Marauder MAD-3R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Marauder MAD-3R is a 75-ton Heavy 'Mech. One of the more famous mech around, it is the signature 'Mech of The Bounty Hunter.
Description[]
Perhaps one of the best-known ‘Mechs in existence the Marauder makes a worthy opponent on the battlefield. It's no slouch at midrange combat but experienced MechWarriors will hang back at longer ranges to let it’s PPCs and AC5 punish targets from afar.
Stock Loadout[]
Loadouts[]
The MAD-3R is a 75 ton mech that has 24 tons available with full armor or 42 tons with no armor. The Lance Command Mod on its left torso gives a 10% damage reduction against attacks towards your entire lance. In addition the mod also gives a bonus to accuracy on Called Shots.
- The Lance Command Mod does not stack with multiple Marauders in a lance.
Strategy[]
- This 'Mechs Lance Command Mod literally screams its role as a head-hunter covering a heavily armored meat shield with fire. I removed all MLs and replaced one PPC with a Snub PPC. Why? With prolonged long-range shooting, one PPC still has to be turned off anyway, and at closer range Snub PPC does more damage if someone dares to get close to the 'Mech. I replaced AC/5 with AC/10++ and received total damage output of 210 at a distance of 360 meters, and of 110 damage at an average-long distance of 450 meters. At the same time, a pilot with Called Shot mastery annihilates heads with a 35% hit chance. Such covering fire is essential for any lance with a dedicated meat shield.
In the mid-end game most enemies have Bulwark, use cover extensively and have supporting Marauders/Cyclopsi, denying one-shot kills. There are several loadouts that can sustainably overcome that, though.
0. 2*AC/10 with 65 and 70 dmg are out. Both must hit on 40% reduction, that's pure gamble. You can use ER ML+/++ as finishers, but the tonnage won't allow for adequate armor values and heatsinks.
Next consider UACs.
1. 2*UAC/10 & 4*ER ML++ are doing a bit better. You have 4 shots per salvo and would regularly land one hit from each group in the head. Plausible, but still too hot and too close to the enemy.
2. 3*UAC/5+ & 4*ML(++/ER optional) are optimal for the task. With 6 shots per salvo you need to hit twice and follow with 1 hit from the laser barrage, rather easy to pull off. On 20% reduction 2 AC hits or 1 AC & 1 ML++/ER are enough.
3. 3×UAC/2++ are possible for more free tonnage for jumps and armor, but they need ML++/ERs as a backup on 40% reduction and still need to hit 3 times overall on 20%.