31 replies to this topic

[Dusty Sandals]

Alright, so here's the thing. I know it isn't exactly a guide, but I am unsure of where to put this thread, so here goes. I have liked the cicada for quite some time now and it seems to me that I can't find a variant that I like and can work well with. I don't even know what variant to pick or what role a cicada does better than a different light or medium... I think the cicada would be great as a scout sniper, but I just stay too far back with my double ppc's to scout effectively... Maybe a gauss rifle or something different all together? How can I balance being productive for my team and not just be a larger non-jump Jenner? I know ppc's and gauss are all the rage right now, but I have had this build for quite some time. Any suggestions or advice is appreciated. Thanks all.

My current "Snipey" build CDA-3M "Zeus" because it tosses lightning just for fun:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...ded7228448e48e4

Cheers.

Edited by Dusty Sandals, 07 April 2013 - 01:04 AM.

[SchwarzerPeter]

I havent i Cicada jet but i believe the XL 300 is one of the best engines. Otherwise you have more free tonage in a jenner or raven.

I have thought about this for a 3M:
XL 300, DHS, Endo, FF
4 ML
AC5, 2t ammo
ECM

Makes good use of the hardpoints and you cant do it with a other mech at this speed (dont to mention ECM).
Well the other variants are prertty close to a jenner, but manny mechs are very similar.

[Lege]

ecm, 4x mpl, 325 xl, dhs, endo. It is one of the best light killers for me, but you have to be good with lasers.

[The Cactapus]

I don't claim to know much about the metagame, but the Cicada feels a bit weird and "left out" as it is essentially a Medium weight light mech. The chassis itself doesn't seem all that popular in comparison to other mediums/lights, but that is just random observation with no numbers to back it up. The lack of missiles hurts a bit, and I couldn't possibly care less about all those ballistic hardpoints the CDA-'s like to throw around. Too little tonnage to make the most of 'em.

What does that leave Cicada pilots with? A few energy hardpoints, good speed, better armor (slightly) than the lights, and a few more tons for toys. The chassis has some weaknesses, but my -3M is one of my favorite mechs to play by far.

I run it like this:

CDA-3M "THEPRICKLER"

Ferro-Fibrous Armor
Endo Steel Chassis
DHS

XL335 engine

BAP
ECM
TAG
AMS

Max armor, -3 in each arm.

Medium Pulse Laser (2)
Medium Laser (1)

It's fast (.7kph off the speed cap with Speed Tweak), provides tons of support for the team, and can defend itself decently well. Yes I feel a little naked running such light armament, but you'll never overheat and will continue to fire the entire match. My playstyle is to sprint around between teammates giving out ECM coverage, and playing slightly forward to keep enemies TAG-ed. Running off solo gets you killed. The CDA-3M plays great with heavies, and I prefer to keep it there.

Edit: I've tried playing double-PPC Cicada. It's fun, but I am terrible at it! You have my respect for making that build work for you .

Edited by The Cactapus, 07 April 2013 - 11:21 AM.

[Kaeb Odellas]

Double PPCs in a Cicada are loads of fun. They're best when you've got something big and nasty tanking the hits for you.

[Dusty Sandals]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far guys. I've kinda still been experimenting with what range works best for these bugs. Getting a little further along with some of your builds, but i feel like I'm missing something. Maybe I'll try an LPL or something crazy. I do like having a ballistic it makes it feel a bit different, but I lack hitting power with an AC5 and a gauss is VERY heavy. I think I might try some skirmishing builds here in a few and give it another go.

@ The Cactapus I'm hit or miss with the double ppc cicada. Quite literally. Some games it's 100 damage and out, while other times I can top 500 damage and maybe have a kill or two or three. Dependent on how many CTF-3D's I see usually =)

Thanks again all, Cheers.

[White Bear 84]

Cicadas are like lights but with more armor and firepower

I use mine to get behind enemy lines and do hit and run - its great on tourmaline if you chuck a couple of ppcs in there and can single out enemies. Played a game the other night where i killed a lone stalker just by.. ..stalking it lol.

As has been said, great light killer and good for those games where you need speed and armor. Take the 3M so you can challege ecm equiped lights better.

[Beavertron]

I run this

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...57df7efbc4f10c3

Mainly just get behind the enemy line and alpha rear CT, can get 3 alphas off without overheat and that's enough to kill most things even with my terribad aim!

Makes a useful light killer as well as I can keep up with them and 2-3 alphas will take off a leg (it should be 1-2 but again, terribad aim!)

[Anudiz]

2 ERPPC Cicada can be very funny.
I ran mine pretty much like the OP build, just with 2 ERPPCs and a bit stripped armor for DHS.

Once dealt over 1100 Dmg with it, was one of my most epic battles so far.
But overall its really an unstable build, very dependant on your performance as the pilot. If you got a bad day, you wont hit a thing with those PPCs rushing 130+ kp/h
Also one has to be careful not to get in the habit of Sniping while standing still, or moving too slow. Ends your life veeery quickly.

