Can't decide how to build my Thunderbolt TDR-5S

[Elazul]

Just got my first heavy mech the TDR-5S and having difficulty deciding on where to go with it. Considering 3 options:

(1) 2x SRM6's + 4 ML's + 2x SL's + 4 JJ + 2T of extra armor

(2) 2x LRM15's + PPC sniper

(3) 1x AC20 + 4ML + 4 JJ

What is everyone else doing with their TDR-5S's? Need some ideas :D

[McGrits]

Since it is your first heavy, I would go 1 ppc, 1 lrm 15 (1 ton ammo) and 3 mLas with heat sinks and good armor. It will be useful to almost any mechwarrior and hold its own as your other mechs get heavier and more specialized. This is a good tabele top build too.

The AC20 build needs much heavier support, especially a good missile boat.

The srm boat, light mech killer is better served by a shadow hawk 2d. It has 2 SRM6, 2 mLas, 5 JJ and 1000 armor, a couple heatsinks and room for a cockpit mod and fills the scout role awesomely. For an even heavier scout, wait till you get a grasshopper.

/edit the armor amount

[wendigo211]

Depends on the need of your lance:

If you need a shortrange skirmisher, I would go with 1. If you don't have a pilot with called shot mastery (tactics 9) then 3 might be better, but I prefer having a bit more armor.

If you need a long range mech, go with twin LRM-20s (with 3 or 4 tons of ammo). You could probably fit a large laser in as well, but then you need to start worrying about LOS.

[Elazul]

Thanks for the input guys! The others in my lance atm are a 2x LRM20 Centurion, a 2H Shadow Hawk which is loaded with 2x SRM6's and a SRM4 plus a MLaser and max JJ, a Laser vomit Hunchback which I left stock cause I couldn't figure out how to improve it, and a Wolverine loaded with 3x SRM6's and a Mlaser.

[Chameleon_Silk]

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/924805492559067441/A4C8FC5BFDAD8C1DF441C73B19E307CD2AD1AFB6/

I don't subscribe to the whole AC/2 is useless thing.

[Elazul]

Originally posted by Chameleon_Silk:

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/924805492559067441/A4C8FC5BFDAD8C1DF441C73B19E307CD2AD1AFB6/

I don't subscribe to the whole AC/2 is useless thing.

I like the concept, but would having the ammo in the legs not be a bad thing?

[FullMetalPoitato]

Originally posted by Chameleon_Silk:

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/924805492559067441/A4C8FC5BFDAD8C1DF441C73B19E307CD2AD1AFB6/

I don't subscribe to the whole AC/2 is useless thing.

I don't think AC2 is useless either but matching up a single AC2 with a bunch of short range and support weapons is a waste of tonnage. 1 AC2 doesn't have much punch (25 damage) for it's tonnage requirements and there's no synergy at all between an AC2 and SRM/MG.

For starters a single AC2 with a minimum range 120m paired w/ 2 MG that can only shoot to 90m is a bad start. Support weapons CAN be amazing but a whopping 2 MG isn't very effective.

Now an AC5/SRM4 x2/ML x4 on that same mech would probably be much more effective and still give you the long range reach you are looking for and the AC5 accuracy won't be gimped so bad at close/medium range when you want to start adding in your ML/SRM's.

To put that into perspective the ML and SRM both have optimal range out to 180m and reduced accuracy out to 270m while the AC2 takes a minimum range penalty all the way out to 120m and stays optimal out to 480m and reduced again out to 720m. In comparison the AC5 does almost double damage for 2 more tons and has a 90m min / 360 optimal / 540 extended range.

AC2 = 25 damage / 7 ton minimum investment w/ 150m overlap with backup weapons
AC5 = 45 damage / 9 ton minimum investment w/ 180m overlap with backup weapons

I love the AC in all of it's incarnations but a single AC2 (which does the same damage as a ML) paired with a bunch of short range weapons is not an efficient use of very valuable tonnage IMHO.

