There are only a few LRM Assaults I could feasibly recommend. My personal favorite is my Mauler 1R(R). I use an XL 280 Engine (with 1 extra internal double heat sink), 4 LRMx15 with Artemis, a Tag in the right arm, and a Large laser in the left arm. A BAP sits in my CT while I take 9 tons of LRM ammo spread out across the Head, LT/RT, LL/RL, and the last 3 tons of ammo are in the right arm with the Tag laser. I've been able to effectively carry games on a consistent basis with damages normally ranging from 600-1000. Being a larger assault mech I can stick with my friends pretty close to the frontline to soak some damage, and even if my LRMs run out (uncommon, but it does happen) I still have my backup LL to use which by the end of the match can effectively finish off weakened targets, even up to long ranges. My TAG is still useful by end game to spot enemy ECM mechs for my other teammates, or just let others get better information. Link to a smurfy build here: mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=325&l=80f448f05520c0aac0fec1429dcce8298b42be28 You can chain fire the LRM15's for relatively extended periods of time. Because you're running LRM15s due to weapon hardpoints being smaller than some other mechs you get larger bursts of damage, but the tradeoff is that your LRMs are not constantly obscuring the vision of your target. On top of this the damage is slightly more spread out than several LRM5s. Overall though the damage itself is quite effective, and with the TAG assisting your missiles on hard targets like enemy assaults you will normally bring down enemy assaults first. Something to note is that because you have Lock on LRMs you can effectively torso twist a shield arm to be facing the mech attacking you. Using free look (default left control with arm lock off), you can have your tag and LL facing your target, while your LRMs that shoot from your side torsos will auto-redirect into your target. This effectively gives you significantly more armor the enemy mech has to chew through, unlike in other builds where torso twisting would still mean pinpoint weapons hit your ST/CT sometimes. This almost completely blocks the damage going into you so long as you align yourself well, allowing you to keep lock for LRM/TAG, and still showing your arms.
This tutorial is exactly what new players will need when they come into the game. I play LRM boats from time to time and it is really tough to figure out what you explained if you are using the trial and error method. Well done.
Very nice video. Thanks for the very clear notice that sitting in the back 1000m away like an idiot isn't a good idea. I have a friend who is solidly convinced that they "need" the LRM-range modules. :/ Mid-range certainly is where they shine.
+The Gamer Unknown One thing I checked out in the training grounds was does the range modules affect the number of LRMs that hit. At closer ranges it did. The other benefit was one mech I could fire out to 1225 m, but with advance sensor range, BAP and command console I could target out to 1250m. Now I do not know of any mech that has range buffs, so 1100 m is the max. So TAG, Artemis, BAP, cooldown and range are very good to have. Then fire at the sub 500 m ranges. Hell I like to fire sub 300 m and under the decks on crimson straights you can fire sub 240m.
My favorite range for them is around 200-300m, because I usually have MLs or MPLs as support weapons. Sometimes I have streaks as well. If I get in the sweet spot where every weapon works...
I appreciate you providing an in depth build guide on the much cheaper hunchback. Its very easy to make this build on a budget, and as a new player I need that budget.
very nice tutorial! my first mistake was I was thinking LRMs are long range weapons, but author made some very strong points it being medium range weapon and not 1 km weapon. as beginner LRM user I am able to process only half of info but I will return back every time I want my game up a bit. Thanks to the author!!!
A few notes, which are based on research I did a long time ago that may or may not be true anymore: LRM5s take up more tonnage than the equivalent volley of LRM15s. LRM damage can be heavily affected by AMS. Bigger fwooshes get through AMS better than streams. LRM5s have the tightest spread. LRM10s are medium. LRM15s and LRM20s are similar to each other, but much wider spread than the others. Range, the number of tubes you are firing through (i.e. LRM20 through a NARC tube), or how many total LRMs you fire have no effect on LRM spread. So if you fire at 200m or 800m they will spread the same, if you fire 1 at a time they will spread as if you fired 20 in one volley. If you fire 6 LRM5s it will have the spread of 1 LRM5. NARC and TAG do not stack, either will stack with Artemis. If your enemies are using terrain and you're getting no hits, chain fire will waste less ammo to keep them pinned down. If your enemies are using terrain but you can get a hit in before they're behind cover, alpha fire is better, so you get all the missiles in before they hit.
