26 replies to this topic

[Hawk819]

LCT-3S

Not a bad ride, but one will have to watch the heat on those Short-Range Missile 2's. A Medium Laser rounds out the weapons, with two tons ammo(SRM). AMS for protection. Best thing to do with this is use the speed to full effect and fire those missiles. Should prove fun to those who love Light Mecha.

Edited by hawk819, 26 October 2013 - 12:43 PM.

[Eaerie]

One big problem with that build at the moment. Not enough heatsinks

drop the artemis and use the 4 tons to get the required HS's

better yet drop the artemis and AMS system, upgrade to an XL 190, upgrade to DHS and put in the 3 extra the build needs at that point

[Hawk819]

Well, ok.

[Hawk819]

How's this:

LCT-3S

Edited by hawk819, 26 October 2013 - 02:06 PM.

[Eaerie]

still short 1 HS. Remember you always need 10 you only have 9.

[Eaerie]

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5c3d6232db0a6bc

removed case, dropped 1 ton ammo, put in the extra HS and boosted leg armor to max and a the remainder to CT.

CASE wont save your engine destruction so moved ammo out of your torso and dropped CASE completely

[TercieI]

Eaerie, on 26 October 2013 - 02:14 PM, said:

still short 1 HS. Remember you always need 10 you only have 9.

Not to be snide, but that's why it shows up in red at the side in Smurfy. I had no idea of that rule until I saw that one day working on a Commando build.

S

[Bront]

Yeah, either the 4 SMR2 or 2 SRM4 build with DHS, 2 tons of ammo, an ML, and the XL190 seems to be the best build for this mech. I ran it without the DHS so went SRM4s for better heat, and it was effective against larger mechs, but had problems against smaller mechs.

[Cuddlytron]

I haven't gotten into this variant yet (kind of dreading it... been working on the other two Locusts with decent results). Agreed with other posters that the optimal build for the -3S looks something like this:

LCT-3S
XL 190
10 DHS, Endo, Ferro
4 SRM2 or 2 SRM4 (as Bront said, probably SRM4 for better heat management)
1 ML
107 armor

On the Locust chassis, you absolutely CANNOT afford to shave armor from CT or legs. Arms, head, and STs are safe bets, though.

From my experience with the other variants, I feel that AMS is a very costly waste of tonnage on such a fragile mech. It might fend off a few missiles here and there, but that's not going to save you if you're getting focused in a Locust! You need those extra tons to maximize SPEED and FIREPOWER. Survivability is, unfortunately, not a realistic goal in this mech.

[Loc Nar]

Suggestions for this mech (and most lights) if you don't want to make it harder than it already is:

full armor (or as close to)
biggest engine a viable loadout allows (viable means good heat and enough ammo)
heat better than 1.4
endo
dhs
ff (a very few loadouts require std armor, but occasionally the slots are more important)
ammo: in legs and head ONLY (never put ammo in your lt, ct, or rt or arms if you can help it)

example:

LCT-3S [SSRM x2, MPulse x1, Endo, FF, DHS x10, xl170,]

results:




I've tried many loadouts with this mech already, but this is it's most effective one as far as I can tell. SRM hit detection is a little wonky to rely on at normal speeds and at 160kph ir even worse, so despite being able to build better mechs on paper around on srm, in matches they seem pretty fail and you can't carry enough lurms or ammo to matter, so streaks it is.

[Cuddlytron]

Loc Nar, on 27 October 2013 - 11:05 AM, said:

Suggestions for this mech (and most lights) if you don't want to make it harder than it already is:

full armor (or as close to)
biggest engine a viable loadout allows (viable means good heat and enough ammo)
heat better than 1.4
endo
dhs
ff (a very few loadouts require std armor, but occasionally the slots are more important)
ammo: in legs and head ONLY (never put ammo in your lt, ct, or rt or arms if you can help it)

example:

LCT-3S [SSRM x2, MPulse x1, Endo, FF, DHS x10, xl170,]

results:




I've tried many loadouts with this mech already, but this is it's most effective one as far as I can tell. SRM hit detection is a little wonky to rely on at normal speeds and at 160kph ir even worse, so despite being able to build better mechs on paper around on srm, in matches they seem pretty fail and you can't carry enough lurms or ammo to matter, so streaks it is.

@ Loc Nar:

How does the -3S fare using Streaks without BAP? Do you often run into situations where you can't fire ze missiles? I've spectated on board a few Streak Locusts that were completely useless around ECM mechs.

Obviously, it's working for you... but what are your thoughts on the matter?

[Bront]

The problem with streaks without BAP is ECM. The problem with streaks in a really fast mech is you do a lot of maneuvering, which can break the lock or make it hard to get a lock. SRMs are fire and forget instant, but SSRMs require you to stare down targets for a it, which is bad.

[Loc Nar]

Quote

How does the -3S fare using Streaks without BAP? Do you often run into situations where you can't fire ze missiles? I've spectated on board a few Streak Locusts that were completely useless around ECM mechs.

My only mech I bother with BAP in right now is my OIN-VA. It's heavy enough to justify the tonnage/slots since it can run SSRMx4 and enough ammo to support them, but most importantly even with an xl360 it's not fast enough to dictate engagements so it needs BAP or it's a boat anchor half the time. No BAP on a Locust though.. I don't bother with BAP on my Trollmando either, and don't rarely need to counter ECM to make streaks work either.

A Locust runs 160kph with an xl170 in it (speed tweak...), which allows you to disengage any mech you don't feel like fighting assuming you didn't over-extend already and find yourself surrounded. ECM equipped and can't lock? Run away and fight another target for the moment, go back for him after his ecm is countered or been knocked off. The key to being tiny/small is choosing your battles and knowing when to run, assuming what small amount of tonnage you have to work with hasn't been squandered on items less effective than tactics. I can nibble away with my mplulse until I can lock again, but those times are exceedingly rare, so I deem it a waste of precious non-negotiable tonnage and slots for this mech.

