59 replies to this topic

[RiotHero]

I was thinking of moving up from lights and trying my hand at mediums. Right now I only have two Mechs; A Jenner JR7-D(S) and JR7-F. Both of these are mastered and fully upgraded.

I've had quite a bit of success playing these and even more fun. A few games with over 700 damage in the D, with one at 750 and nearly as much in the F. I liked playing these so much I haven't even purchased anymore mechs, leaving me with a 43mill cbill bank after buying some modules.

This brings me to the Hunchbacks, are they still viable? What is considered the best medium or the medium to avoid? The laser boat version and the AC/20 have had my eye for quite some time. I just don't want to get into a new weight class only to find out I bought a dud chassis or that something amazing is just down the pipe and I should have waited


Anyway, thanks for reading and any advice you can give.

[Autobot9000]

I think the Laserboat Hunch is relatively fun, but the AC20 much more satisfying. Avoid the Trebuchet, its toros is too wide. Cents are fun, Hunchs are fun, Shadowhawks look fun to me.

[Training Instructor]

I like Blackjacks and Shadowhawks better than hunchbacks. I've mastered five cicadas, three centurions, and three blackjacks. I've finished elites on three hunchbacks, but I couldn't motivate myself to care enough about them to take them any further.

Biggest thing you'll hate about the hunchbacks is that the RT holding most of you weapons is going to get shot off by anyone with any ability to aim. If this is your first medium chassis, you'll be in a low enough bracket that it won't seem so bad at first. Win some games though, and move up to a better bracket and all of a sudden you'll find that RT disappearing the minute you expose yourself in the brawl.

The hunchback is an okay medium, I just find it frustrating because it completely overloads one side with hardpoints, and that side is a big target.

[Thoummim]

I hate laser boat so I can only give you advice on ac20med good thing I have them all.

The ac20 hunchback is in direct competition with the YLW and treb ac20. The treb ac20 is inferior in every point to the hunch, while the YLW is arguably better because its easier to protect your ac20 but that may just be my playstyle.

The other ac20 medium are blackjack and shadowhawk, the blackjack is fast, small profile and manoeuvrable but he has paper armor and XL. The shadow hawk on the other hand will be more resilient but pay with a big CT large profile, and "slow" speed.

If you want a 1v1 heavy/assault mech killer I'll definitely take the hunchback, it is possible to protect your ac20 long enough to unload your ammunition, the blackjack cannot stay under fire and the shadow hawk benefit less form the JJ due to a big profile and slower speed than the other ac20med.

If you want to kill med/light and weak heavy, the blackjack is a better choice. I didn't play the shadow hawk much I'd say its kinda of in between, its better at giant killer than the blackjack but the hunch or YLW are definitely better at this job, but that may very well be just because I'm way more use to play my YLW.

No matter which mech you choose remember its a medium you'll be obliterate in 1~3 well placed alpha from an assault. You have to play smart and guerrilla tactics

[MisterPlanetarian]

The hunchie is pretty awesome with it's torso twist. Just remember, even an 82kph AC20 Hunchie is a pretty easy target to hit for a skilled marksman so make sure you use that torso twist to keep your AC20 safe. If you get a hunchie buy the 4P, 4G and 4SP.


If you have a hard time dealing with the lack of JumpJets the Shadowhawk is due for Cbills in november if you don't want to spend any money on Project Phoenix. It's more flexible than the hunchie and its weapon torso is not as pronounced which makes it more XL engine friendly and gives it some SRM or SSRM options.

I'd say you should wait for the Shadowhawk if you are not willing to get both.

Edited by MisterPlanetarian, 30 October 2013 - 01:19 PM.

[Phobic Wraith]

I can say with some experience that you will NOT regret piloting hunchbacks.
There is no better medium weapons platform, and while the hunch is a vulnerability, every chassis has problems. And many don't have one as easily solvable as torso twisting.

That being"said, I would remember a few things.

As a 50 ton mech, there's only so much dakka, pew pew, and lurmageddon that fit (weight wise) into the mech. For example, the 4G is designed for the AC/20, but you are really restricted to the 250 engine for a few reasons, with endo steel and ff armor, you have no space for extra heat sinks. Therefore, you have to run the 250 which has 10 internal. Any larger engine and you'll don't have enough weight for ammo, which usually is 3 tons, or 21 shots. Any more ammo means dropping a medium laser or less armor, usually from the legs... where the ammo is kept.

