Post by Koalabear on Sept 23, 2024 9:40:45 GMT -5
It's been a while since I've done something like this. These are not in-depth reviews but hopefully I give more personal insights into these weapons that online reviewers do.
I'll start with my most recent acquisition.
Viper12
I'm pleasantly surprised with this weapon and have used it a lot since I got it late last week. It's been rocking on my Eclipse and I think I will leave it there for a while. Functionally, it's a lot like Graviton Beams and I suspect Particle Beams, in that you get low DPS followed by a big bang. The difference here, other than visual effects is that the Viper projectiles do more damage each than a tick of the beams, but the missiles don't do as much as the big boom of the GB. So, total DPS wise, I think they're pretty similar. Where they differ is how they are used. For example, since it's a projectile, I feel that I can take advantage of the spray better than I can with Beams. For example, I've hit Eclipses and Surges under stealth with both bullets and missiles cause I just keep firing where they are. With beams, I have to manually aim and hope for a hit and as stated earlier, a bullet from Viper does a lot more damage than a tick of a beam. The homing capabilities of the missiles are similar to the Savante, but of course not nearly as intelligent. Still, I've hit and killed targets that were behind cover or around corners and I've learned that when chasing a stubborn target that has a sliver of HP left, it's ok to waste 7 bullets to get that homing missile arcing around the corner to make the kill.
As for mechs that this would good on, anything with a shield or some form of defense would benefit. So, shielded mechs like Panther and Aegis and stealth mechs like Eclipse. In CQC, it will get beat out by weapons that excel in those conditions, so I definitely don't think Surge or Seeker are good fits. You need something that can stand on a hill and rain down fire without worrying about return fire, or something that can be hard to hit and strafe easily. I don't have Orion or Hemlock but I think those would be good fits too because you can debuff your target from a distance. Solis too, but I have no experience with that mech. Bastion could work but I feel you want a closer range weapon on Bastion to take advantage of the shield blast. Mechs like Ares and Juggernaut and Sentinel probably won't do too well because their shields are paper thin, but when you factor the Mods, then they might be good fits. Blockhorn would definitely do well too.
Ultimately, I think it's gonna come down to play style but for me, cause I prefer mid range, it fits me very well. For me, it's the kind of weapon that I can use to whittle down a target from mid range, and then follow up with a knock out as I get closer when their HP is low.
Arc Torrent 12
I don't agree with some online content creators when they lament about the AT nerf. Yes, the maximum range has been nerfed hard. With implant, it basically went from just over 60m to around 40m. Yes, the addition of the Mods do hamper the AT's ability to kill, and the AT's itty bitty magazine means you are now at risk of running out of ammo at crucial times more likely. But, on a mech like Surge none of that matters (except the itty bitty magazine part). On the Surge, I've tried a variety of weapons, including Nades, Ember Gun, Rail Gun and Missile Racks. I keep coming back to ATs for the Surge. Yes, in a large part, it's due to my ingrained reflexes cause I've been running ATs on Surge for so long, but I think my playstyle is a large part as well. If you haven't noticed by now, I tend to favour builds that are more versatile and not purpose built for a specific situation. Missile Racks are pretty purpose built, and while I know Storm Racks are way better, I still lump them with Missile Racks cause they're an all or nothing weapon with an very long reload time. On the Surge, the ATs still rule because the EMP ensures a captive audience and even though these days, the EMP is not quite enough, for most cases, I'm still able to kill my target in the necessary time. Where the ATs start to fall short, other than the range, is that itty bitty magazine. Yes, I can use an implant to increase the size, but TBH, I need the implant slots for other things so I can't fit it in. I never used to run out of ammo with the ATs, but these days, that's becoming more and more common.
I've had some good runs with the AT12 on the Eclipse, but that magazine size keeps me from putting the ATs on the Eclipse permanently. In late game, in today's meta, I don't recommend running the ATs on anything other than Surge. Zephyr if you don't have Surge. Maybe that's why the ATs are rated so low these days, but as long as you have it on the right mech and use the right tactics, it still rocks.
Nade Launcher and Cryo Launcher
I decided to lump these two together cause functionally, they're almost the same. The NL fires 8 shots one at a time, while the Cryo Launcher fires 9 shots in 3 shot groupings - kinda like the Carbines. The CLs do less damage but applies stasis. Personally, I prefer the NLs over the CLs, but that's because I have better implants. If I had the radius implant for CLs, I would probably switch from NL to CLs- probably... I still rather like the NLs firing of 1 shot at a time as that lets me spread my fire pattern out somewhat to get more hits. Anyway, these weapons are actually quite versatile, and while they get out performed by other weapons for any engagement range, the fact that they can engage at a variety of ranges is what appeals to me. When used as an artillery weapon in the 90 - 100m range, they also don't give warnings like the RMs do, so they can be rather sneaky too. They do suck a bit indoors or when there's a lot of cover, but with a lot of practice, you will learn which firing situations are the most ideal for any range. I especially like it when I can fire on either a downward or upward slope because that means I can fire with impunity vs LOS weapons. With the splash radius impant, they also become great corner shooters - arguably better than DLs because you don't have to break the lock in order to hit mechs around corners.
