guide tagged posts
Hunchback 4G/4H AC/20 Working Brawler Guide
The Hunchback is a very cool chassis. However, many people don’t like it (or struggle while playing), because the hunch, the Hunchback’s signature side torso is such a vulnerable part. The hunch usually holds most of the important weapons and will always be focused down by enemies. This Hunchback brawler guide will show you how to make your hunch less vulnerable enabling a skilled pilot to dish out unseen amounts of damage. The build is centered around an AC/20 and is complemented by lasers. The Hunchback brawler load-out is brought to you by Reslin and was posted in the mwo-builds.net looking-for-builds thread in the official forums. Reslin also wrote a more in-depth guide about several Hunchback variants. Check them out and give him a thumbs up.
Because it is one of the most crucial things about this Hunchback brawler build, I want to point it out first: Pay close attention to the armor allocation on the builds! The hunch has only 2 rear armor and everything else on the front side. Such a distribution will greatly increase your effectiveness on the battlefield. The hunch’s rear torso will almost never get hit, thus, most points of armor should be at the front.
A similar load-out can be done with the HBK-4H, as well. This particular version of the Hunchback brawler build utilises the additional energy slots in the hunch. If you don’t like the reduced range of the small lasers, just go with the 4G build above. However, the small lasers increase the maximum possible alpha strike slightly.
- Pay close attention to the armor allocation on the load-outs. If you are off by only a few points, it will greatly diminish your survivability on the battlefield.
- Always stay in motion. If you stand still or overheat, you are toast.
- If you are eating damage and can’t easily return fire, turn your upper torso to protect it and head for cover.
- Your AC/20 is your main weapon. Try to always hit perfect shots on cooldown. If you are unsure that you can place your shot, don’t shoot.
- Try to focus all lasers on the same component to incapacitate and down enemies fast.
- Weapon grouping hints for first load-out: 1) AC/20 2) All Lasers.
- Weapon grouping hints for second load-out: 1) AC/20 2) All Medium Lasers 3) All Lasers.
- Do not use arm-lock with this build. It might help newer players to optimise pinpoint damage, but you are wasting a lot of the Hunchbacks’s excellent agility and run-by abilities.
The builds in this Hunchback guide were kindly provided by Reslin. He also wrote a more in-depth guide about the Hunchback chassis. Check it out and drop him a like.
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What is Alpha Strike, Fire Power, and Damage Per Second?
This guide will explain the important difference between fire power and damage per second. There are a lot of misconceptions about these terms. Many people consider only one of many values or give them no thought at all. The truth, in my humble opinion, is that different weapons excel at different jobs. Somehow, all these three terms refer to the damage of a Mech. On the other hand, their importance is often distorted by players, and they are mixed up frequently. The following short explanations will shed some light on the confusion.
Alpha Strike
An Alpha Strike in Mechwarrior Online is the act of firing all your weapons at the same time. Since the matches in MWO favoured (and in part still favours) bursty builds, this term became very popular. If all weapons on a Mech are very similar, it makes sense to fire them in one huge Alpha Strike. Those builds play very boringly, but can be insanely effective. Popular examples include the Splat-Cat (Catapult stuffed with SRMs) or PPC boats.
Fire Power
This term is one of the stats shown in the in-game mechlab. The number is the theoretical maximum damage dealt by an Alpha Strike with his Mech. Theoretical, because there are several things you have to consider when analyzing this value: If the Mech was weapons with different effective ranges, you won’t be able to fire all of them at the same time. If the chassis has weapons with very different aiming mechanisms, then you probably won’t hit all your weapons on the same target in the same salvo (for example, Lasers need you to stay on target; a Gauss Rifle requires the pilot to lead but hit only one bullet). In addition, the fire power value does not take into consideration how heat efficient a build is or how much ammo is available for all weapons.
Fire Power alone does not make for a very good indicator of how good a build really is. However, if most weapons (or all of the most powerful ones) have similar ranges, than fire power can be an indicator of how bursty a build is. For random PUG games, it is nice to have at least some burst potential. Numbers will change with patches, but at the moment the following rough outline can help with judging these numbers:
- 0-30 No relevant burst potential. Probably a lighter Mech with a very sane armament.
- 30-50 Some burst potential. Many builds, which are not centered around powerful Alpha Strikes, will probably be in this range.
