23 replies to this topic

[Urbie Connoisseur]

Which of these are looking better for a dedicated light light hunter? Is there anything I'm overlooking?
The Jenner has 77 more armor + beagle (138.5kmph), and the Raven 1t more ammo + ECM (136.5kmph)
I could also bring the Jenner to the 136.5kmph of the Raven for 1/2t more ammo
Both are 2x SSRM-4
https://mwo.nav-alph...=04d6fa70_JR7-D
https://mwo.nav-alph...276aba8b_RVN-3L

Another possibility seems to be the same Raven build, but with 2x MRM-10s instead, which would afford me either more right arm armor, more ammo, or heatsinks (despite having near 100% heat efficiency) after removing the TAG, although they're slow, have a longer cooldown, generate more heat, and my aim's pretty mediocre
https://mwo.nav-alph...c2913b34_RVN-3L

[ScrapIron Prime]

Of the two, I’d go with the Raven. It’s smaller and has more forgiving geometry, both make it able to twist and soak Fire better than the Jenner. (The Jenner has a reputation as a bit of a death trap.)

But I think you’ll find that streaks take a LONG time to kill a light mech, because while the hit is nearly guaranteed, the missiles spread out over the whole mech, meaning they chip away a little at every location instead of blasting through one spot. Pulse lasers and snub nose PPCs will make faster kills once you get some practice in with them.

[Urbie Connoisseur]

ScrapIron Prime, on 11 July 2022 - 09:14 PM, said:

Of the two, I’d go with the Raven. It’s smaller and has more forgiving geometry, both make it able to twist and soak Fire better than the Jenner. (The Jenner has a reputation as a bit of a death trap.)

But I think you’ll find that streaks take a LONG time to kill a light mech, because while the hit is nearly guaranteed, the missiles spread out over the whole mech, meaning they chip away a little at every location instead of blasting through one spot. Pulse lasers and snub nose PPCs will make faster kills once you get some practice in with them.

So I suppose two options for the Raven I could do is this
https://mwo.nav-alph...3810d661_RVN-3L (or exchange the SRM2 for either AMS)
Or if I use the 2X instead, sacrificing ~10kmph and ECM for the extra energy hardpoint
https://mwo.nav-alph...dc823b3f_RVN-2X

Lockheed_, on 11 July 2022 - 09:10 PM, said:

Really none. You don't pack enough punch to effectively hunt lights and you are also too undergunned to not just be a burden to your team.
If you want to effectively hunt lights, get a Black Lanner with red lasers.

As for that, which variant would you recommend? All but the E seem energy heavy with laser and/or PPC quirks. Perhaps the Prime or A? Never used a MASC equipped 'Mech either. Heavy, Pulse, or ER?
Seeing a lot of possibilities as well.

With the Prime I could go with 2x smalls of either ER or Heavy with a PPC,
https://mwo.nav-alph...24491_BKL-PRIME
or swap the PPC with another small and SSRM4s, running a probe with both.
https://mwo.nav-alph...c2028_BKL-PRIME
With the BKL-A, I could do with this, even though it seems to run hot
https://mwo.nav-alph...=c8a2b24d_BKL-A
With the -C, swapping the ERMLs with ERSLs allows me to add an extra sink and light probe, although I won't get the ECMs of the other two variants.
https://mwo.nav-alph...=ab3d97e7_BKL-C

Edited by Marida Connoisseur, 11 July 2022 - 09:58 PM.

[LordNothing]

if you are going to hunt lights in another light, just use srms. you really dont have the space for the big engine, the streaks and the bap to make it work. jump jets are also nice to haves on slower light hunters, it lets you hop terrain features that 20 tonners cant do giving you shortcuts to catch up. use a fast medium like an assassin or ice ferret if you want to run streaks.

[Escef]

If the choices are Raven or Jenner, I'd go with: https://mwo.nav-alph...=c06077bb_JR7-D

Contrary to what many players will tell you, Streaks are not good for killing mechs, light or otherwise. The advantage Streaks have is the ability to, if you have friendlies that actually target the enemy, resolve a missile lock before you get close to the target, and their superior homing. Streaks are very forgiving of imprecise aim, but gain nothing if you are a good shot. Streaks target "bones" inside the mech and fly in as straight a line towards them as their maneuverability allows. The bones they target are randomly determined according to a table that tends to spread the damage out across the entire mech. The only way to reliably concentrate this damage is to come at the target from the side, causing most of the missiles to impact on 3 hit locations. Conversely, against an opponent boating Streaks, facing into the swarm is generally your best bet for survival (I've blown 36 Streaks from a Mad Dog into the face of a Locust and watched it run away on 2 separate occasions, though I'll grant you those Locusts were in no shape to screw with anyone else after).

Edited by Escef, 12 July 2022 - 01:17 AM.

