The Tenderizer build is the very raison d'être of the DRG-5N. If your build isn't packing three AC/2s, you could probably do it better with a different chassis. But, more importantly: why WOULDN'T you be packing three AC/2s? Your ballistic firepower does an absurd 12 DPS up to 700 and some metres. At the beginning of the match, set your Tenderizer down somewhere with a nice view and pound the snot out of whatever (non-Light) enemy mech pokes its head out of the dirt. The only thing you have to worry about are Gauss boats, which can shear off most of your armour in a single volley. Missiles you can avoid, and the only thing that can compare with your DPS at range is another 5N or a Cataphract 4X. Fire the AC2s together to maximize effectiveness, and remember that your arsenal fulfills different roles (AC/2s at range, SRMs and lasers in close combat). You shouldn't have to worry too much about heat if you're firing your weapons at the right time. In general, it is always preferable to use your speed to reposition yourself and keep taking shots with your autocannons until you run out of ammo; but move in with your lasers and SRMs if you can gang up on a lone mech or if the enemy is significantly weakened. Don't waste AC/2 ammo on Light mechs unless you have a totally clean shot. And don't forget: always aim for the core. 12 DPS can strip the core armour from just about any mech in only a few seconds if they're not careful.
This build is God like. One of my favorite mechs ever. I would have probably never have given the 5N a chance if you didn't post this. Thanks!
Nice build, thanks first game 3 kills, vast improvement on the stock build, I had fun in that, but now I'm worried myface may split from smiling too much,
i bought a DRG-5N today, and i changed the engine for a STD 250 engine, and i plan to add the same weap arsenal as in this build.(and use the rest of the tons for more armor.) ill post if it's a nice build, but thanks for the original build!
STD 250 weighs 3 tons heavier than the XL 300. You would need a STD 230 to match the weight of this build w/o sacrificing armor and/or weapons/ammo. I think this build is pretty fun, though with the weapon loadout and use of XL it would excel at Skirmishing. If you get smaller you start to lose the ability to skirmish, putting your arm at greater risk of being destroyed. XL 300 = 81kph/89.1kph (15.5 tons) STD 250 = 67.5kph/74.3kph (18.5 tons) STD 230 = 62.1kph/68.3kph (15.5 tons) You could easily drop a AC/2 for a bigger engine, giving you much more speed (Speed is life), and while chain firing still lay down good DPS
there's only one big problem with buying another engine.. got no cbills left.. and i dont have a moneymaker.. nor am i very good at killing enemies..
Want a great moneymaker for cheap? Get a light, put on a single ER LL and a tag. Run around, hit everything at least once, and Tag if your team has LRMs. Don't have to do much damage to get a lot of CBills, so long as your team wins. Just to clarify the amount you get... Kill: 5000 CBills (kill) + 2500 CBills (component destruction) = 7500 CBills Assist: 7500 CBills You get both just as fast. The Dragon 5N is the only Dragon I do not currently have, because as you said - if I'm not running 3 AC/2s, I'm probably not getting my money's worth. My issue with AC/2s on a Dragon is they require constant time-on-target, which cannot always be achieved when either you or the enemy is playing defensively. After looking at the info in Michael's SRM/SSRM post, I'd opt to take a single SRM4 over an SRM6. One less ton, and much better beyond point-blank range. That ton can give you an extra DHS, because AC/2s are the only hot-running ballistic weapon and you have 3.
This alternative build posted for humor. The fastest thing with 3 AC/2s. Edit: I guess, technically that'd be a Cicada 3C with an XL285 engine, 3 AC/2s and two tons of ammo, but who's counting?
Yeah but that Cicada would burn through its ammo in about 25 seconds...probably longer than it would survive, though.
Personally, I don't much see the point in the SRM in this build. Nothing is stopping you from firing the AC2s at point blank. I guess maybe it would be handy if you lost that arm... I'd rather spend the extra tonnage on heat sinks and AC2 ammo. Make the most out of the AC2s, which are what this build is all about!
I finally got myself into this 'mech and I'm getting my butt kicked. I've been chain-firing the AC/2s thinking that would scare 'mechs off, but it does not--at all. I'll switch over to link-firing the AC/2s and see if that helps.
I find it takes time to get used to the dragon. I hadn't piloted mine for a looooong time and my first games were painful. Don't chain fire the AC/2s, at least not with the game's "official" chain fire, you'll only lose on DPS. Either use a macro or shot the 3 at the same time. edit: I agree with Darklobster about the SRM.
I'm actually pretty old hat with the Dragon, but the NewThing (TM) is the Triple AC/2. And, I have noticed that he in-game chain-fire is pretty lack-luster. If I hold down the trigger, the chain is too slow. If I wail on it, the chain is too inconsistent. Looks like I'm going to have to knuckle-down and start programming some macros.
Yeah, it does take a certain mindset. Three AC2s are immensely powerful, but you have to understand their limitations. It's all about time-on-target. If you can find someone who's distracted and out of cover, even for a few seconds, you can mess them up good. And get a lumbering Atlas alone in the open - that's Candy Store time! I just fire them together. They fire every 0.5 sec anyway, which I think is plenty fast enough to keep someone's cockpit a rockin'. I also find that the lack of fear-factor on AC2s can work to your advantage. You hit someone with AC20s, they run for their lives. But if people see you have AC2s they often discount them and will try to nail you instead of going for cover. The cockpit shake makes it hard for them to get a bead on you, and any extra time they're in your sights, that damage is just ticking up and up and up...
Since I haven't seen what I would consider the "perfect" setup for a 3 x AC2 DRG-5N posted anywhere, I'm throwing this out there: The only decision to make is whether to go 13 DHS/525 rounds or 14 DHS/450 rounds (and maybe armour distribution). As I mentioned above, I don't believe the SRM has a place in this build. It is all about those AC2s. Anything less than 450 rounds and you'll wind up short, and you want as many heat sinks as you can get. One DHS is left out of the engine to crit-pad the XL. There isn't really room to add FF (well, you can add FF, as per BindMind's Our Dakka is Eternal, but for me it leaves you short on heat sinks).
I'm very seriously considering dropping the SRM4 launcher in my build since I go through half of my matches without firing it. However, I'm considering upgrading the MLases to MPLases instead of adding ammo... I need some sort of flyswatter weapon.
That's certainly worth trying to see if it works for you, but personally I just use the AC2s and MLasers together to deal with lights. That's where the extra ammo comes in handy. Sure, you may waste a few rounds trying to hit them, but the ROF ensures that you can keep tagging them. For a light, 6 damage a pop stings a bit. It's usually enough to discourage them at the very least, and if they make a mistake (shut down, hit a wall, run in a straight line...) you can shred them pretty fast. The beauty of three AC2s on the Dragon is that they're all fired from the same location.
