Try to keep enemies at about 500m and this build shines. Up close start launching SRMs. Don't forget to torso twist - its better to lose an some weaponry than lose all your weaponry by being dead. Even if you lose a whole side remember you can still support your team by drawing fire. The LLas range module is a neat addition but I find this build is too hot if you try to run LLas Cooldown as well. Cool Shot 9 is essential. Ideally you will have 9x9 and Cool Boost. Reasoning: Using LLas takes advantage of the 15% range and cooldown quirks. 3 LLas lets you blast them all at once without ghost heat, then get your torso twisting. AC 10 chosen over AC 20 as it has the same range profile as the LLas. Uses STD325 as the STD300 is so slow even with speed tweak. I find in other Atlas chassis I spend a lot of the game walking around trying to get foes inside the 300m AC20/Mlas/Srm killzone - usually whilst getting shot at by longer range weapons. This build remedies this by pushing your effective range bubble to around 500m. SRMs give you something to throw at foes that stray to close. Just bear in mind that firing further than about 170m is akin to throwing a handful of rice. Weapon Groups: LA 2xLLas RA 1xLLas AC10 SRMs (Grouped) All LLas (Chainfire)
Would you consider trading one LL for 2x SRM 4? You can then fire the AC10 and all three LLs at the same time without the 8.x extra ghost heat and then twist to spread damage. Dropping the one LL should keep you a bit cooler too. The two SRM4 help with short range punch without eating a lot of tonnage.
Good thinking. Seeing as how my AS7-RS already had Artemis IV installed from a previous build I've gone for an SRM6+A instead of the 2x SRM4. Not sure if a tighter spread SRM6 is better than an overall SRM8 will have to play around with it. Will update this post when I've done some more drops. Update: Having fiddled around a bit I find the 2xSRM4 gives better perfomance. Sure at max range they fly all over the place but in those situations you are better off sticking to the LLas and AC10. I generally save the SRMs for anything inside 200m. Will change the OP to incorporate your good ideas.
I ran something very similar to @Verticorda 's suggestion with good results: Weapons are located so that even if you lose one ST you still keep some Firepower. And the LBX let's you continue counterfire even at high Heatlevel.
I saw your post of a similar build in the RS thread tree. Depends what you are after I guess. An AC10 gives you better precision at long ranges whereas the LBX scores some nice finishers if you have melted enough armor off with the LLas...although I imagine you knew that already. The LBX does make a more satisfying bang when you fire it though. With my build I prefer the extra precision from the AC10.
I like this build. It looks fun. Haven't had an Atlas out in forever, but this is motivating me to try one! FWIW, if you put Endo on this thing, you can max out your armor. It leaves you with 1.81 left over, but you can also throw another DHS in there and even go with a bigger engine. Also, put your DHS in your torso when you can. Those arms get lost pretty easily.
