NOTES AND INFORMATION *You can distribute front/rear armor how you choose. I took armor off the legs to save weight, because who legs a heavy? *The dragon expert on my unit uses a 325 XL engine with only 14 DHS. You can play around with this, I think the 300 XL gives me the optimal number of heat sinks (can't fit more than 18 AFAIK, reducing weight fills slots and vice versa). I've tried the ML + XYZ builds on this site and done decent with them, but I find that this build is the easiest to use. My alphas are smaller and the heat is higher, but it's all pinpoint, all more versatile (arms instead of torso), and good out to a farther range than medium lasers and SRMs. The one thing about this build is that it is HOT. My unit member has levelled through elite and has decent heat management, but my alphas are over 40% of my heat. If I get anxious I can overheat if I'm not careful. Once you have full elite you still need to manage yourself, but its not as bad. EDIT: Somehow the title on this got editted to say LLas + ER LLas sniper, which is not the build I was using. It's a LLas boat. EDIT #2: Adding configuration A and B. Alternate Configuration A This is the alternate build proposed by Phaedrus, to fit a 350 XL with 4 LL and 14 DHS. Probably a better balance of speed and heat than any of the other options. Alternate Configuration B This is my Cyan variant. Shorter range, smaller alpha, higher DPS, and mid-range speed between the other two.
I really like this build. I would probably follow your team mates lead because I believe in moving as fast as possible but until you have Heat Management down to a science, your build is great. It sounds like you like to use the Alphs Strike a lot, many people do. I, on the other hand believe that the Alpha Strike is intended as a finishing blow or a last ditch effort to survive. I would set up my weapons as follows: Fire Group #1: Both Left Hand LLasers. Fire Group #2: Both Right Hand LLasers. Fire Group #3: All four LLasers set on Chain Fire. (Excellent for heat control and DPS.) Fire Group #4: Alpha Strike. This has proven the best system for me with very similiar builds. Having each arm set up seperately allows you to fire from behind partial cover etc... When persuing a target the chain fire option will tear your apponent apart. This system has been proven time and again by many people I play with...give it a try. Mythweaver.
As to alpha strike vs. chain fire...I see your point on separating the arms, but I would rather offload all my damage up front and spend the time waiting for my heat to subside either behind cover, behind other mechs in the brawl, or simply waiting for that light to come around again. I may look at doing left mouse for LA and right for RA, and just click both to alpha. The 300 XL was cheaper and I got it quicker, that's the main reason. My main is a light so I agree with speed, but this seemed the best all-around tradeoff.
Fair enough. We all have different play styles and reasons for what we do. It's nice to be able to share our opinions and get new ideas. Myth.
Funny story: I separated my LLs so that left click and right click would be left arm and right arm (respectively). First try left click was right arm and vice versa...at least I isolated the arms! The thing I like about this game as opposed to the previous game I played (an MMORPG) is that in the MMO you generally have the "right" spec or the "wrong" spec. Variations in spec are either minor differences that are "flavor" or major differences that are "bad." In this, you have various playstyles, and within those not everyone does things the same. Some people want more speed, others more damage output. Some focus on alphas, some focus on heat efficiency, some focus on range, some focus on getting all that damage onto a single point. Most choices aren't necessarily bad, it's just going to be a different playstyle. I will say that you can have a bad combination of build and playstyle, though. A high-alpha build is better suited for taking potshots, while a sustained damage build is better for staying in the brawl.
This is my exact build. Except you can offload all head armor to get another ton off. Trust me you won't die. This build is a hit and run build with decent range. You should not be going toe to toe with others if possible. You can, but you better be pinpoint accurate on the same spot. I find that in this game, most people are garbage with lasers, and prefer ppc, or ballistics. This great thing about this build is nobody really takes laser fire seriously when they don't see it hit them, so you can stand outside the fight and fire in. You get fired upon, loose aggro, and come back. I average 450-550 damage a round and get 1-3 kills. If you're good with aiming lights should be no trouble either. With elite status you're also moving 89.1kph, and you can stop and move pretty quickly. It's very agile for its weight.