Originally posted by Elazul:

Just got my first heavy mech the TDR-5S and having difficulty deciding on where to go with it. Considering 3 options:

What is everyone else doing with their TDR-5S's? Need some ideas :D

OP maybe this resource will help you decide how to kit your mechs out. I don't know who made it but it's popping up all over these forums. Be happy with any Thunderbolt you get your hands on at the stage of the game you seem to be in, it is a very versatile chassis with good individual flavor between the 3 variants. Whatever you do please don't bring a single AC2 into battle though lol. Just remember that if this is your first and only heavy mech there's a high probability you are going be getting into lots of situations where it is out front tanking hits and getting rushed by enemy units. Extreme range weapons will not serve you well under those circumstances.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fnaqQv8nnYpy9gtQm75-D6fmYfNJ5u3OALSIe8ckOuo/htmlview?sle=true#

[Johnny D]

Can't go wrong on LRMs, I stack LRMS and have a scout market it, it doesn't matter how fast or how powerful it is, If you can't see it or shoot it, it's dead if it's flat on the ground.

[pedal_pusher]

TDR-5S is a great front line mech. If you put any think other than ML SRM JJ and max back armor you dont deserve to have one,

[FullMetalPoitato]

Originally posted by pedal_pusher:

TDR-5S is a great front line mech. If you put any think other than ML SRM JJ and max back armor you dont deserve to have one,

To be fair though it's the only variant with any ballistic hardpoints so anyone who salvages the 5S as their first heavy is very likely going to want to put their best heavy AC on it. It's one of the first platforms that can carry an AC10 or even an AC20 without making huge sacrifices or being very 1 trick ponyish.

[L37]

I'd go for 3-rd one. AC20 is fun. You should try it.
On the other hand 1-st one will be more practical, with JJ-s and extra armor.

[pedal_pusher]

Originally posted by Ginger:

Originally posted by pedal_pusher:

TDR-5S is a great front line mech. If you put any think other than ML SRM JJ and max back armor you dont deserve to have one,

To be fair though it's the only variant with any ballistic hardpoints so anyone who salvages the 5S as their first heavy is very likely going to want to put their best heavy AC on it. It's one of the first platforms that can carry an AC10 or even an AC20 without making huge sacrifices or being very 1 trick ponyish.

There's loads of junky heavy mechs with balistic hardpoints and not much else. Save the 20 for them and give the TDR the real good stuff.

[Langkard]

My first TDR I made into my scout/sniper mech, rather like your #2 but with a large laser ++ instead of the PPC, with 4 jump jets for mobility, only 1 LRM15 ++ and extra armor. Worked nicely until I got an Orion as an upgrade.

[Rob'sEvilTwin]

Originally posted by pedal_pusher:

TDR-5S is a great front line mech. If you put any think other than ML SRM JJ and max back armor you dont deserve to have one,

I concur :P They do make a nice brawler. I used mine until I could upgrade to an Orion.

[Lyhroi]

Originally posted by Ginger:

To be fair though it's the only variant with any ballistic hardpoints so anyone who salvages the 5S as their first heavy is very likely going to want to put their best heavy AC on it. It's one of the first platforms that can carry an AC10 or even an AC20 without making huge sacrifices or being very 1 trick ponyish.

You can fit AC20 +SRM6 +SRM4 on a centurion without any major problems. That's way earlier then a heavy...

As for the OP... if you don't have a dedicated LRM Platform, take the Thunderbolt (centurion as LRM is wasted in my eyes (see AC20 centurion ^^)). If you go for LRM, forget the PPC and take 2x LRM20 instead That's same dmg, more stab and less heat and all of it indirect. + multitarget with breaching shot has more punch.

[Tempered]

Instead of using lrm15's, you can save some weight by using 3 lrm5. This also gives you the option to split up the lrm fire if your pilot has multi target.