10 replies to this topic

[Rattler85]

I am considering these builds for my Panthers.

PNT-10K
ERPPC, SPL, SRM4
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...73167b32ce87d10

PNT-8Z
3 ML, 2 SRM4, ams
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...62f43608914fd6f

Should I put the ammo in the legs for that 8Z?

PNT-9R
ERPPC, SPL, SRM4, ams
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...12f49de93b2cb53

I am debating whether or not to drop the SRM4 and ams for an SRM6.

[NiuqOteen]

PNT-8Z

180 std ( came from the black jack i bought so was laying around)
1 LL
Bap
Either 2 LRM 5 or 2srm4
Shave armor off the head and left arm to fit extra ammo or JJ

Not optimal and too slow for most light pilots but wanted a fire support type light.

Could run an xl 180 for 2 LL and 1 LRM 5 or srm 4

[jss78]

NiuqOteen, on 02 October 2015 - 03:24 AM, said:

PNT-8Z

180 std ( came from the black jack i bought so was laying around)
1 LL
Bap
Either 2 LRM 5 or 2srm4
Shave armor off the head and left arm to fit extra ammo or JJ

Not optimal and too slow for most light pilots but wanted a fire support type light.

Could run an xl 180 for 2 LL and 1 LRM 5 or srm 4

I've been running a really similar 8Z, STD-200, 3xML, 2xLRM5, BAP. It's working remarkably well at Tier 3 for me -- I was sure my stats would start to go down when I switched to LRM's on that mech, but it's doggedly maintaining a >1 K/D ratio and such. It's super fun to run, because it's so tactically flexible. I run it at mid-distances, and a lot of the time I use both the lasers and LRM's, but can fade into cover whenever that feels safer.

(PS. You totally wrecked our team at Caustic, I think yesterday, with 6 kills. I now feel a little dubious about giving any suggestions )

[ShinVector]

Ehmmm....

10K

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...d2f9f7bb34f57d4

8Z

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...2b8f47fee7fe2b3

9R

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...102a8141eefa93d

Ehmm..

[WrathOfDeadguy]

Ammo in the leg can be extremely dangerous in a light 'Mech, because legging is the most effective way to put lights out of action. Instead, load it in your right torso on the Panther- make good use of your shield arm, just like you were driving a miniature Centurion, and your RT will be just about the last thing you ever lose armor on.

JJs can go in the legs, but if you have the crit slots open, they're really best off in the torso- if you get legged and you have jets in the legs, you lose the jets; if you keep them in the torso, they can buy you an extra couple of seconds of bouncing in place before the inevitable occurs (maybe buying you enough time for a lucky shot on one of your murderers). Stacking jets in the torso can also help to crit pad your ammo as extra insurance against a blowout.

You've also got a bit too much armor in the rear; in a light, you should only need rear armor to save you from incidental team damage and the occasional scratch. 10 points of armor is not going to protect you against the surprise alpha you didn't see coming- you'll be just as dead as you would have been with only 6 or 8 points in the back. An extra few points in the front, however, can make a huge difference, perhaps even be the extra sliver of health that prevents an armor breach... or keeps the Gaussvomit alpha you just ate from killing you outright.

Your 10K has room for Ferro, which gets you most of another ton (the rest you can take out of head armor) to spend on whatever, leaving exactly three slots to squeeze that something into. You could re-equip Artemis, or add a heat sink, or two more jets, or swap that SPL for a MPL. Here's how I run my 10K.

Here's the 8Z with ammo re-located. AMS ammo doesn't hurt much when it gets critted out, so it doesn't need to be in the head- better to put a ton of SRMs there, since if those get blown up you're going with them (ammo in the head gets used last, IIRC, so you should be safe from torso blowouts by the time your armor is breached). You also probably won't need the extra half-ton of AMS ammo... you'll get more mileage out of some more SRMs. Actually, I'd go a step farther, and just strip the AMS off in favor of adding Ferro and upgrading all the MLs to MPLs- since this is a brawling config you've got here, lower facetime even by a few fractions of a second ups your survivability more than an AMS will (you can always mount Radar Deprivation instead to counter LRMs).

