57 replies to this topic

[K0M3D14N]

bayoucowboy, on 30 September 2014 - 05:37 AM, said:

To the OP, currently working on my Commandos as my last set of lights to master. Re: your builds, as above, need to max out your speed with XL engines - speed and driving like a maniac are really your primary defense. I also put my ammo in the torso - so many players are focused on legging you and if they get your side, you're dead anyway.

Also as said above, I would recommend Jenners or Firestarters as first lights (more firepower and durability), but if you are trying to get ready for CW, the ECM mechs are more useful to the team (Spider, Raven, Commando, or Kitfox)

lolwhat. At its very, very maximum the Jenner has a firepower rating of around 30 if you go the 6x MLAS route. Even then, you have to keep that focused on a spot for the entire duration of the laser's burn time. The COM-3A and COM-2D can reasonably hit alpha ratings of 36 and have the majority of that firepower delivered without the need to keep your crosshairs on the exact same spot. IMO, the Commando is absolutely the most undervalued striker in MWO.

[Gangnail]

30 alpha pinpoint in a Jenner F is a good thing though. to get that 36 alpha in the commando you are losing the speed on the mech AND doing spread damage (mostly) and you can get the Oxide to 34.4 running srm4's not sacrificing speed. But to each his( or her) own. depends on play style and what you like

[TercieI]

theta123, on 30 September 2014 - 03:24 AM, said:

I purchased myself the 1B model, running a nice and juicy XL engine it

COM-1B final

Its a fun build, But to learn the ancient methods, sacred doors i must unlock

I also bought myself a Jenner F, and i'm learning ALOT from it

JR7-F

SO yeah, off to grind myself these 2 light mechs! Next model: Commando 2D

using the jenner, it feels like i'm flying a viper from battlestar galactica

Just re-looked at this... You're a ton light! Max that armor, bump engine to XL235!

[K0M3D14N]

Gangnail, on 30 September 2014 - 11:15 AM, said:

30 alpha pinpoint in a Jenner F is a good thing though. to get that 36 alpha in the commando you are losing the speed on the mech AND doing spread damage (mostly) and you can get the Oxide to 34.4 running srm4's not sacrificing speed. But to each his( or her) own. depends on play style and what you like

It's only a pinpoint alpha if you can not spread the damage at all in the least over the laser's burn time. The Commando in question runs at a very respectable 139 kph, and you can downgrade the 6 launchers to 4s to boost that speed to a 151 kph top speed. You can very, very easily center all that damage if you're doing drivebys on a target the way a Commando should be. You never have to slow down.

But, like you said, to each their own.

[Tim East]

I learned to drive lights on stock engine Commandos. Playing a slow light is an insanely difficult task that can be surprisingly rewarding on the occasion that you pull it off. The 3A especially was a terrifying ambush predator, but so very fragile since I shaved armor to fit missiles. The Locust 3M I run now seems so much...better in comparison. It's kind of amazing the difference an engine upgrade makes for light mechs.

To the OP:
1. Yes, the Commando is still a quite viable if sub-optimal option, and sub-optimal options are valuable learning tools.

2. Your 1B is ok, though I'm not a huge fan of mixing laser sizes with so few harpoints and I'm not a huge fan of running ferro armor when it saves you so little tonnage per c-bill spent on it.

I feel like your 1D could make better use of SRM 4's than 2's if you can squeeze the tonnage out. How are you at heat management? You might be able to trade out some heat sinks, and maybe even downgrade to SLs if you have to. Also, take some of that armor off your shield arm and put it on your legs. Your legs are your life.

Your 2D is too slow. You should consider using at least the same engine as you do on the other mechs. This applies doubly so if you end up buying an XL engine to share between your Commandos. If you get one that will fit on the 2D, you should use it on the 2D. The 2D is the only Com I still drive, and I'm rocking ECM, three streaks, and a TAG. Might think about front-loading the armor a touch more as well. That's kind of a preference thing though.

Your TDK needs more leg armor. I'm not sure why you put a LL in when you could have just went with MPLs across the board, but hey, to each their own.

