50 replies to this topic

[stryker175]

Hello everyone, I have been playing MWO for a while and finally managed to save for a Catapult K2. After a few more battles I had enough to upgrade and customize it.
I am personally more of a "hanging back support" rather than an up close and personal brawler, but I still do fight at medium-close ranges many times. Personally I think this build works well as a medium range vanguard which can still defend itself at close range. Any ways I could improve this build?

Catapult CPLT K2 (feel free to use this build type if you want, other K2 users)

65 tons
336 points of armor (had to rip out 16 points to be able to hold everything)
standard engine 260 64.8kph speed

AMS (1 ton ammo)
2x Large lasers (use them for sniping, prefer over PPCs)
2x Medium lasers (mid-range)
2x AC/2 (2 tons ammo, mid-close range or just to trigger spam and annoy the crap out of enemy mechs )

Endo-Steel structure
Double heat sinks (14 heat sinks total)
heat efficiency 0.94 (I know its low, but I chain fire a lot and have mech XP upgrades coolrun and heat containment. It also actually doesnt overheat too badly as long as you manage your weapons, such as using AC/2s when your at critical heat so your lasers can cool down if you're brawling)

In general I slowly pick off mechs at far range with my large lasers, as I get closer I use my medium lasers and occasionally snipe with my AC/2s and at close range I chain fire spam my AC/2s and alpha fire if im not running too hot.

Questions, comments, critique? any ways I could improve this? (remember, im aiming for a mid ranger support that can brawl if necessary)

*****I WILL EVENTUALLY UPLOAD A PIC OF MY BUILD ONCE I HAVE TIME IF THIS THREAD DOESNT DIE***

Edited by stryker175, 07 December 2012 - 07:48 PM.

[Quazil]

Heat-ratio is far too low.
Nothing else matters because you can't use all those weapons.

You can't aim and hit with lasers and AC's at the same time so you have to switch back-and-forth and AC2's have a fast recycle time so you can't switch back-and-forth without impacting throughput. If the lasers are backup weapons (that you normally don't fire) then drop them to small instead of medium. You might increase to AC5's.

You could go all-in and take two AC10's and a fast engine.
2x AC20's is too slow to be competitive or fun IMNSHO.

A three large-laser build can also be fun but you have to drop everything else to pack in as many SHS as you can.
Two large and two medium is more optimal.
The key here is lots & lots of heat-sinks so you can keep firing.
It takes 16.5 heat-sinks to fire 1 large-laser non-stop.

Most effective K2 build is two gauss-rifles, 7 or 8 tons of ammo, and maybe a laser or two.

This should be a really fun and really good mech with 2 PPC's and medium lasers but heat is b0rked so it's not.

Edited by Quazil, 07 December 2012 - 12:29 AM.

[Elizander]

AC/5s don't run too hot. You might want to consider those.

[nungunz]

Definitely upgrade to an XL engine. And XL275 or XL300 are your friend. Will free up more weight for heatsinks and give more heat sink slots in the engines.

[Mr Mantis]

I played one for a time and was just thinking of picking back up a k2. I liked sniping it but had some trouble with lag shield at close range.
i built dual ac20 at one point but was so slow people made fun of me, they stopped when they all died and when the enemy came to cap i killed the remaining 5 mechs (most with headshots) and won the game... not normal results i don't recommend that build, (they probably would not have all died if i would have had a better mech to support them with.) so a nice ac5 or uac5 build if you are okay with jamming, or something laser heavy is good. I found i like ballistics for heat reasons gauss are risk reward because of the tenancy to get blown up.

[Redshift2k5]

I certainly recommend a 300xl, a huge speed increase and some weight saving as well. Takes 6 extra crits, but you can put 2 DHS in the engine slots which saves you exactly 6 slots.

[Ghosth]

3 large lasers with DHS works pretty well, and you can do it with stock 260 engine. 4th slot you might want to slip a tag.

The small AC2-5/UAC5 I have not had terrific luck with. Probably more a matter of it not fitting my play style than anything else.

You can build it with 4 large lasers, but you'll have major issues with cooling.

With 3 large lasers setup 2 weapon groups. All 3 lasers in both groups. Set Chainfire on one group. If your below 50% heat you can alpha strike all 3, above use the other button to fire a single laser at a time. Allowing you to to fire more often, and still stay cool.

[MeiSooHaityu]

Mead on his Youtube channel runs a 4 LLaser Cat K2 that seems descent. His heat doesn't seem TOO bad, but I would split your lasers into 2 separate fire groups at the least.

I run the 4 LLasers on the Cataphract, but my K2 is a Dual ERPPC mech.

I'd run the Dual Gauss, but it always felt REALLY cheap. Ballistics are ok for larger mechs, but for hitting light mechs, the energy weapons seem the only choice till the net coding gets improved a bit.

[GoodName]

I actually like running my K2 with Dual AC/20s. Just don't get int a firing match with someone...pop out shoot...hide. The key to this build is to take your time and aim...don't just shoot randomly hoping to hit...you don't have enough ammo. Matches seem to go one of two ways....3+ kills and 500+ damage...or 0/1 Kill and 120 damage.

[stryker175]

Quazil, on 07 December 2012 - 12:26 AM, said:

Heat-ratio is far too low.
Nothing else matters because you can't use all those weapons.

You can't aim and hit with lasers and AC's at the same time so you have to switch back-and-forth and AC2's have a fast recycle time so you can't switch back-and-forth without impacting throughput. If the lasers are backup weapons (that you normally don't fire) then drop them to small instead of medium. You might increase to AC5's.