I'm an old vet from the beta days, and I gotta say, my choice for the most devastating missile boat you can possibly field is the Warhawk B with quad lrm15 and 4xcerml. The Warhawk is the only missile boat that can pack firepower like this without having armor, ammo, heat, or close-in helplessness issues (you DO need to chain fire the missiles for prolonged launching.). You also have room and weight for CTAG and CAP (Artemis is useless junk, atm. It needs direct line of sight, and as a fire support mech you won't have that most of the time.). You have the armor of an assault mech, and the speed of an IS medium so you can stay just behind the front lines and never get left behind. Your quad lasers and your no-minimum-range clan LRMs keep you dangerous close-in. It's my best K/D mech, super fun to play, and extremely effective. Try this beast out and you will wonder why you ever used anything else. Have fun!: mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=193&l=9fc972b4bba37fdcf1db95f1213568f6f13e8725
+Mcchuggernaut Oh yeah, the Warhawk is one of the few assaults I would actually recommend for LRMs. That build is quite nice, I run a variant on it myself using Artemis 10s instead of regular 15s. The Artemis can help if you position yourself correctly but yeah if you do find yourself always lobbing from back in cover you might want to go with your option.
Very informative and well-done video, thanks. I don't play MWO (don't have a computer to run it) but am a rabid BT fan. Loved the breakdown of the LRM mechanics.
Great video. One thing that I try to do, is focus less on a specific target, but rather position myself so I have clear missile paths into the area my allies are pushing for. On the 4J build: Minor nitpick, an XL255 weighs the same. That said, an XL225 puts it at 78,4kph with tweak and allows for 5 heat efficient SPLS, which will usually scare any lights out of your minimum range.
Good advice on the builds, nothing is as annoying as having a guy who has maybe 4 ersmalls or SPL, 4 LRM-10 launchers and fifteen tons of ammo on maps like Mining Collective, and see them die with 1350 missiles left. They might've cut down on the Ammo a bit and added some decent backup weapons. The best advice given to me, when building a mech for faction play was not to pigeonhole it. I remember some people in the steam discussion forums told me off for building a Sniper Whammy with just 2 ERPPCs and 4 MLs..........but then that build gives me the ability to push with the team if necessary, or survive encounters with lights at short range.
Much of this also seems useful for players who would like to use mech builds that have with a small amount of LRM support added in. I personally find a little bit of LRM support (like, say, a LRM20 with just 2 tons of ammo) could be quite useful for slower heavy and assault mechs, since ideally, they should be contributing firepower whenever they can, while realistically, many situations will arise where they won't be able to do so, especially with direct-fire weaponry.
Good tutorial. I'm more of a glass-cannon LRM player. I don't run the active probe because the range is 180-360 meters and the Tag does the job of getting through ECM with less tonnage. The faster lock is something to consider but giving up 2.5 tons hurts. I also go all-LRM. My Atlas build carries 3 LRM 15s and 14 tons of Ammo, Artemis and Tag with no backup weapons. On a good game I do 1000+ damage just with LRMs. Each ton of ammo translates to about 60 damage so it's really hard to give up any for lasers. I rebuilt this concept as a Hunchback because it can run 14 tons of ammo albeit launching 20 LRMs instead of 45 but it has the fastest cooldown in the game by 5% and the LRM10s are faster than the 15s. I'm waiting to get it maxed out to look at the final result. Thank you for showing the Maddog. I haven't build it yet but it's very tempting. I've also run the Stalker, Warhawk, Highlander IIC missile boats which are good, but without the cooldown quirks the clan 'Mechs just can't deliver as much firepower. The Stalker is close to being as good as the Awesome but it has an odd 10 tube port which slows the firing rate. The Night Gyr looks like a brilliant 'Mech and I'm waiting to see how the Archer pans out.
Your extra speed allows you to use the UAV offensively, and then back out into LRM range quickly. You're able to make your own locks rather than relying on your team to do it for you. I like it.
Thanks for the tutorial, I've only been plying since late summer my kills went from 9 to 35 in little under a week. Your right about 300-400 range. I let off some at 700 just to keep their heads down.
