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Since the mech pack's release in mid-June 2013, all notions of the Kitfox being "inferior" were quelled.. as the accessibility of JJs AND the use of ECM through the Kitfox-C was made available... challenging the role and purpose of the Adder that vied for the same thing. The Kitfox did things better because those options were on the table. If those factors weren't on the table... it would be a different story (kinda like the existence of the Direwolf-S and Timberwolf-S... there's something about that "S"). That is the story that I'd like to tell.
I set my expectations really really low considering it got pretty much a nickname for being terrible. (Badders gonna bad amirite?) The thing is, it's not that bad, but it was never going to compare to the Kitfox when you compare the basic featureset. Sure, the Adder should be better... but when you consider the role of JJs and ECM in the current state of the game, it was "obsolete" before it got going. Does this mean it can't be salvaged? Well... we'll have to look into that.
Because of "3", it keeps things simple.
1) Omnipods - Don't you like Mr. Potatohead?
2) Field Report - It's no more or less squishier than a Cute Fox
3) The Future - Better start praying for a miracle here...
1) Omnipods - The value of a good mech is determined by what it can be carried in its torsos...
Let's get this out of the way first.... the CT Flamer is the most useless thing in this game. Not only will it accelerate your death by trying to use it (it's a suicidal weapon)... you may overheat yourself in the process. This is unproductive and frankly needs to be changed at some point. Full stop.
While the CT is a lost cause, the hardpoints on the mech are evenly distributed. This means that while you could have a shield arm for use... it doesn't do the mech very much good. So, let's get down to the basics in a quick summery. No matter how you build the mech, you will always have 4 hardpoints max (assuming you don't factor in the hardlocked 1E flamer). That's it. You will only max out of 2B however... but you can ultimately combine whatever numbers of each to have 4. That's a blessing and a curse... so let's go to the hardpoints themselves.
Left Arm:
ADR-Prime - 1E
ADR-A - 1M
ADR-B - 1B
ADR-D - 1E
Outside of saying that this mech has gotten zilch for real quirks, you'll notice that the ballistic hardpoint will always be in the arm. Unlike the Kitfox which currently has the potential to have 4 MGs, the Adder is a poor platform of choice for that... and even then you'll be limited to large ballistics... of which you can carry realistically one anyways.
Right Arm:
ADR-Prime - 1E
ADR-A - 1M
ADR-B - 1E
ADR-D - 1B
If you like the idea of flipping around the weapons in letting your enemy guess which gun goes where, be my guess. Otherwise, there's nothing to see here.
Left Torso:
ADR-Prime - +10 Torso Twist Yaw
ADR-A - 1E
ADR-B - 1E
ADR-D - 1M
It's a quirk! Although it sounds nice, it's not very useful considering at mastery, you will have a ridiculous twisting radius, just like the Kitfox. Good side torso hardpoints are hard to come by these days.
Right Torso:
ADR-Prime - 1AMS
ADR-A - 1E
ADR-B - 1E
ADR-D - 1M
If you're thinking you can do magic with symmetry, go for it. Otherwise, it's actually better to go asymmetrical... and I'll explain it later.
You find that the only other quirks that exist are remnants of the old and lame "Light mech leg structure boost" which was only 10% of the internal structure. The Adder and the Kitfox are those mechs that still have the aforementioned boost (and hasn't changed for a bit) while the Spider has its removed. Go figure on that. The mechs need more leg armor anyways when you consider how large they are compared to their IS counterparts and that their role is more of a support medium.
So, how does it play out on the field?
2) Field Report - "Ask not what the mech can do for you... ask what you can do for your mech."
The mech is ultimately no better or worse than a Kitfox under heavy fire. It's just not that durable. At least with the Kitfox, you can hide that fact with ECM. With the Adder, you need to make the most of your short stature to get in and out while minimizing hits.
The thing is it that it isn't very difficult to remove an entire side torso. It's just a bit wide in terms of scaling and that it's not to hard to hit it.
Remember what I said earlier about making that mech asymmetrical? It is most significant here.
Normally when you go symmetrical, the general benefit here is that no side is the strong side, therefore either side being taken down will not affect your overall performance. While I was informed of the existence of the WubFox in an earlier period, the Wubber was the best build I was able to field. 4 MPL was just too much fun to contain. While the Kitfox can do it, it's more gimmicky when taking advantage of ECM is generally more valuable than the alternatives and worth losing a weapon hardpoint over. For the Adder, you need all the hardpoints you can get.
When it comes to ammo based weaponry like missiles and ballistics... this becomes a problem. It's easier with ballistics given that CASE is everywhere so that ammo explosions are contained and you could stuff the ammo in the arm. On the other hand, missiles are problematic.
