When I started this game, there were 4 Light Mechs: Spider, Jenner, Raven, and Commando. This was before any Light Hero Mechs (except maybe the Death's Knell) and before the Raven 2X and 4X were able to equip up to a 275 engine rating. At this point in time, there were 4 factors I looked for in a Light: Decent Speed (meaning over 135 kph) Decent Firepower (meaning 4+ hardpoints, and enough weight to support the ammo or heat sinks for them) Jump Jets ECM Other nice amenities include either actuated arms or high-mounted hardpoints, which seems like an oxymoron until we talk about the Arctic Cheetah. At the time, the closest you came was either a Spider 5D, which lacked firepower; the Raven 3L, which lacked jump jets, or the Jenner 7F, which lacked ECM. Commandos tended to lack in more areas, same with Locusts. We have a lot more Mechs in game now, but for the most part, Lights lack in one area or another: Urbies lack speed and ECM, and if they had it they'd lack firepower Firestarters lack ECM (although they may supplant the Jenner's firepower) Panthers lack ECM Wolfhounds lack JJs and ECM Mist Lynx lacks firepower or ECM, depending on which left arm is chosen Kit Fox lacks speed Adder lacks speed, jump jets, and ECM Jenner IIC has the same limitations as JENNER IS The Arctic Cheetah is the only Light Mech that can go 135+, use Jump Jets, use ECM, and have enough firepower to be an efficient threat. But wait, there's more! The shoulder-mounted hardpoints on the Arctic Cheetah are an absolute beauty for hill peeking. The SRM hardpoints are well suited for this as well, positioned where the arm meets the torso. The arm energy hardpoints (and missile) are actuated for an easier time hitting the enemy while moving around. It seems to me that, while there might be a few Mechs that can go faster, the Arctic Cheetah has the best of pretty much everything. Anything that has a little more firepower has a lot less speed (or vice versa), and there isn't much else that has jump jets and ECM aside from the Spider or Kit Fox.
Firestarters used to be really popular because of the volume of energy hardpoints. They disappeared almost immediately after the Arctic Cheetah was released. I rarely see one anymore. I agree with your assessment that the Cheetah is the best light mech. And I think that would be true even if ECM wasn't available. It's by far the most survivable and clan small lasers, pulse or not, can be devastating when used in large groups.
I wonder how much of the Firestarter losing to Arctic Cheetah has to do with the Clan XL engine and the power of clan lasers. Firestarter with 8x SPL = 32 damage. Arctic Cheetah with 6x cSPL = 36 damage. Plus it has ECM and a clan XL engine.
That's definitely it. Clan Medium and Large lasers have difficult heat problems but when you have the ability to get in close like a Cheetah does, the small lasers are terribly efficient.
This makes me want to try an arctic cheetah. Although (in my experience) the Jenner IIC destroys the Cheetah often times in duels, the Jenner IIC is a much larger target. Firestarter is too large, too slow, and too weak for me to use. Spider 5v on the other hand = crazy topsy turby ninja mech
ACH is on my buy list for when the rule-of-three is removed. Maybe IS mechs can catch up with Civil War tech SLs and a LT engine. But the ACH will have uPLs.