You could go all-in and take two AC10's and a fast engine.
2x AC20's is too slow to be competitive or fun IMNSHO.

A three large-laser build can also be fun but you have to drop everything else to pack in as many SHS as you can.
Two large and two medium is more optimal.
The key here is lots & lots of heat-sinks so you can keep firing.
It takes 16.5 heat-sinks to fire 1 large-laser non-stop.

Most effective K2 build is two gauss-rifles, 7 or 8 tons of ammo, and maybe a laser or two.

This should be a really fun and really good mech with 2 PPC's and medium lasers but heat is b0rked so it's not.

Lasers are my primary weapon, I fire my large lasers the most. I use the medium lasers against light mechs at close range or just for additional damage. I save the AC/2s for either close range last resort or for sniping assault/afk mechs.
right now im not really thinking about a 2 gauss gausscat build, since its somewhat frowned upon and its incredibly expensive and heavy, but I might use it in my next build. I'm also planning to add more DHS to my build once I have enough for
XL 300.

Redshift2k5, on 07 December 2012 - 04:42 AM, said:

I certainly recommend a 300xl, a huge speed increase and some weight saving as well. Takes 6 extra crits, but you can put 2 DHS in the engine slots which saves you exactly 6 slots.

what exactly do you mean by putting two DHS in the engine slots? drag them directly into the engine? Sorry im still a noob. Also I when I have enough funds im going to add in the XL 300.

[Brock7142]

Just a noob here, but after speaking at-length about the Catapult K2 thanks to ECMs, Best set up is 2 Gaus, and a couple of Short-range lasers. One even suggested using a Flamer.

Outside of that, just a whole lot of heat sinks. Only viable counter against God-Build Atlas D-DCs. Gaus Rifles rip off the armored plates, then followed by the Flamer or SRLs to finish off. Assuming you're still alive after it returns the favor with its own Gauss cannons, and its volleys of SRMs.

against other mechs, other than God-Build D-DCs, K2 rolling this set-ups seems quite lethal.

[stryker175]

Oh by the way guys I AM planning to upgrade to a XL engine 300 once I have enough C-Bills. Once I have that I will add more heat sinks.

Heat efficiency and zombie engine besides, is the weapons loadout in general okay? Also any suggestions for mechs that I should specifically hunt for?/attack strategy? I find myself killing hunchbacks and centurions a lot.

[Leetskeet]

It's a ballistic platform.

Do not be fooled into thinking otherwise.

[Timelordwho]

If you want a long range sniper, and don't want to gauss, go with 2ERPPC or PPCs in the torsos and 2 LL in the arms.

Another option is 2UAC5s and 4 ML. It's mid-close range damage is unreal, and it can still snipe at ~ 600m.

[TruePoindexter]

Timelordwho, on 07 December 2012 - 01:31 PM, said:

If you want a long range sniper, and don't want to gauss, go with 2ERPPC or PPCs in the torsos and 2 LL in the arms.

Another option is 2UAC5s and 4 ML. It's mid-close range damage is unreal, and it can still snipe at ~ 600m.

Very strong loadout though I have it on a Cataphract 3D.

[Kain Corallon]

l use a dual Ac20 build and i love it, std 200 engine, 2 ac20, 6 tons ammo, 2 med lasers, endo steel and 3 dbl heatsinks. I rarely run out of ammo and when i do the lasers are a good enough backup. It is slow but the dmg is worth it IMO. It is also a cheap mech to run, repairs run 40-56k for getting trashed.

[TruePoindexter]

Kain Corallon, on 07 December 2012 - 01:37 PM, said:

l use a dual Ac20 build and i love it, std 200 engine, 2 ac20, 6 tons ammo, 2 med lasers, endo steel and 3 dbl heatsinks. I rarely run out of ammo and when i do the lasers are a good enough backup. It is slow but the dmg is worth it IMO. It is also a cheap mech to run, repairs run 40-56k for getting trashed.

And they hit like someone landed an asteroid on your face.

[stryker175]

Timelordwho, on 07 December 2012 - 01:31 PM, said:

If you want a long range sniper, and don't want to gauss, go with 2ERPPC or PPCs in the torsos and 2 LL in the arms.

Another option is 2UAC5s and 4 ML. It's mid-close range damage is unreal, and it can still snipe at ~ 600m.

personally im incredibly bad with PPCs (like I can only snipe an Atlas standing still ) unless I am brawling with them. Personally im aiming for mid-range with some flexibility in close and far ranges.
For the 2UAC5 4ML, how would I fit that? do I have to buy an XL engine? also I'm kind of worried about the UAC jamming, since I mostly prefer to use ballistics at brawling range.

[stryker175]

TruePoindexter, on 07 December 2012 - 01:39 PM, said:

And they hit like someone landed an asteroid on your face.

LOL.

I'm really worried about the 2xAC/20 2 ML though, its pretty much as fast as a turtle and while It could probably insta-kill so many mechs with it, I'm also worried about the AC/20 flexibility. I really don't like the idea of brawling so close im scraping chassis with another mech.

[Like a Sir]

stryker175, on 07 December 2012 - 01:43 PM, said:

LOL.

I'm really worried about the 2xAC/20 2 ML though, its pretty much as fast as a turtle and while It could probably insta-kill so many mechs with it, I'm also worried about the AC/20 flexibility. I really don't like the idea of brawling so close im scraping chassis with another mech.

It's ok... we are not getting charged for repainting the mech after each match..... yet =D