Headshot Specialist Mechbuilds

[Strykerdax]

Presenting my sniper mechs for headshots

My primary sniper mech is the Marauder UAC2.
It is fitted with 3 UAC2 guns and 2 Med Lasers.
The Marauder is the MAD-3R variant, with 3 slots for ballistic weapons.
The Lance Command mod gives additional called shot bonus, up to 35% (if I recall correctly).

I also designed my mechs to be net cooling mechs, even after jumping.
This is possible with double heatsinks.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129202676

3 UAC2 on the shoulder
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129202818


My next favourite sniper mech is this Annihilator fitted with 5 UAC2 guns and 5 Med Lasers.
That gives it a monstrous 15 shots / chances to hit the enemy cockpit.
With fully trained mechwarrior, having 18% chance of called shots, it usually does the job.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129191019

The sight of 5 UAC barrels on this mech is enough to give me the chills
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129191300




Here are the other sniper mechs that I have used and experimented with.
They are now just hanging out in my mech bay.


MAD Coil Large Laser

Due to the Coil L focus, this MAD is best used with a pilot with Sure Footing skill, to give it an extra evasion pip.
The max number of pips is 3, which gives the Coil L a 105 damage.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2130424323
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2130424013


MAD UAC5

This MAD follows a similar concept as my MAD UAC2, a total of 8 shots / chances to hit the target. It's a good headshot mech, but it does not have the long range compared to my MAD UAC2.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2130422853
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2130423255


Gauss MAD

One of my more traditional MAD builds which features a high caliber ballistic weapon, supported by lasers in the arms.
This MAD is the SLDF version, which has more cooling and weight space, so it has the highest armour amongst all my MAD builds.

It's not in use now, because it relies on that single Gauss cannon shot chance.
I don't like to heavily damage my potential salvages.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2130424603
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2130424848


3x Gauss++ ANH

Built this Gauss focused ANH, just to see how it performs.
It's a fun build. But I won't use this for my deployments, for the same reason that I'm not using my Gauss MAD. I want to keep my salvages intact.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2130427529
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2130427383


Coil M Phoenix Hawk

This is another fun build, to support my lance of SLDF Phoenix Hawks.
It's a running mech, due to it's focus on Coil M laser.
Needs a pilot with Sure Footing to give an extra evasion pip.
I forgot how many pips it can achieve by running.
But the damage output is enough for a single headshot.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2130425375
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2130425530

[pete]

Disengage Cloaking device Mr Spock

[Strykerdax]

Oops, trying to figure out screenshots link

[pete]

Originally posted by Strykerdax:

Presenting my sniper mechs for headshots

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129191019

IMHO - not bad - pity about the jumpjets.

[Strykerdax]

Originally posted by pete:

Originally posted by Strykerdax:

Presenting my sniper mechs for headshots

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129191019

IMHO - not bad - pity about the jumpjets.

Oh I like to equip all my mechs with jumpjets for quick directional changes and also to climb hills faster.

[pete]

Originally posted by Strykerdax:

Originally posted by pete:

IMHO - not bad - pity about the jumpjets.

Oh I like to equip all my mechs with jumpjets for quick directional changes and also to climb hills faster.

I know it is very popular - but I can'y justify the weight of the cursed things - especially on assaults - I prefer armour and heat sinks. But there are many ways to skin a cat - as the saying goes - and thus many ways to equip a mech, I used and Annihilator once - couple of the Gauss++ and 3 ER Large Lasers - I think - that was as head crusher!

[wesnef]

I believe there's a Marauder variant with 3 ballistic slots. So you could mount 3 UAC2's and some ERML in the arms. Yeah, it doesn't have the damage boost of the Annihilator, but it's got the double headshot chance.



(hmm, why so much UAC ammo? Between that thing doing headshots & your other mechs contributing, I can't see a contract taking that many shots to finish. Removing some ammo & the jump jets, you could replace a couple UAC2's with 5's. Or some ML's with ERML's - having short-range guns on a super-slow long-range sniper feels a bit inefficient.)

