27 replies to this topic

[Dexter Herbivore]

I think I've finally found the correct use for a Locust.

Bait.

In at least 3 games today, I've had 5 or more mechs chasing me around Benny Hill fashion looking for an easy kill. Meanwhile the rest of their team got absolutely demolished by the other 11 pugs on my team. It can be fun to be the fox in the fox hunt, jink and weave and do your best to stay alive as long as possible while the opposing team chases squirrels. This won't be a valid tactic for 12 mans obviously, but is anyone playing Locusts in 12 mans other than as a joke?

[RuzzBot]

Actually, I believe locusts will become more valid when they implement weight limits Till then, baiting and finishing off wounded mechs sounds about right.

[Kjudoon]

Stop chasing the damn squirrel!

[Nick Makiaveli]

Get a wolf pack of 4 Locusts each packing 5 MLs and the squirrels can bite back

[Bront]

Yup, many PUGs try to chase the squirrel.


Outside of being the squirrel, they're nice for capping points, vulturing nearly dead mechs, and general distraction in a match.

[Zerberus]

I run my V locust as a n ERLL on 2 legs. I`ts not as good as my spider 5k overall, but it`s just comical sometimes.

The way you can stand out at 1000m and plink away and nobody seems to care until the first people start falling over after 2-3 minutes.

Or you run through the mass like a chicken with it`s head cut off, pecking at everything you can find...... and when you´ve gotten them strung into a nice conga line you slow down a hair to give them the impression that they might be able to hit you, just before you turn around the corner and hide behind three atlases screaming "Help, they`re chasing me!"

Not to mention trolling the cap, or trolling the enemy cappers.

If you didn`t troll at least 5 people per match in some way, shape or form, you`re doing it wrong

Edited by Zerberus, 20 October 2013 - 07:46 AM.

[Simbacca]

I employ my Locusts (all share the same XL190) similar to my Raven-4X (previously equipped with the 245 XL before engine cap change). -- A support mech to the assaults, heavies and mediums. Support their attacks, and to keep lights off of them - but not pursue them.

If I am grouped with other lights - then the same applies.

High speed capping.

And finally, high speed artillery runs. Get in danger close, and drop the artillery marker right in the gaggle, and get out before the artillery hits.

With that said, after I master them I will be selling them off - they are too light for my liking (and I gladly piloted a TIE Fighter in Star Wars games to boot).

Edited by Simbacca, 20 October 2013 - 07:46 AM.

[Teela Zain Elmes]

You are completely right Dexter! All say/write "chase the light one, easy to kill". Ok come on, and leave ur mates behind , so that my main lance shreds them into small pieces.

[RadioKies]

Best tactic of em all?
Use something else!

Seriously, the Locust hase some big flaws:
-Can't see scrap from the cockpit.
-It takes one to two AC20 shots to take one down.
-Compared to other lights its relativly kinda big.

This is coming from a non Locust player. Especially when I'm driving my AC40 Jaeger I smile when I see a Locust roaming around. It's an free kill. If I see a whole group of Locust I'm thinking: It must be my birthday! Thats not a good thing... When I see a Spider I think, oh {Scrap} (mainly because of HSR bugging out on it).

[Zordicron]

I put a ERPPC on the one that can equip it. So far, crimson straight is my favorite map for it, when people derp into the garage there are lots of places out of LOS to them, where I can get LOS and shoot at them. I took down a K2(had orange armor but cmon, its a locust) because he was unable to figure out where to hide from my fire. Had fair games on Caustic and Terra Therma too. I am sure if I ever get to run it on alpine it will be reasonable(though it is easier to see there in the white background).

I see a lot of people running them as skirmishers, but they really only succeed against distracted enemy. If they see you and come after you, you pretty much just gotta run for it. If you get legged, you die before fireing another shot. If you overheat within 500M of them, pretty much the same result.

So far I much prefer the PPC to the 5 SL loadout I tried, my ISP is so ******** I have a little trouble with rubberbanding at high speeds, so drive by tactics can be a crapshoot. I prefer the inconspicuous PPC from behind the ridge at 900M.

Really, a locust on your team as a pug just means your team is going to miss out on significant dmg output. They have other tactics to bring to the table, but a lot of players cant get over invincible spider syndrome and dont bother with said tactics. So far my high dmg is 160 soething or another, had a couple over 130, but a lot of the time I am happy to break 100 Dmg on the thing. But, hen the match goes that way, it is usually because I spent a chunk of time distracting a whole lance of heavy/assault somewhere or playing trollcap.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

I have seen a lot of squirrel chasing in my Locusts. It seems no one can resist taking a shot at me, apparently in hopes of one-shotting me (which has happened once). Fine by me, if they're not watching the rest of my team. It's not worth much for Cbills or XP, but it IS satisfying professionally.