Quote

SRMs are fire and forget instant, but SSRMs require you to stare down targets for a it, which is bad.

True, if you did this face to face but stare at their a**es and it's all good. It's fast/wiggly enough to stay glued onto the 6 of all but the wiggliest Jenner or Spider, assuming they actually know what JJ can do for them, meaning most are streakbait. For me I find the opposite true. Although I can dumbfire srms, at these speeds it's hard to hit with let alone do much damage unless their point blank shots. Once the streaks lock though, tailgate until it's dead or his friends find you...

I also run with advanced target decay, but his is a must for *any streak-centric mech (lurms too)

Edited by Loc Nar, 27 October 2013 - 01:10 PM.

[Bront]

Loc Nar, on 27 October 2013 - 12:49 PM, said:

A Locust runs 160kph with an xl170 in it (speed tweak...),

Except it doesn't, it goes about the same speed other ECM mechs do (2D Commando and 3L Raven), maybe slightly faster at 153.5..

Edited by Bront, 27 October 2013 - 01:27 PM.

[MonkeyCheese]

Bront, on 27 October 2013 - 01:26 PM, said:

Except it doesn't, it goes about the same speed other ECM mechs do (2D Commando and 3L Raven), maybe slightly faster at 153.5..

It is simple sacrifice something and take a bigger engine once it is speed tweaked .

A 3L ravens max is 150.2 with speed tweak.

A 2D commando max is 147.7kph with speed tweak.

All 3 Locusts max is 169.3kph with speed tweak.

At that speed you only have to worry about the non ecm commandos.

[Bront]

MonkeyCheese, on 27 October 2013 - 01:39 PM, said:

It is simple sacrifice something and take a bigger engine once it is speed tweaked .

A 3L ravens max is 150.2 with speed tweak.

A 2D commando max is 147.7kph with speed tweak.

All 3 Locusts max is 169.3kph with speed tweak.

At that speed you only have to worry about the non ecm commandos.

Yup, but he specified with the XL170, which is incorrect.

[Loc Nar]

Quote

Yup, but he specified with the XL170, which is incorrect.

You are right, it's 151.5kph, not 160. I still don't use BAP on anything under 60t that can't support at least 4 launchers though. When I say 'run away', I mean 'evade', and this is not in a straight line so although a 3L can keep up with me in a straight away, I accelerate faster and can turn quicker so I start piling up a lead as I turn and weave through obstacles hard for even a 3L to follow, but a Trollmando is a little harder to escape if they're on the ball.

If you are wiggly enough though, it's exceedingly hard for them to lock onto you too. In this case I try to lead them to teammates if there are any left, and if there's not I'm likely in comatmebro mode to get it over with unless there's a fighting chance. I have not mentioned yet, but advanced target decay module is another important part of this mech, and makes a big difference when dogfighting other wiggly lights.

[Buckminster]

I've been playing around with the Streakust lately. 190XL, 4 SSRMs with 1 ton of ammo, SL and the rest is armor.

Overall, it's not very useful, but it's fun. I had to reduce the armor a lot to fit on the 4th Streak, and it one ton of ammo only gives 12 volleys. Granted, I have yet to survive that long, but that's mostly because I try and stick out a fight. The key to making it work seems to be finding a mech that doesn't see you, running up, dumping a volley into it, and running like mad.

I'm still playing with this though. Part of me is obsessed with using all 4 missile slots, and I am terrible using SRMs at any sort of speed. I'm thinking of dumping the SL for an extra half ton of armor, but then I'm not much use once that ton of ammo is spent. I've also considered dropping to three SSRMs, but the symmetry dork in me doesn't want it. And two SSRMs... well that just doesn't have as much punch. I figure the Locust needs to be a hit and run mech, so I want as much hit as possible.

[Crashingmail]

Another funny build is a Locust 3S with 2 LRM5 + 2tons Ammo + MedLaser
Only playable in a pack of lights, where u are a supporter.

We did a game with 4 Locust 3S with LRMs on Alpine and confused the enemy as they got LRM warning everytime, everywhere.

[jper4]

Crashingmail, on 28 October 2013 - 11:35 PM, said:

Another funny build is a Locust 3S with 2 LRM5 + 2tons Ammo + MedLaser
Only playable in a pack of lights, where u are a supporter.

We did a game with 4 Locust 3S with LRMs on Alpine and confused the enemy as they got LRM warning everytime, everywhere.

yeah i saw this pop up a few times and seeing how there's not much to work with on the locust i decided to swap off my ERLL on the 3S xl185, 107 armor 1ML 2 LRM5s with 2 tons of ammo, 10HS.

the "LRM Dingy" was fun to mess around with. you stay far enough away that your first attacks aren't a death sentence (or get close enough to be noticed right away like streaks/srms or SL/MLs and no large laser trail leading back to you) and with only 10LRMs the other side doesn't really pay too much attention with everything else that's LRMing or shooting at them. works better on the bigger maps where you have more room to run after firing. ML gives you at least something to use up close- thought about tossing TAG there but then saw one match where someone did that and spent the last part of the match just running cause he had no weapons to shoot at the jenner chsing him.

only played 3 matches, 2 ins and a loss, no kills but a pile of assists and actually broke 100 damage in two of them. died once trying to defend a base cap.surprised a couple people by surviving the other two matches though. more fun that any of the other builds i've tried with locusts (4MLs on the 3M and stock on the 3V- tried stuffing the LL there but decided not worth it)