- 50-60 Above the average firepower. Usually found on Heavy and Assault Mechs. A well placed hit will cause serious problems.
- 60+ Insane burst potential. Splat-Cats, Assault SRM+AC/20 brawlers and outdated PPC boats fall into this category. One direct hit and you are toast!
Damage Per Second (DPS) and Sustained DPS
Most people think that they understand what damage per second is and what exactly it means. In my experience as a gamer, this is only partially true...
Read MoreMisery (Stalker Hero Mech) Sniper/Fire Support Hybrid Guide
In my long search for finding a good Misery all-round build, I suffered many setbacks. After consulting with several high-level players from the Hell’s Black Aces merc-corp, I finally developed a build which is worthy of this web page. A sniper/fire support hybrid build utilizing a pair of Large Lasers, a single ERPPC, and a Gauss Rifle. All of this while still being reasonably heat efficient and using a standard engine. The only downside, in comparison to other Stalker builds, is its relatively low movement speed. This guide will showcase several variations of the same build. Each build has a slightly different focus. Choose the one whichever suits your play-style and needs best.
The first version of the Misery sniper hybrid build trades leg armor and heat efficiency for more utility. ER Large Lasers replace the regular Large Lasers for additional range. The increased effective range will greatly improve your damage dealt values. ER Large Lasers also received a buff in the recent patch. The original version uses two tons of Gauss Rifle ammo. If you are engaged in drawn out fights (which is more likely since 12 vs 12 hit the servers), 20 shots will be expended very quickly. This version uses the additional space and tonnage to fit in a third ton of ammo. The addition of an AMS rounds the package. This version runs very hot, and you will most likely not be able to carry a cool-shot consumable since the Stalker chassis only allows for two module slots (which are most likely taken by Adv Seismic Sensor and Increased Sensor Range).
The following load-out reflects the original version of the build. It has a lesser range, fewer ammo, and no AMS. However, it runs significantly cooler, allowing a skilled pilot to continuously fire for a long time. This version is recommended for more experienced as it requires more skill to dish out the same amounts of damage of the course of a battle. However, it has the potential to be more deadly in the long run.
- Since you are not very fast and lack jump-jets, positioning is key. Only expose yourself from cover to fire one alpha strike. If enemies have spotted you and are returning fire, double back behind cover and find a different spot to peak out from.
- Weapon grouping advice: 1] Gauss Rifle + ERPPC 2] Both (ER) Large Lasers. Be sure to bind the Gauss Rifle and ERPPC to a single weapon group as well. There are situations when you’ll want to fire only one of them.
- Try to stay on target while firing the Large Lasers. If you manage to hit the same component for the majority of the duration, you will notice a significant increase in efficiency. Large Lasers do a lot of damage, but over a duration. Remember: Lasers in MWO are no light sabres!
- Enabling Arm-Lock is not recommended for this build. However, whenever you can, try to match both crosshairs before firing a sniper shoot (ERPPC + Gauss Rifle) for maximum pin-point damage.
- If you are running on high heat, get behind cover and cool down for a few seconds. If that is not possible, place one or two well aimed shots with your Gauss Rifle. Then finish the exposed target with an alpha strike.
Here are some end-of-round screenshots. They are not the best, but I wanted to include some 12vs12 action!
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If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!Follow @mwobuildsnet |
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Atlas RS/RS(C) Classic Brawler Mini-Guide
This is just a minimalistic guide to quickly present another guide which is based on a suggestion in the current MWO forum’s build guide thread. If you have an excellent build yourself, post it in there and we will have a look at it! We read through all guides and post the best ones here. This load-out was originally proposed by DiePrimateDie in said thread. It is an Atlas-RS-build with a heavy emphasis on close range damage. Since the AS7-RS and the AS7-RS(C) have the same hardpoints, you can use this load-out on both variants. An AC/20 and two SRM6s make you an excellent brawler. Add to this four Medium Lasers and enough ammo and heat sinks to fire all of this at a constant rate, you can deal a crap-ton of damage at 270m range. If it is within range, it is dead. You alpha strike will rip through enemy Assaults and Heavies in seconds.
This build works with the RS and the Champion Mech variant RS(C). If you prefer the D-DC, check out this similar Atlas D-DC brawler builds overview.
