12 replies to this topic

[Mergatroid Skittle]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking to buy a medium mech with good speed and some ballistic hard points. I've mastered my spider and love playing with the 5D, but looking for something with more firepower and armor while maintaining some decent manueverability. I'm trying to decide between these 3 mechs. Any suggestions?

Cicada 3M - I like the ECM capabilities. Not sure about hitbox size/survivability of this class.

Centurion 9D - I like the speed, but it seems like people dislike the idea of putting an XL in cents. Sounds like this 'mech has large LT and RT hitboxes? Right arm seems very vulnerable.

Shadowhawk - The slowest of the 3 'mechs listed (I think?). Not sure about this class as I just had a few people "in-game" recommend this mech.

I've played around in Smurfys mechlab and have been reading the forums to find a good build, but I'd like to hear some feedback before I drop potentially 8m + cbills.

[MrEdweird]

Have you considered the Hunchback HBK-4G or HBK-4H?
Trebuchet 7K?
Depending on what size ballistic weapons you want to have on there an XL engine might not be needed.

Edited by Edweird, 28 November 2013 - 06:01 AM.

[Parappaman]

I like Cicadas, but that doesn't make them good mechs. Not newbie friendly at all.

The Centurion, on the other hand, is the epitome of a balanced Mech. Their signature move is the ability to zombie around with no arms and no side torsos, so most people recommend sticking to a STD engine (and the CN9-A chassis for the third missile slot) to dramatically extend your fighting time, at the cost of most of its speed.

Shadowhawks are the current best of the best, but they are definitely not "fast", more like "very maneuverable" also thanks to jump jets. Large engines make them fast too, but are too heavy to find a decent loadout. I would top at a XL280, that gives a top speed around 90 kph and a quick enough turning rate.

[SniperCon]

The Cicada 3M plays more like a light than a medium. I've enjoy this build a lot, but the most effective builds focus on using the ECM to snipe, not the ballistic slot.

I've had some good times with a 2xAC2 Cent-D, but it's not my favorite.

You really should try out the trial Blackjack champion. It has lots of mobility and is one of the fastest AC20 builds.

The Shadowhawk is the objective best ballistic platform which you are considering. You do give up a small amount of speed (compared to the BlackJack) for more versatile weapon options and more armor.

[sneeking]

I dont know if it counts but my yenlo has 300xl is full elite does over 100kpa has beagle has zoom has 2x sensor range all basics x2 hill climb even though people say its useless. soon it will have a fourth module slot...

what di you recon ?

[EarlGrey83]

The Shadowhawk is your choice, if you want a mech that excells at everything; It is definatelly fast enough and very mobile with jump jets, but also brings a lot of punch. You can run the infamous 3 ac2 sniper build on the 2H, double ac5 on the 5M, and alot of missile builds (if you like) on the 2D2.

The Cicada is only for you if you like light mech play, also it can not really run a balistic build (too light).

Centurion is a favorit for many, being fast, hard hitting and hard to kill. No jump jets though.

The Hunchbacks must be mentioned if your looking for a medium with ballistic, they are very user friendly, bringing lots of weapon hardpoints. They are slow though, and play like heavy mechs in my opinion.

Hope this thread could help you.

Edited by EarlGrey83, 28 November 2013 - 06:33 AM.

[Mergatroid Skittle]

Thanks for all the suggestions... Not quite sure how to quote individual messages but here some more of my thoughts in regards to the responses so far.

Hunchbacks may not be an option (speed caps out at 98 with speed tweak I believe). I'm looking to go at least 100+ kph, preferably 115+ (sorry I should have mentioned this in my original post).

I tried the Blackjack champion but I didn't like its relative lack of speed (93.1).

To Sneeking: I really like the Yen lo Wang but I'm not willing to pay real money. I have considered a dual ac2 build with the cent 9D though.

Trebuchet 7k looks like a pretty good option. I'll check it out. Pros/cons of this variant?

To Snipercon: I've built something similar to your Cent-9D w/ dual a/c 2s in Smurfys. What don't you like about it?

[SniperCon]

Mergatroid Skittle, on 28 November 2013 - 06:32 AM, said:

To Snipercon: I've built something similar to your Cent-9D w/ dual a/c 2s in Smurfys. What don't you like about it?

My favorite is this. The goal is to get in close, unleash he1l, and get out. It still has an AC2 for suppressive fire, but it's not as focused on ballistic play.

