17 replies to this topic

[Ondeth]

I have only been playing this off and on for a month or two. I have been playing it more often the last few weeks. I started with the Hunchback 4P(c) when it was a trial, so I bought the 4sp on a recommendation that it was newb friendly. I like it but I find I am often up in the face of heavies or assaults (nice ct there mr. atlas) So now I have moved up to the Victor 9s ,again on a recommendation, and am finding myself wondering if this is the right mech for me. It may be I just don't have the victor properly set up yet (I blew all my c-bills buying it).

So if anyone has advice I would appreciate it, even if it's to tough out the grind on the victor. I only have the basic skills done on it at this point.

[Rina Fujimoto]

What's your load out on it?

[Ondeth]

On the 4sp I have the standerd 5 medium lasers and 2 srm6 or streaks, on the victor I have the standard. Ac20 and some srms. I've only upgraded to endosteel and double heat sinks. Still grinding the c-bills for a bigger engine (just have the standard engine it came with :-( )

[Kargen]

As a relatively new player myself, what I have found that has worked best for me is actually trying all the different weapon types, then finding a suitable mech for mounting the weapons that I most enjoy using.

Like you, I started with the 4SP hunchback, and although it was a decent starter mech to learn the game with, through experimenting with different weapon combinations in other mechs, I found I preferred using ballistic weapons over SRMs.

My advice would be to try a range of weapons and see which of those suit your style...then find mech(s) that allow you to use them to their fullest potential.

I am addicted to the LBX10 AC "Shotgun" at the moment....so I like a Mid range to short Brawler style of play, and have adapted my mechs to suit.

Currently use a Catapult K2 with 2 of them, and 4 medium lasers which I also like using. (The 5 medium lasters on the 4SP Hunchback are pretty cool as well).

Im still pretty new to the game as well, so I am saving for a Cataphract-3D.

Edited by Kargen, 24 September 2013 - 12:09 AM.

[Arete]

I've personally found the Victors to work better in a medium to long range role than brawler, why not try something like this:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...964488370571d4b

[IR_Quinn]

This is a good website to help design builds before you invest your C-Bills into equipment/mechs; http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab

[Rascula]

I seem to recall when I got my first Victor I had similar problems, Im fairly sure you'll have a lot better time with the grind when you can afford a fat xl engine for it.

[Euphor Kell]

Victors are one of my favourites, and the only assault chassis i've actually got all mastered (aside from the dragon slayer)
I love the AC/20 on its arm, great for laying down the pain fast, it has jump jets which let you not only negate its low arms to shoot over hills, but jump over buildings and other mechs while fighting, its main damage comes from its arms, so can aim a lot lower/higher than mechs with torso mounted weapons (turn off that arm lock!)
I find medium lasers in the other arm and streaks round it out to be a nasty mech in close (streaks because you have most of your damage in your arm reticle, and streaks will fly to your target even if its out of your torso's reticle, so you don't have to be on level ground for them to work)
If you grind the money for a 375xl, you won't be disappointed, at near 75kph without speedtweak...

Oh and give smurfeys a go, configure some mechs before you spebd cb on em, you know what you want then

[Reginald Lansing]

Ondeth, on 23 September 2013 - 11:36 PM, said:

On the 4sp I have the standerd 5 medium lasers and 2 srm6 or streaks, on the victor I have the standard. Ac20 and some srms. I've only upgraded to endosteel and double heat sinks. Still grinding the c-bills for a bigger engine (just have the standard engine it came with :-( )

Once I learned how to run the 4SP, it quickly became a favorite.

Personally, I use 4MLs and 2SRM6s. Standard 250 engine.

Try to Basic out all your Hunches, so you can get speed tweak. Helps a lot.

Then, don't charge in to the fight. Hang back at first. Once your bigger 'Mechs have softened up the enemy, you can race in with your superior speed and slam them with the SRMs. Stay off your lasers, if you can. Just use your arm mobility to defend from lights.

Keep slamming those SRMs till you're out of ammo - they're your primary weapon system. Hopefully, you can grab a few kills this way.

[jper4]

i always play my brawler mechs like the 4sp (5 ML and a streak) like you're a jackal. if you go in first against the heavies assaults you'll be spectating soon enough. if you hang back and wait (i usually kill time watching the backs of my lrm boats or snipers from the inevitable arrival of the lights and/or their capping when on assault- but i do float between group locations since the team usually splits at some point). once you notice things have been softened up that's when it's the best time to make your move.

find an assault shooting at something and join in. find a 1v1 off to one corner and make it a 2 v 1. find that lrm boat hanging in the back and flank it while it's shooting at the main battle. a PPC boat? get in it's face. by this point in the match you should have an idea who/where they are at. those 5Mls that would be laughed at by a fresh assault now starts taking components off and killing things. but like a light you have to keep moving. even a beat up 2erppc/gauss assault can pratcially de-limb you in one alpha if you stay still for too long.

don't have any victors so i can;t really help you there. but the golden rule of mediums "Don't be first" (cicada's don't count because they're just a "big boned" light mech) should be your motto.

[Roughneck45]

Most important thing is to find out which weapons you enjoy using the most. Both of those mechs are pretty flexible for loadouts.

My favorite Victor build VTR-9S. Pretty self explanatory. Stay and range and light them up.

Working with the stock engine and making a brawler. VTR-9S

Overall I'm not a fan of Victor brawlers, simply because they are usually outgunned and under armored compared to other assault brawlers. I would drop that engine size as soon as you can too, simply because you need the tonnage to get enough firepower. Or invest in an XL engine, but make sure to play the extreme range game if you do that.

