24 replies to this topic

[babycakez]

and now have 10 million cbills. Can anyone recommend a mech/build? I typically like lights for the agility and speed. I really liked the spider 5k(C) thats in the current trial batch, but, i don't wanna spend real money on that variant. =L

[Pat Kell]

if you like lights, stick with jenners, ravens or spiders. Cicada's tend to act more like lights even though it's a medium mech so that might be worth trying. commandos and locusts tend to die really easy unless your a very good pilot, meaning you know when to attack and when to retreat.

Jenners do real well with 4-6 med lasers and either streaks or srm's if you have the slots and tnnage for it.

Raven's do real well with a similar build as jenners but with ecm they are also very good when equipped with 2 LL/ERLL's and used as a harasser. Some people use pp

Spider advice will have to come from someone else as I don't play those.

Edited by Pat Kell, 13 January 2014 - 11:52 PM.

[Durant Carlyle]

You can take a Spider 5K and make the exact ( C ) build. If you like it, just do that.

[Craig Steele]

babycakez, on 13 January 2014 - 11:33 PM, said:

and now have 10 million cbills. Can anyone recommend a mech/build? I typically like lights for the agility and speed. I really liked the spider 5k© thats in the current trial batch, but, i don't wanna spend real money on that variant. =L

My advice is Jenners, nice punch, good speed. JJ.

Lots to like about Jenners

[Xiphias]

In order, the "best" light mech varients in the game right now. I've included a build for each that is fairly standard/competitive.

JR7-F 5xML
JR7-D 4xML, 2xSSRM
RVN-3L 2xERLL
SDR-5D LL, 2xML
SDR-5D 3xMPL

The first is the best mech for killing heavier targets at mid to close range. You will need to practice your laser targeting skills for it to be effective. You can kill other lights in it, but it takes a decent amount of practice to do so. You can run this with 6 ML, but it's significantly hotter. Better to start with 5 ML.

The second is better for killing lights due to carrying streak srms. It runs a bit hotter but it is easier to use. Keep in mind that adding Artemis cost C-bills but will not take up any tonnage or space if you are using SSRMs. It will speed up the lock though so it is worth the extra cost.

The third is a completely different style of play. It relies on hiding on the outside of the map/battle and staying near cover. Using the ECM makes you hard to see and you can do a lot of damage by carefully sniping at targets. It doesn't do well close up and is the worst of the above builds for fighting lights

The fourth is a decent spider build if you like spiders. It can't put out as much damage as the Jenner or the Raven, but it is hard to hit and is more survivable. It has some ranged firepower and does well at harassing by staying hidden and using ECM. The only mech with both ECM and JJs.

The fifth is a close range version of the spider. It's decent for killing lights if you have a good aim, due to the short beam duration on the MPL. It doesn't have a lot of range, but it can be pretty effective at picking of components and killing damaged mechs.

I wouldn't recommend using Commandos or Locusts. Both have too little armor and die easily. A commando can be useful in skilled hands, but it is not easy to use. The Locust has tissue paper armor and is generally agreed to be the worst mech in the game. Avoid it.

Keep in mind that the Spider is by far the most survivable mech. The Jenner has a very large center torso and gets shot there very easily. The Raven has legs that are very easy to hit. Both of these mechs will die much quicker in a situation where a Spider would survive. They can put out more damage, but you have to be more careful in how you pilot them. Keep that in mind when you pick a mech.

For any light build, endo-steel structure, ferro-fibrous armor, double heat sinks, and an XL engine are a must. They are expensive, but worth it. You can swap an engine between variants to save money.

Finally, pick a chassis and stay with it through the elite unlocks. The speed tweak in particular is essential for a light mech. There's definitely a learning curve with lights so check the forums for tips and stick with it.

[TheCaptainJZ]

You should have some Mech XP for the Spider 5K since you've been piloting that. Check to make sure and that might be a good chassis to start with since you will have a head start on unlocking stuff.

