84 replies to this topic

[Celas Thienf]

Without tonnage limitation or any other limitations I just do not see any reason to use commando instead of another light mech except for this one

[WrathOfDeadguy]

2MPL/2SPL looks like a much more viable combination since the SPL buff. Works out to the same alpha as the 4ML build, with about half the face-time and no need to sacrifice engine rating. I think I'm going to try that the next time I take my TDK for a ride.

Or... possibly this, because BAP is just so damn useful these days.

[3xnihilo]

Hmmm, the BAP build looks interesting. I will have to try it

[Tim East]

Celas Thienf, on 24 November 2014 - 03:39 AM, said:

Without tonnage limitation or any other limitations I just do not see any reason to use commando instead of another light mech except for this one

Why Commando? A number of reasons.

They're fast. 172.something iirc.

Hardpoints. You can do some wicked things with the SRM-using Commandos, and TDK can boat MPLs if you can handle the heat.

They're tiny. Really, the only things worse to shoot at are Spiders because they're made of bs hitboxes and Locusts because they have these crazy accel/decel quirks now that let them do this herky-jerky movement thing.

Surprisingly durable. If you put armor on them, that is. More durable than Firestarter imo as long as you know how to dodge, and comparable to the Spider. Just anticipate losing your arms either way and make use of that CT slot most of them have, and you can even do some silly zombie builds if you want. But those are silly.


The unasked question though, why not to Commando?

No JJs.

You can't boat SPLs like a Firestarter or Jenner, so they can out-damage you if they live long enough.

No ballistic slots, but that's not really a GOOD reason not to do anything in the light weight class. MGs are not very good imo.

Mostly just the jump jets really, and I've never owned a mech that had them and I'm alright. Well, maybe a little touched in the head, but that's not the mech's fault, now is it?

[WrathOfDeadguy]

The other lights are fun, yeah, and they have their strengths. But... Commandos are Maximum Fun Overdrive Mode. Jets offer options, and it'd be damn nice to have just one sometimes to cushion those accidental "whoops I ramped off the tiny bump again" falls, but in the end the combination of speed and flexibility makes the Commando feel better to me. At 171kph, even without Hill Climb, you can dart up just about any slope even without jets, leaving only the tops of buildings off limits (and some of those can be ramped to if you're crafty about it).

Still gonna collect every other light in the game (and I'm well on my way, with Spiders, Jenners, Firestarters, and Ullers- and Panthers, once Resistance drops) just because I wind up collecting light configs in every Mechsim I ever play, but... Commandos have resonated with me the same way Cents have in the medium range (at least since I finally took my AH for a drive). They fit.

[Celas Thienf]

Nice reasons but still not enough and the fact that commando is not used in competitive matches only proves it.
Hopefully PGI will introduce more reasons to use such underdogs as commando with CW. Until then it is just funny mech to play for fun and to learn how to properly pilot light mech.
Another cool video with commando

Edited by Celas Thienf, 25 November 2014 - 04:05 AM.

[K0M3D14N]

Celas Thienf, on 25 November 2014 - 03:40 AM, said:

Nice reasons but still not enough and the fact that commando is not used in competitive matches only proves it.
Hopefully PGI will introduce more reasons to use such underdogs as commando with CW. Until then it is just funny mech to play for fun and to learn how to properly pilot light mech.
Another cool video with commando

The main reason it's not used in competitive decks is because it takes a better pilot and more effort to make it do the same job as a Jenner or a Firestarter. They're great and really very undervalued mechs, especially with the critseeking the SRMs give them. Lots of focused, high burst damage.

[Celas Thienf]

As a SRM boat Commando is no match for Jenner Oxide or Raven 3L. Only +20 km/h is just not enough to make him better and 2D model lacks even this.

[Tim East]

I'll take my Com 2D over a Raven 3L any day of the week. Oxide is pretty good though.

[Mergatroid Skittle]

I want to like the commando and have had quite a few decent games, but cant stand the fact that one lucky shot can take these guys out. That said, how do most of you allocate your armor? Maybe there is a sweet spot allocation that i should try. I usually do about 60/40 front/back.

[Tim East]

I mostly just ignore the back. I keep maybe 6 armor there in case of laser splash, but you really shouldn't be getting shot at all, let alone in the back. Legs is what I usually die from losing most. Occasionally the lucky PPFLD alpha to a ST pops my XL, but mostly just leggings.

