43 replies to this topic

[TheCrazySteve]

Not really a guide, but it appears everything about battlemechs is thrown into this subforum.

Recently I have been rotating between the three ecm lights, the rvn-3l, com-2d, and spd-5d. I feel as if out of the three the rvn-3l with the hitbox fix is the most fragile due to the legs being blown out fast, and routinely find myself doing more damage and surviving longer with the com-2d and spd-5d.

My stats page seems to back up this thought, with both the com-2d and spd-5d having .5 higher win rates and kill rates than my rvn-3l, however I primarily am lone wolfing it in public drops.

Anyways, I was curious if anyone else was starting to notice the same, or if anyone who plays non-public matches noticed a shift of pilots away from the 3L.

[Pando]

Just wait for collisions You'll see a huge drop in light pilots...period.

[Alistair Winter]

I've noticed there are fewer light and medium mechs now... period. Pando, I'm not sure if you consider that a good thing, but I personally don't look forward to battlefields with only heavy and assault mechs. Right now, light mechs' one big advantage is their ability to cap, which definitely caters to people who like taking long walks alone, but is boring as hell for people who actually want to fight.

TS, to answer your question, I don't use Streaks and I don't have a Commando, so I can't say which I prefer. But I can tell you that I'm usually not too worried about being attacked by any light mech, except for Raven 3Ls or Commando 2Ds. As long as they have both ECM and Streaks, I find that it doesn't matter much which of the two I'm facing. They're both superior to any light mech out there, in most cases.

[XSerjo]

Pando, on 07 April 2013 - 06:55 AM, said:

Just wait for collisions You'll see a huge drop in light pilots...period.

Nah, I'll accept collisions if it will be possible for flying lights to land on Atlas head and knock him down (or fall on it's head - for Raven, Commando or Flea) .

Edited by XSerjo, 07 April 2013 - 07:09 AM.

[Sixart]

It's my contention that a SDR-5D armed with an ERPPC is the sexiest and best light mech in the game right now. You're basically a clan mech in a pre-clan world. This all relies on being able to wield the mech well, a la my gameplay videos below.

[Donnie Silveray]

I don't own another light mech aside from my Raven 3L though I will say that, in general, it feels a bit better to pilot in. But feel is different than battle performance, really. My stats list my Raven as seriously out damaging ALL my other mechs, however that was before the hotfixing and splash damage removal. Perhaps I misjudged, and my mech was truthfully cheating D:. Currently my death rate in my raven is rather high. Extremely easy to leg, and the rear armor is paper. I suppose given that these are the results of fixing the hitbox, then by all means I say I deserve it and I accept it. I'll just have to adapt.

My views on the other ECM lights generally stands. Spider is an uncatchable ultra agile jumper. Commando is a better armed slinker. Raven is up to its knees in armor.

[Royalewithcheese]

They always will be, unless another 35 ton light with ECM or a clan ECM light that can do 150 kph shows up. 35 ton lights are best lights.

Edited by Royalewithcheese, 07 April 2013 - 11:15 AM.

[Kaeb Odellas]

If they make Streaks harder to effectively use, or make ECM less stupid, then we'll see the end of Raven 3L supremacy. It'll be replaced by Jenner supremacy, but Jenners are easier to kill anyway with their hitboxes.

[Tahribator]

Let's do some reasoning.

*Heaviest/most armored light mech
*SSRM's are the most effective weapons against lights
*SSRM's are pretty good against other mechs too
*Can boat SSRM's
*Has immunity to SSRM's

Yep, it's still OP the best light.

[Everett]

The additional missile hardpoint of the Commando was really the seller for me. While yes, once you run out of ammo you don't have much to do unless you're either running a smaller engine or less armor to fit a MLas or (like I've done in mine) a SLas, the extra punch against other lights lets you do your job effectively -- killing other lights and keeping up that ECM bubble.

[One Medic Army]

XSerjo, on 07 April 2013 - 07:07 AM, said:

Nah, I'll accept collisions if it will be possible for flying lights to land on Atlas head and knock him down (or fall on it's head - for Raven, Commando or Flea) .

Well, back before collisions were removed I did knock over some atlases in my Jenner.
Hit the jets and ram into their heads at 140kph.

As to Ravens, they're the most dangerous ECM light mech, which is why they get curbstomped as quickly as possible by most competent players.
Spiders and Commandos are annoying, and a bit harder to kill due to the even smaller hitboxes they get, but they're nowhere near as dangerous to another mech.