. . . for the record, I tend to aim for ~12 shots of ammo for my mechs. Almost never run out.

[Strykerdax]

Originally posted by pete:

Originally posted by Strykerdax:

Oh I like to equip all my mechs with jumpjets for quick directional changes and also to climb hills faster.

I know it is very popular - but I can'y justify the weight of the cursed things - especially on assaults - I prefer armour and heat sinks. But there are many ways to skin a cat - as the saying goes - and thus many ways to equip a mech, I used and Annihilator once - couple of the Gauss++ and 3 ER Large Lasers - I think - that was as head crusher!

Truly many ways to skin a cat.
Without the jumpjets, the weight can be used for more armour.

The Gauss ++ are monstrous as well.
I fitted 3 Gauss++ and 1 UAC2 on another spare Annihilator too. Headshots are spectacular, but not my favourite because it has lesser headshot probability at 18%, compared to my 5 UAC2 Annihilator build.

[Strykerdax]

Originally posted by wesnef:

I believe there's a Marauder variant with 3 ballistic slots. So you could mount 3 UAC2's and some ERML in the arms. Yeah, it doesn't have the damage boost of the Annihilator, but it's got the double headshot chance.



(hmm, why so much UAC ammo? Between that thing doing headshots & your other mechs contributing, I can't see a contract taking that many shots to finish. Removing some ammo & the jump jets, you could replace a couple UAC2's with 5's. Or some ML's with ERML's - having short-range guns on a super-slow long-range sniper feels a bit inefficient.)

. . . for the record, I tend to aim for ~12 shots of ammo for my mechs. Almost never run out.

Yes there is. I just updated my first post with my primary Marauder sniping mech.


I spec my mechs for above 15 shots. Since UAC guns use twice the ammo, I had to slap more ammo onto it.
There is an Attack AND Defend mission that drags out the mission.
I once ran out of ammo in this mission. Never again!

[Strykerdax]

Originally posted by wesnef:

I believe there's a Marauder variant with 3 ballistic slots. So you could mount 3 UAC2's and some ERML in the arms. Yeah, it doesn't have the damage boost of the Annihilator, but it's got the double headshot chance.



(hmm, why so much UAC ammo? Between that thing doing headshots & your other mechs contributing, I can't see a contract taking that many shots to finish. Removing some ammo & the jump jets, you could replace a couple UAC2's with 5's. Or some ML's with ERML's - having short-range guns on a super-slow long-range sniper feels a bit inefficient.)

. . . for the record, I tend to aim for ~12 shots of ammo for my mechs. Almost never run out.

I try to balance usage of ML and ERML while considering for net cooling after alpha strike and jump.

[danko9696]

I'd definitely replace those MLs with ERMLs. The survivability you lose with lower armor you gain it (and more) with higher range and now you also have more killing power too. The ANH is not very good for medium range due to only 2 max JJs. And for the M3R longer range weapons are a big advantage too if coupled with a Rangefinder.

To show that, this is my last Marauder setup. It's with a M2R but I could have done something similar with a M3R. Not attacked once (and thus also not hit):
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2126441344

Originally posted by pete:

Originally posted by Strykerdax:

Oh I like to equip all my mechs with jumpjets for quick directional changes and also to climb hills faster.

I know it is very popular - but I can'y justify the weight of the cursed things - especially on assaults - I prefer armour and heat sinks. But there are many ways to skin a cat - as the saying goes - and thus many ways to equip a mech, I used and Annihilator once - couple of the Gauss++ and 3 ER Large Lasers - I think - that was as head crusher!

The weight can be easily justified, particularly in assaults, which are slower than other mechs. JJs help survivability much more than extra armor, and on top of that also grant you offensive flexibility.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129339981
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129340156

And the build:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129348770


Although within a full lance I'll use ERLLs instead of LLs.


