36 replies to this topic

[foyrkopp]

Greetings Mechwarriors

having just elited my HBK 4-SP and being in the process of finishing P & G I've been starting to think on what my next chassis should be.

As of now, the playstyle I have adapted with decent success is that of a fast medium brawler: Wait for the right moment, rush in guns blazing, know when to fight it out, know when to run. Especially the "right moment" and "know when to X" parts have been a steep learning curve, but by now I'm having fun.

My second 'Mech should offer some variation from that - I'm gonna keep my Hunchies for when the urge hits.

I am not willing to pay real cash for anything besides MechBays.

I am not willing to play a poptart.

I am sceptical about playing assault (maybe Victor, because he's said to have considerable mobility).

I am sceptical about builds that won't work pre-XL, because saving up for that is a pain. I am willing to work with a build that improves with an XL but is playable before.


So - advice, experiences? Surely I'm not the first one to have started out with a Hunchback?


See you in the field
foyrkopp

[PhoenixFire55]

I'd suggest ShadowHawks. Recent tourney shows that they are probably a best medium currently. You'll be able to experience a concept of brawling with jump jets without changing your playing style much as SH are practically same as Hunchbacks in many ways.

[PremithiumX]

Hunchies were my first, also, way back in closed beta. After that I moved on to Catapults, because it offered an entirely different experience. You could consider that. Cataphracts are popular for their ACs, and many great builds don't require XL engines. Those are my two recommendations for you.

[Dagon Zur]

I will suggest some mechs which make good use of your Hunchback acquired skills (brawling, hit-and-run, flanking, right?) and at the same time give you something new...

So..

if you go heavy::

- Orion. All variants are quite good, runs great with STD engine, which makes it cheaper out-of-the-box. It can fill the role of a secondary brawler like HBK quite well, as well as other roles exept poptart. No JJs on Orions..

- Cataphrakt - all variants are viable and the "3D" has JJs (probably the best heavy mech in MWO), you can play them as brawler (STD) or support (XL), great at both roles.

- Quickdraw, very underrated mech that shines in hands of a good pilot . Very fast, XL friendly, all variants have JJs, but no ballistics... This is my heavy class flanker/striker of choice.

if you go mobile (JJs):

- Wolverine, Griffin, Shadowhawk, You can outfit/play them as a slightly bigger HBK with JJs..
- Trebuchet if you want a challenging chassis (more frail than HBK, but faster and XL friendly)

if you go light:

- Firestarter, has arms, JJs, huge firepower for a light..probably the best transition from medium to light class.
- Commando, weaker but faster and more agile than FS. (If you master the Commando - Jenners and Firestarters will feel like cheating..)


My opinion: in the long run, Commando, Trebuchet , Quickdraw will make you a better pilot..


Good luck

[Takashi Uchida]

Would definitely recommend the Shadowhawk as well. They can mount a lot of similar builds to the Hunchback, but with more speed and maneuverability as every model features jump jets. If you want to mix it up a bit, the Shadowhawk-5M has quite a few serviceable sniper builds. You may, however, find the Shadowhawk play style to be too similar to what you were doing with Hunchbacks.

If you want mechs that do well with standard engines, the first thing that comes to my mind are the Centurions. These mechs are well known for their durability in the field and the ability to become "zombies," or keep fighting after they've lost both arms, and sometimes even both torsos. Since you have logged a good amount of time in Hunchbacks, you are likely comfortable with twisting right to protect your big guns. The Centurion features a similar mechanic in that it was a no-weapon "shield" as it's left arm. My only caveat is that once again, Shadowhawks can fill any of their roles just as well if not better.

If you're thinking about going light, you will unfortunately most likely need an XL to bring a light mech anywhere near it's full potential.

Heavies may offer you more variety in your experience. If you're willing to save up a bit, certain models such as the Cataphract-3D, Jagermech-DD, and Orion-M come with XLs. They are, of course, significantly more costly than the other models, but it's a good way to pick up an XL in the process. You will probably want an XL for Jagers, but many Cataphract brawler builds do just fine without one. And as with the hunchback, the weapons tend to be concentrated on the right side.

