53 replies to this topic

[JC Daxion]

I thought this would be a fun thread, because people can give their opinions on mechs, that may, or may not fit into either category, or even both! Everyone has their favorite mechs, and just like everything in life, some people's Trash is another persons treasure..




For me i will start this off with

the HBK-4sp.

To me this is a under-rated mech. First off, it does not have the issue that the other HBK's have, which is the hunch. It also has some crazy torso twist so when running away, you can get off pot shots at the chasing mech which is always a big bonus.. Nothing like taking a pair of ML's and a pair of streaks in the face/leg, arm... ect.. when normally you are clear from danger.

It also is pretty fast with a STD 255, And you could even up the fire power if you decided to drop in an XL. (something i have not tried yet, but will when i purchase that XL-255, a great engine for a bunch of mechs)

With BAP installed it becomes an incredible light hunter. Light users always get a little cocky when around mech's they don't think of as high danger. The idea of the HBK is a slower/more fire power mech, and often are thinking Easy target aim for the hump! But the hunchless HBK, is something of a unique duck for the HBK line. Light pilots love to try and take down that they think of as an easier target. I can't count the number of times a light has spotted me and turned around or maneuvered to try and engage me as i often am playing light cap escort or guarding base.

As of late, often they are getting out of dodge at full throttle glowing read. (read some of my older posts when i started how much trouble lights gave me.. Part of it was due to frame rates, and the other part was me needing to learn. Since then and my finding streaks and learning about the ML sweep, things have changed. But like always a great pilot can still give you fit's especially if you are not in the best of shape.. but i digress)

Using Streaks on this bad boy let you load up more Double heat sinks, and really let you get a lot of DPS from them. You can also drop a single one, which on many maps is really un-noticeable, and add another ton of AMS for a total of 2000. This is something that can be really helpful from time to time

While the other HBK's are good mechs in the right hands, to me the 4SP, is one of the better mechs in the game.. This coming from a pilots side..



So what is your's?

[marepinta]

ohhhh ... I want to try this! can you tell me the changes you make exactly? I'm not so good in the mech lab so I tend to just follow directions from someone better. I don't consider this me cheating, I look it it like this --- I am a rank beginner in the gaming venue --- in the first 50 games I was literally trying to learn to walk in a relatively straight line and not get stuck facing what my mouse-view wasn't even seeing (i.e. often my legs were 180 off from my view ... lol)

I am much better now ... average 3-4 assists every game and a kill about every one in five games, which from my perspective is MASSIVE improvement.

I digress ... back to the mech ... I have a raven to master then sold the other 2, a blackjack to master then sold the other 2, and two jagermech's, both master with modules. I use the jagermechs most of the time and love them. They are both set up the same - two LR lasers and one AC-20 -- only difference is one is a firebrand which gives me 30% bonus so I use it most of the time. I've been prompted to "broaden my horizons" by my drop-mates recently... and if there is one thing that continues to elude me it is those damned lights! pests! I cannot figure out how to turn fast enough to see them, even if I switch and turn the other way. I am like a sitting duck when I am pestered by a light, they kill me every time.

I see that you say there is a learning curve and that you have written about it elsewhere. I would love to read all of that and understand how I've got to improve.

anyway, if you're willing to share how to build, would love to try

[Victor Morson]

While universally hated, the Golden Boy is still overrated because anyone likes/drives it yet.

It's a KTO-18 with 1 less energy hardpoint at the expense of torso pitch/yaw, turn rate, twist, etc. Not to mention being slower by almost a full third.

Avoid this lemon at all costs.

[TercieI]

Underrated? JR7-K. I have often heard "crap," "awful," "terrible," etc. used to describe it. Nonsense. While it was always the least good of the three Jenners, it was always good (top 5-6 light IMO). It just wasn't as outstanding as its siblings. And with strikes getting major buffs, now its extra module slot narrows the gap further.

Edited by Terciel1976, 06 February 2014 - 07:09 PM.

[Turist0AT]

Dont listen to them Golden Boy, i still like you. 3LL and 5Streaks plus that almost golden paint is so good. KTO-18, TBT-5J, TBT-7M QKD-5K, i like all of you guys.
TBT-7K you can go F your self, you were never there for me!

