Exosuit - The assault stratagem.

[|LorÐ|™[Habilidade]Ðeus Ex]

Here's my take on this after playing with this vs bots and vs terminids at difficulty 7. (Will try 9 once I can get my friends in for testing)

tl;dr - Great vs terminids, good vs bots, not sure if it will be worth a slot when it goes back down to 2 uses.

Overview: This is a powerful armored mech, has 2 uses (currently 3 due to their release). It destroys terrain as it walks, which is quite useful but can destroy friendly sentries or supply stands. Also can step on explosive cannisters and blow itself and the cannister up. It has a gatling gun with medium penetration, 1000 bullets and rocket launcher, 14 rockets. You can't interact with objects in it. Unfortunately, there is no melee attack.

vs Bots:

The Exo is quite vulnerable vs Bots due to the high concentrated fire of some enemy units. The weapons however are excellent against bot enemies. Gatling gun deals a lot of damage, ignores a lot of enemy armor and can easily kill a hulk, if it turns it's back to you. If it doesnt, rockets deal damage through heavy armor, so this thing is great versus the bot massives.

Due to its vulnerability and the fact that stealth is very important vs bots, it makes me question if a loud assault weapon like this is actually worth using against them, especially when it goes down to 2 uses. One thing I can say for certain, this is a beast vs jammer objectives, allows you to get in much safer and cleave a path for your team to enter.

vs Terminids:

Unsurprisingly, a rotary high ROF machinegun is great against terminid chaff, while the rocket launcher is capable of opening vulnerable spots in chargers as well as do high damage against them. Bile titans can be taken down with 5 rockets and their armor can be stripped off as well. Not great but not terrible. Vs anything else terminid? This thing is a beast since it shrugs off slows and stuns.

If there's one thing the EXO will lack against terminids, it is ammo. The swarming enemy will make you run out of bullets very fast, and this is probably going to make people question if using up a stratagem slot for this will actually be worth it.

My opinion? Once it goes down to 2 uses, it will be worth it in terminid blitz missions. Not much in 40 minute missions. Against bots, it will be useful on both types, but will also make you thing "hmmm, is it actually worth that slot?"

A bug for your consideration:
Using the map while in it. If you try and ping somewhere, you'll also shoot your rocket launcher, and keeping mouse 2 pressed will fire your gatling gun

Ratings:
Vs Bots
Damage = 5/5
Mobility = 2/5
Support = 2/5
Antimassive = 5/5

Vs Terminids
Damage = 5/5
Mobility = 4/5
Support = 4/5
Antimassive = 5/5

[PlazmaBolt]

The ability to rearm in some way would be great, that's the only problem I can think of it having atm.

[zmanbuilder]

I find it interesting that the anti vehicle mines that the bots have make more sense now, As for when to call one in, saving 1 for extraction might be a good idea, Using one to take and defend a location would also work, like the missile launch area or evac people sites.

[Kalenath]

Originally posted by PlazmaBolt:

The ability to rearm in some way would be great, that's the only problem I can think of it having atm.

They did not have that in the first game, but I WANT IT!

Its is not an 'I WIN!" button like many wanted it to be and it does need a few tweaks, but it is cool and fun to play with.

[Qau'lthir]

Originally posted by PlazmaBolt:

The ability to rearm in some way would be great, that's the only problem I can think of it having atm.

It's a disposable unit used by a military corps of disposable infantry. Of course vehicles used by said corps wouldn't be designed in such a way that they can be reloaded, their intended lifespan is probably counted in minutes.

[Aethrys]

Can the rockets destroy outposts without striking weak points? Like fabricators without going in the vent/door, bug holes striking on top of the mound or maybe at an angle not fully down the hole?

Also can it destroy jammers by firing at them?

[PlecixZ]

Originally posted by PlazmaBolt:

The ability to rearm in some way would be great, that's the only problem I can think of it having atm.

There was a screenshot leak of the supply pack with 6 slots, would be nice touch if that's the only supply that can re-arm mechs or vehicles. Also next week some new content will be added i wouldn't be suprised to see more in the long run.

[Fluffy Monster Thing]

Idk why it can't just re-arm from the ammo packs in the world.

I'm still confused why it just dies randomly when you drop it sometimes, it's the most expensive stratagem in the game and sometimes it just fails to function in general.

[Hexagoros]

Originally posted by PlazmaBolt:

The ability to rearm in some way would be great, that's the only problem I can think of it having atm.

This.

[Old Man Bryan]

As the Mech has a "vehicle" tag I think it's safe to assume it will get it's own bay in the ship for upgrades. I feel like, when comparing to what orbital laser can do if one of the upgrades can give it a minimum of +20% ammo I think it would be, in terms of stats balanced. Hoping for a +50% ammo upgrade though lol.

[HatsuneMiku]

is it intended that we cannot access stratagems inside the exosuit or its currently bugged , because as i remember we can do it in HD 1.

[Fingeris]

Originally posted by Kalenath:

Originally posted by PlazmaBolt:

The ability to rearm in some way would be great, that's the only problem I can think of it having atm.

They did not have that in the first game, but I WANT IT!

Its is not an 'I WIN!" button like many wanted it to be and it does need a few tweaks, but it is cool and fun to play with.

We definitely don't want your whining anymore.

Go and play the first one if you're nostalgic that much.

[>//The_FALCON]

pro tip: don't shoot small bugs, just stomp them for maximum ammo efficiency (can't stomp any bug bigger than small tho)

[Mesond]

Use mech for hard targets only. Have the rest of the team escort the mech to deal with lighter targets.

[ZX Horace]

Used this on a couple of bug missions where you have to extract scientists. Two mechs on an elevated height were amazing at keeping the hordes back. If someone has orbital railcannons for bile titans these things do well keeping back chargers and warriors etc. Only played it on level 6 so far as struggled to find a match on 7 and didn't want to chance anything harder than that right now. It's just crazy how many more spawns there are now too. That's what makes the mech vulnerable out in the open. You just get swamped fast. If they reduce the heavies like they have mentioned and we get more rank and file enemies, the mech is going to be fairly fun to use. I wouldn't want to use this on an automaton extraction mission though!

[Hexagoros]

Originally posted by Stefan Schitz:

Used this on a couple of bug missions where you have to extract scientists. Two mechs on an elevated height were amazing at keeping the hordes back. If someone has orbital railcannons for bile titans these things do well keeping back chargers and warriors etc. Only played it on level 6 so far as struggled to find a match on 7 and didn't want to chance anything harder than that right now. It's just crazy how many more spawns there are now too. That's what makes the mech vulnerable out in the open. You just get swamped fast. If they reduce the heavies like they have mentioned and we get more rank and file enemies, the mech is going to be fairly fun to use. I wouldn't want to use this on an automaton extraction mission though!

Good point.

Once the promised hotfix for spawns arrives, the mechs will probably be a lot more viable.

As it stands now, mechs - like all of our weapons - suffers heavily from the current heavy armor enemy spam.