Maybe offtopic but I have a question for you Myth : what do you think about the 6xSPLas Jenner ? Is the short range a problem, even with this 'Mech's speed ?
I can see why some people run with them, not much less of an alpha, faster recharge and less heat. The question I asked myself is " which would win, a JR7-F with 6ml or with 6spl?". In the field I've found the 6ml to be slightly better. But its just my opinion, really it's close enough to be about personal taste. As far as the range goes, yeah it can be limiting, but it all depends on how you run your jenner....
After running both, SPL and MLas, I've gotta go with the Mediums. At 150kph, that alpha can be used a lot more effectively in hit-and-runs. Higher heat, but if you run one key to alpha and one key to chain or groups of two, you can come out of many matches 500-700 damage and several kills. I did not see the same results consistently with SPLs.
I'm one of the SPL enthusiasts. I strongly disagree. On the contrary, I feel light vs light fight is the situation where SPL have the biggest advantage over ML. OK, ML's alpha is higher, but DPS is the same, while heat management and damage concentration are better. SPL is a great weapon when it comes to rip lights legs off - this alone should give me a greater chance of victory. Moreover, the higher heat of the ML will force you to 1/ be conservative from the start, then lose on dps, or 2/ be in the red sooner than me, leaving you almost armless while I still can fire at will. Also the range is not a problem for a 1v1 light fight: it's way easier to reduce the range than to expend it - if you want to increase the distance suit yourself, expose your back and don't shoot, myself won't refrain from scratching your back and you won't go away since you're not faster than me. With a 6*SPL jenner I win most of my 1v1 fights with lights (assuming we're of similar status at the start). The few losses are against streakers knowing how to keep the pressure. But when it comes to larger mechs harassment, especially if they're in pack and cover each other, the higher range of ML really helps. With my SPL I sometimes feel useless, forced to be patient, waiting for the formation to disband a little before I can engage without committing suicide. With SPL you have to be really close, you can't peak-a-boo, you have to expose yourself. Thus you only can engage lonely targets, or disrupted targets - you can't afford to be the distraction, it will cost you too much. To conclude I'd say: - SPL are beasts when it comes to fight (close range), especially if the fight lasts; - ML are way more versatile. Anyway, both are really good weaponry and going for one or the other (or a mix) is imho personal preference.
I have switched my Cicada 3M "Honeybadger" (look it up, one of Zer0's builds) from MLas to SPLas. I found myself running hot a few times and after fighting a Commando in Tourmaline at Sigma wanted to see what the Pulses could do for me. The build runs great. A bit cooler, more DPS. Granted, my Alpha has obviously suffered but not my range capability. I have the A/C 2 for that. The Cicada is a lot of fun, both infighting Lights and harassing when I run by larger Mechs. The advantages in the Pulses is, that the pulse is 0.25 seconds less than the regular beam, meaning the time needed to stay on target is reduced/shorter and thus the chance that, once you are on target, most damage is delivered there, is higher. I'Ve found myself a few times longing for the MLas when I was in midfight or just switched targets but with 130+ kph, that's easily to close. Personally, I find the Pulses offering me a great weapon to use but it is really up to everyone's playstyle. That said, I have ranked up a few matches with all 8 'Mechs either killed or assisted with and 400-600 damage, though those were high spikes. General perfomance, however, is still pretty good for a support/secondary capper Medium Mech.
I was like "wtf I don't ever remember posting this". Then I understood ^^ Well, the thing is, unless you can focus your MLas on the same point during the whole beam duration, SPLas offers more precision (on an assault it's not much but on a 150kph running light, it's really different). Then there is the range. I think the SPLas are better on a small, fast 'Mech who can get up close, alpha once or twice then run away, than on a slow one who will have a rougher time coming that close. (Maybe on the laserboat Hunchie too ?)
I didn't tried myself, but a friend of mine tested it: he had a hard time getting in range (max speed of 95km/h or something) and don't recommend it.
if you can run 150 kph and sneak up on mechs, small pulse lasers are ok. they are more comparable to MG's however. it's better to run many of them, but have at least 1 weapon that extends outside of there range.
^ Totally agree but on lights there is often no rooms for another weapons so the choice should be made. I once tried mixing my Jenner with half MLas half SPLas and it sucked (maybe it's just me though). [quote author=epikt link=topic=2135.msg12269#msg12269 date=1373398552] I didn't tried myself, but a friend of mine tested it: he had a hard time getting in range (max speed of 95km/h or something) and don't recommend it. [/quote] Hmm never played it so I guess you're right, I was thinking heat-wise. However I once saw a Hunhi who boated SLas and he did very well, like 5-2 or something, and I sometimes think about it but maybe it was just him !
I see it this way, if you are really fast and is able to run circles around your enemy, they you can go for SPLas, and they are better for pin-point damage, like stripping off parts and what not. But if you are SLOW, then SPLas is not going to be too useful, stick to MLas.
No, I'm sure this build works great! http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=145&l=c05cdc3258dd2a3252efa78d00012d9bb22e25ae Note: For some reason I can add random bits, like "Life support" "arm actuators" and the like, is something broken on smurfy?
SPL just received a nice range buff in the patch. But then medium pulse lasers have had their heat reduced.
The overwll changes to the pulse lasers means we should reevaluate a lot of builds. The Locust with 6xSPLAS - scary! The MPLAS even more so. http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=34&l=e290ef16fdc89aa1aafe81f341708a79e6f2299f
In seriousness, a lot of it is personal preference I'd say...while I love getting my Jenner or Ember at point blank range, I like also having a bit of an ability to harass at medium range, even knowing the MLas won't hit hard (near the max range) just to shake up enemy aiming a bit. The problem with SLas and SPLas is merely that it doesn't allow that tactic, while allowing you to do a lot of DPS over time without ever overheating. Both are fine tactics, it just depends on personal style. That said, on my Jenner/Ember, I tend to actually do better against lights using pulse lasers...more because I try to move weird, and you get less recovery time if you botch the aiming. Naturally, depends on the enemy pilot, but it's worth considering as a "con" to the "pro" of being easier to center in on a specific hardpoint.
SPL is underrated weapon and always has been, just made obsolete in the face of the long range and front-loaded alpha meta thats dominated the game for the majority of its existence. I think I've linked this one of these before in a similar thread in the past, but I'll do it again: http://youtu.be/Xi7URvVCRiM?t=1s http://youtu.be/jAd3pTgWjdg?t=4m20s
