Incubus
The Incubus is a traditional fast light with plenty of hardpoints. It is noteworthy for its extremely high mounts and cockpit, having possibly the best ridge-peeking profile in the game. Most but not all variants rely somewhat on machine guns, but none of these are true MG boats like the Piranha, Mist Lynx, or even Arctic Cheetah. The all-energy variant is considered to be the stand-out.
The Incubus is a very fragile light mech, which is further compounded by the complete lack of jumpjets. In a sense, it is like a clan Wolfhound that trades away all the durability to get high mounts instead, giving it a very unique playstyle despite the similar handling characteristics. Given the fragility, you avoid brawling in the Incubus - it can be done, but it is an uphill battle.
In order to do well in the Incubus, you must absolutely abuse the high mounts. Basically, even if you can just barely see it, then you can still hit it. Be cognizant that you are not exposing more of your mech than you have to by practicing your footwork, because the peeking profile is what makes this a truly good mech.
As the Incubus only needs to expose a tiny slice of the top of the mech in order to deliver full damage, it is a surprisingly good choice for heavy lasers and light machine guns - both weapons whose forced long exposure time is a considerable detriment for most other light mechs. After all, who cares if you are exposing yourself for a longer duration if the enemy only has such a tiny part of your mech to shoot at in return. Don't get too cocky over this advantage, but don't squander the opportunities it grants either.
| Variants | LA | LT | CT | RT | RA | HD | JJs | MASC | MaxEng | Accel | Twist | Pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 INC-1 | 21 | 21 | 2 | 0 | FALSE | 285 | 63.9 kph/s | 110o @ 166.5o/s | 30o | |||
|
INC-2 | 31 | 21 | 1 | 0 | FALSE | 285 | 63.9 kph/s | 110o @ 166.5o/s | 30o | |||
|
INC-3 | 21 | 21 | 2 | 0 | FALSE | 285 | 63.9 kph/s | 110o @ 166.5o/s | 30o | |||
|
INC-4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | FALSE | 285 | 63.9 kph/s | 110o @ 166.5o/s | 30o | |||
|
INC-5 | 22 | 21 | 1 | 0 | FALSE | 285 | 63.9 kph/s | 110o @ 166.5o/s | 30o | |||
|
INC-SAH | 11 | 1 | 21 | 2 | 0 | FALSE | 285 | 63.9 kph/s | 110o @ 166.5o/s | 30o |
INC-4
The INC-4 is considered the stand-out variant which steals the show because it is the only one that boats energy. Clan lasers are so tonnage efficient and so few light mechs can boast high mounts like this to mitigate the weakness of the typical long burn durations and subsequent exposure times.
Seven hardpoints is enough to do pretty much any energy build, so this variant is also the most flexible, making it the obvious pick if you just want to buy one variant.
A truly mobile skirmisher with good range and alpha. While you lose some cooling, this is generally considered to be good enough. The advantage is that you can move VERY fast. Because you can't fight other light mechs head-on, use your speed to flat out escape them instead, and kite every other mech slower than you as well.
Respectable alpha and good sustain with absurdly high mounts. This would be the perfect poke light if it had jumpjets and wasn't so fragile - two places where the Kitfox hero has a distinct advantage.
This is the most DHS you should fit on this build - if you attempt to drop the engine any further, you end up with too many DHS in your fragile arm(s), which tend to fall off very often in this mech.
This is the highest reasonable alpha you can fit before crossing into the realm of stupidity. This has good sustained output, but poor range and duration.
This does not have as much alpha or sustained output as the pure heavy laser build, but it has range. This build performs superior outside of ~350m.
60 alpha on a light mech with this many heatsinks is disgusting. The only downside is that you can't alpha repeatedly due to ghost heat - so choose carefully when you do, and only fire 4HML the rest of the time.
This is about as close as you can get to a brawl loadout on the Incubus without relying on small lasers or machine guns.
If you are going to drop down to only 5x cMPL, this is the best way to do it - more heatsinks. You do not get much speed by investing two tons into engine instead - if you want to go faster, go run cERML instead. Do not drop down to only 4x cMPL - that is simply not enough firepower.
Respectable alpha with a nice short burn duration. This still has comparable sustained output to 6x cERML despite the lack of heatsinks.
Don't brawl in an Incubus, it's too fragile.
But if you must anyways, this is a decent loadout. Generally you can completely ignore ghost heat - just have a smaller weapon group ready for when you are heatcapped.
2ERLL with adequate heatsinks, and a heat-negative backup complement of lasers. You can even sustain one of the ERLL for a 35+ alpha in close quarters self-defense.