[MarkFBD]

3xnihilo, on 16 October 2014 - 02:33 PM, said:

Hmm. . . just got my 3A. I was thinking about building it like this, I guess it works for you

Just got mine and ran this build with XXL220 WORKS VERY WELL! Thanks for designs.

Commandos are the best.

[3xnihilo]

MarkFBD, on 05 February 2015 - 10:59 AM, said:

Just got mine and ran this build with XXL220 WORKS VERY WELL! Thanks for designs.

Commandos are the best.

Right now I am running 2ml, srm6, srm4, & xl 210 with mixed results. . . I still do better in the 2d and tdk.

[Tiger Shark]

Either the 1D or 3A with 2SRM4 and 2ML with 195XL packs quite a bunch and plays pretty differently than the TDK running at 171KPH.

[3xnihilo]

So the discussion has been had over on he locust thread that commandos seem to have dropped off the map. So, what happened? I know I personally have been mastering locusts and cicadas. I just took the tdk out for awhile and it feels like a tank next to the locusts and still hits hard. So, commando pilots, what have you been driving lately?

[Tim East]

Stormcrows. CW and the fact that I can't use my IS mechs in it leads me to leave my daily doubles on many of my IS mechs, Commandos inclusive, untapped.

[Brizna]

They are tougher than Locust sure but that's not of much consequence when Locust has twice as much DPS. If I'm going to play squirrel I'm not doing it for taking shots I want to fire assault's backs, you get the job done much faster and efficiently in a Locust than Commando which in turns improves survivability since it reduces you exposure time.

I still play the TDK ... it is usable but that's just it.

At least until next thursday TDK has the range advantage .... man LCT-1E is going to sweep the remaining commandos of the battlefield.

[Tahribator]

Brizna, on 16 February 2015 - 08:51 AM, said:

They are tougher than Locust sure but that's not of much consequence when Locust has twice as much DPS. If I'm going to play squirrel I'm not doing it for taking shots I want to fire assault's backs, you get the job done much faster and efficiently in a Locust than Commando which in turns improves survivability since it reduces you exposure time.

I still play the TDK ... it is usable but that's just it.

At least until next thursday TDK has the range advantage .... man LCT-1E is going to sweep the remaining commandos of the battlefield.

This, the LCT-1E and 3M(currently) can do insane amounts of damage with higher hardpoints. The Commando has mostly meh quirks and is ridiculously ammo dependent in comparison.

[STEF_]

Brizna, on 16 February 2015 - 08:51 AM, said:

.... man LCT-1E is going to sweep the remaining commandos of the battlefield.

Which is sad, 'cause I love going commando.
Imo, locusts are over power quirked while Com needs love from PGI....

Btw, also com 1b with 3 mpl are not bad at all. Currently it has 180 dmg per match average, with 7,2 dmg per ton and it can sustain more dmg than a locust.

[3xnihilo]

Stefka Kerensky, on 16 February 2015 - 09:17 AM, said:

Which is sad, 'cause I love going commando.
Imo, locusts are over power quirked while Com needs love from PGI....

Btw, also com 1b with 3 mpl are not bad at all. Currently it has 180 dmg per match average, with 7,2 dmg per ton and it can sustain more dmg than a locust.

1b probably works well, but given the option of the 1b or the tdk, I take the tdk. Same boat as the the LCT 3m and 1e with the upcoming quirks. There will be good builds on the 3m but the 1e will do it better. Commandos suffer most from the hard points in my opinion. Being missile heavy is tough on such light mechs. You can't carry enough ammo to boat lrms and srms are too heavy to maintain good speed-ammo-missile tube ratios (so you can rarely take advantage of their top speed). Also, srm's are hard to quirk. Cool down and heat generation are the only ones that mean anything (and mostly that just means you use ammo faster) because srms already shoot further than they are effective because of the spread. This all means at the end of the day if you want lots of hard points and high alphas/speed you go with Locusts and if you want mobility/ecm you go with spiders. . . although I am not sure that spiders are really that great now that you have the PB for ecm and Firestarters for jumping harassers. Sad, because I love all of the <35 ton mechs, but it is hard to find a reason other than "just because" to run something other than a locust in that level. . . and honestly I think Firestarters are the only really practical light if you are just going for most damage/best longevity.