I'd say that any of those builds except the 2D COULD work, though you'll find that this mech performs far better with an XL engine, as most lights do. There are a couple of schools of thought on the matter of the 2D, and my way is not the only or necessarily best way. My way, that is the use of streak SRMs, is intended as a deterrent to other lights to divert them from attacking the assaults I tend to escort in the thing, is intended primarily to help someone else win the match for me. On the other hand, the 2D is capable of making a dangerous assassin/ambush mech instead of this by mounting standard SRM launchers and using its ECM and speed to close unnoticed with the enemy. The weapon changeover cost on this is low enough you may want to consider trying it both ways.

[theta123]

Alright a little update
I have been playing the entire day with the commando and jenner but i just frikking love the Jenner because it reminds me of a fighter jet
I re-equipped my Sarahs jenner, wich i had all the time, but stripped it for parts (FORGIVENESS PLEASE)
This baby is running like this now:
JR7-D(S)
Threw out the Beagle active probe. And added JJ's

Also bought the oxide. I couldnt resist it, I know why people complain about this mech, But hey this is a fun mech to use:

OXIDE

Launching an attack, firing all 4 SRM4's splatting enemy light mechs. Altough i still FRIKKING HATE SPIDERS MAN


Well off to elite these bad boys! Then to buy the Jenner-K. And then back to commando's.

[990Dreams]

Sounds good man!

I personally like running LRMs and/or Streak SRMs on m JR7-D(F). The JR7-F is a good build for running 6 Medium Lasers, although if you do that, you should probably chain-fire them (obviously have Alpha groups, but chain-fire helps me manage high heat builds a ton).

Edited by DavidHurricane, 01 October 2014 - 05:28 AM.

[Pragr]

K0M3D14N, on 29 September 2014 - 01:52 PM, said:

...
A few minutes ago, I decided to try this version instead. It upgrades the engine to an XL210 at the cost of downgrading the SRM6 launchers to SRM4s. You won't run out of ammo nearly as quickly and it's not quite as hot as V1.0 with the added bonus of a pretty quick 150kph top speed with Speed Tweak and a bit more armor. The game I played a minute ago ended with 2 kills, 7 assists, and almost 750 damage with this build.

Btw with Ferro upgrade, you can get another 0.53 tons. So you could maxed your armor or mounted a better engine maybe.

[Mothykins]

Folks give me heck for this, buuuut... Smalls are the best platform for Pulse Lasers.

DEATH'S KNELL

COM-3A

The shorter Beam Duration gives you a more focused hit. Needs a bit more practice from the normal Lasers, but if you can focus better...


That said, if you wanna be the trolliest Dirtbag... JR7-D

[Phearless047]

theta123, on 29 September 2014 - 11:33 AM, said:

But not a single
frikking

Light mech

SO i tought about trying the commando!

Uller.

[theta123]

I have all the jenners now! love those little things!

As for the commando, its a bit put on hold so i can get my final shadowhawk first. Then i'tll be back to commando

[TercieI]

theta123, on 10 October 2014 - 04:26 AM, said:

I have all the jenners now! love those little things!

As for the commando, its a bit put on hold so i can get my final shadowhawk first. Then i'tll be back to commando

Good choices, of order too. Give 'em hell.

[IraqiWalker]

theta123, on 10 October 2014 - 04:26 AM, said:

I have all the jenners now! love those little things!

As for the commando, its a bit put on hold so i can get my final shadowhawk first. Then i'tll be back to commando

I would recommend taking the Firestarters as well. They are a fun bunch. Once you are done with those guys, and think you can handle the final boss, get the Locusts. You finish those (i.e. get more than 150 damage in your matches), you are a master light pilot. (For the record, 150 is hard to achieve early on, but once you get how they work, and how to set them up, getting 500 will be quite achievable)

[theta123]

Nope, i am saying no to the firestarters. To many of them, i wanna see more of the least common mechs out there

My current plan is to go commando, then Kintaro, and then perhaps Dragon. Then its saving up cash for the black knigth/grasshopper

[Zordicron]

I skimmed this thread.
I mastered ALL commando variants.

On these little guys, less is more on weapons. Explain:
Run max engine. 171kph is something else- truly feels holy balls fast after running stuff like Shawks doing around 85.