As for mechs, I have used the NLs on Eclipse, Aegis, Surge and Seeker. I prefer Eclipse as my first choice because I can use the Eclipse's speed and agility to get into prime firing locations. My second choice is Aegis because what it lacks in agility, it makes up for with the Dome shield. Surge and Seeker are alright, but I currently have weapons that I like better for those mechs.
Ember Gun
Not much to say about the EG. I think it's the best shotgun type of weapon out there because of the Overheat ability. But, the only mechs I would consider running this gun on is Seeker (I don't have to aim after teleporting and the extra damage gained from teleporting makes SSKs very likely), Surge because I have a captive audience, and Eclipse for those times I break through to a spawn point and can run around like a fox in a hen house spawn killing everything. The EG doesn't damage as fast as say the Repeater, but like I said, you don't really need to aim that much and the Overheat means that your successive shots do way more damage. multi layer shields do pose a problem and I've never managed to figure out is each blast takes out a layer or not. If it did, then that means for every push, I could take down 2 layers and if I alternate fire, I can take out 3. Sadly, I still can't say with complete certainty that this is what happens. Still, most mechs who have the multi layer shields get the frontal shield version rather than the Perimeter version, so as long as I'm hitting from the side or back, I'm still good.
Javelins and Helix Rack
Really not that much difference...if you've got the ability, definitely get the Helix over the Javelin. But, that doesn't mean that the Javelins are useless. They are still effective if you use them right. The extra damage and range on the Helix though still make it a much better weapon. The addition of the Canopy Shield means that you have to pause and look at your target to see if they have it or not before firing. If they do, then I single fire, and if they don't, then I let them have a double whammy.
Graviton Beam 16
I don't have have GB12 and I don't have Particle Beams, but I'm guessing the overall experience will be similar. I think the PBs have the chance to go around corners but I'm not sure. Anyway, GBs have taken a hit with all the new weapons that have come out, but there are situations where the GB still rocks. The damage per tick is nothing much, but that implosion damage is awesome. Plus, when you run two GBs, you get Implosion in 1.5s instead of 3s. I can't imagine running my GB16 on anything other than my Panther. Slap the Ability Duration or the specific Panther Shield time implant on and you have a very decent amount of killing time and I can usually kill 2 - 3 mechs easily. If you have the Stasis Field height implant, then throw that on too for protection from JR and HR. The GBs also laugh at the multi layer shields but I don't know if the Implosion works on shields at all.
Anyway, that's it for all the weapons currently in my hangars. I'll try to put other weapons later, but feel free to put your own thoughts too!
I'll start with my most recent acquisition.
Viper12
I'm pleasantly surprised with this weapon and have used it a lot since I got it late last week. It's been rocking on my Eclipse and I think I will leave it there for a while. Functionally, it's a lot like Graviton Beams and I suspect Particle Beams, in that you get low DPS followed by a big bang. The difference here, other than visual effects is that the Viper projectiles do more damage each than a tick of the beams, but the missiles don't do as much as the big boom of the GB. So, total DPS wise, I think they're pretty similar. Where they differ is how they are used. For example, since it's a projectile, I feel that I can take advantage of the spray better than I can with Beams. For example, I've hit Eclipses and Surges under stealth with both bullets and missiles cause I just keep firing where they are. With beams, I have to manually aim and hope for a hit and as stated earlier, a bullet from Viper does a lot more damage than a tick of a beam. The homing capabilities of the missiles are similar to the Savante, but of course not nearly as intelligent. Still, I've hit and killed targets that were behind cover or around corners and I've learned that when chasing a stubborn target that has a sliver of HP left, it's ok to waste 7 bullets to get that homing missile arcing around the corner to make the kill.
As for mechs that this would good on, anything with a shield or some form of defense would benefit. So, shielded mechs like Panther and Aegis and stealth mechs like Eclipse. In CQC, it will get beat out by weapons that excel in those conditions, so I definitely don't think Surge or Seeker are good fits. You need something that can stand on a hill and rain down fire without worrying about return fire, or something that can be hard to hit and strafe easily. I don't have Orion or Hemlock but I think those would be good fits too because you can debuff your target from a distance. Solis too, but I have no experience with that mech. Bastion could work but I feel you want a closer range weapon on Bastion to take advantage of the shield blast. Mechs like Ares and Juggernaut and Sentinel probably won't do too well because their shields are paper thin, but when you factor the Mods, then they might be good fits. Blockhorn would definitely do well too.
Ultimately, I think it's gonna come down to play style but for me, cause I prefer mid range, it fits me very well. For me, it's the kind of weapon that I can use to whittle down a target from mid range, and then follow up with a knock out as I get closer when their HP is low.
