21 replies to this topic

[Krzeszny]

What do you think? Bot of them have high DPS and as far as I know, it's possible to fire the Ultra in 2 (or so) shots burst to stop it from jamming.

Which are better for CTF-4X build? 2x AC/5 and 2x Ultra or 4x AC/2 and why?

[Sh4dow78]

2xac5+2xuac5 make it chainfire and unleash hellfire uppon ur enemys make them wonder wtf just kill me

Edited by Scarface1978, 10 February 2013 - 03:52 AM.

[Redshift2k5]

The Ac-2 requires very long sustained fire to match the DPS of other weapons. AC5s and UAC5s give yuo more damage in a shorter window

Ie, if you only see an enemy for a brief period before he hides or moves, the 5s will give you more damage.

you could also try 2 ultra5s and 2 sc2s

[Raeft]

In an optimal situation the UAC5 is better than a lot of things. For example it is not just better than an AC/2 but better than an AC/20

This is an excellent resource: http://mwowiki.org/w...e:Weapons_Table

If you fire a UAC5 outside its cycle time it won't jam, so learn to time it well or chain fire them and get lucky, and you can be firing every 1.1 seconds or so. As compared to the UAC20's 4 second recycle time and 20 damage.

The UAC/5 will make the cockpit shake more and make a scarier noise, because you're hitting on a spread out area 4 times in 4.4 seconds. But it won't focus the damage like the AC/20 will. It will do 20 damage in 4.4 seconds to a wider area, as compared to the AC/20's 20 damage in 4 seconds. At 5 tons less weight and half the slots, and 1/6th(!) as much heat, and OVER TWICE the maximum range, the UAC/5 is just plain better - except of course because it is a low damage close engagement weapon despite its optimal range, the UAC5 is more suited to close up rapid punching while the AC20 is better for headshots/cockpit shots owing to high focused single shot damage.

Point is, use the table and run comparisons. The fact you were wondering whether UAC/5 beat AC/2 makes me think you were severely underestimating it.

Edited by Raeft, 10 February 2013 - 05:54 AM.

[WinnieTheWhor]

Get Endo, and go AC/5 x4.

[WarGruf]

As a support mech pilot I often found 2xAC2's and 2xAC5's to be a great can opener...

That way you can take back up lazers and a good sized engine to the fight

[Karl Streiger]

I would support the AC 2 and AC 5 combo.
While the Ultra 5 ... does more dmg theoreticaly- you have less amunition per ton. so you run when weapon does not jam out of ammunition really fast.
Even if you spend lots of time o train - that the weapon does not jam - it will jam in the moment you need it most.

The AC 2 - runs really hot on the other hand for dual Ultra 5 you can use 3 AC 2. but don't use it in chain fire, and hopefully you have allready the pinpoint skill.

Thats why i would favor the single AC 2 and dual AC 5...least on have a excellent ammunition burn rate - and will not jam...for the costs of some dps.
the AC 2 however is for walking fire...when ever you are not sure if you are able to hit a target...just spent some AC 2 rounds...then you open up with the AC 5s.
You can do the same with Ultras of course, but they will jam...believe me,
next problem with the high RoF of Ultra 5s...you stop to aim carefullly - the high RoF makes it easy to forget about aiming skills...so you will need tons of ammunition...for those hungry beasts.
...i said it twice, here comes the third...those Ultra 5s will betray you - when you need them most.

Edited by Karl Streiger, 11 February 2013 - 06:46 AM.

[Gevurah]

I see a lot of ac5/ac2 combos but there are only two cataphract variants that give me real pause and make me travel a wide berth:

1) The triple UAC5 ilya. That thing is a monster, the sustained rate of fire is very staggering and nearly impossible to return effective fire onto due to screen juggle. Plus it hits like a truck.

2) The 4xAC2 cataphract piloted by someone who understands how to use chain fire correctly. You'll know it because it sounds like a friggin minigun. To this day I still remember standing in terror for a second until I realized it was coming from the guy next to me.

