84 replies to this topic

[Training Instructor]

I've owned the YLW and Flame, and had contemplated buying the Ilya at one point in the past. My take on Hero mechs is that the Flame and the Ilya were the only ones that were really nice and offered a variety of different useful loadouts that their contemporaries didn't.

The YLW could pack that AC20 in the arm, but its lack of other hardpoints severely limited it overall. The Fang couldn't do anything other Dragons couldn't do. The Death's Knell was simply bait for the Raven 3L and Commando 2D. The Pretty Baby suffers from the same thing the YLW does, which is limited hardpoints, with some of those hardpoints in locations that don't give much flexibility, such as head and CT.

The X5, by comparison, has beautiful symmetrical hardpoints in locations that allow you to do a variety of things with them. *Yes, you can pack two LRM15s on the X5 with a tag and trollllllll* It offers Cicada pilots something every other chassis has, which is SRMs that punch above their weight.

I've been having a blast with this mech, and I think the 3000mc price tag is justified. Now if only you could do something about the horrendous mc pricing of cockpit items.....

*Disclaimer- If you didn't like Cicadas before, don't buy this mech, because you're still probably not going to like them*

[Jonathan Paine]

The X5 is a surprisingly fun mech to pilot, and works well in its load out. Well played PGI:)

[Dr Killinger]

M A L I C E, on 05 March 2013 - 11:39 PM, said:

I was seriously considering buying this until they released the news of their intention to completely unbalance the game with asinine MC only consumables.

Same here. Was ready to drop some cash on the game for the first time since I purchased my Founders pack, but I'm now abstaining.

[El Penguin]

M A L I C E, on 05 March 2013 - 11:39 PM, said:

I was seriously considering buying this until they released the news of their intention to completely unbalance the game with asinine MC only consumables.

Dr Killinger, on 05 March 2013 - 11:49 PM, said:

Same here. Was ready to drop some cash on the game for the first time since I purchased my Founders pack, but I'm now abstaining.

Same story with me as well. Was looking forward to it too

[Martini Henrie]

M A L I C E, on 05 March 2013 - 11:39 PM, said:

I was seriously considering buying this until they released the news of their intention to completely unbalance the game with asinine MC only consumables.

Dr Killinger, on 05 March 2013 - 11:49 PM, said:

Same here. Was ready to drop some cash on the game for the first time since I purchased my Founders pack, but I'm now abstaining.

El Penguin, on 06 March 2013 - 12:18 AM, said:

Same story with me as well. Was looking forward to it too

Ahh, the tears are strong in this thread. We don't care if you are not buying MC because of XYZ, keep that malarkey to its own thread.

This new Hero mech looks like fairly balanced fun, I shall consider purchasing it soon.

[Martini Henrie]

M A L I C E, on 06 March 2013 - 01:50 AM, said:

Ah, the venerable meta-QQ; QQ'ing about others QQ'ing.

That's a good good lad...

Waaaah, Waaaah. Keep to the topic, all the spamming of topics because I can't live with XYZ gets old. There are topics about it for you to whine about those in anyway. QQ meh, I don't care, can't accept a true observation?

Ahhh, thats better. Come on Timmy, your toy box is over here...

[Chrithu]

Agreed. The X-5 is the best Hero Mech thus far in my view for being the first truiely viable one amongst it's siblings. Hence it is the first I bought. I also agree that if you didn't like CDAs before you won't like the X-5 either. It still plays like a CDA. But I shall try that 2x LRM 15 + TAG loadout. I have that on my Phract 2X and it is fun. I just wonder: How much ammo can you pack up?

[Elizander]

Training Instructor, on 05 March 2013 - 11:23 PM, said:

The X5, by comparison, has beautiful symmetrical hardpoints in locations that allow you to do a variety of things with them. *Yes, you can pack two LRM15s on the X5 with a tag and trollllllll* It offers Cicada pilots something every other chassis has, which is SRMs that punch above their weight.

*Disclaimer- If you didn't like Cicadas before, don't buy this mech, because you're still probably not going to like them*

I was hoping that the Awesome Hero would be something like this. 2 energy each arm, 1 energy each side torso, 1 energy head. We got Pretty Baby instead, but the paintjob makes up for the really trashy hardpoints.

EDIT:

For the record, if they release -ANOTHER- Awesome with those hard points I'd still buy it.

Edited by Elizander, 06 March 2013 - 01:57 AM.

[Sifright]

Martini Henrie, on 06 March 2013 - 01:54 AM, said:

Waaaah, Waaaah. Keep to the topic, all the spamming of topics because I can't live with XYZ gets old. There are topics about it for you to whine about those in anyway. QQ meh, I don't care, can't accept a true observation?

Ahhh, thats better. Come on Timmy, your toy box is over here...

I'm in awe sir.

You have achieved Meta-Meta-Meta-Meta-QQ.

but i think....

[Martini Henrie]

Sifright, on 06 March 2013 - 01:57 AM, said:

I'm in awe sir.

You have achieved Meta-Meta-Meta-Meta-QQ.

but i think....

He he he cheers, I feel better now

[Zero Neutral]

M A L I C E, on 05 March 2013 - 11:39 PM, said:

I was seriously considering buying this until they released the news of their intention to completely unbalance the game with asinine MC only consumables.

Thumbs down.