This is one of the few videos that should be updated because of the skill tree. Seriously, the quirks you get from artemis can be duplicated in the skill tree. Also, my LRM mech is a Kit Fox. Light, doesn't take up much weight in the group queue and it still packs a lot of missiles to give artillery support. Which is where LRMs are best used.
@Kanajashi hey man, great tutorial. Btw what mech is that in the beginning you're using? I can see its a mad dog mod-prime, but the one I see in the store right now doesn't have nearly as many energy or missile hardpoints. The MD Mod Prime currently in store has only 4 energy hp and 2 missile hp. Where can I get the one you show in the video?
My LRM carriers are: CPLT-C1, SHD-2D (I run standard LRM5s on it as it lacks critical space for artemis LRM5s), SMN-B, SCR-D, my TBR-Prime has 2 LRM15s with 2 erLL and 2 erML for direct fire plus TAG.
Just stumbled over this vid and for a second I went: "Holy *****! PGI has implemented tanks from HBS?" Then I saw the date and realized: "Oh, he's talking about LRM _boats_!" :)
Good job with this guide. I've been playing since the start of the open beta, but I have never been a fan of lrms (only 2 of my 37 mechs carry lrms). I think I'll rework a few builds with what I have learned.
Yeah, the rare times I use LRMs, I typically take a single or maybe two launchers tops, and stay within 300-500 meters, often closer even, depending on the mech and build. I kinda... hate IS LRMs though, that dead-zone being useless, clan at least do damage at all ranges within it's max range so they're the only "GOOD" LRMs.
Note on TAG: If an enemy ecm mech is within ecm range of you, your tag will not grant any bonuses against the enemy or any others as long as you are within the ecm range.
Meanwhile in my Kitfox D with 4x10s and 1700 ammo. Its fun but the team still thinks its a waste of tonnage which it can be(even tho its only 30 tons.)
If you don't have a team that can support you and provide you with steady locks, narc and probe,LRMs are a simply a waste of tonnage. As a PUG i never ever carry LRMs, i'd rather use the tonnage to carry something that's more effective without active support.
+The nextinline Oh I agree, I very rarely run LRMs since at the higher levels its almost impossible to get consistent locks with all the ECM and Radar Deprivation out there.
+Kanajashi If high-level play has so much ECM and radar deprivation, then why aren't we also seeing counters to them, like TAGs, NARCs, and BAPs, which, coincidentally, would help out LRMs as well? (Do any/all 3 also acquire targeting information faster?) TAG is only 1 ton, and BAP is only 1.5 tons (1 ton for Clan), which honestly isn't much for a heavy or assault mech, especially a brawler that likes to get up close and personal. NARC, on the other hand, is 3 tons for IS, and 2 tons for Clan, and each ton of ammo for it only has 12 shots, but dang, the ability to maintain target locks, even behind terrain, is powerful stuff! I'd gladly use it as part of a scout, skirmisher, or even pop-tart build.
That's why I always equip my LRM boats with the tools they need to succeed on their own. Typically I run Mechs around 80 tons, and I include TAG, probe, and usually around 2-4 MLs or MPLs and maybe some SSRMs to assist. This way, if I'm on my own, I can tag for myself or I can fight up close. That said, I'm not a high level player.
the amount of assault lrm boats i see these days is horrible plus lrm boats make my king crab cry :( oh and i thought artemis only affected your missiles while you have line of sight?
+MuffledOrk LRM Assaults make me cry....unless they are Warhawks, those can work well. And yes Artemis only works in line of sight, but if you are LRM'ing you should always take it.
+megas64 Those things can be super annoying! chain fire them and there is a constant screen shake and impact effects interfering with the enemy pilot's concentration and sanity.
80kph on lrm?? What do you sacrifice for that engine?? With that speed you will outrun any assault and even heavies wont move at max speed all the time, even if you moved at assault speed you would catch up easily due to safer approach behind your team. You pack more ammo than me, i pack 8-10tons of ammo for 40 tubes and i drop whatever i can to fit more for cw and if i run out of ammo then were about to finish match and everything is pretty heavily hit already and theres no need for me to spam missiles at them. Also if you equip artemis then narc provides no benefit other than constant lock.
