36 replies to this topic

[Anti ARMD]

I think the other variants of locusts other then the 1V will need the DHS... but they won't have the room for weapons & ammo because you need to get as much tonnage out of these machines. I know I'll be getting LOCUSTS just to swarm around large prey and leave their skeletons on the battlefield!

[IceLom]

Anti ARMD, on 26 September 2013 - 03:39 PM, said:

I think the other variants of locusts other then the 1V will need the DHS... but they won't have the room for weapons & ammo because you need to get as much tonnage out of these machines. I know I'll be getting LOCUSTS just to swarm around large prey and leave their skeletons on the battlefield!

Like i said even with DH/Endo/FF/XL you have 5 slots for weapons if you are running energy 5 slots is more then you need on a 20ton mech (you don't have the tonnage to run balistics other then machine guns, if you are using machine guns you don't need dhs.)

Edited by IceLom, 26 September 2013 - 03:52 PM.

[Anti ARMD]

IceLom, on 26 September 2013 - 03:50 PM, said:

Like i said even with DH/Endo/FF/XL you have 5 slots for weapons if you are running energy 5 slots is more then you need on a 20ton mech (you don't have the tonnage to run balistics other then machine guns, if you are using machine guns you don't need dhs.)

The 1V will have to be 2MG with a LL, but I am more worried that the 3S will be struggling quite alot based on how the streak COM-2D has faired with crit slot issues, tonnage and SHS/DHS. The 3M will most likely revolve into the 1 ERLL and 4 SL (same tonnage devotion as the 1V).

But we're almost there... 2 1/2 weeks to go!

[Ace Selin]

RandomLurker, on 24 September 2013 - 07:37 PM, said:

They both suck, since scouting doesn't earn any rewards in MWO. If you don't get kills, you don't get bills.

Between the two, whichever one can carry the most Medium Lasers. Which probably won't be the Locust.

You either have never piloted a light or don't know how to pilot a light. I have hundreds of kills in my light mechs, many are solo kills against assaults and heavies. I think both are great btw.

[Hans Von Lohman]

You don't have to put the biggest engine in it. Is going 150kph more important than another weapon and going 135kph?

I run my commando with a slightly smaller engine than maximum. I put in the weapons I wanted, then the engine was what weight I had left to work with.

Edited by Hans Von Lohman, 27 September 2013 - 12:44 AM.

[aniviron]

Shadey99, on 25 September 2013 - 01:08 PM, said:

This would be true of both the Locust and Flea... If and only if... The current speed cap was removed.

A Locust could actually hit the 1.4x160 engine cap it could use a 225 or 225 xl (11 tons including 1 HS, leaving 4 tons for weapons after 4.5 tons of armor) and reach 182.25 kph without speed tweak.
A Flea could hit 1.4x120 and use 170 or 170 xl engines reaching 137.7 kph (151.5 kph with speed tweak) and higher using MASC (189 if I did the math right).
Under the same system a Jenner would max at 1.4x245 and use a 340 or 340 xl (20.5 tons for the engine) and reach a max speed of 159.7 kph without speed tweak.

The Locust could be a huge threat at those speeds even with light guns... The Flea however would remain at best competitive (though with heavy guns at 20 tons).

It's silly to assume that you will be able to rely on MASC to maintain speed, however. In canon it locks up your legs permanently if you're unlucky; I imagine in this game it will at least force a temporary shutdown, which might as well be a death sentence. It's fine for short bursts, but you won't just be able to hit the GOTTA GO FAST button and run rings around people, you're going to be limited to normal speed most of the time, presumably.

IceLom, on 26 September 2013 - 03:04 PM, said:

on the 20t mechs you wont be using your slots for allot of weapons so the external heat sinks wont really eat any (especially since you don't really need dhs because you don't have the weapon count to need them)

Even with an XL engine, FF, and endo steal along with 4x double external heat sinks you have 5 slots left over for wepaons... seeing as you most likely wont even want double heat sinks (not enough weapons to heat you) you should have 13 slots free way more then you would ever need.

So no on the second part of your post is completely wrong.

If you think any mech is okay with 10 single heatsinks, you've got another think coming. With ten single heatsinks, even going into the center of the crater in Caustic Valley and just running around your heatsinks can't dissipate the waste heat from moving around. Your plan involves firing medium lasers in addition to moving, I assume. So a little math, assuming you fire four medium lasers at once, you get to fire three times before shutting down and dealing yourself internal damage. Cooling down from 100% heat capacity to nothing would take 40 seconds, assuming you are standing completely still; longer if you want to move while cooling.

So sure, double heat sinks are totally optional. It's an option between a swift hot death, and a maybe dealing a little damage before being blown apart.

[Shadey99]

aniviron, on 27 September 2013 - 01:03 AM, said:

It's silly to assume that you will be able to rely on MASC to maintain speed, however. In canon it locks up your legs permanently if you're unlucky; I imagine in this game it will at least force a temporary shutdown, which might as well be a death sentence. It's fine for short bursts, but you won't just be able to hit the GOTTA GO FAST button and run rings around people, you're going to be limited to normal speed most of the time, presumably.

