25 replies to this topic

[Toast001]

before i buy the mech i wanted to know if it can effectively use 4? without nerfing speed or armor.

[FETTY WAP]

Well, look at it like this:
There is a max tonnage. Frankly, PPCs weigh quite a bit. You would have to sacrifice: heat sinks, engine speed, or armor if you were to put on 4 PPCs.

[Skadi]

yes

[Toast001]

WTFClock, on 13 February 2013 - 02:02 PM, said:

Well, look at it like this:
There is a max tonnage. Frankly, PPCs weigh quite a bit. You would have to sacrifice: heat sinks, engine speed, or armor if you were to put on 4 PPCs.

thats why i said without nerfing speed or armor. i know there tonnage lol.

[urmamasllama]

yes but effectively 3 is the most you should do

[Buehgler]

Possible, 4xPPC CPLT-K2, but not something I would want to drive. Both too hot for my taste and completely useless at anything other than long range fire support/sniping.

[p00k]

Buehgler, on 13 February 2013 - 02:13 PM, said:

Possible, 4xPPC CPLT-K2, but not something I would want to drive. Both too hot for my taste and completely useless at anything other than long range fire support/sniping.

first of all, the xl 280 is the exact same tonnage as the 275, but you get a bit more speed

secondly, it's really not that hot. hotter than i personally like, yes, but not as hot as many other common builds

also i'd drop the ams, lets you run some more armor and 2 more DHS, which helps both heat capacity and dissipation

the main problem is that hit detection with pure ppc's is still pretty inconsistent; you can be looking at a stationary atlas at ~500m, alpha with all four ppc's, and hit both side torsos and center torso (done it before)

http://mechromancer....,31,0,0,1,0,1,0

Edited by p00k, 13 February 2013 - 03:12 PM.

[De La Fresniere]

I tried 4xPPC on a Dragon, couldn't make it fit without crippling my heat dissipation (and yeah, reducing armor as well). It was... functional, kinda; I was able to kill a cheesepult in less than 10 seconds (3x40 damage to its CT), but after that I just couldn't dissipate heat fast enough to be of use and the minimum range comes up more often than you'd think. I quickly went back to 4xLL with 400 armor and 19 DHS.

The K2 has a tiny little bit more tonnage to work with, but I'm fairly certain it still wouldn't be a good idea to boat PPCs on it...

[TheFuzzyBunny]

I like it. Can run hot, but quick enough to reposition after an alpha or two. I group all four on one button, a chain fire on a second, and the two arms on a third.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...056e832ae99b83d

[Bogus]

It can mount them, but it can't use them effectively. The most you can potentially manage is three, and most builds use no more than two plus a gauss or some backup weapons.

[Haitchpeasauce]

What are you guys talking about "too much heat"?

4x PPC K2 is a very effective build that I run regularly along with other clanmates.

I'll repeat: this build is confirmed effective. I've tried many builds in my K2 (AC20, guass, 4 LLas, 4 PPC) and they're all good.

Put an XL300 engine in there, double heat sinks (2 engine and 5 or 6 external), and endo steel. Drop some armour from the legs. Don't worry you won't get shot in the legs, people will be busy aiming for your big head hitbox. I know I do.

Even before the recent reduction of PPC heat, this build ran just fine, you just have to know your heat limits before firing all 4 at once, otherwise 2 at once.

Now with reduced heat, it makes this 4 PPC build even more usable, it's almost silly. You could even go 2 ER PPC in the arms and 2 PPC in the torso.


EDIT: A note on playstyle. This is not a brawler mech, it's a striker/sniper mech. Try to maintain a longer range early into the match and then closer in (200m) when the brawl gets going. Be patient, lead the target, and watch the heat meter. It also takes some practice to know the right positioning relative to team mates and terrain. You'll be spending a lot of time in thermal vision, I hope you like the colour blue!

Edited by Haitchpeasauce, 13 February 2013 - 04:48 PM.

