49 replies to this topic

[Tarogato]

It took five and a half years. But it's here.

The Flea is a 20-ton Innersphere battlemech. Think of it as identical to the Locust, but with slightly different hardpoints, a lower engine cap, and on some variants: MASC.

In regards to how fast this thing goes...

- 137.7kph - max engine
- 165.2kph - max engine +MASC
- 148.0kph - max engine +tweak
- 177.6kph - max engine +tweak +MASC

Of course, this is assuming a 20% speed boost with MASC. This may change before the mech is released, because of a longtime pseudofact that mechs in MWO cannot go faster than 171kph or else the netcode can't keep up and hitreg just... breaks, or something. edit: concerns dispelled.

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Don't forget you can click on the weapons loadouts to view a smurfy-esque mockup of the builds. Also, speeds here are pre-tweak. If you add tweak to them, multiply by 1.075 - they're all basically max engine anyways, so you can just refer to the numbers I gave up top.

FLE-17	DHS	JJs	Special	Toggles	Engine	Speed
6x SPL or ML or ERML	10	0	MASC	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7 (165.2)
7x SPL	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
7x SL or ERSL	12	0	MASC	Endo	XL170	137.7 (165.2)
7x SL or ERSL	12	0	-	Endo+LFerro	LE170	137.7
5x SPL or ML or ERML	11	0	MASC	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7 (165.2)
2x LPPC	10	0	MASC	Endo+Ferro	XL170	137.7 (165.2)
1x SNPPC + 2x SL or ERSL	10	0	MASC	Endo+Ferro	XL170	137.7 (165.2)

The base Flea variant, which is MASC-capable. It's basically a LCT-1E, but with MASC instead of a 190 engine. This is the collector's variant with special camo.

FLE-15	DHS	JJs	Special	Toggles	Engine	Speed
5x SPL + 2x MG (1.0ton)	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
5x ML + 2x LMG (1.0ton)	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
5x SPL or ML or ERML	12	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
5x SPL + 2x HMG (0.5ton)	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
5x SL + 2x HMG (1.0ton)	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	LE170	137.7

It's a LCT-3M that trades engine to have two MG hardpoints tacked on instead. (I mean, I guess it doesn't have dual AMS, but who is wasting precious tonnage on a 20-tonner to mount AMS?)

The FLE-15 actually the only variant here that is pre-Helm Memory Core, the remainder are actually all Civil War era variants.

FLE-19	DHS	JJs	Special	Toggles	Engine	Speed
1x SL or ERSL + 8x MG or LMG (3.0ton)	10	0	SHS	Endo+Ferro	XL170	137.7
1x SL + 5x HMG (2.0ton)	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7

The final variant in the Standard Pack is the machine gun boat. There's not much you can really do with it in terms of build variety, though. It's like a MLX-G without the energy hardpoints. Or about half the firepower of a Piranha.

FLE-20	DHS	JJs	Special	Toggles	Engine	Speed
5x SPL or ML or ERML	10	0	ECM, MASC	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7 (165.2)
5x SL or ERSL	11	0	ECM, MASC	Endo+LFerro	LE170	137.7 (165.2)
5x SPL or ML or ERML	10	0	Stealth	Endo+Stealth	XL170	137.7
5x SL or ERSL	11	0	Stealth, MASC	Stealth	XL170	137.7 (165.2)
4x SPL or ML or ERML	10	0	Stealth, MASC	Stealth	XL170	137.7 (165.2)
1x LPPC	10	0	Stealth, MASC	Endo+Stealth	LE170	137.7 (165.2)
2x LPPC	10	0	Stealth	Endo+Stealth	XL170	137.7
2x LPPC	10	0	Stealth, MASC	Stealth	XL120	97.2 (116.6)

First reinforcement variant has the unholy combination of ECM and MASC, and half-decent hardpoints to boot. These are things you could possibly do with it.

FLE-FA "Fire Ant"	DHS	JJs	Special	Toggles	Engine	Speed
3x ML or ERML + 6x LMG or MG (1.5ton)	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
3x SL or ERSL + 6x MG (2.5ton)	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
1x LPPC + 6x LMG or MG (1.5ton)	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
6x HMG (1.5ton)	10	0	SHS	Endo+Ferro	XL170	137.7
3x MPL	12	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7

The second reinforcement variant is the Fire Ant, which is a production variant, not a hero. It has a great combination of hardpoints, if you can find the tonnage to use them.

