
I really like the Flame due to it not needing to rely on its arm for the prime weapon. Perfect fit for having a fast AC20 based mech!
Edited by CapperDeluxe, 05 February 2013 - 06:44 AM.
#4
Posted 05 February 2013 - 06:46 AM
#5
Posted 05 February 2013 - 06:49 AM
SC1P1O, on 05 February 2013 - 06:25 AM, said:
No it doesn't, because the same pilot in a better mech will just plain do better.
SC1P1O, on 05 February 2013 - 06:25 AM, said:
Not at this time. I think people should play what they enjoy, and the Dragon has a distinct style separate from the other heavies. If you're Dragon isn't considerably faster than any Cat or CTF, you're not playing to it's strength. And with it's superior arm movement, it can keep on target better than even a Cat. It's not a replacement, because it's used differently, and can be very effective when used well.
All that said, there will generally be some hampering to the team. Until a better balancing of mechs than simply weight class is added, you face the problem of handing your opponents a sizable advantage in firepower, akin to the problems of the Awesome and Spider, and the Dragon is neither small nor fast enough to dodge fire the way lights and Cicadas do. But unless you're playing with a competitive team, don't worry about it and just have fun. You can still be pretty successful. I bought a Flame just for the hell of it, and found it enough fun I bought 2 other Dragons so I could Elite it. In so doing, I found I enjoyed the -1N enough that I kept it as well, and am working on Mastering it.
#6
Posted 05 February 2013 - 06:50 AM
There's so much more to this game. Get out of your cookie cutter mechs and try something new. Make yourself a better mech pilot. Try something without ECM.
#7
Posted 05 February 2013 - 06:54 AM
I justify it this way: If I get 2 kills in a match (including at least 1 heavy or assault) and do more then 300 damage I think I've done my job. If I can't get even 1 kill or do less then 300 damage I've probably hurt my team and should bring something better to the table. And the result: I'm still bringing my Flame
#8
Posted 05 February 2013 - 07:06 AM
You might say that I am playing the mech wrong, but in many pug drops I am the last one left and I have to take on one or two heavies and assaults. So is it even possible to do this in a dragon?
Also Ill hit you up wraith! Go House Liao!!
#9
Posted 05 February 2013 - 07:13 AM
I was about equally successful in both mechs. What the Dragon lacked in firepower it made up for in speed and maneuverability. Even though it had less weapons, I could get into position to fire them more often (the fully articulated arms also help here) so my damage per round was about the same. For killing blows, the Cat had a big alpha to get the final damage in but the Dragon could chase down the smoking mechs and position itself to get a clear shot at the unarmored components, so I ended up with a similar amount of kills.
They filled slightly different roles. The Cat could stand next to my teammates and go toe to toe against the other heavies and assaults. Meanwhile the Dragon could scout ahead, then come back and pick off the lights harassing my teammates, and then support their damage while circle strafing the heavies and assaults.
As far as defense goes, the Cat only has a little more armor and both have fat center torsos. The Cataphract has a smaller CT but more than makes up for it with vulnerable side torsos that make it difficult to run an XL engine and survive. In any of them, torso twist when you aren't firing your shots will be key to spreading the damage across all the armor. I feel like all 3 are probably equally durable, when played to their strengths, despite the weight differences.
Slightly different play styles, but in the end, same results!
#11
Posted 05 February 2013 - 07:35 AM
#12
Posted 05 February 2013 - 07:39 AM
Flapdrol, on 05 February 2013 - 07:35 AM, said:
Actually the 1N can be made pretty formidable as well, here you go this one is free
DRG-1N
or similar with Fang (SRM6+AMS replaces 2xSRM4): FANG
Edited by CapperDeluxe, 05 February 2013 - 07:45 AM.
#13
Posted 05 February 2013 - 07:40 AM
#14
Posted 05 February 2013 - 07:42 AM
#15
Posted 05 February 2013 - 07:53 AM
SC1P1O, on 05 February 2013 - 06:25 AM, said:
There's your mistake right there. "There are no great Capellan Solaris champions": taking 'Mech from them is like buying a used camel on Astrokazy. Secondly, if the Dragon was good enough for Takeo Kurita to order built, it's good enough for you, by the Five Pillars...!
#16
Posted 05 February 2013 - 07:53 AM
Flapdrol, on 05 February 2013 - 07:35 AM, said:
1N and 1C are absolutely fine. Flame is a 1C with "specular" hardpoints, and its existence is what held me from buying the Flame.. Besides 4Ml +AC20 & STD 280/285 I'd not run it much differently than what I do with 1C.
#17
Posted 05 February 2013 - 07:57 AM
also Arm mounted ballistics I'm guessing you just need to play a lot with them to get a feel for where and when to shoot? any tips on that would be great.
#18
#19
Posted 05 February 2013 - 08:38 AM
If you want a dps platform, indeed the dragon is not for you. The strength is not in the amount of damage you deal, but how you apply it. And you have the agility to apply it to the exposed backsides.
The dragon is not a boomcat, but packing dual SRM4 and an AC10 on a 1N, you don't want me behind you as a foe.
Quote
No magic to it. Rule no.1 is to remember that the arm mount is low, so see if there are no obstructions on the bullet's path. Rule no. 2 is stabilize your aim before you pull the trigger (i.e. don't wave that mouse frantically, if it helps, slow down or even stop the mech, walking backwards also helps),and that's it. Indeed, it takes practice before you can hit a moving target while you yourself are moving, but it's doable. The key is steady nerves and timing your shot.
Before trying to hit stuff with AC10 or 20, you may try your luck with LBX 10 (easier to aim), or the AC5 or 2 - higher rof means it's easier to adjust the shot.
Edited by Spectre999, 05 February 2013 - 08:40 AM.
#20
Posted 05 February 2013 - 08:40 AM
Try piloting a Dragon or an Awesome. You might actually be surprised.
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