Yes, it is time for THAT post again. Except that this time I have Elited Commando and is working on mastering one of them, so here is my 2 cents: DK: FAST! Small and agile, 4E is pretty nice for what he is. Cool paint job. Worth it. 2D: ECM, and probably the best variant even without ECM. 1E3M is great especially for streaks. 3A & 1D: Basically the same thing and can share most builds. Both 2E2M with different hardpoint arrangements. 3A can do 2xSRM6 though. (I got 3A cause of that) 1B: Funny setup of 3E1M. 1M is not quite enough for being effective at streaks and things, and if you like beams you may want to consider DK. Anyone have Anything else to say?I actually think Commandos are fun to play, especially true when you are dashing through the streets of a city, or running half submerged in the water. Just keep moving and you will be hard to hit. Feel free to XL this, cause one big alpha will blow up your core anyways.
Wow. Lot's of reads and no replies. I like the 2D and the DK. I have the 2D setup with 3 streaks and a ML. I forget what engine but it is an XL. Like you said, if you get hit with an alpha you are toast anyway. Still, max out the armor except the head. I only put one point in the head unless I just have wasted weight. I have gotten headshot at times but it's amazingly rare. The DK is really pretty good too. Having the lasers in the arms makes the hit and run thing really effective. I had a 1D at one time and it was just weird layout. The 1B is a strange one too. The missile slot is in the CT and it only has 2 tubes making an SRM6 fire in 3 volleys. That really leaves you with a single Streak, which isn't all that effective either. [glow=red,2,300]EDIT:[/glow] The 1D could be run like a Centurion. Use the left arm as a shield since it doesn't carry a weapon.
I'm currently running through commandos right now as I think they're actually good with the new launch module out and I'm faced with this same question. As I am 99% a free to play player I don't have The Death's Knell, but that mech does look like it is quite strong. Although, if I want to go pure energy, I'm just going to spend the extra 5 tons and take my Spider-5D and do much better. So, my take on the commandos I've picked up or looked into: COM-2D This is the variant that every commando pilot should have, in my opinion. The extreme power of ECM should not be underrated. This variant has been hard for me to find a setup that I'm truly happy with, however, due to weight and crit slot limitations. It's hard to go max speed with DHS and still have a decent loadout. Right now I have 2 streaks and a medium pulse laser and it's alright. I ran an ER PPC build for a while and it is quite effective since I think this mech's role is being a mobile ECM on the battlefield wherever it is needed. Anyways, pick this one up and find out what works best for you! COM-1B I want to love this variant, but I fear things just aren't working out for us. It is nice saving on tonnage by not having to spend weight on too many missiles, but that leaves this mech as an energy boat. So, if you're going that path you can either: 1) take The Death's Knell and do it right or, 2) run a spider-5D and do it better. Right now I run it with 3 mediums and 1 streak, but a single streak just seems like a huge waste of tonnage compared to being able to have a 4th medium laser. Plus, even a locust can bring more energy firepower to the scene. COM-1D or COM-3A Now this is a variant I have come to like quite a lot. I own the COM-3A because I want the flexibility of being able to go dual SRM6s if I really want to. Also, commando arms are really easy to lose so I wanted to spread my energy weapons out as much as possible I like that this mech can run a max or near max engine and hunt down light mechs pretty well with dual streaks and dual medium lasers. It can even fit 2 tons of ammo or one ton of ammo and a BAP depending on taste. Alternatively, if you want to do some SRM4 builds, I'd seriously consider the COM-1D as you can group them together and it really helps with convergence for the missiles. Just be aware that you can easily be a sad commando zombie running around the battlefield with nothing to do. So, overall I'd say get the COM-2D and either the COM-3A or COM-1D depending on what you want to do.
COM 2D is a must have, but Death's Knell is the best Commando out there, and I am in love with ECMs but still TDK is the best commando. COM 2D is an ok mech because it has ECM but it has just 1 energy hardpoint, misiles need ammo and ammo weights: 3xlaunchers + ammo for 3xLaunchers + 25 tons mech => :unsure: In the end the best build you can get on CMD 2D is Mythweavers or a variation based on it, exactly becuase by using sSRM2s it is very ammo efficient. That said the build isn't so good when you campare it to: firestarters, jenners, hell even most locust are better in the arms department. On the other hand TDK loses ECM, ok that's a big loss but then TDK runs at 170kph!! in these times of radar deprivation ECM isn't such a big loss for TDK itself, at most for team mates who can't run away like it can. In exchange of losing the ECM you get 3 magnificent energy slots, sure they are in the arms, and sure they are easy to blow up, but man put 4 MLas in the fastest, most agile mech's arms and those 20 dmg become an scalpel that can hit anywhere around you and go where needed faster than anyone. On a sale a TDK costs about 3$ and it's worth it. So my advice wait for a sale and buy a CMD 2D, CMD TDK, and your favourite garbage bin of the 3 remaining commandos, sell the garbage bin ASAP and keep 2D and TDK.