I haven't had a chance to try this out yet, but I think I will give it a go tomorrow morning. After a number of runs I'll get back to you on what I think. I'ts probably a no brainer..looks good on paper. Myth.
So here it is so far... I'm not sure where I have done things differently, I have 400 Armor and an Heat Efficiency of 1.37 with 19 Double Heat Sinks?! I took it for a drive on one of the new Training Maps. When I was able to stand still and keep my beams hitting the same point this 'Mech was quite frightening. I was able to fire three Alpha Strikes in quick succession using the override prior to the last shot. This dropped an Awesome from the front!! I tried various approches in the use of the weapons against the remaining targets and I stick to what I said previouosly about weapon groups and carefull use of the Alpha. Firing a fourth shot after the override, blew me apart, this was on the seventh target. (Arctic City Day) After this I took it out Solo on a Conquest Drop on Caustic Valley. Here was a real test. I have to admit that this 'Mech did dish out a lot of damage but I found that it is very hard to keep the beams on one specific location while both my target and I were moving. I failed to destroy any 'Mechs due to Teamwork (Kill Steals!) but did end the match "dead" with 460 points of damage. I will be taking it out again tomorrow morning to see how much more efficient it is when on a four man drop. I'm sure there will be a great difference in effectiveness... I'll let you know, Myth.:wink: Post Script: I am looking forward to facing you in the future MeatForBrains, your lack of head armor will ensure it is a short meeting, I think.
I really like this build and will keep the Large Lasers in stock in case my team requires Direct Fire Support. I am still having more success with my original build. LB10-X and four Med.PLasers. This may just be due to my faith in that particular build. I will deffinately point people in the direction of this build. Mythweaver.:wink:
Yeah, on my other 3 dragons I do a UAC/5, SRM 6 (2 SRM4s in one case), and 2-3 MPLs or 4 MLs. I don't have the 5N. I'm thinking about breaking them up, though (going 3 ER PPC sniper on Fang, and a lopsided laser boat on the 1N), but my favorite is the 1C with my basic template. I like the name for this build, though
The build should be 4 LL, not sure why it keeps coming up with an ER Large. I'll fix it when I get home and edit the title of the OP. Myth, I gave up on the 3x ER PPC (although now, with the addition of arm lock, it might not be a bad idea). I do have a new FANG build posted. And yes, the FANG build has a Gauss rifle in the arm
I really like this build, it's a lil low on the heat efficiency, but once I get elite with her that shouldn't be too big of a problem. I'll probably run her using chain fire on and only alpha at opportune times if at all, I actually ran a Centurion CN9-AL with three LLs chained fired and had quite a bit of fun with her, so this build works nicely for me.
I'm running my CN9-AL with 2x L.PLasers and 2x Med.Lasers, it just seems more heat efficient and hits a little harder up close. As for the Blue Flame, I love the name and the 'mech. Good build. Myth.
Myth, that's ironic. I've recently discovered the LPL+ML combo. The range is close on both, they have the same total duration+cooldown, and it is a bit more heat efficient (granted, the extra tons compared to 3xML means less DHS, but I usually run into slot issues instead of ton issues on my builds). It's actually a very nice combo.
For the truly "speed is life" types. This actually beats the XL325 build for heat efficiency, since the 14th HS is in the engine. The weight is made up through FF armor - which you have the space for now since all the DHS are tucked away.
There is no "Somehow" about it :wink: I end up having to go through and edit the titles of builds that don't really narrow down what the build has on it. Example "Blah blah blah Super Blah blah Awesomeness" I change it to "Flame Sniper Boat (2x ER LLas + 3x LLas)" or whatever. When the new system comes in this will most likely change and people will simply name their mechs whatever they want without all the extra details needed. Also, soon the Moderators will be helping me with this.
Phaed, that is brilliant. Another option (and I'll post that variant when I get home, as well as adding your variant to the front page as well) would be to do a pair of LPLs and a pair of mediums with a 325 XL and 20 DHS. This is what I'm running on my 1C presently. Overall, it's smaller alpha strikes and shorter range, but more DPS even than my 300XL/18DHS LL boat (with more speed than the 300 XL).
You can do the same thing to get what I call the "Jade variant." Above 50% HE is usually wasted anyway.
