11 replies to this topic

[Jeb]

Ok I have picked up a few Hero mechs over the last while that I need to skill up, so I need variants...

I prefer to keep my mechs even if I don't master them all, and pick 3 that don't play exactly the same, but at the same time I dont' want any lame ducks...

So looking for opinions on the following mechs:

Centurion: I own YLW and A
Need one more
I haven't played the A yet, but I will need a 3rd. I am not very good with Centurions it seems though.

Highlander: I own HM
Need two more
I have played the HM a bit in the past but never got a good build I liked overall... I felt too squishy... but I do want to skill it up at some point

Jagermech: I own FB and S
Need one more based on feedback so far its looking like it will be the "JM6-A"
Really liking the FB... it's my most recent Hero and probably my goto mech right now in the Heavy range for FUN (Jester used to be but the JJ/PPC nerfs have made it feel bla)

Shadowhawk: I own 5M and 2H
Need one more
The 5M was the first mech I bought when I came back a few months ago, and it was fun... I havn't played it since as I bought a bunch of Heros for the cbill bonus though, but I want to go back and finish skilling it up...

Victor: I own the DS and 9B
Need one more
Bought the DS more as a "see what all the fuss was about" when it was on sale and the 9B on sale, but eventually want to skill it up...

Edited by Jeb, 16 August 2014 - 11:28 PM.

[John1352]

The only one I can talk about is the Jager. Do you want missile slots for strange builds like 4x LRM5 2x AC5? or do you want two extra ballistic slots that you can't do much with? Another question would be do you want an XL260?

[JigglyMoobs]

Victor, Shadowhawk and Jager are all great. Victors are still king of the heap in terms of all around capability for assaults. Highlander has been nerfed to the pavement and is currently in the ICU on life support. Centurions are ok as a tankie glitchy mech that nobody can seem to kill quickly for some reason, but have pretty poor damage output.

Edited by JigglyMoobs, 16 August 2014 - 05:28 PM.

[Jeb]

John1352, on 16 August 2014 - 05:00 PM, said:

The only one I can talk about is the Jager. Do you want missile slots for strange builds like 4x LRM5 2x AC5? or do you want two extra ballistic slots that you can't do much with? Another question would be do you want an XL260?

I tend to prefer bigger engines..the LRM / AC5 might be interesting if it's something the FB and S can't already do...

JigglyMoobs, on 16 August 2014 - 05:27 PM, said:

Victor, Shadowhawk and Jager are all great. Victors are still king of the heap in terms of all around capability for assaults. Highlander has been nerfed to the pavement and is currently in the ICU on life support. Centurions are ok as a tankie glitchy mech that nobody can seem to kill quickly for some reason, but have pretty poor damage output.

I already have all the ones I listed, so I need some variant opinions to get them skilled up...
As I say, I prefer to have 3 variants that dont' play exactly the same... so if one is ballistic heavy, I would prefer to go missile or energy heavy in a variant type thing

[Alaskan Nobody]

Jeb, on 16 August 2014 - 06:46 PM, said:

I tend to prefer bigger engines..the LRM / AC5 might be interesting if it's something the FB and S can't already do...

JM6-A is the only Jager with Missile slots - so yes, it is something they cannot do.
4M
2B
2E
Mine runs 4xLRM5 2xAC5 2xML
Does not really have the torso twist range to make good use of SRM.

JM6-S that you have gets
4B
4E
Don't have that one myself

Firebrand
2B
6E
Mine runs the Rifleman build
(2xLL 2xAC5 2xML)

JM6-DD
6B (only really useful if you like MG)
2E

Mine has 2xLBAC 4xMG 2xML

[Jeb]

JM6-A sounds like it will be my 3rd Jagermech thanks (who knows I might pick up the DD later on too)

I am currently running the same in the Firebrand and really liking it...
XL280, 3x DHS, 4 tons of AC5 ammo, 2x MLs on the STs and the LLs on the arm with the AC5s

[juxstapo]

Cent: Get the -AL , D has twin ballistics (which you can do with the Wang) and high engine slot, but it's not as "different" as the -AL (I'd think)

Highlanders: 733C can mount an AC/20, 733P is an energy boat, 733 has most missle slots... other than that they're very much the same.

Victor: 9S plays much like the 9B so go with the 9K (can't mount the 20, but has better quirks).... I say this with a heavy heart because I mastered all of them when they were "I Can't Believe It's Not A Heavy" ballerinas.

Shawk: 5M was my fav. but everyone gushes over the 2D2 because all dem missiles, so I guess that'd be a different playstyle.

Jager: I bought a DD... and honestly haven't found a situation where it was worth it. Everything viable in this mech can be done with a -S and you want different, so yeah, you made the right choice: Get the -A

[DoomEngine]

juxstapo nailed it.

[STEF_]

Jeb, on 16 August 2014 - 04:45 PM, said:

Shadowhawk: I own 5M and 2H
Need one more
The 5M was the first mech I bought when I came back a few months ago, and it was fun... I havn't played it since as I bought a bunch of Heros for the cbill bonus though, but I want to go back and finish skilling it up...

