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Knightrunner
Clan Snow Raven
Star Commander
Joined: 20-Jul-2005 00:00
Posts: 123
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 Posted: 06-Apr-2008 15:05 Post subject: Are Heavy Gauss Rifles a rules booby trap? |
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This weekend I went up against a stereotypical Steiner Lance (the type of lance put together by a commander that considers the Zeus to be a light scout). Two of the mechs carried HGR's (one carried two!). They ended up doing more damage to themselves than to me (although I admit I did lose a single light mech to a lucky HGR slug).
Are these weapons nigh-useless on purpose to punish 'power players' who want the biggest guns on the biggest mechs?
Or did the designers start out with a weapon that was too good, realize that they needed some drawbacks, and then went a bit overboard?
Or are HGR carriers like artillery mechs: very useful in narrow supporting roles? Does anyone really like them?
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CO_17thRecon
Kell Hounds
Major
Joined: 10-Sep-2002 00:00
Posts: 1297
Location: United States
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| Posted: 06-Apr-2008 18:44 Post subject: Are Heavy Gauss Rifles a rules booby trap? |
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HGRs are the unfortunate cross breed of the AC/20 and Gauss. You get decent range, and good striking power, but not both at once. The unfortunate fact is that in most cases, an extra 10 pts of damage on a single strike is nigh useless, therefore, normal Gauss Rifles work a lot better.
The only advantage I could see is that you could one-shot more types of 'Mech limbs. But that's something you need a good pilot for. And you still need to be in range. With a dab hand, the HGR is a good gun, but I go with option three...they're just too narrow for most situations, and your average "Old School" Steiner general will overuse them and get owned.
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Jarylan Blackwell
"What the...?! Where did you get THAT?!"
"Creative aquisition."
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 07-Apr-2008 03:17 Post subject: Are Heavy Gauss Rifles a rules booby trap? |
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Using a HGR without a good pilot is obviously a bad idea, but with a decent pilot it can do some harm. Quads can also lend you some additional stability.
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Knightrunner
Clan Snow Raven
Star Commander
Joined: 20-Jul-2005 00:00
Posts: 123
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| Posted: 07-Apr-2008 07:38 Post subject: Are Heavy Gauss Rifles a rules booby trap? |
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Very true about Steiner generals. I keep expecting them to design a house version of the Thunder Hawk with 3 Heavy Gauss. Or a version of the Annihilator with 4!
It's also true about quads; I faced a modified Barghest (HGR and 2 ER LL's) which never failed a piloting roll. The same could not be said of the Fafnir, even though the pilot was pretty good.
Actually, the Barghest did better in every way. Movement was key: it was fast enough to position itself properly, and had decent secondary weapons. The quad blind sides were a major weakness, though.
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CO_17thRecon
Kell Hounds
Major
Joined: 10-Sep-2002 00:00
Posts: 1297
Location: United States
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| Posted: 07-Apr-2008 12:58 Post subject: Re: Are Heavy Gauss Rifles a rules booby trap? |
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| Knightrunner wrote: | | Very true about Steiner generals. |
Old School generals. Some of us had the good sense to learn from the Davions during the alliance.
A few more notes on HGRs... Quads are something I had not thought of. They have a better than average movement profile, and the stability to use the HGR well. Also, it seems wasteful to mount more than one HGR on a chassis. They're so large, with such massive requirements, and such a narrow use that it overly specializes the unit to death.
Another good HGR unit would be the GOL-4S Goliath. It's fairly mobile for an assault, making it a good choice to spring on slower heavies, mediums and assaults. (Given the quad nature, in a relatively flat area, the Goliath can expect to outmaneuver other 4/6 designs. At least well enough for its purpose.)
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Jarylan Blackwell
"What the...?! Where did you get THAT?!"
"Creative aquisition."
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cain
Blighted Sun Battalion
1st Company
"Ralgith's Renegades"
Lieutenant
Joined: 10-May-2004 00:00
Posts: 329
Location: Canada
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| Posted: 07-Apr-2008 15:50 Post subject: Are Heavy Gauss Rifles a rules booby trap? |
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HGR do need a bit of more thinking to get their full potential than most weapons which makes them appealing to me
one thing i learned was you have to sacrifice the big hit at short range its annoying to lose damage for range but most times the only way to get a mech in sort range of a HGR is when a light or medium makes a swift pass or botches a attempt to get behind you
The extra damage it does is deadly though, 25 points in one area will punch through any armour anywhere on a mech under 45 tons and any thing with an XL up to 60 tons is in danger due to crits in the side torso
No matter what mech is carrying the HGR its better used from static or even defensive posture slowly advancing or holding ground. if your headhunting the AC20 or standard Gauss is better as the carrier is generally more mobile and as no extra to balance issues
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Knightrunner
Clan Snow Raven
Star Commander
Joined: 20-Jul-2005 00:00
Posts: 123
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| Posted: 10-Apr-2008 18:43 Post subject: Are Heavy Gauss Rifles a rules booby trap? |
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Well, I can't make too much fun of Steiner generals- I drove an Ostscout for them in my first-ever campaign. Considering that the heaviest mech in the whole company was 60 tons, there's at least one Lyran commander who's willing to go light and quick.
25 points of damage to one location is brutal- when it hits. My poor Mongoose looked like a doughnut after 1 hit (1 hit and a about a dozen misses). Of course, an AC 20 would have done the same thing . . .
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Calabim Dralmar
Clan Wolf
Warrior
Joined: 26-May-2008 22:34
Posts: 7
Location: United States
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| Posted: 01-Jun-2008 21:25 Post subject: Are Heavy Gauss Rifles a rules booby trap? |
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Yes HGR's a difficulty on mechs I have tried to use them and the misses out way the hits. Also it is very true when it does hit it's devistating . I did try a new approach to the problem of use. I used the HGR on a Regulator Hover Tank. Sorry fellas I am combined arms, so anyway sacrificing some armor I tried it out and it worked out well enough and was able to use the ranges to its fullest. So just like a quad mech trying on other platforms can prove better for its use.
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 02-Jun-2008 02:26 Post subject: Are Heavy Gauss Rifles a rules booby trap? |
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I'd prefer the Gladius for a chassis (HGR can't be installed in turrets) but otherwise this approach is fine.
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