No where did I suggest one would be able to rely on MASC all the time. It's more likely use is as a 'escape' button... Except the speed cap exists and instead it will be an 'I'll just go die to that Jenner, because I can't really outrun it' button.

Btw I have a feeling a actuator failure from using MASC is going to be more like being legged...

[IceLom]

aniviron, on 27 September 2013 - 01:03 AM, said:

It's silly to assume that you will be able to rely on MASC to maintain speed, however. In canon it locks up your legs permanently if you're unlucky; I imagine in this game it will at least force a temporary shutdown, which might as well be a death sentence. It's fine for short bursts, but you won't just be able to hit the GOTTA GO FAST button and run rings around people, you're going to be limited to normal speed most of the time, presumably.



If you think any mech is okay with 10 single heatsinks, you've got another think coming. With ten single heatsinks, even going into the center of the crater in Caustic Valley and just running around your heatsinks can't dissipate the waste heat from moving around. Your plan involves firing medium lasers in addition to moving, I assume. So a little math, assuming you fire four medium lasers at once, you get to fire three times before shutting down and dealing yourself internal damage. Cooling down from 100% heat capacity to nothing would take 40 seconds, assuming you are standing completely still; longer if you want to move while cooling.

So sure, double heat sinks are totally optional. It's an option between a swift hot death, and a maybe dealing a little damage before being blown apart.

if you are running 4x medium lasers on a 20 ton then you have the crit space for the double heat sinks... (like I said in my post).... 5x slots free when you use dhs,endo,ff, and xl..... that's 4x medium lasers and an empty space. the only time you have to go to singles is if you need more then 5 slots and that's usually to accommodate things like MG's and there ammo or beagle and tag stuff that does not make heat. Also the FF barely gives you any tonnage and can be dropped... all I was saying is that a 20ton mech may not need to go to double heat sinks.

Edited by IceLom, 27 September 2013 - 03:44 PM.

[MisterFiveSeven]

Looking at that picture I just realized something...

Anyone else think the flamer on the flea looks exactly like a flamer from 40k?

Like EXACTLY?

[LastPaladin]

Hans Von Lohman, on 25 September 2013 - 09:54 AM, said:

This should not be like all of the older games where light mechs are pointless.

They weren't pointless in the original MechWarrior. I could do fine in a Jenner, and even Locusts were pretty playable, if you were smart. Of course, that was just against AI, so maybe that is why they worked.

[Kasiagora]

MisterFiveSeven, on 27 September 2013 - 05:44 PM, said:

Looking at that picture I just realized something...

Anyone else think the flamer on the flea looks exactly like a flamer from 40k?

Like EXACTLY?

Oh {Scrap}. SHH!!! We don't need this getting destroyed by a lawsuit from Games Workshop.

[Nryrony]

What is the role of such a light mech?

- Capping?
Every body hates capping, its pointless and boring.

- Scouting/Spotting?
If they get spotted them self's they have an express ticket into oblivion. Also there isn't much point to it, if you can't hold a lock for long.

- Backstabbing?
I would love to, but the locust lacks some punch for it.

- Light hunting?
Well lets wait and see, but i have my doubts.

Edited by Nryrony, 29 September 2013 - 10:51 AM.

[Kasiagora]

I think in the case of the Locust it'll be largely about scouting/spotting and troll-capping. Not actually staying on the cap, but only hanging out there for 15 seconds or so. Letting the enemy think their base is actually in trouble, and then bailing out before they actually get back to base.
After the match gets going, buzz around between fights involving the bigger mechs and just scratch at the enemies with your machine guns. Using those to crit-seek a bit, hoping to knock out a weapon, heat sink, or ammo.

For scouting we'd better hope one of the variants is ECM capable.

[Jenkss]

Hans Von Lohman, on 27 September 2013 - 12:44 AM, said:

You don't have to put the biggest engine in it. Is going 150kph more important than another weapon and going 135kph?

I run my commando with a slightly smaller engine than maximum. I put in the weapons I wanted, then the engine was what weight I had left to work with.

Absolutely yes. Going as fast as possible is the most important thing in a light. Speed is life.

[Krivvan]

Oppresor, on 25 September 2013 - 12:43 PM, said:

I see the Flea's role as a Hunter Killer for taking out Jenner's. A Mech that can actually outpace the Jenner and do to it what it does to everything else; run rings around it.

It needs to actually be able to kill the Jenner, not just outpace it. It takes a 48 kph versus 153 kph difference for the Jenner to be impervious to an Atlas.

And running rings around another light is the quickest way to get yourself killed. The Jenner has jump jets too.

[Nryrony]

Why pick a Light to kill a Light - Meds are far better at it. Just look at the SSRM boats. - And yes, Jenners don't have ECM...

Edited by Nryrony, 30 September 2013 - 02:45 AM.

[SgtMagor]

Its a tough call, but I prefer the Locust. it looks like it will be the faster mech even without MASC. besides the Locust is one good looking chine!