INC-2
The INC-2 has the most MG hardpoints - five is enough to deal rather significant DPS. It can even achieve similar energy complements to the INC-1, but it pays a small price in weapon tonnage to get there. This is another solid variant which should not be so readily overlooked.
Respectable laser alpha backed up by legitimately decent DPS from the MGs. Doesn't rely on the frail right arm.
Don't brawl in an Incubus, it's bad at it.
But if you must... this is a vaguely okay build. Inferior to INC-4.
You don't pay that high of a price to add MGs to an ERLL build. The MGs are a contingency for self-defense - don't try to go out of your way to use them, this is an ERLL build through and through.
INC-1
This is the balanced variant - it has enough energy to deal a significant alpha, and enough MGs to be a valid DPS threat. Truly an effective variant that should not be overlooked.
For a light, this has both a large alpha, and high DPS. The long duration of the heavy lasers complements the face-time nature of the MGs, so it isn't really an issue, especially considering the mounts are high which allows you to expose very little of your mech to achieve full laser burns.
Cool Run is optional on this build - you might prefer points in Mobility. You can drop to XL235 for an extra heatsink if necessary.
If you are really bothered by heavy laser duration, this wub build has similar stats - it just requires a lower engine to accommodate.
Don't brawl in an Incubus, it's bad at it.
But if you must... this is a vaguely okay build. Inferior to INC-4.
INC-5
This variant has only one single missile hardpoint, which simply isn't enough, so you're forced to ignore it. The only thing this variant is notable for is that it has the most energy hardpoints in the torso while still having ballistics.
This is similar to the INC-2 but trades away some machine guns to have all torso mounts - you don't have to worry about losing the arm. Having only three LMG is not really enough bite, so just use standard MGs instead and deal with the range limitation.
This is essentially an Adder build, but lacking the relative durability of an Adder. The advantage here is the high mounts instead - don't brawl with this if you can help it, use the ridge-peeking capability to poke. But do so within optimal range for your lasers, where the LB20 spread is minimal. There is no point in wasting ammo here outside of optimal range.
Similar to the Boom Adder, this is not a truly good build - it has no niche of its own. It's just fun, while still being adequately effective.
This is a cap-bot, so max engine is critical. This doesn't leave you with enough tonnage for 3MPL, but 3SPL is too weak, so we take something in between. 3HML is also an option.
This is essentially a Purifer without the jumpjets or range quirk, so strictly inferior. But still a decent alternative if a hero mech isn't an option for you.
This build is the same on the INC-4.
INC-3
This is a garbage variant with two missile hardpoints, begging you to make use of them. They're both in the right arm, which is fragile and very prone to falling off. Let's go through our options...
LRMs: please no, just no.
ATMs: need lots of tubes to be worth it, but ALL your firepower is in the fragile arm. No good.
SRMs: Incubus is bad a brawling, period, and two SRMs does not achieve critical mass.
In short, the best build is one that doesn't use the missile hardpoints, which means there are better variants for the job.
This variant has the greatest duration quirk by a narrow margin, but less DPS from the MGs. Most of your damage will come from the HLL.
No artemis means you need to get to point-blank range to be effective with the SRM6's. The HMGs and UPLs have similarly restrictive range, so this means you really need to full commit to an engagement to deal acceptable damage. Treat the lasers as energy machine guns, you should even put them on the same groups as the HMGs. cHSL could be better, but juggling the extra weapon group is a bit more trouble than it's worth in this case.
INC-SA "SABRE"
Another truly garbage variant - the hero has a uselessly eclectic mixture of hardpoints. Not enough energy or MGs to do anything worthy of note, and though this is the only variant with enough missile hardpoints to actually be substantial, it has most of that firepower in the right arm, which is too fragile and tends to fall off, leaving you with ... not much else.
Possibly the best build available for the Sabre, even though it is not a good build. The cooldown quirk takes a nice chunk out of the long HLL cooldown. You can also drop 4DHS to swap for 2LPL if you don't like the HLL burn duration, but do note that the Incubus' godlike high mounts are the perfect platform for mitigating the weakness of HLL duration.
Can run somewhat hot, but needs the firepower in order to punch through things. As usual, the heavy lasers complement the nature of the MGs, so burn duration is not a significant issue. Lacks the speed to skirmish like a true light, but this is the price you must pay for reasonable firepower, given the hardpoints available.
The redeeming feature of this build is that you have some torso weapons for when your right arm inevitably falls off.
This is somewhat underwhelming firepower for a clan light, but adequate. You have speed, but all of your firepower is in the right arm which will inevitably fall off.
This has adequate firepower, but almost all of it is in your right arm. When the arm falls off (and it will), you are left with one SRM and the MGs, which isn't much to go on, but better than nothing.
After your arm falls off, you'll have 2HML, which is bad, but not terrible.