67 replies to this topic

[Felicitatem Parco]

The jenner is a scout-hunter moreso than the Commando. I see the Commando as a rear-flanker to keep their supoprt Mechs pointed away from the center of the Map, and to do some scouting... but against other Mechs you have to be very careful and shoot "opportunistically."

[Soviet Alex]

How should you use the Commando? CAREFULLY!

On a more serious note, It's cheap, & the House Steiner faction discount makes it even cheaper. There is physically not much there to break, so even if it gets totalled (OK, when), it won't cost much to fix. For a less frequent player, it's an attractive option. We don't know what the Commando's hardpoint layout looks like, but giving it a bigger engine & more medium lasers instead of the SRMs would make a ferocious ankle-biter. Mongoose, anyone? http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Mongoose

[Orzorn]

Yoseful Mallad, on 01 June 2012 - 02:56 PM, said:

You may be able to get 1 LRM 5 pack with 1 tone of ammo and 2 medium lasers on it. Not sure of the weight tho. And add NARC and you are all good.

I did even better, I got 3 LRM 5s on it, so long as you switch to an XL engine and use Endo Steel. Even if you don't want to use either of those you can use 3 LRM 5s, but you'll have to sacrifice some ammo unless you want to reduce your armor rating.

Commando COM-2D

Mass: 25 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Advanced Rules
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/D-F-E
Production Year: 2486
Cost: 2,742,500 C-Bills
Battle Value: 556

Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 150 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 64.8 km/h
Maximum Speed: 97.2 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
1 Medium Laser
3 LRM-5s
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 43 points 1.50
Internal Locations: 3 LT, 3 RT, 2 LA, 2 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 150 3.00
Walking MP: 6
Running MP: 9
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT, 2 RT
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 71 4.50

Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 7
Center Torso 8 8
Center Torso (rear) 4
L/R Torso 6 8
L/R Torso (rear) 3
L/R Arm 4 7
L/R Leg 6 8

================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 LRM-5s CT 4 2 4.00
LRM-5 RA 2 1 2.00
Medium Laser LA 3 1 1.00
@LRM-5 (48) RT - 2 2.00
@LRM-5 (48) LT - 2 2.00
Free Critical Slots: 15

BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 2 Points: 6
6 1 2 1 0 1 0 Structure: 1
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 1

-----------------------

With this, I managed to actually raise the armor by a half ton, and I get a respectable (perhaps too respectable, how many shots are in a ton of LRM 5 ammo?) amount of ammunition.

However, this is a rather scary build thanks to the XL engine and having 4 tons of LRM ammuniton stuffed into the torso. A single critical hit and this mech is up in flames.

If you want a safe version, you can remove the XL engine, drop a half ton of armor, and lose 2 tons of LRM ammunition.

[Grokmoo]

The base variant of the Commando is very underpowered compared to everything else we've seen so far (even the scout mechs).

In order to be useful in any capacity other than merely spotting enemies (and worse than a Raven or Jenner at that), the Commando variants in MWO will need to be beefed up a bit.

Of course, as a 25 ton mech, the Commando will likely be extremely inexpensive to operate and allow for the rapid gain of c-bills. However, this can only go so far. If the mech can't even compete firepower-wise with other lights in game, no one will want to use it.

[Felicitatem Parco]

It's important to remember that a LRM5 deals 5 damage (1/missile), and a SRM4 deals 8 dmg (2/missile).

A stock commando 2D deals 25 damage per Alpha, equal to 5 medium lasers.

[Adrienne Vorton]

i will not drive a commando i think...got a few other plans to whipe out the enemy

[Kanatta Jing]

The Commando 2D hits harder then any other light Mech or the Cicada.

It's a close range brawler that relies on it's small profile.

It really exists to work in tandem with a larger Mech or to slap larger Mechs and convince them to follow it into your ambush.

[Solis Obscuri]

I'd have some fun playing around with a COM-1D if I could get it... nothing like a small profile sniper with a good punch from that LLaser...

[Cochise]

No need to use the commando.

[TheMadTypist]

The commando is a 'mech that I think we'll be able to find at least some use for. As has been said, it's light/low BV, so if we have to deal with drop limits it'll free things up for the team. It's fast(ish), so it can be refitted as a cheap scout, but it can pack a punch with those SRMs, so it can be set up as scout hunter as well.

It's also cheap enough that if you want to try out a scout 'mech just to see how it feels, or just want to goof around for a match, it won't cost much to repair when you get scrapped. And if you survive? The payout from a scenario you usually run with a heavier 'mech will feel much bigger when you're not putting so much into repair and rearmament. Either way, if you have a go and don't like how it feels, when you sell it off you'll probably be at least neutral in terms of credits spent/gained from the experiment.

Although I agree, people looking at a light 'mech for a serious scout or a specialized skirmisher will probably overlook the commando in favor of the Raven or the Jenner. It's most likely a 'mech that pilots will take when they want to dabble in a light, but aren't willing to invest heavily into it, or when they're confident they can make it work well and want to be underestimated in a fight.