[Wrenchfarm]

I'd only mount 3. 3 PPCs seem to be the sweet spot for a decent reliable mech that can constantly fight. Anymore and you start getting into gimmick territory.

[Haitchpeasauce]

But have any of you tried it in a K2? Sounds like you guys are speaking theoretically.

[80Bit]

Dual Guass and Dual AC20 are the two most popular K2 builds.

Two PPCs = 1 AC20 in weight. Ammo weight is converted to heatsink weight.

So yes, of course you can run four.


My advice is, 1xGauss 2xERPPC. Best of both worlds, great heat management. Something like:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5beba3ee48d664a


Note: I have not owned a K2 since closed beta. I can estimate this build will be very effective because it rocks on my Ilya Muromets, and the K2 will do it even better since it has hard to hit side torsos and tighter convergence. If heat management is a pain, change one ERPPC to standard PPC. I don't find the heat to be a problem since you are carefully placing your shots, not spamming them.

Edited by 80Bit, 13 February 2013 - 05:31 PM.

[Kyzrati]

Any naysayers have either 1) Never actually tried this build or 2) Can't aim. It's my favorite mech build which consistently averages 400-600 damage per match and 2-4 kills. As Haitchpeasauce says, this thing worked even *before* the heat reduction of PPCs, now it's pretty much unstoppable (and can even use some ERPPCs if you like). And when our clan fields more than one of these things at a time? Target spotted... goodbye target. Always love it when that first mech pops over a ridge in caustic or frozen city, then goes boom, or at least ducks away only after its internals are already exposed.

[Escef]

I haven't tried it, but looking at the numbers you can and will run very hot. If you are not used to watching your heat scale it will require some adapting. With endo and 416 armor, a 285 XL, you can run 4 PPCs and 16 double sinks. I'd think about making 2 of those ER models, just in case you end up with someone in your face. You will have one hell of an Alpha strike, but if you aren't careful you will overheat very badly. In mid-range brawling situations you might want to chain fire, but even then you must still be very careful with your heat.

[Haitchpeasauce]

Escef I suggest you try it. Be a little mindful of heat build up, take that little extra time to aim ... and you'll find a sweet spot that is burning down targets, firing consistently, and rarely shut-down overheating.

Honestly my D-DC overheats more often than the K2.

Edited by Haitchpeasauce, 13 February 2013 - 06:51 PM.

[wuzy]

Another fellow clan member with Haitchpeasauce and Kyzrati here (OMCMWO). I find it hard to believe any good pilots here can't sense their heat meter (just looking isn't good enough), especially in a brawl. In all my hot-running mechs I've built I know exactly how much heat level needs go down to before I can fire another alpha. Or if I know heat is going to go a tiny bit over 100%, but a target of opportunity that can't be missed then I hit the shutdown override button assigned on my mouse. Boom, job done, run away.The 4x PPC Catapults which I've seen them using to devastating effect is obviously no exception.

In short: in the hands of a good pilot 4x PPC Catapults are deadly.

Edited by wuzy, 13 February 2013 - 11:20 PM.

[Ursh]

I used the 4 ppc build to take my k2 through master before they adjusted the heat. CPLT-K2

Yes, it works.
Yes, you have to aim.
Yes, it runs hot.
Yes, you are vulnerable to being crowded.

You'd think people would be happy with a 40 point alpha from range, mounted on a mech that can re-position fairly well.

Note, you can also do variations on the ppc theme. You can 2xERPPC+2xLpulse. You can do 4xLpulse, etc.

[Kmieciu]

4xPPC can be useful in a standoff middle-range battle. A Catapult has enough speed to take a shot, and move back to cover before LRMs come knocking.

For more all-rounded build a 2xPPC+2xLpulse would be better, IMHO. PPCs in the arms to snipe over ridges and LPulsefor fast moving targets up close. Or maybe 2xPPC + 2LLaser+XL300+19DHS ?

The are a lot of options for a K2, and they all are somewhat useful.

Edited by Kmieciu, 14 February 2013 - 12:59 AM.