33 replies to this topic

[Deadmeat313]

Just a question for you Kurita buddies. How many of you would pilot a Panther if it were released?

35 ton Light Mech 64.8kph max speed, with 1 x PPC and 1 x SRM4. Jump capable.

Upgraded version uses the ERPPC, but is known for overheating.

The current thinking on MWO is that a Light Mech must go just shy of light speed or be dead. Do you think you can succeed with the PNT-9R?

[Josef Nader]

The Panther would never be good in the current game, but if they made it so that the game was predominantly mediums and lights instead of mostly assaults, it might actually stand a good chance to be an alright mech.

It'd be fun to try and make it work.

[Lord Ikka]

I've run a Jenner K with Panther fittings. Not the best in MWO, but fun.

[stjobe]

I've had a COM-1D Ghetto Panther PNT-10K for a while now; ERPPC+ Artemis SRM-4, 144 armour, XL170.

It's seriously under-gunned in the current MWO, and the non-maxed engine doesn't do it any favours either; I could only imagine what a sitting duck a 64kph light would be like...

That said, I'd pilot one in a heartbeat

[Deadmeat313]

I see it as cheap fire support. It might become more viable when Drop Weight limits are introduced.

My understanding of Draconis Combine military doctrine is that they favour high mobility striker Mechs - Jenner and Dragon - to move fast and hit the enemy up and down the line. Their superior speed* theoretically allows them to concentrate overwhelming force on a targetted sector - and then fade, to strike again elsewhere.

These fast strike groups are anchored on slower fire support groups, made up of AS7-K Atlas, CPLT-K2 Catapult and PNT-9R Panther Mechs. These units may be able to advance to provide immediate fire support to a strike unit as it attacks. Otherwise they are useful to hold ground and provide an umbrella zone of defensive fire. An engaged strike unit may try to draw an enemy onto the guns of its supporting fire team.

In MWO this could be quite workable. We've already seen the Strike Team work effectively. In this case the natural partner for the Panther is the AS7-K Atlas. The big guy should be sitting back quite far from the fight, but close enough to provide accurate fire support. The Panther can lurk nearby and add its PPC fire to whatever it is the Atlas is hitting. The Panther is faster than the Atlas, and can use the big guy as cover.

It would not be suitable for a glory hound. It would need some patience - and a willingness to work closely with the team.

House Liao's VND-1R Vindicator will be almost identical - except that we have few Assault Mechs to team up with.

(*vs a typical Steiner unit.)

[BigBadVlad]

I would probably buy them and find a way to make them work. There will be certain conditions that allow it to work well and others where it won't. The stock 9R will suck a bit but throw the usual upgrades at it and you could build something decent i'm sure.
XL for more speed, ER PPC to hit at range, upgrade to SRM6 or dual/triple SSRM2.

Quick idea of an upgraded Panther... I'd try this..
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...319609cfc4fb8a2

[101011]

As much as I love the Panther, I think it's rather outclassed by the Jenner in every way, really. The Jenner is faster, has the same hardpoints, same tonnage, also has jumpjets. The only advantage I can think of is the arm actuators for the Panther. Could I succeed? Yes. Could I do as well as a Jenner? Not really.

[Jokerman]

I'd love to pilot another fire support Kurita mech

[Zvestor]

I would buy one. No matter the price or how it´s working

But honestly, since we are able to make mechs really faster than the original design, speed might not be the problem.
If...yes... if pgi scales it right and gives it nice hitboxes....

I WANT ONE

[Takony]

It would be very cool to have the Panther, because it could really look badazz, but sadly the ingame "reality" of MWO is that ...
Anything under 152kph top speed (with speed tweak) @ 35 tons is just cannon fodder/target practice. Just think Raven 2x-4x, how viable are those? How many of them you see on the battlefield?
Not to mention: prone to get an overly tall profile (humanoid) seeing PGI scaling track record (vs Jenner, birdlike, low profile), and PPC is arm mounted, in this case meaning it shoots the dirt, instead of shooting over convenient cover.
Good for trolling and collection purposes maybe, but Jenners/Spiders would still be superior (or rather, supreme).

[Assiah]

I love the panther, I really do, but the current set up for MWO would make it a dead on arrival mech if you wanted to be competitive. If you wanted the Panther to be viable you'd have to 1.) put in hardpoint restrictions to make the panther one of the few light mechs to be able to carry a PPC. 2.) Give us an in game reason to run mechs that fit a role that heavier mechs are just hands down better at, namely give us a reason to run an underweight and/or under gunned mech.

If PGI can fulfill both of these points, I could see the Panther being useful as its a cheap mech to field and packs a decent punch for its size. If they don't hit both of these points the Panther ends up being not as useful as a Jenner with a PPC (better hardpoints same size) or something like a VTR-9K (better overall for a jumping direct fire support mech).