Arc Torrent 12
I don't agree with some online content creators when they lament about the AT nerf. Yes, the maximum range has been nerfed hard. With implant, it basically went from just over 60m to around 40m. Yes, the addition of the Mods do hamper the AT's ability to kill, and the AT's itty bitty magazine means you are now at risk of running out of ammo at crucial times more likely. But, on a mech like Surge none of that matters (except the itty bitty magazine part). On the Surge, I've tried a variety of weapons, including Nades, Ember Gun, Rail Gun and Missile Racks. I keep coming back to ATs for the Surge. Yes, in a large part, it's due to my ingrained reflexes cause I've been running ATs on Surge for so long, but I think my playstyle is a large part as well. If you haven't noticed by now, I tend to favour builds that are more versatile and not purpose built for a specific situation. Missile Racks are pretty purpose built, and while I know Storm Racks are way better, I still lump them with Missile Racks cause they're an all or nothing weapon with an very long reload time. On the Surge, the ATs still rule because the EMP ensures a captive audience and even though these days, the EMP is not quite enough, for most cases, I'm still able to kill my target in the necessary time. Where the ATs start to fall short, other than the range, is that itty bitty magazine. Yes, I can use an implant to increase the size, but TBH, I need the implant slots for other things so I can't fit it in. I never used to run out of ammo with the ATs, but these days, that's becoming more and more common.
I've had some good runs with the AT12 on the Eclipse, but that magazine size keeps me from putting the ATs on the Eclipse permanently. In late game, in today's meta, I don't recommend running the ATs on anything other than Surge. Zephyr if you don't have Surge. Maybe that's why the ATs are rated so low these days, but as long as you have it on the right mech and use the right tactics, it still rocks.
Nade Launcher and Cryo Launcher
I decided to lump these two together cause functionally, they're almost the same. The NL fires 8 shots one at a time, while the Cryo Launcher fires 9 shots in 3 shot groupings - kinda like the Carbines. The CLs do less damage but applies stasis. Personally, I prefer the NLs over the CLs, but that's because I have better implants. If I had the radius implant for CLs, I would probably switch from NL to CLs- probably... I still rather like the NLs firing of 1 shot at a time as that lets me spread my fire pattern out somewhat to get more hits. Anyway, these weapons are actually quite versatile, and while they get out performed by other weapons for any engagement range, the fact that they can engage at a variety of ranges is what appeals to me. When used as an artillery weapon in the 90 - 100m range, they also don't give warnings like the RMs do, so they can be rather sneaky too. They do suck a bit indoors or when there's a lot of cover, but with a lot of practice, you will learn which firing situations are the most ideal for any range. I especially like it when I can fire on either a downward or upward slope because that means I can fire with impunity vs LOS weapons. With the splash radius impant, they also become great corner shooters - arguably better than DLs because you don't have to break the lock in order to hit mechs around corners.
As for mechs, I have used the NLs on Eclipse, Aegis, Surge and Seeker. I prefer Eclipse as my first choice because I can use the Eclipse's speed and agility to get into prime firing locations. My second choice is Aegis because what it lacks in agility, it makes up for with the Dome shield. Surge and Seeker are alright, but I currently have weapons that I like better for those mechs.
Ember Gun
Not much to say about the EG. I think it's the best shotgun type of weapon out there because of the Overheat ability. But, the only mechs I would consider running this gun on is Seeker (I don't have to aim after teleporting and the extra damage gained from teleporting makes SSKs very likely), Surge because I have a captive audience, and Eclipse for those times I break through to a spawn point and can run around like a fox in a hen house spawn killing everything. The EG doesn't damage as fast as say the Repeater, but like I said, you don't really need to aim that much and the Overheat means that your successive shots do way more damage. multi layer shields do pose a problem and I've never managed to figure out is each blast takes out a layer or not. If it did, then that means for every push, I could take down 2 layers and if I alternate fire, I can take out 3. Sadly, I still can't say with complete certainty that this is what happens. Still, most mechs who have the multi layer shields get the frontal shield version rather than the Perimeter version, so as long as I'm hitting from the side or back, I'm still good.
Javelins and Helix Rack
Really not that much difference...if you've got the ability, definitely get the Helix over the Javelin. But, that doesn't mean that the Javelins are useless. They are still effective if you use them right. The extra damage and range on the Helix though still make it a much better weapon. The addition of the Canopy Shield means that you have to pause and look at your target to see if they have it or not before firing. If they do, then I single fire, and if they don't, then I let them have a double whammy.
Graviton Beam 16
I don't have have GB12 and I don't have Particle Beams, but I'm guessing the overall experience will be similar. I think the PBs have the chance to go around corners but I'm not sure. Anyway, GBs have taken a hit with all the new weapons that have come out, but there are situations where the GB still rocks. The damage per tick is nothing much, but that implosion damage is awesome. Plus, when you run two GBs, you get Implosion in 1.5s instead of 3s. I can't imagine running my GB16 on anything other than my Panther. Slap the Ability Duration or the specific Panther Shield time implant on and you have a very decent amount of killing time and I can usually kill 2 - 3 mechs easily. If you have the Stasis Field height implant, then throw that on too for protection from JR and HR. The GBs also laugh at the multi layer shields but I don't know if the Implosion works on shields at all.
Anyway, that's it for all the weapons currently in my hangars. I'll try to put other weapons later, but feel free to put your own thoughts too!