+Da Voodoo I view the engine size as a very important part of LRM carriers, you need to be able to move around so you don't get left behind or caught by enemy lights. As for ammo if you have 40 tubes then 8-10 tons may be a little light, but that depends on how you use the weapon. If you are constantly shooting it as your main weapon you need the ~12 I would recommend. But if you are using it sparingly and with other weapons then you can go lighter. It also depends on the size of your launchers, 2x20s will go through ammo slower than 4x10s or 8x5s.
+Kanajashi I just didnt have problems being left behind with smaller engine than my typical direct fire support mechs unless i got carried away and stood there, but then catching up is never a problem. If i were flanking on the other hand and looking for good overview then yea 80kph is gr8, maybe not a must but helps immensely. Look at your own video, with heavy quirks on that 4j and modules you still didnt burn through all that ammo, you had nearly 2 tons left. On 20x2 yea 1440 is hard to go through even if youre firing at max rate, with lrm15/10/5 i also find these extra 2 tons sufficient as im also less heat efficient and i need to watch out for ams as its more effecetive but then im also farming credits and not burning through consumables on quick matches.
Aha, that makes sense. Just tried the Hunchback in that configuration and, as sad as it is, I did a lot better than I normally do. I'm still very new to MWO so I guess I'll be LRM spamming till I learn the game a bit more. thanks :)
Oh true, do you have a highlander IIc vid? I've only been playing for about 3 weeks and that's the only mech I've really used (2 c er l lasers and 4 c lrm-15's in the "A" chassis)
Tristan Dawe I do not have a vid on the highlander IIC, I ended up not keeping that variant as it didn't really work for me. But I can imagine a build for it: mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=379&l=82c3c13ffadd1ccb037a120a97e0a65ddc287c9e That close to what you have on it?
That's amazing mate! That is almost literally my build. I have a smaller engine though, 315 I think and about 2610 missiles ha ha. I noticed in your video that you can turn arm and hand actuators off for more room but I don't seem to be able to do this? Do you still play?
+watar I run something around this: mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=213&l=219b599444368323b243905efd94d35538f0fc44 You can modify it as well, such as dropping the Artemis as LRM5s already have a fairly tight spread. This gives you 6 more tons to invest into heat sinks and upgrading the lasers to ERMLs: mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=213&l=838e2fae2df472e0e34452dc0491649a859008c5
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"My game crashed... Never happened before"
"You have been officially welcomed into the MWO club"
lol
There are only a few LRM Assaults I could feasibly recommend. My personal favorite is my Mauler 1R(R). I use an XL 280 Engine (with 1 extra internal double heat sink), 4 LRMx15 with Artemis, a Tag in the right arm, and a Large laser in the left arm. A BAP sits in my CT while I take 9 tons of LRM ammo spread out across the Head, LT/RT, LL/RL, and the last 3 tons of ammo are in the right arm with the Tag laser.
I've been able to effectively carry games on a consistent basis with damages normally ranging from 600-1000. Being a larger assault mech I can stick with my friends pretty close to the frontline to soak some damage, and even if my LRMs run out (uncommon, but it does happen) I still have my backup LL to use which by the end of the match can effectively finish off weakened targets, even up to long ranges. My TAG is still useful by end game to spot enemy ECM mechs for my other teammates, or just let others get better information.
Link to a smurfy build here: mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=325&l=80f448f05520c0aac0fec1429dcce8298b42be28
You can chain fire the LRM15's for relatively extended periods of time. Because you're running LRM15s due to weapon hardpoints being smaller than some other mechs you get larger bursts of damage, but the tradeoff is that your LRMs are not constantly obscuring the vision of your target. On top of this the damage is slightly more spread out than several LRM5s. Overall though the damage itself is quite effective, and with the TAG assisting your missiles on hard targets like enemy assaults you will normally bring down enemy assaults first.