[Itsalrightwithme]

Ondeth, on 23 September 2013 - 07:55 PM, said:

I have only been playing this off and on for a month or two. I have been playing it more often the last few weeks. I started with the Hunchback 4P© when it was a trial, so I bought the 4sp on a recommendation that it was newb friendly. I like it but I find I am often up in the face of heavies or assaults (nice ct there mr. atlas) So now I have moved up to the Victor 9s ,again on a recommendation, and am finding myself wondering if this is the right mech for me. It may be I just don't have the victor properly set up yet (I blew all my c-bills buying it).

So if anyone has advice I would appreciate it, even if it's to tough out the grind on the victor. I only have the basic skills done on it at this point.

For new players keep to this maxim: Lighter and faster mechs may not carry much armor or weapons, but they have the speed to get you out of bad positions or wrong decisions.

I personally think the Hunchies is a great starter mech because you can get three chassis that teach you many aspects of being a good mechwarrior. The 4SP is a great mech when paired up with a friendly heavy or assault or another medium mech. It should never charge out on its own. It also runs a bit hot (with the canonical MLas/SRM build), so you learn to manage your shots and to find intervals for cooling down your mech. The 4P is a great laser boat, really excellent for finishing blows and getting critical hits on enemy mechs. Find ones with weak armor and blast away at that location. Its overall damage isn't that great so you have to be able to hit-and-maneuver. The 4G/H is a great GIANTGUN platform.

Don't forget that the 4SP is highly symmetric, you can lose one side torso and you still have some guns to bring to the rest of the fight. The 4P/G/H have weapons mostly on the right hand side, so you have to learn to protect your giant hunch.

You may think going heavier is better, but Victors are slow unless you give it a large XL engine and you have Speed Tweak elite skill. Plus its weapons are mounted on arms. I think they aren't great beginner mechs, even though I personally love them. They are expensive, and you can only buy engines with CB so you have to grind for them.

So I'd say stick with Hunchies, they are economical since they are good with Standard engines. Stick with friendlies, help your friendly brawlers fight off the enemy instead of running off on your own.

[Magna Canus]

Kargen, on 24 September 2013 - 12:08 AM, said:

As a relatively new player myself, what I have found that has worked best for me is actually trying all the different weapon types, then finding a suitable mech for mounting the weapons that I most enjoy using.

My advice would be to try a range of weapons and see which of those suit your style...then find mech(s) that allow you to use them to their fullest potential.

Your weapon choice is just as important as your 'mech choice. Smurfy's is the perfect place to work on what you can fit into a mech before you buy and the training grounds is the best place to test out how different weapons function and how well they suit your style.

[Xeno Phalcon]

Victor is a fine machine, arm mounted ac20 is always a good thing (I <3 it on my BJ-1) but as you only have one of them your at the 'stuck in a rut' phase of grinding your bloody brains out.

Not only do you need a better engine, but two more victors so you can master the chassy and get the EXTREMELY important 2X basic and speed tweak. My advice, save as many cbills as you can, round out your collection of victors first, figure out what ones you want to focus on and use the others to get in touch with your inner maso-chist.

I do this pretty often to save money, i'll upgrade one or two and the other I use spare parts on and not upgrade its frame/heatsinks, simply grit my teeth and but my nose to the grindstone (sometimes my fist to the desk but thats a different issue all together) for the greater good. A good example is the orion's, I bought a ON1-K, ON1-VA and ON1-V : now the V and VA are pretty much alike except one has a extra ballistic slot on the hip, a missile point on the LT and loses a missile slot on each arm. I upgraded the K, eventually the VA and muscled through the V.

I'll sell the V for a little return on my cbills eventually, though it may take longer for you as youll need to play through the basic AND the elite trees with your 'grindhouse' variant due to likely not having unlocked any elites in the assault weight class before. I had mastered the quickdraws before so only needed the ON1-V to get through the basic tree.

----------------------------

Alternatively if you 'really' dont like your victor and havnt been playing all that long, it might be a better use of your time to just roll up a new account and let the cadet bonus help you come back from the trenches. However I only suggest this if you flat out feel you shouldnt have bought a victor.


EDIT: Stupid censoring is stupid.

Edited by Xeno Phalcon, 24 September 2013 - 06:05 AM.

[Swords to Plowshares]

I encourage you to pick a Mech you like and stick with it. Not because someone says it is good but because you like it. All mechs have differences that may or may not work for you, but the only way you're going to be happy with it long-term is if you enjoy being in the pilot seat regardless of how well you do. Sell all your stuff if you are short on c-bills, pick a Mech that you think looks cool, and master it and the methods of fighting needed to fight each type of enemy.

[Ondeth]

First I'd like to thank everyone for the replies. Now that's said I don't regret buying the victor at all. I do think it is a good mech in the right hands, I'm just not sure the right hands are mine at the moment. Of course with practice, lots of practice, they can be. As far as making a new account, thanks but no. I'd rather just grind my way through and in doing so perhaps get the hang of piloting the victor.

With the 4sp I just need to loose the "short man syndrome" and force myself to choose the right battles. again thanks to everyone who has replied.

[Swords to Plowshares]

Ondeth, on 24 September 2013 - 06:52 AM, said:

As far as making a new account, thanks but no.

I wish I'd had your restraint before I made this account. Now I'm perpetually torn between buying some MC for mechbays on this account, which I like the most and feels like the best identity fit, or my previous account, which has a tournament win to its credit but on which my account name just doesn't feel as suited to me.

[Hammerfinn]

I'd save up and get two more hunchbacks, honestly. You can pick your weapon system--the 4P is a laser-boat, the 4J lets you try out larger banks of missiles, the 4G and 4H run ballistics. Try them out, get them to elite and see how the weapon systems work, then kit out your victor with what works!