21 replies to this topic

[Vermin]

any ideas? the ECM suite on the 3L seems great for cover, sure. But i'm thinking of picking something cheap up in the light category. any idea's?

anyway is 4x worth it? or should i just get the 5 mill?

[FrostCollar]

The 4X was the first mech I bought and it's a terrible choice. It's crippled by a lack of effective hardpoints and a low engine cap.
If you want to have fun, you have some options:

• Put a gauss rifle in and snipe
  
• Put an AC20 in there
  
• Put 2 AC/2s in there
  
• And more!

However, none of these builds are truly effective.

If you're looking for a "viable" build, you can put an SRM 6 in the missile slot and some MPLs or other energy weapons in the arm. That's about as effective as I've been able to make it. Still, you won't do very well.

If you're dying to pick up a cheap Raven, take the 2X. Still though, the 2X is pretty poor. The 3L is pretty indisputably the most powerful light in the game right now, but not for the right reasons. Keep that in mind.

I think that money would be better spent saving up for a different mech than the 4X. Be warned however that the prices of light mechs are misleading. You'll need new XL engines for them and double heat sinks for them to function the best, and those costs stack up.

Edited by FrostCollar, 25 February 2013 - 04:19 PM.

[Vermin]

well, im currently in a cataphract 4x, my first was catapult k2 (which i hated and sold, but miss greatly and end up using the stock one all the time go figure...)

i just want to try something with a bit more speed jump jets and some firepower

actually if anyone knows a light mech that can be configured as a puma (2 er ppcs, endosteel, double heat sinks and no jets.) let me know

[Xiphias]

Vermin, on 25 February 2013 - 05:50 PM, said:

well, im currently in a cataphract 4x, my first was catapult k2 (which i hated and sold, but miss greatly and end up using the stock one all the time go figure...)

i just want to try something with a bit more speed jump jets and some firepower

actually if anyone knows a light mech that can be configured as a puma (2 er ppcs, endosteel, double heat sinks and no jets.) let me know

In my experience the Cicada works best as the puma. You can either go with the 3M and get ECM or go with the 2A no ECM but arm mounted weapons.

Example:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...d1dbb5b66ee72ac

It's going to run hot with that configuration but you can always drop the engine size to get more heatsinks. It should give you a starting point to work from.

Also, yes the 4X is not worth it unless you are grinding to get the 3L to elite/master.

Edit: Typo, and fixed link

Edited by Xiphias, 25 February 2013 - 06:11 PM.

[Spheroid]

Do not buy this mech!! You will regret it

[Vermin]

3m eh? ill look at it

[Vermin]

bought the 3M and now i get to tinker, i like its mobility and need to practice at it, yes i know its slow for a light mech but that's fine, after all i usually use cataphract

[Azjariel]

i use the 4x as my standard raven, and i love it. i have an ac5, a medium pulse and regular, and a streak 2. i find it has good firepower, good maneuverability to get behind larger mechs and punch holes in their rear armor with my ac5, as well has good medium and close range combat. i also have little to no need for heatsinks because the only way i can overheat if if im holding all my weapons down sitting behind a stalker that is ignoring me. i also have an xl and double heatsinks, as well as ferro fibrous and improved chassis weight. im also holding down over 200 points of armor, and as an all around mech it works great. isnt the single best at any one role, but you can scout, snipe, brawl ( carefully) and chase down other lights pretty well.

[JediPanther]

I run it pretty much close to stock except for an xl235 for speed. I like using ballistics every so often so it's nice to swap out lasers and missiles for a big bang. I don't have the other ravens or speed tweak so it is my just for fun raven.

[Dogan]

Azjariel, on 26 February 2013 - 03:15 PM, said:

i use the 4x as my standard raven, and i love it. i have an ac5, a medium pulse and regular, and a streak 2. i find it has good firepower, good maneuverability to get behind larger mechs and punch holes in their rear armor with my ac5, as well has good medium and close range combat. i also have little to no need for heatsinks because the only way i can overheat if if im holding all my weapons down sitting behind a stalker that is ignoring me. i also have an xl and double heatsinks, as well as ferro fibrous and improved chassis weight. im also holding down over 200 points of armor, and as an all around mech it works great. isnt the single best at any one role, but you can scout, snipe, brawl ( carefully) and chase down other lights pretty well.

Throw enough cash at something and you can make it work.

I have a 4X and a 3L, I really really wanted jumpjets on a Raven, rarely do I get to use them for any sort of advantage over just being faster. I ran an AC-2, 2x MPL, SRM build for a while and it was entertaining then ECM came out and I felt robbed of any utility outside of direct fire roles. It was bad enough that I was getting mauled by Jenners and Commandos lagshielding, but now I couldn't even contribute to the team as a BAP spotter. So I got a 3L

Loving that 3L, currently setup as an ECM counter with a PPC and 2x SSRM2's. I revel in the notion that I am canceling out the thing that has irritated me since its introduction, shoving a few missiles up their exhaust in return and reporting all this back to my team for LRM's. Only thing that could make this game better for me is the return of collisions, Light pilots have really gotten loose with their piloting, i'd like to see some consequences for running around like a jackass.

I'm sure I can make the 4X useful again, but its gonna take cash to get all the upgrades and at that point...