[Josef Nader]

Quad AC5s. Trust me. Throwing ultras in there only hurts you.

[Soda Popinsky]

Since the opinion has shifted from UAC to AC5, I'll weigh in.

I was previously running a 4x AC2, but have switched to a 4x AC5 variant instead. I've seen a slight drop in my damage per round (300 to 260, standard deviations of 135 each). But I've noticed an uptick in my kills and component damages (my kdr is inching up). It could be that I'm just getting better, but I think using AC5s in alpha strikes has been helping with the kills. The focus fire 20 dmg from the 4x AC5 gets yields me more kills than the 4x AC2. Likely due to the AC2 damage getting spread around (using 2 sets of group fire for maximum rate of fire, don't chain fire AC2).

Edited by Soda Popinsky, 11 February 2013 - 09:06 AM.

[xtase]

I would prefer UAC5, but since you're weighting 2x UAC5 + 2x AC5 vs. 4x AC2, I would prefer fitting 4x AC2. I like consistency and I've seen people do well with them. But if it would be something like 4x UAC5 vs 4x AC2, hands down UAC5.

[Josef Nader]

Can't fit 4 UAC5s. No room.

The quad AC5 build is an AC20 that can fire every 1.6 seconds. Standard AC20s fire once every 4 seconds. This is -terrifying-. You have better DPS than the dreaded KC20 with none of the ammo concerns and 500+ meters of effective range. In return, you're slow, vulnerable, and easy to hit. It's still the best build for the CTF-4X.

[Drakenn]

I find AC/2 are just not an effective weapon at all. Go for something with a little more punch

[Kingdok]

Well, folks.... I have to say I have tried every possible combination of AC2, AC5, and UAC5 on my 4X. They are ALL effective killers if I use them appropriately. Presently, Spanky (my 4x) is rolling with two AC2's and two UAC5's, 4 tons of AC2 ammo, 6 tons of UAC5 ammo, and a smile. I frequently end a match close to empty in the ammo bins, but it racks up 400-500+ damage and multiple kills frequently.

The AC2's are for suppressing fire, when you can see them on thermals and just want to $%@* with their running about advancing behavior. Save the Ultra's for when you can see the whites of their eyes (or some electronic equivalent).

Quad UAC5 Jagermech, anyone? Oh yes, it will be mine...

[MavRCK]

Oooohh nice...

You guys all do about the same damage my spider mech with 3 medium pulse lasers does in a 5 minute match.

Lots of <3 to you ballistic boys! Yo.

[Kingdok]

Yeah - I think the damage numbers on the DakkaPhract are a little low compared to it's value to the fight. It drills holes in targets too fast. LRM mechs achieve more gross damage, but the cannons just core out the vital components.

Of course nobody expects to compete with your pulse Spider... you are just way too good for us.


It all depends on what you are trying to do. The DakkaPhract does only a little more damage than my laser Cicada, but it does it all from OVER A QUARTER MILE AWAY. It's a great team tool for disrupting enemy LRMs and snipers, and covering the advance of the *real* mechwarriors running close-range builds.

Edited by Kingdok, 11 February 2013 - 12:14 PM.

[Josef Nader]

Yeah, damage numbers are low, but it's all jackhammered into the same components. When you aren't splashing damage all over the enemy mech with those uncivilized lasers and missiles, you don't need to deal huge amounts of it.

Edited by Josef Nader, 11 February 2013 - 12:24 PM.

[Watchit]

I like 2xUAC5 and 2xAC2, a good compromise I think.

[TygerLily]

Triple UAC/5 and 3 medium lasers works well for me in the Ilya. Chain fire the UAC's and there's no jamming. I'll have to experiment with the AC2 combos sometime.

[Skadi]

Neither!
Quad AC5! >

XL 255 for the record, i have the engine in a seperate mech atm.