11 replies to this topic

[Randomfist]

Just want some opinions here. What does everyone think the best hero light mech is and do you think it's worth the investment?

[Helsbane]

Personally, I'd go Ember. It's the only Hero mech I've considered purchasing, and I've seen it used to devastating effect. Also, it's one of the most affordable Heroes and I'm on a tight budget.

[Not Bob]

Ember is the best in my opinion as well. It works as a really great brawler, and component destroyer with the 4 MGs.

The Oxide can do well but it can be shut down by 2 ECM mechs (If you're running the streak build). The biggest limitation on this mech is the fact it *only* has missile hardpoints. Also, it has the problem of a gigantic CT (like all the other Jenners).

The Death's Knell can be a good mech, but its a commando, so it just seems really really squishy. A good point on this guy is that it can go 171KPH, making it the fastest hero light.

The Hugin... I guess it could be go, but it just doesn't work. I've not seen anyone do really well in it, and it can only have basaltic and missile slots.



I would say the Ember is totally worth the investment, and the Oxide can be worth the investment if you do well in lights.

Edited by Not Bob, 18 April 2014 - 05:33 PM.

[Fang01]

They all offer VERY different things, so the notion of best is highly dependent on your individual skill level and combat preferences.

TDK is the fastest. Hands down. If the locust 3m is something you enjoy this is your baby

Oxide is ammo limited but can make for an excellent light/medium hunter

Ember is a facewrecker, if you're into circle strafing assaults with a spider 5k this is for you

Huginn is also a facewrecker (and if you have a friend who bought one I'd cert consider buying the other as they are highly complimentary) Ammo limited but it literally wont overheat in an srm configuration and you can easily carry enough ammo for four digit damage scores (proven. have screens)

TDK and Oxide both occasionally show up on discount, The others are still a bit new

P.S. Bob, TDK goes 171

Edited by Khajja nar Jatargk, 18 April 2014 - 04:52 PM.

[Not Bob]

Thanks for the catch on the TDK, I forgot since I run with a slightly lower than max engine, lol

[Mad Porthos]

I could have sworn I saw this exact topic from someone else, 4 hours ago... weird.

Best hero mech, Ember, the hero firestarter.

Death's Knell is ok, as the fastest mech in the game 171kph, with 4 medium lasers, but that's about it.

The Huginn, Raven Hero mech is very niche. It's got 4 ballistic slots, but really only can use them for machine guns or some rare ac2 builds. One problem with a light who has machine guns is that they must keep facing the enemy to use them, keeping them on target. This tends to make them very very vulnerable to the return damage to thier CT and cockpit, as well as everything else. Too much time on target required. The Huginn can try to get away from this by running either 2xsrm6, or 2xssrm2, or something else, but the issue still comes down to those other weapons not being able to open the enemy up well enough to allow the use of the 4 machine guns. Perhaps if SRM become better, the proper use of the Huginn will be multiple passes with SRM6x2 until armor drops off and they are exposed, then rush in with the machine gunx4... but that time is not here yet, the SRMs are not really doing all that well in getting ANY armor off. That just leaves things like range for the Huginn, perhaps a build like 2xac2 and 2xsrm2. The ac2 for range, then the srm2 for annoyance up close.

The Oxide, like the Huginn is gimped by it's build forcing the issue... only it's even worse off than the Huginn, having only missile hardpoints. Generally, it's taken with a Beagle Active Probe and 3 or 4 streak srm2's. It can do great amounts of unfocused damage if you give it 4 tons of ammo to work with, but kills are rarer than you'd think given the damage. It is so unfocused (spreading all over) that the only real targets you stand a good chance of killing are other lights and severely damaged brawlers.You work more or less as a vulture, in an Oxide. Not that it's much better, but I rather enjoyed 2xsrm4 and 2xsrm6 on an Oxide as well, gave more of a sense of being able to target, plus was more efficient with ammo, when I was willing to chain fire. Either the above, or 4xsrm4 might be a viable alternative to streaking, with a decent amount of ammo in an Oxide.