[Dracol]

I used to run a Panther in MW:O.... Spider with erppc, no missles though. It was great prior to the jj shake and ppc reload nerf. In one jump I was able to land two shots, one on the way up and a second on the way down. With ecm and a top speed of about 110kph, I'd usually last the whole match, sniping meds, heavies, and assualts at 500m or more meters out.

Was a lot of fun. Lights were the only thing that I had to be careful about. Now a days its not as effective but still a fun mech to run in pugs.

[Assiah]

Dracol, on 18 August 2013 - 07:06 AM, said:

I used to run a Panther in MW:O.... Spider with erppc, no missles though. It was great prior to the jj shake and ppc reload nerf. In one jump I was able to land two shots, one on the way up and a second on the way down. With ecm and a top speed of about 110kph, I'd usually last the whole match, sniping meds, heavies, and assualts at 500m or more meters out.

Was a lot of fun. Lights were the only thing that I had to be careful about. Now a days its not as effective but still a fun mech to run in pugs.

No you ran a spider with a PPC and ECM. Big difference. With current engine limitations a PNT-9R would at best be able to run a 195-200 engine, meaning at best you could run 100kph with speed tweak. I also highly doubt the Panther would carry ECM seeing as its not a scout mech. You would also be looking at only being able to run 4 jump jets (maybe 6).

[dal10]

Takony, on 15 August 2013 - 04:50 AM, said:

It would be very cool to have the Panther, because it could really look badazz, but sadly the ingame "reality" of MWO is that ...
Anything under 152kph top speed (with speed tweak) @ 35 tons is just cannon fodder/target practice. Just think Raven 2x-4x, how viable are those? How many of them you see on the battlefield?
Not to mention: prone to get an overly tall profile (humanoid) seeing PGI scaling track record (vs Jenner, birdlike, low profile), and PPC is arm mounted, in this case meaning it shoots the dirt, instead of shooting over convenient cover.
Good for trolling and collection purposes maybe, but Jenners/Spiders would still be superior (or rather, supreme).

they are COMPLETELY viable. l2p. (back when i played light mechs,, (can't currently due to fps issues) i could generally go about even vs ecm ravens and 4ml/2 ssrm 2 jenners with my ac/20 raven)

[Natrall]

just to clear somethings up. for those who like to say I am Kuritan! instead of just a mechwarrior looking for the "absolute best" mech and I'm affiliated with.......
The Panther is one of the Mechs that is most iconic of the Draconis Combine. The design was originally commissioned in 2739 and had a revision after the disastrous Battle of St. John in 2759 that led to a re-evaluation of the design, ceasing of production of the 8Z version and to the later more recognized version that mounts a PPC instead of the problematic Large Laserr. In the early 3070s, Wakazashi Enterprises licensed the design from Alshain Weapons, who had difficulty keeping up with demand following the loss of two factories to the Clans.
The Panther operates as a direct fire support 'Mech for other light units. The main disadvantage that the Panther has in this situation is that the design only has a top speed of 64.8 km/h which, while not the slowest speed held by a light 'Mech, is extremely slow for the Panther's weight class. The Panther also suffers from heat problems, as its weapons payload is centered around a high-heat energy weapon. Minobu tetsurhara, founder of the Ryken pilots one. Fuhito tetsurhara pilots one (minobu's brother) now. tomoe sukade The Dragons Wife pilots one.

[Davoke]

You do realize a Panther is in the 5/8(so in MWO 81kph) bracket...right?

[hargneux]

Would love to see the panther in MWO.

[Armored Yokai]

would be great asset
i think it should be given ecm capability
and its speed be 100-125 max
its type would be mostly fit for alpine or terra therma,River city,caustic valley canyon

[Carrioncrows]

Panther could be very good in the current environment.

Long bulky arms, big side torso's and small ct.

Dump like 3-4 energy hard points in the ppc arm and 2 missile hardpoints in the CT.

Oh yeah, it could work some magic.

[Strum Wealh]

Davoke, on 23 August 2013 - 06:08 PM, said:

You do realize a Panther is in the 5/8(so in MWO 81kph) bracket...right?

Actually, the PNT-9R is in the 4/6/4 bracket (according to page 115 of TRO 3039), and the PNT-10K is also in the 4/6/4 bracket (according to page 29 of TRO 3050 Upgrade). As the PNT-8Z is configured similarly to the PNT-9R (save for the targeting and communication systems, and the Large Laser in place of the PPC - according to page 30 of TRO 3025), it would also be in the 4\6\4 bracket. Thus, each of the Panther variants that would be available would have a starting top speed of ~65 kph with their default 140-rated Engines and an upper limit on Engine ratings of 200 (with a corresponding un-tweaked top speed of ~93 kph).