HBS Expansion Thread- its time for II (spoilers)

[BirdofPrey]

I had that as the OpFor reinforcement wave once.
Combined with a few sniper turrets, it was a slaughter.

Mine.

[Colt Ward]

Yeah, I guess that is a pretty solid conversion of the Init bonus of Com Gear . . . I mean, assaults could move with mediums.  Nightmare reinforcement would be a Cyclops with that equipment, Stalker with the skilled pilot (moving as med), and another assault or heavy.  Yeah, get knocked down and then torso targeted . . . bad bad.

[Cache]

I wouldn't rule out the Cyclops. At least the one with the battle computer letting your whole lance move a round earlier compensates pretty well for the limited room for weapons.

I filled the missile variant with SRM4's. Wish I had more of the +2 damage versions, but it was enjoyable to run.

[Luciora]

Maruaders with an Ace Pilot, multi shot, drive train and backed up by a Cyclops means you can headshot and possibly win most scenarios by turn 2 or 3 if you have line of sight to everyone even before the enemy lights can move.

[Jim1701]

Anyone seem to be suffering more head hits than normal since the last patch?  Seems like I can't get through a mission anymore without at least one pilot taking a shot to the head.  It's weird to go through 3-4 missions and while I have no mech damage I don't have enough healthy pilots left to field a lance.   :bang:

[DarkSpade]

I made my Cyclops my LRM boat and kept it in the back.  I think it only got 2 LRM20s, but the early activation made it worth taking a smaller LRM barrage.

[Cache]

Anyone seem to be suffering more head hits than normal since the last patch?

I only started playing last month, but I learned quickly to forgo all cockpit additions except for the cockpit mods. + or ++ in all of my Mechs.

[DarkSpade]

I only started playing last month, but I learned quickly to forgo all cockpit additions except for the cockpit mods. + or ++ in all of my Mechs.

I forget the name, but I always take the morale one in my LRM boats.  If it's taking head, or any other kind of hits, it's my fault anyway.   I've never found the range finders worth it.

[Caedis Animus]

I wouldn't rule out the Cyclops. At least the one with the battle computer letting your whole lance move a round earlier compensates pretty well for the limited room for weapons.

Oh, no, I kind of said that wrong. The Cyclops is essential. The first and last are outdone by other machines, but I guess I was trying to make them sound salvageable compared to the Cyclops.

[Euphonium]

Anyone seem to be suffering more head hits than normal since the last patch? 

I accidentally started a campaign in Ironman but decided to continue with it anyway. I've had more pilots killed in this one campaign than in my previous two full mercenary careers and three runs through the campaign.

I'll also add my frustration at the vast supply of mech parts and almost total absence of any weapons on every planet I've visited so far. I bought a Marauder and an Archer to get my first heavy 'mechs but I have yet to see a single +rated weapon in any store anywhere and have picked up maybe half a dozen from salvage

[Firesprocket]

Anyone seem to be suffering more head hits than normal since the last patch?

I started a new career mode a few weeks ago and my pilots were getting nailed in the head left and right.  I decided from the outset that I was going to get allied with the FWL first to get cockpit improvements and I did eventually. I hired a few extra pilots which helped, but it was a rather slow build until I got the first two armored cockpits.  Once that finally happened I had improved med bays which made the occasional head hits more manageable.  I'm thinking next go around I attempt to get allied to the pirates first and then others later.

I forget the name, but I always take the morale one in my LRM boats.  If it's taking head, or any other kind of hits, it's my fault anyway.   I've never found the range finders worth it.

You can get by without them, but I always recommend taking 1 or 2 100m+ range finders.  Anything less is IMO, pointless.  The morale cockpits are good, but the LRM boat is the only place to really put one, and I'll be honest, I don't use but one LRM boat anymore.  Ultra and LB ACs are just far better than LRMs now unless you need to take out a convoy and can't get a solid sustained LOS.

[Triptych]

It is. A gauss does 5 structure damage in addition to the 75 points of standard damage. That's enough to head-cap even with a 20% defensive damage reduction.

Max head armor + structure = 61 points
Gauss damage to head with a 20% reduction = 64 points
PPC++ combined with energy weapon bonus of Warhammer = 72... with a 20% reduction is 57.6

Gotcha. Thanks again. Maybe I'll try scrounging for a Marauder (I only have 1 partial salvage so far) and put a gauss rifle on it.

[Jim1701]

Oh, no, I kind of said that wrong. The Cyclops is essential. The first and last are outdone by other machines, but I guess I was trying to make them sound salvageable compared to the Cyclops.

I'm taking head hits from single LRM barrages.  Not sure how that's my fault. 

[Caedis Animus]

I'm taking head hits from single LRM barrages.  Not sure how that's my fault.

I dunno what you are talking about, but could I interest you in a Cyclops Z?

[Colt Ward]

I want to say I read something about a mechanic where if you were being shot at from above you were more likely to get hit and be hit above.

[Jim1701]

I dunno what you are talking about, but could I interest you in a Cyclops Z?

Never mind.  I quoted the wrong quote which is why that didn't make any sense. 

[Jim1701]

I started a new career mode a few weeks ago and my pilots were getting nailed in the head left and right.  I decided from the outset that I was going to get allied with the FWL first to get cockpit improvements and I did eventually. I hired a few extra pilots which helped, but it was a rather slow build until I got the first two armored cockpits.  Once that finally happened I had improved med bays which made the occasional head hits more manageable.  I'm thinking next go around I attempt to get allied to the pirates first and then others later.
You can get by without them, but I always recommend taking 1 or 2 100m+ range finders.  Anything less is IMO, pointless.  The morale cockpits are good, but the LRM boat is the only place to really put one, and I'll be honest, I don't use but one LRM boat anymore.  Ultra and LB ACs are just far better than LRMs now unless you need to take out a convoy and can't get a solid sustained LOS.

