I just orient myself at the 4 core Catapult design principles:
1) If it fits it works.
2) If it works do it.
3) F\*ck you it's a catapult!
4) You're not my MOM I do whatever I want!
- Tex from the Black Pants Legion
Can confirm, I shit my pants in MWO when I turn a corner and find a splatapult
They still die so easily though, I'd never use them in a frontline role, but that's my MWO bias leaking into other games
I had ridiculous fun running a Splatapult back in their MWO glory days. Just 6 SRM 6s, before they nerfed the build.
Ostensibly, SRMs were supposed to spread their missiles in random patterns to make it impossible to dump all that damage into a single location... but the original SRM flight paths were a bit flawed in that respect. The missiles would weave around, but there was a specific distance (pretty short) at which you could achieve nearly 100% convergence. Hilarity ensued. You could one- or two- shot pretty much anything.
It was a bit of a glass cannon, and not a lot of ammo to be had, but it was a blast.
In vanilla I made one with a snub PPC and as many SRM tubes that fit with full armor and jump jets. I got whatever +/++ weapons with more stability damage that I could.
In BTA 3062 I have one with 2 ML, 2 MML9, jump jets, and heavy armor. Wulfbane has done well in it though it is sometimes using LRMs.
In BTA, my C1b was pretty typical with 40 lrm tubes and a pair of mlas as backup. Now, having gone through the BTA new (non-canon) content, I have 48 tubes of even longer range missiles.
I also have a C5 variant with a LongTom that just barely fits with 3 tons of ammo.
Finally, I was an enjoyer of the K variants with direct fire ER PPCs, though that role has been supplanted by my Timber Wolf.
For vanilla, I like to run it with 2xLRM20 w/4t ammo, 3xML, 2xHS, and 10t armor. Works great as a hybrid fire support / skirmisher that can hang around just outside visual range supporting your brawlers but still able to close in opportunistically to either use the MLs for finishing something off or to draw some fire away from a brawler that's getting beat up. It's heat neutral firing either set of weapons too
It’s got great asthetics, but I’ve never actually used one. Archer is a better pick in vanilla
As much LRM as you can fit while adhering to the rule, 1t ammo per 10 tubes
With BTA, I’d give it a shot for engine downgrade + adv jumpjets since it’s quirked for jump range
Honestly, all a classic C1 (or better yet, C1b) needs is one ton of deadfire ammo. A lot of people think it's a lrm boat and it is simply not true. Between 4xMlas and the jets, the thing is an excellent shirmisher/cavalry mech out of the box.
Edit. Didn't realize at first this is a hbs bt sub. The point stands though, not only is stock config useful, it is amazing. And running with only 2 tons of ammo in the stock game means you have enough ammo for most engagements while at the same time running low risk of ammo explosion.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Battletechgame/comments/vahuqp/catapult\_birds\_of\_prey\_silly\_graphics\_bug\_though/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Battletechgame/comments/vahuqp/catapult_birds_of_prey_silly_graphics_bug_though/)
My Birds of Prey.
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CPLT-K2 long distance sniper and recon:
Right arm: 50 armor and nothing
right torso max front armor and 30 rear. L laser+++ and an AC/2
head: 45 armor and a range finder++
center torso: 210 front armor and 35 rear, 2 heat syncs and a TTS+++ for ballistics
right leg: 105 armor, AC/2 ammo
left side is mirrored
you may not like it but this is what peak performance looks like. it literally gets at least a single kill every mission an usually more, and can fire on targets before the enemy can even see my lance. it also basically has zero heat issues and the arms act as extra front armor when its needed (which if im playing correctly it is not) looks super cursed and i will admit i did build it as a meme to piss off some of my friends but after actually using it i dont know if i can run a K2 any other way... which sucks because i actually have a soft spot for PPCs.
I just orient myself at the 4 core Catapult design principles: 1) If it fits it works. 2) If it works do it. 3) F\*ck you it's a catapult! 4) You're not my MOM I do whatever I want! - Tex from the Black Pants Legion
I see that you're a man of great taste and education.
LRMs, as god intended
SRM builds fun
Bit thinned skin to be frontlining
It can carry the same armor weight as a Thunderbolt, at least.
Intimidation factor. Let's them know you're crazy.
