44 replies to this topic

[Romual]

Hello there. I have barely any expirience in building my own mechs, so this is why I'm here - I can't find any fresh cicada builds. It seems just everybody ignores this mech. Why? Is it actualy this bad?

And to the point - I'm thinking about 3 builds. I've done all of them, but am completly sure they're crap. So if you can correct me - please do so:

- M3 CQC Backstabber
CDA-3M

- M3 Poke
CDA-3M

- B2 Laser Vomit
CDA-2B

[Raubwurst]

2B: One very dangerous 'Mech! But you should do 2 things with your build:
1) Put 2 Heatsinks in the Engine. They are more efficient there ^{My mistake, see below why this isn't true!} And put the other two in the sidetorsos. Because you would loose them, if one arm is destroyed. Better to have them still around

For the other two: I would highly suggest to drop the ACs and put the biggest XL-engine in there, that you can find! Speed is your best friend with Cicadas.
Also the version with ECM + 2 ERLL is popular with the 3M

Edited by Raubwurst, 05 January 2016 - 09:03 AM.

[Dawnstealer]

The CDA was my first mech and I own nearly all of them. My fave is the 2A, but here's how I built out the others:

CDA-2A
6ML, AMS, Max engine

Just a nasty, back-stabber. Lights can't get away from you can outrun most everything else.

CDA-3M

2ERLL, ML, TAG, ECM

This one's my CW champion, currently. For some reason, everyone ignores the CDA and you can just poke and poke and poke and tear off components and no one suspects it's this cool-running ECM mech.

[InsaneRotta]

X-5 (ENERGY HEAT GENERATION: -15.00 % ENERGY RANGE: 35.00 % ENERGY COOLDOWN: 10.00 % )

[smurfy]http://mwo.smurfy-ne...59a320746322cc0[/smurfy]

[TercieI]

Your 2B build is great (was ideal before last quirk change) and your UAC build is fine, though the LBX one is too slow.

The main issue with the CDA is that it's a big target for what it is and it'll never really be a light, but it's not a medium. The XL300 is the sweet spot engine. Anything less and you're dangerously slow, anything more and you get rapidly diminishing returns. Start with that in mind, go for a mix of energy that suits you and there are a fair number of options. Due to quirks and mount positions, the 2B is currently the best and most flexible variant.

[Koniving]

Raubwurst, on 04 January 2016 - 11:26 AM, said:

2B: One very dangerous 'Mech! But you should do 2 things with your build:
1) Put 2 Heatsinks in the Engine. They are more efficient there!

Untrue. Only built-in DHS are more efficient. The game distinguishes "Internal" (Included) heatsinks and "External" (Added) heatsinks.
Any heatsink that is NOT included in the engine (this also means any heatsink placed into the engine's slots) are counted as External because they were added. The limit is "10", i.e. it can never include anything you ever add to the engine manually.
You're welcome to experiment with it here.

Putting the heatsinks into the engine will give you more slots to equip structure / armor changes, however doing so will reduce the "buffer" protecting your equipment. In short, it can actually be bad to not have your heatsinks in the body itself (~if~ your mech carried a surplus of ammunition or larger weapons that needed protection).

-----------

Cicada fun.
Action gets epic after 5:50 (will lead you just half a minute before things hit the fan). Unlike most videos, here I'm talking directly to viewers with tips. Even the computer voices have been inserted to give additional tips. View at highest quality for clarity.
As you can see, there's nothing bad about the crickets. It's just a mech that requires a bit of game knowledge to play effectively. But once you know how, even a horrid design like the champion Cicada can steam roll enemies in 1 versus 2 combat.

[Romual]

Thanks for all the feedback. I learned several realy important things and these few builds gave me several ideas. o7

[Rhavin]

I second the x5 hero mech as a winner. If you find yourself enjoying the chassis it's one of the few heros that catching on sale for MC is worth buying. I have 2 x5s. Because sometimes I get stupid with all the fun I am having in it and die too early. By having 2 I can leave a match and hop in the other for some more stupidity!!! I call this rapid-fire stupidity! !!

Edited by Rhavin, 04 January 2016 - 10:20 PM.

[jss78]

(TL;DR: Cicadas rule, all of them.)

