The AC/2 and AC/5 are either for shooting down aerospace fighters, or for slinging out damage while sinking heat. As such, the Ultra versions of those two weapons are pretty worthless. Ultra ACs only have a 42% chance to actually hit with both shots.
The Ultra AC/2 has an average damage of 2.8 when double-fired. Combined with the -4 to hit for long range, it lacks the punch to take down any LRM boat at long range. So even in the unlikely event that you can stay out of LRM range, you can't take advantage of that situation. You're better off single firing and conserving ammo, at which point you get no advantage over the standard AC/2. Employed against aerospace fighters, you're just looking to hit and possibly cause the pilot to lose control.
Moving up to an AC/5 puts you at LRM range. Your damage comes in clumps of 5, and is not subject to scatter. Double-firing puts your average damage at 7.1. For comparison, the average damage of an LRM 10 is 8.7. The LRM is lighter, and though it consumes more heat, it can still be fired without needing additional heat sinks. Furthermore, an LRM 10 can be indirect-fired. Compared to a PPC, the Ultra AC/5 is at an even more pronounced disadvantage. The Ultra AC/5 does have a range advantage, and the PPC is a heat hog, but the PPC still shoots far enough to be a long-range weapon. Generally speaking, like with the AC/2 vs the LRM rack, the range on an AC/5 or LRM lets you get one volley off before the PPC closes on you. Any standard mech with a PPC can take an Ultra AC/5 without blinking.
What the AC/5 is really for is the Marauder, which doesn't quite have enough heat sinks to run both PPCs. After running the heat up, the Marauder backs off on one PPC and lets you have it with the AC/5. It also gives the Marauder something to fire when it's not quite within PPC range, or that can be employed against LRM boats that are trying to stay out of PPC range. That way, the Marauder can shear off some armor while it moves to engage Catapults and Archers. You also use it to get a free shot on a Warhammer, which is slightly faster and better capable of running dual PPCs.
The small autocannons are for giving big mechs options. If you're looking at them thinking they're your main gun, you've missed the point of the weapon. The autocannon doesn't become a main gun until the AC/10. Now, if you're looking at double-firing one of those, you're just wasting ammo. A 40% chance to hit like an AC/20 is not a good use of the ammo on your main gun. Anything you need to hit with an AC/20 can take an AC/20 hit. A 60% chance to waste ammo on a hit is not a good tradeoff. If you want to hit like an AC/20, pack an AC/20. If that's not an option, throw two medium lasers on. At the range you're planning to use an Ultra AC/10, the medium lasers will probably miss, but that's not any different than double-firing.
The only Ultra AC worth firing is the Ultra AC/20. You blow through ammo like a gang of hookers at a circus seal contest, but landing that 40% chance to hit with both volleys will put any mech in bad shape.
_________________ Buckle your pants or they might fall down.
|