CN9-D LRM Support (1x SRM4, 2x MLas, 2x MG, 1x NARC, XL340)

Thread in 'CN9-D' started by Birdy, Jun 6, 2013.

  1. Birdy

    Birdy New Member

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    Hiya, a mate of mine wants to help support our small groups LRM boats, he wants to be fast enough to get a quick early capture or two, and then use the NARC to help the LRM's....

    He doesn't want to be in a light mech, but does want to get back to help LRM's if harassed...7

    I was thinking something like this, thoughts would be great!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 5, 2014
  2. skribs

    skribs Min-Max Maniac

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    NARC is largely a waste. It's 3 tons, it requires ammo, and it requires you to hit the target. I find TAG to be a much cheaper option (usually it just replaces a ML). I think something like a trebuchet with a 325 XL and an assortment of TAG, MLs, and S(S)RMs would offer a better punch while being fast enough to go forward and tag and then fall back and help in the brawl.
     
  3. Birdy

    Birdy New Member

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    Thanks for the feedback, none of us have really used narc or tag so we didn't really know... How about that build?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 5, 2014
  4. skribs

    skribs Min-Max Maniac

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    Comparing TAG and NARC:
    NARC is 3 tons, requires ammo, and you must hit the target like with a ballistic weapon. After that, it only lasts so long and it only lasts through so much damage. It is a lot more powerful than it used to be (it will break ECM), but most people consider it to be too much of an investment.

    TAG is 1 ton, infinite ammo, and good out to a longer range. You can immediately switch targets with no problem. Instead of losing a missile slot (which are already limited on a scout) you usually lose a medium laser (so smaller alpha, but a lot more efficient).

    I can't get to Smurfy at work, so I can't verify all of this, but your build looks like it would have a lot of free slots leftover. Those could be put to good use with Endo-Steel, giving you more tons to put on. I also don't advocate going with 100% armor, usually you can lose a little bit here or there to round down to the nearest half ton or ton, which lets you get a little more out of your build. Builds at full armor usually waste a partial ton of their maximum available (in this case, you're 2 armor over the half-ton, so going down just 2 armor frees up a half ton). I usually shave armor off the legs on anything over 40 tons. Endo-steel and 0.5-1.0 tons more from armor give you a total of 3-3.5 tons to play with.

    Beagle Active Probe is pretty much required for running SSRMs, even if you have TAG (which won't work if you have ECM on top of you). There's 1.5 tons, leaving 2 tons left.
    Because you already have good heat efficiency (58% is very good) and enough ammo for your SSRMs, the next tweak I would suggest is engine size - you can bump up to a 350 XL and use up the rest of your 2 tons.

    Just by adding endo-steel and taking off 18 armor (9 armor on each leg brings you down to 320/338, or an even 10 tons) you can give yourself an ECM counter and get an extra 4.9 kph (non-tweak) to 5.3 kph (with tweak).
     
  5. Birdy

    Birdy New Member

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    Thank you so much for all the help, I did mean to put a BAP in there....

    It's also roughly 1m CBills cheaper than the 1st mech :D

    Again, thanks, looks perfect for him, almost fancy trying one myself!
     
  6. skribs

    skribs Min-Max Maniac

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    Nice thing is, if you're not running with LRM boats you can always swap out the TAG for a ML. It's usually a lot simpler than retrofitting away the NARC.

    Another option would be to go for the 7M. You lose a ML and gain a SSRM launcher, and you cap out at 325 XL while getting jump jets. More agility, less speed, and shifting the firepower over to missiles a bit makes for a similar, but different enough option.
     
  7. Sir Tiddles

    Sir Tiddles Active Member

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    With the recent (over)buff to LRMs, and the NARC buff, NARC is now extremely useful if there are even 1-2 LRM users in your team. Having a close range brawler that can reliably keep NARC up on an enemy is so useful, speaking from experience on LRM-heavy teams.

    This Cent build is okay, but to really fill your role I feel you should drop to a STD engine (275 or 300 is my preference), and then fill out secondary weapons accordingly.

    I can't stress how much of a difference it makes to an LRM heavy team to have a reliable and constant NARC up. Even on non-LRM teams, just having the icon over one person is enough to signal who to focus fire which is far more useful than you might think. I'm actually converting many of my builds to include a NARC launcher nowadays.
     
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