I tried a spider once when they first came out and hated it. I unlocked the basics and sold it. Maybe I just never learned to play them right. I have mastered the Jenners and like them a lot. I didn't like it the first time I tried it either actually. I missed the arms of my commando (my first mech way back when, and the only thing I owned at the time). Maybe I just needed to get better at the game.

[Evil Ed]

Go spider. If I remember right you have earned some XP while playing the trial with which you can unlock a lot of good stuff. Would be a vaste not to use that. Build around the XL255 engine. K and V can go up to XL285, but the D only to XL255 so a good start is to buy one and move it around. Try to get all three mechs asap, by doing that you can take benefit of the daily x2 XP-for-the-first-win-of-the-day-bonus, and by using all three you will be able to unlock the elite abilities (speed tweek!).

If you go Jenner, consider building around the XL300 engine. That engine tend to be used in a lot of heavier builds so it is an excellent investment for the future.

Also, find good builds and have a plan before you click "buy"! Thoose c-bills are hard to earn, and you want them to buy modules, endo-steel, double heatsinks etc.

Good builds here: http://www.mechspecs...952d&board=16.0

Edited by Evil Ed, 14 January 2014 - 12:44 AM.

[John MatriX82]

If you like lights I'd advice Jenners.

Basically any variant is good, so exping them and leveling them to master is easier than other lights. Jenner F and D are solid choices, the K is the complementary one that you can use to exp the other two and then sell to keep the other two. Later on the K may be useful thanks to the 4 modules capability, but since you're a beginner, it will take ages to rack up enough GXP for you to actually have 4 modules.. so you may want to sell it to free a mechbay.

Also consider to invest into a XL engine for them. Best choice is the 300, also the 280 is good, but since you won't have the speed tweak for some time.. speed is life so stick with a 300.

JR7-D
JR7-F
JR7-K

Some builds are better/optimal with other engines (280/285/295) but the 300xl is the most useful XL engine, you'll be using it also on many other mediums and heavies.

Once you've mastered the jenners, then you'll only need to go through the basics of three variants for either the Ravens and the Spiders, without the need to reach elite level on all three variants, that can be painful for the non-ECM variants of those chassis.

[sneeking]

I started with a light for my first buy but then went medium for three of a kind and master then master on a heavy ( only now considering going back to master that light ) but still might go into assult class.

have the cbills and the bays ready to go.

[Dalziel Hasek Davion]

I am going to be controversial here and suggest you start with something heavier. A fully equipped light will cost you as much as a fully equipped heavy - because the new max. speed XL engine, Endo Steel, Ferro Fibrous armour are necessary to eek out every advantage - and they cost a ton of money. The problem is that you are left with a 'Mech that, even for relatively experienced players, does not generate as many CBills per match as a heavier chassis can.

There are many heavier 'Mechs that have speed and agility on their side if you absolutely hate your piloting experience without them - Centurions, Trebuchets, Dragons for example - but there are others. You may want to consider finding a chassis that can regularly generate you CBills - and then go on to specialise in Light 'Mechs.

Just a different point of view.

[babycakez]

thanks, everyone, for the suggestions. i went ahead and rebuilt the spider build that was on the trial mech

/derp 2am

[Evil Ed]

babycakez, on 15 January 2014 - 12:25 AM, said:

thanks, everyone, for the suggestions. i went ahead and rebuilt the spider build that was on the trial mech

/derp 2am

Congratulations on your first mech! Remember to use the XP to unlock some of the basics. You can sell the STD240 engine to get some c-bills and be able to buy the next spider asap.

Edited by Evil Ed, 15 January 2014 - 01:23 AM.

[Void Angel]

babycakez, on 13 January 2014 - 11:33 PM, said:

and now have 10 million cbills. Can anyone recommend a mech/build? I typically like lights for the agility and speed. I really liked the spider 5k© thats in the current trial batch, but, i don't wanna spend real money on that variant. =L

Excellent choice! I love the Spider, and now that they fixed the hitboxes (it was spreading damage a bit too well, and being buggy) I can play it in good conscience again. Do NOT neglect to buy the other two spiders before you pick up another chassis, unless you really, really need a break from lights. The difference in handling for any chassis once you get the Elite 'mech skills all completed and double your basic skill bonuses is a huge benefit - you'll be glad you did.