I'm fairly new to the game myself and I've have not yet owned an assault. Of course, many assaults are pretty expensive themselves, and you may spend the same amount as would buying a light + an xl engine.

[Turist0AT]

Why not a light brawler? Firestarter seems to fit your playstyle perfectly.

Effective vs heavier oponets. Requers good knowlage of "when to X" the knowlage you just lerned in your hunchie. And its cheap.

I strongly recomend this mech for you.


if you want to be heavy and be a fastbrawler your firepower will still be of a medium and youll be less mobile(most of the times). Because you compensate with a big engine to keep up the speed.

P.S Im a heavy pilot. Main playstyle, very slow brawler.

Edited by Turist0AT, 06 March 2014 - 06:13 AM.

[Fuggles]

I would second orions, cataphracts, and firestarters. Orions are great with a std motor but are still viable with a xl later on (for longer range builds). Phracts run either but do better with a xl. Good news is the 3d comes with a xl280. Std 300 with an ac20 and medium lasers works good on the 1x and 3d though and the 2x can run a modified lookout with large lasers or missles.

Firestarters kind of need xls but the xl280 from the phract will work, and the xl295 isn't that expensive.

[Darwins Dog]

I'll throw in my +1 for shadowhawks. They offer the variety of builds to give you a taste of just about everything (long range fire support, SSRM light hunter, mobile LRM platform, poptart (should you ever desire to dabble it is a great way to find their weaknesses), and in a pinch you can go back to an AC/20 for a huchback with JJ. The only thing they don't excel at is energy weapons (1 or 2 hardpoints on each variant). They also come with 275 engines (one has an XL already) which pair nicely with your hunchbacks.

If you want to drive something bigger, I would recommend cataphracts or thunderbolts for brawling heavy mechs.

[Furiel]

I'm going to agree with an earlier poster suggesting Catapaults. The will offer you a completely different experience then your Hunchies. Two completely different experiences depending on which variants you were to go with. The A1, C1 and C4 are all missle boats but the K is more built for long range sniping with it's pair of high arm-mounted energy hardpoints, but it can also mix it up with balistic hardpoints in each side torso, so build options abound. All of them are XL friendly, but an XL is not required to be viable in any of them. The K lacks jump jets so there is no poptarting option with it as well. All 3 missile boats can mount JJs which give them some nice manueverability for getting their own missile locks.

[Redshift2k5]

Note that poptarting is more than the mech and it's loadout- it's also a playstyle. you can build the same mech but use it more agressively instead of hiding behind a rock for much of the match.

[RadioKies]

I started off with Hunchbacks also.

Strange no one said Jagermech yet. I love Jagermechs!
If you want a heavy Hunchback you should go for the quickdraw.
The Victor is an ok assault, but it's not as maneuvreable as you might think beforehand.

My recommended mech list:
Light: Firestarter/Jenner/Raven3L > Raven4x > other lights > Raven 2x
Medium: Shadowhawk > BlackJack
Heavy: Jagermech > Cataphract/Quickdraw > Catapult
Assault: Stalker > Victor > Highlander/Atlas

Be advised, Catapults are a whole diffirent class, It takes someone with good experience to pilot them.

@Mott
No, while mobile the Quickdraw isn't a good lrm support mech. It's more of a hit and run, annoy and brawl mech like the Huncback 4SP/4P. The quickdraw is mostly usefull for lasers/ppc's combined with ssrm/srm's and maybe with a small LRM launcher to do a bit of damage behind walls/hills or give people a LRM incoming warning.

For LRM support you should use the Catapults. If you want really good LRM support and don't mind beïng less mobile you should go for Stalkers. Stalkers have good LRM layouts/hardpoints/lrmtubes and they have multiple laser hardpoints to fight off mechs that dare to get in close. The Stalker 5M is pure ownage with multiple LRM15 (at least 3x) and 5medium lasers or 2 (non/er) large lasers combined with mlas.

Edited by RadioKies, 06 March 2014 - 11:08 AM.