[Weeny Machine]

Escef, on 12 July 2022 - 01:15 AM, said:

If the choices are Raven or Jenner, I'd go with: https://mwo.nav-alph...=c06077bb_JR7-D

Contrary to what many players will tell you, Streaks are not good for killing mechs, light or otherwise. The advantage Streaks have is the ability to, if you have friendlies that actually target the enemy, resolve a missile lock before you get close to the target, and their superior homing. Streaks are very forgiving of imprecise aim, but gain nothing if you are a good shot. Streaks target "bones" inside the mech and fly in as straight a line towards them as their maneuverability allows. The bones they target are randomly determined according to a table that tends to spread the damage out across the entire mech. The only way to reliably concentrate this damage is to come at the target from the side, causing most of the missiles to impact on 3 hit locations. Conversely, against an opponent boating Streaks, facing into the swarm is generally your best bet for survival (I've blown 36 Streaks from a Mad Dog into the face of a Locust and watched it run away on 2 separate occasions, though I'll grant you those Locusts were in no shape to screw with anyone else after).

The most hit CT/ST if I am not mistaken, though

[Der Geisterbaer]

Escef, on 12 July 2022 - 01:15 AM, said:

Contrary to what many players will tell you, Streaks are not good for killing mechs, light or otherwise.

It's a matter of nuance there: SSRM do have an explicit bias towards hitting the side torsos and center torso. At the same time hits to the head were explicitly excluded at some point => Against Lights at 20t and 25t that bias is strong enough to make SSRMs "good for killing light mechs" while above those tonnages the bias no longer shows that much and the overall spread further reduces effectiveness the heavier and more armored the target gets ... it becomes a bit of a lower rate sand-blasting with minor focus to the torso. So ...

Escef, on 12 July 2022 - 01:15 AM, said:

Conversely, against an opponent boating Streaks, facing into the swarm is generally your best bet for survival (I've blown 36 Streaks from a Mad Dog into the face of a Locust and watched it run away on 2 separate occasions, though I'll grant you those Locusts were in no shape to screw with anyone else after).

... a Locust surviving such a blast but still being "dead" in terms of combat effectiveness is exactly the kind of result you'd expect to see with said bias towards the torso (lowered chance of leg removal) but still fairly high overall spread. Same is true for other 20t mechs as well as 25t mechs. So for those SSRM can still be considered reasonably well killers ... which is a bit funny when considering that SSRM are thus a solid suggestion for dealing with those particular mechs whenever someone calls them "OP" but actually going with SSRM will harm one's setup against everything else.

[ScrapIron Prime]

Marida Connoisseur, on 11 July 2022 - 09:51 PM, said:

So I suppose two options for the Raven I could do is this
https://mwo.nav-alph...3810d661_RVN-3L (or exchange the SRM2 for either AMS)
Or if I use the 2X instead, sacrificing ~10kmph and ECM for the extra energy hardpoint
https://mwo.nav-alph...dc823b3f_RVN-2X

If you're going with a snub PPC, then you want TWO snub PPC. 20 pinpoint damage plus 10 more spread out to components to either side of where you hit.

https://mwo.nav-alph...13aa09b6_RVN-3L
The trick is to get the most damage on one spot in any one hit so you blow through armor rather than just sandblasting them. That means massed pulse lasers OR pinpoint (like the snubs) OR big SRM volleys. (And artemis SRM's have an even tighter spread than regulars, they're nearly pinpoint damage.)

Edited by ScrapIron Prime, 12 July 2022 - 07:41 AM.

[Meep Meep]

This has worked quite well as an anti light. Worthless vs larger mechs though unless you are good at knife fighting with smalls.

fle-r5k

This works well too and can come into its own late game when everyone is beat up and smoking via mg spam.

fle-19

[Escef]

Weeny Machine, on 12 July 2022 - 05:17 AM, said:

The most hit CT/ST if I am not mistaken, though

A plurality of them, but as a general rule not the majority. Feel free to take a Streakboat into the testing grounds like I did and test it out for yourself.

[Urbie Connoisseur]

ScrapIron Prime, on 12 July 2022 - 07:39 AM, said:

If you're going with a snub PPC, then you want TWO snub PPC. 20 pinpoint damage plus 10 more spread out to components to either side of where you hit.

https://mwo.nav-alph...13aa09b6_RVN-3L
The trick is to get the most damage on one spot in any one hit so you blow through armor rather than just sandblasting them. That means massed pulse lasers OR pinpoint (like the snubs) OR big SRM volleys. (And artemis SRM's have an even tighter spread than regulars, they're nearly pinpoint damage.)

Honestly, I'm finding the linked build just plain awful for me. Its near impossible to hit any lights or the more agile mediums going full speed, or anyone that's not a heavy or assault within ~150m, and even then I'm missing most of my shots. Every time I think about fighting even the frailest light, I get soloed by them while dealing hardly, if even, any damage. Its a struggle to even break 100 damage in a game before dying. Only time I can manage do decently is on Vitric Forge if my team has the bridge. I just do not like that build one bit. Granted, I tried the 2 ssrm-4s with TAG and found damage rather anemic anyways, giving me similar struggles as the snubs build, damage wise, as well as finding that ECM on counter+TAG doesn't counter stealth armor

Lockheed_, on 11 July 2022 - 10:37 PM, said:

Variant/CT doesn't really matter, as you are not gonna keep all the omnipods anyway.
this is pretty much the standard red laser build and makes most lights crap their pants:
https://mwo.nav-alph...=ad7a1d56_BKL-A