Almost forgot about Jester. Oh my, what a fun mech. 5LLs on Jay Jays or 6MPLs (or anything in between) that goes 97 with, jj and dual ams. mmm so nice.

Edited by Turist0AT, 06 February 2014 - 01:12 PM.

[luxebo]

All the HBK's are underrated, though HBK-4SP and HBK-4P are less underrated than the other two.

TBH, there are so many mechs that are underrated mechs in this game. Therefore, the competitive gameplay guys really boil down to Jenners --> Shadow Hawks --> Cataphracts --> Victors --> Highlanders with some exceptions (RVN-3L, CDA-3M, AS7-DDC, etc).

[Asmudius Heng]

The locust is so underrated.

Wait, i mean terrible i get those two confused ... its trash

I quite like my battlemaster but only because of the high mounted energy slots on the shoulders that allow better sniping from cover. I see a lot of people ragging on the battlemaster but for a non JJ Assault mech its not bad imo

I feel the cataphract is over rated. Its a good chassis - i do not own any but i never FEAR them like some other mechs for some reason. I respect them but not like the killing machines some make them out to be

[JC Daxion]

marepinta, on 06 February 2014 - 11:40 AM, said:

ohhhh ... I want to try this! can you tell me the changes you make exactly?

Sure... btw, i was always a SRM6 man with my 4sp, but it always lacked, mainly due to aim... Streaks are the key!

STD250 (though if you have the spare change, put in a 255), double heat sinks, endo-steel frame, 5ML, a pair of streaks, 1 ton ammo, AMS+1 ton, BAP+artemis.

I use 5 hot keys, left mouse right arm+head 3ML, right mouse, 2 right arm, middle button, Streaks, group 4 and 5 are keyed for left/right arm, for single arm aiming. I am thinking about changing middle mouse to F key for streaks, and middle mouse for the shift, unlock arms toggle...

anyways, give it a shot.. great mech!!!

[Kenyon Burguess]

speaking of hunchbacks, im actually enjoying piddling around in my J this week. its a stock build with double heatsinks and ams. im usually good for a kill or two and lots of support with the 2 lrm10's its def not game breaking, but if you need to fit a 50ton on your team that can drill a target who runs in close with 5 med lasers, its good for the job.

[IraqiWalker]

The commando mech. So many people scoff at it, but in all honesty it is one of the better lights out there, if you have a pilot that knows how to use it. My 2D ,which is no longer the best of the bunch since it's slower than most, easily breaks 500 damage a game.

The Awesome is another underrated mech. Yes it can't ridgehump with energy weapons like stalkers and battlemasters can but it is very maneuverable and can dish out some scary damage, not to mention that it is a mean brawler that can survive for a long time if you torso twist. Those shield arms might be the biggest hitbox in the game.

[Mazzyplz]

i have to say first of all the obvious, the awesome. i am an awesome pilot so yeah. very underrated


another very underrated mech is the trebuchet!!

the trebuchet was amazing when it came out but people seem to have forgotten it.
it is one of the most tactical mechs in the game, raining doom from above, while flying, it's like the trebuchet can play as a knight in chess, making these great jumps between positions and attacking indirectly, while most other mechs are stuck with LOS like we're rooks or pawns. i wish more people used the trebuchet for guerrilla lurming at high altitudes

the quickdraw is underrated as well, though not as much
it has good toughness and is FAST. too bad it can only mount small lasers but i have seen them do well with peashooters just by good piloting and perseverance lol! i do not lie


the overrated ones are the blackjack and jagermech in my opinion, although the flyin BJ is pretty cool indeed


the cicada used to be more underrated but it's getting the exposure it deserves lately as a hidden gem

Edited by Mazzyplz, 07 February 2014 - 12:04 AM.

[DrRedCoat]

The Golden Boy. I bought it on sale and tried using it with a ton of streaks and was so disappointed that I almost sold it. Then I went and strapped 2 LRM 15s, 2 LRM 5s, 2 medium lasers, and a tag laser on it with the biggest engine it can take. It's not a bad little boat. I got it's KDR over 1 and to me that's a sign that it's usable yet.

I've also seen the Yen-Lo-Wang get some crap but a proper pilot can twist to protect that precious AC20. If I run out of ammo, I have a new shield arm (usually the first one is gone at this point). I can zombie like a boss and do some serious damage in it.

