23 replies to this topic

[rocketgamecorner]

So i started this game about 8 months ago, but got tired of it kicking my ass, so i quit. I got good help from some pros in this forum, but it wasn't enough. I decided to come back to this game, and need help again.
I still play poorly. I rarely get kills, and die really quickly. I'm currently using the centurion CN9-AL, and have8 double heat sinks, an std 235 engine, double small pulse lasers, ER PPC and an AMS. Should i change anything? Any other tips? Any help is appreciated!

[Alaskan Nobody]

Couldn't really give gameplay advice right now - but I could share several builds I have found to (personally) work well with that chassis...

[Xoxim SC]

I use a large pulse laser in my CT, 2 mediums in my arm for my AL. Hang way in the back until the fighting begins, then charge like a bat outta hell.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...6c9527091cddc2f

If you're not good at heat management, replace the missiles with heat sinks.

Edited by Todd Lightbringer, 25 April 2014 - 04:22 PM.

[Ruhkil]

your build is fine the only tweaks i would personally make is to swap out the ppc for an ER large laser since the dmg is almost the same and the weight and heat are less. use the weight saved on the ppc to upgrade the two small pulse lasers to medium lasers (not medium pulse just medium lasers) use any remaining weight for armor or heatsinks(or if possible an srm or machinegun).

try to max armor on CT and legs if you are running short of weight or just try to get max armor everywhere and practice torso twisting to avoid dmg.

your best bet would be to find an LRM boat on your team and stick with him. His long range punch combined with your maneuverability and brawling ability should help you both do better. You can also spot for him so he can lurm from safety.

also upgrade to endosteel as well as the DHS if you have not already done so.
read your earlier post get rid of FF the weight savings from the FF to the endosteel swap should enable you to get another weapon system on your mech.

Edited by Ruhkil, 25 April 2014 - 04:21 PM.

[SethAbercromby]

Depends on what you feel uncomfortable with.

Are you too close in your enemies' faces or do you get ganked often? Remember to stick with your team and don't isolate yourself too far from the match or the lights will get you.

Are you overheating too much? ERPPCs are extremely hot. Consider using a standard PPC and use the SPLs to avoid lights abusing that deadzone.

Are you not comfortable with you build? Switch it up then. The meta is a nice thing but not everyone will enjoy that kind of play stye. Experiment with new builds (Smurfy is your friend) and see what suits you best.

[Rasc4l]

rocketgamecorner, on 25 April 2014 - 03:33 PM, said:

I still play poorly. I rarely get kills, and die really quickly. I'm currently using the centurion CN9-AL, and have8 double heat sinks, an std 235 engine, double small pulse lasers, ER PPC and an AMS. Should i change anything? Any other tips? Any help is appreciated!

Without going into specifics of your particular mech or build, I would just comment that in the beginning and actually still at least to me after thousands of matches (I might be a slow learner :), one of the biggest challenges still is to position yourself correctly in the battlefield - in the context of the current tactical situation.

I'm still many times running head long into the enemy when the correct choice was to exersize some patience. This is still the biggest learning point for me, regardless of the mech. (well of course correct positioning is dependent on the mech build you run but to learn what is good for a certain build just takes drops after drops after drops.

[Ertur]

As a medium you don't want to be alone, ever. Find some heavy and/or assaults to pair up with. While waiting for your weapons to cycle and heat to drop, be sure to show your left arm to the enemy.
I'm personally not that good with PPC's myself, I tend to use ERLLas instead of PPC; but that's a matter of taste.

[IraqiWalker]

Here are a few things you can do to improve your chances of surviving in this game.

But before that: Is your mech Elited? Have you unlocked upgrades for it in the skill tree for mechs? Without those upgrades you are operating at sub-par performance from your mech.

1- Avoid open plains, and use cover
2- Stick with the group
3- Hit the closest target with a solid triangle over them, as that means other people are locked on to them

Those three points are general. For Chassis specific advise I have the following for you:
1- Max armor (or almost max, your shield arm can do without some armor)

2- Improve your torso twisting, the Centurion line is famous for being the single hardest mech to put down. That is achieved with properly twisting while your weapons charge and the enemy is firing at you. You spread the damage, and it looks like you can't be killed

3- Slap some LRM5s or 10s in there if you want some long range poke that almost always guarantees you assists for delicious XP and C-Bill farm. Could even net you some long range kills.

4- Never lead the charge, be in the second or third line of the assault, use your speed and mobility to shoot people in the face, while only allowing them to shoot you in the shield arm.

