19 replies to this topic

[Kazly]

What would you guys think about suggesting a Centurion CN9-D as a new player's first mech instead of the hunchbacks everyone always proposes?


Off the top of my head:

Cons:
XL Engine - easier to die
Price is high


Pros:
LBX is easy for new folks to hit with
XL300 can drop into a Jenner for a new player to buy a light mech pretty cheap
Comes with Double Heatsinks
STD engine is cheap if they want to drop one in


Overall it's not a bad mech to start with, especially it's speed won't be so cumbersome to new players learning to navigate or get out of trouble...

But mainly, my thought was, they would have that XL300 to drop into a Jenner right away when they want a second mech.

Edited by Kazly, 09 July 2013 - 09:52 AM.

[Koniving]

It's mainly the price. You wouldn't be able to upgrade to double heatsinks right away. I do agree it is one of the better starting mechs aside from the risks associated with the XL engine, and the restraint necessary for the shotgun.

This group I led, and the advice given by the first tournament's 4th place medium champion shall apply to anyone who does use one as their first purchased mech. We are in a group of 3 trials, and in one match 4 trial Centurions. In all the ones I participated in, we always won. The match I crashed in we lost (but 2 of us crashed right off the bat).

Video is through said 4th place champion's perspective. I'm also the dancing Cicada at the end.

Enjoy.

Edited by Koniving, 09 July 2013 - 10:59 AM.

[Spiketail Drake]

Keep it as stock as possible and just try it! All Cents are good mechs. Just act as a striker (hit and run) or light/med mech hunter.

[Y2kHippy]

As a light and medium pilot I would put my hand up to agree that yes the Cent is a good starter mech, The 9-A is more common on the battle field and used in competition 8 man drops because of their un-killable nature. The centre torso is so thin that if you are using a Standard Engine you will last you a long time while you are still able to shoot back without arm or even shoulders.

[TehSBGX]

CN9-A isn't a bad starting mech, it was my first and I still love it.

[Red Line Pilot]

I'd only recommend a 9D to a newb because he'd be spending that cadet bonus on a XL300 immediately. (which is the best investment you can make in mwo atm)

Other than that, all the other Centurions are more newb friendly and probably more fun to play. 9A and 9AL are both very good, forgiving mechs.

[Krazy Kat]

It is a hard mech to play well, but it has two good points.

1. It is fun. Running and gunning faster than most mediums.

2. It is very educational. By the time you learn how to master a Cent-D you will learn a lot about how to play this game. Moving all the time. Using cover. Hit and run tactics.

I have many mechs and still play my Cent-D. Fun stuff.

[Red Line Pilot]

But hey, isn't the point of hte 9D to troll around at 139 kPh?

[Krazy Kat]

Red Line Pilot, on 09 July 2013 - 06:25 PM, said:

But hey, isn't the point of hte 9D to troll around at 139 kPh?

My 9D isn't that fast, but yes you are correct.
If you don't want to cram a big XL engine in it, then the 9A is better. The only advantage of the 9D is the speed and the 2 ballistic points.

[Kazly]

That was my main point - that their first mech, with the cadet bonus, picks up that 300xl and a decent mech. With the 300xl, the new player can also purchase a jenner and already have the best engine available - and start off with 2 good mechs.

But it's all dependent on that cadet bonus.

[Johnny Reb]

Cent-D is prolly my favorite mech in the game. However, this is my current build:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...cbf3879757f0162
With the upgrades it costs 16.9 million c-bills. Then it is just a bigger target scout with more armor and slight less speed (135-139) that when against other scouts and most mediums you can out last them. However, I would never recommend
it to a new player or any player till they understand and get lights, speed, and most importantly who and when to engage.

Red Line Pilot, on 09 July 2013 - 06:25 PM, said:

But hey, isn't the point of hte 9D to troll around at 139 kPh?

If troll you mean be the big guy backing your other lights in 4 man or a great scout (my opinion) in 8 man then yes!