FLE-R5K "Romeo 5000"	DHS	JJs	Special	Toggles	Engine	Speed
2x SRM2 (1.5ton) + 5x SL or ERSL	11	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
2x SRM4 (2.0ton) + 3x SL or ERSL	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
2x SRM6 or MRM10 (2.0ton)	10	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7
5x SPL or ML or ERML	12	0	-	Endo+LFerro	XL170	137.7

The hero has missiles. Just two of them. Cute. You can ignore them also, because 5 energy hardpoints is kinda plenty for a 20-tonner.

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My opinion and crap:

I'm really disappointed that this is just another Locust. We could have had this, you know... an actually new unique mech. Something with different hitboxes, a different shape. But no, we got a mech that is identical to the Locust instead. That irritates me. It didn't have to be this way. Oh well. Moving on.

At least because it's Locust-shaped instead of Flea-shaped, we know how it will perform. It will perform like a Locust with a 170 engine, more hardpoints, and an occasional dose of crack. #ez


In case you're curious, here's some DPS numbers for these builds:

Spoiler

These DPS numbers assume the Flea with get a 16% dissipation quirk and nothing else. The DPS for other mechs on the list include all quirks. Also, incorporates the heat penalty for pressing W, and assumes you're landing your MGs 50% of the time. Everything is *roughly* sorted in order of effectiveness.



Will the Flea be a good robot?

I think it will be about equal to the Locust. Being several kph slower is really going to hurt it. It's gonna be squishy, barring quirks. You're going to need to have your MASC finger well-trained if you want to out-perform a Locust. I'm counting on it getting enough quirks to be a good Locust alternative, without being notably better or worse in comparison. The variants with no MASC... well, I don't have the highest hopes for them. Unless you count hoping for them to have higher base agility stats than the Locusts, since they're just as squishy but (17.4 kph) very noticeably slower.

Edited by Tarogato, 02 March 2018 - 11:46 AM.

[Dark Wooki33 IIC]

Cute you missed all long range builds.
You know with stripping head and arms you get eight tons to play with, minus one for the masc gives you seven.
So what about 1erll/ll and 2ermed or a single erppc,lpl or a snubnose with 2 ersml?

But good luck with your 130 armor points up close.
Imho you use the masc and the speed wrong if your only idea is to get close and then die to someone with streaks or good aim.

[PocketYoda]

Tarogato, on 02 March 2018 - 02:19 AM, said:

It took five and a half years. But it's here.

Really cool post thank you, how much tonnage would you get with a 121 to 129 speed, i assume you'd lose 3-4 tons on DHS too right?

Edited by Samial, 02 March 2018 - 02:49 AM.

[Tarogato]

Samial, on 02 March 2018 - 02:47 AM, said:

how much tonnage would you get with a 121 to 129 speed, i assume you'd lose 3-4 tons on DHS too right?

These are the only engines you should use:


XL125 goes 101.2kph (108.8 with 'Tweak) ---- 8.0 tons podspace
XL145 goes 117.4kph (126.2 with 'Tweak) ---- 7.5 tons podspace
XL170 goes 137.7kph (148.0 with 'Tweak) ---- 7.0 tons podspace


LE125 goes 101.2kph (108.8 with 'Tweak) ---- 7.0 tons podspace
LE135 goes 109.3kph (117.5 with 'Tweak) ---- 6.5 tons podspace
LE145 goes 117.4kph (126.2 with 'Tweak) ---- 6.0 tons podspace
LE170 goes 137.7kph (148.0 with 'Tweak) ---- 5.5 tons podspace


You can add Light Ferro to get an extra 0.5 tons for each other those, slots permitting. You'll have to strip some armour.

[Tarogato]

Dark Wooki33 IIC, on 02 March 2018 - 02:39 AM, said:

Cute you missed all long range builds.
You know with stripping head and arms you get eight tons to play with, minus one for the masc gives you seven.
So what about 1erll/ll and 2ermed or a single erppc,lpl or a snubnose with 2 ersml?

But good luck with your 130 armor points up close.
Imho you use the masc and the speed wrong if your only idea is to get close and then die to someone with streaks or good aim.

All long range builds are DOA without knowing quirks.

Go try playing them on the Locust, you'll find it doesn't work really well. Especially after PGI nerfed a lot of the Locusts' quirks, like the cooldown on the LCT-1V.

Also, 1LL + 2ERML is strictly inferior to 5ERML + 2DHS. Worse sustain, lower alpha, longer duration, worse max DPS. And only 47% of your firepower gets a range boost.





Snubnose + 2 smalls works, though I'd say it's vastly inferior to SPL builds. I'll add it though because it's pretty unique.

