13 replies to this topic

[Deathlike]

I had this sad realization sometime this week that the Lolcust is a terribad cap defender. They are simply worse than the current role of Mediums, and that says a lot.

One the most important things about being a cap defender is that you need to have the speed to get there (Locust being no faster than the Commando and Spider) and you need to survive as long as you possibly can.

While the Cicada/Jenner/Raven can last reasonably long... the Locust has the lifespan of a Venus flytrap's meal. Even the Commando can last long enough and not be completely hopeless.

So to all Locust pilots... please avoid Cap Defending like the plague. Go cap if you want, but you have no shot of holding a cap point.

If a Lolcust wishes to cap, he better bring a Streaktaro or Streakhawk as a friend.

[Roughneck45]

I thought they were terrible at everything?

[Deathlike]

Roughneck45, on 03 November 2013 - 12:15 PM, said:

I thought they were terrible at everything?

Some Locust players would have us believe they are usable, which I guess is fine. The sad fact is that they cannot fulfill the basic tenant of cap defending for Lights.

People keep talking about how "tonnage limits" would improve mech selections...

Locust + Atlas = 120 tons
Jenner + Stalker = 120 tons
Spider + Highlander = 120 tons

Except, for a Locust to do ANY useful job, it needs a Streaktaro or something else to take care of it.

Locust + Kintaro/ShadowHawk = 75 tons
Jenner + Cicada = 75 tons
Raven (3L) + Jenner = 70 tons
Spider (5D) + Blackjack (1X) = 75 tons

Let's be honest... tonnage limits make the Locust worse for holding its weight in a match.

Edit:
My math was wrong.

Edited by Deathlike, 03 November 2013 - 03:25 PM.

[Bront]

I had a game where I started to cap to get the other team to pull back (getting called unflattering names by my teammates), and while I did, the rest simply went to cap first, so I pulled off base to get back and defend our base. Meanwhlie, other teammates of mine stepped on their base.

So, racing back in my locust, I managed to get a kill and held the enemy team off from capping for 30 seconds. Between the cap lead and my holding them off, we managed to eak out a 4-1 kill cap win, and chat devolved after that.

That said, Locusts aren't great at defending in general, but if you play it smart they're far from helpless.

Edited by Bront, 03 November 2013 - 12:36 PM.

[Oppresor]

I normally run a Spider 5K as primary Recon and had put the question to the forum as to whether I should change to a Locust based on speed. I did this as a poll and the results were conclusive; a good 75% said words to the effect of don't even think about it.

I still believe that the Locust has a role and my heart tells me it is Recon. Things may change a little when we get MASC, at that point the Locust and hopefully by then the Flea will become the X15's of the battlefield; ideal for initial CAP, Recon, Spotter, Jenner harasser and exploration. (a role that some of us are hoping will come to MWO based on mini objectives whereby you get rewarded for identifying or finding things) Until then your 100% right.

[Deathlike]

Recon isn't rewarded, and trying to reward it can kinda be difficult.

With that said, the only reward of recon should be winning, but most of the time people don't follow it...

Edited by Deathlike, 03 November 2013 - 01:48 PM.

[Carrioncrows]

Here is a tip when engaging other lights.

Run backwards.

You run backwards at 75% of your max speed which for most is 110+ kph.

Because other lights are chasing you, you can line up some damn good shots as they are constantly looking directly at you.

[TercieI]

Deathlike, on 03 November 2013 - 12:31 PM, said:

Locust + Kintaro/ShadowHawk = 75 tons
Jenner + Cicada = 75 tons
Raven (3L) + Jenner = 75 tons
Spider (5D) + Blackjack (1X) = 75 tons

Option #3 is actually only 70 and still in the running for best of the lot, which goes to show tonnage limits will not solve everything.

[NRP]

I don't even know why the Locust has weapons. LOL.

[TercieI]

NRP, on 03 November 2013 - 03:43 PM, said:

I don't even know why the Locust has weapons. LOL.

A buddy and I are playing with them some, but, yeah, feels more and more like a $20 cover charge to Project Phoenix.

[MonkeyCheese]

Deathlike, on 03 November 2013 - 12:04 PM, said:

the Locust has the lifespan of a Venus flytrap's meal.

Wait dont plants like that usually trap and then slowly digest their meals, kinda like that gibberish extended universe plot of how boba fett is able to get out of the sarlacc because it dosnt instantly kill him, it just slowly digests.

[Deathlike]

MonkeyCheese, on 03 November 2013 - 06:10 PM, said:

Wait dont plants like that usually trap and then slowly digest their meals, kinda like that gibberish extended universe plot of how boba fett is able to get out of the sarlacc because it dosnt instantly kill him, it just slowly digests.

Damn, I didn't think this through.

How about a bug zapper?

[Shadey99]

While I am a supporter of the Locust (Because it's both challenging and effective when used correctly), the last thing I want to do is a RTB (Return to Base) or cap defend by myself. In fact, things you don't want to do in a Locust if you can avoid it:
* Engage multiple enemy lights at once (In particular ones of equal speed or greater firepower, which is nearly all of them)
* Defend a static point
* Circle Strafe
* Expose any more of your mech than you absolutely have to

[Amsro]

Lolcust leg hitboxes are directly from the Raven... or so it seems.