94 replies to this topic

[Alistair Winter]

Yeah, I almost never go with max engine size on light mechs, except the RVN-2X and 4X which have an engine cap already. My Raven 3L has an XL280.

[Sean von Steinike]

I'll sacrifice a bit of speed on some of my builds for more weapons/heatsink/armor.

[Rear Admiral Tier 6]

They are not too fast,the hit detection is just horrible for lasers.

For example a Raven should not be able to tank 150-200 damage from 2 LL 4 ML laserboat while moving

[Mawai]

IS mechs are not too fast

However, I don't always run them with the max engine.

I often run my Jenner JR7-D with a 280XL which lets me fit 4 ML + 2 SRM4 + AMS + JJ + ammo and armor or replace the 2 SRM4 with 2 SSRM2 and BAP. AT 142kph after speed tweak ... I find the speed sufficient and the extra 8 or 9 kph is not a huge deal. On the F I will usually go with the 300XL and extra heat sinks since the 6xML runs hot.

In general, I fit the largest engine consistent with the load out I want to try. Speed is essential for lights so I don't typically run the 2xPPC Jenner and similar builds since they aren't fast enough against serious opposition.

[lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol]

Christof Romulus, on 29 September 2014 - 10:59 AM, said:

Yes, this likely has nothing to do with Clan mechs being outright more durable, as dropping a side torso doesn't send the player straight back to their mech bays.

Or the superior range that all Clan mechs have, which allows them to engage from a far safer distance.

Or the superior firepower than Clan mechs bring to the table that allow them to drop threats faster.

It's gotta be the speed - that's what's definitely making the Clan light mechs competitive. So yeah let's just force Inner sphere light mechs to move at 90kph.

*scratches head* what's the speed of a Speed Tweaked Timberwolf again? Can't seem to remember...

1. "Superior range" doesn't mean jack when A. Vast majority of maps are built for brawling and STILL after clan mechs came around end up in the same chokepoints and battle areas, and B. Time on Target to use those weapons effectively at extreme range is weak and low dps compared to the instadump damage IS weapons have.

2. Clans do not have superior firepower. It takes longer for a clan mech to drop the same amount of damage an IS mech does, and it's less focused thanks to needing to lead burst fire weapons and longer burn time lasers. So unless you're suggesting that Inner Sphere needs to have longer burn times for their lasers, streaming missiles that get chewed up by AMS and bust fire for their AC's, your argument is invalid. Also, if you're playing IS and not aiming your pinpoint quick cooldown FLD weapons at anything but head and CT then you're doing it wrong (not that it's THAT hard to do especially against those OPeeD walking center torso Dire Wolves or Timber Wolves.)

3. So what would happen if IS mechs were "forced" to move at a more reasonable balanced speed? I dunno... teamwork? I know I know, it's a shocking concept but worth trying out.

Ironically, perhaps forcing the speeds to be similar and slower for clan mechs inadvertently forced more teamwork and sticking together. Whereas people who pilot IS mechs usually have their own customized mad scientist layouts that work only for the pilot. So maybe if there was less customization and it forced IS players, especially newer players, into more specific teamwork roles, maybe they'd do better.

The answer is 89.1 kph, btw. Same as the Nova, Mad Dog, and Summoner. What's the speed of an elited Spider, Raven or Jenner? Sorry it's been a while.

[Screech]

Lights are too fast because torso twist is too fast and it is affected engine size. If heavy and assaults were less agile and piloting them was harder to do effectively you could slow down lights some.

I don't think there is a light pilot out there that hasn't occasionally had Marty McFly on the hover-board experience. Just doesn't feel right.

[Thorqemada]

Yeah, that Torsomovement Speed and thus Arm movement (as Arms be attached to the Torso) scales with the engine size was an especially horrible idea...

Edited by Thorqemada, 29 September 2014 - 03:04 PM.

[Marcel Bekker]

My first (and only) 3 matches with the Trial Spider SDR-5K netted me 6 kills and 3 Wins...I played about 12 minutes overall with it, and it was the first Light Mech I tried in MWO, and I think the 5th that I tried out. That was before I had bought any mechs for myself. While playing at around 25 fps.

Make of that what you will.