[Eboli]

Sixart, on 07 April 2013 - 10:13 AM, said:

It's my contention that a SDR-5D armed with an ERPPC is the sexiest and best light mech in the game right now. You're basically a clan mech in a pre-clan world. This all relies on being able to wield the mech well, a la my gameplay videos below.

Hey Sixart,

Ran across your mech a few times now and yes, you are a slippery ****** in the SDR-5D Even glad to see myself in my Jenner in one of your videos putting up a good fight!

I am even tempted to try out a 5D as well as I like speed and JJs.

Cheers!
Eboli.


PS - Raven 3L is still up there and I really hate them in my Jenner. If I come across one I think it is 60:40 in Raven's favour depending upon nearby terrain and what Jenner I am in.

If I run across 2x3Ls it is defence, defence, defence and running back to the mother pack!

[Elizander]

All lights are the same. Leg them with lasers. Even if you are a non-ECM light, as long as you have more or better lasers, you will leg them faster because SSRMs don't go to legs. I used to have problems with light mechs but since HSR was implemented they either leave or limp. Killing a 30+ armor leg with 20-40+ damage laser alphas will outdo SSRMs striking your CT/LT/RT any day.

I'll have to say that a lot of light mech pilots in my ELO bracket (probably low) can't aim lasers properly to save their lives. They rely on SSRMs and most of their lasers are like rave glowsticks being waved randomly all over their targets and they can't focus beams too long on one spot while moving fast.

That being said, I'll take any light mech mech with 4 energy hardpoints (preferrably arms) over ECM any day.

Edited by Elizander, 07 April 2013 - 08:54 PM.

[Lindonius]

Elizander, on 07 April 2013 - 08:51 PM, said:

That being said, I'll take any light mech mech with 4 energy hardpoints (preferrably arms) over ECM any day.

The Death's Knell?

[Zora]

Due to my stats I have to say that nowadays the Commando 2D is more valuable than the Raven 3L (285X + 2Srms+2MP) In my Raven I get legged a lot ... no problem in the commando and with the arms the commando got a brilliant aiming field. I think that the 3L has a far better reputation as a threat than the commando and therefore receives more attention! :-)

Edited by Zora, 12 April 2013 - 05:01 AM.

[Wrenchfarm]

Raven-3L is still the best. Streaks may be weaker, but they are still brain dead simple fire and forget weapons that rack up damage. Combine them with 3 MLAS and you're gold.

Laser state rewind and the general decline in 3L usage has breathed a little life back into the Jenner for what it's worth.

The Spider-5D is enjoying a surge in popularity. I know I've been using it for a little bit and singing the mild praises of "it doesn't suck as much anymore!" Tormaline and Alpine have made the a high mobility scout a little more attractive and again, the fewer 3Ls out there, the more other lights can thrive. Looking at my stats, I was surprised to see that I've used it more than any other mech, just a ton of fun to fly even if it isn't a huge killer. There is something satisfying about shaping the battlefield by applying an annoyance here, or a cherry pick there. Only the ECM equipped 5D is worth investing in though.

Sixart, on 07 April 2013 - 10:13 AM, said:

It's my contention that a SDR-5D armed with an ERPPC is the sexiest and best light mech in the game right now. You're basically a clan mech in a pre-clan world. This all relies on being able to wield the mech well, a la my gameplay videos below.

I dropped against you, SPD-5D vs SPD-5D, the other day on Caustic and was super excited! Was a fun match, I was the white and gold Phraken SPD that got you in the end if you remember. Nice to run into the SPD evangelist himself and test my jump jetting metal

[Training Instructor]

Unfortunately it still punches above its weight because it's still fast, is still immune to streaks and lrms, and still uses weapons that require very little skill to do damage with.

[Regrets]

One Medic Army, on 07 April 2013 - 04:07 PM, said:

As to Ravens, they're the most dangerous ECM light mech, which is why they get curbstomped as quickly as possible by most competent players.
Spiders and Commandos are annoying, and a bit harder to kill due to the even smaller hitboxes they get, but they're nowhere near as dangerous to another mech.

I think the 2D is better against other lights, and specifically beats the 3L in a 1v1.

[Amsro]

In my SDR-5D i only fear groups of lights. All other scenario's are optimal for my 5D.

Hands down the most effective spider currently.

If machine guns ever get fixxed the 5K could be good. As well if the speed cap gets removed the 5V could be more useful at 200 km/h.

[One Medic Army]

Regrets, on 12 April 2013 - 07:36 AM, said:

I think the 2D is better against other lights, and specifically beats the 3L in a 1v1.

If a 2D beats a 3L, it's either due to a large difference in skill, or the fact the Raven player couldn't hit the broad side of a stationary Awesome with his lasers.