29 replies to this topic

[mistlynx4life]

Greetings, all!

Now that the event is over, I'm genuinely interested in what 'mechs folks have used with success in Scouting. Fast, heavy-hitting, lasers, streaks, whatever - what do the usual Scouting folks keep in their dropdecks?

Now I do fairly well in a Lynx, believe it or not, when I have some decent buddies... but sometimes I want to try new things. I just bought a Nova and took it for a couple spins in QuickPlay. Tried the Nova-S mostly stock and then with the Prime arms for lots of ERS's and... I dunno. I wasn't impressed. All the weaknesses of a Lynx without enough to offset it (that's also a playstyle thing, I realize). I've piloted HMNs before and they were alright but nothing that impressed me a whole lot. Maybe a more specific question is needed: What Light 'mechs do folks recommend for Scouting solo (without an assembled team)?

I appreciate any thoughts or advice ya'll have and I'm 100% not committed to brawling-only builds.

Thanks!
-ML4L

[N0ni]

mistlynx4life, on 26 November 2017 - 08:44 PM, said:

Maybe a more specific question is needed: What Light 'mechs do folks recommend for Scouting solo (without an assembled team)?

Absolutely no Lights if you're solo dropping, you're most likely going to have a bad time.

But if you must bring a light (and since clan is specified in the thread title):

Arctic Cheetah. (Either classic or MG)
Jenner IIC/IIC-A (Splat/pulse)
KFX-G (splat config)

[mistlynx4life]

Thanks NOni - I realized after I posted I had the loyalty Kit Fox and could do a decent SRM build with it. I'm taking it for a spin momentarily. I had actually guessed the other two as well, so maybe I'm more in tune with what I should be doing than I think, lol!

Thanks!
-ML4L

[Xiphias]

If you like the light/Lynx play style I'd recommend the Viper with 5 CERML and 4LMGs. It has decent firepower in a brawl and more importantly speed and range to kite enemy mechs when your team gets wiped. It's a good play style if you're going to spend more of your time solo queuing. I won 13 of 17 matches this event solo queue and that includes wins against groups. The Ice Ferret can fill a similar role, but the lack of JJs and MGs make it an inferior choice.

It's a fun play style if you like playing lights and using speed and maneuverability to your advantage.

[Troa Barton]

Huntsman, nova, Hunchback laser or double lbx20

[N0ni]

With the splat fox i found success with 4 SRM6s and 2 SRM2s, swap one of the legs with the jumpjets, can run hot but no ghost heat.

[arcana75]

Clan mechs I've seen players use to good effect in Scouting, as well as those I've piloted to great effect (getting that nice 250MS):

- Huntsman with 6xSSRM6. Easily get 300 match score with this. Put in skill points for double cool shot and enhanced coolshot.
- Hunchback IIC with 2xLBX20s.
- Ice Ferret with erLL and erML. Fast enough to kite IS Scouts (Bushwacker, Kintaro, Assassin) which usually top out at 81kph. Not armour sharing though, since you're kiting and at medium range.
- Medium and Small laser with MGs (Nova, Kit Fox, Mist Lynx). Face-tank, spam everything, die, or win and repeat. Taking out torsos to get the additional arm racks up tons of damage. Also fast enough to kite IS Scouts. Not enough armour to share or not sharing at all.

In Brawl-Scouting, not only is alpha important, but shuffling back and forth between 1st and 2nd line to share armour is crucial to winning the match. If the team has 1 mech sniping with lasers, rest assured the 4 IS mechs will crush the 3 clanners. If you're good in the sniper, you'll help win the match, but your team will likely be big losers dying early and might not entirely appreciate your sniping config/loadout since it's somewhat selfish.

[Wolfways]

mistlynx4life, on 26 November 2017 - 08:44 PM, said:

I just bought a Nova and took it for a couple spins in QuickPlay. Tried the Nova-S mostly stock and then with the Prime arms for lots of ERS's and... I dunno. I wasn't impressed.

Nova Prime runs extremely hot but is good for poke and hide gameplay, which doesn't work in scouting. The Nova-S is actually okay with lasers to take off armour and then MG's for crits on internals.
Most Novas I've seen in scouting are the Prime with the ERML's replaced by either ERSL's or SPL's

[BrunoSSace]

The best clan scouting mech is the Hunstman. Good fire power, nice hitboxes and jumpjets. I fight against them all the time. The only mech on the clan side i have trouble with.

[Roadbuster]

I wouldn't recommend Viper. Its arms are like wet paper.
Nova, Hunchback, Huntsman are the better choice. Either with LBX, SRM or laservomit.
I've also had good results with a MG Lynx when the team went for torso instead of legs.
12 ERSL, 4 MG Nova also works very well. Just don't be the first one in the fight, because the Nova is not as tanky. But it works great for taking out the first mech very fast, giving you a 4vs3 advantage.
Hunchback I run with 2 LB10X, 2 MG, 2 SPL. Very cool for hot maps, some pinpoint and it crits out weapons very fast.
Huntsman either with SRM or ATM/SRM. Always works.