[Aelos03]

I'm defiantly going to have commando in my garage because it awesome design nuff said

[Sug]

I use commando all the time no trouble. Sometimes baby powerder in summer month helpful.

[Revolver77]

The Commando is one of the definitive classic Light mechs much like the Wasp, etc. Possibly my most favourite light mech for use in MechCommander, Lance 3 with 2 Commando's, A Firestarter-W with PPC and a Raven. Commando still does what it does best, a fast short-range striker.

[Kip Wilson]

The Commando is the lightest mech in this game so far. As a result, it is ill-equipped to go toe-to-toe against any other machine without support. The best use of the design and the way ill be playing it, is as a support mech for heavies/assaults. Most opponents will be focusing on my bigger buddy, which will give me cover and allow me to add my reasonably impressive firepower into helping take them out without getting noticed.

In a pinch it can be used for scouting or raiding but id avoid scout-hunting at all possible. Most other scouts will be both faster and heavier armed than a Commando.

Even though im a cappie, of the light designs currently available, ill be favoring the Commando.

[Steve Fire]

I think the commando will definately have a use as a fast scout mech and light rear striker especially if it is fitted with a narc and paired with a BAP for scouting.

[Vladdaimpaler]

I'd use the commando is a counter scout roll. With its missles and decent speed it can keep up and pump out enough damage to slow a jenner down enough for other mechs to vector in to pop it. A jenner's weakness is going to be its heat with only 10 standard heat sinks on its prime heat management is going to be an issue. The Commando is not going to have that problem. I'd keep it in the back with the missle boats patroling back door routes. Plus if they have inferno rounds its going to be giant slayer.

[trycksh0t]

Yoseful Mallad, on 01 June 2012 - 02:56 PM, said:

You may be able to get 1 LRM 5 pack with 1 tone of ammo and 2 medium lasers on it. Not sure of the weight tho. And add NARC and you are all good.

You can get more than that on a Commando. Dropping the SRM-4 and -6, you can slap an LRM-10 with 2 tons of ammo while keeping the medium laser, or (my preference) 2 LRM-5s with 2 tons of ammo, the Medium Laser, and an extra ton of armor. It's a mini-Valkyrie.

[Hanged Man]

Honestly, I don't expect to. The role of a Commando doesn't seem clearly-defined enough for me, as a stock Jenner seems better-equipped for harassment and the Raven is the original EW 'mech.

[LackofCertainty]

I don't personally like the default SRM/ML loadout of the commando. For what it's trying to be, I really want some jumpjets in that puppy. I feel like it's a bit too light and a bit too slow to pull off that role (compare it to a base jenner and it's silly)

What I do like it for is scouting and narc/taging. With some mechlab tweaks you get a very fast very light scout that can be of great you to your team's [Insert Catapult or similar LRM boat].


Honestly, the only thing that will make mechs unique in MWO is hardpoints, silhouette, torso/arm capabilities and tonnage. Since the Commando clocks in at 25 tons (the lightest mech available in the game yet) it has crazy speed potential, plus fully articulated arms, all on a very, very, very small package. (which means it'll be that much harder to hit)

Edited by LackofCertainty, 01 June 2012 - 07:48 PM.

[Tadakuma]

I've use the Commando pretty extensively in the Tabletop game and it's always earned it's place on the table.

As has been pointed out it's light and cheap making it a good buy, but it also brings a massive amount of sustained firepower to the the table. What do I mean by this.

In battletech it's not just about how much damage a mech can do in a single round, because of the heat mechanic the amount of damage a mech does varies from turn to run, and will generally need to rest and cycle weapons. In stead it's about the amount of damage that a mech can do over several turns.

For example

A Commando will average about 19pts of damage a turn for 10 heat, this means that it can sustain this rate of fire for about 3-5 turns depending on how hot your willing to run.

By contrast the Jenner does more damage at about 26 pts per turn but it generates 15 heat. This means that Jenners tend to hit and run. It needs to disengage to cool down, so effectively it's fighting every second turn. Over four turns the Commando will actually do more damage then a Jenner because of this pattern.

So the two mechs serve a difference purpose, the Commando is a light brawler and designed to stand toe to toe with other mechs and rip them up (a very Lyran concept)

The Jenner is a skirmisher and ambusher, it runs in and does it's damage, disengages and returns to repeat the process.

Of the two mechs the Jenner will probably be more useful on launch because it's play style is better suited to fighting the heavier mechs that will probably dominate on launch.

A previous poster mentioned that it could be turned into a long range good skirmisher by swapping out SRM for LRMs, which is another excellent idea. Dropping the SRM 6 & SRM 4 gives 7 tonnes after ammo, that's enough for an LRM 10, 1 tonne of ammo and either an extra medium laser (or my personal preference, an extra tone of armour)