Something to note is that because you have Lock on LRMs you can effectively torso twist a shield arm to be facing the mech attacking you. Using free look (default left control with arm lock off), you can have your tag and LL facing your target, while your LRMs that shoot from your side torsos will auto-redirect into your target. This effectively gives you significantly more armor the enemy mech has to chew through, unlike in other builds where torso twisting would still mean pinpoint weapons hit your ST/CT sometimes. This almost completely blocks the damage going into you so long as you align yourself well, allowing you to keep lock for LRM/TAG, and still showing your arms.
This tutorial is exactly what new players will need when they come into the game. I play LRM boats from time to time and it is really tough to figure out what you explained if you are using the trial and error method. Well done.
Very nice video. Thanks for the very clear notice that sitting in the back 1000m away like an idiot isn't a good idea. I have a friend who is solidly convinced that they "need" the LRM-range modules. :/
Mid-range certainly is where they shine.
+The Gamer Unknown 300-400m is a good range for them to be used
+The Gamer Unknown One thing I checked out in the training grounds was does the range modules affect the number of LRMs that hit. At closer ranges it did. The other benefit was one mech I could fire out to 1225 m, but with advance sensor range, BAP and command console I could target out to 1250m. Now I do not know of any mech that has range buffs, so 1100 m is the max. So TAG, Artemis, BAP, cooldown and range are very good to have. Then fire at the sub 500 m ranges. Hell I like to fire sub 300 m and under the decks on crimson straights you can fire sub 240m.
My favorite range for them is around 200-300m, because I usually have MLs or MPLs as support weapons. Sometimes I have streaks as well. If I get in the sweet spot where every weapon works...
I appreciate you providing an in depth build guide on the much cheaper hunchback. Its very easy to make this build on a budget, and as a new player I need that budget.
very nice tutorial! my first mistake was I was thinking LRMs are long range weapons, but author made some very strong points it being medium range weapon and not 1 km weapon. as beginner LRM user I am able to process only half of info but I will return back every time I want my game up a bit. Thanks to the author!!!
A few notes, which are based on research I did a long time ago that may or may not be true anymore:
LRM5s take up more tonnage than the equivalent volley of LRM15s.
LRM damage can be heavily affected by AMS. Bigger fwooshes get through AMS better than streams.
LRM5s have the tightest spread. LRM10s are medium. LRM15s and LRM20s are similar to each other, but much wider spread than the others.
Range, the number of tubes you are firing through (i.e. LRM20 through a NARC tube), or how many total LRMs you fire have no effect on LRM spread. So if you fire at 200m or 800m they will spread the same, if you fire 1 at a time they will spread as if you fired 20 in one volley. If you fire 6 LRM5s it will have the spread of 1 LRM5.
NARC and TAG do not stack, either will stack with Artemis.
If your enemies are using terrain and you're getting no hits, chain fire will waste less ammo to keep them pinned down. If your enemies are using terrain but you can get a hit in before they're behind cover, alpha fire is better, so you get all the missiles in before they hit.
I'm an old vet from the beta days, and I gotta say, my choice for the most devastating missile boat you can possibly field is the Warhawk B with quad lrm15 and 4xcerml. The Warhawk is the only missile boat that can pack firepower like this without having armor, ammo, heat, or close-in helplessness issues (you DO need to chain fire the missiles for prolonged launching.). You also have room and weight for CTAG and CAP (Artemis is useless junk, atm. It needs direct line of sight, and as a fire support mech you won't have that most of the time.). You have the armor of an assault mech, and the speed of an IS medium so you can stay just behind the front lines and never get left behind. Your quad lasers and your no-minimum-range clan LRMs keep you dangerous close-in. It's my best K/D mech, super fun to play, and extremely effective. Try this beast out and you will wonder why you ever used anything else. Have fun!:
mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=193&l=9fc972b4bba37fdcf1db95f1213568f6f13e8725
+Mcchuggernaut Oh yeah, the Warhawk is one of the few assaults I would actually recommend for LRMs. That build is quite nice, I run a variant on it myself using Artemis 10s instead of regular 15s. The Artemis can help if you position yourself correctly but yeah if you do find yourself always lobbing from back in cover you might want to go with your option.
This guide is super clear, and I really appreciate it. Can't wait to check out more from you. Thanks man.
Very informative and well-done video, thanks. I don't play MWO (don't have a computer to run it) but am a rabid BT fan. Loved the breakdown of the LRM mechanics.