Similar problems exist in all variants of the chassis, except for maybe the 4P, which has to deal wih ghost heat.

I won't go into too many details, but I will point you to the "ultimate hunchback guide." Here in the forums. I'd give a link, butthat's hard from my phone.

Anyway, until missiles are fixed, avoid the 4J and the 4SP.

The 4H can run almost any build the 4G can, and the 4P is brilliant if you can keep lasers on target.

So join the brotherhood! We'll be hunchbuddies!

[RavensScar]

MisterPlanetarian, on 30 October 2013 - 01:18 PM, said:

If you get a hunchie buy the 4P, 4G and 4SP.

+1

For me, the 4P has always been my favourite Hunchie. The only one I haven't tried is the 4H.

The 4P can be built to move at almost 100kph and still carry a 45pt alpha and close to max armour. Very few other mechs in the game are capable of this.

I wouldn't say the Hunchie is easy to pilot. You will have to learn the chassis, and learn how to use it well. However, coming from lights, you'll probably do a lot better than anyone who tries to run it as an under-armoured heavy. If you do put in the effort, it's an incredible mech to play.

[TercieI]

So why the 4G over the 4H? It seems like if your plan is to run an AC/20 the add'l two energy hardpoints would be more useful than the other two ballistic hardpoints. Or is three away from the hunch all you can practically use? If that's the case, the 4G does provide more ballistic options.

S

[NRP]

Hunchbacks aren't bad. My favorite is the 4H with AC/20 + 4 MLs. Has enough punch to wreck any mech on the battlefield. It doesn't even need to be that fast. Before ghost heat, I really liked the 4P as well. Now, not so much.

However, if you're just looking for a change, you might try a Cataphract or a Jager. You won't be nearly as maneuverable as a light, but you'll pack so much freakin firepower that you'll be giddy with excitement whenever you see an enemy mech. You usually don't have to run away in one of these mechs.

[YueFei]

Biggest change going from a Jenner to a Hunchback will be the speed differential, *relative* to the heavier mechs. In a Jenner, you are tactically and strategically faster than mediums and heavies. In a Hunchback, you are *not* tactically faster than an up-engined Cataphract or Victor. You'll have like a 10 to 15 kph speed edge, which is only ~3 to ~4 meters/sec faster. After running for half a minute you'll see a difference of only 120 meters in distance traveled.

For example, a Cataphract-3D jump brawler with AC/20 + Medium Lasers will go 82.7kph on a STD325 engine with speed tweak. A Hunchback with AC/20 will have less armor, be incapable of jumping, and go 90.9 kph. It's only 2.27 meters/sec faster. You'd have to run for a full minute to travel 136 meters farther than the Cataphract.

However, you *are* strategically faster. On a larger map, with enough distance and time, you can out-pace a heavier mech that's carrying a comparable weapons payload.

If all you're gonna do with your speed is try to dance from one side of the blob to the other side for a better shot angle, you're better off in a heavy mech. The difference in time between the heavy mech arriving in that firing position versus the Hunchback arriving in that position is negligible. If you're gonna travel 300 meters to get to the other side of a firing line, the 'phract gets there in 13 seconds... the Hunchback gets there in 11.88 seconds. Not a significant difference.

On the other hand, if you use your speed strategically and the map is large enough it can work wonderfully. For example if you hit a Conquest cap point with another friendly mech, and realize you're running up against, say, 2 Cataphracts, you can use your speed to avoid fighting them there, reinforce your buddies at another cap point and gain local numerical superiority. You'll get to the other cap point faster than the Cataphracts can. If that cap point is 3 kilometers away, it will take you about 1:58 to get there, while that Cataphracts would take 2:10 to get there. Only a 12 second difference in travel time, but enough to fire 3 full Alpha Strikes into the fight there before the enemy Cataphracts can get into position to fire their first shots.

... We really need larger maps and multiple objectives in this game.

[Throe]

No, but you might regret putting an XL engine in one.

[RavensScar]

Terciel1976, on 30 October 2013 - 04:10 PM, said:

So why the 4G over the 4H? It seems like if your plan is to run an AC/20 the add'l two energy hardpoints would be more useful than the other two ballistic hardpoints. Or is three away from the hunch all you can practically use? If that's the case, the 4G does provide more ballistic options.

