good medium mech for AC/20?

[ambi]

I got my hands on a couple of AC/20++ cannons so I'm trying to figure out what medium mech I should try to build. So far my best pick has been the Centurion CN9-A, but only because I only have 4 medium-sized mechs, and it's the only one with a ballistic weapon slot. Are there better ones?

[Neput 234]

Hunchback and Centurion are an obvious candidates...

In practice I found an Enforcer is a more efficient AC 20 platform due to:
hard point locations / armor allocation / back up energy weapons...

... combined with "Evasive" + "Breaching Shot" pilot skills.

Just have to keep in mind that it is still a Medium mech and use it's mobility to get on the rear of the enemy mechs.

[wesnef]

Neput Z34 a écrit :

Hunchback and Centurion are an obvious candidates...

In practice I found an Enforcer is a more efficient AC 20 platform due to:
hard point locations / armor allocation / back up energy weapons...

re: armor allocation. All 50t mechs can have the same armor in each location. You're not sticking with the stock armor values, are you?


(a sign of how little I use the Enforcer, I had written up a whole thing about it being slightly worse armor due to being 45t, and then remembered it's 50t when I looked up it's hardpoints. :D You get Centurions and Hunchbacks so easily in the Campaign & Career, but I almost never see or get an Enforcer.)

[WillieSea]

Some of the flashpoints have a weight limitation so I usually setup at least 2 enforcers for those missions. (those 50 ton or less missions)

[Bovril Brigadier]

Can't remember but can the Phoenix Hawk 1b mount an AC/20?

[wesnef]

WillieSea a écrit :

Some of the flashpoints have a weight limitation so I usually setup at least 2 enforcers for those missions. (those 50 ton or less missions)

Yeah, I keep all sorts of lighter mechs in my bays for weight limits & special occasions. It's more an issue of never seeing Enforcers. Unless I get one in my random starting mechs, I rarely run into one. (this got worse, of course, once I started playing BEX. Many more mech variants to encounter.)

[Neput 234]

wesnef a écrit :

Neput Z34 a écrit :

Hunchback and Centurion are an obvious candidates...

In practice I found an Enforcer is a more efficient AC 20 platform due to:
hard point locations / armor allocation / back up energy weapons...

re: armor allocation. All 50t mechs can have the same armor in each location. You're not sticking with the stock armor values, are you?


(a sign of how little I use the Enforcer, I had written up a whole thing about it being slightly worse armor due to being 45t, and then remembered it's 50t when I looked up it's hardpoints. :D You get Centurions and Hunchbacks so easily in the Campaign & Career, but I almost never see or get an Enforcer.)

Don't get me wrong, Centurion CN9-A will do nicely with an AC 20, but there are other, possibly better uses / load outs for that mech

When it comes to Hunchback 4G vs. Enforcer 4R with similar load out of:
AC 20 (2~3 tons of ammo) + 2 Med. Las. + 4 Jump Jets ( is kind of a must due to short range nature of the weapons )

Enforcer gets +5 accuracy to an AC 20 due to being arm mounted vs. Hunchbacks torso mounted AC 20. ( not much but it is something )

As far as armor goes, one can skimp on the armor of the other (empty) arm of an Enforcer, to maximize armor elsewhere... not so much an option on the Hunchback with the same load out.
Half or One ton difference might not sound like much but it is an extra Jump Jet or a ton of AC 20 ammo

[wesnef]

I basically always max out frontal armor. So there's no effective difference for me between mechs of the same tonnage.

Don't get me wrong, Centurion CN9-A will do nicely with an AC 20, but there are other, possibly better uses / load outs for that mech

Yep. Which is why I rarely do the AC20 build.

[WillieSea]

wesnef a écrit :

WillieSea a écrit :

Some of the flashpoints have a weight limitation so I usually setup at least 2 enforcers for those missions. (those 50 ton or less missions)

Yeah, I keep all sorts of lighter mechs in my bays for weight limits & special occasions. It's more an issue of never seeing Enforcers. Unless I get one in my random starting mechs, I rarely run into one. (this got worse, of course, once I started playing BEX. Many more mech variants to encounter.)

I play vanilla, with some light mods, so I see a lot of enforcers. And they go well with my long range attack style.

["The" SeanMacLeod]

According to BT lore, the Hunchbach 4G was the only medium 'mech designed to carry an AC/20, and it does so quite well; I would say better than almost any other medium. I feel VERY lucky indeed to have found a UAC/20++ (+20 dmg./-3 tons) for my own Hunchy.

[maerchen]

The 4G is indeed one of the iconic AC20 Mechs.

[Sky Wizard]

"The" SeanMacLeod a écrit :

I feel VERY lucky indeed to have found a UAC/20++ (+20 dmg./-3 tons) for my own Hunchy.

Is that from DLC or a mod? 'cause that AC ain't in the base game.

[maerchen]

heavy metal DLC, I think.

[Bovril Brigadier]

Sky Wizard a écrit :

Is that from DLC or a mod? 'cause that AC ain't in the base game.

Heavy Metal DLC aka Power Fantasy Extraordinaire DLC
Adds Fed Com Civil War IS Tech and even Clan Tech to the Third Succession War for all your immersion ruining pleasure.

[revenantsknight]

Strayed a écrit :

Can't remember but can the Phoenix Hawk 1b mount an AC/20?

Nope. 5 energy hardpoints and 4 support hardpoints.

Not sure you'd want to put an AC/20 on it even if you could, since the PXH-1B has double heat sinks; an AC/20 leaves heat capacity on the table and gobbles up weight, while also being ammo-limited.

[Valen]

Strayed a écrit :

Can't remember but can the Phoenix Hawk 1b mount an AC/20?

Who let you out of the Mechwarrior 5 forum???

Go back there and take your rotten macaroons with you.

The nerve of some people.