- This build is very heat efficient and carries a lot of ammo. Do not fear firing your weapons at all times. However, do not spam aimlessly. Especially the AC/20 hits should be targeted on critical parts of the enemy.
- If you encounter other heavy brawlers, focus fire their center torsos. Turn your upper body sideways, whenever you are not firing. You will be able to down an enemy Atlas without sustaining more than 20% armor.
- Move the larger chunk of your torso armor to the front parts. The stock distribution places too much emphasis on the rear. See the values in the Smurfy-link to get a rough idea of how these numbers should look like. Approximately 20 armor for the rear side torsos is enough. Center torso can even go as far as 100 upfront and 24 in the back.
- Weapon grouping advice: Weapon groups are completely up to you, but the following can serve as a field-proven starting point: 1) AC/20 2) All Medium Lasers 3) Both SRM6s 4) Alpha Strike aka all weapons you have (or bind alpha strike to a more accessible hotkey).
This build is based on a load-out proposed by DiePrimateDie in the official forums. Thanks again for that one.
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If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!Follow @mwobuildsnet |
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Blackjack 1X Brawler Build
We are constantly looking for the good builds through the official forums. Today we will have a look at another build brought to you by the community. A very fast Blackjack brawler build utilizing Medium Lasers. With this Blackjack 1X build you will be able to run as fast as most light Mechs and dish out considerable damage. Being able to fire six medium lasers almost without any heat issues makes this loadout a fearsome brawler. The Blackjack’s hardpoints allow the pilot to fire over cliffs and hills without exposing a lot of profile, similar to the Jagermech. If you can see it, you can kill it! For our avid readers who’s been asking if it’s safe to play real money online slots, you can click now right here to answer the questions.
Six Medium Lasers will make your enemies flee in terror. A lot of other builds have a comparable amount of lasers, but this Blackjack 1X build has enough double heat sinks to fire them constantly. The large engine provides excellent mobility, bringing your pain to wherever your team needs it. Read more at weboworld, have fun reading interesting things in there.
- Use your Blackjack’s high mounted weapons to shoot over cover without exposing too much of your chassis.
- This loadout is very heat efficient. For maximum continuous fire, consider carrying a cool shot consumables.
- The XL-engine provides you with a traveling speed of over 100kph. If you can’t win a fight, pick another one.
- Do not fear enemy SRM and AC carrying Mechs. The Blackjacks silhouette is very small and combined with the high movement speed you will be very hard to hit.
This build was kindly provided by Vulcan888. Check out the original post here.
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If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!Follow @mwobuildsnet |
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How to Build the most efficient Atlas D-DC SRM + AC/20 Brawler Loadouts
Everybody enjoys the Atlas D-DC. Everybody loves SRMs! Everybody craves for AC/20s. Everybody likes to have an ECM installed. Everybody wants to be on top of the score board. Well, maybe not everybody but most players will admit that most of these things are excellent toys to have fun with in Mechwarrior Online. I have a fair share of Atlas piloting experience myself and tried various builds. I also receive regular input from clan mates and real-life friends who pilot D-DCs themselves.
For a regular full guide, the author would rant on about how you must balance ammo position and tonnage. Armor on legs and engine size, etc etc. Not here. We played Atlas AS7-D-DCs for weeks and have come up with two of the most excellent builds. These builds are focussed on head-on close quarter combat. Long range weapons and PPCs are for sissies. Real pilots bring an AC/20 to the SRM brawl. 100t of death will ensure you eternal glory on the battlefield and the death curses of your enemies in the weeks to come.
We have come up with two very similar builds. The first one is faster, has more armor and an AMS installed. The second one skips on the defensive part in order to utilise bigger SRMs with more heat sinks. Thus, the second build runs a little bit slower and is more vulnerable, but has a slightly higher alpha strike and more sustained dps. Which of the two builds you’ll use is completely up to you. If you are a new to the game or the assault chassis in general, I personally recommend going with version #1. If you are already an experienced MWO player and know how to play, go with version #2.
Atlas D-DC Build version #1 – More Armor, better engine, and AMS
Atlas D-DC Build version #2 – Higher alpha strike, more sustained DPS.
If you want a more all-round build with more ranged weapons, but still stick with the D-DC and what makes it so strong, check out the Atlas D-DC juggernaut build guide.