My suggestions for Commandos to get are: TDK- What's not to like? Fastest mech in the game, agile as a monkey with Bengay rubbed on its butt, cool paint job, and chicks dig it. Hands down this mech is the funniest ride in the game for me. It even comes with a bonus of salty rage tears from assault pilots after you ream them out with 4 MLAS. The hidden level is when your last mech standing and the red team is crying about how op TDK is with it's broken hit boxes, no Champ, TDK is super fast and you just have sucktastic aim. 2D- I actually did not care for this one till I ran it with Vergere's Solid Snake build. Now I rate this one just under TDK, it is the speed drop that knocks it down a peg for me. Now I'll agree that the SSRM build is a bit more effective against red team lights but the SRM's are more effective against fatties. This one escorts blue team fatties so well that they should have a saddle and the 2D should ride them into battle. 1B- Here's where I break with the herd. Try it out with Blagg's Scoutsniper build. This one brings the bug zapper at long range. I know most people say the 1B is just a lesser TDK copy cat but I run a build on this one that I wouldn't run on TDK so it brings something different to the table for me.
3A: Dual SRM4 + 2MLas drive-by-shooting nightmare. At the moment the Stormcrowpocalypse is tough for brawlers though TDK: stronk with max engine, try not to lose arms 2D: I don't know. the 3x SRM2 setup is great but right now it suffers from the same issue as the 3A, too many c-srm6 on the field
btw after playing my TDK with 3 MPLas to grind cbills for the crow sale, I have to admit that it is my favorite light hero mech with the ANANSI. It is a running laser scalpel and people freak out over how OP it is XD
There seems to be a critical speed limit in the current meta - 150ish, slower than that and the commando will suffer terribly, especially the 2D... but the 3a and TDk are really rewarding to play when they're zapping around the battlefield
I feel unclean; I've been using a streakcrow to grind my Crows out and wow it is so satisfying to make an Atlas pop.
I love my Streakcrow. The shrieks of panicking lights as they notice what I'm in, and the cries of anguish when they explode make ma very happy
Me? Would this face, the face I make when I alpha 30 SSRMs into a light, be an evil face? I think not!
substitute $LightHunter streak-crow with $Kintaro-18 in the old days. As all of those have BAPs, it doesn't really matter if you're in a COM or a Ember Just avoiding those seems to work pretty well. It's easier btw when you're running 170 instead of 150
This list needs some updates. After the Quirkening, things have changed a bit. Before I go into detail, I want to emphasize that the Commando is quite unique regarding its hit boxes and the ability to move around corners with its incredibly small turn radius. If you use a XL200+ Engine, nothing will really be able to shoot you if you get used to this chassis - most of my deaths result from AC20 blows when I close in or unexpected SRM6 salvos from StormCrows. Yeah, try to avoid those - Centurion AH / Wang and SCR are fearsome enemies. 1) COM-3A is a beast now with 1 SRM6 and 2 MPlas. At first I tried 2x srm6 which was a disaster for some reason. However the single srm6 variant is so nice because the srm6 fires almost as fast as a SRM4 and the pulse lasers provide pinpoint damage. It works so well together, and if you run out of ammo (250 should be enough tho) just keep those lasers singing (and extend your damage well beyond 600). The XL200 for this build is fast enough, because of the awesome mobility (turn radius!). I personally think it is now en par with the ANANSI and even the Ember, which is of course better in dealing killing blows but doesn't have the oomph of the 3A. Oh and did I mention that even if you lose your arms you still have the SRM6. 2) The 2D got strange quirks, namely SRM4 buffs. You can do 2xSRM4 and one MLas and still have ECM, but why not dump the ECM and get 3 SRM4? That's a nasty punch and perfectly possible if you use the good old XL200 and strip all the armor off the left arm and some points from the head. No backup weapons though. ECM is not that important anymore in my opinion. 3) TDK got better too, but still has heat issues with 4Mlas. Bring a BAP (now with 360m range) and enjoy this cbill printing machine. The laser cooldown is still high so you have to stick to 300m engagements if you can fire continuously, or use hit & run in close range engagements. 4) The 1D. It's technically identical to 3A but got different quirks, for MPLas and general missile range. Most intuitive build is 2x MPlas and 2x SRM2, but this build / variant is more DPS - heavy and has lower alpha than the 3A and it's faster (I use XL235). However, using a single SRM6 does NOT work well on this variant because the SRM6 fires much slower than on the 3A and the difference is quite substantial. It's advantage is the SRM2 - chain fire screen shake and the better pulse laser cooldown and especially the range of those pulses. But to be honest, the pulse range buff and the SRM2 / 4 combo doesn't feel like the raw power of the 3A which seems more specialized in brawling, whereas the 1D is a strange hybrid, at least for me. If you lose your right arm, your pulse lasers are gone which is a major showstopper. 5) The 1B is the bad one, with a single missile hardpoint that can fire only 2 missiles at a time. If you want to go for 1 LL and 2 MLas, use the Spider 5D... You could use this one as a NARCer though.