Didn't realize that FLW was the home of the cockpit resist but good advice.  My rep is already pretty good with the FLW and I've already picked up 2 +2 injury resist mods.  Thanks!

[Jim1701]

Very much like the manage tasks button they added.  Anyone know when they did that?  I only noticed after Heavy Metal came out so I hope it was done with accompanying patch.  I hate it when I miss stuff like that. 

[DarkSpade]

Very much like the manage tasks button they added.  Anyone know when they did that?  I only noticed after Heavy Metal came out so I hope it was done with accompanying patch.  I hate it when I miss stuff like that.

Somewhere around version 1.0.    ;)

[Fat Guy]

I am Ironman.

Just finished an ironman campaign. I did it without losing a pilot or 'Mech (I did have to eject twice to avoid doing so). Oddly I finished it in less than 20 hours. For my side missions I stuck mostly to battles and assassinations, and was able to acquire heavy 'Mechs relatively quickly. I also was able to get into the black market while indifferent to the pirates so stuff was cheap. After the Grave Robbing contract I was flush with cash and the black market had an Annihilator for 13,992,000 - but partial ones for only 1,397,000! And they had 6! Needless to say I picked up the parts for one then and there and came back for another a bit later.
Let me just say that even unmodified the Annihilator headcaps at almost the same rate as the Marauder!

In the final duel with Victoria, they seriously pimped out her King Crab similar to how they did the Black Widow and the Bounty Hunter. There seems to be damage reduction going on, and called shots won't hit the head. The AC-20s inflict "Devastating Damage" (that's the description that pops up, and it's damned accurate!) and the +++ Flamers are a rude shock. Finally, it won't let you get even a partial salvage.

[Triptych]

Ugh, one of my unstable mechwarriors just attacked and held the cook hostage. I gave him a verbal lashing since he is one of my elites and now he's out for 2 weeks while in the brig. Is there a way to get rid of this unstable quirk?  xp

[Jayof9s]

I don't think so. I mean, nothing you can do. I've seen traits go away or get added due to random events.

On the upside, since there seems to be one or fewer events each time you travel and they seem to draw randomly from your crew and their traits and all the other events, you're unlikely to run into that too frequently.

It has been really nice to see how many more events there are now, compared to my original play through on launch. Back then I felt like there were the same ~dozen or so events. I don't think I've had a single repeat yet and almost all of them have been completely new to me, other than the hard scripted campaign ones.

[mechnut450]

Ugh, one of my unstable mechwarriors just attacked and held the cook hostage. I gave him a verbal lashing since he is one of my elites and now he's out for 2 weeks while in the brig. Is there a way to get rid of this unstable quirk?  xp

i had one go from untrust-able to trust-able  during a later pop up event lol so can get lucky to have it removed, I just finished grave robbing and I seeing a lot of mission where rating not high enough but dang it  I got over 450 rating

[Fat Guy]

Do the tags even effect gameplay at all?

[Caedis Animus]

'Lucky' might. I mean, I've had a lucky pilot actually *be* lucky more often than not.

It also affects some events.

[Colt Ward]

Yes, depending on the trait and results you get a tag of 'High Spirits' or 'Low Spirits' which means your morale using abilities take less or more morale to execute respectively.

[mechnut450]

so been running the highlander ( gauss version) and  I head shot a marauder and a banshee  for kills,  I am so happy lol  they only need repair to the cockpit lol. now if I  can do that to a kingcrab lol

[Triptych]

OK, been trying out the Rifleman with an UAC5++ and so far... its underwhelming.

Even with its increased rangefinder, you still need to get somewhat close in order to get a proper LOS for your weapons. A mech with LRMs and spotters to sensor lock is still more effective. Also, for some reason my mechwarriors get hit in the head a lot whenever they use a Rifleman, so it seems to be a bad luck mech too lol.

My next experiment is a Marauder with a gauss rifle and two LL for a heavy mech that can headcap.

[Caedis Animus]

OK, been trying out the Rifleman with an UAC5++ and so far... its underwhelming.

Even with its increased rangefinder, you still need to get somewhat close in order to get a proper LOS for your weapons. A mech with LRMs and spotters to sensor lock is still more effective. Also, for some reason my mechwarriors get hit in the head a lot whenever they use a Rifleman, so it seems to be a bad luck mech too lol.

My next experiment is a Marauder with a gauss rifle and two LL for a heavy mech that can headcap.

ERPPCs with sufficient pluses would be better, I would think?

[Colt Ward]

Huh?  Your shooters should never really have to worry about LOS . . . My current lance is-

Marauder 3R (AC/2 instead of AC/5)
Warhammer 6R as a 6D
Trebuchet (LRM15 & LRM10)
Phoenix Hawk 1, 3 ML & 2 SL, with a sensor lock pilot

When moving to threat its usually a 1-2-1 formation, the PXH on point either sprinting (to make contact) or jumping (once making contact) which extends the LOS for all the shooters.  My thinner skinned Treb finds a spot behind a hill with some woods and can direct fire half the forward arc and IDF the other since the PXH can see what its shooting at usually.  The Marauder & Warhammer pilots vary, but they are there to absorb some damage while also punching big holes.  When the Oppo gets mixed up, then the PXH stops spotting and attacks- physical + 2SL, jump behind to Rear focus fire, or run around to get the open torso shots on knocked down.