18 replies to this topic

[sosegado]

So, I starting dropping my Arctic Cheetahs again this past weekend even though I suck as a light pilot. I've got to practice with them sometime and I was hoping someone could look at the builds I'm using and give me some advice to make them better. Or suggest a similar mech to these with better speed, firepower, and jump jets?

Edited by Stab Wound, 07 September 2022 - 02:25 PM.

[PsionicMantis]

You could look at the viper, its got the same speed, jump jets, similar firepower. Hitbox can be a pain though. Not many mechs have a similar speed and firepower, maybe see if a javelin might suit what you are after.

Edit: jvn-11f Here is a similar javelin.

Edited by PsionicMantis, 07 September 2022 - 03:22 PM.

[Sawk]

well ok i can, most pros will use 6 light machine gun the highest damage in the game, and 3 med lazers, and learn to poke and shoot, speed is your best weapon, take your shot and run away, you can also build a viper but max out armor : )
as a hint-- it takes 5 shots from most mechs to kill any mech, a 2 weapon system that hits for 40 or so DAMAGE will take 3 shots, go find a WING MAN, do the high speed in the back, with 2 PILOTS and you get a kill.
JUST understand your wearing paper armor, back to speed and talking you need the TALK, you need the wing man.

SAWK CLANNER

[sosegado]

Sawk, on 07 September 2022 - 03:45 PM, said:

well ok i can, most pros will use 6 light machine gun the highest damage in the game, and 3 med lazers, and learn to poke and shoot, speed is your best weapon, take your shot and run away, you can also build a viper but max out armor : )
as a hint-- it takes 5 shots from most mechs to kill any mech, a 2 weapon system that hits for 40 or so DAMAGE will take 3 shots, go find a WING MAN, do the high speed in the back, with 2 PILOTS and you get a kill.
JUST understand your wearing paper armor, back to speed and talking you need the TALK, you need the wing man.

SAWK CLANNER

So, wing man? I'll try, but I suck so I would be really leaning on anyone crazy enough to team with me.
Can you explain why the shift to less lasers and light machine guns? Doesn't that make the mech less powerful?
If I'm going to 'hit and run' don't I want to hit as hard as I can before I run?

PsionicMantis, on 07 September 2022 - 03:18 PM, said:

You could look at the viper, its got the same speed, jump jets, similar firepower. Hitbox can be a pain though. Not many mechs have a similar speed and firepower, maybe see if a javelin might suit what you are after.

Edit: jvn-11f Here is a similar javelin.

The Viper and Javelin? Cool, I'll check them out.

I am absolute garbage at lights without JJ's. as I can jump terrain better than I can steer it, so thanks for these suggestions.

Edited by Stab Wound, 08 September 2022 - 05:04 AM.

[TheCaptainJZ]

You can build an Artic Cheetah in different ways. They used to be top-tier light mechs when we had fewer lights and balance was different.
I've seen them configured as small laser boats, but that requires getting close. I've seen them configured with 2 large lasers as more of a sniping mech at range. Mixing MGs and lasers would allow you to run cooler because the Cheetah always runs hot as a laser boat with less tonnage for heat sinks. Light machine guns were recently buffed this patch. I'm not sure about the damage potential comparison, but if you're aiming for mechs with exposed structure, it should be quite effective. MGs always work better the more you have. Remember, they are hitscan weapons, so ignore the visual bullets. The key for any light mech that's not sniping is to be able to move and keep its target in its crosshairs while moving.

[Horseman]

The most success I had with ACH-Prime is using the stock omnipods with ECM, 4xERSL and 2xSRM6.

[sosegado]

How do you get better match score in a light?

You're probably going to say, "do more damage" and I understand that, but are the expectations of damage the same across the board for all 4 mech chassis?
Is a light expected to do the same damage as an assault? I'm having trouble generating those kind of numbers.

Any tips?

[ScrapIron Prime]

Yes, the major component of match score is damage done, and it is not adjusted for weight class. Many people pad their total in a light mech by bringing artillery strikes. But the recommended tactic is to just get in on a flank and royally chew on someone. Lights are harder to play for this reason, they're feast or famine. (Usually famine when I play them...)

[sosegado]

I appreciate everyone's help. I'm going to try some of the suggested builds this weekend.

I have an unrelated question but I don't want to start an entire thread for the answer.

Why do people hold up 'The Jarl's List' as the gold standard of a mech pilots worth versus the MWO leaderboards?

The leaderboards breakdown more stats for the pilots than Jarl's don't they?

Unless I'm reading Jarl's wrong?

[PsionicMantis]

Jarl's does some weighting to the scores based on global performance. It also averages overall score rather than just seasonal score.

[ScrapIron Prime]

Jarls weights you against everyone, but most invaluably it breaks down your stats along those lines. From my profile I know how often I hit with a PPC or how much time I have in my favorite mech, but Jarls politely informs me that 20% of the folks who play this game are just a little better than me.

[Sawk]

wow jarls list is just MATCH SCORE you get, just a guys trying to make some money on CLICKS --- you really need to stay with learning to get match score, and still getting KILLS and ASSIST, keep moving ----- its CALLED POKE AND SHOOT-- and learn to not trade FIRE with and ENEMY is he is killing you, learn to TWIST - have done the training the game gives you ???.
I wonder : )

SAWK CLANNER

[sosegado]

Sawk, on 09 September 2022 - 04:29 PM, said:

wow jarls list is just MATCH SCORE you get, just a guys trying to make some money on CLICKS --- you really need to stay with learning to get match score, and still getting KILLS and ASSIST, keep moving ----- its CALLED POKE AND SHOOT-- and learn to not trade FIRE with and ENEMY is he is killing you, learn to TWIST - have done the training the game gives you ???.
I wonder : )

SAWK CLANNER

Sorry, I know if you click on my name you'll see that I'm a founder. But honestly I just played mindlessly for all those years not giving a damn about doing anything but dropping and fighting. I'm just asking questions to get up to speed. I'm not trying to offend anyone. I picked up a few skills along the way but very few, and I'm trying to change that.

