Casual "Perfect Boy" Golden Boy (LFE250/3xMPLas/4xLRM5/MRM20)

This is perhaps one of the most interesting builds I have made so far. In order to explain the result, I must explain the process that took me to this build. One of my key building rules when making a mech is to not exceed the ghost heat threshold of weapon categories. For the energy, medium pulses were a given due to the quirks. As for the missiles, since I couldn't exceed ghost heat limits, it meant I would have to do a build with four dumb fire and one lock-on launcher(s), or four lock-on and one dumb fire launcher(s).

Two builds were tried and tested under these conditions. An LRM20 and quad SRM4 or Quad LRM5 and an MRM20. With the LRM 20 build, I kept running into weight, heat, and ammo issues because the mech simply could not hold all the necessary components to make it viable without crippling it somehow, plus the wide dispersion of the LRM20 meant on average 5-7 missiles would completely miss the target meaning out of a 20 dmg salvo, you maybe did 15-13 on average, and that was with a TAG. Next the MRM20 was tested and the Quad LRM5's completely outpaced the LRM20 by a landslide.

On average I maybe missed a missile or two, so I was far more accurate per salvo, I also was firing waaay faster due to the smaller launcher size, and they were a far cheaper alternative, and without ever sacrificing damage potential. Plus, since the launchers were more spread out, the system's overall survivability was significantly stronger. You could lose your arm and still have 2 launchers to keep raining on people.

Plus the added benefit of having an MRM20 in a high shoulder mount meant you could do some ridge peeking if necessary and you had something else to defend yourself with besides the three medium pulses when people get within 90m of your lrms. I can personally vouge for this point. One time when I was in a match, I was using my LRM's to sprinkle on targets 2-300 meters out when an Ebon Jag popped out right in front of me, he probably tracked the missiles to me and was expecting an easy LRM boat kill. But low and behold, my MRM and pulses made short work of his CT, and I actually managed to survive the engagement.

My only complaint of this build is that it feels a little lacking in terms of ammo for the LRMs but thats due to how fast you'll shoot it. The MRM is a perfect fallback option for the remainder of the game and honestly I have fallen in love with this build. For those of you who have a Golden Boy and don't know what to do with it, try this build. You won't regret it.

The build code is: AM1920n0|2@|2@|LgpZ0|Y@qZ0rT0|c?|2@|2@sT0|c?|c?td0|[O|GPud0|[O|GPvB0|o<2w:0:0:0

Hope to here your feedback, love hearing other people's thoughts and ideas, enjoy guys.

 

According to smuprhy, you could also fire 4xSSRM2 and 1xMRM20 without triggering ghost heat.
https://mwo.smurfy-net.de/equipment

Now that I look at it, you should also be able to fire SSRM and LRMs without triggering ghost heat...
Something like this is a bit riskier because you need to fit an XL engine (it shouldn't be a huge issue thanks to armor quirks and decent mobility), but thanks to MPL range bonus and SSRM maximum range, you should be able to alpha strike and apply all damage above 180 meter (LRM minimum range) and up to ~300m (MPL quirked optimal range and SSRM maximum range)
Overall, you get better speed (which in turns mean better range dictation and engagement choice), but you need to be more careful against pinpoints builds. You can easily out damage or scare lighter mechs than you, while still retain a bit of LRM annoyance. Bigger mechs will still be a problem, but you can alpha strike them in the face if they don't get below 180 meters (and basically apply the same damage as a 4xLRM5 + 1xMRM20 build).

The biggest plus, though, is the fact that you can keep your crosshair on target and completely ignore missile travel time compensation because they will home on target.

I put BAP because it will help you against those close range ECM builds, but if you prefer to swap those 1.5 tons and 2 slots of BAP for something better, go for it.

If Smuprhy fooled me (I'm not an expert of missile builds, I tend to avoid them on most mechs), I'm sorry for the useless post.

 

No, honestly thank you for the suggestion. I did do some degree of in-game testing and yes you are correct, oddly enough Streaks and LRMs don't go in the same bracket in terms of Heat Scale Limit despite both being lock-on weapons. For clans, the ATMs and LRMs do go together, and for IS I found it interesting that rockets go in the same HSL as SRMs and MRMs despite rockets being a one time use item.

As for me, I don't dare touch XL engines unless it's a light, or a confused medium, so that's probably why I didn't have this end result, but again thank you for your input. It will at least give members ideas on how to approach this mech in different ways, which is what mech building is all about.

But I am glad you are having fun with your build honestly, it absolutely looks menacing, and the commentary from in-game is absolutely hilarious. I hope to hear more from you in the future about your success.

 

Kintaro is well suited for an XL engine - your CT will catch most of the damage, which is not a good thing, but makes little difference between XL and LFE.

Another Kintaro dirty trick is to put RL5 in the CT and keep the doors shut - for 0.5 tons this gives 20% or 30% CT damage reduction which combined with the armor quirk makes you pretty tanky. SSRMs are just as fine on the arms, so if you go with SSRMs use fewer but larger launchers.

 

I'm not playing since months and the meta shifted mostly to Dakka, lasers and ATM poptart, but I strongly suggest you to try out some of the meta XL engine mediums: there are some IS mediums (and arguably even some heavies), which can fit and manage an XL engine just fine if you don't overextend or if your team doesn't rotato-potato for the brawl. From my experience, LE is better suited for some heavies and assault mechs and sacrifing firepower for survivability isn't a great idea if you are able to spread the incoming damage.

Bushwacker is arguably the best IS mech that can fit and manage an XL engine (excellent front profile, excellent side profile because it completely hides the other side torso when you torso twist), so I suggest you to buy at least one and give it a try to learn torso twist / shielding. There are some interesting LE builds too, for example 2xLBX10 or 2xAC10 if you need to skill it first

• BSW-X1 "Medium's dakka champion" (2xUAC10, XL280)
• BSW-X1 "Compromise" (2xAC10, 1xLPPC, XL265)
• BSW-HR "ClanRoller" (2xLBX10, 4xSL, XL295) + alt (LE, AMS) (or the AC10 + 4xSL variant)

Worthy mentions:

• WVR-6K "Poky Poky" (3xLL, 2xERML, TC1, XL300) + alt (very fast vomit laser, excellent for side poke and a LE is simply a waste in case of side torso loss because you either lose most weapons or most cooling, so you are useless anyway)
• BJ-1X "Mini Rifleman" (2xLL, 6xERML, XL245) (huge firepower and decent cooling despite being a nible 45 tonner)