[Xavori]

If you are on defend, and must kill the baddies, the Huntsman is far and away the best choice. So. Much. Firepower.

If you are on gather, and want to actually be a scout, I'd go with an ECM Ice Ferret w/ 2xERLL's. You can outrun any of the IS mediums allowing you to snipe them at your leisure, and you have more armor and enough firepower to deal with the IS lights that can match (or beat) your speed.

[SeventhSL]

You have to do damage to get rewards in scouting so it is all about the brawl regardless. Sadly, lights and smoke diving will get you wins but no rewards so there is virtually no point to it.

I use a Nova-S loaded with 6xcMPL, 4xMG. It runs cool enough for hot maps and has decent range for open maps. The key is its 42 points of precision damage. Excellent for trading alpha strikes and second to none for legging Bushwakers and Assassins. The MGs hit pay dirt about half way though the brawl when range shortens and components are exposed.

[Jonathan8883]

I had good luck with a Shadow Cat. It's a bit like a light mech, with few hardpoints, but the extra maneuverability really helps it stay alive.

[lazorbeamz]

Obviously an SRM boat huntsman or a small laser+mg nova.

[Pariah Devalis]

My best Scouting configurations?

Major success with this Pakhet, if you have one:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...9122503df5d6457

Not octo-splat because you run into heat and ammo problems if you do. 4x ERSLas lets you tightly burn a part off selectively, gives you redundancy in case of bad HSR detection, and provides backup firepower if you run out of ammo. Zero ghost heat concerns.

If you do not have the Pakhet:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...89abf8c1dc631ac

6x ASRM6 because that's the most you can manage without the hero. Also hits pretty damned hard. Has ghost heat if you fire all 6 at once, but should be fairly manageable. Can do an awful lot of damage very quickly.

A classic is the generic 10-12 ERSLas Nova:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...1df7e1ba2a214c7

Keep a steady beam and left arm right arm cadence and you can blow limbs off of targets in a real hurry, with marginal heat generation.

My unconventional but extremely effective ride of choice, however, is my Shadow Cat, of all things:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...3d7603537744cef

High maneuverability, speedy, extremely jumpy. Packs a significant whallop. Often overlooked, but brings quite a bit of firepower to deploy at leisure. While I run this on the Mishipeshu, I only do it for the extra C-Bills, as this is an entirely c-bill pod available configuration. The ECM is not particularly useful in a brawl, but the extra launcher is. That LAP, however, is fun for jamming their ECM, though.

It also exploits the insanity that is the feedback loop of misinformation in this game's community: that the Shadow Cat is a terrible brawler. lol'k. It only has a 5.92 WLR and a 5.41 KDR. Clearly the Shadow Cat is trashtier brawler, amirite?

A word of caution with this mech, however: It is fragile and hot. You need to leverage the mobility of the mech to make it work. If you do, it can be surprisingly difficult to deal with for the enemy. Not an entry level brawler by any stretch of the imagination. One goof and you can be toast, but leverage your strengths and you can play with your prey.

In all cases your primary target should be legs. IS mechs have solid torso durability quirks, and, while their legs are often buffed, as well, it is not to the same extent. Further, you might occasionally trigger an ammo explosion which KOs the IS mech right then and there. Alternatively, even if you all die, if the enemy is all legged and they need to evac to a dropship, there's a good chance they can't get to the DZ in time.

Edited by Pariah Devalis, 27 November 2017 - 09:41 AM.

[BrunoSSace]

Those are some good clan builds, might "borrow" some of them and change sides for a little while since I'm looking at getting a huntsman.

[xVLFBERHxT]

Arctic Wolf

[A Really Old Clan Dude]

clan
Nova -prime or prime combo. I prefer the prime combo. 12 er-smalls and 4 heavy mac guns (2 * cool shots)
Hunchback 2* LBX20
tactics: go for the legs, 6ers at a time, 3-4 shots and the legs are open for the mac guns and you need a cool shot. If your buddies help you can have the first mech down in 15 seconds.
If you are the first target for the opposition shoot as best you can but the job is move, jump, twist and do anything to keep alive as long as possible, while they are shooting/ chasing you, the rest of your team should be splatting them.

Sphere
Bushwacker, i personally prefer the full srm bomber over the 4 Mac guns/srm

[Xiphias]

Roadbuster, on 27 November 2017 - 12:01 AM, said:

I wouldn't recommend Viper. Its arms are like wet paper.

He's used to running the Mist Lynx though and it also has paper arms. If you're taking a lot of fire in the Viper you're doing it wrong anyway.

You have to have more situational awareness in a Viper, but you can absolutely destroy the current IS scouting meta (slow, brawling mediums) with it.

Edited by Xiphias, 27 November 2017 - 12:39 PM.

[davoodoo]

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...eecf3100cb6d54a