- Your side-torsos are your most vulnerable part. You won’t die if you take some hits, but there is a high chance your most valuable weapons will be critted and destroyed. If you can not shoot, but are being shot at, turn your upper torso sideways. Your arms are sturdy as hell, and you won’t miss them once they are gone.
- If you are engaged in a brawl and running very hot, stop firing the medium lasers. Focus on perfectly hitting your AC/20 shots only. If the heat permits it, continue firing your SRMs.
- Weapon grouping tips: 1) AC/20 2) Medium Lasers 3) SRM6s 4) All weapons. This is one possible way to configure your weapon groups. However, do not bother with chain firing or other combinations. The loadout is pretty straight forward, and you should have these four intuitive groups set for maximum efficiency in hectic situations.
- Do not waste your SRM ammo on light Mechs. You will not hit them enough to make it worthwhile. Instead, use your medium lasers against their legs and fire AC/20 shots in their faces if you are sure you will hit them.
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If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!Follow @mwobuildsnet |
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Ilya Muromets (Cataphract Hero Mech) Dual Gauss Sniper Build
With the recent patch discouraging PPC and AC/20 boats, Cataphracts have been struggling to find new builds. If you are running you a 2X, you can build a brawler following this Cataphract 2X brawler guide. A more popular variant is the Ilya Muromets, the Hero Mech. A friend of mine at the Hell’s Black Aces Merc Corp showed me a build which has quickly become popular amongst competitive gamers. An Ilya Muromets build which is equipped with dual Gauss Rifles, Medium Lasers, and a Machine Gun. High alpha strikes, way above average dps and no heat issues what so ever make this Mech a fearsome opponent.
AMS + Machine Gun for critical hits and survivability
Higher movement speed version with AMS
Higher movement speed version without AMS but 3rd Medium Laser
- Cataphract plus XL-engine makes you very susceptible to frontal damage. If you come under heavy LRM, AC or PPC fire from the front, take cover immediately or you will die in seconds.
- Always use your Gauss Rifles together. The pinpoint damage will make short work of what ever component you are targeting.
- When at close range, keep those Medium Lasers and the Machine Gun fire buttons held down! It is almost impossible to overheat with this build.
- Your damage output is easily focused on one point, and the damage per second at close surpasses most other builds currently in the game. If you are entangled in a brawl, keep firing all the time. Your enemies will most likely underestimate your firepower and only turn around, when it is already to late.
This build was brought to my attention by Smeg of the Hell’s Black Aces Merc Corp. Check out their web page!
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If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!Follow @mwobuildsnet |
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Cataphract 2X Brawler Build
I am a great fan of the Cataphract chassis. I bought a 4X, 2X, and 1X right when they came out. However, the CTF-3D and the Hero Mech variant “Ilya Muromets” are much more popular. While those are really fun and powerful variants, I wanted to beat something with my 2X and 1X. So this guide came to life. See how a Cataphract 2X can easily deal as much damage as the more popular variants. People will only underestimate you until you blasted the second Assault Mech in their team to bits.
This build features everything you need. The Cataphract 2X brawler build is like the whole family fun package. A Gauss Rifle for long range shots and in order to add critical pinpoint damage while brawling. It can also be used in the rare case of running on high heat. Three Medium Lasers will serve as your all-purpose weapons. Finally, double SRM6 will be your melee range blaster. The recent MWO patch buffed their damage even further. Note, that all screenshots where taken before this patch and the damage values were already insanely high. Especially when encountering Assault Mechs, the SRM6s will provide the critical damage needed to take them down quickly.
- Although your Cataphract 2X is equipped with a Gauss Rifle, the most damage can be dealt at close range. Try to engage in brawls early on for maximum output.
- This build is very heat efficient. Do not fear to fire all weapons at all times. In the rare case of running on high heat, continue firing your SRM6s and the Gauss Rifle only.
- The combination of a Cataphract chassis and an XL-engine make you very susceptible to frontal attacks. Try to hug buildings, ledges, and cliffs at all times.
Note, that the following screenshots where taken before the recent buff to SRM damage. You should be able to easily reach or even surpass those numbers.