Finally, the 9R... quirks for this one favor the standard PPC, and the 9R has more than adequate hardpoints to back one up with short-range firepower. Here are a couple of ideas. SL and SPL have great synergy with PPC; their range envelope covers the PPC's minimum range and a little extra, so you can just switch from one RA weapon system to the other if something gets too close. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, you can turn it one into a nasty micro-brawler- I've had better results with this than any other Panther. Or another possibility for a little more poking ability.

Edited by PS WrathOfDeadguy, 02 October 2015 - 06:21 AM.

[Son of the Flood]

ShinVector, on 02 October 2015 - 03:49 AM, said:

Ehmmm....

10K

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...d2f9f7bb34f57d4

8Z

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...2b8f47fee7fe2b3

9R

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...102a8141eefa93d

Ehmm..

I'm seeing a theme here.....wub, wubber, wubbest

going to give the 2 LPL version a try and see how I do. I'm struggling w/the ER PPC build for it (probably more related to my shooting than the build)

[ShinVector]

Son of the Flood, on 10 October 2015 - 11:57 AM, said:

I'm seeing a theme here.....wub, wubber, wubbest

going to give the 2 LPL version a try and see how I do. I'm struggling w/the ER PPC build for it (probably more related to my shooting than the build)

2 LPL Gameplay...
You have to remember that you can't SOLO anything fresh. (Not every light is an FS9-A)

This is a mid distance nibbler...
Get shots but don't get SHOT... Protect that right arm all cost..
Try to be near the team while nibbling... If the team does it part.... There will lots of chances to finish off heavy damaged enemies at the end..
22 Damage from 400M is not to be underestimated.

Edited by ShinVector, 10 October 2015 - 07:52 PM.

[Son of the Flood]

ShinVector, on 10 October 2015 - 07:49 PM, said:

2 LPL Gameplay...
You have to remember that you can't SOLO anything fresh. (Not every light is an FS9-A)

This is a mid distance nibbler...
Get shots but don't get SHOT... Protect that right arm all cost..
Try to be near the team while nibbling... If the team does it part.... There will lots of chances to finish off heavy damaged enemies at the end..
22 Damage from 400M is not to be underestimated.

Thanks ShinVector very much for posting this, what an amazing game and great performance by you! It looked like you guys were sunk mid match (I think you were down 3 mechs at one point), but you stuck together and turned it around. Well done!

I created a 2 LPL build similar to yours and am currently working to level it up. I picked up the LPL range/cool down mods too.

This video and your comments above are very helpful to me and give me a number things to work on to improve my play with this build (and in general )....especially patience, moving around for shot selection and protecting the RA, and not using the mech like I would a Jenner! Many thanks!

[Tiamat of the Sea]

PS WrathOfDeadguy, on 02 October 2015 - 06:12 AM, said:

(ammo in the head gets used last, IIRC, ...

You've got it backwards- ammo in the head gets used first. Then center torso, then right torso, then left torso, then left arm, then right arm, then left leg, then right leg. This actually makes head ammo even safer, since it goes away so quickly....

[David Sumner]

Quickdraw Crobat, on 11 October 2015 - 06:13 AM, said:

You've got it backwards- ammo in the head gets used first. Then center torso, then right torso, then left torso, then left arm, then right arm, then left leg, then right leg. This actually makes head ammo even safer, since it goes away so quickly....

OH to be able to configure at least SOME of that.

For instance, if I'm getting CT cored, getting an ammo explosion or not is probably going to make < 1 second of difference to my survival, but clearing my legs and arms would probably increase my survival substantially.

[A_Velociraptor]

I know this post is a little old but i found that this build for the 8Z which utilizes the quirks of the mech to the full potential having -25% duration and cooldown on the Large Lasers are really good. Of course the STD 200 could be upgraded to an XL 250 at the cost of one external heatsink but the gain of 2 internal ones if you have the cash. Overall it is a very good skirmisher/support platform due to the limited exposure time required due to the quirks.