Edited by Stab Wound, 09 September 2022 - 06:19 PM.

[Horseman]

Stab Wound, on 09 September 2022 - 07:27 AM, said:

You're probably going to say, "do more damage" and I understand that, but are the expectations of damage the same across the board for all 4 mech chassis?
Is a light expected to do the same damage as an assault? I'm having trouble generating those kind of numbers.

Lights can perform as well as assaults do, but need to be more selective when and what they attack. In terms of raw numbers, using double arty strikes also helps.

[Sawk]

hmm ok here is some HELP get LAZER VOMIT, clan er large 2 each and 3 or 4 med lasers, remmemeber to hide on first 2 mins of a battle but stay with the group, if you are hitting long range, there lights will come after you, there always looking for folks hiding, and if get a WING -- that 2 clanners HUNTING together YOU going to die.
SPEED is LIFE, and learning to use JUMP JETS to spin, is also something you need to learn, to counter them running around you, ohh that speed, hmm have SAID TOO MUCH ?????

SAWK CLANNER

[martian]

Stab Wound, on 07 September 2022 - 02:21 PM, said:

So, I starting dropping my Arctic Cheetahs again this past weekend even though I suck as a light pilot. I've got to practice with them sometime and I was hoping someone could look at the builds I'm using and give me some advice to make them better. Or suggest a similar mech to these with better speed, firepower, and jump jets?

Have you tried six Clan ER Small lasers?

Stab Wound, on 09 September 2022 - 07:27 AM, said:

You're probably going to say, "do more damage" and I understand that, but are the expectations of damage the same across the board for all 4 mech chassis?
Is a light expected to do the same damage as an assault? I'm having trouble generating those kind of numbers.

Yes, for the Match Score purposes the game makes no difference between a light 'Mechs and an assault 'Mech. So you must hit enemy 'Mechs as often as you can - and I mean hitting them with the full power of your weapons, not scratching them when they are almost out of range..

Stab Wound, on 09 September 2022 - 07:27 AM, said:

How do you get better match score in a light?
...
Any tips?

Of course, you do not pack the same kind of firepower as assault 'Mech.

However, you can use your mobility to collect some secondary MS bonuses that can raise your Match Score: Flanking, Scouting, Spotting, Capping and Countercapping, etc., if the opportunity presents itself:

• For example, you can scout enemy 'Mechs before the rest of your team gets close.
  
• You can spot for your LRM-boats, while they are hiding behind the hill (as they usually do ).
  
• You can cap enemy bases before your team's Annihilators and Cyclopses even see enemy 'Mechs.
  
• You can launch UAVs to show your team where the enemy team is. Good thing if the rest of your team uses your UAVs targeting info.
  
• You can counter enemy ECM with your own Clan ECM suite.
  
• etc.

[ScrapIron Prime]

The light I’m running this month is the free Incubus we got. 2 Heavy Large Lasers, a TAG, and light machine guns. It can do it’s thing from 400m and spot for the rest of your team, plus it’s fast enough to play Squirrel and draw a few people away from your allies.

Edited by ScrapIron Prime, 11 September 2022 - 09:38 AM.

[sosegado]

Horseman, on 08 September 2022 - 02:27 PM, said:

The most success I had with ACH-Prime is using the stock omnipods with ECM, 4xERSL and 2xSRM6.

Ok, so to prove to you guys that I really was listening to all of your advice I wanted to post these pictures.
This is 100% because you guys gave great advice, (with a dash of it actually sinking in)!
I mostly dropped this mech build Horseman recommended. And boy was ScrapIron Prime right when he said it could be feast or famine, because it was famine out the butt until I started steering the mech better.

















Sorry, Sawk I couldn't find a wing man, but the whole, "poke, shoot, and run away" tactic works really well when I get into a rhythm.

I listened to Martian and was all over the map doing all the little "light" tasks he mentioned when I wasn't harassing the reds that never saw me coming. Although the game didn't give me as many "hit and run" rewards as I think it should have but since I don't know what's involved in generating those rewards I guess I'll believe I only did it once in this match.

A while back I suggested a new 'feature' to record airstrike and artillery strike kills and damage done in the Mission Summary list, but I got no response so I don't know where PGI is on making that happen because it's actually essential to light pilots to contribute to their match score! Step up your game PGI and make it happen.

Next weekend I'm going to try PsionicMantis's javelin build (if I can tear myself away from this sweet cheetah!), and TheCaptainJZ's laser, light machine gun build if I have time. I'm not scared to get close now that I'm getting slightly better at steering. Maybe I can put together an Incubus like ScrapIron Primes and give that a whirl also.

On the whole, 'Jarl's versus Leaderboard' side question, I use the Leaderboard to monitor my weekly, progress because I only play a little on the weekends and I'm too impatient to wait for a monthly summary.

Besides, I want to make adjustments that matter and I must be reading Jarl's wrong because I don't find it helpful at all except as a reminder of how bad I sucked for the last 10 years. I don't need that kind of toxicity in my life!

Thanks for all your help guys!

If you have any more advice I will try to turn it into success.

Edited by Stab Wound, 11 September 2022 - 11:56 AM.

[Sawk]

HMM i can give 1 more bit of INFO ---- MANY GUYS TRY TO Target WITH THE mouse, STOP doing that, if you got speed aim the mech, then twist on the way out, that what5 JUMP JETS HELP : )

SAWK CLANNER