[Sephlock]

babycakez, on 13 January 2014 - 11:33 PM, said:

and now have 10 million cbills. Can anyone recommend a mech/build? I typically like lights for the agility and speed. I really liked the spider 5k(C) thats in the current trial batch, but, i don't wanna spend real money on that variant. =L

The 5k(C) is identical to the 5k you can buy with c-bills, except it has no XP bonus.

[AaronWolf]

Another Light Pilot! This makes me happy.

We need more light pilots. Even if they are Spider pilots.

(/Iambiased)

Welcome to the game and hope to see you in game! If you ever need a pal in battle, send me a friend invite sometime. I like dropping with other light pilots a lot to make roving gangs of speed.

Still need to find a racing-stripe like camo for my Ravens. >_>

[Victor Morson]

babycakez, on 13 January 2014 - 11:33 PM, said:

and now have 10 million cbills. Can anyone recommend a mech/build? I typically like lights for the agility and speed. I really liked the spider 5k© thats in the current trial batch, but, i don't wanna spend real money on that variant. =L

Jenner.

Get yourself Jenners maxed out before you even worry about the other lights. Ravens and Spiders have their niches, sure, but Jenners are the go-to best all-around light. All the models will work fine for someone in your situation; 6 Small Pulse is a personal favorite, but 5 mediums are also very popular.

[Koniving]

Some noteworthy Spider 5k mentions.

Spoiler

4 kills, 2 assists. 4 MGs, MPL

Spider with UAC/5 on Caustic Valley. Annotations telling what's going on.

Spider 5D, triple MPL. Tactic usable with Spider 5Ks. Pilot: Lordred.

Victor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 06:54 AM, said:

All the models will work fine for someone in your situation; 6 Small Pulse is a personal favorite, but 5 mediums are also very popular.

Victor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 06:54 AM, said:

All the models will work fine for someone in your situation; 6 Small Pulse is a personal favorite, but 5 mediums are also very popular.

Victor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 06:54 AM, said:

6 Small Pulse is a personal favorite,

GASP! That's not meta!
Mine, too. Though I did start using an ER PPC and 5 smalls for frighteningly good results, too.

(Sorry if the "quote" notifications pop up more than intended; after doing the enlarging quote thingy with Victor it erased all 3 vids and I had to put them back in.)

Edited by Koniving, 15 January 2014 - 08:25 AM.

[Voivode]

Glad to hear you got a mech you liked. Now you will need to get the other two Spiders so you can unlock the elite level for your spider and REALLY make it a worthwhile investment. The spider 5D is also a fine mech, it is ECM capable, so I'd jump on that one next. The 5V....good luck with that thing. 2xMPL is the max firepower you'll ever fit on it.

[IraqiWalker]

Congrats to OP for finding a mech he likes, we need more light pilots out there.

Also, get the 5V before the 5D. Trust me, you want to get the 5V, basic it out, and then move on to the bliss of the 5D. I did the 5D before the 5V, and I regret doing that, as I kept dreading that thing and would go back to my 5D. It took longer to basic out the 5V than it took to do the other two variants put together, because I kept on going back to others.

The 5D is not an easy mech to use, however, as far as spiders go it is the closest they can get to having a zombie mech, and it has good potential as a satellite.
this build worked greatly for me eventually

Spoiler

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...4ff46385a22f082

Ran cold and fast, you can even swap the LL for 2 MPLs, or drop 2JJs for an additional heatsink.


However, as a light mech specialist (I have clocked over 1500 drops with the lights alone) I find it hilarious that everyone seems to neglect the Commando, even though I have on multiple occasions, killed every single one of the "recommended best" light mechs listed here.

People need to actually start recommending mechs based on what roles they need to fill, Jenners make for poor scouts for example, but have great mobility, and firepower to add to the fray once the brawl starts. Spiders are awful light hunters, but are great assassins and very mobile, the 5D is an exceptional scout (due to ECM), and the 5K is possibly the best assassin in the game. Just watch what one of those can do to a mech as soon as the armor is stripped.

