49 replies to this topic

[Mazgazine1]

Now that we get to play with the new light, it is completely obvious how bad the 10 minimum heatsink requirement is. Why does the LCT-3S have 4 missle locations if there is NO POSSIBLE WAY of using them. As a slow light mech is a dead light mech, a 190XL is a requirement for the locust.

If I didn't need to burn 3 tons on heat sinks (or another 6 slots on double heatsinks) the mech would be extremely viable.

Maybe the lights should get this buff in general?

[Kraven Kor]

You are not really "burning tons" on heat sinks.

Engines under 250 rating require at least one heatsink out of the engine; the engine weights are discounted by how many sinks they would need, so really, you are only losing crit spaces, not tonnage.

Just an FYI. And no, this is not adequately explained, like, anywhere in any official fashion. And THAT needs to be FIXED.

And yeah, on a 20 ton mech, if you want max speed and max armor, then you are going to end up with a Medium Laser and 4 MG's. At most.

[Troggy]

Actually. Virtually all the XLs weight the same amount 4.0 tonnes, and you only save 0.5 tonnes by dropping from the 175 (at 5.5 tonnes) b/c you get the other heat sink. Same at 145 (at 2.5 tonnes). Which means every engine smaller than the 180 is pretty much identical.

The problem isn't "compromises," the problem is physical impossibility at any speed. There needs to be a system re-work (e.g. 8 HS minimum or small engines come with more heat sinks) to allow for any sort of variety in Locust builds.

Kraven Kor, on 15 October 2013 - 03:03 PM, said:

You are not really "burning tons" on heat sinks.

Engines under 250 rating require at least one heatsink out of the engine; the engine weights are discounted by how many sinks they would need, so really, you are only losing crit spaces, not tonnage.

And yeah, on a 20 ton mech, if you want max speed and max armor, then you are going to end up with a Medium Laser and 4 MG's. At most.

[Kelito]

Kraven Kor, on 15 October 2013 - 03:03 PM, said:

You are not really "burning tons" on heat sinks.

Engines under 250 rating require at least one heatsink out of the engine; the engine weights are discounted by how many sinks they would need, so really, you are only losing crit spaces, not tonnage.

Just an FYI. And no, this is not adequately explained, like, anywhere in any official fashion. And THAT needs to be FIXED.

And yeah, on a 20 ton mech, if you want max speed and max armor, then you are going to end up with a Medium Laser and 4 MG's. At most.

In reality, The engines in the Locust require 4 heatsinks, the engine that comes with the stock locusts all require 4 heatsinks, so with that requirement, there is really no way to customize the mechs.

I agree, there needs to be a rework of these terrible mechs. And silly me bought all 4

[Kraven Kor]

I disagree, at least in regards to engine sinks and whatnot. Though I would not be "against" making smaller engines not require 10 heat sinks.

It would seriously buff all light mechs though, in ways we cannot predict and likely would not end up enjoying, overall.

Again - the locust is meant to be terrible. It just is. If they make such a change, light mechs could do "more" than other weight classes, by far. while mediums would get a smaller benefit and heavies / assaults none if any.

[Mazgazine1]

its a simple fix, allow lights to drop under the heatsink requirement. I know this would definitely buff other builds, but the commando and Locust are in the same boat.

A locust with XL , max armor, feros and endo nets you 9.15 tons of free space - 33% going to HEATSINKS....

that just sucks.

[Asmosis]

All the engines we have currently below 250 rating had their weight reduced to compensate for the fact you'd need +1 ton externally iirc when they moved from a default 10 heat sinks during closed beta.

[silentnukerecon]

What I believe is that light mech under 25 tons should only need 8 heatsink while the other light above 25 tons should keep there 10.

[Scratx]

Or you could use SHS instead. Oh, wait...


(that's sarcasm, btw)

[William Knight]

I like 'em. Minimum heat sinks are fine.

Edited by William Knight, 15 October 2013 - 06:21 PM.

[Aggressor666]

why do people assume that every mech in the game is supposed to be uber badass take on all comers with a few tweeks ???

this is a locust people..... it is THEE smallest mech in the game it is a "scout" in its most basic form, run around, find bad, guys and relay info to team and make sure you do NOT engage the enemy alone hell even the name tells you how to use it effectively only in swarms otherwise run away...

so stop asking them to turn mech this into somthing it isnt and really should'nt be know the mech's role and play it as such

Edited by Aggressor666, 15 October 2013 - 07:28 PM.

[Asmosis]

Scratx, on 15 October 2013 - 05:58 PM, said:

Or you could use SHS instead. Oh, wait...


(that's sarcasm, btw)

SHS work fine on some builds, I use them on a couple of my mechs in favor of DHS when using <250 rating engines.

From everything i've seen/read locusts arent going to survive long enough in close quarters to overheat anyway.

Edited by Asmosis, 15 October 2013 - 08:26 PM.

[Modo44]

The Locust is a 20 ton scout mech. It's not supposed to have the firepower of heavier lights, not even that of a Spider. Deal with it already.

[yashmack]

10 heatsink requirement is battletech tabletop rules
all engines regardless of size must have at least 10 heatsink to dissipate the heat it generates, any less and your core will overload, simple as that

Edited by yashmack, 15 October 2013 - 08:45 PM.

[Past]

Havent had a chance to play yet but playing around in smurfy mechlab im frustrated by the heatsink requirement. I have designed one with 4 machine guns and tag that i want to run and am forced to add heat sinks without anything on it actually generating heat and also the one with 4 missle hardpoints and one energy using the lightest possible weapons for each hardpoint I end up with a build that can only fire 25 times which isnt great in a mech you have to be top speed or dead in. The energy only one is the only one the extra heat sinks dont really hurt to have on.

[Erik]

Aggressor666, on 15 October 2013 - 07:28 PM, said:

why do people assume that every mech in the game is supposed to be uber badass take on all comers with a few tweeks ???

this is a locust people..... it is THEE smallest mech in the game it is a "scout" in its most basic form, run around, find bad, guys and relay info to team and make sure you do NOT engage the enemy alone hell even the name tells you how to use it effectively only in swarms otherwise run away...

so stop asking them to turn mech this into somthing it isnt and really should'nt be know the mech's role and play it as such

I gotta disagree. A mech should be able to actually use his hardpoints.

[Event Horizon]

You can use the hardpoints fine, you just can't have everything you want all the time. The lighter the mech the less options you have, especially at 20 tons, that is 5 less than a Commando! You all sound like Obama/Reid wanting everything with no compromises, you can't always have your cake and eat it too you know.

Edited by Eugenics, 15 October 2013 - 09:44 PM.

[Kmieciu]

The four missile slots are for SRM2s. You get better DPS and accuracy than with 2xSRM4 at a cost of lower heat efficiency (but it's worth it). When the SRM hit dection gets fixed it will be a viable build. In theory it has the highest DPS of all the Locusts - a perfect backstabber.

[Modo44]

I though 3xLRM5 was the way to go. Good luck catching that LRM boat.

[Ari Dian]

Erik, on 15 October 2013 - 09:35 PM, said:

I gotta disagree. A mech should be able to actually use his hardpoints.

Jup. I agree 100%. Because my Locust has 4 Ballistic slots i DEMAND that i am able to fit 4 AC20 into these.......


Ballistics, other than MG, are had to fit on light mechs, and always come with serrious drawbacks (Urban Mech?).

Basicly your Locust is made for MGs or nothing in these slots. Thats the burden of the light mechs.