For the 2xG 3xERLL imo that's kind of mediocre. Gauss are not in the same league as UAC2s, and much less when you can actually mass those UAC2s:

https://i.imgur.com/XpOlMUH.png
https://i.imgur.com/cVEzx4G.png

Originally posted by Strykerdax:

I spec my mechs for above 15 shots. Since UAC guns use twice the ammo, I had to slap more ammo onto it.
There is an Attack AND Defend mission that drags out the mission.

I don't have UW for A&D missions but in normal ones 10t salvos is more than enough. For soloing I have 17.5 salvos and in the second screenshot I had left enough for 4.7 alphas after killing all foes without being attacked once.

Originally posted by Strykerdax:

I try to balance usage of ML and ERML while considering for net cooling after alpha strike and jump.

With ERMLs (or LLs) you can downgrade your armor quite a lot. They're much better unless you go full medium range (like MLs + UAC20S + SRMs).

[Azure]

MAD 3R with a ++Gauss and 4 ML, 2 ERSL for when its time to get up close. Tried everything and went back to the Gauss for headcapping and it leaves a nice dent anywhere else when it misses that one of the Assaults can exploit. Most often there is Anni with 3 UAC5 and 2 snubs with a Mixed loadout Highlander doing a variety of roles, sometimes its replaced by a Anni with Quad LBX10s

[the_knave]

I use a MAD 3D (I think) with 2 lg and 3 med lasers (with various accuracy and damage boosts.) Nothing fancy, but it rarely takes more than 2 rounds to down absolutely anything, and very often 1-shots half the opposition.

Almost feels like cheating.

[Strykerdax]

Originally posted by danko9696:

I'd definitely replace those MLs with ERMLs. The survivability you lose with lower armor you gain it (and more) with higher range and now you also have more killing power too. The ANH is not very good for medium range due to only 2 max JJs. And for the M3R longer range weapons are a big advantage too if coupled with a Rangefinder.

To show that, this is my last Marauder setup. It's with a M2R but I could have done something similar with a M3R. Not attacked once (and thus also not hit):
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2126441344

Originally posted by pete:

I know it is very popular - but I can'y justify the weight of the cursed things - especially on assaults - I prefer armour and heat sinks. But there are many ways to skin a cat - as the saying goes - and thus many ways to equip a mech, I used and Annihilator once - couple of the Gauss++ and 3 ER Large Lasers - I think - that was as head crusher!

The weight can be easily justified, particularly in assaults, which are slower than other mechs. JJs help survivability much more than extra armor, and on top of that also grant you offensive flexibility.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129339981
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129340156

And the build:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2129348770


Although within a full lance I'll use ERLLs instead of LLs.


For the 2xG 3xERLL imo that's kind of mediocre. Gauss are not in the same league as UAC2s, and much less when you can actually mass those UAC2s:

https://i.imgur.com/XpOlMUH.png
https://i.imgur.com/cVEzx4G.png

Originally posted by Strykerdax:

I spec my mechs for above 15 shots. Since UAC guns use twice the ammo, I had to slap more ammo onto it.
There is an Attack AND Defend mission that drags out the mission.

I don't have UW for A&D missions but in normal ones 10t salvos is more than enough. For soloing I have 17.5 salvos and in the second screenshot I had left enough for 4.7 alphas after killing all foes without being attacked once.

Originally posted by Strykerdax:

I try to balance usage of ML and ERML while considering for net cooling after alpha strike and jump.

With ERMLs (or LLs) you can downgrade your armor quite a lot. They're much better unless you go full medium range (like MLs + UAC20S + SRMs).

Wow, that is interesting. Solo missions!

How are your heat management when it comes to using ER variants? In hot environments?

[Wibble the Obscure]

Man, just saw this thread... i feel like making a lance of 4x Marauders... their Head Shots are just too OP even when outclassed

[danko9696]

Originally posted by Strykerdax:

How are your heat management when it comes to using ER variants? In hot environments?

Not sure if you're asking about the M2R/M3R or the ANH.