Assault Missile Boat?

[cmd1095]

So I've been absolutely loving the Archer mech with it's missile clustering thing, but it's starting to struggle against other heavy mechs and assault mechs even when I do called CT shots. I have two archers and the two of them together usually soften up a target enough for my assault mechs to bring them down, but dedicating 3 turns to take one mech down is really not ideal in fights where you're often outnumbered 2 to 1 already

I was wondering if there's a mech with the same missile clustering thing the Archer has that's a bit heavier and packs more of a punch so I can sub it in for the two archers and really start dishing out the pain

I just got a cyclops which can load the same LRM 20s and has a bit more armor to it which is nice, but it lacks the clustering mod that makes the called shots so darn effective so idk how well it's gonna work.

[Harukage]

There is no such thing. It is a unique quirk of Archer in this game.

[danko9696]

Albeit the Archer quirk this mechs just lacks firepower. Think of it as an indirect fire dual AC20 setup, very good for a heavy mech (taking into accout the quirk) but cannot compete with proper endgame LRM boats. It can make very deep holes but it's unreliable, not a good finisher or heavy/assault mech killer. The spread of non Archer LRM boats is not bad per se. In exchange for more spread you get more reliability and you should have it into account.

Using LRM boats to soften targets is wasting their crit potential, you should begin with your hard hitters and use your LRM boats after it as finishers. If you need to deal 80 dmg, for example, a non Archer LRM boats will be way better, precisely because its damage is less focused. So yes, imo the Archer is not the best LRM boat, not even close.

Also the idea with LRM boats is that you position your lance in a way you can fire many many indirect fire salvos against the enemy. Those salvos are not supposed to be as damage efficient as direct fire but safety efficient so you can be outside the front line and firing almost every turn.

[cmd1095]

Which mechs are the best LRM boats then? I mean I can slap two LRM twenties onto a Cyclops but idk if that's the way to go or if there are better options out there

Edit: doing so also cost me my medium lasers and a lot of armor so...

[Harukage]

Well, HGN-733 and STK-3F both have 4 missile hardpoints and can be decent assault lrm boats.

[danko9696]

Originally posted by cmd1095:

Which mechs are the best LRM boats then? I mean I can slap two LRM twenties onto a Cyclops but idk if that's the way to go or if there are better options out there

Edit: doing so also cost me my medium lasers and a lot of armor so...

As Harukage says, the Highlander and Stalker are better. But also notice that you need to keep those base chances up to be effective (try to get TTS+++), and +2 damage tubes if you can. I don't if it's possible to get the M3 Bullshark mech in HM playing normally but that's the best mech for LRM boating, by far.

[leonardonabreu]

Bull Shark without mortar has 4 slots as well and you can indeed get it (just completed one yesterday)

[Martialis]

You can go to Arano space and buy the parts for a Stalker if you have the money. That's my preferred missile boat. Works best with a MW which specializes in Tactics. Usually I put 60 LRMs on there, with extra damage and/or stability preferred. Works great in combo with my 3 PPC awesome. Even the toughest enemy mechs get knocked down and out of the fight in short order.

[Pherdnut]

The stalker's missile hardpoints don't allow for as much space IIRC. 733 was the go-to for boating prior to metal.

[danko9696]

Also I forgot to mention the King Crab. It's the little brother of the BullShark. Only can pack 50 tubes but has room for several TTS, JJs and near max armor. Very good as a trainer mech for levelling up pilots with low stats. The BullShark is the same idea but now you can have 80 tubes instead of 50.

[Hyndis]

Prior to the Archer, my standard missile boat was a Stalker with LRM20 x3.

Using the +dmg LRM20's gave me 120 damage per missile rack. Three missile racks could fire at three different targets and bypass cover using the proper skills, or could all fire at the same target. It gave me flexibility with my target selection.

The Stalker was super slow and had paper for armor. It was a slightly mobile walking missile platform, nothing more. Fortunately LRM's can indirect fire. Each and every round it would fire off 60 LRM's and cause things to explode.

[bba525]

I kind of like my Stalker with 4x LRM 15's and added armor, plus TTS.

[Harukage]

TBH Highlander 733 might be a better choice because it is better armored. Just in case something goes wrong.

[Cheezeburger]

the bull shark m3 variation has the most tonnage available in the game at 75.5 and comes with 4 missile slots, you can easily load up 4 lrm20s on it with enough heat/ammo to fire endlessly if you want an assault class missile boat

edit: the one without the thumper cannon that is.

[steelcoresoviet]

Originally posted by bba525:

I kind of like my Stalker with 4x LRM 15's and added armor, plus TTS.

Yes, due to a quirk of the game, 60 LRMs weigh 2 tons less with 4 15s than 3 20s. Making it my preferred stalker loadout too.

[Named]

I usually have x3 LRM20 and x1 LRM15 on an HGN-733 with mostly stripped out armor.

Missile boat does not need defense.

Interesting that some people finish with missile boats. I've always softened up and/or knocked down the target to be finished by a free called shot on the CT.