[Flying Judgement]

i thik its a midle cicada defenetly not the best. its the 2A.
srms well its minimum 2ton i would prefer 2 med lassers instead if u want to use it as a cicada and not as a jenner u dont have that mutch options 1st drop the rocets in the rubish its usles lower speed and stronger lassers are the way to go.
its a bit better or the same as my 3C build. it can have 3 module and its a big help

cicadas are extremly strong any way u cat make it wrong

[AlexEss]

Yes it is looking really nice, and it sure can move.

Now i need to wait a few weeks before i get it but i am working on HBK's now any way so it is ok.

[Flying Judgement]

i barely have 30 alpha and a cicada should have near 40
2 lasers are on the cicadas "Shilds" and thats a big disadvantage for 2 srm i need to give up 4-5 crit slot its almost 2 DB Heatsink
for ssrms is 5 ton humm its a Large laser its better u can use it for short or long range.

Edited by Flying Judgement, 06 March 2013 - 02:50 AM.

[Devil Fox]

No back story or history for it's reason to exist... no other mech so far hasn't had one, whether cannon or made up by PGI... still I troll it as a 3L set-up with ECM friendlies... really painful for the enemy light's and anything heavy.

[Training Instructor]

Jason Parker, on 06 March 2013 - 01:54 AM, said:

Agreed. The X-5 is the best Hero Mech thus far in my view for being the first truiely viable one amongst it's siblings. Hence it is the first I bought. I also agree that if you didn't like CDAs before you won't like the X-5 either. It still plays like a CDA. But I shall try that 2x LRM 15 + TAG loadout. I have that on my Phract 2X and it is fun. I just wonder: How much ammo can you pack up?

Depending on how slow you're willing to go, i think you could get 4 tons easy by stripping the arms and carrying no backup weapons, 5-6 tons if you put like a 210xl in it or something. At that point though, you're moving at a speed where it would much better to just Trebuchet it. Also, it takes about 3-4 seconds to fire off a volley of LRM from those 2 slot hardpoints, but you can achieve an endless missile effect just for the lolz.

You could conceivably do 2xLRM5 and keep the med lasers with a 320xl. You'd still be speedy.

[Jay Kerensky]

Never played a Cicada before now - and I bought it. Not adjusting well - help! I like the tag and LRM15 idea, I have a Treb with just one LRM20 & Artemis, so could see how this would go well.

Any other builds I can plagiarise? I so want to like Cicadas now I've forked over the cash

[Chrithu]

Jay Kerensky, on 06 March 2013 - 02:29 AM, said:

Never played a Cicada before now - and I bought it. Not adjusting well - help! I like the tag and LRM15 idea, I have a Treb with just one LRM20 & Artemis, so could see how this would go well.

Any other builds I can plagiarise? I so want to like Cicadas now I've forked over the cash

Well as Training Instructor writes in his reply, and what I totally neglected: The Missile Pods just have two tubes. Packing up big LRMs thus is only for the lols and nowhere near a truelly effective build.

I currently configured my X-5 with 2 SRM 6, 2 ML and 2 SL. That works quite well vs mediums, heavies and the backside of assaults. It fails to be effective vs. lights and other CDAs though because you miss a lot on them with the SRM 6s. And do less damage with your direct fire weapons than they usually do.

Although it lacks ECM for countering one could try 4 ML + 2 SSRM. Once I have mastered mine I will try 2 SRM 6 plus two LL and 2 SRM 6 plus 4 ML or even MPL.

Also generally I am still fiddling with armor layouts trying to adapt to the lagshield being gone. From the first few handsfull of matches I get the feeling that a balanced layout is the way to go since you can't stay in a mass brawl and instead need to resort to a lot of hit and running, thus you definetly want more than just a 3rd of your armor on the backside.

Edited by Jason Parker, 06 March 2013 - 02:40 AM.

[Voidsinger]

I rate the X-5 as : BLAH!

Defensively: It lacks AMS or ECM

Offensively: Little room to move. If you prefer beams, go CDA-2B. In terms of missiles, expanding the missiles means cutting speed or energy weaponry. The Jenner balances out better than the default weaponry on the X-5.

Speed: The big engine costs in tonnage terms. A Jenner D or K would give you the same result with more mass left over.

Modules: 2 slots. Jenner K does 3, and can mount an SRM4 (4 tubes). Jenner D can do 2 SRM 4s and has 2 module slots.

Summary: This one really is for Cicada fans only. The Jenner family do better on less tonnage with Jump Jets. If you have a Founder's Jenner D, get a CDA-2B instead for the arm energy. If you're looking for a Hero mech, I'd recommend a Flame instead, get the C-bill Cicadas first.

The X-5 lacks defences. Doesn't have ECM, so mounting Streaks is risky, only has 2 tube launchers, and is tight for available space. The one thing it does have going for it is you get all the extras: XL engine, DHS, ES, FF built in already, so cost wise it represents the best MC:C-bill conversion of a Hero mech so far. It's not a saving grace though.

[Flying Judgement]

XL 280 2 pulse med 2 large no heat run 130 with speed tweak u can b aywhere any time and shot any one at any range

a raven is 2 sustained alpha at the nose and bangg if ur damaged just keep a 500 m distance all the time and use the LL

but its still not a great cicada

Edited by Flying Judgement, 06 March 2013 - 02:47 AM.