155 replies to this topic

[eFTy]

Joke build bump

LCT-1V

It looks awesome in the mechlab, but I'm not sure I wanna blow 1.6M C-Bills for a couple of laughs...

[Buckminster]

I also find myself thinking that with the LBXs. "Oh, that'd be a fun build, but..." Because ehan it comes down to it, between LBXs or DHS on a mech, DHS is always the upgrade to make.

[mad kat]

I'm currently in the process of eliting my locusts and while i felt the 1V was a bit underwhelming it didn't do too bad and got a handful of kills, mainly due to the machine guns kill stealing.

Then i thought the 3S would be the best build due to potential firepower. I was very wrong it has an appalling K/D ratio, I mainly used 4xssrm2 but also tried 2xsrm6 (which ran out of ammo in no time), then 2xsrm4+Ml which was ok but very 'Meh'. The 3S runs hotter than my now 3M strange really.

Now i'm in the 3M and not looking back running a 170xl, DHS, ES, FF and 4xML and one tag for some assists. I treat it as a secondary more fragile Death's knell which i also own 'cept with the ability to boost earnings and XP with Tag spotting.

Thinking back on it the locust makes no real world sense relying on ammo dependent weapons especially missiles that have such terrible spread and are very ammo hungry.

[Ovion]

What would you reccomend for budget Locust Builds? - i.e. no XL, no DHS, for while you're building up towards such things, and/or focusing on mastering other frames first.

[Buckminster]

Huh, budget Locust builds...

On the -1V, I'd probably add Endo and FF, and then you have some options:

• max armor, replace ML with MPL
  
• add AMS and ammo
  
• replace 2 MGs (1t ammo) and ML with 4 MGs (2t ammo) SL
  
• strip all weapons, reduce arm armor to 0, add LL

I'd probably just use the MPL or AMS version, because for the MGs to be really effective you need to get too close. Though the LL build can be fun for distance harassing.

For the -3S, you could leave it as is, or you could strip the SSRMs, ammo and CASE, and by removing armor off of one arm, you can add two LRM5s (1t ammo) to the other. Heat isn't as much of an issue because you should be playing this from a distance, and you can duck to cover if needed. There are SRM options for the -3S, similar to the LRM5 version, only replacing the two LRM5s with two SRM4s. I'm not a huge fan of the SRM option though, as it requires a lot of getting in and getting dirty.

A non DHS build for the -3M is tricky, unless you take the single LL approach listed under the -1V. Trying to take advantage of all of those energy hardpoints will do you no good with SHS.

[Ovion]

At the moment I'm running:
LCT-1V

LCT-3S
Though I've bult (but yet to try): LCT-3S

And overall... the 3M so far has been my weakest contender...
5SL was bad, mixed S/M was bad... just put this together:
LCT-3M
So I'll see how that runs...

But any advice on how to fix these on the cheap would be good.

- I will also try the M.Pulse and such too

Edited by Ovion, 06 April 2014 - 01:59 PM.

[jper4]

the 1V is the only Locust i keep SHS in because with one laser you're not overheating anytime soon, you can even spam an ERLL for a few shots before heat is an issue. but i just have the token ML/4MG set up.

the 3M you pretty much need the DHS since it's the energy boat of the three.

the 3S you can get away with SHS it if you're using the LRM setup since you most likely aren;t going to alpha very much, otherwise you're better off with DHS. i use a MPL/3SRM2 build for my 3S but you'll need DHS with that. 1ML/2SRM2s might be ok with SHS though i've not tried it myself.

[mad kat]

To run a locust on a budget as others have said your limited to the 1v. I'd take the 4xmg variant and hang around the periphery of the battle until the last handful of mechs or minutes whichever comes first remains then dive in and go for some kill steals. Failing that if your licking your wounds id resort to finding some very good cover. The waterfal in the cave on forest colony for example and shutting down till the timer runs out. As chances are you will be outgunned no matter the enemy has left and saving your k/d ratio is at least something if your the last man standing. Not of course that the k/d ratio is worth saving of course, it is a game after all so cares if you plough into certain death.

Edited by mad kat, 07 April 2014 - 10:43 PM.

[Ovion]

I started with Catapults and Locusts, and continue to run locusts heavily because it's fun...
My K/D is a joke, though I'm fine with my W/L. (Generally playing support, I like to think I helped when we win)

Spoiler

Classic:
Kill / Death Ratio 0.15
Win / Loss Ratio 0.71

Current:
Kill / Death Ratio 0.12
Win / Loss Ratio 0.63

Combined:
Kill / Death Ratio 0.14
Win / Loss Ratio 0.69

Having tested the above builds I posted...

The single Large Laser (which I had from something, though for the life of me can't figure where from...) 3M seems to be doing pretty well actually.
Certainly better than before.

The 2x2SRM +TAG 3S... well, I've never got along with SRMs so...
Don't know with that one.. it's not doing well.
May try an LRM10+Tag build next.

Edited by Ovion, 08 April 2014 - 02:43 AM.

[Cimarb]

Look in your inventory and sell your unused junk. You would be surprised how much junk you have, and it is "free" money. Getting a 180XL is quite worth it if you like Locusts, so definitely get that first.

[kesuga7]

good guide there
sadly the locust is a walking fast coffin in mwo with only one ac 20 to leg it

heres what im a try though

havn't tried yet but - narc - 24 shots - 1 mid pulse - 169.3 kph - no left arm armor and 0 cockpit armor

169.3 kph - 1 large pulse laser - Max armor everywhere but the arms and cockpit
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...a900b92cf573d90


Truth!! - 112 score 4 kills - 5 assist 700 damage
i had better games then this but this is first with 100 score and i noticed i was being less accurate with pulse that game

Edited by kesuga7, 09 April 2014 - 01:55 PM.