Mazzyplz, on 07 February 2014 - 12:01 AM, said:

the quickdraw is underrated as well, though not as much
it has good toughness and is FAST. too bad it can only mount small lasers but i have seen them do well with peashooters just by good piloting and perseverance lol! i do not lie

I've thought about picking a quickdraw up. The speed and jumpjets really appeal to me. Any build suggestions?

[sneeking]

the A1 gets a lot of diss from people but I run the -c variant as my primary missile system.

go an xl engine endo std armour artemus 2xlrm20 and 2xjj make a few armour allocation tweaks load up with as much ammo possible drop in ya favorite modules and go hunting.

lots of fun if you use your speed and mobility to keep near the action ( don't hide out back maximum range indirect fire ) reasonably regular I survive a match pulling 8 to 10 assists lots of destruction bonus 3 to 5 kills 600 to 800 pluss damage.

[Mazzyplz]

DrRedCoat, on 07 February 2014 - 12:05 AM, said:

I've thought about picking a quickdraw up. The speed and jumpjets really appeal to me. Any build suggestions?

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...9a7297e9bf64766
standard-ish 4g, mix of LRM and SRM, LRM to support, SRM to get out of tough spots. though it may need artemis, up to you


http://mwo.smurfy-ne...61fcd0b5e9d0667
SRM 4h, chain fire srm6's so as to minimize the effect of spread/lack of artemis, alpha into the back of assault mechs. pretty brutal for hit and run tactics!!


http://mwo.smurfy-ne...fb594775b2e4746
superman build 5k, only red and blue lasers, nothing else. use 3 large laser as main guns for mid range support! use 3 small laser for bugging out and legging lights - as all energy boats there quite a bit of heat management and discipline to shoot the LL. for brawling you can only use LL sparingly in tandem with small laser.


i think you should tweak to your flavor, maybe you prefer lrm instead of the srm i posted, but in particular the two last builds really keep it fresh- i kept the stock engine on all but again, it's up to u

maybe this quote will help you also, it's from another quickdraw pilot:

Quote

The Quickdraw makes a fun heavy striker. I prefer using a 5K outfitted with two large lasers, four medium lasers, and a 340XL. Throw in a big stack of heat sinks and it can hop around the battlefield, supporting heavier teammates as they engage the enemy. In that respect it plays a lot like a Trebuchet 5J that trades speed for heat dissipation and torso mounted weaponry.

When building a Quickdraw, I highly recommend putting your heavy energy weapons in the torso mounts. They're high enough that you can use them effectively from cover, and they will last longer. It's really easy to lose your arms, and that stings a lot less if you're only down a medium laser. Additionally, I always max out the leg armor. The leg hit boxes are massive, and a legged Quickdraw is a dead Quickdraw.

Edited by Mazzyplz, 07 February 2014 - 03:29 AM.

[Modo44]

The Orion is one underrated machine. It can take about the biggest amount of firepower in MWO while remaining reasonably mobile (XL FTW). Just remember to do what heavies do, i.e. hang behind assaults and blow shit up while it tries to kill them. Most people trying to do the "pocket Atlas" thing (brawling) is why the Orion has a bad rep.

[Tahribator]

By "underrated" I understand "potent, but needs significant experience and skill to be efficient with". Commandos, Blackjacks, Trebuchets, Hunchbacks, Centurions, Dragons, Quickdraws, Thunderbolts, Orions, Awesomes and Battlemasters fall into this category.

What these mechs share in common is that they're missile and laser heavy mechs, and mostly brawlers. Running lasers and missiles in current PPC/Ballistic meta is definitely like rowing against the current, you will have to rely on your piloting skills and outsmarting your opponents to be effective. Not to mention missile/laser combos are incredibly hot, plagued by SRM hit registration issues and generally have bad synergy.

In my opinion there are only two "utterly bad" mechs in this game. The first one is Locust, suffering from unbearable leg hitboxes. The second one is the old cheese king Raven, again suffering from glass leg syndrome. I think a light mech which is essentially on a leg timer is one of the worst things you can pilot in this game. It's not fun, it's unfair. That's why 2xERLL Ravens are so popular right now, because staying away from the battlefield is the only way these mechs can protect their legs.