[Kazly]

Johnny Reb, on 09 July 2013 - 10:03 PM, said:

Cent-D is prolly my favorite mech in the game. However, this is my current build:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...cbf3879757f0162
With the upgrades it costs 16.9 million c-bills. Then it is just a bigger target scout with more armor and slight less speed (135-139) that when against other scouts and most mediums you can out last them. However, I would never recommend
it to a new player or any player till they understand and get lights, speed, and most importantly who and when to engage.


If troll you mean be the big guy backing your other lights in 4 man or a great scout (my opinion) in 8 man then yes!

Were you never recommending the centurion, or your build in specific?

Just curious, because I don't think the hunchback is always the best choice for new players, especially with the cadet bonus, and most hunchbacks take a while to learn to protect that right pod.

[Tor Gungnir]

I dunno.

XL Engine is of debatable usefulness and worth, but what really kills it is the LBX. It is the most expensive AC at a mighty 800.000 C-bills and it truly sucks. There's just no way around it, even at point-blank range it sucks. So you'll just end up paying almost one million extra C-bills for something you'll most likely exchange the first chance you get.

[Nathan Foxbane]

Love mine. As a rule though, a CN9-D is vulnerable if you run anything less that max armor. Because of the way the torso is built, the XL engine is less a liability than it might seem. I regularly survive at 40 or even 30% health in it.

As a very first 'Mech, the CN9-A or a CPLT-C1 have more to recommend them. The LB-X is just not useful enough as it is currently implemented. It is just fast enough to get a pilot into trouble, but without knowing what they are doing it is not fast enough to get them out. As a first customization 'Mech it is a dream and proves to be rugged and reliable on a regular basis.

[Johnny Reb]

Kazly, on 10 July 2013 - 09:53 AM, said:

Were you never recommending the centurion, or your build in specific?

Just curious, because I don't think the hunchback is always the best choice for new players, especially with the cadet bonus, and most hunchbacks take a while to learn to protect that right pod.

My build specifically and if I recommended a cent it would be the Cent-A to start.

My build is for ppl who want to play like a light, just with comparable speed. Its the closest I can get from to my Huncie 4-P from the day. Just now nowhere the firepower but it's great fun!

Edited by Johnny Reb, 10 July 2013 - 11:06 PM.

[USS Imperial]

Centurions are one of the greatest mechs I have ever seen. Their HP is ridiculous. I have a Cata-4x and even though I hammered the heck of the CN9-A variant, every single time I face a Cent, its health will be 18% before it finally dies. The survivability rate is high, especially when you master torso twisting. If you notice, the left arms of the Cents are basically shields. If you learn to spread the damage, I guarantee you your lifespan in one will be long. This mech is pretty good for starters. (This was my second mech that I have ever bought)

[wickwire]

CN-9D is a fun mech, it's fast, agile and responsive, so in that regard it's good for new players who don't have the patience for going 48.6 kph yet.

Streaks are easy to aim obviously. The medium lasers in the torso are a bit of a problem though, they're more difficult to keep on the target if you're in a hectic fight.

Biggest problem for me is the LB 10-X AC at the moment. While yes, it is easy to hit someone with it, its damage also spreads out so it's harder to actually kill a mech - even when the armor on a component is gone: I've found myself putting most of the ammo in an enemy Trebuchet's critical rear CT once, and still didn't kill him.

[Spiketail Drake]

If you get a -D, sell the LBX, buy the (U)AC5 for a proper punch.

[Adridos]

Even if you end up disliking the mech or sucking with it, you'll still have 300 XL, the best engine in the game if you ask me (perfect Dragon and Jenner engine, usable in just about any mech, really) and you'd probably end up buying it anyway in the future.

Edited by Adridos, 12 July 2013 - 11:14 AM.

[Buckminster]

Kazly, on 09 July 2013 - 09:51 AM, said:

Pros:

Comes with Double Heatsinks

I didn't think the Cent-D came with DHS.

But while the Cent-D is probably a good mech, it's high starting price is a big turn off, and the fact that it has the XL means that you are countering one of the Cent's greatest assets - it's stupid durability.

I'd probably lean towards starting with one of the other Centurions (the A is nice for it's three missile slots) and modifying that. You won't be as fast, but you'll have what is easily one of the most durable mechs out there.