colsan, on 03 January 2014 - 11:49 AM, said:
LBX has too long of a recycle time, spreads out damage, low DPS, etc.
SRMs are what I use currently, but with super-magic-ghost heat, missing is deadly, and you miss a lot.
The AC/40 does OK, again, if it gets lucky. Even on a hit, though, it might be an arm with nothing in it.
1.) LBXs are actually more useful than people think, but they must be combined with other weapons. If you get most of the pellets to hit, it won't take long for a light to begin to crumple or at least to disengage. I won't argue that it could be better, but it's far from a useless weapon.
2.) SRM hit reg. is awful or else they would be great. In the Open-beta-ian era, when the mighty splatcats walked the earth (like T-Rex!), I used an LRM-20/SRM-20 A-1 that would absolutely destroy lights. Now, you're better off using SRMs solely as a backup weapon. Too much heat for not enough reliability in the current splatcat.
3.) The AC40 jager ought to destroy lights. There is little luck involved here, but you need to be able to accurately hit the legs of a light. One or two good shots will leg a light, and once a leg is gone, all that remains for the light is the bleeding.
4.) You should never be all alone. Even if all of your lance scatters, you should rejoin the bulk of your team or, at the minimum stay with one of your lancemates. A slow assault can occasionally be left behind by being matched with 3 light lancemates who run off, but A: that is uncommon and they can usually rejoin the team, and B: none of your mechs fits that category.
If you and your lone lancemate you stuck with do run into a 4-man wolfpack, well, 4v2 is poor odds regardless of the class of mechs. I do think that two assaults ought to win vs. 4 lights, but that ship sailed from the development team long ago, so we have to make do with the game we have. Four vs. 1 you will die regardless, and that is how it should be. Just remember that you are as responsible for staying with the group as they are for sticking with you...more so even.
I find streaks worthless (I know others like them). They are only useful for driving off lights, and it irks me to have an opponent with a red CT and I can't kill it with 5 rounds of streaks. SRM2s usually hit pretty well, weigh less, and more importantly, CAN BE AIMED.
In the end, yes, lights are tougher than they actually should be, and assaults should be tougher than they are but we all must do the best we can with the balance we have.
My strategy is largely to simply convince lights to prey elsewhere, and then ignore them. It's very easy to do, but you must NEVER be isolated from teammates or you will be wolfpack food. Often when I die horribly it is because I failed to notice my team moving and did not keep up. Sometimes your team will move to a bad location or be too separated, but that is the risk of running in PUGs, but at least stay with SOMEONE.
Last, your AC40 jager should be killing lights left and right, but your aim needs to be accurate. I love fighting lights when I have an AC20 equipped mech, and I do it with a joystick, so you should be able to also. (no disrespect intended) Good luck!
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