Why can't I quit you? Subpar mech love

Annihilator stepping out from hiding in that underground cave in MW3 campaign...

 

Damn, again! After my wife, clan, people on twitch.tv and even my 8 month old daughter (randomly grabbed pieces of paper with a mech name to buy) all told me to get a Timber Wolf... I got my Summoner.

Sniffing Summoner's crumpled up shirt now. Mmm.

 

So I've been using this weekend to play around again with the Thunderbolts, which I hadn't used much since the Phoenix packages were released, and I gotta say I still really like them.

The 9SE is the standout as the only one that mounts JJ's and has a good balance of hardpoints, but the 5SS with it's 7 Energy hardpoints is pretty darned fun, too. Throw in a STD engine, and these things are ridiculously sturdy.

Current builds:
TDR-5S: LRM20 + LRM10 + 2xLLAs + Tag (not an optimal LRM loadout, but does in a pinch when I don't want to run the others)
TDR-5SS: 7xMPlas (fun, but not competitive in the tournament), 2xERLLas + 5x Mlas (great loadout with room for tons of heatsinks)
TDR-9SE: 2x SRM6a + 5x MLas (Very fun brawler, surprised I never tried it before this weekend)

 

Thunderbolt was holding me over till I broke down for a summoner. I just love that off set cockpit and missile tube look.

 

You can go 3xML 1x LL on that also, allowing you to poke fun at further targets.

 

The problem is that on the TDR-5S, SRMs look ridiculous in that huge shoulder launcher, with only 2, 4, or 6 tubes showing. This is basically the only reason why I'm running LRMs on that chassis now.

 

There's actually very few mechs I didn't like. SDR 5K, non 3L ravens, and a few redundant variants made the list. My favorite mech ever is Tier 4 on the quirk list, the STK-3H.

 

Well I just fell in love with the Refridgerator. Ice Box. Err Ice Ferret.

 

I only dropped twice on it but I have to approve, the feeling is really good and I'm sure I will like this mech.

 

I've just noticed my weird trend. I always spit on new mechs with no JJ and swear by leaping... yet I keep going back to my Dragon and Wang.

Maybe I'm a sucker for speedy grounded mechs with big arm cannons?

I'm excited about Grand Dragon and I guess this also means I'm going to love the Gargoyle after all.

Ice Ferret is already up there with my Wang and Dragon for fun factor and its only the second day. I trashed it so much leading up to wave 2 I almost bought Loki a la carte vs whole package because I didn't want it.

That's one of the things I like about this game. Numbers and statistics don't speak volumes until you've jumped into the seat.

 

TBH theres a lot of interesting rides with the new quirks too and I'm really enjoying revisiting mechs as if they're completely new.... but mysteriously mastered so at top efficiency. Check out the formerly moderate VND-1AA for example.

 

The VND chassis still makes me sad. I got them as an interesting alternative to my blackjacks, specifically liking the VND-1AA because it had dual AMS and could go much faster. I ran it with 5xMLAs and an A-LRM15 and thought it was quite flexible and enjoyable. Now, with the quirks, it and the BJ-3 are essentially the same mech and I see no reason to keep both. I wish one variant got a missile quirk to some degree to make use of that 20 tube in its torso. As it is right now, there is very little difference between the VNDs and the BJ-3.

I am looking at the VND-1R as being useful and different. Maybe the -1X with MGs? *sigh* :/

 

I don't understand why St. Ives Blues got such lame quirks (3 total?) wooh large laser range 15%! That is one mech that needs some love.

 

Actually those fit with the weaponry most were using that I saw - LL and SRM's.

Edit: I agree they're very underwhelming for such a poor mech.

 

What the quirks adress are good but for a mech that can only fit a lrm10 with 2 LL or only equip 1 LL its a pathetic low amount. SIB deserves the pretty baby treatment.

 

What?????

That's strange as I always ran mine with 2 LPL or 2 ERLL or 2 LL and SRM Launchers (types depending on the lasers).

 

Well not everyone runs SRM's.. Its my friends favourite mech and he runs it support with mediums/TAG/LRM15 and he averages 500 a match but earns more cbills than my stormcrow prime doing 700+

And either way 7.5% is too low, the build isn't the issue. Should be 25% cooldown/range/heat 10% duration etc.

 

So you're saying your friend is complaining that they want to run a primary LRM boat on a 45 ton mech and don't have space to run multiple large lasers as support so have to sacrifice themselves and use ML's or just one LL?

 

He's complaining it's a very mediocre quirk pass for the SIB. The quirks themselves don't matter he would probably adjust his build accordingly.

I wouldn't call a single LRM15 a boat, its just the weapon they picked is a 5 ton energy weapon so you're probably going to equip 1-2 max with a couple missiles and all you get is 7.5%. IE not enough to bother changing builds, mech still needs love.

The complaint here is 7.5%, not the weapon type.