Great video. One thing that I try to do, is focus less on a specific target, but rather position myself so I have clear missile paths into the area my allies are pushing for. On the 4J build: Minor nitpick, an XL255 weighs the same. That said, an XL225 puts it at 78,4kph with tweak and allows for 5 heat efficient SPLS, which will usually scare any lights out of your minimum range.
Good advice on the builds, nothing is as annoying as having a guy who has maybe 4 ersmalls or SPL, 4 LRM-10 launchers and fifteen tons of ammo on maps like Mining Collective, and see them die with 1350 missiles left.
They might've cut down on the Ammo a bit and added some decent backup weapons.
The best advice given to me, when building a mech for faction play was not to pigeonhole it.
I remember some people in the steam discussion forums told me off for building a Sniper Whammy with just 2 ERPPCs and 4 MLs..........but then that build gives me the ability to push with the team if necessary, or survive encounters with lights at short range.
Much of this also seems useful for players who would like to use mech builds that have with a small amount of LRM support added in. I personally find a little bit of LRM support (like, say, a LRM20 with just 2 tons of ammo) could be quite useful for slower heavy and assault mechs, since ideally, they should be contributing firepower whenever they can, while realistically, many situations will arise where they won't be able to do so, especially with direct-fire weaponry.
That's the best explanation I've seen for putting a single LRM and a couple tons of ammo on an Atlas or similar.
Glad to hear you support the mid-range combat style of LRMs. Way too many people thinking they can hide 1k away from the fight.
300 to 500m. Thank-you. more people need to hear that :)
Good tutorial. I'm more of a glass-cannon LRM player. I don't run the active probe because the range is 180-360 meters and the Tag does the job of getting through ECM with less tonnage. The faster lock is something to consider but giving up 2.5 tons hurts. I also go all-LRM. My Atlas build carries 3 LRM 15s and 14 tons of Ammo, Artemis and Tag with no backup weapons. On a good game I do 1000+ damage just with LRMs. Each ton of ammo translates to about 60 damage so it's really hard to give up any for lasers.
I rebuilt this concept as a Hunchback because it can run 14 tons of ammo albeit launching 20 LRMs instead of 45 but it has the fastest cooldown in the game by 5% and the LRM10s are faster than the 15s. I'm waiting to get it maxed out to look at the final result.
Thank you for showing the Maddog. I haven't build it yet but it's very tempting. I've also run the Stalker, Warhawk, Highlander IIC missile boats which are good, but without the cooldown quirks the clan 'Mechs just can't deliver as much firepower. The Stalker is close to being as good as the Awesome but it has an odd 10 tube port which slows the firing rate. The Night Gyr looks like a brilliant 'Mech and I'm waiting to see how the Archer pans out.
The reason I carry probe on my LRM boats is to prevent a light mech with ECM from moving in close while I'm trying to LRM the heavies in the distance.
Fantastic tutorial man, deserves to be featured on the website itself.
Your extra speed allows you to use the UAV offensively, and then back out into LRM range quickly. You're able to make your own locks rather than relying on your team to do it for you. I like it.
+Siddha Yup, the mark of a good LRM player is self sufficiency.
Thanks for the tutorial, I've only been plying since late summer my kills went from 9 to 35 in little under a week. Your right about 300-400 range. I let off some at 700 just to keep their heads down.
This is one of the few videos that should be updated because of the skill tree. Seriously, the quirks you get from artemis can be duplicated in the skill tree.
Also, my LRM mech is a Kit Fox. Light, doesn't take up much weight in the group queue and it still packs a lot of missiles to give artillery support. Which is where LRMs are best used.
Oh booooy... I Love your videos so far. Make sense, give a lot of input and help. Thanks a lot! :)
@Kanajashi hey man, great tutorial. Btw what mech is that in the beginning you're using? I can see its a mad dog mod-prime, but the one I see in the store right now doesn't have nearly as many energy or missile hardpoints. The MD Mod Prime currently in store has only 4 energy hp and 2 missile hp. Where can I get the one you show in the video?
The mad dog is an omnimech. Meaning that you can swap around its hardpoints for what you want.