S

It's worth bearing in mind that those 2 extra energy hardpoints are low-mounted in the side-torso with the hunch. I've seen more and more AC/20 hunchies that are dropping 1 or even 2 MLas for extra speed and ammo, so I'm not sure 2 more MLas in a slightly awkward location are worth all that much.

[Hex Pallett]

If there's one chassis that EVERY MechWarrior should own, it is Hunchback.

Edited by Helmstif, 01 November 2013 - 08:39 AM.

[RainTuga]

You wont regret owning a hunchback, as long as learn the different play styles between the 2 weight classes.
The difference in speed means you have to be more careful with your position, don't lead the pack or get caught alone.
And remember torso twist to protect your Hunch ( the 4SP is the only variant without a hunch).

[RiotHero]

Wow, thanks for all the great info in here. I'm one of those people that takes nearly as long to choose a video on netflix as I do to watch it so I've been giving this mech some thought. It is an interesting point about the heavies though.

Also another reason I was looking at the A/C20 model is because you can change it up with a gauss rifle. My highest damage game so far was 796 using the Dragon trial mech with 2 large lasers and the gauss rifle. I figure if I'm not good with the a/c I can fall back on that.

[SchwarzerPeter]

The hunch of the 4H is a bit smaller than in the 4G. So the if you plan to use only one AC the 4H is better.

The energy hardpoints in the 4H are a bit low though. There is a common build with 4 SL and 1 ML but i find 3 ML more usefull due to its range.

Using more than 1 ballistic in the 4G is pretty hard with a Std engine. And an Xl is a very bad idea. Some argue that you are useless without your hunch anyway, but the Hunchy is a pretty good zombie.
I had some nice games with just that 1 ML in the head left.

[oldradagast]

The Hunchback is the only mech I once sold - because I didn't understand it - and then rebought. They are just that good. They have a reasonably compact profile, can carry a terrifying amount of firepower for their weight class, and are all-around solid mechs.

Yes, you need to protect the weapon-pod. Yes, you are not as fast as a light or as tough as a heavy or assault, so don't lead the charge or try to solo a fresh mech much larger than you. But those drawbacks aside, the Hunchback punches hard, can take a beating, and is a serious threat on the battlefield.

I prefer the 2 ballistic varients since they get around missile issues and don't overheat like crazy. Slap an AC20, 3 medium lasers, Ferro, Endo, DHS, and a 250 standard into one of them and you have a mech that is hard to rival for its speed and firepower. Then, stick near the team and clobber anything that gets arrogant enough to think that it can duel with your team-mates. You are also fast enough to cap, stop base caps, and circle around behind big targets and blow their rear armor away. So, remember that you need to protect the hunch and that you're not invincible or lightning fast and you'll do fine. Nothing quite as fun as getting more damage and/or kills than almost everything else on your team, even mechs that weigh 30+ more tons than you.

Enjoy!

[Dazzer]

you will never regent buying a Hunchback , master it and love it.

[MisterPlanetarian]

4P mastered is a beast. The AC20 ones really underpreform unless you get them mastered and over 80kph aswell, because of their limited speed they are highly dependant on terrain and the rest of your team, something which the late EU TZ matchmaker can make a bit problematic lol.

Seen it all today, Sniper Jenners doing 100 damage, LRM Battlemasters going 40kph. /sigh

[igavemymomkoolaid]

RiotHero, on 30 October 2013 - 03:31 AM, said:

I was thinking of moving up from lights and trying my hand at mediums.

It's a very good decision. The Hunchback was my first mech, the community told me that it's an awesome first mech for every player. Even if you drove a Jenner, it's a good decision to change in the heavyweight classes with the Hunchie.

Autobot9000, on 30 October 2013 - 03:34 AM, said:

I think the Laserboat Hunch is relatively fun, but the AC20 much more satisfying.

HBK-4P (Laser) and HBK-4J (Missile hardpoints, LRM version of my Hunchback) was a lot of fun. I don't think, an AC/20 is a good decision here. I own one (HBK-4G) and it wasn't that funny, even if I did the most damage with this one.

Throet, on 30 October 2013 - 09:40 PM, said:

No, but you might regret putting an XL engine in one.

I can copy that.

Helmstif, on 31 October 2013 - 12:14 AM, said:

If there's one chassis that EVERY MechWarrior should own, it is Hunchback.

I can copy that "squared", as we say in german.

Edited by igavemymomkoolaid, 01 November 2013 - 03:47 AM.