Best engines for 9M - 360XL, 380XL, 360 STD [for brawl]
2 LLs or 2 PPCs in the torso slots is ok, in fact its best thing u can do there, but don't stick another in arm.
Make more balanced 9M build and practice, maintain good speed and good heat control, overlap your ranges and use multiple weapon systems and play multiple roles. You want to be in 400-500 meters flanking but unfocused, or getting in quick using angles from Seismic or fight momentum, or to soak damage in vanguard situations by good gorilla swing action.
Either you make a balanced build, or you go with MLs and a fast STD for brawling [which is obviously going to be hit or miss depending on composition of teams, map, etc]. I find a balanced 9M to be one of the best solo or casual mechs in the game at the moment, for serious. Try something like 2 PPC or 2 LL in torsos, tag or ML in head, LPL (or ERPPC if using LL in torsos), LRM5s in chest [scouting for ams over hills, suppression, etc] or SRMs when they get flight path more reliable, and a streak in other arm.
The hardest thing to do in an Awesome is learn to shield correctly, I can't stress that enough. For practice, take out an awful build with only 2 MLs and practice just
correctly soaking damage and
not doing damage. It will help you learn discipline, anticipation, and correct positioning. The Awesome is a big mech so you have to be precise - like someone said earlier today in an Awesome thread, the side profile is very thing but the front is very wide. Learn to get that thin profile. Not 'almost' thin. Thin. Do it.
Edited by Soy, 26 May 2013 - 06:57 PM.