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Choosing A First Mech(Help For New Players)


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#21 Inveramsay

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Posted 18 November 2014 - 11:56 PM

Shadowhawks and hunchbacks are both great first mech. Fast enough to be mobile, capable of carrying a variety of load outs and cheap to buy and run. Neither of them calls out for an XL engine but some shadowhawks may benefit from one whereas a hunchback is a liability with one. With the cadet bonus you should be able to buy two if not three fully equipped hunchbacks. Cataphracts are solid mechs with lots of firepower as well but obviously more expensive. A hunch and a phract would be two good starting mechs.

When starting out I think it is a good idea to have a variety of weapons and weapon ranges. You will most likely struggle with one of the min-max builds out there. Stick to mechs that want standard engines rather than XL engines to save those pennies for weapons and mech upgrades.

#22 SnagaDance

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Posted 19 November 2014 - 01:14 AM

View PostInveramsay, on 18 November 2014 - 11:56 PM, said:

Shadowhawks and hunchbacks are both great first mech. Fast enough to be mobile, capable of carrying a variety of load outs and cheap to buy and run. Neither of them calls out for an XL engine but some shadowhawks may benefit from one ...

Which is why (if you decide to go for Shadowhawks) the 5M is the best choice as first mech because it already comes with the nice and very versatile XL275. Usable in any other Shad, good for most Centurions, 2 out of 3 Spiders etc. Buying an XL pre-installed on a mech is also a little bit cheaper than buying it solo from the rack.

#23 Shaemus Shadow

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Posted 19 November 2014 - 05:44 AM

Welcome to MWO! I am still a newer player, but these guys have helped me greatly. Listen to them. I have used the Hunchback 4G, I liked the ac/20 on it. I now have a Cataphract 4X. I do not recommend it to start with when playing pugs, because it is VERY slow and I have been left behind in most of the games, only to become light mech meat. Autocannons are great but they are a bad joke as a beginner against a pack of lights. When you face a pack of lights, use your medium lasers on the Hunchback and leg sweep them. You will see...Enjoy MWO, do NOT get discouraged by bad games...we ALL have them...and see you on the battlefield...again...I have played on your team before, I remember the name. :D

EDIT: I meant that I do not recommend the Cataphract 4X for a beginner, because of the speed issue, but the other Cataphracts I have not used yet. Inveramsay recommended them, I wanted to avoid contradicting his recommendation. I used to own the Shadow Hawk 5M, and it is a good mech, like Snagadance said. It was actually the first mech I bought with my cadet bonuses.

Edited by Shaemus Shadow, 19 November 2014 - 08:15 AM.


#24 Voivode

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Posted 19 November 2014 - 08:18 AM

Excellent choice going for the Hunchback. Great mech to start on. If you don't already know, the XP system in the game requires you to work through the "basic" tree on three variants of a mech before you can unlock any of the "elite" tree.

The 4SP is nice because it is the only symmetrical Hunchie. The others keep the majority of their weapons in the right shoulder, and that shoulder has a larger hit box. Torso twisting to avoid that box o' weapons being shot off is essential to good matches. The 4P is an energy boat and it comes with all of the heat problems that entails, but you are freed from ammo dependence and the potential ammo explosions that are part of missile and ballistic weapons. The 4H gets quite the bonus to the AC10 cooldown time, and if you combine that with the level 5 AC10 cooldown module you have a VERY rapid firing AC10.

Anyways, have fun and see you on the battlefield!

#25 Inveramsay

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Posted 19 November 2014 - 10:31 AM

View PostShaemus Shadow, on 19 November 2014 - 05:44 AM, said:

EDIT: I meant that I do not recommend the Cataphract 4X for a beginner, because of the speed issue, but the other Cataphracts I have not used yet. Inveramsay recommended them, I wanted to avoid contradicting his recommendation. I used to own the Shadow Hawk 5M, and it is a good mech, like Snagadance said. It was actually the first mech I bought with my cadet bonuses.


Good point, the cataphract recommendation is with the caveat of the 4x being an awkward one that should be avoided if possible. The 3D is the best one out of the bunch but most expensive and fragile given its XL engine unless you swap that out.

The 5M is a great shadowhawk, I bought three of them during the sale and got one in my phoenix pack :) All but one sold obviously

#26 Alaskan Nobody

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Posted 19 November 2014 - 11:43 AM

View PostMister E Gamer, on 18 November 2014 - 07:47 PM, said:

Sorry zeta44 I will stop posting on here after this one just updating my progress through the trials so far and do not know why.

Thanks for the help guys.

I wouldn't worry about that to much - if only because we can only help so much without you telling us more.
(which could probably be phrased better)

On the other hand- I am not seeing where zeta said that, so I may be intruding on something I should not here. :ph34r:

#27 Mister E Gamer

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Posted 19 November 2014 - 09:14 PM

View PostShar Wolf, on 19 November 2014 - 11:43 AM, said:

I wouldn't worry about that to much - if only because we can only help so much without you telling us more.
(which could probably be phrased better)

On the other hand- I am not seeing where zeta said that, so I may be intruding on something I should not here. :ph34r:


Thanks. He said it is okay for me to keep posting here. I bought the Hunchback-4SP and it now has the 4 medium lasers - 2 Srm6+Artemis - Endo-steel. I dumped the small laser to max out my armor.

Shaemus I remember that match. You got killed and asked the guy why he hit so hard :P. I remember thinking that was funny and kinda cool that you didnt get mad or take it so serious like some others have.

#28 Shaemus Shadow

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Posted 20 November 2014 - 11:21 AM

Yeah, I have been accused of trying too hard to be liked or to be funny. I just never want to take myself too seriously in this game. I have been on the receiving end of cussings, because of people getting mad because I am not an ultimate god of MWO like they are.

To all new pilots: PLEASE do not get discouraged if you do not do well at first. Keep practicing by playing and ignore the people that say things like; "**** you and your GG", when they lose. Say GG or Good Game anyway, because it is only a game, and learn from your mistakes and losses.

#29 Alaskan Nobody

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Posted 20 November 2014 - 11:29 AM

Seconding that bit about discouragement - it took me months to get my first kill
(didn't help that I tended to play the squirrel)

You CAN help your team without scoring well on the boards - and even with the new rewards you can be one of the key players without earning anything (or even realizing it!*) though it is much harder now.



*had a guy in one of my matches last night who thought he was responsible for his team's loss - when he was, in fact, more or less singularly responsible for them scoring as high as they did (and almost everyone on my side knew it :P)
It was kind of an odd match...

#30 Jody Von Jedi

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Posted 20 November 2014 - 11:41 AM

View PostMister E Gamer, on 18 November 2014 - 05:25 PM, said:

I did NOT see anything about getting premium time after I signed up. Well that's a kick in the crotch. :blink:


Don't worry about it for now. I've never bought more than a week at a time. If I'm off work and plan on playing a lot, it's worth the increased rewards, but for casual play, I don't bother. And I'm still "Richer than Blake." ;)

Occasionally PGI will reward you with some Premium time just for playing the game. During the weekend events you'll have the opportunity to win some, or they'll just give some away during special events just for playing a certain number of matches.

Edited by Jody Von Jedi, 20 November 2014 - 11:41 AM.


#31 GTV Zeratul

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Posted 20 November 2014 - 12:01 PM

Mister E,
That is almost the build I run on the 4SP, I recomend putting one of your medium lasers in the head so you still have a stick to poke with even if you've lost both arms and torsos.

My build: STD245 3 Mlas 2SRM6+A

Welcome to MWO, have fun and keep at it!





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