Haven't gotten around to my -3S yet. The -1V(P) with MPL, 4MG, makes a fine Annoyatron/troll. But that can run almost indefinitely without heat woes--it'll get 9-10 consecutive shots off on Caustic Valley before I have to cool off. The -3M is a bit hot no matter how you arrange it, as long as there's something in 4 or 5 of the energy slots. ML and 2MPL has been a good combo, allowing me to keep 2AMS and an XL190 aboard.

With ECM still wrecking havoc, though, I'm loathe to try SSRMs on the -3S. 2SRM2 or 2SRM4 with a single ML/MPL should work alright, but we'll see.

Locust is still outclassed for all but top-end speed by the RVN and JR7 chassis, and has a tough competitor in the COM. SDR, of course, is still the troll king; we can hope for a hit box solution, but it ain't here yet.

In hindsight, I kinda wish the Locust had been there at the start of open beta. It might have been more thoroughly fleshed-out in its role, and the Jenner and Raven (especially -3L, which needs a max engine size nerf IMRO) would have been pretty well received as heavier alternatives for our light mech needs.

If/when max drop tonnage comes into play, having a 20-ton option for scouts will be VERY valuable to commanders. And I think we'll see a surge in development of tactics for the LCT chassis then. Until such time, though, I'm already seeing folks turning back to the SDR, RVN, and JR7. A little less 'squishy'...

[Fang01]

I have had great luck in running a click ahead of my lance and convincing stragglers to chase into an ambush

[Kjudoon]

The only Locust that's making me spitting mad is the one with the dual AMS on it. Two nights ago, I was shelling the {Scrap} out of a Battlemaster on Tourmaline right in the open. This crazy Locust pilot sees my pain train going up, zips in FRONT of me and runs along my line of fire all the way to the Battlemaster, dual AMS grinding a 30 tube chain up constantly. Almost nothing reached the Battlemaster.

Hate those things and I know more and more are showing up.

[IllCaesar]

That is useful, but I've seen people do good in the Locust using traditional tactics. Saw a guy, 5 kills, 5 assist, almost 400 damage with three MGs and an MPL last match I was in. Being bait isn't the only way to be useful in it.

[Arnold J Rimmer]

Got a good chuckle out of that, Kjudoon. I'm sure I'd be equally annoyed in your place, but I can't help but feel that's a perfect use of a fast mech and 2AMS. Outstanding.

[Kjudoon]

Arnold J Rimmer, on 24 October 2013 - 01:21 PM, said:

Got a good chuckle out of that, Kjudoon. I'm sure I'd be equally annoyed in your place, but I can't help but feel that's a perfect use of a fast mech and 2AMS. Outstanding.

Yes it was dadflamaglammanit!!! I hated that mech so hard, I cheered when it went blooey.

[Satan n stuff]

Cody Furlong, on 24 October 2013 - 03:08 PM, said:

A ppc on a locust? How do you get that to fit on such a light mech, while not sacrificing too much engine or armor?

You have to lower your engine rating and/or remove quite a bit of armor to get it to fit. If you strip all armor off the the head and one arm you can just about fit it with a 190 XL, but frankly it's a very inefficient way to use that variant.

[TripleEhBeef]

My favourite tactic is to sneak up on assault mechs that are talking fire or are straight up oblivious and chew up their rear armour with those quad machineguns. I once stood behind this Atlas that was so focused on sniping my team that I was able to strip his armour and drill his CT into the orange before he even noticed. Unfortunately, the rest of my team dropped like flies in that time frame, and I got destroyed by light hunters.

Had another game on River City where I took down 3 assaults and 2 lights with the whole "shoot them in the back when they're overwhelmed" tactic.

[Xeno Phalcon]

Yeah iv been using the locusts reputation as a 'easy kill' to my advantage alot lately iv had people drop everything (Including ignoring ac40 jagers) to try and shoot me hoping for eacy cbills/xp.

Also a ct mounted large laser can be fired through the crates near the center of terra therma, had a turret defense moment couple of times hiding in there.

[Training Instructor]

I use my locust to play catch with AC20 rounds.

Works pretty well.