28 replies to this topic

[Old Fart 61]

Hey All, Well I bought the sweet deal package last night.and got the Hero X-5.

I have to say I do like it so far even being close to stock. I did put in the BAP and still have 4 ML and the streak SRM 2 with 1/2 ton ammo full armour and comes in at 39.6 tons.

For the modules I have just the Radar deprivation mod. I dont have any tweaks, weapon modules or mech weapon modules. My speed is 135 kph. Would like to get it higher.

Any thoughts on this build and what other modules and skills should I get?

[TercieI]

Faster sounds nice, but it's probably not actually the best idea. The sweet spot engine for CDAs is the XL300. It allows you to actually take advantage of the fact that it has more tonnage than a light, despite being a pseudo light. You lose a lot of available tonnage going above that and it is fast enough for what it does. Also, ditch the streaks for proper SRMs. 4s would be my pick. Even if you stay close to stock, I'd move the DHS out of the engine for crit padding.

If I were to run it, I'd run it thus.

For skills, just seismic and radar derp as always and weapon mods to taste (I'd invest in the lasers for both personally).

Edited by TercieI, 18 February 2017 - 11:57 AM.

[Roughneck45]

Radar deprivation and Seismic, that goes for every mech. Target info gathering is probably 3rd, and all the others are for more specific builds or just inferior.

When building the X-5 you have to decide if you are using missiles or not. It only gets two tubes, so 4's and 6's can be awkward to fire. 4 mlas streaks works well. You can swap the streaks for normal SRMs if you are confident in your aim and want to hit large mechs a bit harder. You can also upgrade them to pulse lasers if you bring the engine down or drop the missiles.

The two tube count drive me nuts, so I usually go two large and two medium lasers.

Edited by Roughneck45, 18 February 2017 - 11:58 AM.

[TercieI]

Roughneck45, on 18 February 2017 - 11:56 AM, said:

Radar deprivation and Seismic, that goes for every mech. Target info gathering is probably 3rd, and all the others are for more specific builds or just inferior.

When building the X-5 you have to decide if you are using missiles or not. It only gets two tubes, so 4's and 6's can be awkward to fire. 4 mlas streaks works well. You can swap the streaks for normal SRMs if you are confident in your aim and want to hit large mechs a bit harder. You can also upgrade them to pulse lasers if you bring the engine down or drop the missiles.

The two tube count drive me nuts, so I usually go two large and two medium lasers.

They changed that. It can take up to 20 tubes now (I just double checked in testing grounds). I always kinda dug that. The bang-bang on the 4s made them weirdly precise and eliminated any thought of Artemis.

[Roughneck45]

TercieI, on 18 February 2017 - 12:01 PM, said:

They changed that. It can take up to 20 tubes now (I just double checked in testing grounds). I always kinda dug that. The bang-bang on the 4s made them weirdly precise and eliminated any thought of Artemis.

Good to know.

I'd always forget and twist sending the second set off target.

[Old Fart 61]

Would you stick with BAP or drop that in favor of another srm launcher?

[Roughneck45]

Old Fart 61, on 18 February 2017 - 12:33 PM, said:

Would you stick with BAP or drop that in favor of another srm launcher?

Take BAP if you are using streaks. You'll need it to target mechs that have ECM. Otherwise its not needed.

[Rogue Jedi]

1 missile launcher is not realy going to do much, so possibly concider down engining to an XL300 ^{(will cost 5 million, which is more than you said you have available but givves you 7 extra tons)}, drop the BAP for a second SSRM2, or drop the medium lasers to smalls for extra tonnage

if you have 0.4 tons free and max armor drop 3-4 points from the head for something else, ether 0.5 tons of ammo or upgrading the SSRM2 to an SRM4, SRM4 is ^{(at least for me)} far more effective than an SSRM 2 because you can choose where to put the missiles ^{(where as each SSRM missile randomly targets 1 componant)}, and get much higher DPS.

if you do stick with SSRM then also put on Artemus, it costs 250,000, reduces lock time for SSRM, and weight nothing, taking up 0 slots ^{(as opposed to 1 ton and 1 slot for each LRM or SRM launcher)} unless you are short on cash there is no downside for Artemus with Streaks.

here are my sugestions
SRM4, with stock engine
SSRM2 with stock engine
the 2 above both run a bit hotter than I would prefer, if you can save enough for ^{(or already have)} an XL300 these below should be a bit better
MPL + SRM4
ML+SRM4
ML + Streak
MPL + Streak

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 18 February 2017 - 01:13 PM.

[Koniving]

I personally run an ER PPC and an LRM-10 on mine. It worked really well several years ago and it works okay now, too.

If, for some reason, the ER PPC is difficult to aim, you can substitute with a single large pulse laser.

Mine runs a little slower than stock.

If stock speed is more preferable, use medium lasers instead, but consider the missile launcher. It's always good to be prepared to fight both up close and at range.

I say this because if your build is 'too' committed to one style of fighting, then when that style is impossible due to circumstance your fate is horrifically sealed.