Symmetrical builds similar to the Maddog tend to have the problem of how ammo is consumed. The "easiest solution" due to omnipods is to simply load up energy on one side, and missiles on the other... in more of a 2E+2M style. This way, you will keep your weapons operational instead of trying to put together some Adder-A (or semi Adder-D) stock omnipod set of mediocrity.
It is worth pointing out that ALL torso hardpoints are high... particularly missiles (and the CT flamer...). if you set up the mech in more of a Nova-type of setup (all energy), you fire a lot like the Nova... assuming you notice that.
You can set up somewhat of a gimmick mech (all Streaks, all SRM, 3E+big ballistic, all energy) and they will allow the mech to be different just as well. However, I recommend 2E on one side or 2M or the other side (it doesn't matter which side really) if you want a combo platter just based on the mech's logistics. Trying to do a 1E, 3M or 3E, 1M combo build will most likely end up in some sort of disappointment.
Having found the builds I settled with, the experience was much more bearable. It made the Kitfox looks worse in terms of firepower... but that's the thing. Had the Kitfox not have access to ECM and JJs... it wouldn't be the preferred Clan Light currently (the Mist Lynx is not even in the same zone and serves a different purpose anyways). I did have good games (had some 5 kill games... some in terrible losses), but it was kinda feast or famine in the grand scheme of things due to the lack of ECM. ECM is unfortunately a stabilizing force for me (some don't need it, but then again some rely on it, so it depends on how you maximize the benefits). Not having ECM has crippled the Adder a bit, and with the role it has, it would break things more to include it (I would rather fix/adjust/change ECM first).
I guess at this point that you're wondering... can we make this better? (Hint: Not really)
3) The Future - I wouldn't hold my breath
All of which that is known is already released. While we're awaiting for more Clan Quirks.. there is a bunch of stuff that needs to be added to make the Adder "less atrocious". I guess I'll just get 7 because it's just magical right?
I) Heat Generation Reduction - Given that the mech is not one of the trudubs... this and the Kitfox needs this in order to properly keep up. Energy heat reduction is preferred, but missile heat reduction is nice too. Don't even dare think of a ballistic heat reduction.. "because Summoner-C".
II) Leg Armor Boost - Scaling has skewed with the durability of the mech. While the Kitfox has JJs, the Adder needs this a lot more due to not having them. So... this needs to be reworked a bit in its favor.
III) Torso Twist Speed Boost - Based on the engine formula, the mech torso twists at the same speed as a medium. This isn't acceptable when you are actually a 35 ton light. This and the Kitfox needs more of a generic boost to keep up with IS mediums of which it "technically" competes against.
IV) Turn Speed Boost - I don't even know why the Stormcrow needs to be in every Clan discussion, but given that it makes these slow Clan Lights obsolete is a story within itself... it has to be addressed.
V) Arm Structure Boost - Consider the 35-ton mech class as a whole. The Firestarter has the "biggest" of the IS Lights while the Clan Lights have ridiculously large arms. While the Kitfox would need it more than the Adder, the Adder can't reasonably shield itself with its arms to reduce damage... as high alphas tend to shave off the arms like it wasn't there. So... it should be apparently.
VI) Torso Structure Boosts - While this doesn't need to be for the CT, the side torsos are what drives the Adder and the Kitfox to being useless in no-time flat. It's just necessary side they aren't hard to target. Is it already time to ask for the Clan version of the Firestarter? How about the Jenner IIC? Oh well.
VII) Make the Adder-Prime LT useful - The simplest thing I can think of is to make that side torso provide some sort of ERPPC quirk (velocity, ERPPC heat reduction, etc.). I'd rather allow for the ERPPCs on the arms to get that boost, but anyone with a creative mind would move the ERPPCs to one side of the torsos for better firing location or better cooling... so right now it has no real good purpose until it is addressed.
While I'm almost done grinding out the Adder (almost done, with 6k left on each to mastery)... the next mech on the list to grind is the Masakari... but I really want to get the Cicada-3C article done ASAP. I hope I get the opportunity to get a 2nd energy hardpoint added through proper persuasion before it gets the dynamic hardpoint stuff done to it.
Nonetheless, the Adder is a fun ride, but it will always be looked down upon compared to the Kitfox for ECM and JJs. Sometimes while trying to balance stuff, it is easy to forget how one thing changes how people view the other thing. The Adder is under the shadow of the Kitfox... and without anything that allows it to stand out to the Kitfox (like superior ERPPC fire), it has no purpose. It's not meant to be this bad... but poor balance, lack of TLC, and just ignorance has left the Adder in the worst position.... unwanted.
Sorry Badder, you're not that bad. Only the balance gods screwed you up (and bad hitboxes). Even the side torso hardpoints weren't enough to save you...
Edited by Deathlike, 08 February 2015 - 01:45 AM.
