32 replies to this topic

[Capnflintlock]

A lot of the mechs in this game look very well done, but I feel the panther is one of the best, if not the best looking mech so far. Its a heavy light mech, weighing in at 35 tons. It looks intimidating, but frail at the same time.

Its skeleton is relatively slim, but it has a lot of spaced armor, especially on the shoulders. The head and center torso are fairly broad, and angular, giving it a fierce appearance, while, as you look towards the sides, slims out and becomes more feminine in appearance. This being most noticeable in the slender, and sleek arms.

Everything from its movement, to the way it looks is as graceful as it is intimidating. To me, it represents the perfect balance between a light mech and medium, in terms of appearance.

When I got the resistance pack, the panther was one of the least mechs I was interested in. However, over taking the time to look it over more thoroughly, and playing it, I found that it may actually be my favorite.

Edited by Capnflintlock, 04 March 2015 - 09:47 PM.

[Greenjulius]

I'm enjoying the Enforcers quite a bit myself. They seem to have oddly tanky hitboxes. I've so far not had any extraordinary games in them, but I tend to survive longer with them than I do my Centurions. I think that the jump jets help me a lot in that regard, and get me out of trouble.

I'm still trying all the Panthers out. The 9R seems the most appealing out of the three. I agree that it has one of the nicest models in the game... It looks really unique and the sharp lines are cool.

Edited by Greenjulius, 04 March 2015 - 10:11 PM.

[Capnflintlock]

Greenjulius, on 04 March 2015 - 10:08 PM, said:

I'm enjoying the Enforcers quite a bit myself. They seem to have oddly tanky hitboxes. I've so far not had any extraordinary games in them, but I tend to survive longer int them than I do my Centurions. I think that the jump jets help me a lot in that regard, and get me out of trouble.

I'm still trying all the Panthers out. The 9R seems the most appealing out of the three.

The Torso on the enforcers are perfect. Its center torso is smaller than its left and right, if not the same in size. As a result, you barely even need to torso twist to get damage to splash all over it. Every game I find my armor completely stripped on all 3. Its one of the reasons you don't need a standard engine on it to survive. By the time you go down, all of your armor is in shambles anyway.

[Sigilum Sanctum]

Thoroughly enjoying both the Panther and the Enforcer right now.

Panther I'm still working builds into though.

[Scandinavian Jawbreaker]

Yep I agree, one of the best looking mechs definitely. Beautiful. Also surprisingly fun to pilot and I have admit I haven't been that pleasantly surprised in a while

Seeing Panther and Enforcer I'm really looking forward to Grasshopper (ok ok Zeus also)

[orcrist86]

I'm really liking the panther right now. Its tiny, slow, but packs a mean punch. I've been humping cover with it and putting out 300+ damage per game. I've also used it as a light guard of assaults and done well. I figure this is training for when Urbanmech Hard mode arrives in April.

[Greenjulius]

orcrist86, on 04 March 2015 - 10:16 PM, said:

I'm really liking the panther right now. Its tiny, slow, but packs a mean punch. I've been humping cover with it and putting out 300+ damage per game. I've also used it as a light guard of assaults and done well. I figure this is training for when Urbanmech Hard mode arrives in April.

I've still yet to see a great game in this mech. I'm simply puzzled by how limited it's hardpoints and speed are. I prefer clan lights over panthers at this point.

I demand a minimum of 300 damage per round from my mechs or I'm not happy with the round, regardless of kills. 500 is where I aim to get all mechs. If they aren't capable of it, I don't run them.

[FupDup]

Greenjulius, on 04 March 2015 - 10:22 PM, said:

I've still yet to see a great game in this mech. I'm simply puzzled by how limited it's hardpoints and speed are. I prefer clan lights over panthers at this point.

I demand a minimum of 300 damage per round from my mechs or I'm not happy with the round, regardless of kills. 500 is where I aim to get all mechs. If they aren't capable of it, I don't run them.

Well, I've had two super good games with 5-6 kills and 600-700 damage, but I attribute that more to the situation than the mech's own strength...

[Soy]

It is definitely the cutest IS light.

[orcrist86]

My panthers aren't basiced yet, can't wait to see what they do elited. I'm staying close to stock... Builds run hot, but good.

[Capnflintlock]

Sigilum Sanctum, on 04 March 2015 - 10:14 PM, said:

Thoroughly enjoying both the Panther and the Enforcer right now.

Panther I'm still working builds into though.

I've been running max armor with an XL 195 engine, with 10 DHS, 4 jump jets, X2 ams with 1.5 tons of ammo, an ER PPC, Medium Laser, and Artermis SRM 4 with 1 ton of ammo.

I snipe while protecting teamates from lrms. I only use one ton of SRM ammo because I rarily get within close quarters to fire 25 salvos, or live long enough for that matter. I find 4 jump jets gives me enough maneuverability.

The medium laser and srms are my secondary weapons when my heat reaches critical levels. I could drop the ams and ammo for more heat sinks, but I find that it doesn't help with the initial build up of the ER ppcs, only the cooldown, due to its insane firerate. As a result I can just move to cover to cooldown at a fairly decent, albeit slower pace.

[Greenjulius]

Capnflintlock, on 04 March 2015 - 10:27 PM, said:

XL 195 engine

I can't imagine running slower than a clan light... About as low as I feel comfortable running is a XL210.

I'm giving the Panther another try and... Still runs like crap. I know all mechs need elited before they can be good, but this thing is a serious dog. It's quirks aren't anywhere where they need to be.