[Rogue Jedi]

Probably Not, on 19 February 2017 - 06:37 AM, said:

I've tried it with an XL325

I would not recomend that, you save half a ton, but the XL 325 costs 5.3 million cbills.

if you are down engining the 300 or 280 are, in my opinion, the way to go

[Rogue Jedi]

Probably Not, on 19 February 2017 - 07:01 AM, said:

My thoughts pretty much were that I should capitalize on the Cicada's one definite strength as much as I could (its speed) but the XL340 seemed like a massive waste (325 is a breakpoint for internal HS and still gives me untweaked speed that can beat a Cheetah, going 340 would afford me a great top speed but not significantly more so than a 325 and would pretty much guarantee that the missile tubes never get put to good use).

my point is that the X5 comes with an XL330 so changing to a 325 is pointless unless you desperately need that half ton and ether have 5.3 million cbills to burn, or already own a spare 325.
it was not an attack on your build, just a cost/reward thing which I thaught was a good idea to put in a thread in new player help.
if it works for you then great

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 19 February 2017 - 08:06 AM.

[Old Fart 61]

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...f2284cc3eb0de9d

This is my build now. I can see your build is a cooler build with out sacrificing Firepower or DPS just a little speed. Might have to try it out.

[TercieI]

Old Fart 61, on 19 February 2017 - 12:50 PM, said:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...f2284cc3eb0de9d

This is my build now. I can see your build is a cooler build with out sacrificing Firepower or DPS just a little speed. Might have to try it out.

Is that armor accurate? You shouldn't need more than 4 across the back, but even more than that, I'd drop the head to 12 and max the torsos. You get hit there a lot more often.

[GenghisJr]

Congratulations on your purchase of the CDA X5 aka dive bomber, this mech is most suited to running 2 SRM4's or 6's depending on your style, for brawling go for SRM4's for fast take downs SRM6's and go for the L or R rear torso, mind the heat though. Your new X5 has the ability to take down the heaviest mech and escape before it knows what happened, assuming you are using the recommended XL300. Please be aware the X5 is not designed for hunting lights but in a 1v1 they will be petrified of your srms hitting there legs.
Seriously now, the X5 can have up to a 44 point alpha, this into a LorR rear torso with 130km/h approach speed means instant death for an XL engine. i run mone with SRM4's, 6's are just a bit hot for sustained firing.

[Old Fart 61]

TercieI, on 19 February 2017 - 01:00 PM, said:

Is that armor accurate? You shouldn't need more than 4 across the back, but even more than that, I'd drop the head to 12 and max the torsos. You get hit there a lot more often.

No Its maxed amour

[Amatsukaze]

I really like my X5. I think I was able to elite it faster then any other mech I own.

X-5

I like this build allot. 4 SPLs & 2 SRM 4's. Get behind your target & ruin his day FAST!

[TercieI]

Amatsukaze, on 21 February 2017 - 07:03 AM, said:

I really like my X5. I think I was able to elite it faster then any other mech I own.

X-5

I like this build allot. 4 SPLs & 2 SRM 4's. Get behind your target & ruin his day FAST!

This is better optimized. I'd do this, myself.

Edited by TercieI, 21 February 2017 - 07:08 AM.

[Amatsukaze]

TercieI, on 21 February 2017 - 07:08 AM, said:

This is better optimized. I'd do this, myself.

Yeah that would work fine. I prefer to be a little more tanky & spending the saved weight on more SRMs seems good but I rarely run out of them with 1 ton. On the odd occasion that I do everyone is so beat up by then my 4 SPLs seem like quad Gauss LOL

[TercieI]

Probably Not, on 21 February 2017 - 07:27 AM, said:

>not putting heatsinks in the engine

Why?

They provide crit padding to other components by being placed with them. Generally, the engine is the very last place to put heat sinks.

Amatsukaze, on 21 February 2017 - 08:02 AM, said:

Yeah that would work fine. I prefer to be a little more tanky & spending the saved weight on more SRMs seems good but I rarely run out of them with 1 ton. On the odd occasion that I do everyone is so beat up by then my 4 SPLs seem like quad Gauss LOL

I don't think I made it less tanky (more if anything because I helped your torsos), just dropped a DHS. That way you can more easily lean on the SRMs when you're too hot for lazorz.

Edited by TercieI, 21 February 2017 - 08:06 AM.

[TercieI]

Probably Not, on 21 February 2017 - 08:11 AM, said:

Does the crit padding actually make so much of a difference that it's worth trading away the slight improvement in dissipation? Seems like trading away a sure thing (true doubles in the engine for better heat management) for a chance to come out a little less bad on a dice roll.

If that was the trade, well, Probably Not. However, the only true doubles are the (up to*) ten that are inherent in the engine. This is a common misconception, but additional DHS in engine slots are poordubs, not truedubs.

*This is why mechs with sub-250 engine caps have dissipation and capacity quirks, too.

Edited by TercieI, 21 February 2017 - 08:14 AM.