Cicadas are not bad mechs, albeit they're not exactly the "flavour of the month" either. Lorewise they were conceived as a heavier and sturdier competitor to light scout mechs such as the Locust, and this isexactly where they fall in MWO too.

I love Cicadas, and own all of them. I find they do well at least up to Tier 2, and there are others who do well in them at Tier 1. They're no easy mode mech though -- ultimately they're a relatively light-weight mech, and virtually always run an inner-sphere XL engine, which means you'll be instagibbed in seconds unless you're careful. Staying on the move, in cover, and/or at distance is the name of the game, to keep yourself safe.

It's really tough to recommend Cicada builds, because I find that all Cicada variants enjoy some popularity. And even for the individual variants, people seem to take really different approaches. I'll just shamelessly put below the builds I use -- maybe they're interesting to OP or someone else.

Sniper-Scouts:

- CDA-2A: XL300, 1xERLL, 5xML, BAP, 14 DHS. Many people favour 6xML and a bigger engine; that's a great build, but I enjoy the tactical flexibility offered by a single ERLL.

- CDA-2B: XL320, 2xERLL, 1xML, BAP, 10 DHS. Many people run this as an MPL boat, and nothing wrong with that either, just not a playstyle I like.

- CDA-3C: XL330, 1xER-PPC, 4xMG, BAP, 10 DHS. This is the definite hard mode among Cicadas but super fun. Move about like crazy, and snipe with ER-PPC. In late game you have the option to switch to "vulture mode" and zoom in to kill hurting mechs with 4xMG.

- CDA-3F(L): XL280, 2xERLL, 2xML, BAP, 10 DHS, 8 JJ. Slower version of the 2B but with the biggest jump of any mech in the game. Not meta but crazy fun.

- Note: I run BAP in all of them, to aid in the scouting duties (+200 m sensor range, quicker target info gathering). Playstyle revolves around moving rapidly around the fringes of your team's formation. Spot targets for others, snipe, relocate frequently. A lot of them have poor heat management, but it's not much of an issue as you are generally far enough to safely disengage to cool.

Smirmisher/Striker:

- CDA-X5: XL320, 4xML, 2xSRM4, 13 DHS.

- Note: completely different playstyle here, more akin to Jenner or Arctic Cheetah. Zoom in, hit hard, if you find yourself over-heating or facing too many enemies to outmanouver them, use your speed to disengage. The medium lasers have amazing range quirks (+35%), giving you some sniping ability as well.

Electronic warfare/Escort:

- CDA-3M: XL280, 1xAC/5, 4xML, ECM, BAP, 11 DHS.

- Note: playstyle revolves around staying close to heavier mechs. Deny target locks to red team (ECM), provide target locks for blue team (BAP for sensor range boost), add second-line firepower, guard your assaults' backs. Not glamorous, but has provided a good W/L ratio for me. Many people enjoy running the 3M as a sniper, using either 2-3 ERLL's or a Gauss rifle, with ECM for stealth.

Edited by jss78, 05 January 2016 - 07:55 AM.

[Rogue Jedi]

Raubwurst, on 04 January 2016 - 11:26 AM, said:

Put 2 Heatsinks in the Engine. They are more efficient there!

no there is no functional difference between extra in engine heatsinks past the first 10 and out of engine heatsinks,
only the first 10 in engine heatsinks are "true doubles" any in engine heatsinks past the first 10 are only 1.4 times dissipation and cap on an IS Mech.

As the build already had both Endo and Fero the DHS were better in the arm where they crit pad ^{(make it so a critical hit is less likely to destroy)} the weapons

[Quintus Verus]

A main reason is the wonky hit boxes. The Cicada runs like a light, but gets smashed like an Awesome's CT. I still enjoy playing them as a slightly more meaty Jenner.

[Spheroid]

You want to know why nobody runs the Cicada? The Wolfhound can move at the same speed with a similar loadout and tanks better at a lesser weight. Plus it has a fully articulated arm and turn rate quirks.

I have zero reason to run the 2A or 2B. I do have fun in the 3F though.

Edited by Spheroid, 05 January 2016 - 09:20 AM.

[BlackHeroe]

The 2B i have runned before the patch nearly as you did, after the patch im tryin it out with 5x ML plus 325XL.