[Mott]

I'm really looking for a mobile/quick LRM support mech... is the Quickdraw my best option?

I tooled around with LRMs on my HBK-4SP + STD55 engine the other night and really had a blast trying out LRMs for the first time... but wouldn't mind greater LRM payload than the HBK's 2xLRM10s.

I'm also eagerly awaiting the Wolverine... what will it's best LRM payload be?

[Koniving]

Mott, on 06 March 2014 - 09:06 AM, said:

I'm really looking for a mobile/quick LRM support mech... is the Quickdraw my best option?

I tooled around with LRMs on my HBK-4SP + STD55 engine the other night and really had a blast trying out LRMs for the first time... but wouldn't mind greater LRM payload than the HBK's 2xLRM10s.

I'm also eagerly awaiting the Wolverine... what will it's best LRM payload be?

Mentioned this a few times before. The Kintaro would have the best alpha strike potential (Out of all the variants the minimum number of 'max' tubes is 60). The Wolverine tops out at 30 in a single volley. The Griffin tops out at 50 LRMs in a single volley. Wolverine and Griffin perform similarly with a larger advantage to Griffins for LRMs and a larger advantage to Wolverines with other weapons.

For the greatest mobility with jumping, the Griffin is your route. For the greatest mobility on the ground, Kintaro is your mech.

Wolverine and Griffin in the same vid.

Griffin 3M.
Griffin 1N.

Kintaro 20.
Wolverine customizability. Shows the tubes as well as other things in the old UI.

My engines in these mechs is small. They go a LOT faster.

Edited by Koniving, 06 March 2014 - 12:24 PM.

[Turist0AT]

Mott, on 06 March 2014 - 09:06 AM, said:

I'm really looking for a mobile/quick LRM support mech

Sounds like Trebuchet to me.

[foyrkopp]

Thanks for all the advice so far. I'll keep thinking stuff over while finishing the Hunchie & saving some money.

While Jager & CTF in particular seem to be solid choices, there's just so many of them atm. I admit, I'd rather pick something that is good against them.


See you in the field
foyrkopp

[Koniving]

foyrkopp, on 06 March 2014 - 12:12 PM, said:

Thanks for all the advice so far. I'll keep thinking stuff over while finishing the Hunchie & saving some money.
See you in the field
foyrkopp

Orions are reasonably uncommon. As are Thunderbolts. Once LRMs get whatever tweaks that are coming up (something about more speed?) then maybe Trebuchets -- the rarest of all mechs.

[Koniving]

RadioKies, on 06 March 2014 - 08:51 AM, said:

I started off with Hunchbacks also.

Since everyone's saying what they began with, I had the luxury of access to one of each of the four original mechs. My first two matches were with the Jenner, my experience with an Atlas was wonky, and I became real proficient with the Hunchback and Catapult. Catapult first. By the time I got the Founders package I had already experienced a variant of all 4 mechs. (Funny enough the Jenner D and the Hunchback 4G were not playable to non-founders for lengthy while and later added).

I've been systematically going through each mech since. With 92 currently (and more than 30 sold) I'm currently working on Griffins, Wolverines, Trebs, Shadowhawks, and Kintaros.

[Bront]

The Jenner or Firestarter might be a good option. While both really need an XL to shine, the XL + Mech is similar to the price of some heavies and assaults alone, and you can share the engine.

Victors are OK with standard engines, but work better with XLs IMHO.

Thunderbolts work well with standard engines and brawl ok, but I think the Orion might be a better fit if you want to go heavy.

Cent isn't a bad way to go either, particularly if you got the free one. The Cent-D even comes with a precious XL300.

[foyrkopp]

That might explain why both Orion and Thunderbolt seem interesting to me^^

A TDB-build inspired by the HBK-4P has been rolling around in my head for a while now, but I don't know whether it would be viable.


See you in the field
foyrkopp

[Koniving]

Seems hot but doable. I usually do the LT lasers as smalls for heat efficiency. This vid's the last one I uploaded with heavy laser fighting using a Thunderbolt.