Question: Light vs Heavy

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Thargor
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:30 am

Question: Light vs Heavy

Post by Thargor »

First of all: Many thanks for keeping this great game alive. I've been playing ToS for about a year or so.

One thing I noticed is that in my experience the lighter mechs, Recon in particular, become obsolete as soon as heavier models are available.
Although they have greater speed ( and better dodge abilities) I can't find a good enough reason to use them instead of a Heavy or Assault Mech.
Titan cost is hardly an incentive, and campaigns don't limit your max weight.

Has anyone been using them in teams with jocks at crack or higher level?

LarkinVB
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RE: Question: Light vs Heavy

Post by LarkinVB »

I only use recons/lights/mediums with crack or better jocks if I can't afford heavies or assaults. This can happen if you are playing at a high difficulty level.

There are few premade maps asking for quick titans or good jumptime.
Tecnócrata
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:24 pm

RE: Question: Light vs Heavy

Post by Tecnócrata »

Even at higher ranks I tend to use medium titans at most. I just hardly can stand the sluggish heavier titan movement.
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Thargor
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Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:30 am

RE: Question: Light vs Heavy

Post by Thargor »

I've started a new squad with the intention of focusing on light and recon mechs. See if it'll work

Observations so far:
Weapons requiring energy are a no go on recons. Engine size/weight is a pain in the ....
Machineguns seem ok, and of course CC weapons.

So it seems I'm stuck on close range combat. The speed of recon mechs is great, but not enough to stay out of the firing-arc of enemy mechs.
I'll try building a long ranged recon soon.

Does anyone have an accurate formula for calculating HD?
The guide doesn't state the exact factors.


Ghstbear
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2008 12:20 am

RE: Question: Light vs Heavy

Post by Ghstbear »

This was a good discussion to start! I have found that pound for pound lighter titans are more effective. When I bunch together a mix of recons to equal the weight of an assault the recons always win. All the extra gear on heavier titans don't increase the number of weapons you can carry beyond a certain point. And even a recon takes a while to disassemble. If they are in the same hex, then they are a walking time bomb. However, you go through more pilots that way.

I too find that I put my more skilled pilots in the bigger titans. That's the best way to get his skill behind more weapons. Also it helps to protect them better.

Since I have mostly stayed to campaigns, I don't have problems with the money end of getting bigger titans. Both my friend and I like to keep each other off guard though, so we create missions where lighter titans give you some advantage. For instance, getting to a certain area before "the bad calvary" arrives to keep it from happening. Also, when you are hopelessly outmatched by a percentage of your weight, it helps to have lighter titans rather than heavier. In my Coup campaign there is a mission where you must sneak around, if you are discovered the mission becomes much harder. The recon in this case really does what his name implies. He is scouting around to gather information, or do some sort of raid. He has a much better chance of completing the mission.

With our game that we use to run a campaign between two forces (I posted an Excel a while back on this) I made it so that the lighter titans can cover more ground than the heavier ones. Recons travel at 5 times the speed of assaults. (I know this doesn't fit the actual speeds, but it does balance things very well. Let's say the bigger titans need more down time.) This means that the recons can engage in hit and run battles, go back to base and repair, then return and do it again while the assault titans are still on their way to assault the base. This has the effect of wearing the assault titans down. It has gotten to the point that we have backed down from having the larger titans except for defending the base. Our light titans are able to go pick up stray pilots that have ejected and bring them back to base so that they can get back into a titan. (My apologies to anyone who thinks this isn't scientifically possible.) Finally, when the recons are scouting they have a much better chance of spotting enemies than assaults. This helps to make it a little better when they are finally cornered and clobbered. Therefore we use mostly mediums and some heavies in these campaigns. (All of this paragraph only applies to the Excel sheet I was referring to above.)
Tecnócrata
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:24 pm

RE: Question: Light vs Heavy

Post by Tecnócrata »

In particular, always have a Fireball ready for action. Once it gets in close combat (a regular or better jock should not have problems dodging), it's a nightmare. 9 flamethrower shots with the help of the napalm shut down your enemy in a mere 30 seconds and leave it ready for cooking.

A kamikaze Fireball with the help of a support Light titan (Ghost or Exhuminator, for example) and heavies are no match. Even assaulters cower in fear.
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grey death
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RE: Question: Light vs Heavy

Post by grey death »

I'll have fire up an old hard drive,,,

but i have designed several versions of a modified Assult titan I used with my best jock ACE to champion level...

It used the fastest frame(Jock really must be max on pilot skills) becuse I do or it is plan to do a lot of jumping...Usually carries two large lasers. other weapons depends, AC-12, or neutron laser, or power ax(one usually standard),or ?

It has usually max heat system occasionall next one down.
as much armor as possible as he hits with fists and kicks.

Tactic always know where water is and try to be near as battle developes.

I played old game (one in file floder form)(and first version suns) against two teams against my team with AI sec squad.

they usually field many more bots. With my fast assult I make quit work of em...the assults and mediums i have punched up well with large laser...I move at run and dodge all the time and try to be in same hex..I depend on fast recycles and will jump, turn constantly move while in close quarters. i've taken out three plus bots many times in same hex with me..Of course these are dumb AI bots. I also will look for woods and set em on fire with me and enemy in the same hex.

My assult bot rarely loses. as they need an luck shot to the head or something to seriously slow it down...It slahes through water without falling and if it does it get up quick.

Reminds me i once got an recon bot to stand up with only one leg...cant tell ya how many thousand trys and games I played before that happened...What a surprise it was...

However the new energy msslle in this game is still new to me.
darn hard to stay undetected.


regards, all merry christmas

grey death
grey death
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 7:46 pm

RE: Question: Light vs Heavy

Post by grey death »

Ghstbear

Ghstbear
I would like to say i did keep my crack jock in lighter titans in the pre made scenarios or campains I forget which it was without starting game.

I stayed in the rcon titan an extremely longer period for jock's skill level than I would have normally...One has to note the recons get a modify factor of some sort on size. in other words the enemy hits you less often...

Just couldn't make it work 3 on 1 in the arena...lol
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