I'm finding this pretty meh, and also having a hard time keeping the lasers on enemies for their full duration, especially on lights, and doesn't feel to be very effective, paired with the non-existent range of the lasers, where lights will have the advantage anyways. I just switched to the ERMLs build just to have some range and be more effective in general, especially on the sniper maps.
I bought a -D for the missile quirks and fitted it with 2 Steak 6s with 3t ammo, 4 ER micros, a tag and a probe, and enjoying much more than the prior two recommended builds, not to mention performing better. It seems to be much more effective at everything, especially as a close to mid range brawler, despite not having as much firepower on paper. The streaks also seem to allow me to fight more effectively with the MASC on as well.
https://mwo.nav-alph...=6c21dd5a_BKL-D

[caravann]

. Jenner it has jumpjets and it's better at running after mechs than face tanking which you do with Raven.
The Raven is a spray and pray. Sometimes your prays are heard.

Edited by caravann, 28 July 2022 - 10:05 AM.

[An6ryMan69]

While it doesn't seem popular, I find MRM's are very good light medicine, as long as you're dumping at least MRM20, preferably MRM30 at them.

I'm not a great shot though, so for me, trying to kneecap a dodging locust with red lasers from my Black Lanner is just an absurd exercise in frustration.

Smashing that same locust with MRM30 from almost any medium IS mech though, that I can do, and it is VERY hard for them to avoid.

Edited by An6ryMan69, 28 July 2022 - 11:29 AM.

[Curccu]

Marida Connoisseur, on 27 July 2022 - 05:49 PM, said:

Honestly, I'm finding the linked build just plain awful for me. Its near impossible to hit any lights or the more agile mediums going full speed

I'm finding this pretty meh, and also having a hard time keeping the lasers on enemies for their full duration, especially on lights, and doesn't feel to be very effective.

https://mwo.nav-alph...=6c21dd5a_BKL-D

So basically you need more aiming practice if you are not hitting with weapons, not really problem in the build in either case.

bkl-d almost your build but bit more range optimized IMO, or if you want to go for better DPS maybe micro pulses instead of er smalls.
But not that good build IMO Heavy mech with pretty bad DPS and weak alpha.

[CFC Conky]

I like to use srms and/or pulse lasers against light mechs and if I can, I bring at least one light PPC to disable their ECM if equipped.

Good hunting.
CFC Conky

[Ekson Valdez]

This thread was moved to Light Mech Builds

[ScrapIron Prime]

Curccu, on 28 July 2022 - 12:06 PM, said:

So basically you need more aiming practice if you are not hitting with weapons, not really problem in the build in either case.

Its equal amounts practice and good network connection. Light mechs especially are prone to hit registration when one or both of you have a bad packet or frame rate, and light mechs are generally harder to hit. I'll have the occasional match where I can't hit the broad side of a Piranha, and then the next match I'm back to slapping them around. the big takeaways are not to hit them right as they go over a rock or hit their jump jets, and (for me) don't play on Oceanic servers (as my ping is always 200 higher than it is on NA or EU servers).

[Tesunie]

ScrapIron Prime, on 29 July 2022 - 12:05 PM, said:

Its equal amounts practice and good network connection. Light mechs especially are prone to hit registration when one or both of you have a bad packet or frame rate, and light mechs are generally harder to hit. I'll have the occasional match where I can't hit the broad side of a Piranha, and then the next match I'm back to slapping them around. the big takeaways are not to hit them right as they go over a rock or hit their jump jets, and (for me) don't play on Oceanic servers (as my ping is always 200 higher than it is on NA or EU servers).

To be honest Piranhas are a mech I just can't seem to do anything to. Doesn't matter what weapons I have, how hard they hit, or how well I aim. Had one run into a wall, stand still, unloaded into it, and turned it's rear armor yellow. To be even more honest, I actually managed to finally kill my very first Piranha since their release yesterday. Was in a Champion with an UAC10, AC2 and 4 MLs. Took most of my ammo to do it, but I managed to kill the thing. (Same match, that Piranha actually got pinned against a wall and my mech, preventing either of us from moving. I unloaded into it and it's rear armor changed to yellow. I did not miss...)

Not sure if it's me, on my end, my internet, their internet, the mech's hit boxes, weapon hit registration, etc... but Piranhas just wont die when I seem to fight them. Most other light mechs go down as expected. (And realize, I give the possibility it is just me.)

[PocketYoda]

Better off with a Arctic wolf or Arrow Blackjack or similar something that can somewhat keep up and decimate lights..

[Xeno Phalcon]

Nomad Tech, on 31 July 2022 - 07:18 AM, said:

Better off with a Arctic wolf or Arrow Blackjack or similar something that can somewhat keep up and decimate lights..

Mediums are excellent light whackers, Kintaro for being meaty and most of its quirks being oriented towards bashing lights (pulse, streak and standard SRM depending on the model, the 19 even has extra UAV and seismic range) while the Vulcan is faster and jump capable making it a better bloodhound but is much more vulnerable sense its only five tons out of the light bracket.

Arctic wolf and black lanner arn't bad either if your into clammers.