133 replies to this topic

[Reyge]

Okay, the question is this: if you HAD to choose a light Inner Sphere mech (circa 3025-3050), which would it be and why? I've been a battletech fan for the better part of 20 years, but have never really been a big fan of light mechs, primarily because in ALL the games, it was the KILL that got you points, and light mechs never carry enough weapons/armor. This game, from what I've heard, changes that... you earn points depending upon the role you play. I'm VERY hesitant to play a scout, or even anything lighter than a Heavy (see my signature for the reason why), but I'm open to community input. What is/will be your favorite light I.S. mech and why? Include everything from scouts to scout killers to support/command mechs... anything that's a light Inner Sphere mech from the appropriate era. Please include variant(s). Note: NO CLAN MECHS! Thanx.

[Adridos]

There are many... simply too many to point one out.

I would never sit in a Flea, or an Urbanmech (I'm too much of a noob to fight in that), though.

[BoxOfAids]

I would probably pick the Jenner (not just because it's in MWO). I'm with you on piloting land-bricks with tons of guns, but the Jenner actually has a respectable loadout for a light mech and seems like it would be great for hit-and-run tactics and not just scouting. Basically I just want the light mech with the most guns

[Shirefolk]

Trying to remember what it was called. I was in a TT grinder one day a few months ago. I got a light mech to start that was 6-9-6 I think. It had 6 small lasers that it could fire with no heat build up. I got a kill fast by jumping behind a Med mech and back shotting it. Ammo hit, boom.

[Tremor]

Firestarter or Commando. Both are versitile 'mechs for scouting and support.

[Max Liao]

Spider for hit and run.

[Promptus]

Panther

[Lipot]

For light 'mechs, you can't beat a Jenner. And if you can start personalizing it, even better. While a Jenner is not as fast as most light 'mechs, its standard weapon layout of 4 medium lasers and a SRM 6 launcher give it more teeth then even some medium 'mechs. Although I am not sure if I will be allowed to do it in this game, my standard change is removing the SRM 6, bringing the lasers from the arms to the torso, increasing the engine slightly and load up on heat sinks. The extra speed from the engine, coupled with the reduce heat thanks to the heat sinks allow the Jenner to easily attack all but a Battlemaster. (Damn rear firing weapons.) Other options, include adding 2 more medium lasers instead of the engine modification. Most heavies tend to rethink their tactics when something that size rips off an arm or a leg in two hits.

[Pvt Dancer]

Shirefolk, on 02 June 2012 - 11:43 AM, said:

Trying to remember what it was called. I was in a TT grinder one day a few months ago. I got a light mech to start that was 6-9-6 I think. It had 6 small lasers that it could fire with no heat build up. I got a kill fast by jumping behind a Med mech and back shotting it. Ammo hit, boom.

That was a Wasp variant with 6 small lasers... and Ironicly it /could/ get heat if it jumped all 6 hexs (6 heat) and fire all 6 small lasers (6 heat) for a net gain of 2 heat! Standard Wasp had a SRM 2 in the leg and a Medium laser.

Personally, I really like the Locust Variant with a Medium laser and 2 LRM 5 racks. That mech with it's speed and in a wolf pack could easily tear up other mechs due to being able to keep them in short range pretty easily.

But I would have to say my Fav light mech is the Stinger, just because back in the day we would do 'Stinger Shoot Outs' where you have a 15x15 circle map with one player in a Stinger with about 10 Stingers. Last one left was the winner! Good times, good times.

With the current game, I guess I would go with the Commando.

[Shredhead]

My alltime classic: Wasp! Such a basic mech that had lots of attention in the lore. As soon as they include it in MWO, it stands in my hangar!

[Vora MacEvedy]

Hmmm.... So many to choose.

HSR-200-D Hussar
-9R Panther
One of the early Falcon variants
LCT-1E Locust (too bad the -5M isn't until the 3060s)

[Phelan Cormac]

Firefly. I used one quite a bit during MW3 - it carries a lot of weapons and a comfortable jump range that makes it very good at Urban warfare.

[wanderer]

Lipot, on 02 June 2012 - 11:56 AM, said:

For light 'mechs, you can't beat a Jenner. And if you can start personalizing it, even better. While a Jenner is not as fast as most light 'mechs, its standard weapon layout of 4 medium lasers and a SRM 6 launcher give it more teeth then even some medium 'mechs. Although I am not sure if I will be allowed to do it in this game, my standard change is removing the SRM 6, bringing the lasers from the arms to the torso, increasing the engine slightly and load up on heat sinks. The extra speed from the engine, coupled with the reduce heat thanks to the heat sinks allow the Jenner to easily attack all but a Battlemaster. (Damn rear firing weapons.) Other options, include adding 2 more medium lasers instead of the engine modification. Most heavies tend to rethink their tactics when something that size rips off an arm or a leg in two hits.

First off, Jenners have an SRM 4, not a 6. Second, there's no hardpoints in the torso to mount the lasers. Third, lasers have a damage-over-time component - so you'll actually have to keep them on target for a bit, which makes slashing attacks a bit tougher in MWO.

Won't have to worry about rear-firing weapons, however. But there's more designs that can keep up with a Jenner- even upengined, a Cicada can stay with you on the ground with minimal trouble, and that newtech version's autocannon can chew up a light pretty quick (the older version has a PPC-carrying one that is even uglier for light-hunting).

As for me? I'd like the Panther. And in the less often-mentioned stuff, the Mongoose. Fast on the ground, decent energy weaponry, solid armor weight (which for a 25 tonner isn't much, but it'll stop PPC fire in most places). Sadly, the only really "newtech" versions are Jihad-era, but the original -66 League-tech versions are available to the Draconis Combine, Rasalhague and Comstar and are made for recon work.

Phelan Cormac, on 02 June 2012 - 12:21 PM, said:

Firefly. I used one quite a bit during MW3 - it carries a lot of weapons and a comfortable jump range that makes it very good at Urban warfare.

Too bad it's almost completely exclusive to Wolf's Dragoons by 3049, or Comstar for the older League model.

[Mr G]

I would have to go with the Panther too. It's got reasonable speed, jump jets, a PPC, SRMs. and a medium laser (or at least the MW2 mercs version had that anyway). That's a lot of punch in a light mech.

[Reyge]

Adridos, on 02 June 2012 - 11:42 AM, said:

There are many... simply too many to point one out.

I would never sit in a Flea, or an Urbanmech (I'm too much of a noob to fight in that), though.

I wasn't really leaning toward either of those two. I was thinking either a scout mech (like the Mongoose or the Spider), or else the a scout killer (either Panther or Wolfhound). Might try for something a bit different, like either a Javelin or a Raven, but not until later in the game. And yes, before anyone says anything, I already know that only ONE of the mechs I just named is currently in the game (the Raven). Still, I can dream, right? Hey, does anyone know if I'd be able to customize a Jenner to similar to the Javelin???

[Der Kommissar]

Wolfhound or Jenner. The Wolfhound will savage even heavy battlemechs, provided decent dice.

[Gladewolf]

looking at what's currently available for lights, i'll probably have a whack at the commando. The hardpoints look like they are in good places, and it should have more range of motion for hit and run than the Jenner from the look of it...patiently waiting to play though.

[Reyge]

Mr G, on 02 June 2012 - 12:33 PM, said:

I would have to go with the Panther too. It's got reasonable speed, jump jets, a PPC, SRMs. and a medium laser (or at least the MW2 mercs version had that anyway). That's a lot of punch in a light mech.

Panther doesn't have a Med laser... just the other stuff + artemis fire control system which couldn't be programmed into MW2.

[GuntherK]

Urbanmech !
Its has slow as the slowest assault mech and twice as ugly.
You can take it to war and pick your kids from school on it.
The right choice for a family man.

[Mistwolf]

Problem with the Jenner is that the armour is really light.
The Wasp, Stinger and Wolfhound were some of my favourites from 3050
The Javelin was also really good for blitz attacks
However one of my personal favourite light mechs is the 3055 Hitman. Good weapons (3 med lasers and an LRM 5), a suite of electronics similar to the Raven, and very fast (especially with MASC). Plus I find it just looks really bad-***.