This is basically how it is now: Grinders vs other MAXs (at close range ~5m), Mattocks (probably with slugs) most everywhere else.
The Mattock's ability to be decent at midrange makes it a must have for any serious NC MAX user (as are Hacksaws and Grinders). Lately, I've been using slugs with my dual Mattocks. Seems to work quite well. It's supposed to increases my accuracy at both short and mid ranges. Seems to. I do kill with less shots; especially, if I land headshots. I plan to try slugs with the other shotguns to see how they compare. Anyone know some data on how each gun performs with and without slugs? What gun is best with slugs? When is it most feesable?
All slugs perform the same on the NC MAX Only difference which remains while using slugs is accuracy+projectile speed. Mattocks is the only gun worth getting slugs for, and perhaps the stock free scattercannon as well.
What about the same figures with slug ammo ? I heard most MAX players use it to increase effective range. I tried it yesterday night and yes it is actually quite effective !
This is what I assumed. My PC is too slow for me to do a proper test to see how shots land on a wall, but I figured the slug cone is the same as the 00 shot. Meaning... if the Mattock's default spread is 2.5m, the slug will land within the same radius. Again, I don't know if this is true. All I know for sure is slugs don't hurt the Mattocks with regard to killin' badguys in cqc. They do seem to be more accurate overall, and kill faster. Yet, they do make hitting moving targets much harder at longer ranges. So, I unequip them when I'm outdoors
Mattocks/scattercannons are more accurate then the rest. Slugs use the same accuracy at the pellets. If you want to hit at long range in a NC max you need to stop moving completely, and crouch, then you just need to pray.
Slugs are a strange thing, they lower the damage per shot (and therefore damage per second) of the weapon over pellets. But they then frontload their damage into one ball. So basically at any range where you're going to miss with some pellets, yet still have a reasonable chance of hitting with effectively A single hard hitting pellet, they are better. But they are very much more hit and miss than pellets (more damage will likely hit when they hit, but more damage will likely miss when they miss), and as you say at certain ranges pellets do seem to become the viable option again (because you're more likely to land some damage with each shot).... at least with the smaller spread weapons (not so sure about Grinder/Hacksaws). So stangely it seems to go something like pellets > slugs > pellets range-wise. But over all as unfortunately MAX can't change on the fly, slugs with mattocks seems the best all around options, unless you know you are going to be fighting MAX or only in very close range, in which case pellet Grinders.
The drawback of shotguns, as NC players are constantly pointing out, is the short range. Shotgun range is mostly dependent, in this game, on the pellet spread. So whichever shotgun has the lowest pellet spread has the longest range, and therefore will be the most useful against targets in a wider area. The Mattock has the lowest spread, therefore it should be the best gun. Same thing with the jackhammer, that 2.5 spread beats all the NS (ES skinned) shotguns. Mattock has that same 2.5.
And yet, having the shield totally changes the fight. Dump as much spike damage as you can, flick the shield up whilst you reload, dump damage again. TTK might be higher, but your incoming damage is less. imo, I would say all the shotguns are fairly similar in terms of what they offer. And they all offer not-a-lot until you fully cert them up (500 each) ...and maybe add slugs (200 each). I think "best" really is just defining the variety in the last 2%, the other 98% is pretty much the same whatever you got.
I really do need to get my hands on the slugs to run some tests. I don't know how often they'll hit, and I'll need to fire some test shots to figure that out, which I may or may not do soon. I don't get to play often right now since mid-terms are approaching.
oh yeah, i agree there, we should definitely keep putting up a fight, and we can win some 1v1 max fights, our max isn't useless, but i don't think we should stop asking for our CqC fearfactor back, because thats what we need, VS and TR can keep their ZoEs and Frac maxes and dominate the further ranges, i just want my 10m dominance back! its wrong that TR and VS no longer feel an icy chill when an NC max comes around the corner next to them, they don't even bother distancing themselves anymore because the odd are now on their side at any range.
ok Nice statistics but compare them whit the TR and VS max . I think the Mattack wil under preform by far
Chewy102 already ran that math, and includes a really nice level of detail here: https://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/index.php?threads/max-balance-part-4-everything-ai.139234/
People talk about fractures, blimey we came up again these beasts, 2 maxes, shield and matlocks, slaughter house...
Chewy102 already ran that math with a good level of detail here: https://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/index.php?threads/max-balance-part-4-everything-ai.139234/ As you can see from his data, the NC max under-performs with every weapon, at almost every range. With the exception of the grinder in 5m. you might want to look at that data too, literally every weapon your max has is superior outside of 5m.
Yeah I'm pretty bad, which is what made my results with the mattock so surprising. I particularly enjoy this game because while I may be pretty bad, my squad mates aren't and I can lead them and play the game of tactics while supporting my teammates rather than simply being a burden on the battlefield. But that's rather irrelevant to the current topic.
Hacksaws were just fine before the range nerf, before the magazine size nerf, before the number of pellet nerf. That was when everyone raved about them. Now they are just plain useless. I still use for point defense or door defense where i know everything is in my face. Otherwise i go mattocks with occassionally slugs.
This is unfortunately very true. Often if I see an enemy MAX they run straight at my MAX. TR MAX will try to stay around 15m, while VS will run right up to the 5m range fearlessly. Sadly, Ive been out DPS by a VS MAX using Nebulas at 5m... If you play the NC MAX really well to its strengths you can do fairly well. I just hope SOE gives us our CQC edge back. If we suck at range we better be damn good at close range to make up for that. I suggest doubling our magazine size. Another thing to consider, most of the NC MAX nerfs were before the buffs for all MAXs against small arms fire. It was the MAX vs MAX dominance for NC before those buffs that was angering TR/VS. So I think its time for SOE to reconsider those nerfs. If the NC MAX has decent performance stats at all these days its from users only pulling them in their rare niche situations while I see TR MAXs foot slogging through open fields.
