64 replies to this topic

[Ratpoison]

The classic 6 MLAS 2A with 15 DHS and a max engine is still very good and a lot of fun to play. The lasers aren't as quick as the 2B's MPLAS, but they are much cooler with all the extra heatsinks. On the 3M I tune the engine down to an XL 295 so I can fit 2 LLAS, 2 MLAS, and 13 DHS to keep it managable. Always reliable with that ECM and it can apply damage well at good ranges.

[3xnihilo]

tortuousGoddess, on 25 January 2015 - 11:51 AM, said:

The classic 6 MLAS 2A with 15 DHS and a max engine is still very good and a lot of fun to play. The lasers aren't as quick as the 2B's MPLAS, but they are much cooler with all the extra heatsinks. On the 3M I tune the engine down to an XL 295 so I can fit 2 LLAS, 2 MLAS, and 13 DHS to keep it managable. Always reliable with that ECM and it can apply damage well at good ranges.

The 2a and b are my best cicadas so far. Probably because they are straight "upgrades" to my favorite locusts: the 1e with 6 sl and the 3m with 5 spl. The cda 3m really came to life for me after I elited it so I am looking forward to getting the rest leveled up. Sadly the x5 is still a conundrum for me but I must confess I have not spent the time toget to know it or really settle on a loadout I really like. I am half tempted to just throw 4mpl on it and kind of go with what I know. But it seems like the m hard points are what make it unique so I feel like I am losing a lot of potential by ignorin them. (Sorry random ramblings ) Cheers!

[Neutron IX]

I have actually been considering a "semi-stock" loadout on the X-5, to resemble my 1M. Similarly to your "pairing" idea.

I find that drawing lines between Locusts you do well in, and Cicadas you do well in isn't a bad idea at all.

[Ratpoison]

I'll want the X-5 more when they give it a geometry pass so it has more than 2 missile tubes. As is it's kinda just a lame Jenner D.

[3xnihilo]

Rip Snorgan, on 25 January 2015 - 06:51 PM, said:

I have actually been considering a "semi-stock" loadout on the X-5, to resemble my 1M. Similarly to your "pairing" idea.

I find that drawing lines between Locusts you do well in, and Cicadas you do well in isn't a bad idea at all.

I totally just realized that my PB is 2ml 2sl & ecm - cda3m is 2 erll 2 m & ecm. Even my subconscious wants me to build cicadas like locusts

And I guess that would mean if I buy a 3c I will need to run 1 LPL and 4 ac2 as a step up from the 1 mpl 4 mg 1v?

Edited by 3xnihilo, 26 January 2015 - 06:50 AM.

[Aceramic]

I only read the first page, but I'm just gonna say... I go against the flow, so to speak. Up until quirks happened, I ran my X5 with the stock engine (XL330, I believe?), 2 SRM6, 4 Small Lasers. Whatever tonnage is left goes to SRM ammo, because you'll need it. (I think one of my best rounds ever in this build was solo-killing 3 Stalkers in one match, because none of them realized I was standing right behind them until it was too late.)

Then quirks for Medium Lasers happened. This was the first time I had ever bought a module. I bought two. Downgraded to an XL300(I think?). Kept the SRM6's, but moved to 4 Medium Lasers. Max cooldown modules for both weapons. Love it. Gets a bit toasty, though, if you aren't careful.

For the 3M, I typically run either 2 ERLL, or 2 ERPPC, depending on my mood and what engine I have laying around.

Only other Cicada I really enjoyed was the community favorite 3C (dons Nomex™ suit and ducks). I (and most of the people I play with) lovingly refer to it as the Trollcada. I've run a Gauss rifle (which is hilarious), an AC/10 and some variety of laser (MPL, I think... Great for surprising heavies and heavier mediums expecting an "easy kill"), 2x AC/2's + 2x MG's, 2 AC/5's... It's a very versatile mech, if you're willing to ignore the naysayers and just do what "feels right". This is one of the few 'mechs where I actually prefer to run a much smaller engine than normal, and cram way more firepower into the mech than anyone ever expects. Which is part of the reason it works so well, I think. It's sort of like the Spanish Inquisition. NOBODY EXPECTS IT!

[Voivode]

Looks like I'm late to the party, but I do love the Cicada as a chassis (probably my favorite medium) so I'll just pass on what I've been doing with them. Generally, the Cicada is too big to play like a light, and the center torso hit box isn't so friendly either. What I've generally done is explore the ranged options with them.

The 3M gets range quirks (7.5% general energy), and LL duration quirks (15%), so if you pop a level 5 range module for LL in there, it's closer to the ERLL in range with significantly lower heat as you stack them and it has a much lower beam duration. For those reasons I prefer LL to ERLL in the 3M. Here's a nice build that takes advantage of that. Obviously 3xLL will create some heat issues if you alpha strike too much, so you will need to regulate how you fire.