I'll try and post a few builds for you with the 9-AL, I remember a famous one being the Da Beamwang

It's maneuverable, but not as survivable as STD engine mech, but it can be a real pain to deal with.

[Koniving]

rocketgamecorner, on 25 April 2014 - 03:33 PM, said:

So i started this game about 8 months ago, but got tired of it kicking my ass, so i quit. I got good help from some pros in this forum, but it wasn't enough. I decided to come back to this game, and need help again.
I still play poorly. I rarely get kills, and die really quickly. I'm currently using the centurion CN9-AL, and have8 double heat sinks, an std 235 engine, double small pulse lasers, ER PPC and an AMS. Should i change anything? Any other tips? Any help is appreciated!

Your build so you know has (less than 250 but 225 or greater, so 10 - 1 = 9 DHS in the engine) + 8 DHS for 17 DHS. I'll skip the math though. Basically you're doing good but if you could get to a 250 engine or better, you'd be in tip-top shape in the cooling department.

Much as I love small pulse lasers (and I ~Love~ them!), you aren't carrying enough to make them worth while. Consider 2 medium lasers or 1 medium pulse. The ER PPC is pretty good if you plan to keep fighting at range. Though it is pretty decent up close too.

What really matters here is your armor allocation. At a 235 engine speed isn't your friend and the same is true for getting too close to the fight. That said, if you channel even more of your armor to the front you can withstand direct fire quite a bit longer -- so long as you don't turn your back.

I'm assuming that if we traded your SPL it'd be something like this.

A shift to this will help you against any light swarms and allow you to protect other heavier mechs nearby you while still allowing you to sharp shoot effectively. When they get too close, just go streaks and MPL and you'll be able to run almost eternally without overheating. Use the left arm as a sacrificial lamb, but when it comes down to it it's better to lose the right side than the left with these added weapons.

But for the truly psychotic, this is what I'm running.

Edited by Koniving, 25 April 2014 - 04:49 PM.

[Spheroid]

You don't have enough raw firepower. Single ER PPCs have their place but not on frontline mediums.

Here is what I am running. Doesn't matter that it is slow, it has toughness and the ability to engage at most ranges.

200 STD
Endo
AMS
2x mlas
2x LLAS
2x SRM4
14 DHS

Edited by Spheroid, 25 April 2014 - 10:01 PM.

[IraqiWalker]

Spheroid, on 25 April 2014 - 06:36 PM, said:

You don't have enough raw firepower. Single ER PPCs have their place but not on frontline mediums.

Here is what I am running. Doesn't matter that it is slow, it has toughness and the ability to engage at most ranges.

200 STD
Endo
AMS
2x mlas
2x LLAS
2x SRM4
14 DHS

Nice set up, but he doesn't need to be a frontline mech. His set up allows him to work as the rear line, or even skirt the edges of the field picking people off, while relying on the slender frame of the Centurion.

[Spheroid]

@Iraqi. One PPC isn't going to do squat. This isn't a Cicada-3M that can take unlimited pot shots and reposition. If the enemy returns fire, he is going to die. You need to kill them before they kill you.

[IraqiWalker]

Spheroid, on 25 April 2014 - 06:49 PM, said:

@Iraqi. One PPC isn't going to do squat. This isn't a Cicada-3M that can take unlimited pot shots and reposition. If the enemy returns fire, he is going to die. You need to kill them before they kill you.

I know, that's why we're suggesting builds, however, if he likes the set up he has, we need to give him tips on how to make it work for him. Where's the fun in playing a build that isn't yours and feels uncomfortable, when you can run your own crazy set up that is fun and comfortable.

[xX PUG Xx]

I have a secondary account that has a CN9-AL as the primary 'Mech and it is a GOOD 'Mech. The thing you have to have at the back of your mind for ANY build is -:

What is this 'Mech's strengths and what can it do?

Mediums in general are brawlers or as I prefer to describe them, skirmishers. They do not have the armour to go toe to toe with most 'Mech's but they can move around, spread damage and generally disrupt the enemy team. The best bet for using a Medium 'Mech is to drop in a team and work as such, sticking to he background of the main firing line and harassing the enemy firing line. Then as the battle develops try an single out targets, if you spot something that is heavily damaged; make life unpleasant for him.

However DO NOT stand toe to toe, keep moving. Mobility is your friend, shoot and move, rinse and repeat. Work on your focus fire, if you see a damaged section on an enemy, keep trying to hit it. Even with ML's you will find pieces of enemy 'