19 replies to this topic

[Kayous]

As the title says, why do cicada's (especially the x-5) suck so bad? Not really a light, not really a medium, seems the only role of a cicada is to cap, scout, or to get pwnd skirmishing. Especially with the new lrm buffs, and the x-5 doesn't even have ams...wtf?

[Wintersdark]

The X5 is a perfectly cromulent mech.

Lack of AMS is really not that big a deal. AMS is useful, indeed... But the X5 is (well, can be) fast enough to get to cover or otherwise avoid LRM's.

And Cicada's certainly do not suck. They're an excellent scout/light mech hunter, and lethal to slower lumbering mechs. However, like light mechs, there's definitely a skill level required to pilot them. Lights (and Cicada's, which are essentially lights) are not newbie chassis.

[Iron Hyena]

I get 500 damage in the X-5 per match, almost 100% of the time.

If you run a Cicada at less then 120 kph, your doing it wrong, and will get hit by missiles.

[Gaan Cathal]

X-5

Basic build. Swap a heat sink for ammo once you're good at managing it. Ruin light's days, against everything else it's a good light that isn't quite instacrippled by a lucky alpha.

[Carrioncrows]

My two favorite builds.

300Xl
12 DHS
4 medium lasers
2 SRM6 x3 tons of ammo

138 kph with speed tweak hunchback-4SP? Yes please.

Right now I am running
280 XL
12 DHS
ERPPC
x2 Mediums
x1 Small
x2 LRM5's x1 ton of ammo

Fits in nice at all ranges.

[Ryokens leap]

Wintersdark, on 22 June 2013 - 02:28 PM, said:

The X5 is a perfectly cromulent mech.

Lack of AMS is really not that big a deal. AMS is useful, indeed... But the X5 is (well, can be) fast enough to get to cover or otherwise avoid LRM's.

And Cicada's certainly do not suck. They're an excellent scout/light mech hunter, and lethal to slower lumbering mechs. However, like light mechs, there's definitely a skill level required to pilot them. Lights (and Cicada's, which are essentially lights) are not newbie chassis.

I believe the word ur looking for is CROPULENT.

[Wintersdark]

Ryokens leap, on 22 June 2013 - 06:57 PM, said:

I believe the word ur looking for is CROPULENT.

No, I meant cromulent. I suppose its a fairly obscure reference these days though.

As in, "enbiggens is a perfectly cromulent word."

Edited by Wintersdark, 22 June 2013 - 09:37 PM.

[Training Instructor]

I think it's a pretty good mech, really. No matter how the meta changes, I don't see it becoming irrelevant anytime soon. Just gotta run it fast.

[Ryokens leap]

Wintersdark, on 22 June 2013 - 09:33 PM, said:

No, I meant cromulent. I suppose its a fairly obscure reference these days though.

As in, "enbiggens is a perfectly cromulent word."

look it up in the episode guide, its cropulent.

[Artgathan]

Ryokens leap, on 23 June 2013 - 11:06 AM, said:

look it up in the episode guide, its cropulent.

Cromulent is definitely a word. It means "fine".

[Wintersdark]

Ryokens leap, on 23 June 2013 - 11:06 AM, said:

look it up in the episode guide, its cropulent.

The episode guide is wrong.

http://en.wikipedia...._the_Iconoclast

There's no youtube clip I can find at the moment, but if necessary I can make one later. The word is most certainly cromulent.

[Bishop Steiner]

Kayous, on 22 June 2013 - 02:23 PM, said:

As the title says, why do cicada's (especially the x-5) suck so bad? Not really a light, not really a medium, seems the only role of a cicada is to cap, scout, or to get pwnd skirmishing. Especially with the new lrm buffs, and the x-5 doesn't even have ams...wtf?

real question is why you no good as pilot? Good pilots use X5 just fine. You r a Bad. U should be ashamed.

Ryokens leap, on 22 June 2013 - 06:57 PM, said:

I believe the word ur looking for is CROPULENT.

Are you trying to say "Corpulent" perchance? I (and Webster's Dictionary) appear unfamiliar with "Cropulent". Is that saying your Crops are fat?

And "Cromulent" is indeed a very fine word. (At least in Springfield)

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 23 June 2013 - 01:11 PM.

[Sephlock]

SSRMs are weaksauce against heavies and assaults. SRMs are nerfed to hell, LRMs are borderline.

Which leaves you with...

Four energy hardpoints.

Good luck with that.

[Barfing Gopher]

I wouldn't say it sucks, but it was a lot better before the SRM nerf. The thing that made it really great was the ability to have missiles over standard Cicadas, if you chose SRM6's you got 30 points of damage in 3 rapid 4 missile bursts. It will get better once the SRM damage is put up a little. As for now, if you master it out, throw in the max engine and 4 meds along with SRM OR SSRM2's I'm sure you will enjoy your 151.5 quick attack mech. Just use it in an intelligent manner, harass targets and go after missile boats, it's not a toe to toe brawler after all.

[Bishop Steiner]

Sephlock, on 23 June 2013 - 01:56 PM, said:

SSRMs are weaksauce against heavies and assaults. SRMs are nerfed to hell, LRMs are borderline.

Which leaves you with...

Four energy hardpoints.

Good luck with that.

or use LRMs, which are actually just about where they should be.

[Angel of Annihilation]

Still think a Jenner is hands down better than a Cicada. By the time you factor in it requiring a heavier engine than the Jenner to attain the same speeds, you only get an extra ton or two of weight for armor, weapons or equipment all for the low, low cost of being a mcuh bigger target.

[Trauglodyte]

I love my LRM X-5. 300xl, 4 md lasers, 2 LRM5s. You won't do a mass amount of damage but you do your part. You can also go with a dual PPC X-5 and do pretty well with it but that is playing the meta cheese.

[Whompity]

I was off to a spotty start with my X-5 but I like it overall. I run 4xML and 2xSSRM too. You may think the streaks aren't great against anything other than lights, but you'd be wrong, especially as the match progresses and everything has core damage. You can acquire a lock (from an ally) and bob over a hill (say: on Caustic) and lob 4xSSRM right into the engine of a heavy that only saw you for a split second. It might have not been a great build before, but since BAP, it's pretty good again. You're a Jenner that can take a beating. Actually, I end up chasing a LOT of Jenners cuz nobody else wants to.

[Ryokens leap]

Wintersdark, on 23 June 2013 - 12:57 PM, said:

The episode guide is wrong.

http://en.wikipedia...._the_Iconoclast

There's no youtube clip I can find at the moment, but if necessary I can make one later. The word is most certainly cromulent.

I stand corrected sir! Hanging my head in shame at losing nerd trivia. I thought I was going to have to challenge you to a duel behind the Training Grounds mess hall after school.

[CG Oglethorpe Kerensky]

Viktor Drake, on 23 June 2013 - 08:07 PM, said:

Still think a Jenner is hands down better than a Cicada. By the time you factor in it requiring a heavier engine than the Jenner to attain the same speeds, you only get an extra ton or two of weight for armor, weapons or equipment all for the low, low cost of being a mcuh bigger target.

You are close...

If you take a Jenner and the X-5 and run the numbers at, assuming both have:
1. Maximum speed
2. Endosteel
3. Ferro Armor

The X-5 has 10 tons of mass left for weapons and heatsinks.
The Jenner has 11 tons of mass left for weapons and heatsinks.


Since engine efficiency is not in a linear scale, as the engine rating increases the power-to-weight ratio drops, there comes point where a mech is simply too heavy to move at a certain speed. The X-5 pushes the engine rating past the 300 and into the realm of inefficiency where the 5 ton advantage it has over the Jenner is wasted by the 6 tons of extra engine it needs to keep pace with it.