[Ovion]

Sold the 6 Med Pulse Lasers that I'm never going to use, which has netted me 360k (Good idea).
But there's not really much anything else I think will be worth selling.
(LRM15s and 20's will be worth more saved)

But, that's going to go towards my third spider (12 jump jets!)

[Cimarb]

Ovion, on 08 April 2014 - 09:45 AM, said:

Sold the 6 Med Pulse Lasers that I'm never going to use, which has netted me 360k (Good idea).
But there's not really much anything else I think will be worth selling.
(LRM15s and 20's will be worth more saved)

But, that's going to go towards my third spider (12 jump jets!)

You may not have a big enough army yet, but once you have a good amount of mechs, you will find you have hundreds of extra medium lasers and STD engines laying around. Also remember that LRMs with or without Artemis are completely different weapons now, so if you only use ALRMs like I do, you can safely sell all your standard LRM launchers.

[Ovion]

I'm debating it...
But I figured I'd throw the LRMs onto a mech I'm upgrading for cheap ALRMs down the line.

That or I may just sell them.

[Buckminster]

Just don't go nuts with selling stuff. You only get half value, and if there's any chance you'll need them down the road, then that's 50% you've lost for good. I made the mistake with AC5s - I was at a point where I was only using UACs, so I sold half my AC5s. Well, I've since decided to use AC5s in some of my builds, and I was stuck buying them back.

[Cimarb]

Buckminster, on 08 April 2014 - 11:18 AM, said:

Just don't go nuts with selling stuff. You only get half value, and if there's any chance you'll need them down the road, then that's 50% you've lost for good. I made the mistake with AC5s - I was at a point where I was only using UACs, so I sold half my AC5s. Well, I've since decided to use AC5s in some of my builds, and I was stuck buying them back.

Very true, though most weapons are a pretty negligible cost. Definitely don't sell XL engines unless you desperately need money quick, and same with a chassis.

[Ovion]

Never selling a chasis again.

First mech I bought was a Raven 4X, plaid a half dozen matches and just... didn't get on with it, so sold it for my Cata K2.
Now I'm better at piloting MWO lights, I wish I hadn't sold it, but thems the breaks.

Wouldn't sell an XL either.
Those things cost more than my mechs O-o

[Buckminster]

kesuga7, on 08 April 2014 - 08:55 AM, said:

havn't tried yet but - narc - 24 shots - 1 mid pulse - 169.3 kph - no left arm armor and 0 cockpit armor

I've been playing with NARC, just to give me something different to do with the -3S. I kept it at full armor (except the head) and AMS, which only allowed room for a MLas and 12 shots with the NARC, but it wouldn't be hard to tweak to suit.

Narcust

It's actually been really fun - on the Locust I like the NARC a lot better than I do the TAG. It's so small you can sneak up and just lob one onto your target, or you can always do drive-by NARCing, allowing you to get in and get out without having to linger around.

Only problem I've had is that I PUG fairly exclusively, so my usefulness is directly tied to whether or not I have friendly LRM boats. Although I did get my 10 assist achieve with this setup.

Edited by Buckminster, 15 April 2014 - 08:37 AM.

[kesuga7]

Buckminster, on 15 April 2014 - 08:36 AM, said:

I've been playing with NARC, just to give me something different to do with the -3S. I kept it at full armor (except the head) and AMS, which only allowed room for a MLas and 12 shots with the NARC, but it wouldn't be hard to tweak to suit.

Narcust

It's actually been really fun - on the Locust I like the NARC a lot better than I do the TAG. It's so small you can sneak up and just lob one onto your target, or you can always do drive-by NARCing, allowing you to get in and get out without having to linger around.

Only problem I've had is that I PUG fairly exclusively, so my usefulness is directly tied to whether or not I have friendly LRM boats. Although I did get my 10 assist achieve with this setup.

i found that 12 shots tends to run out if im missing my hits lol

so i dropped 12 arm armour - 5 cockpit - 1 side torso armour and changed that mid laser to a small
to add another tonn of narc
however this is pretty minimal on survivability with small laser and no arm armour to take a gauss shot
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...27d9322caf7c9f3


slso here is a ecm - narc - ams - 1 mid laser - 24 nrc shot 149.7 kph commando 2d
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...4847f6f6df40d3c


or the 3 medium lser - narc - 24 shots - 171.1 kph - 125 Armour commando 1b
you could also do - 2 mid - 1 tag - or take out some medium lasers to add ams
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...497df1a06b6af8a

Edited by kesuga7, 15 April 2014 - 11:19 AM.

[Wildstreak]

Interesting, I just fiddled around with the new Locusts.

The original 3, I could run them with 180XL and use MLs on any with MGs (1V), SRM2s (3S) or multiple MLs (3M). These new ones, I seem to only be able to use SLs to get maximum use of the Energy hardpoints.

Not sure about the 1E with all weapons in the arms. Not easy to shoot off but the side torsos are, then since people usually use XL engines that may not matter. Best use of speed is to go 6SL. Not sure how it will stack up against the 3M with less torso rotation and 1 less AMS.

1M, I tried my 3S build with another ML but I have to drop the engine rating to use 2ML & 2SRM2 or drop the Lasers to 2SL. I think going 2SL with 2LRM5 may be best for the lightest LRM boat in the game, maybe a slower engine for 1ML & TAG. The 1M makes the 3S more a close range brawler. Just noticed it has a slight 5 degrees more torso twist.