28 replies to this topic

[tuokaerf]

I still love my Hunchback 4SP. I've moved on to tinkering with more "interesting" builds with my Catapults, Ilya Muromets, Stalkers, and Trebuchets, but the 4SP usually gets at least 2-3 drops a day.

I would avoid starting with a light unless you know you want to be a hit and run player or harasser. Buying a Commando just because it's cheap to stand and brawl with will give you major *********.

[Thoummim]

Splinters, on 02 March 2013 - 08:52 AM, said:

Here's a short list of what I would get as a first mech depending on weight class:
Assaults: Atlas D-DC (brawler with AC/20 and 3x SRM6's) or Stalker 3M (4x PPCs w/ 4x SSRM2s)

No just no, the only way to play the assault class when you are new is to leave it to experienced player.

[Josef Nader]

Hunchbacks are pretty much universally held to be the best starting mechs in the game. You can get your ballistics, you can get your energy boat, you can get your missile boat, and they're all cheap, effective and extremely well balanced.

Hunchbacks as a rule have fantastic torso twist, great hardpoint layout, decent speed, and solid armor. They're also excellent for teaching you important skills like protecting your (wafer thin) back armor and shielding your primary weapon (vital if you like big guns). The skills you learn on a hunchback will carry you through the rest of the game.

Recommended variants:

HBK-4H - Ballistics (you'll never use the 3 hardpoints on the 4G, unfortunately)
HBK-4P - Energy Boat - Toasty, but extremely powerful. Great for learning careful heat management.
HBK-4SP - Missile Boat / All rounder

Avoid assaults and lights at all costs. Many, many players pick up assaults from the get-go and wonder why they never seem to win. A good assault mech needs to be able to wade into the enemy team, absorb fire from 3-4 different mechs at once, and still deal upwards of 600 damage before he goes down. If you can't do this, you're going to cost your team dearly. If a hunchback futzes up and dies only having dealt 100 damage, it's no big deal. If an Atlas futzes up and dies only having dealt 100 damage, your team is almost guaranteed to lose.

Lights are just Raven food right now, and not very fun or interesting to play.

Edited by Josef Nader, 02 March 2013 - 10:53 AM.

[mailin]

I'd also suggest not going with either a Commando or an Assault. The problem with them is that if you don't know what you want to do with your mech (whether you want to be quick and not get a lot of kills or do a lot of damage, or be slow and ponderous but deal a bunch of damage before you die). A hunchback, or another medium gives you a good combination of firepower and speed. My SP goes 84ish before the speed tweak and I frequently deal over 600 points of damage in it. There is something very satisfying about being able to run circles around an Atlas and tear him a new one in his backside without worrying so much about going too fast or taking too much damage. The Hunchbacks can take a serious beating. A Commando not so much. One strike from an LRM boat and a Commando is toast. Not much to learn there other than use cover. After piloting a medium then you can decide whether you want more speed, more firepower, or are good with the combination that you currently have.

[Glock]

I would recommend A K2 or a 4SP , worked well for me at the start and still will!

[Cubivorre]

Mordino, on 01 March 2013 - 12:28 PM, said:

There`s no bad mechs, really(yes cicada, even you).

This made me lulz.

[SilentWolff]

Cata 3D, or if you want to spend some MC's, the Ilya Muro is a great money making mech.

[Draxa]

I recomend going with chassis that has at least 3 good variants, and that can help you learn all the basics, manuvering, aiming of different weapon types, and teamwork.
Catapults and Hunchbacks have several good variants, with LOTS of good builds that will allow you to try a variety of weapon types and play styles. They also have reasonable speed/manuverability.
I am not a big fan of Centurions as a starter, simply because most rely on arm mounted weapons for the primary, and tend to lose them pretty quickly.

[Country Gravy]

Atlas - D (F)