9 replies to this topic

[55555]

Sooooo, let's talk about the mech everyone seems to hate, the locust.

First off, let's talk about the light weight mechs and their strengths. Right now there's:

-Locust (20t) - dual ams, armless
-Commando (25t) - ECM, armed mech, fastest mech,
-Kit Fox (30t) triple ams, jump jets, ECM, armed mech
-Spider (30t) jump jets, ECM, ams, armed mech
-Jenner (35t) jump jets, ams, armless
-Raven (35t) ECM, ams, armless


Perhaps i may be mistaken, but the locust kinda gets the short stick. Apart from jenner it's the only mech that doesn't have ECM, and on top of it it doesn't have the jump jets. In short, the only utility it brings is dual ams....which is pretty cool i must admit, but nothing spectacular, and not nearly as good as ECM and overshadowed by the triple AMS on the kitfox (who also has ecm!)

Solution? Perhaps it being the lightest mech, it should also be the fastest? A slight edge over a commando would be pretty sweet, and usually i think mechs that are LIGHTER should go FASTER. maybe i'm wrong.... /shrug. However i know there is a max engine size for each tonnage weight.....i'm not sure if we can alter or mess with this formula.

Also another thing to consider would be giving some sort of IS quirk that would allow a mech to equip ECM, or at least something similiar? Personally i think ECM should be available to all lights for the sake of viability, but i really wouldn't go against the battletech lore. Either way, this game is already listed as apocryphal so... who knows.


Anyways thoughts?

Edited by 55555, 19 September 2014 - 04:35 AM.

[Egomane]

55555, on 19 September 2014 - 04:07 AM, said:

Anyways thoughts?

I would really appreciate it if you used a less confrontational title/language.

In my opinion Locusts are fine and I can perform decently with them.

[55555]

Egomane, on 19 September 2014 - 04:28 AM, said:

I would really appreciate it if you used a less confrontational title/language.

In my opinion Locusts are fine and I can perform decently with them.

Had no idea that would be considered confrontational, but righto.


As far as your opinion that locusts are fine, I mean i've been currently mastering the locust, and can perform adequate as well. My issue with the locust is it has nothing for it to "stand out" from another light mech, it is second choice for any particular thing, and isn't even the fastest.

Can you elaborate on why you think it's "fine"?

Edited by 55555, 19 September 2014 - 04:36 AM.

[Egomane]

It has the smallest frame in the game. It might not be fastest mech, but it is only beaten to punch by a 1 % difference from the commando. It's also very maneuverable, being able to turn almost on a dime, at high speed.

Speed and maneuverabilty are no standalone features, but combined with the small frame, it can be very tricky to hit this mech, if the pilot knows what he is doing. So, being small and fast can make this a really effective ankle biter.

The very common (ER-)Large Laser loadout can make this mech a hard to hit target, that is shooting you at medium range with good efficiency. If you do not go for maximum speed and rely on cover instead, you can even make an acceptable zombie out of most variants.

The locust is really a hard to learn and tough to master mech, but it doesn't have to hide in performance behind the others.

[55555]

Egomane, on 19 September 2014 - 04:46 AM, said:

It has the smallest frame in the game. It might not be fastest mech, but it is only beaten to punch by a 1 % difference from the commando. It's also very maneuverable, being able to turn almost on a dime, at high speed.

Speed and maneuverabilty are no standalone features, but combined with the small frame, it can be very tricky to hit this mech, if the pilot knows what he is doing. So, being small and fast can make this a really effective ankle biter.

The very common (ER-)Large Laser loadout can make this mech a hard to hit target, that is shooting you at medium range with good efficiency. If you do not go for maximum speed and rely on cover instead, you can even make an acceptable zombie out of most variants.

The locust is really a hard to learn and tough to master mech, but it doesn't have to hide in performance behind the others.

i must admit, those are good arguments. the smallest frame in the game is definitely a boon. but it doesn't seem worth the tradeoff of

-less speed (even 1% is a big deal!) than commando
-no ECM compared to commando
-no arms, so can't peek around corner like commando

all of this compared to a smaller hitbox to a commando (which from what i've seen, they're very similiar sizewise, take a look in a mechbay, they're almost the exact same height, with the commando barely edging out).

i still don't see the tradeoff. you can fit a ER Llas build on a commando as well, no issues.

[thisisxerxes]

I think I read the locust is supposed to move faster, but once players start moving beyond 150km/h hit detection becomes less reliable. If true, ok, i can appreciate that.

[Arc Viper]

I always wished you didn't have to have 3 heat sinks on the mech. Seems pointless.

[Neput Z34]

Think about the Locust in this way:

MWO is a multiplayer game, there fore there is no difficalty setting.

Locust = the highest difficalty setting possible, because most mechs will take your leg in one volley.
It is mostly fine, but it coulde use a couple more points of armor and structure on the legs.

[Kaptain]

My thoughts.

Increase the max leg armor. The leg armor ratio is off on 20 ton mechs from battle tech days
Reduce the min heat sink requirement from 10 to 9 or 8.
Reduce falling damage. Launching off of small rocks should not damage you.

[Koniving]

Had two Locusts going less than 81 kph (walking speeds) with 2 MGs and 1 ML each up against an Atlas AS8-D who had twin Light PPCs, a Snub-nosed PPC, and Rotary AC/5.

Locusts won. Minor damage on the Locusts. One lost an arm. Another lost an arm and a side torso.

Pure stock 1Vs.

That's with 64 armor.

What was different? The lack of pinpoint aim and the lack of total alpha strikes (weapons were fired one or two at a time, aim wasn't perfect, and 30 threshold forced the distribution of weapons fire across 10 seconds each time around).

Of course there was also more to that game.

Devastating blow: When the Atlas was knocked over, a the less experienced of the two Locusts kicked the already defunct right torso. The kick detonated RAC/5 ammo. The explosion detonated more RAC/5 ammo. CASE kept the mech intact however. The explosion knocked out the badly injured pilot. Concentrated fire to the cockpit with MGs tore through the armor without actually destroying it (6 points left), riddling bullets through the pilot . Shortly after the other Atlas shot a medium laser to make certain, (1 point of armor left), damaging sensor systems, and cockpit controls.

Spoiler

Weapons fire for Locust LCT-1V (Koniving)
Machine Gun at Atlas AS8-D (TestBot); needs 3, rolls 6 : - Direct Blow - hits (using Left Side table) HD (hit aimed location)
Atlas AS8-D (TestBot) takes 3 damage to HD.
6 Armor remaining.

Pilot of Atlas AS8-D (TestBot) "Lily Davenport" takes 1 damage.*** Atlas AS8-D (TestBot) DESTROYED by pilot death! ***


Weapons fire for Locust LCT-1V #2 (Koniving)
Medium Laser at Atlas AS8-D (TestBot); needs 5, rolls 11 : - Direct Blow - hits (using Right Side table) HD (hit aimed location)
Atlas AS8-D (TestBot) takes 8 damage to HD.
Armor destroyed, 1 Internal Structure remaining
Critical hit on HD. Roll is (8+3) = 11; 2 locations.
CRITICAL HIT on Standard Cockpit.
CRITICAL HIT on Sensors.

Pilot of Atlas AS8-D (TestBot) "Lily Davenport" is already dead, so no damage is dealt!

Edited by Koniving, 21 September 2014 - 09:39 AM.