The 3M is the best one, not only for the ECM. The UAC5 really works fine with it. I run it with 255XL ( a little bit slow) but more Ammo - cause often you are unnoticed at flanking and additionnally dont get focused if you stand in a bunch of bigger mechs.
Its fun to see enemie look around for a Dakka Mech and cant find anyone.

[Mazzyplz]

i still own my cicada

2B:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...12f207b1f7bc429

i designed this cicada to beat this shadowcat build:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...fbe5c7836cf1fc2

edit: (actually this cda i prefer it has lower dps but higher alpha
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...096006f1e7f28e7)


3m:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...438f72ecbac3b22

i designed this 3m to at least compete with the shadow cat ecm equivalent:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...4ab0d92279b566d

edit: (though to be honest, i run with one ERLL and 2LL, so i can poke at the beginning)




for the third variant just go with the champion 2a with 6 medlas build and make sure you manage those lasers like you're piloting a nova

edit: (or just use the 2a for twin large pulse, and go to your original 5 medpulse 2b for the vomit)



edit
also:
2 erppc on the 3m is also popular and can be quite potent



oh, if you are going to go for UAC5 on the cicada, i would pair it up with an er large laser that can match the same range as uac5. and use 3 small lasers as backups.
i ran 1 uac5 + 4 medlas but it forces you to stick to shooting a peashooter for the first half of the match; which can cost you/yourteam.

Edited by Mazzyplz, 05 January 2016 - 09:08 PM.

[Lupis Volk]

What'd be some builds for the X-5?

[Digital_Angel]

Lupis Volk, on 07 January 2016 - 02:30 AM, said:

What'd be some builds for the X-5?

I tend to run mine near max armor, XL 280, 2 LRM 5 w/ 2 tons ammo, 2 ML, and 2 MPL. I tend to start a match with LRM support to help keep the other team's heads down while the group closes distance and then swap to closer range combat with the lasers.

I've also run it with 4MPL and 1 LRM 5 or dropping the LRMs for SRMs.

I've tried dropping the engine to a 250XL before to make room for more armaments, but 280 is really about the smallest engine you want to go on a X-5. The 330XL that comes on it is overkill for my play style, but it definitely needs a 280-300 engine to have enough speed to survive on the battle field.

[JC Daxion]

jss78, on 05 January 2016 - 07:55 AM, said:

t:

- CDA-3M: XL280, 1xAC/5, 4xML, ECM, BAP, 11 DHS.

Bap is not needed with ECM in mech warrior, it is a waste of 1.5 tons unless the range boost is really that important to you. ECM or Run counter...

[jss78]

JC Daxion, on 07 January 2016 - 12:20 PM, said:

Bap is not needed with ECM in mech warrior, it is a waste of 1.5 tons unless the range boost is really that important to you. ECM or Run counter...

I'm kind of on the fence about BAP+ECM. I've taken to like the sensor range bonus, especially with the current reward system where Scouting is 3,000 c-bills a pop. If you stick with your team's deathball and consistently get target locks before your team mates, it can easily net you 10,000 a game, or more in maps with long sight lines. For the same reason, I like to put the Sensor Range module on some mechs which get that extra (third) module slot. I admit however that Scouting c-bills is possibly not the best reason to spend that 1.5 tons...

I routinely put BAP in mechs which have major firepower beyond 800 m, and that's just for the targetting information (knowing where to hit), the ECM countering is just a nice bonus there.

[Smoked]

Most of my builds use the largest engine available with usually medium lasers. The number of games are what I've played from brand new to master without using any GXP for skill ups. I never play mechs once I've mastered them. They are usually without any weapon or mech modules since I don't "waste" money buying/moving modules for advantages. Results are very similar for an avg. to above avg. player such as myself (Tier 2,W/L about 55%,KDR1.35) I never went with any "meta" builds, I just keep them all simple, maneuverable with heat eff. 1.2 to 1.5.

Edited by Smoked, 07 January 2016 - 02:55 PM.

[Holographic]

I bought the hero x5 cicada and have been more than happy with it. It's nothing to get 500+ dmg in it and a few solid kills. I feel very secure when piloting it. I run it with 4 medium pulse lasers and have a fast XL engine in it. I run circles around the heavies while burning them down. It has more armor than a light but almost just as mobile with good firepower.

Edited by Holographic, 07 January 2016 - 04:31 PM.