Is it just me or is the Blackjack absolutely terrible?

[Space Hooligan Zack]

I've had my supposedly "special" ancestral family mech sitting in storage for almost the whole campaign because it a) can't seem to deal very much damage no matter what weapons I put on it, and b) almost always died. I'd spend more on repair costs for that mech alone than I could earn in a single mission. Am I using it wrong, or is that mech really as godawful as it seems to me?

[Danceofmasks]

AC2s are suboptimal weapons.
I recommend an AC5, 4 MLAS, and more armour.

[Zavia/GenX]

I agree on the AC5 and more armor.
The rest is up to you.

Dont put a ppc in it.

[kknd]

Originally posted by shirk2018:

I've had my supposedly "special" ancestral family mech sitting in storage for almost the whole campaign because it a) can't seem to deal very much damage no matter what weapons I put on it, and b) almost always died. I'd spend more on repair costs for that mech alone than I could earn in a single mission. Am I using it wrong, or is that mech really as godawful as it seems to me?

The Blackjack, by default, lacks in armor for a medium mech and it's primary weapons are AC/2s... the objectively worst weapon in the game. 2 of them. Yeah.

My suggestion would be to pull off the AC/2's and their ammo, load up a single AC/5 or AC/10, rip off the jump jets and max out the armor on the front, arms and legs. With that you'll have less direct fire sniping, but much better firepower and armor protection.

That being said, the Blackjack suffers from the close engagement ranges of the game and the emphesis on needing heavy armor. As a second line fire support mech, the base BJ-1 isn't bad. (though the AC/2's don't help.) But since we have one lance to fight with, we need durable enough mechs to spread the damage around as needed.

As for replacements for it, there are plenty of options.

[Dorok]

2 AC5 only is fine until you get a better mech to replace it. With JJ it can be a good scout with sometimes the option to shoot instead of sensor lock. It is great to kill vehicles, until later game where vehicles get parts with more armor.

[Doombringer]

blackjack is good, but the stock setup needs help...
(as everyone else already said 2AC2s --> AC5 & 4 tons for armor and other goodies)

[Veritas]

Stock AC2s are terrible. Swap the 2s out for a 5, use the free weight for heat sinks and armo, bam, good mech that performs above its weight class relative to the other starting mechs.

[michaelmerlin]

Originally posted by kknd:

Originally posted by shirk2018:

I've had my supposedly "special" ancestral family mech sitting in storage for almost the whole campaign because it a) can't seem to deal very much damage no matter what weapons I put on it, and b) almost always died. I'd spend more on repair costs for that mech alone than I could earn in a single mission. Am I using it wrong, or is that mech really as godawful as it seems to me?

The Blackjack, by default, lacks in armor for a medium mech and it's primary weapons are AC/2s... the objectively worst weapon in the game. 2 of them. Yeah.

My suggestion would be to pull off the AC/2's and their ammo, load up a single AC/5 or AC/10, rip off the jump jets and max out the armor on the front, arms and legs. With that you'll have less direct fire sniping, but much better firepower and armor protection.

That being said, the Blackjack suffers from the close engagement ranges of the game and the emphesis on needing heavy armor. As a second line fire support mech, the base BJ-1 isn't bad. (though the AC/2's don't help.) But since we have one lance to fight with, we need durable enough mechs to spread the damage around as needed.

As for replacements for it, there are plenty of options.:raven:

You aren't wrong about the short engagement range, but the BJ-1 really is awful in table top. At least in HBSBT the AC 2 has had it's damage increased to 2.5 times the releative value in table top, and it's still not great.

[kknd]

Originally posted by michaelmerlin:

Originally posted by kknd:

The Blackjack, by default, lacks in armor for a medium mech and it's primary weapons are AC/2s... the objectively worst weapon in the game. 2 of them. Yeah.

My suggestion would be to pull off the AC/2's and their ammo, load up a single AC/5 or AC/10, rip off the jump jets and max out the armor on the front, arms and legs. With that you'll have less direct fire sniping, but much better firepower and armor protection.

That being said, the Blackjack suffers from the close engagement ranges of the game and the emphesis on needing heavy armor. As a second line fire support mech, the base BJ-1 isn't bad. (though the AC/2's don't help.) But since we have one lance to fight with, we need durable enough mechs to spread the damage around as needed.

As for replacements for it, there are plenty of options.

You aren't wrong about the short engagement range, but the BJ-1 really is awful in table top. At least in HBSBT the AC 2 has had it's damage increased to 2.5 times the releative value in table top, and it's still not great.

Havn't had the chance to play the table top, so I can't speak to that.

[L37]

Replaced it as soon as got extra medium. Just could not find weapon configuration i liked for it.
Also, is it possible to fit AC20 into it? Early game against all those lights and tanks it will be hilarious.

[Rum]

The AC/2s are hot garbage and are even worse early game because of the low damage and minimum range.

[SteelaiRizel]

Originally posted by shirk2018:

I've had my supposedly "special" ancestral family mech sitting in storage for almost the whole campaign because it a) can't seem to deal very much damage no matter what weapons I put on it, and b) almost always died. I'd spend more on repair costs for that mech alone than I could earn in a single mission. Am I using it wrong, or is that mech really as godawful as it seems to me?

