91 replies to this topic

[1453 R]

3M Starter

The design I've been planning on for when I finally work up the big ol' pile of C I need for my 3M. As I will then have a 3M, no money, and no engines for it but a standard 300 (bleh) and its default 320XL, I was forced to come up with a build that would work for me and let me get used to the machine whilst working up the five million C I'd need without changing the engine out or going insane on the mod money. This is the result.

For the same eight tons and 24 points of alpha damage as the more typical 4x medium pulse laser models, I get much better ranged abilities. A single large laser isn't exactly a force to be reckoned with, but it is enough to let me take potshots from outside ECM's detection range as the more expensive hunter-killers do. Poke and move lets me get enemy teams all worked up, and the ECM stops them from finding me and converging. With the 130 kph stock speed, this thing should be able fade away into the scenery so easily it's unreal. When I need to make more of an impact or when I get caught by someone who has a dispute they wish to resolve with me, I've got the three extra medium lasers to add extra emphasis to my counter-arguments.

...also doesn't hurt that I have all the spare large and straight medium lasers I need for that configuration, but all of zero medium pulse lasers. Blrrgh.

Anyways. It's a stopgap on my way to the 2L/2M laser array on a mastered 3M, but it's a relatively inexpensive stopgap and may be at least somewhat useful for other folks in my position. After all, not everyone's going to have multiple redundant XL engines lying around and Speed Tweak available to all of their machines.

[Kaemon]

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b7c176e0c3f68a8

sorry if this has been already added, it's a 2A Disco Bug, LL for reach (group by itself, the other 5 MLs you can group together, also set them up for chain fire as your 3rd option).

Runs a bit hot, gives you some range so you can mid range support, or allows you to run around and shoot some side torso's.

It's a bit slow, so you're best bet is to pilot fish an Assault, they won't bother to shoot you because the main dmg is coming from somewhere else.

Also the chain fire of 5 MLs will blink your target, couple that with an SRM boat, and they get pretty upset.

Take your time, help work armor down (hopefully the Assault isn't of the Spray and Pray variety), if it's a 1.5 vs 1 battle, cruise around behind him, and 34 alpha his rear torso (Stalkers heart this).

Excellent for removing ballistic arms from centys/dragons as well, you'll run into issues against lights (especially LL ravens) but this is support mech, stay tight and play accordingly.

Edited by Kaemon, 13 February 2013 - 10:25 AM.

[Darwins Dog]

Kaemon, on 13 February 2013 - 10:22 AM, said:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b7c176e0c3f68a8

sorry if this has been already added, it's a 2A Disco Bug, LL for reach (group by itself, the other 5 MLs you can group together, also set them up for chain fire as your 3rd option).

Runs a bit hot, gives you some range so you can mid range support, or allows you to run around and shoot some side torso's.

It's a bit slow, so you're best bet is to pilot fish an Assault, they won't bother to shoot you because the main dmg is coming from somewhere else.

Also the chain fire of 5 MLs will blink your target, couple that with an SRM boat, and they get pretty upset.

Take your time, help work armor down (hopefully the Assault isn't of the Spray and Pray variety), if it's a 1.5 vs 1 battle, cruise around behind him, and 34 alpha his rear torso (Stalkers heart this).

Excellent for removing ballistic arms from centys/dragons as well, you'll run into issues against lights (especially LL ravens) but this is support mech, stay tight and play accordingly.

I've actually been playing around with something similar lately. I used an ER large in a separate group from the MLs, and I only use one group or the other. ERLL for the early match pot shots, or while closing the gap, and the MLs for skirmishing and doing most of the damage. As long as I can keep my finger off of the LL button, I do pretty good with heat.

[Nathan Foxbane]

Here is my old CDA-3C build that I had some success with before I sold it after mastering the Cicadas. Link
The C.A.S.E. is a left-over from when we still had RnR and the LB 10-X AC was to compensate for the netcode problems. Probably would perform better AC/10 these days.

[khorazy]

i run a 2B Endo and FF

15 DHS
XL 300 121.5kph top no speed tweak
2x ML 1 on each arm
3x MPL's on the torso
AMS 2t ammo

28 firepower, 1.32 heat efficiency, 250 armor

i love this mech more than my k2 drg-1n and stalker-4n all together.

[Darwins Dog]

Updated to include the X-5 and the quirks added to the Cicadas from March 5th patch.

[Biggieboy]

holy walltext Batman!

[Sable Dove]

The AC20 and Gauss are wasted on the 3M, as both require you to sacrifice your speed (and ammo/armour for ECM), and in the case of an AC20, you effectively nullify your own ECM, as your only weapon is only effective at ranges that make you easy to target visually anyways.

I also notice most of the lulsy heavy-ballistic builds only have 1-2 tons of ammo, but no backup weapon, as though you won't live long enough to use it all.

Here is an effective, support-based AC20 Cicada: AC20-3C (named so due to almost literally being an AC20 with legs)

SL backup (can be replaced with armour for defense, but you shouldn't be getting shot at in the first place); Also acts as crit-protection for the cannon.
93 KPH with Speed Tweak;
Armour is stripped from useless left side for weight;
Note the 5X+1 armour values. Legs can survive 3 Gauss; head can survive 2. (should honestly redirect 1 more from the front of RT to rear to get 31 total HP on rear) Armour is low, but designed to protect from lucky 1-shots.

Find the biggest, toughest mech(s) on your team and follow them. When they get in a brawl, peak out and give them a hand; you are not going to kill anything on your own, don't try to.