Dogan
I'd rather buy a Hellbringer

[Aethos]

with the machine gun/jump jet boost its actually kind of fun to play again. I run 1 ERLG, 1 ML, SSRM2, 2 MGs, AMS, and the xl245. It's no where near as survivable as my decked out 3L, but it is great for training as a light pilot. When you can master something this weak, you become 2x as effective in the 3L.

Edited by Aethos, 26 February 2013 - 11:26 PM.

[Johnny Reb]

I only had the 4x and his other friend to max them before I could get rid of them. Like the other variants of the ecm spider I think they are garbage!

[Broceratops]

now that you dont have weight matching, ac20 raven flies again!

[Gothbloodman]

The first questions is... what do you want to do with it? Scout? Harassing? Damage? Other?

From what everyeone else said, it is not a great mech, overall.

But, I know I almost bought one just to try the AC20 trick. Then YLW went on sale a few weeks ago, and I went that direction instead!

[Puppeteerxerxes]

I'm currently grinding out master in the 4x, and I echo what the other guys are telling you - this chassis has major issues. The MG buff didn't help the 2 ballistic slots nearly enough.

I use it now with 245xl, 2 MPL, and SRM6. Not very imaginative, but it can put out respectable damage if you can live. Against heavies and assaults doing strafing runs works well - the SRM 6 spits the missiles out fast and tight.

For survivability I'd advise running away from Jenners and 3L's. Jenners are most scary, with 3L's they'll follow you anywhere, I usually try to lose them in places that you can't jump out of - the water in River city, or drop below the upper base then jump back up to get away. I seem to do ok against the commando's and spiders.

You can also be the ultimate bait if you have friendlies that can handle lights. I haven't met a light pilot yet that doesn't think I'm an easy, slow target. It certainly makes for exciting matches, if not long ones.

[Aethos]

I think I've found a solution. For me. Since the majority of the time I play on my 3L because its a cheese build and uberlite, on my 4x i've tried to figure out how to counter other ecm lights. Here's what I've created and recently tested to extremely good results.

RVN-4x

XL245
FF/Endo
10 DHS

ER PPC
TAG
SSRM2
2 MACHINE GUNS
4 JUMP JETS

dropped 6 pts out of the head slot because I never get headshotted. The xl245 helps keep this thing fast which is a lights only chance of survivability. I've learned to use TAG as much as possible now when scouting as well as when trying to break ECM as well as get faster lock ons from streaks. This is where the ERPPC comes in. Learning to love this thing. Not only will it punch a massive hole in the back of that 3L your chasing, but it will disable their ECM temporarily. Good, now my streaks are locked on and im just chain firing the machine guns in case of a lucky crit, because lets be honest, all lights have almost zero back protection. Did I mention the Jumps Jets? Oh yes, with 4/5 JJ i get some serious maneuverability to something that had none usually when doing the circle dance with other lights, because lets face it, that 3L doing 150Kph is going to out circle you everytime, but now i can turn around and PPC them in the leg or LT and maybe destroy the ECM.

It's still no where near as fun as my 3L to play, but thats because the 3L is faster, more survivability, more firepower, and more maneuverable....but this is becoming a fun mech to play to hunt down cheesebuild ECMs while i get this to elite. If only you could shove a xl295 in this.

[p00k]

no 4x build will ever beat the standard 3L build unless there's a massive skill disparity. your best bet quite honestly is to make it some sort of baby poptart or harassment sniper, and hope no 3L or decent jenner comes after you

a few unsatisfying options - xl245, double large lasers and a streak2 is ok. you can actually cram double erppc's with 2 jumpjets and an xl245, will be a bit on the warm side though. 2 med pulse and an srm6 will work. you can also make a pseudo-urbie/hollander if you downsize the engine a bit

[liku]

On my way to elite...i had to go for this chassis...slow...hot... swapped for 2 ppc endo ff and xl 210..but not good.
I dont want to dhs it... then i tried the ac20....
Now my damages are between 280-380 from 0 to 100.
Xl210
Ff
Endo
Ac20
2 ton ammo
2 slas
2 hs.

The issue is that
1 you are limited for the engine rating.
2 all engines under 250 require at least 1 hs..
And you really need that tonnage back when you use ballistics.


The only place i can fit is harassing and scouting

[Fiachdubh]

I love my 4X. I have had more 3 and 4 kill games with it than any of my Hunchies and in far less games.

2 Medium Pulse Lasers
2 Machine Guns
1 SRM 6

Biggest standard engine can fit (97 kph with no tweaks) with max armour and jump jets.

My favourite mech (compared with 3l, HBKs 4G, J and SP). It is a quick sneak strike mech against larger undamaged opponents and a vicious oppertunistic killer against any damaged foe.

Edited by Fiachdubh, 05 March 2013 - 03:41 PM.

[FrostCollar]

Fiachdubh, on 05 March 2013 - 03:38 PM, said:

I love my 4X. I have had more 3 and 4 kill games with it than any of my Hunchies and in far less games.

2 Medium Pulse Lasers
2 Machine Guns
1 SRM 6

Biggest standard engine can fit (97 kph with no tweaks) with max armour and jump jets.

My favourite mech (compared with 3l, HBKs 4G, J and SP). It is a quick sneak strike mech against larger undamaged opponents and a vicious oppertunistic killer against any damaged foe.

Hats off to you, but does the normal engine give you that large an advantage? If you switched to an XL you could go around 124 kph IIRC (probably off, but ballpark) and have that same loadout.