Edited by Greenjulius, 04 March 2015 - 10:41 PM.

[DasSibby]

I like my Enforcers... But I'm not sold on the Panther yet... I just can't get a build to fit my playstyle. :/

[Capnflintlock]

Greenjulius, on 04 March 2015 - 10:35 PM, said:

I can't imagine running slower than a clan light... About as low as I feel comfortable running is a XL210.

In most cases I would agree, but the panther is a sniper, so speed isn't of huge importance, other than to relocate to another area to fire. By the time other lights reach you, you wouldn't be able to outrun them anyway. Nor should you be within close enough range to an enemy to have to use massive speed to maneuver around them, you should be far enough away to be safe.

edit: The panther seems designed more around the point to escort other allied mechs anyway, what with its dual ams systems, and fairly limited weapon loadout. You wouldn't want to be straying far away from them anyway, as tier 30 ton light mechs and below would outrun you even with a xl 250 engine. You also don't have good hardpoints to dual with, as your weapon systems are primarily on your right arm. This leads to the whole, stay behind your teamates, and away from the thick of the action kind of tactic. By the time someone fast enough reaches you, your team would be dead, so your speed would be useless.

Edited by Capnflintlock, 04 March 2015 - 10:50 PM.

[Greenjulius]

I've given it another 5 games and I still hate the Panther. Slow, undergunned, and loses legs to anyone who knows how to fight lights. That, or they remove it's right arm as soon as possible.

I don't understand what people see in this thing.

Edited by Greenjulius, 04 March 2015 - 10:48 PM.

[Capnflintlock]

Greenjulius, on 04 March 2015 - 10:46 PM, said:

I've given it another 5 games and I still hate the Panther. Slow, undergunned, and loses legs to anyone who knows how to fight lights. That, or they remove it's right arm as soon as possible.

I don't understand what people see in this thing.

Escort heavier mechs, wait till they engage for a bit before you pop out. Help pour on fire to whatever they're targeting and back off. You shouldn't be trying to tank hits or dual with other mechs.

[Greenjulius]

Capnflintlock, on 04 March 2015 - 10:53 PM, said:

Escort heavier mechs, wait till they engage for a bit before you pop out. Help pour on fire to whatever they're targeting and back off. You shouldn't be trying to tank hits or dual with other mechs.

I know how to run clan lights, and do very damn well with them. We're talking regular 600-800 damage games in my Kitfox, with the outliers being in the 1200+ damage range. This thing wants to act like clan lights, but does an inferior job. It runs cooler than a Mist Lynx fortunately, but is bound by a terrible weapon with the ERPPC. I've never seen a weapon with poorer hitreg. I can plug the CT of a mech and it won't even register, or will disappear inside. I've simply given up on PPCs until PGI can fix them, but that forces me to go with LPLs, MLs or MPLs.

I've had modest success running 4xMPL, 1xSRM4, but the firestarter does MPLs better. It does anything energy related better.

Edited by Greenjulius, 04 March 2015 - 11:03 PM.

[Xenon Codex]

Like you, I wasn't too excited about the Panther but have grown to really like them. I have most of them outfitted as close-range support mechs. I often mix it up and brawl with them, they are small and nimble so the slower speed isn't too much of a limitation, mostly only when you need to run away. Protecting that right arm is my biggest issue.

My best performing is the -9R with XL250 4xMPL 3xJJ. Currently it has a 41/21 KDR after 37 matches. Had a 5 kill, 900+ damage match once, plus a good number over 600, though typically in the 300-500 range if I survive long enough and don't lose my right arm prematurely. I've found that hanging out with the heavies lets you lay down a lot of supporting fire because most people ignore you. On the other hand, my long range builds tend to get me into trouble if I get spotted hanging back away from the pack. Flanking and hit-n-run maneuvers work much better in that case, though typically won't score a lot of damage because I'm on the move a lot.

Anyway, I haven't found their lack of speed to be much of a hindrance so far. My -8Z and -10K have XL225s and work well enough.

[Greenjulius]

Just had a couple decent matches in a row. 4 kill, 667 damage in the 10k with 1xLPL, 1xML, 2xSRM. Then in the 9R I got 6 kills, 762 damage with the 4xMPL, 4JJ, the rest DHS. The second match actually turned around due to me. The first match I probably could have just dropped the SRMs because I couldn't aim down enough to use them for 1/2 the match. A 2xLPL combo probably would have been more effective on the 10k.

I played as a hiding opportunist. I chased weak mechs down and eliminated them, and just generally annoyed everyone else.

The MPL build was far more effective obviously, but I stand by my point that it's all done much better by the firestarter. It can do 5xMPL (or 6x if you're okay with a XL255) across three or 4 components, running a XL280.

The FS9-S has 30% heat reduction for the MPLs, while the Panther 9R only has 15%. The only positive is that it has 15% increased range. Either way, why take out a Panther 9R with 4xMPL when you can do 5xMPL faster, cooler and higher mounted in the FS9-S?

Edited by Greenjulius, 04 March 2015 - 11:40 PM.

[Scandinavian Jawbreaker]

It's a fun mech for the derp queue for me. I think there should be those also. It performs well enough not to gimp your team and kiting with peeps can turn matches around. It's kinda like sdr with one er ppc - no real competitive value but fun to fool around with it in the solo queue. Also it's good for cw ppc spammer cus it's very good mobility and model.