Edited by Marcel Bekker, 29 September 2014 - 03:45 PM.

[Xyroc]

Marcel Bekker, on 29 September 2014 - 03:39 PM, said:

My first (and only) 3 matches with the Trial Spider SDR-5K netted me 6 kills and 3 Wins...I played about 12 minutes overall with it, and it was the first Light Mech I tried in MWO, and I think the 5th that I tried out. That was before I had bought any mechs for myself. While playing at around 25 fps.

Make of that what you will.

not saying its not possbile but unlikely and/or you had some easy targets

Edited by Beliall, 01 October 2014 - 11:11 AM.

[Khobai]

yes they are too fast

but the only reason theyre playable is because theyre that fast

[RockmachinE]

No.

[Yukichi Fukuzawa]

No, the speed is the only advantage they really have.

[Xanquil]

The real answer is Yes and no. Some of the mechs were never intended to be "race cars" and others that was their entire design purpose. Sadly the top speed of most of the light mechs is too high

[CDLord HHGD]

Thanks to everyone who actually read the OP and offered their opinions. To everyone with a one-word or similar answer, reading comprehension is an important skill, might need to develop it more.

[Alienized]

sadly, most light players speed matches their aim in the opposite direction lol. ever seen a raven hitting well at 152? they cant even hold the laser on the enemy for longer than 0.1 seconds. the faster they are the worse they hit.
serious.
lack of aiming skill really hurts them more than your guns

[TVMA Doc]

cdlord, on 29 September 2014 - 06:32 AM, said:

When I build a Light mech, I install the max engine size first. This does force me to make some creative decisions on what weapons to carry, but in a Light, I consider speed to be paramount.

Who here sacrifices the max KPH for that extra half-ton or ton (or more) of weight for extra goodies?

I do the same with armor though I might shave a half-ton from my head depending on the mech (and if I feel the risk is worth it).

Not saying either way is right or wrong, I'm just curious. Discuss.

Thanks for the useful info for clan/non-allied faction mechs.

Aliisa White, on 01 October 2014 - 12:25 PM, said:

sadly, most light players speed matches their aim in the opposite direction lol. ever seen a raven hitting well at 152? they cant even hold the laser on the enemy for longer than 0.1 seconds. the faster they are the worse they hit.
serious.
lack of aiming skill really hurts them more than your guns

This can be true, although a light can help the team with more than just damage. Spotting and enemy distraction/disruption can turn a battle faster than a few hits with MLs, etc.

Edited by TVMA Doc, 01 October 2014 - 02:10 PM.

[Davegt27]

Are Inner Sphere Lights Too Fast

I am almost sure I saw (after I got killed) TW going 87 KPH

so no

IS lights are not to fast I would say they are not fast enough

[Haji1096]

Lights are not too fast. I manage to pilot them just fine.

Aside from a couple of long range builds, I use max engine size every time.

On SDRs, I max out jump jets for MAXIMUM MOBILITY.

Edited by Haji1096, 01 October 2014 - 02:16 PM.

[stjobe]

If you're not a very good light pilot, you need to go as fast as possible. Speed actually is life before you know how to maneuver your little death-trap properly, or aim while going 120+, and before you've mastered the basics of light tactics.

When you get better, you can start trading speed for other things.

One of my favourite Commando builds only does 121.2 kph, but it packs a 18 damage punch out to 450 meters, and can reach out and touch people to double that distance.

Whether lights in general are "too fast", well, I think the whole game is too fast. Lights are too fast, but so are mediums, heavies, and assaults. The heavier 'mechs are also way too nimble - remember those threadnaughts about target tracking? Turned out an Atlas can track a light going 150 at 50 meters just by leg turning; no torso twist needed. With torso twist, it can track the light going 150 on a perpendicular track at 15 meters.

That's ridiculous, and removes much of any possible value a light has from being fast and nimble.

[Wolfways]

Davegt27, on 01 October 2014 - 02:14 PM, said:

Are Inner Sphere Lights Too Fast

I am almost sure I saw (after I got killed) TW going 87 KPH

so no

IS lights are not to fast I would say they are not fast enough

I watched a Centurion running at 140kph a few days ago
Considering that that is over double its stock speed I'd say mechs in MWO are too fast.