[The Cactapus]

Anudiz, on 08 April 2013 - 09:01 AM, said:

Also one has to be careful not to get in the habit of Sniping while standing still, or moving too slow. Ends your life veeery quickly.

Spot on. This is why I shy away from PPC's and other large projectile weapons on such a fast platform. I'm just not accurate enough to make the shots count without slowing down or playing peekaboo, and that kills you dead. Speed is life!

If i wanted more offense out of my 3M I'd probably go with 4x MPL. You seem to prefer the big guns, so maybe see about 2x LL and some mediums or something crazypants like that. Seems like it'd hurt if you don't have to sacrifice too much engine for it. If we could get machine gun packs that 4 ballistic variant would be a riot.

[ElLocoMarko]

The Cactapus, on 08 April 2013 - 10:27 AM, said:

Spot on. This is why I shy away from PPC's and other large projectile weapons on such a fast platform. I'm just not accurate enough to make the shots count without slowing down or playing peekaboo, and that kills you dead. Speed is life!

If i wanted more offense out of my 3M I'd probably go with 4x MPL. You seem to prefer the big guns, so maybe see about 2x LL and some mediums or something crazypants like that. Seems like it'd hurt if you don't have to sacrifice too much engine for it. If we could get machine gun packs that 4 ballistic variant would be a riot.

And for exactly this same reason, I like PPC on a fast mech. You only have to be on target for a tiny moment. For me, running fast and holding lasers on target is nearly impossible. As for hitting a single location... forget about it.

That said my best overall scores comes from 6ML CDA-2A. I just run around spraying people and only focus fire if I feel safe enough to match trajectories and slow down a little. But this gets back to your original question from the title

ROLES!
Sniper - Sounds like you have that one.
Spotter - For what? Missiles?
Brawler - Was not meant to be.
BAIT - With teammate(s) nearby spray 6 lasers into the enemy's face and they will start to focus entirely on you. Weave wildly and continue to annoy them. Your teammates will kill it and you will get an assist (worth almost as much).

Edited by ElLocoMarko, 08 April 2013 - 02:06 PM.

[Lovable Keko]

Just picked up a cicada myself and running a lrlargelaser and 4 mediums seems to work for me, If I have the time I snipe otherwise I've been playing it as a mech to annoy all mechs and get a kick out of running like a chicken with my head cut off getting in shots when I can and letting my heavies pop off the distracted enemy mechs.

[Deathlike]

The Cicada has the same role as any "light mech" (it is an overweight light mech).

Engines @ 300 to 325XL are its sweet spots IMO.

[Cifrer]

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...0f0735737dd353e

Try this. Nobody expects something like this, it's quick, packs a punch. I like it for close in work while the heavies and assaults tear stuff up, you can make passes stripping internals. Also good for stealing kills.

[Fedifensor]

Deathlike, on 08 April 2013 - 03:18 PM, said:

The Cicada has the same role as any "light mech" (it is an overweight light mech). Engines @ 300 to 325XL are its sweet spots IMO.

300XL seems to be the best overall engine. Anything more, and you lose enough tonnage so that a Jenner or Raven (specifically, the Raven-3L) becomes a better choice. Too much lower, and yoiu're slow enough that people start to wonder why you didn't just take a Hunchback.

Cicadas make good light hunters, with the right build. The only downsides are that the ECM-capable version doesn't have access to Streaks, and the non-ECM versions won't fare well against a Raven-3L. Fortunately, the Cicada can carry just enough weaponry to be a viable threat against nearly any mech, while remaining fast enough to stay at their optimum distance versus the larger ones.

[joedawg39s]

you can try droping the the arm armor and running 3 large lasers, keeps your close range damage

Edited by joedawg39s, 08 April 2013 - 09:17 PM.

[Fallreaper]

I run with this build.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...30900b8a885f730

One of the few favourite mechs in the game. Some might say the engine is excessively big and that missing punch but the Cicada I play is a harasser and a hit-n-run style mech. You get a few alphas with the lasers to a backside to any mech and it's curtains i tell ya. The trick with the biggest possible engine is the that bigger engines gives also more agility. So when I need to bob and weave in group of enemy mechs I don't feel cumbersome or a real strain. Also since the Cicada has bigger hitboxes than lights the speed helps with staying alive. ECM is the cherry on top for those flanking strikes. Also very good light killer.

[Dulahan]

Darn this thread. It has made me second guess what XL engine I want to get!

I was wanting the XL340 for my Cicada A and B. Now you're making me ponder the 300.

[Hex Pallett]

I don't own Cicadas but I could come up with something: Light hunter, back-stabber, leg-chewer and supersonic zombieing. Don't all Cicadas except X5 have shield arms? Also a 130+ km/h 'Mech with 40 armor on each leg is pretty hard to leg, unlike Cents and Hunchies who are rather slow.

[loliza]

i run 300xl and ac5+2t 4ml end dhs ferro its AWSOME!!! no need to go over 300 engine the cicada is in its sweetspot at 131 with tweak

the boomcricket!

edit: move some ammo to head

Edited by loliza, 09 April 2013 - 06:27 PM.