On my second start i currently have my Blackjack outfitted with one Large laser and 3 mediums with max jump jets and plenty of heatsinks. Have all armor maxed entirely on it both front and rear. A 115 alpha with very little heat gen is pretty nice early on and is working great for "legging" early mechs atm.

Though i miss the stability damage.

[MAD-3R_Marauder]

Originally posted by kknd:

The Blackjack, by default, lacks in armor for a medium mech and it's primary weapons are AC/2s... the objectively worst weapon in the game. 2 of them. Yeah.

My suggestion would be to pull off the AC/2's and their ammo, load up a single AC/5 or AC/10, rip off the jump jets and max out the armor on the front, arms and legs. With that you'll have less direct fire sniping, but much better firepower and armor protection.

That being said, the Blackjack suffers from the close engagement ranges of the game and the emphesis on needing heavy armor. As a second line fire support mech, the base BJ-1 isn't bad. (though the AC/2's don't help.) But since we have one lance to fight with, we need durable enough mechs to spread the damage around as needed.

As for replacements for it, there are plenty of options.:raven:

While I agree on replacing the AC/2s with a single AC/5, I strongly disagree on pulling the JJs off.
In the early-ish game, where you are usually not outnumbered by the enemy, evasion is live and jumping around easily gives you 4 evasion pips while still being able to shoot. Sure, you get hot, but you also don't get hit a whole lot in return.

I also usually advance towards the enemy (at a fight's start) by jumping and bracing rather than sprinting, since this gives me the best of both worlds once contact is made. All my mechs have full evasion _and_ are braced, so I can easily reserve down, let the OPFOR come to me, shoot without them hitting a lot (and if they hit, not doing a lot of damage) and then can engage their now not-braced mechs at my discretion.

JJs also _vastly_ increase your ability to use the terrain. All those friggin mountains and cliffs and patches of rough terrain become irrelevant, when I can just jump over them, enabling me to easily take the high-ground or hide behind a mountain ridge, only to jump across and engage the enemy when I feel the right moment has come for it.


P.s. In my current play-through, I am playing as a mercenary cavalry unit, that _only_ fields jump-capable mechs and will not mount JJs on mechs that didn't originally have them.

Gives much needed (IMO) value to those rather rare jumping heavies.

[Lord Quinton]

ACs just feel... weak in this game, everything from the sound they make when firing, to the sound of the large nerf dart hitting the enemy is weak, then theres also the tonnage issue, with very few exceptions, nearly every mech can be better optimized without cannons, and those mechs that work best with cannons are casually overshadowed by energy and missile boats. It doesn't help that we are blind beyond 500m or so by default.

One thing that really nerfs ACs is our inability to mount fibro-ferrous armor, endosteel internals, or XL engines, all of which eat up critical slots in exchange for more fre tonnage. That free tonnage is critical in being able to mount a sufficient number of ACs and/or ammo for them.

[ImHelping]

The Best/Worst part is that the stock Blackjack is the most powerful if has ever been in the franchise.

Because while the AC2 is still the worst gun in the game (For the player. The AI spamming it on turrets is still pretty dangerous)? That's SIGNIFIGANTLY buffed from table top and older mechawarrior games.

Blackjack is quite servicable in the very early game at least, so long as at minimum you move the ammo containers out of the center torso. Though yes, Single AC5 build with a side of lasers is the more practical version to keep it aroung until you have your preffered replacement.

AC5 is finally pretty cool. Even if the AC2 still dissapoints for being the world's heaviest medium laser.

Originally posted by Lord Quinton:

ACs just feel... weak in this game, everything from the sound they make when firing, to the sound of the large nerf dart hitting the enemy is weak, then theres also the tonnage issue, with very few exceptions, nearly every mech can be better optimized without cannons, and those mechs that work best with cannons are casually overshadowed by energy and missile boats. It doesn't help that we are blind beyond 500m or so by default.

One thing that really nerfs ACs is our inability to mount fibro-ferrous armor, endosteel internals, or XL engines, all of which eat up critical slots in exchange for more fre tonnage. That free tonnage is critical in being able to mount a sufficient number of ACs and/or ammo for them.

And yet bitter TT vets are still patting eachother on the back at nexus mods over nerfing the AC2 from the gutter back into the sewer for how much more 'balanced' that is, yikes.

Usally in the same mods they try to give themselves back their ferro and clantech PPCs and all the other crutch training wheels technology.

It's not Ferro armor or XL engines that make of break autocannons. But acting like that is pretty transparent that (most who say it) just want more room for clan gauss or heat neutral PPC boats.

[ImHelping]

Originally posted by Lord Quinton:

the BlowJob in mwo was pretty devastating with ac/2s as a DFA mech, then again, MWO sped up AC/2s to the point that they outclassed all other weapons in DPS except LRMx15 and 20s.

Oh christ. AC2 in MWO.

When they first added Ghost heat. It triggered on a SINGLE AC2.

Their response? Nerf the AC2's firing speed.

So bringing up PGI of all people, while trying to defend the AC2 as "too good"? Quite the laugh riot of nostaltia.