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If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!Follow @mwobuildsnet |
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The Highlander 732/733C PPC Sniper Build (updated for Alpha Patch July 2013)
The Highlander is one of the best assault chassis and quickly became a favourite of my own. Sniper builds are everywhere, and no match goes by without countless PPCs fired at you. It is time to strike back. Obviously, some variants are better suited for the job than others. If you like a sturdy armor and heavy armor, but don’t want to slack on the mobility side: Congratulations! You just found one of the best PPC sniper builds currently known to the Mechwarrior Online community. This Highlander 732 PPC sniper build combines the unmatched armor and firepower of assault chassis’ with excellent mobility.
Note: this exact same build can be built on the 733C as well.
The recent Mechwarrior Online Patch made PPC boats very ineffective. However, you can use the following build until July 20th 2013. After that you will have to rely on the above build.
Warning: the following builds are not very effective any more! You must use chain fire or multiple weapon groups in order to still use them. It is highly recommended switching to the a fore mentioned builds.
The 3 PPCs and the Gauss Rifle will grant you with unmatched firepower. Alpha strikes of 45 damage at a reasonable heat dissipation will tear enemies to shreds with only a few shots. Light Mechs will die instantly most of the time.
Since LRMs are making a huge comeback you may want to add an AMS to your build. Here is a slight variation on the above build which includes an Anti-Missile-System. This will reduce your damage only very slightly, but the increased survivability is often worth the small cost. This Mech is using an XL-engine after all.
- For maximum efficiency, group your weapons as follows: 1 Gauss Rifle 2 All three PPCs 3 Gauss Rifle plus one PPC (when high on heat) 4 All three PPCs in chain fire (for test shots and disabling ECM).
- All your PPCs and the Gauss Rifle are on one side of your Mech. Whenever you are under heavy fire or LRMs are inbound, turn your upper torso so the other side of your Mech faces the enemy.
- Use jump jets to look over cliffs. Often times you will be able to even shoot Mechs will falling back down.
- Be careful not to harm your legs from excessive jump jet usage. Rule of thumb: when using more than 75% of your jump jet energy, you will take damage to your legs upon landing. Try to reserve some fuel to soften your landing.
- When close to overheating, keep firing your Gauss Rifle plus a single PPC. This will cause very little heat and allows you to continue damaging the enemy with roughly 60% of your firepower. This is always better than overheating or not firing at all.
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Read MoreOne of the most viewed build on this blog is the Atlas D-DC all-round brawler build by Strawberry5. He and myself have played this build countless times and have proven its worth in PUG games. Mechwarrior Online has evolved since then, and strategies have changed. This Atlas brawler build has been adjusted slightly to better fit 2013 meta-game requirements. If you don’t like PPCs and want to look really good on the score board (damage dealt, kills, match score, etc) give this build a try. You will not be disappointed.
If you need AMS in this Atlas build, try swapping it for the Beagle Active Probe. Do not remove ammunition in exchange for the AMS since it is already carrying the absolute minimum for extended fights.
In comparison to the old Atlas brawler build, the new version trades the AMS, ammunition and movement speed for range, a BAP and burst damage.
- Use the high max range of your double Ultra AC/5 to lay down suppressing fire and chip away at enemies during the first minutes of the match. Enemy LRM-boats and other long range builds will duck back behind cover, and potential future enemies will have their starting armor reduced.
- Fire your Ultra AC/5s by single clicking at all times (1.1sec). Restrain yourself from holding down the key as they will most likely jam very fast and your actual damage output will decline. Only gamble on your weapons not jamming when being faced with certain death.
- Keep in mind that your ECM will not protect you from LRM barrages while it is set to counter mode.
- Although you have a BAP, it might be useful to counter an enemy ECM at times. The default hotkey for switching ECM modes is J.
- If you are engaged in an all-out close quarters fight, do not overheat due to alpha striking all the time. It will mean certain death. Instead, refrain from using the lasers and keep using your missiles and ballistic weapons only.
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If you know of an excellent build, resource, or guide, submit it and maybe it will be featured on mwo-builds.net and seen by thousands of players. You can submit builds by sending us an e-mail, post it in the official looking-for-builds thread, or send us a private message via the official forums. You can also submit guides and builds via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Join hundreds of other Mechwarrior enthusiasts and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Receive the latest guides and the best MWO builds directly to your favourite social platform!Follow @mwobuildsnet |
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