30 replies to this topic

[W00DSTER]

locust or go home

[greywolf79]

Thank you all for the info... I am still torn, not sure which way to go for the lights. After trying the trial mech for the Nova Prime - I am thinking I don't like the way it moves. It felt slow compared to my Cataphract 1X which only moves at 70 kph versus the Nova at 81 kph. I am considering the KitFox still (need to try it out and see how it moves) and I am considering the Jenner (even with no ECM) and the FireStarter - seems very popular but I don't like going with the crowd...

[Eldane]

I'm a Huggin, Anansi(I don't own one yet), and my Adders away from Mastering every light in the game, so, I ask you do you want versatile mechs, or do you want mechs that are basically the same thing?

There are benefits to both.

One thing to consider if you decide to try Jenners as well as Firestarters, avoid the XL 300 and get a 295, you'll save yourself a boat load of cbills since it fits in both mechs nicely.

I have 4 XL 295's and it does almost everything the 300 does, it fits in more mechs, but you lose the heat sink slot in the engine.

Edited by Eldane, 27 August 2014 - 04:22 PM.

[Ken Burkhart]

Yeah, I bought my first(and only) XL300 before the firestarters came out, so I didn't know about that issue.

I'm on board with most of the posts here, as a primarily light pilot. The ECM spider is the only one that technically fits your original requirements. It gets ECM, just about full armor, and with a pair of JJs, ENDO and FERRO and XL255 engine, you get 7 tons of weapons. I usually use that for one ERLarge and 2 Meds, I've seen the single PPC or ERPPC which is fun too, as is a single Large Pulse, though those aren't usually as "serious" depending on the pilot and team. I've also seen 3 Med Pulses(I assume an extra DHS as well). I think that kind of limits your range, which is why I like the ERL and 2Med build best.

Other mechs, as mentioned above come close. The Jenner-F gets 6 med lasers for a nice 30point alpha if it all hits. I've run it with a pair of ERLarges too with great success because of the nice range. I've also run it with ERPPC + 3Meds with varying success. You could go with a smaller XL255 engine and 1 ton less of either armor of JJs and fit 2 PPC(ER) as well, though it will likely be too hot to truly be useful.

The best crit seeker in lights has to be the meta-ember, with 4Meds and 4 Machine Guns. You can still get the XL295 and pair of JJs too. If you want kills, run this, and jump into the brawl as red spots start appearing and you'll get tons of kills due to the crit-seeking MGs.

The key to lights is just to remember you want to shoot as much and often as possible, but only when nothing is able to shoot you. To this end, you keep moving, and don't close unless you have either a nice back shot or other mates with you, especially bigger ones. This way, the guys with armor take the shots and you don't, while both you and them are putting out damage. Also, if you are moving around between everybody at 150KPH, it is less likely you would get focussed on, as long as there is something bigger and slower to shoot at instead of you. But the moment you overheat or stop, you suddenly become a bullet magnet because everyone wants to kill you, but are waiting for the opportunity so as not to waste ammo, etc... Don't give them opportunity.

[InspectorG]

If you want to learn something 'easier' use a Jenner or a Firestarter.

If you learn better 'under pressure' use a locust.(maybe even a commando)

Many good pilots say that lights and assaults are the hard classes to learn. Positioning is everything with them.

Get in a bad position with an assault and you likely cant get out. Get in a bad position in a light and likely you die.

[Soulscour]

In the current LRMfest that is mechwarrior, I'd go with spiders, the ECM spider is full of win if you're a good pilot with good judgement

[Flu-Epidemic]

I started with the Spider 5D, pretty much my favourite and have been using them to win Challenges cos most of the time, the queue counter states that lights are faster to drop in. Back on topic, the Spider is a fun light to pilot, just smack in a XL engine and either a ER LL or ER PPC and your good to go with the ECM! works best with 2 ECM mechs (including yours); i normally have the Counter mode on if the other ECM is actively shielding.

[MasterBLB]

greywolf79, on 23 August 2014 - 10:52 AM, said:

(...)
What I am looking for is this -

Fast (over 90kph - preferably over 110)
Jump (I might drop the jump to 1-2 jets but I want the ability to put at least 4+, maybe not all 3 need this but the model with ECM must jump)
energy weapons (I prefer them, they are hotter but have no ammo dependancy and also have no big explosions when I am hot)
AMS (nice but not required)
ECM (at least 1 of the designs in the light class has to have this along with the jump)
Can fire everything in 2 groups (I do not want ERPPC and Med. Lasers and LRMs - this needs 3 groups - but Med. Lasers and LRMs or Med. Lasers and ERPPC etc are fine)

Would be nice -
Missiles with energy weapons
Good armor (for its size)
Not overly expensive

Spiders - ECM model has JJs,but no missiles.Low energy hardpoints,but jumps very well and it is really durable thanks to bugged hitboxes.30t weight.
Ravens - 3L with ECM and missiles but has no JJs.Other than 3L models are quite weak.Leveling may require to obtain Hero mech Huginn
Jenners - JJs,missiles,biggest engine possible among lights,but no ECM.
Firestarters - in short,slightly better Jenners.No missile hardpoints,can have more energy weapons and carry ballistics.
Kitfox (clan) - can have all stuff desired,but it's insanely slow for a light mech - just 106.9 kph with speed tweak,while IS lights can run over 142 km/h easily.And it weights only 30t.

[xMintaka]

If you're dead set on a jumping ECM mech, you need the Spider.

However I'd suggest something without ECM as your first light. Something like a Locust, Jenner or Firestarter. They (the Locust in particular) will teach you the requisite sneaky-skills for doing well in sub-40 ton mechs far quicker than ECM mechs.

If you find you enjoy the sneaky, long range side of light mech'ing, then look into getting a Raven-3L or Spider-5D but I maintain that it's best to learn without ECM so you don't end up relying on ECM to be sneaky.

[Dagada Moor]

Spider is the way to go. Get an Anansi. It has 2 lasers 2 ballistics and 1 missile pack. It has no ECM though. I ran 1 ER Laser, 1Medium, and Srm4 till speed tweek with XL255. Then I went XL270, WOW 160 in a Spider with 5JJ With 2 medium lasers and Srm6. Damage has been stupid since Mastering it. You could also start with the 5 D with ECM till you get used to piloting them.

Now I love my 3 M Locust. You really have to have a "run down the hill with your hair on fire mentality". You can run it with XL 180, 4 Medium lasers and 2 Anti Missiles for support or 5Medium lasers for a 25 point alpha and XL190 at a whooping speed of 169. Some run 1E with 6 small lasers but that is a death wish.

I love them both. Nothing like killing 2 Atlases on Caustic for the win in a locust.

Firestarters have no ECM but are the best brawler lights. Yes, I know this will bug some Jenner pilots but it is true. If you can get the Ember due. The S and H would finish my 3 choices.

Good luck and remember once you go light you never go back LOL.

[Tim East]

I run a Locust 3M build with 5SPLs. Everyone says it is bad, and should feel bad, and that MLs are better than SPLs, but I still get pretty good numbers most of the time with it. In fact, it has my best numbers out of any mech that I have played more than 50 matches with in terms of both win/loss and k/d, though for raw XP gain, my Com 2D beats it out by quite a bit. You just need a sort of measured recklessness to drive a Locust. Don't be afraid; accept the fact that you will die when someone on the other team gets a good shot off, don't stop moving; they'll get it sooner if you do, don't move in a straight line, ever. Go fast and die hard.