3 replies to this topic

[N a p e s]

Finally decided to pick up the Yen Lo Wang since it was on sale so I'm gonna be working on Centurions for a little while.

The Yen Lo is fairly straight forward to build but my question is actually about the other Cents.

Which variants do you guys recommend? I've already purchased the A since it seems fairly versatile in possible builds. This is how I'm running it right now.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...21d4224d04c6fdb

I know the AC5 isn't generally loved by everyone and its my first time actually using it other than in a stupid Hunchback build I tried a while back, but it actually seems kinda useful on this chassis.

So what are your collective thoughts on this thing and which variant should I get next?

Thanks!

[MuonNeutrino]

Uh, you linked your wang build, not your CN9-A. The Wang looks fine - I'm personally a fan of standard engine wangs, so many people seem to want to put an XL into them for some reason. 3 tons of ammo is probably enough, given that the ac20 isn't likely to survive for as long as it might on some other mechs.

As for the CN9-A, there's a reason that this, or something very similar, is the gold standard build. The details vary, but the basic framework of 2mlas, 3srm6, plenty of ammo, and a big-*** engine is universal. You may not have experienced it yet, given how the wang is forced to hang so much of its firepower on that right arm, but centurions make absolutely *amazing* zombie brawlers. That CN9-A maintains 100% effectiveness after losing both arms and the right torso, and can still be scorching things with medium lasers and being an annoyingly hard to put down nuisance even when reduced to just a head, CT, and one leg. The hitboxes on centurions make the center torso surprisingly difficult to hit directly, and the way damage transfer works in this game, combined with the large 'destroyed arm' shoulder hitboxes, allows centurions to absorb an amazing amount of damage that *doesn't* hit the CT directly if you're skilled at twist shielding.

The zombie SRM brawler is by far the favorite build I've run in that chassis. Your weakness is getting legged (especially by fast laser-armed lights or high-alpha bloat-boat assaults), but the vast majority of people don't seem to realize that. I've long wished I could come up with a good build that still makes use of an autocannon simply because I like the autocannon SFX so much, but I haven't been able to find anything that approaches the power of the zombie.

As for the other variants, in my opinion the AL is the more interesting choice. The D is just a super-expensive A with one less missile and one more ballistic, and unless you're jamming a gigantic engine in it there's nothing it can do that the A can't do better. And if you *are* jamming a gigantic engine in it, it has to be an XL if you want any useful weapons payload, and I despise XLs on centurions. There can be a bit of a niche for builds like this, but overall I'm really not a fan of the D. The AL, by contrast, opens up a whole different style of build compared to the other centurions, which at least keeps things different. I'm personally a fan of builds that run a PPC, a couple medium lasers, and a couple srm6, like this - the lighter weight of energy weapons actually allows you to make builds that use the right arm without sacrificing the upgraded engine that's at the core of essentially all good centurion builds (centurions that only go 64kph are bad mechs).

Edited by MuonNeutrino, 18 August 2013 - 09:07 AM.

[N a p e s]

Thanks for all the tips Muon!

I looked at the CN9-D and came to the same conclusions as you. A potential for a really big engine but leaving it pretty short on weapons so it looks like I'll be picking up the AL when the time comes.

Here is the link for my A build. Its not quite as potent as a zombie because I do wanna use the AC arm. That being said I've had some pretty good scraps in it and even with the 2 SRM4 I was dishing out some punishment well after both my arms were gone. I suppose I could swap the AC5 to an AC2 and add another SRM4 but I dunno... A single AC2 isn't very interesting.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5cff107098b91c6

[Lootee]

Lolwut. The CN9-D is some of the most fun you can have in a Centurion. But it all hinges on whether you can justify buying that massive engine or not.

I bought a 385XL engine for mine because every now and then I can also stick it in my AWS-9M for lulz. One engine for two mechs isn't that bad. The CN9-D runs at 125kph (without speed tweak) with that engine in it, light mechs usually don't expect you to be moving that fast in something that big. Alot of times they turn and run off thinking they left you in their dust, but you're right on their tail and when the 12 SRMs hit their rear CT, they panic. At that speed and close butt-humping range the SRMs actually do hit lights, the hit registration issues with SRMs seem to happen mostly at longer ranges when 1 mech is fast and another one is slow, 2 fast mechs up close running in the same direction don't seem to have the same SRM hit reg issues.

Plus all your major weapons are torso mounted, so that leads to zombie shenanigans... but super fast running zombie not the slow shambling type.

Most people haven't learned yet to shoot at the CN9-D's legs, so you can live a surprisingly long time as just 3 torsos on magic legs face humping everything in sight and spewing out SRMs.

If collisions and knockdowns ever return it's great for that too. Watching an armless Cent zip around at 125+ kph and body check people and both fall over is pretty entertaining in itself.

Edited by PanchoTortilla, 18 August 2013 - 10:09 AM.