My LRM carriers are: CPLT-C1, SHD-2D (I run standard LRM5s on it as it lacks critical space for artemis LRM5s), SMN-B, SCR-D, my TBR-Prime has 2 LRM15s with 2 erLL and 2 erML for direct fire plus TAG.
Which is worse: spectating a player who uses IS LRMs at 150m or less, or spectating a player who uses LRMs without targeting the enemy?
Just stumbled over this vid and for a second I went: "Holy *****! PGI has implemented tanks from HBS?"
Then I saw the date and realized: "Oh, he's talking about LRM _boats_!" :)
Good job with this guide. I've been playing since the start of the open beta, but I have never been a fan of lrms (only 2 of my 37 mechs carry lrms). I think I'll rework a few builds with what I have learned.
+patel ax Yeah LRMs are definitely not my fav play style, I enjoy lasers far more. But they can be fairly effective when used properly.
Yeah, the rare times I use LRMs, I typically take a single or maybe two launchers tops, and stay within 300-500 meters, often closer even, depending on the mech and build. I kinda... hate IS LRMs though, that dead-zone being useless, clan at least do damage at all ranges within it's max range so they're the only "GOOD" LRMs.
Great tips/video, as usual. Thanks! :)
Well done, keep up the good work.
I'm just so overwhelmed by the amount of C-Bills that you have. And I thought saving up till 18M was a lot. How do you get so much?
+Mike Awesome By playing.....a lot.
And not spending any, which is the harder part.
Note on TAG: If an enemy ecm mech is within ecm range of you, your tag will not grant any bonuses against the enemy or any others as long as you are within the ecm range.
good tutorial. I use to fire at range of 1000m.
Meanwhile in my Kitfox D with 4x10s and 1700 ammo. Its fun but the team still thinks its a waste of tonnage which it can be(even tho its only 30 tons.)
For some reason I was hoping this was actually a Rick-roll video.
"Spotting light" with white spots = Iseewhatyoudidthere
+Dusty Peterson One of the few that got the joke!
I like the Archer for my missile carrier
If you don't have a team that can support you and provide you with steady locks, narc and probe,LRMs are a simply a waste of tonnage. As a PUG i never ever carry LRMs, i'd rather use the tonnage to carry something that's more effective without active support.
+The nextinline Oh I agree, I very rarely run LRMs since at the higher levels its almost impossible to get consistent locks with all the ECM and Radar Deprivation out there.
+Kanajashi
If high-level play has so much ECM and radar deprivation, then why aren't we also seeing counters to them, like TAGs, NARCs, and BAPs, which, coincidentally, would help out LRMs as well? (Do any/all 3 also acquire targeting information faster?) TAG is only 1 ton, and BAP is only 1.5 tons (1 ton for Clan), which honestly isn't much for a heavy or assault mech, especially a brawler that likes to get up close and personal.
NARC, on the other hand, is 3 tons for IS, and 2 tons for Clan, and each ton of ammo for it only has 12 shots, but dang, the ability to maintain target locks, even behind terrain, is powerful stuff! I'd gladly use it as part of a scout, skirmisher, or even pop-tart build.
That's why I always equip my LRM boats with the tools they need to succeed on their own. Typically I run Mechs around 80 tons, and I include TAG, probe, and usually around 2-4 MLs or MPLs and maybe some SSRMs to assist. This way, if I'm on my own, I can tag for myself or I can fight up close. That said, I'm not a high level player.
the amount of assault lrm boats i see these days is horrible plus lrm boats make my king crab cry :(
oh and i thought artemis only affected your missiles while you have line of sight?
+MuffledOrk LRM Assaults make me cry....unless they are Warhawks, those can work well. And yes Artemis only works in line of sight, but if you are LRM'ing you should always take it.
+Kanajashi You know what makes me cry? LRM Assaults being piloted by the really new players with no weapons equipped other than lasers.
Say what you will about an Assault mech LRM boat, but the amount of ammo and firepower you can put on an 80-ton mech is hard to argue with.
That's true and some assaults make good LRM boats. You just have to play them correctly and not hide 1000m away
*****
Exactly. You have to hide 999m away so you're in range ;)
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Of course, I run my Awesomes with a 200 engine so I generally am in the back regardless.
