Long range Missile boating ? 1x20 +++ or stack and rack em?

[nzguzzi]

So I do like the 1x mech as a missile boat.
I have the Cent' with 1x20 LRM so he gets the 1 weapon bonus Breaching shot skill.
Is this the best way to do it or should I have 2 mechs as LRM boats and 3x missile racks?

Any builds that excel here?

[Slap Happy Pappy]

Stack em, and use missiles with +stabil damage. Stacking gives you better weight/heat ratios.

A single mech can't knock another one over outright, but will get it to the brink. (I use one of the armless mechs with 60 missiles ready to launch) I use the rocket mech to push a high threat to the edge, then knock it down with a 2nd mech, and core it with a 3rd. Mech 4 is a sniper-mech that can core a mech in a single round.

[Twelvefield]

I agree that you can't knock down a mech with one salvo, so I like having 2 LRM mechs. That being said, I won't ordinarily make two dedicated LRM mechs, but have two are three that can carry a modest load of them. You just need enough to get to the brink of a knockdown in the first round and then get the KO in the second round. I like using other weapons to do heavy damage.

[Mike]

You just need one x2 LRM20 mech, 3 other mechs with SRM bonous stab dmg to brawl, there are your knockdowns.

[nzguzzi]

Originally posted by Mike:

You just need one x2 LRM20 mech, 3 other mechs with SRM bonous stab dmg to brawl, there are your knockdowns.

Yeah sounds good.
What mechs do you have?
Im on 3rd story mission about to start it.
I have
Cent' LRM boat
Catapult PPC++ for sniping legs
Jager AC20++ for sniping legs
Shadowhawk D SRM boat as my scout leg hitter.
My tactics is to set up ambush, use shadowhawk to set off mech detection and run back,
Sensor then
Catapult and Cent weaken them up until until called shots on legs.

Im basically going full salvage and selling mechs just to fund my ship....
Not seen any big mechs because im only on 2 skulls and sometimes try a 3 skull

[Xponent5446]

Best missile boat I found is the Stalker with 4x LRM15s. Obviously, you have to be pretty far in the game to salvage one, but once you do, KIT IT OUT. Its been on every mission I ran since I got it.

Impoartant consideration: You get a tonnage bonus from the LRM 5s and 15s vs the LRM 10 and 20s.
For example: 10 LRM missiles from 2 LRM 5s weigh 4 tons, 10 LRM missiles from LRM 10 weigh 5 tons. My 4 LRM 15s weigh 28 tons vs 3 LRM 20s weighing 30 tons.

The other consideration with assault missile boats is slot space. Big LRMS are, well, BIG. The King Crab has more tonnage for weapons and 4 missile hardpoints, but all the missile hardpoints are only in 1 torso, so you are slot capped at 10. As it works out, the most LRMs I can fit on a KC is 50, but the Stalker can easily handle more because the hardpoints are 1 each in the arms and torsos.

I suppose if you wanted 4 LRM 20s on a Stalker that would be possible, but its would severely hamper your ammo, armor and heat sinking.

Mid-game, I used a Trebuchet with 2 LRM 15s and 1 LRM 10.

[danko9696]

In a LRM20 vs 4xLRM5, with one LRM20 you get more focused damage but it's less consistent, with higher chance to do more damage in a single location but its minimum damage for a specific location is lower on average. The LRM5 has more damage/weight but runs hotter, so it compensates when you add more heatsinks. So it depends on what do you prefer, although Breaching Shot works much better with fewer but more powerful LRMs.

Variants with +stab damage are very good in the early game but later you may find energy builds working better for you (for other mechs in your lance) and also is hard to knockdown assaults only with your LRM boats (even with +stab damage) unless you have ballistic or SRMs in your shorter range mechs.

The LRM++ (+2 damage) is the most damaging weapon (at least for long range) for using with regular attacks (non Precision/Called Shot) and work very well together with other laser based builds (or just with very low stab damage).

[nzguzzi]

Originally posted by danko9696:

In a LRM20 vs 4xLRM5, with one LRM20 you get more focused damage but it's less consistent, with higher chance to do more damage in a single location but its minimum damage for a specific location is lower on average. The LRM5 has more damage/weight but runs hotter, so it compensates when you add more heatsinks. So it depends on what do you prefer, although Breaching Shot works much better with fewer but more powerful LRMs.

Variants with +stab damage are very good in the early game but later you may find energy builds working better for you (for other mechs in your lance) and also is hard to knockdown assaults only with your LRM boats (even with +stab damage) unless you have ballistic or SRMs in your shorter range mechs.

The LRM++ (+2 damage) is the most damaging weapon (at least for long range) for using with regular attacks (non Precision/Called Shot) and work very well together with other laser based builds (or just with very low stab damage).