The 2A can hold a lot of lasers, so it's good to take advantage of that. This build has decent speed and better firepower than you'll see on light mechs. Use the twin LL to poke at range and as the closer fighting starts move in and hit them with all the firepower at once.

I don't own the X5, but if I did I'd try something like this first. Use it to deal damage to harassing lights. Unfortunately, they haven't done the visual pass on Cicadas yet so the tubes in the X5 are stuck as 2x2, meaning an SRM4 will fire out in two waves of two missiles. Once the visual pass is done I'd likely switch it up to SRM6s in there.

EDIT: Spelling and clarity

Anyways, enjoy the Cicadas, great mechs. They don't really play like mediums and they don't really play like lights either, just somewhere in between.

Edited by Voivode, 26 January 2015 - 07:26 AM.

[Voivode]

3xnihilo, on 26 January 2015 - 06:38 AM, said:

I totally just realized that my PB is 2ml 2sl & ecm - cda3m is 2 erll 2 m & ecm. Even my subconscious wants me to build cicadas like locusts

And I guess that would mean if I buy a 3c I will need to run 1 LPL and 4 ac2 as a step up from the 1 mpl 4 mg 1v?

I had a 3C with an ERPPC and an AC10 for a while. Of course, it ran like 90KPH. It worked...sometimes

[Ratpoison]

The 3C I have been liking more and more now that I've got all the things it needs on it. Quirks + modules + elites give it 42% cooldown reduction on that ERPPC and it really makes a big difference. You can poke away fast without hardly any heat at 1,000 meters without any damage falloff. It's a struggle to use before you get those elites and modules though, it really needs those to bring out its full potential.

Edited by tortuousGoddess, 26 January 2015 - 07:03 PM.

[Kahadras]

Having mastered the Cicada I decided to stick with the 2B. I've outfitted it with 4 medium pulse laser and a decent amount of double heak sinks so I can maintain a high rate of fire. During games I use the mobility of the mech as much as possible. I look to ambush enemy mechs that are already engaged with somebody else on my team, put in a burst of pulse laser fire or two, then leg it, circle back round and hit them again.

It works best against larger mechs which don't have the mobility or the manueverability to keep up with me. I can dart in and get away before I take any return fire. Using this tactic can be dangerous as while maneuvering you can expose yourself to fire from other enemy mechs and there have been occasions where I've been flanking one enemy only to blunder into another.

Even though I've put as much armour as I can on the mech it does have a tendancy to melt very quickly so I try to run it as a light mech. Don't stop moving, don't slow down, don't let them get a shot off at you. The design works fairly well IMHO. It moves at 140kph which I've found to be fast enough. It's got enough armour to take a hit or two before I really have to start worrying. It's got a decent amount of firepower but I do wish I could find the tonnage to add a fifth medium pulse laser onto the design.

In games I've found it to be a bit hit and miss. I've had games where I've got 2 or 3 kills and racked up a decent ammount of damage. In others I've gone down far too quickly or not been able to contribute much in the way of damage/kills.

[Crotch RockIt]

Kahadras, this is how I run my 2B to get the 5th pulse laser in.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...d07c6ab00c24f1a

It's a little slower than yours, but it still fast enough for me at 133.7 kph (leet speed!). I love this little guy so much right now. Its quirks are perfect for it. One of my top performing mechs.

[Kahadras]

Yup I think you've got a slightly smaller engine and 1 less double heat sink. I might try adding a fifth pulse laser at some point to see if it improves the build at all. I don't think my Cicada is as good as my Wolverine or Shadowhawk in terms of kills or damage dealt but it is a laugh to pilot.

[3xnihilo]

Crotch RockIt, on 03 February 2015 - 07:42 AM, said:

Kahadras, this is how I run my 2B to get the 5th pulse laser in.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...d07c6ab00c24f1a

It's a little slower than yours, but it still fast enough for me at 133.7 kph (leet speed!). I love this little guy so much right now. Its quirks are perfect for it. One of my top performing mechs.

Yeah, this is how mine is set up. I love it. Probably my favorite cicada, or at least right alongside the 3m.

[STEF_]

Hi, 3xNihilo, just seen your thread, so, here my cdas.

CDA-3M, with 3er-LL, a classic, so no smurfy.
But this is interesting to:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...ca9fab0a567738b
It has more speed, better cooling eff.

Then my fav 5X
Just an upgrade of the standard X5: it seems an overgrown Jenner, and I play it in the same way
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...30a532783b22bbd
or
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...f49a11f4a6b3435
or
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...41fe5581c68f2ed
As you see it's the same concept, that you can vary depending on cooling eff. (of course the more mastered, the better)

My fav CDA-2A
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...8ffd74f0cfce2e0
(well, this seems an overgrown locust I use )

Good hunting!

Edited by Stefka Kerensky, 04 February 2015 - 12:57 AM.

[3xnihilo]

Just bought the mpl cool down and range modules for the 2B. I can't wait to try it out!