This is an effective, but unforgiving build; good aim and teamwork are absolutely necessary; people don't like getting hit by AC20s; you're not going to stay the lower priority target for long; only way to survive is to kill them before they realize you're the one with the AC20. Always fire for the weakest part available; if they're not paying attention to you yet, don't be afraid to wait and line up the shot. AC20 to critical CT is devastating; AC20 to armoured side torso is useless. You also still don't have much ammo; every miss hurts, and the SL doesn't work well on its own.

The other variants: you probably want an ERPPC and 1-3 ML/3-5SL, given how overpowered the ERPPC currently is. 2x LL/ERLL also works wonders; especially on the big maps. Unfortunately, you are still outranged and outpowered by the ERPPC, which has been crammed on virtually every mech it can be.
Here's a couple fairly effective builds (as effective as the Cicada can be):
CDA-3M (ERPPC+3ML)
CDA-2A (2xERLL+ML)
Gauss-3C

[Tahribator]

I've been doing great with my 3M with 2ML+AC5. AC5 has 5 tons of ammo so you can spam it as much as you want and if you're a good shot it absolutely devastates any medium/light. I finally decided on AC5 over UAC5 because of the jamming, it is extremely frustrating when you can't dictate your weapon when to fire.

[Darwins Dog]

Tahribator, on 26 April 2013 - 07:36 AM, said:

I've been doing great with my 3M with 2ML+AC5. AC5 has 5 tons of ammo so you can spam it as much as you want and if you're a good shot it absolutely devastates any medium/light. I finally decided on AC5 over UAC5 because of the jamming, it is extremely frustrating when you can't dictate your weapon when to fire.

I have switched back and forth a number of times between the two. I get frustrated with jamming, so I go to the regular, then I miss the bursts of damage, so I go back to the UAC. What engine are you running in the 3M? Better yet, do you have a smurfy link so I can post it in the OP?

[Tahribator]

CDA-3M is the exact build I'm using. It's less effective on smaller maps because it's hard to aim AC5 reliably, but it's very good on bigger maps.

[Dulahan]

I'm pondering this:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...e31c1d9af304dd1


Or:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b3188af61935ec1

On my A - for the record, I've got Elites at his point. so this is in prep to work towards Mastery.

[Darwins Dog]

Dulahan, on 27 April 2013 - 03:37 PM, said:

I'm pondering this:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...e31c1d9af304dd1


Or:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b3188af61935ec1

On my A - for the record, I've got Elites at his point. so this is in prep to work towards Mastery.

I like the first one myself. I've run something similar with pretty good results. The large pulse lasers on the second build are just too hot imo, and 113 is really slow for a cicada. The only other thing I would suggest is to move the armor from the arms to the legs. The arms don't help you much, but everyone aims for the legs.

Edited by Darwins Dog, 27 April 2013 - 06:48 PM.

[Darwins Dog]

I just gave the OP a major reworking. Apparently I had too many quotes, and the system didn't like it. I changes the way I listed the community suggested builds, but kept credit where it was due. I also reworded and edited the suggestions a bit because I'm compulsive about grammar. Thanks for the contributions.

[Skylarr]

Thank you to everyone who posted builds.

I usually pilot Heavy and Assault LRM boats. But, now that LRMs are not what they use to be I am trying different weight class. I will be trying many different builds suggested here to see which one fits me best.

[WANTED]

Anyone have any X-5 builds to share? My X-5 I just got and love so far runs 3xMDL and 1 ER Large laser. I keep the speed and most of the armor and dropped the missiles. I use it to hunt lights and hit heavies in the back with alpha. Also I can pot shot ER large laser behind cover with the rest of the group on larger maps if need be. It's been fun to drive so far and I tend to stay with other lights especially ones with ECM as I don't have to worry much about streaks.

[Darwins Dog]

Do you have a smurfy link? MY X-5 section is currently a little bare, and I've never actually tried an all energy version before (I was too excited to have a Cicada with missiles).

[WANTED]

Sure not much different than stock except all lasers.

X-5

Edited by WANTED, 02 May 2013 - 09:58 AM.

[Phoenix Gray]

FINALLY! A CICADA 3C BUILD THAT IS UNBEATABLE!

Trouble is, you can only use it once....

[1453 R]

Funny part is that's a 3M, not a 3C

Anyways. New development!


The CDA-2B has often been thought of as a somewhat-crappy 2A short a hardpoint...but at this stage I honestly think it's quite possibly the sleeper hit of the Cicada chassis. Maps like Alpine and Tourmaline have really punished torso-shooters with frequent vertical firefights; the extra vertical play of the 2B's arm-mounted lasers has become a nontrivial consideration when buying one's Cicadas, and I feel it will only become more so as new maps are released.

As well, the CDA-2B can very, very nearly match the firepower of the much more popular 6ML 2A, if not its speed. A CDA-2B running a 300XL engine and slimming a bit on armor can still move at 133.7 kph whilst carrying four arm-mounted, vertical-tracking medium lasers, a CT large laser for ranged poking, fifteen double heat sinks and a Beagle Active Probe in its last two crit slots for when the Beagle buffs go live. The result is a flexible and dangerous scout-striker which manages to not be helpless beyond four hundred meters, light off an alpha strike only one point of damage shy of the (relatively) feared 6ML Garthcada, and which can still threaten enemies that retreat up hills. And, of course, which can shortly go and nullify enemy ECM for the purposes of friendly missile batteries, if such things still exist.

Give it a shot. I am actually already in the process of trading out a couple of older, bad 'Mechs for this thing, and I've already got my three requisite Cicadas. This would be my fourth, which I consider a telling clue as to how important those arm-mounted lasers are and how much that second CT energy hardpoint on the 2A has sorta ceased to matter.