[Dan Nashe]

Ember is the "best" if by best you mean power level/effectiveness in combat.
Oxide *may* be the best for a new pilot because you will probably do a lot of damage after you get artemis and BAP and 4 SSRM2 on it. A lot of that damage is kind of wasted, but you'll post high numbers. But if you want to join the best units in the game, you'll have to master the ember :-).

It's the ONLY light hero that is a competitive mech.
The only light hero that's in the top TWO tiers of light mechs.

Which runs something like (power level/effectiveness):
Tier 1 (best): Jenner F, Jenner D, Ember
Tier 2 (situational/useful): Raven 3L, Every other Firestarter, Spider-5D, Oxide in Specific situations
Tier 3-5 lark mechs: all other lights, including the Huggie and The Death Knell.

Which light hero is the most fun?
Debatable.
Which is the best? Ember, hands down. Easily.

You will average more damage in a 4 SSRM2 Oxide as a newer player because streaks are easier to hit with, although you have to do a lot more damage with them to kill a mech. If an ember has to do 100 to kill a mech, the Oxide will have to do 300. (But it can). .
But the ember is a better mech.
The Oxide may be better for a new player.

/editted because I forgot the Oxide, which can't JUMP.
For sheer fun factor, I would vote Ember because I LOVE jump jets. They are fun.

Edited by DanNashe, 18 April 2014 - 05:56 PM.

[Athomahawk]

Mad Porthos, on 18 April 2014 - 05:44 PM, said:

The Oxide, like the Huginn is gimped by it's build forcing the issue... only it's even worse off than the Huginn, having only missile hardpoints. Generally, it's taken with a Beagle Active Probe and 3 or 4 streak srm2's. It can do great amounts of unfocused damage if you give it 4 tons of ammo to work with, but kills are rarer than you'd think given the damage. It is so unfocused (spreading all over) that the only real targets you stand a good chance of killing are other lights and severely damaged brawlers.You work more or less as a vulture, in an Oxide. Not that it's much better, but I rather enjoyed 2xsrm4 and 2xsrm6 on an Oxide as well, gave more of a sense of being able to target, plus was more efficient with ammo, when I was willing to chain fire. Either the above, or 4xsrm4 might be a viable alternative to streaking, with a decent amount of ammo in an Oxide.

3xssrm + srm6 could work alright

[Ertur]

I've got the Ember, TDK, and Oxide; I like all three. However, I would rank them in the order that I listed them.

[focuspark]

I love my COM-TDK. It can be a monster - it's actually my best DPM (damage per match) chassis. You can see some of my (older) matches in my TDK here: https://www.youtube....ocuspark/videos

[Dagada Moor]

The Ember hands down. It is perfect, max engine, max armour and 5jj. 4medium lasers and4MGs. I fear no light in it. I actually don't fear anything in it. It is that good.

[Durandal]

Can't argue with that, the Ember is a nasty mech, although I actually prefer my JR7-F's control most of the time. Like others, I'd mention that a mastered Oxide, in the hands of a good player, is a nasty piece of hardware though...one of the most effective counter light mechs thanks to the SRM changes in the last patch IMO. However, I still prioritize Jenner F/D and Ember pilots first, especially if there's a double ECM nearby to help keep those SSRMs from launching.

Huginn, honestly, is one of those mechs where I sort of blink whenever I see it in my Jenner F. I can see all the points at which it could theoretically have potential...but they suffer the tradeoff of damage vs speed in a nasty way, in that the ones who can hit hard generally can't break 100 KPH in my experience. Since they have no ECM, they don't act well as stealth operators, and ravens in general are not a mech I fear when I step into a Jenner, so they tend to die quickly.

TDK...yeah, it's fast, but I have, and will never fear a Commando. While TDK can outrun anyone, it's also going to be outclassed by most of the other light chassis in terms of firepower, and I've yet to face one in a match that didn't get shredded fast (granted, I could have just gone against bad players, don't think I've seen focuspark's TDK). Unlike the COM-D, it has no ECM to give it scout utility, and while it can really move, your Ember/JR7 players are generally going to tear it to shreds in my experience.