’Mech of the Week: AS*-* Atlas

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Not sure i'd call the Stalker 5S a sidegrade. It does spend freed mass in upgrades, just needs more cooling but that's always been the case for most Stalkers. EDIT Granted, XL engine in a slow design is questionable.
LL to LPL is an upgrade IMO, because for average pilot probably ain't capable of really hitting anything in long range bracket reliably, but up to LL mid range, LPL doesn't lose anything (gains damage) and anything closer it is actually better.
The problem with LPL comes from other options, the ERLL, PPC, ERPPC, and later Snub-nose PPC, all of which are superior in most circumstances. But in vacuum vs LL, LPL is fine. And of course there's the question of a slow short range brawler but then again, the Atlas has always been that...

Admittedly it is hyperbole to call the Atlas S model terrible, but it feels like one of those cases where others could've used these upgrades better. Contrast to the Kuritan 3050 Panther and SL-17R Shilone... In case of this Atlas, the Stalker could've arguably used the heat sinks more than the Atlas itself as FedCom designs go.
The Atlas S, compared to the D, doesn't gain much from the DHS, additional medium laser when attacking front in most cases. To be sure, it does reduce its vulnerability to external heat and eases heat management, but neither are major gains IMO.

The Stalker 5S is a side-grade because it adds an XL engine without upgrading the firepower or armor and the switch to LPLs increases the heat generated without appreciably improving its combat performance because their added accuracy is countered by their reduced range.  The only real gain it gets is the AMS.  The Atlas 7S, at least, gets a little bit of actual added performance from its upgrades, mostly in the form of added ammo for the AC.  It's not a great upgrade, but I at least consider it to be an upgrade.

[SteelRaven]

The only detractor from the 7S IMO is the rear facing SRMs, a reminder that it took a decade for Fasa to realize players didn't really want rear facing weapons.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Yeah, that would have been much better had they faced forward.

[Hellraiser]

Aside from intentionally making a bad design, I'd imagine the Atlas-7S is the way it is because of how an AC20-Atlas is supposed to be run......
Juggernaut style, its not a long range gunboat, its designed to run forward every turn till its surrounded & then lash out like a giant amidst mortals.

Personally I think the 7S/7K both got it half right.
The DHS are a solid choice, the Gauss is another solid choice.
Together w/ some Artemis LRMs, Streak SRMs & CASE, & you would have had a true upgrade across the board.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Aside from intentionally making a bad design, I'd imagine the Atlas-7S is the way it is because of how an AC20-Atlas is supposed to be run......
Juggernaut style, its not a long range gunboat, its designed to run forward every turn till its surrounded & then lash out like a giant amidst mortals.

Personally I think the 7S/7K both got it half right.
The DHS are a solid choice, the Gauss is another solid choice.
Together w/ some Artemis LRMs, Streak SRMs & CASE, & you would have had a true upgrade across the board.

Minus the Streaks, you've just described the AS7-S3.

[Hellraiser]

I don't know that model well.

From the Sarna description it looks like it also has PPCs & a Light FE so similar but still different.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Yeah, two PPCs, Light Engine, LRM-15 with Artemis, Gauss Rifle, AMS, ECM, and three pointless Small lasers.

[SteelRaven]

The small lasers are for the infantry just out of stomping range.

[Hellraiser]

Everything on the mech has a minimum range.

I'd say they are for when its finally clobbering time & you fire those at the same target your getting physical with.

[Coldstone]

For 3025 games: Replace AC20 with AC 10. Remove back lasers. Exchange med Laser on Right arm for a large.

AC20 in such a slow mech is a bad idea imo.

To enhance it further you could also remove the SRM6 and replace the other Med Laser with a Large one too.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

That's basically the AS7-RS, except it also downgrades the SRM pod to a 4 and the LRM to a 15 to put a large laser in each arm.

[Hellraiser]

AC20 in such a slow mech is a bad idea imo.

I'd amend that to it's only a bad idea in certain terrain.

If your fighting on a pancake then an Atlas can struggle.

Fighting w/ Hills, Trees, or Buildings where PPC boats can't shoot it all day & the AC20 w/ LRMs really shines.

Indirect fire if needed & no overheating once it gets in close w/ the AC, SRMs, & MLs in 1 salvo.