Oh god, please no. You have to add the /s to the end if you are being sarcastic >_
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How else are you supposed to fit 13T of ammo on it?
my best LRM carrier is my kintaro golden boy with 5 LRM 5 and 3 med lasers with lrm 5 cooldown modules
+megas64 Those things can be super annoying! chain fire them and there is a constant screen shake and impact effects interfering with the enemy pilot's concentration and sanity.
+Kanajashi thats the plan its awsome
80kph on lrm??
What do you sacrifice for that engine??
With that speed you will outrun any assault and even heavies wont move at max speed all the time, even if you moved at assault speed you would catch up easily due to safer approach behind your team.
You pack more ammo than me, i pack 8-10tons of ammo for 40 tubes and i drop whatever i can to fit more for cw and if i run out of ammo then were about to finish match and everything is pretty heavily hit already and theres no need for me to spam missiles at them.
Also if you equip artemis then narc provides no benefit other than constant lock.
+Da Voodoo I view the engine size as a very important part of LRM carriers, you need to be able to move around so you don't get left behind or caught by enemy lights.
As for ammo if you have 40 tubes then 8-10 tons may be a little light, but that depends on how you use the weapon. If you are constantly shooting it as your main weapon you need the ~12 I would recommend. But if you are using it sparingly and with other weapons then you can go lighter. It also depends on the size of your launchers, 2x20s will go through ammo slower than 4x10s or 8x5s.
+Kanajashi I just didnt have problems being left behind with smaller engine than my typical direct fire support mechs unless i got carried away and stood there, but then catching up is never a problem. If i were flanking on the other hand and looking for good overview then yea 80kph is gr8, maybe not a must but helps immensely.
Look at your own video, with heavy quirks on that 4j and modules you still didnt burn through all that ammo, you had nearly 2 tons left.
On 20x2 yea 1440 is hard to go through even if youre firing at max rate, with lrm15/10/5 i also find these extra 2 tons sufficient as im also less heat efficient and i need to watch out for ams as its more effecetive but then im also farming credits and not burning through consumables on quick matches.
my fav lrm mech is my lrm 70 maddog~
Hmm, you state you need double heat sinks, but then you don't fit any?
+Hawke Frost Don't fit any extra ones, upgrading to doubles also effects the ones in the engine so it does give a boost.
Aha, that makes sense. Just tried the Hunchback in that configuration and, as sad as it is, I did a lot better than I normally do. I'm still very new to MWO so I guess I'll be LRM spamming till I learn the game a bit more. thanks :)
I thought clan lrm's didn't have a minimum arming range?
They have a scaling minimum, at 180m they do full damage and as you get closer they do less and less damage. I believe at 100m its around half?
Oh true, do you have a highlander IIc vid? I've only been playing for about 3 weeks and that's the only mech I've really used (2 c er l lasers and 4 c lrm-15's in the "A" chassis)
Tristan Dawe
I do not have a vid on the highlander IIC, I ended up not keeping that variant as it didn't really work for me. But I can imagine a build for it: mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=379&l=82c3c13ffadd1ccb037a120a97e0a65ddc287c9e
That close to what you have on it?
That's amazing mate! That is almost literally my build. I have a smaller engine though, 315 I think and about 2610 missiles ha ha. I noticed in your video that you can turn arm and hand actuators off for more room but I don't seem to be able to do this? Do you still play?
Tristan Dawe
Turning hand and arm acuators on and off is a thing that only omnimechs can do. And I still play.
Fast forward to today... hmmmmm...
he sounds alot like phreak from LoL
How the hell do you have 300 million cbills
+Luke Calls I have played the game far too much
Excellent guide, could you share your Mad Dog build on mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab or similar?
+watar I run something around this: mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=213&l=219b599444368323b243905efd94d35538f0fc44
You can modify it as well, such as dropping the Artemis as LRM5s already have a fairly tight spread. This gives you 6 more tons to invest into heat sinks and upgrading the lasers to ERMLs: mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=213&l=838e2fae2df472e0e34452dc0491649a859008c5
Thank you :)
Would be nice if there were updated tutorials for the current state of the game.
you should make them dude! get on it!