SHD-2D2 is interesting because it can fit in different roles.

Short range with ac10 + 4srm (or 4 streak too) + 2ml
Medium range with ultra5 + 2 LL
Long range support with 40 or more lrm + ml.

You can change it according to your style.

[Tiamat of the Sea]

Jeb, on 16 August 2014 - 04:45 PM, said:

Centurion: I own YLW and A
Need one more
I haven't played the A yet, but I will need a 3rd. I am not very good with Centurions it seems though.

Take the AL. The D is a meaningless Centurion unless you throw a giant engine in it- the result is either almost no weaponry, or an XL engine Cent. The former can't do much, and the latter doesn't last long enough.

Jeb, on 16 August 2014 - 04:45 PM, said:

Highlander: I own HM
Need two more
I have played the HM a bit in the past but never got a good build I liked overall... I felt too squishy... but I do want to skill it up at some point

This one's tough. If you like a lot of missiles, the 733 is good. If you'd rather forego the ballistics for more zap power, the 733P will do it for you. The 732 is good for a third beam weapon in the right shoulder, and the 733C has dual ballistics in the right arm. Hard point quantities aside, they're pretty samey aside the 733P.

Jeb, on 16 August 2014 - 04:45 PM, said:

Jagermech: I own FB and S
Need one more based on feedback so far its looking like it will be the "JM6-A"
Really liking the FB... it's my most recent Hero and probably my goto mech right now in the Heavy range for FUN (Jester used to be but the JJ/PPC nerfs have made it feel bla)

I'd say the A. While the DD has the six ballistic mounts, unless you're going to go with dual LB-X quad machine gun or six mgun and pulse lasers, there's really nothing it can do that the S can't do- and the S has extra backup torso weapons. The A, however, gives you SSRM, SRM, and LRM options while letting you still mount a cannon.

Jeb, on 16 August 2014 - 04:45 PM, said:

Shadowhawk: I own 5M and 2H
Need one more
The 5M was the first mech I bought when I came back a few months ago, and it was fun... I havn't played it since as I bought a bunch of Heros for the cbill bonus though, but I want to go back and finish skilling it up...

2D2 is good for missiles. 2D gives you energy arms. Avoid the K Shadowhawk, the high mount on its shoulder is pure energy and only good for PPCs when using tactics that the Shadowhawk excels at, meaning it hasn't got much in the way of options.

Jeb, on 16 August 2014 - 04:45 PM, said:

Victor: I own the DS and 9B
Need one more
Bought the DS more as a "see what all the fuss was about" when it was on sale and the 9B on sale, but eventually want to skill it up...

.....I like all of them? As with the HGN, they're pretty samey- other than some hardpoint differences and the reduced arm movement on the 9B, they're interchangable.

Edited by Quickdraw Crobat, 17 August 2014 - 11:56 AM.

[Escef]

Quickdraw Crobat, on 17 August 2014 - 11:55 AM, said:

Take the AL. The D is a meaningless Centurion unless you throw a giant engine in it- the result is either almost no weaponry, or an XL engine Cent. The former can't do much, and the latter doesn't last long enough.

I run my CN9-D with the stock 300XL, and I also run my YLW with a 300XL. Survivability is rarely a big issue, the extra speed compensates pretty well. Especially on the YLW, I mean, an AC20 going over 100kph? Hell, yeah.

Anyway, Jeb, If you already have a YLW and a CN9-A, the CN9-AL will offer the most different experience from the other two, while the CN9-D will feel more like a CN9-A that lost a missile slot in exchange for more speed.

The Highlanders... Since you already have a HM I can't recommend the 732, hard points are too similar (unless you actually want something similar). The 733C's ability to mount an AC20 or twin (U)AC5 is a strong selling point. The 733 has 4 missile points, and the 733P loses ballistics to get 2 more energy points. Really up to how you want to play them, though, I've seen both the 733 and the 733P run as LRM boats.

Shadowhawks the 2D2 or the 2D are probably your best options, though the 2K is the most radically different.

Jagers, you probably want to go with the A, the DD's best trick is 6xMG and 2 big energy weapons (kind of a "meh" trick). And the Victors you might want to consider the 9K. The 9S's third missile point is only 2 tubes, so in practical application it's not going to be less different from the DS than the 9K. (I group the Jagers and Victors together like this because I don't have any real personal experience with either, so take this whole paragraph with whatever sized grain of salt you feel is appropriate.)

Edited by Escef, 19 August 2014 - 01:10 PM.

[Jeb]

Wow thanks for all the info.. I was away over the last two days so this is great

So it sounds like I will be going with:

Centurion AL
Jagermech A
Shadowhawk 2D2
Victor 9K

And the Highlander I think I will put on the shelf for now as it sounds like that comes down to more of a personal decision.


Thanks everyone, this helps a ton as like i say I hate selling mechs so I really like to mix things up a bit, bu really hate ending up with a lame duck as well lol