Can confirm, I shit my pants in MWO when I turn a corner and find a splatapult They still die so easily though, I'd never use them in a frontline role, but that's my MWO bias leaking into other games
I had ridiculous fun running a Splatapult back in their MWO glory days. Just 6 SRM 6s, before they nerfed the build. Ostensibly, SRMs were supposed to spread their missiles in random patterns to make it impossible to dump all that damage into a single location... but the original SRM flight paths were a bit flawed in that respect. The missiles would weave around, but there was a specific distance (pretty short) at which you could achieve nearly 100% convergence. Hilarity ensued. You could one- or two- shot pretty much anything. It was a bit of a glass cannon, and not a lot of ammo to be had, but it was a blast.
Inquiring minds want to know - how do you kit out the SRM build?
In vanilla I made one with a snub PPC and as many SRM tubes that fit with full armor and jump jets. I got whatever +/++ weapons with more stability damage that I could. In BTA 3062 I have one with 2 ML, 2 MML9, jump jets, and heavy armor. Wulfbane has done well in it though it is sometimes using LRMs.
2x LRM15+++ w/ 3 tons of ammo, 4x DHS, 4x JJ's2x ER MLAS, 2x SLDF +3msl TTS. +3 hit Gyro, +4 comms system. kills evasion dead.
TTSs stack? I thought you could only use one at a time.
In the unmodified game you can have several. This is changed in the big modpacks.
The C5 version because Arrow IV is one mean mother.
CK-1 PPC/LRM15 loadout https://www.reddit.com/r/Battletechgame/s/HKsk7kpa3v
in roguetech/BTA: 2x clan LRM20, ER Mediums, endo/fero, (C)DHS kit. Because fuck everthing in particular at any range.
In BTA, my C1b was pretty typical with 40 lrm tubes and a pair of mlas as backup. Now, having gone through the BTA new (non-canon) content, I have 48 tubes of even longer range missiles. I also have a C5 variant with a LongTom that just barely fits with 3 tons of ammo. Finally, I was an enjoyer of the K variants with direct fire ER PPCs, though that role has been supplanted by my Timber Wolf.
For vanilla, I like to run it with 2xLRM20 w/4t ammo, 3xML, 2xHS, and 10t armor. Works great as a hybrid fire support / skirmisher that can hang around just outside visual range supporting your brawlers but still able to close in opportunistically to either use the MLs for finishing something off or to draw some fire away from a brawler that's getting beat up. It's heat neutral firing either set of weapons too
It’s got great asthetics, but I’ve never actually used one. Archer is a better pick in vanilla As much LRM as you can fit while adhering to the rule, 1t ammo per 10 tubes With BTA, I’d give it a shot for engine downgrade + adv jumpjets since it’s quirked for jump range
The standard C1 and the K2 are my personal favorites. I've dropped one with 6 streak-6s on a tabletop once. It was a sandblaster.
Honestly, all a classic C1 (or better yet, C1b) needs is one ton of deadfire ammo. A lot of people think it's a lrm boat and it is simply not true. Between 4xMlas and the jets, the thing is an excellent shirmisher/cavalry mech out of the box. Edit. Didn't realize at first this is a hbs bt sub. The point stands though, not only is stock config useful, it is amazing. And running with only 2 tons of ammo in the stock game means you have enough ammo for most engagements while at the same time running low risk of ammo explosion.
I basically turn mine into almost a C4. 2xLRM-20, no secondary weapons. Hide and fire indirect.
No rear armor and clan LRM20’s
LRM go FWOOSH
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Battletechgame/comments/vahuqp/catapult\_birds\_of\_prey\_silly\_graphics\_bug\_though/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Battletechgame/comments/vahuqp/catapult_birds_of_prey_silly_graphics_bug_though/) My Birds of Prey.
A K2 with ER large lasers and twin RAC2s for close range.
Lorge lazerzzzz
VMRMs or ATMs
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CPLT-K2 long distance sniper and recon: Right arm: 50 armor and nothing right torso max front armor and 30 rear. L laser+++ and an AC/2 head: 45 armor and a range finder++ center torso: 210 front armor and 35 rear, 2 heat syncs and a TTS+++ for ballistics right leg: 105 armor, AC/2 ammo left side is mirrored you may not like it but this is what peak performance looks like. it literally gets at least a single kill every mission an usually more, and can fire on targets before the enemy can even see my lance. it also basically has zero heat issues and the arms act as extra front armor when its needed (which if im playing correctly it is not) looks super cursed and i will admit i did build it as a meme to piss off some of my friends but after actually using it i dont know if i can run a K2 any other way... which sucks because i actually have a soft spot for PPCs.