I am of the opinion that the mobility of a medium is wasted on long range builds. That doesn't make me right though.

[Shade4x]

Mergatroid Skittle, on 28 November 2013 - 06:32 AM, said:

Thanks for all the suggestions... Not quite sure how to quote individual messages but here some more of my thoughts in regards to the responses so far.

Hunchbacks may not be an option (speed caps out at 98 with speed tweak I believe). I'm looking to go at least 100+ kph, preferably 115+ (sorry I should have mentioned this in my original post).

I tried the Blackjack champion but I didn't like its relative lack of speed (93.1).

To Sneeking: I really like the Yen lo Wang but I'm not willing to pay real money. I have considered a dual ac2 build with the cent 9D though.

Trebuchet 7k looks like a pretty good option. I'll check it out. Pros/cons of this variant?

To Snipercon: I've built something similar to your Cent-9D w/ dual a/c 2s in Smurfys. What don't you like about it?

Your not going to find a viable weapons builds going 100+ and focusing on balistic's. What is going to happen is your going to go 90 with an AC/20 OR your can go 117 with an AC/10 or AC/5 and some support weapons OR you can run dual PPC's at max speed on most of those mech's (I occasionally run a cicidia with 2 PPC, ECM, 2 med lasers that goes 123, or 2 large 2 med at 133.
Another option is to run 3 SRM's and some medium lasers. The Treb line has a build or two that have you running around at max speed with 2srm6's 1 srm 4, 3 medium lasers. It's highly manueverable, and allows you to litterly jump behind a mech, and SRM it in the back.

Keep in mind, 2 PPC's is the same as an AC/20, they just use heat instead. Out of my favorite medium mech's, i end up with either the treb with 2 ppc's and LRM's at 100+ or the Cicidia with 2 PPC's and an ECM. Both are extreamly effective as support mech's, where the cicidia dramaticly helps out your team with its ECM.

Generally speaking You can XL and run an AC/10 but it's not a great weapon on its own. It really needs to be supported by other weapons.

[cleghorn6]

If you're going to be looking for a fast medium, then the Cicada is right back in the picture.

I've Elited Jenners, Hunchbacks and Dragons, working on ShadowHawks now. Mediums play much more like heavies than lights for the most part. Your advantage is being able to deliver a reasonable amount of firepower at the right point in the battle to turn the tide because you can maneuver better than the heavies and assaults to bring your force to bear where it's needed. Your disadvantage is if you end up toe to toe with a heavy or assault, even 1 on 1, unless they do something very wrong, you will lose. If you attract attention, you die.

Fast mediums take a lot of engine to go fast, which directly impacts on firepower and protection, so you end up with a play style much more like lights. You have neither the guns nor the armor to stand and fight. Here your problem is the opposite, you don't have the speed that the proper lights have so while they can't quite dance around you like they do the assaults, they will still be able to get away clean if they want to disengage. However if you can hit them, they will know all about it.

It's a difficult balance and a very interesting play style. The fact that mediums, indeed even sometimes the same medium, can do both those things makes it fun. It's certainly why I like them.

SniperCon, on 28 November 2013 - 07:02 AM, said:

My favorite is this. The goal is to get in close, unleash he1l, and get out. It still has an AC2 for suppressive fire, but it's not as focused on ballistic play.

I am of the opinion that the mobility of a medium is wasted on long range builds. That doesn't make me right though.

I completely agree. The maneuverability of a medium is tempting to use in a sniper build but I've never found one that packs sufficient punch to make them a realistic threat.

Skirmisher/brawler is where it's at in my opinion. I would include light hunter as a specialty role within those two.

Edited by cleghorn6, 28 November 2013 - 07:20 AM.

[Bront]

Shadowhawk is your best choice if you want much more than just MGs and some durability. THe Shadowhawk puts the Cent-D to shame.

[Eaerie]

i recommend the shadowhawk, it might be slower but the JJ's add some extra maneuverability you dont find in the other ones. Also the torso ballistic hardpoint is mounted really high in the torso allowing for good clean line of fire if you can see your target.

[kevin roshak]

I recomend the shadowhawks as well. they are great mechs.

I run one with an ac10, 1ML and 2SSRMs with a XL285(accidental purchase but it works), another with 2AC5, 1ssrm and 2ML, and then ac5, 4ssrm and 2ML and going to upgrade to XL310 here soon or you can do XL300 and BAP.

Balistics are used as the main weapons on the first two and then the final build is a ssrm delivery system with more backups