ECM commando is actually the least effective: for fighting. That variant is an oddball to the chassis, best method is to pack short range weapons, and hang out by the team to provide ECM and support fire. You can't really go scout, you can't win a dual with jenners and other hunter mechs. It doesnt run stupid fast like the others, so things like even Cicadas will hunt you down. Basically, between speed and hardpoint(and 1.5 tons of ecm) it just doesnt play like the others.

The rest: you are the response mech. You observe the fight, and move to add support, be it anti-light mech duty, added fire power to focus that DWF, disstraction mode, whatever. if you are within a couple squares of whatever is going on, you can respond so fast it will make the difference.

Always run, run run run. Only slow down to avoid fall dmg, or behind cover(safe cover) to turn around or whatnot. In the open, you can outrun missiles, outrun pretty much anything(strafing) so long as you arent beelining face first at somthing. On congested maps like River city, doesnt matter, run run run, do not slow down or try to play peek a boo between buildings. Hover around the battle, wait for a straggler, wait for the fuzzball to start, then go into vulture mode and buzz around shooting whatever gets in front of you. bob and weave, in between whatever cover you have. NO CIRCLES, they are predictable and good pilots will pick you off as you circle your target( spoken as one of those pilots that likes to pick you off)

The Death's Knell is really fun, if you like the trollmando's. Experiment before real money mech: Com1B. max engine, 3 ML. Thats it, fill rest with DHS or whatever. Run, pew pew, profit. If you like it, TDK adds one ML(and heat) and earns you more c-bills. Honestly, my best stats were the 3ML though, it is like the sweet spot for heat output on hotter maps like tourmaline, you can maintain fire more, and it adds up.

One thing to note, while you play support/response mech: run, pew pew, help your team. BUT if the enemy you are helping with diverts 100% of attention to you, it is time to stop trying to get those shots in, and evade, even to the point of disengaging from combat and finding cover. You are tiny and can't afford to eat anything but a spare missile or laser sprays, a ballistic shell will hurt a lot. Streaks: murder, but don't be afraid to help somebody shoot the streak mech. Remember, you can sprint around and avoid most anything so long as the threats havent decided to come after you exclusively. that includes the streak mechs. If you arent targeted, streaks are harmless, but if you are, time to pu that 170 kph to use.

Really, Trollmando plays like a ML jenner, but faster and more agile even, but minus JJ. It is really rewarding play, you might have some bad matches, but once you figure out the movment patterns and if you have some field awareness(lights are good for building that) you will have some really good matches too.

[Mothykins]

Don't listen to the RUN RUN RUN crowd. Slam the S key when you need to turn, drop your speed down and whip around. I can't tell you how many duels I win in my 1V because the other guy keeps going full tilt.

Saunter around at half throttle when you can, go sedately, peek around things, and gun it when you need to. take the time to observe your surroundings, spot the other team, report via chat their location, and maybe shoot at anyone close to you before leading them on a chase. If they're stupid enough to follow you alone, kill them (Unless it's a Dual Gauss, Dual AC20 death trap, in which case run; if they peg your leg, it's game.)

This is the way of getting 150-300+ consistently in a Locust 1V... And having Match Maker try to make you carry. It should work for anything bigger.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Cavale, on 15 October 2014 - 07:44 AM, said:

This is the way of getting 150-300+ consistently in a Locust 1V... And having Match Maker try to make you carry. It should work for anything bigger.

Fast movements can attract more attention than the light mech can deal with.

I approve this message.

[Bigbacon]

theta123, on 12 October 2014 - 06:51 AM, said:

Nope, i am saying no to the firestarters. To many of them, i wanna see more of the least common mechs out there

My current plan is to go commando, then Kintaro, and then perhaps Dragon. Then its saving up cash for the black knigth/grasshopper

Having all 3 of those in 3 or more variants i don't understand the hate.

Love all my Kintaros (have all of them mastered) other than their size, I find them wonderful.

Dragon you may end up bitching and screaming at first but they grow on you and sooner or later you figure out how they work. Love my Flame.

I don't mind the commandos, their turning radius irks me a bit but I can still have fun in them except the 1B because of that limited fire CT SRM.

if you want to 'Clan' I would really try out the Adder..so much hate for them but I love them and do quite well in them. PLUS you can go silly in and get some AC20/UAC20/LBX20 fun time in with them. They never quite expect it.

Edited by Bigbacon, 16 October 2014 - 07:11 AM.