[Dark Wooki33 IIC]

Look at your DPS chart ... none of your builds comes close to the best brwaling piranha.
So why bother with mimicking it?
Each mech has different strenghts. This one is fast, equipped with masc and high mounts.
Chances are high that he will be good at hill/corner poking. Probably better then everything else in game.

The brawling flea will met the same fate as the brawling osiris, black lanners and most of the piranhas.

[Y E O N N E]

Dark Wooki33 IIC, on 02 March 2018 - 05:11 AM, said:

Look at your DPS chart ... none of your builds comes close to the best brwaling piranha.
So why bother with mimicking it?
Each mech has different strenghts. This one is fast, equipped with masc and high mounts.
Chances are high that he will be good at hill/corner poking. Probably better then everything else in game.

The brawling flea will met the same fate as the brawling osiris, black lanners and most of the piranhas.

The variant mimicking the Piranha doesn't have the MASC to be fast and doesn't have enough energy hardpoints to do anything else. At best it would just be the LPL/ERLL Locust 1V, which will probably the same problem with inferior redundancy that you are lamenting because with 8xB it can't justify quirks stronger than what's on the 1V.

[FupDup]

Tarogato, on 02 March 2018 - 02:19 AM, said:

Will the Flea be a good robot?

I think it will be about equal to the Locust. Being several kph slower is really going to hurt it. It's gonna be squishy, barring quirks. You're going to need to have your MASC finger well-trained if you want to out-perform a Locust. I'm counting on it getting enough quirks to be a good Locust alternative, without being notably better or worse in comparison. The variants with no MASC... well, I don't have the highest hopes for them. Unless you count hoping for them to have higher base agility stats than the Locusts, since they're just as squishy but (17.4 kph) very noticeably slower.

Personally I'm expecting PGI to give the Flea weaker quirks than the Locust because it has more hardpoints across the board (PGI likes to judge by on-paper performance rather than real-world performance).

They're not gonna use the Piranha as the 20-ton baseline, similar to how they let mechs like the Deathstrike or Hellbringer keep a tight grip their respective brackets.

[HGAK47]

It goes fast. Sold. Seriously that alone is good enough for me but then im an oddball anyway.

[Storming Angel]

Was hoping it would look unique but oh well.

Would of been better if they made a new 20tonner even if it is made up.

Irratates me when people call mechs 'robots' when they arent even remotely related.

[FupDup]

Storming Angel, on 02 March 2018 - 02:07 PM, said:

Irratates me when people call mechs 'robots' when they arent even remotely related.

I agree.

Their proper name is Gundams.

[BrunoSSace]

Fleas on the horizon, come back to life thread. Fleas quirks are out.

Edited by BrunoSSace, 14 June 2018 - 01:46 PM.

[Dark Wooki33 IIC]

Kinda depressing, atleast some variants get nice armorquirks. Still 20ton mechs should get some weapon quirks.

[Nightbird]

I'm happy with the (S) variant, the ECM/MASC variant is the best one, the B variants are all DOA. Overall, satisfied.

[PobbestGob]

If anyone wants to play with flea builds you can do so here: https://www.nav-alpha.com/mech/#sOYxhy_FLE-17

Note tho that only the armor and structure quirks have been applied, until it's actually in-game.

[Racerxintegra2k]

Inferior in every way to machine gun Piranha .. nothing to see here move along.

[Alex Morgaine]

I want to get an erLL and mg on a FA, i think it just barely fits with a small engine (2erml works with a 170 and a ton or so of ammo so maybe...m)

[Y E O N N E]

The top speed is not really the important part once you are in the vicinity of 150 kph. All of them are a hair less agile than the LCT-1E which, along with the 3M, is the least-agile Locust. This is my main concern with the chassis, though the MASC variants can mitigate it entirely.

[Funnymouth]

So far I’ve been mostly running a FLE-17 with LE170 masc 3xml, 4xsl
I was pretty surprised how effective it is as a support mech. The masc is amazing on this little guy, well worth the smaller engine than the locust. The size combined with the masc erratic accel and turning makes it extremely evasive - more effective than my locust that’s 25kph faster. It pokes pretty well and can cut a rug in a knife fight.

FYI: I’ve found that the heat dissipation and the bump to SHS mean that DHS aren’t all that necessary, which may open up additional build options.

My fle-20 has an xl170 masc, ecm, stealth, 4xsl and 1xerml (I like mixed range loads with my play style) but I haven’t had a chance to run it. Still fussing with the FA build.

[stealthraccoon]

[smurfy]https://mwo.smurfy-n...f374cba6aa625d7[/smurfy]

Because Fire Ants believe in symmetry!