[glitterboy2098]

also worth noting the enviroment in which the Atlas was originally designed to operate. where you'd throw a company or two of Atlas's and highlanders to act as a bulwark that your companies of flashmen and orions and marauders and archers and so on funnel enemies into so they'd break.

the atlas wasn't designed to pursue prey. other mechs drive the enemy into the grasp of the atlas so the atlas can break that enemy.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

The Atlas was also designed as a command mech.

[SteelRaven]

The Atlas was also designed as a command mech.

Right, enough armor to keep your commander alive and enough firepower to make any head hunter think twice about getting into minimum range.

You need to be smart taking on a Atlas one on one but it's more than likely that a Atlas is going to be commanding a lance at the very least and waiting for you to slip up or do something very stupid.

[Orin J.]

Right, enough armor to keep your commander alive and enough firepower to make any head hunter think twice about getting into minimum range.

You need to be smart taking on a Atlas one on one but it's more than likely that a Atlas is going to be commanding a lance at the very least and waiting for you to slip up or do something very stupid.

Committing to headhunting a 100-ton 'mech solo is generally under the guidlines of "Something very stupid" to begin with.

[Hellraiser]

Committing to headhunting a 100-ton 'mech solo is generally under the guidlines of "Something very stupid" to begin with.

Hehehe,  snicker,  giggle.  Yep, I can't disagree with that.

[SteelRaven]

I was thinking along the lines of a double blind game. Of course you are going to plan accordingly if you know your opponent is bringing a 100 ton mech (not accounting for the Leeroy Jenkins types every community has)

[wildkadabra]

If forced to play in the open the old AS7-D can still be a solid choice as a command mech  in a lance of Longbows and Archers. The LRM20 allows it to contribute while the AC20 is an effective deterrent for those wishing to get within min range.

[JadeHellbringer]

Committing to headhunting a 100-ton 'mech solo is generally under the guidlines of "Something very stupid" to begin with.

Oh come on, it's called 'Exterminator' for a reason, I'm sure you can take the skull-headed monster, right? LRM-10 and quad lasers, you got this, bro! And I'd tell you that even if I DIDN'T owe you fifty C-bills!

[SteelRaven]

Oh come on, it's called 'Exterminator' for a reason, I'm sure you can take the skull-headed monster, right? LRM-10 and quad lasers, you got this, bro! And I'd tell you that even if I DIDN'T owe you fifty C-bills!

If we are talking SLDF, they probably deployed a entire lance with void but they wouldn't be facing a Atlas.

SW era, either a ambush mech or something with range. Neither would put down a Atlas quickly unless they got a lucky shot (seen that happen but the odds are still up there)

Point is these would be units that could kill a P-Hawk or hurt a Marauder playing quarterback, the Atlas is entirely different mech to single out.

[Colt Ward]

I'd say they are for when its finally clobbering time & you fire those at the same target your getting physical with.

 . . . oh, someone tell me there is a Atlas somewhere out there painted as the Thing?  Of course when it got in melee range, you have to play the clip of Michael Chiklis from the Fantastic Four movie.

As far as Exterminator vs Atlas . . . well, Kerensky already had the Exterminator at his disposal, so building something to survive a surprise attack by one is not a stretch.  One thing I wondered about for a Exterminator alpha is . . . it has two hands, what might it have packed as a handheld to get in the first big hit against something like a Atlas?

[Hellraiser]

PPC?

ER version was pretty new still & the extra heat wouldn't help.
Use it with the LRMs while you close.
Then use the MLs+Jumping+Kick up close to stay mobile & keep stinging

[Weirdo]

OS SRMs(iOS if available), as many small racks as possible, loaded with Infernoes. Jump 4-6 hexes right in front of it, entice it to fire off all those guns at dicey to-hit rolls, then bathe the beast in napalm. (Multiple small racks because your own numbers will also suck, so you want quantity of dice to compensate)

If you lose initiative next turn, back up enough to try and taunt it into chasing after you and shooting, don't let him think he's got a chance to pull back and cool down. If you win, jump behind him, fire the lasers aimed high (the Atlas won't have crap for a TMM due to the heat), and then kick him in the back of the knee to try for a knockdown. If any lasers score a head hit, immediately start positioning yourself for a DFA, that's one of the only ways barring TACs to quickly kill an Atlas.