[3xnihilo]

CDA-3M
Specialty
Additional Structure (LL&RL) +10
Laser Duration -10%%
Medium Laser Range +7.5%
Energy Weapon Range +7.5%
Medium Laser Cooldown +7.5%
Energy Weapon Cooldown +7.5%
Ballistic Weapon Cooldown +20%

Torso yaw speed +10%

CDA-3C
Specialty
Additional Structure (LL&RL) +10
ER-PPC Heat Gen -25%
Energy Weapon Heat Gen -25%
ER-PPC Cooldown +12.5%
Energy Weapon Cooldown +12.5%
ER-PPC Velocity +50%
Ballistic Weapon Cooldown +12.5%
Torso yaw speed +10%
Turn rate +10%


CDA-X5
Specialty
Additional Structure (LL&RL) +10
Additional Armor (RA&LA) +12
Medium Laser Range +20%
Energy Weapon Range +20%
Medium Laser Heat Gen -10%
Energy Weapon Heat Gen -10%
Medium Laser Duration -10%
Laser Weapon Duration -10%
Missile Weapon Cooldown +25%

Torso yaw speed +10%
Turn rate +10%

Thoughts on new Cicada quirks?

[Pugger]

I like the cicada, but not as much as the blackjack. I like tactical, pinpoint killers. I find the BJ-1X completely under-rated, as I have dominated many rounds with 8ML and DHS, max engine and BEAGLE installed. A couple of kills and 400+ damage is not uncommon in this machine.

That said, I am a fan of the CDA-2B. The arm movement lets me target quickly and hold target. It will support 5mpl with excellent cooling or 4mpl with ERLL or LL with acceptable cooling. I run it with 295XL.

It's not as devastating as the BJ-1X is in most conditions, but excels in hot maps. Cicada cooling is phenomenal if you select a lighter weapon array in your loadout. Those who try to jam in the big 3xLLs, PPCs are doing it a dis-service in my opinion. Unless you're in the 3C, then rock the ERPPC.

If I run the 5mpl or 4mp+1LL I'll get 300+ damage per round consistently, sometimes excelling into the 500+ range, sometimes getting focus fired at 100. That is the only weakness of the cicada... durability.

Edited by Pugger, 29 July 2015 - 09:10 AM.

[3xnihilo]

Pugger, on 29 July 2015 - 09:07 AM, said:

That said, I am a fan of the CDA-2B. The arm movement lets me target quickly and hold target. It will support 5mpl with excellent cooling or 4mpl with ERLL or LL with acceptable cooling. I run it with 295XL.

I have really grown to love my cicadas. The 3A and 2B are my best variants and I have nearly equal stats in both. It probably helps that I am a locust pilot at heart and these guys are basically just big locusts I can usually expect a better performance out of either of these variants than any of my other mediums, minus my Shadowhawk 2D2 Lurmisher.

[Dulahan]

Welcome to the Cicada Cult! Others may question our love of the lovely bugs, but we know what they're missing! And a good Cicada pilot is a wonder to behold.

[Water Bear]

3xnihilo, on 06 January 2015 - 03:31 PM, said:

Here is my story, I am a light pilot, I love spiders, commandos, and locusts. I am very happy with the trajectory of my progress with these mechs (I recently broke 500 damage in a locust for the first time). So, I bought cicadas since they are really just light mechs pretending to be mediums. But, I can't make them work. I have the mastery pack so: 3m, x5, 2a(c). I am running the x5 and 2a(c) stock (probably rearranged some armor) as it meshes well with the quirks that they have. The 3m seems to need some tweaking and I haven't really gotten around to it yet.

My general play style in lights is stick with the big boys and be a harasser. This seems like the logical style for these mechs as well. However, I find myself very often getting singled out and killed very quickly. The errors that I have found that I am trying to correct are, Cicadas are not as maneuverable as locusts so darting in and out of enemy LOS is tougher and reversing back to cover is a big no no (I have a new appreciation for how fast locusts stop and reverse). So, I think my problem is that the speed and maneuverability I use in my lighter mechs to dart around the outskirts and in between the enemies' feet is not there in a cicada. Which means I often find that I either get too far into the enemy ranks if I am playing aggressive, or by the time my fat friends I am sticking with get to within 270m where my ml/srms are most viable the match has already been decided. I am wondering if it is worth going anit-quirk for longer range weapons so I can hit from further away when I am with the assaults. . . should I run with bigger more threatening mediums? And, are the large laser quirks good for the 3m or do I jump to erllas or even erppc?

So teach me Cicada craft. . . I want to be good at it. Thanks!

During the Medium vs. the World championship I was #1 Cicada for 2 out of 3 days and finished third by a margin of probably not even 1%.

The problem you describe is entirely due to the fact that the Cicada is about twice the size of a 35 tonner and probably even larger when compared to a Locust. You cannot dart through the enemy team in a Cicada like you could when you were small.

Be creative with your positioning. Consider darting on top of things (which you can still do well) and outmaneuvering heavier, slower 'mechs.