Ravens are the most mishandled lights in the entire game. The 3L is one of the best scouts out there, and capable of light hunting and decent firepower. While the 2x and 4x are always misplayed, because people think they should play them like the 3L, when in fact they are some of the best satellites and escorts in the entire game.

If unfamiliar with what Satellite means

Spoiler

A satellite is a mech that "orbits" another one, adding to it's firepower in a fight. In this case, the 4X can strap on some big guns and hover around a friendly stalker, whenever the stalker is engaged within the raven's own range, the enemy suddenly faces a 2v1 fight that they are unprepared for.

The commandos are good for burst firepower as they have a decent missile/energy mix in comparison to other lights, the 2D is a great light hunter and scout because of ECM. Overall their small frame makes them a very hard target to hit, while any JJ equipped mech becomes a lot easier to hit once it's in the air, in fact one of my corp's tactics for killing Viktors is to cause them to jump and then exterminate them, either in the CT or both legs.

The Locust is another mishandled light, in fact there are plenty of threads out there (one of which i wrote myself) explaining how that mech functions, and how it should be used. The 1V is an assassin, the 3M is either a mini Jenner with 5 lasers, or an escort with 3 lasers and 2 AMSs, (best escort for it's weight class and speed, allowing it to get to where the AMS cover is needed, FAST. the 3S has decent missile firepower, I personally hate the 3S, because I never learned to use it properly and my failures can frustrate me sometimes. However, I recognize it's potential as one of my mates practically swears by the thing, and has done terrifying amounts of damage with it.

I'm actually tempted to start a thread explaining what each light mech can do, and how they should be used.

EDIT: added the 5V section.

Edited by IraqiWalker, 15 January 2014 - 09:20 AM.

[Xiphias]

IraqiWalker, on 15 January 2014 - 09:13 AM, said:

However, as a light mech specialist (I have clocked over 1500 drops with the lights alone) I find it hilarious that everyone seems to neglect the Commando, even though I have on multiple occasions, killed every single one of the "recommended best" light mechs listed here.

Xiphias, on 14 January 2014 - 12:02 AM, said:

A commando can be useful in skilled hands, but it is not easy to use.

Here, have a commando build.
COM-2D
Variations of this build include using single heat sinks and ferro fibrous armor, using a small laser and more armor, and dropping the energy weapon for more ammo.

I also have 1500+ drops in light mechs since statistics have been recorded, and would consider myself a light mech specialist.

Just because you have killed every other mech with a a commando doesn't mean that a commando is better than those mechs. That's anecdotal evidence to prove a point. I've done the same thing. Sure a better pilot in a commando can kill a pilot in a different light mech. However, given two good pilots of equal skill in a 1 v 1 fight, the heavier Jenner and Raven will win (the spider too if the commando isn't running sufficient streaks).

The Spider with MPL is good for hunting down light mechs due to being able to put accurate damage on a component.

I think I did a decent job of explaining the role that each mech I listed fits into. The problem with scout mechs is that outside of some sort of organized drop you are going to waste your efforts a lot since your team will not listen to your information. Scouting can be useful but it is a role that has limited value in the game right now.

The locust is bad. End of story. It doesn't do anything that the Jenner, Spider, Commando, or Raven can't do and do better. If you want lasers, get the Jenner. If you want machine guns get the Spider 5K. If you want streaks get the Commando 2D.

The Locust can be used effectively, but other mechs can be used more effectively. The Locust has a max of 24 points of health in the legs. That means a 5xML Jenner can take of a leg in a single shot if you stand still. It also means that an AC20 or 2PPCs will also nearly leg you in one shot.

Hit and run against heavier targets is the way to play Locusts. However, what happens when a light mech chases you when you run away. Short answer, you die. What happens when a heavy gets a lucky shot at you. Short answer,you die. What happens when you run into a pair of fast mediums with streaks. Short answer, you die.

If you like playing Locusts, by all means play them. They can contribute to the battle in useful ways. Understand though that they are still worse than the other choices for lights.