[IraqiWalker]

I play my quickdraws with Streaks and MLas. Let's me put in an XL 360, and load up on ammo and max armor, and JJs, without issue. I use it to bully anything that is lower than me weight wise. Also, because of my speed, I can fulfill the role of a flanker easily, and in team fights your allies will appreaciate those 5 streaks showing up out of nowhere to rip into their target. Along wiht lasers.

[IraqiWalker]

Tahribator, on 07 February 2014 - 04:20 AM, said:

By "underrated" I understand "potent, but needs significant experience and skill to be efficient with". Commandos, Blackjacks, Trebuchets, Hunchbacks, Centurions, Dragons, Quickdraws, Thunderbolts, Orions, Awesomes and Battlemasters fall into this category.

What these mechs share in common is that they're missile and laser heavy mechs, and mostly brawlers. Running lasers and missiles in current PPC/Ballistic meta is definitely like rowing against the current, you will have to rely on your piloting skills and outsmarting your opponents to be effective. Not to mention missile/laser combos are incredibly hot, plagued by SRM hit registration issues and generally have bad synergy.

In my opinion there are only two "utterly bad" mechs in this game. The first one is Locust, suffering from unbearable leg hitboxes. The second one is the old cheese king Raven, again suffering from glass leg syndrome. I think a light mech which is essentially on a leg timer is one of the worst things you can pilot in this game. It's not fun, it's unfair. That's why 2xERLL Ravens are so popular right now, because staying away from the battlefield is the only way these mechs can protect their legs.

You need to drop with me. I do lights almost exclusively, and pilot pretty much nothing but commandos nowadays. Trust me it's hella fun. I also brawl with my my mech (2D with ML and 3 SSRMs), even against bigger mechs. You just need a pilot with the proper mentality to pilot a light mech correctly. Lights are not for everyone, they require a specific style of play and attitude, that's why I emphasize on new players to start in the medium mech bracket, where they can branch from easily once they figure out what they like.

My engagement range is 250Meters at max(don't fire SSRMs at 270 that's a waste) and I not only survive late into the game, but usually dish out more than 500 damage. The only thing limiting me from dealing more is usually that I run out of ammo after firing almost non stop for 10+ minutes. Funny thing is, piloting the locust made me a better commando pilot.


Speaking of which, the Locust is another underrated mech. Because people try to play them in conventional ways, they end up exploding early and that's why the Locust gets a bad rap. I like the 1V best, with the 4MGs it's the oerfect clean up mech, small nimble and pretty dang hard to hit. As long as you realize your job is to finish people off, and not wade into the fray, you'll survive long, and get many kills and assists (if you get even one assault mech killed that 85+ tons traded for your 20 and that's a good trade any day of the week). The 3M on the other hand is a quick and nimble beast that can dish out insane amounts of damage for it's tonnage. Either go with 5SPLs, no AMS, or 3MLs and 2 AMS, the former is your brawler set up, and the latter is your escort set up.


The Locust is /bad/ in that it requires a lot of skill to pilot, and patience while you farm for your elite bonus. Once you get that, you can unload on the enemy and watch them go mad wondering how a 20 ton mech tore through them like that.

[Itsalrightwithme]

Terciel1976, on 06 February 2014 - 12:41 PM, said:

Underrated? JR7-K. I have often heard "crap," "awful," "terrible," etc. used to describe it. Nonsense. While it was always the least good of the three Jenners, it was always good (top 5-6 light IMO). It just wasn't as outstanding as its siblings. And with strikes getting major buffs, now its extra module slot narrows the gap further.

Among the Jenners this is definitely the case, but among all lights and for the purpose of having many module slots it's hard to argue against the Raven 3L with its generous module slots and ECM. However, the Raven doesn't have JJs. To the Raven's advantage, the arm position makes it much easier to do peek-shooting with ERLL.

I've played around with Jenner Ks running 4xMPuls, but it's damn hot. Maybe 2xMPuls 2xMLas, but different recycle times make it hard to dog-fight. I wish I could find a config that fits me so that I could have JJs and those module slots though!

[Jelik]

I've gotta agree with Modo and say the Orion. Can get a very handsome performance out of the K and across the variants there's a great variety of hardpoints. You just can't get too cocky. It can be a bit squishy and the side torsos can really suffer but if you play it right, don't try and tank like an assault it can lay down a hell of a lot of pretty maneouverable firepower.