34 replies to this topic

[Sug]

HlynkaCG, on 02 March 2014 - 04:42 PM, said:

Can't speak for the OP but I have always respected the small laser.

My respect is reserved for the Large Laser

[Durant Carlyle]

I used to run Small Lasers on my Jenners all of the time. 4x SL and 2x SRM4 were an excellent weapon combo way back when.

[Kaeb Odellas]

SLs were my go-to energy weapon back when DHS didn't exist. Mediums were just too hot.

Now though? I think they could use a lot more range. The Medium's optimal range is over half that of the Large, but the Small laser's only got a third. Bump range up to 150m or something.

[Curccu]

Ofc I respected SL before firestarter, as long as mech carrying those was able to get within that 90 meters.. and boat them.
but that range is huge problem... because of that ML > SL almost always.

[Trauglodyte]

Sephlock, on 02 March 2014 - 10:32 AM, said:

PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! TIMMMMBERRR!

Small Lasers still aren't good. Firestarters just happen to be the new Spider in that they don't register damage (why can't PGI get their models working properly at release?) and people are building them with exploit builds because PGI doesn't punish folks for not using equipment like it is intended (JJs anyone?). I'm more afraid of the Md Laser/MG builds because they're deadly at 270m and closer. The Sm Laser builds require you to get even closer which puts you in a nice huggable range for people who can aim and actually have their hits count.

*shakes a fist at AC20s, SRMs, and PPCs as of late*

Nick Makiaveli, on 02 March 2014 - 11:42 AM, said:

I think you miss the point.

Many people didn't think they were useful at all.

Hammer a screw and it won't hold for long as it rips a huge hole rather than slipping between fibers.

That said, this is more about why have a small "lady's" hammer when you can have a larger, heavier carpenter's hammer? Because, as you said, they are both useful, but in any given situation one might outdo the other. Need to drive a 16 penny nail? Good luck with a small, light hammer, but try putting in a finishing nail with a large hammer.....

After I read that, all that I could think of was Gary Busey in "Soldier" saying, "My daddy always said, 'When you want to hammer a nail into a piece of wood, don't do anything fancy. Just get a hammer and pound the son of a *****.'"

Edited by Trauglodyte, 03 March 2014 - 07:55 AM.

[Ph30nix]

ive had fun on a hunchie 4p loaded with small lasers (small pulse ive tried too but with heat/weight regular smalls are better)

it was kinda funny running around with the refire rate/nil heat generation of them. I was able to fire non stop with a 27pnt alpha every 2 seconds but that was back with only 8 players per team. The range issues back then were bad enough now its just not worth it.

[TygerLily]

Back in the day, the 9 SL Hunchy was really great. Nowadays, SL go on my lights (Jenner-D specifically) and on my BJ1X (2 PPC, 6 SL). Also, my dakka-based Jagers typically have 2 or 4 SL as backups...they are light enough to allow more ammo but still do good damage when grouped.

4 SL = 12 dmg, 2 = 6 dmg. And 2 is interesting: about the same damage as MPL, one ton less, only .15 longer beam duration...and until the recent range buff for MPL, not terribly out ranged!

Edited by TygerLily, 03 March 2014 - 08:16 AM.

[Kyynele]

The range is a huge issue.

I'll admit, I have only dabbled with SLs. I have, however run my Firestarter A exclusively with 8 SPLs, and while I'm content keeping it's KDR above 1.0, it's longer range weapon siblings all hold at least about twice higher ratios.

The most frustrating match I had with it was River City assault, in which both teams just sat in their turreted bases shooting ACs, gauss and PPCs. With MLs I could've at least taken some random shots across the river, with these all I could do was a suicide run at the end of the match when the rest of my team had been annihilated. I think I managed to take some enemy with me, but honestly I wasn't a worthwhile asset for my team in the match, because of the highly situational loadout.

I suppose you could just take them for backup with some longer range weaponry, but honestly in that case I'd just concentrate on that long range weapon and rather take for example 2 extra DHS instead of 4 SLs. :/

[Joseph Mallan]

To me getting that close to the enemy to do damage is just wrong.

[CDLord HHGD]

I've been using SLs on my Jenner K since day one. Like a laser scalpel, carve the heart out of an Atlas through it's back in seconds.

[Kubernetes]

You know they're not very good because they're Plan B when you don't have the tonnage. The range is just bad. Okay, two SLs put out more damage than one ML, but only within 90m. The ML beats them from there all the way out to 540m. They're ok if you're using them to cover that minimum range gap in your PPCs, but otherwise I'd still go with MLs.

[Mole]

Granted I have only piloted two chassis of mech in this game at any length, but the only time I have used a SLAS was on my LCT-3S when I had one energy hardpoint and 0.5 tons left after loading missiles and everything else I wanted onto it.

[Clownwarlord]

Small Pulse Lasers are great on light mechs in boat form (like Jenner) because they can continue fire at decent dps.

[Silentium]

I didn't start equipping them until the FS came along, but I have grown to like them. I run 4slas and 4mlas on my A, and have come to enjoy it quite a bit. The fast cycle time and low heat make it ideal for those times I end up in a knife fight.

[RiotHero]

Nope, I've always used them and actually it was great because everyone thought I was an easy kill for using them and it would lead to lots of easy kills for me. I rotate a few builds I like on my mechs and I do just as well with SL's as I do others.

9xSL
7kills 700+

Spoiler

6xSL
6kills 800+ dmg

Spoiler

It's not hard to make use of Small Lasers it just doesn't fit the current meta so people overlook them. If it doesn't have a PPC, guass, or auto-cannon on it no one around here cares and thinks it's trash. Also people can't think outside of their little box so they don't know how to get into range when using them. It's funny because In my SL Jenner I easily killed two Embers in that match that were using medium lasers and machine guns. You basically have a rapid fire ac20 that has no heat problems and never runs out of ammo.