TBT-5J "Panther Plus" (3xLL, 4xJJ, XL280) +Alt
5/5,

1 rating

Thread in 'TBT-5J' started by Excalibaard, Jul 12, 2017.

  1. Excalibaard

    Excalibaard 101 010 Staff Member

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    The mech that everyone forgot about. Standard lasers get -10% Duration, +20% Range and -10% Heat. Evidently, that can be put to good use. Ideally, you'll just alpha all 3 lasers for some remarkably powerful 27-pinpoint alpha right where you aim!

    These are the best XL and LE version in my opinion:





    It's possible to equip 2ML in the left arm, but that costs 1 ton of armor, 2 tons of lasers, and destroys your heat efficiency if you use it too often. I prefer to stay at optimal LL range instead.



    A little too cool? Go faster, or equip some ML in the other arm.



    A standard engine can also be considered, though you'll be really slow!


    Just make sure you protect that right arm from harm!
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2017
  2. CarloArmato

    CarloArmato Professional Potato Carrier

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    5/5,
    I've used this build successfully in quick play, but it was mostly successfull in Scouting. If you manage to coordinate with your team mates, you can really pinpoint and / or focus components from very afar. With nearly maxed skills in firepower, this mech is really cool and can hit 600 meters optimal without a TC1, while it will have nearly 650 meters with a TC1, while the ML have nearly ERML range (350-400 meters), so this mech is really a middle finger to lights/mediums fitting other vomit lasers / kiting clanner builds (kiters are those who makes use of better range and speed to avoid taking damage while delivering damage to their enemy).

    Your main weaponry are the LL, but they are too hot close range if you ever happen to brawl. Since your center torso is extremely squishy (if you sum both front armor and structure, they nearly have the same HPs), ALWAYS torso twist after you shot and shield with the weaponless or MLs arm.

    Beware that those hardpoints are extremely low: you just can't fire to anything you see, especially against mechs that "exploit" very high hardpoint and minimal exposition. You should use this build to snipe from city environment while moving from cover to cover OR to snipe in the open and make use of the excelent range and heat management while taking little to no damage thanks to the range (nearly impossible in quickplay where you have to face bigger guys with bigger guns and even better range). Don't forget that every laser is arm mounted and this mech has good torso yaw, which means most of the times you can fire back even when fleeing.

    I run two builds: the scout version has maxed armor and 2xJJ, because you more than often you need more mobility than range (600 meters range vs 650 range is not a game breaker except for very few maps, like polar highlands)


    Otherwise, this is what I run in quick play: TC1 and 1xJJ for both range and a minimal increase in mobility / tactical positioning, minus some armor shaved from legs (very risky on scouting) and head
     
  3. Excalibaard

    Excalibaard 101 010 Staff Member

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    It's surprisingly difficult to find a Light Engine that's worth it for an upgrade.
    @CarloArmato Thanks for the review!
     
  4. CarloArmato

    CarloArmato Professional Potato Carrier

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    Now that I think about it, you could use it as a "fake" STD engine. You shield only with the left side and hope the right and center don't get focused too much.
     
  5. Excalibaard

    Excalibaard 101 010 Staff Member

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    After new tech, I think this XL300 variant is the bestof both worlds:


    Or this LE version:


    I feel the ML are 'nice' but not worth it to invest the tonnage in (with additional arm armor and everything).
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2017
  6. CarloArmato

    CarloArmato Professional Potato Carrier

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    Well, +20% range means a basic 324 meters optimal range. With skills and maybe even a TC1 you can easily reach 365 meters, which is the range of an unskilled ERML, but you have better DPS and heat management.

    They are a waste of tonnage only if you expect that the enemy will never reach 350 meters range (for whatever the reason), but IMHO is very unlikely (especially in scouting). It is also a way to max out damage output while poking, because you will actually have to expose a lot of your mech compared to others due to low hardpoints.
     
  7. Excalibaard

    Excalibaard 101 010 Staff Member

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    Depends on your positioning. Why expose your entire mech to also shoot your MLs, if you can choose the right side of a building to poke from with just your LL? And if you use your left as a shield in the open, the arm will likely be ripped to pieces sooner rather than later. If you find a position to fight from which is roughly 500-600m from the enemy and move to make sure it stays like that, you get less retaliation but can't use your MLs.

    If enemies get closer (they eventually will, I know) in a place without cover, yes, ML gives you better poke/alpha potential. In FP I try to avoid that from happening (and I don't take this into scouting really, have other mechs for that.)
     
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