What about the missile version of Jager JM6-A it is 65 tons and has 4x missile slots?
Or the Orion ONV1, it is 75 tons and has 3 missile slots?

[your.sheepy]

Originally posted by nzguzzi:

What about the missile version of Jager JM6-A it is 65 tons and has 4x missile slots?
Or the Orion ONV1, it is 75 tons and has 3 missile slots?

Yes and yes. They are both great. Jager-A has all four on arms and Orion-V has two on the arms but 3.5 more tons, which more than make up for the lower accuracy if you use TTS. Orion also has higher structure and much better melee.

Originally posted by Xponent5446:

Best missile boat I found is the Stalker with 4x LRM15s.

I prefer Highlander 733. Slightly higher structure, melee, capacity, and you get a shield arm, at cost of less lasers. Worth the trade for me.

[danko9696]

Originally posted by nzguzzi:

What about the missile version of Jager JM6-A it is 65 tons and has 4x missile slots?
Or the Orion ONV1, it is 75 tons and has 3 missile slots?

The Orion is the heavy of choice and for assaults the Highlander, unless you use jump jets, in which case the Stalker is better.

[Sword_of_Light]

Originally posted by Xponent5446:

Best missile boat I found is the Stalker with 4x LRM15s. Obviously, you have to be pretty far in the game to salvage one, but once you do, KIT IT OUT. Its been on every mission I ran since I got it.

I'll second this with an alteration. I'm jump-happy - its terrible for heat, but I like having an assault lance with every mech evaiding at >>>> and still gunning - alpha first round, and usually main gun + a few afterwards.

That said, I've pulled the SRMs from the Stalker, allowing for an upgrade to LRM15s and max jump jets. I also pulled the LRMs from the arms and put them in the torsos. Loose an arm, you only loose a pair of ML, loose a whole side, you've still got an LRM15, LL and two ML on the other.

There are plenty of times I've gotten to put thirty missiles and a pair of LL onto a single target, with the Stalker at the rear of the lance. Not much for knockdown (though it's damn near an execution if the target is already prone) but usually enough to strip down a location for a precision strike from the next mech in line.

[Sword_of_Light]

Originally posted by your.sheepy:

I prefer Highlander 733..

The '33 made for an excellent brawler in my lance - pulled out the AC/10 and most of the ammo for the SRM and LRM, and stuffed in an AC/20. I found room somewhere for a flamer, too. The end result is a mobile, durable close-in fighter. Heat dissipation is terrible, but that's just an incentive to get into melee range.

[Slap Happy Pappy]

Yep, stalker was the mech. Forgot the name. Crapton of rockets, and enough lasers to tickle anything that gets close.

[danko9696]

Originally posted by Sword_of_Light:

Originally posted by your.sheepy:

I prefer Highlander 733..

The '33 made for an excellent brawler in my lance - pulled out the AC/10 and most of the ammo for the SRM and LRM, and stuffed in an AC/20. I found room somewhere for a flamer, too. The end result is a mobile, durable close-in fighter. Heat dissipation is terrible, but that's just an incentive to get into melee range.

The thing with the Stalker is that is the heaviest assault with 1 ton jump jets, and also has many energy slots, so it makes for a very good brawler and a good missile boat. With the Highlander you gain ballistic hardpoints but it gets less efficient when adding jump jets, which are a requirement for a good brawler, unless you go for sprint as a way for closing distances, but I'd say that's not so good.

For a pure brawler the best is the King Crab, with space enough to fit four SRM6 or two LRM20 and ballistic/energy hardpoints as well. And for longer range 4xLL 2xAC5 is a balanced setup for that, or 4xLL 1xAC5 3xJJ.

[Sword_of_Light]

Originally posted by danko9696:

For a pure brawler the best is the King Crab, with space enough to fit four SRM6 or two LRM20 and ballistic/energy hardpoints as well. And for longer range 4xLL 2xAC5 is a balanced setup for that, or 4xLL 1xAC5 3xJJ.

I agree, but my problem goes back to another recent thread. Spawing and dumb luck. My first campaign I had two King Crabs by the end - one as a brawler/executioner - this time around I've yet to even see one, but every assault lance I've come across has had at least one Highlander. This has led to my primary lance being comprised of three Highlanders - including the mission one - and a Stalker.

My lance roles are brawler, support, penetrator/sniper, jack of all trades. So, the best for the brawler was the '33, the best for a support boat was the Stalker - which replaced the lighter Cat' - and since its three Highlanders, might as well make the whole lance jump-capable.

[Shotgun]

1 x lrm20 err two at least i had a stalker with 2 x 20lrm maxed small arms for close up , but as all know battles are team so shortfalls are offset by mechs with other duties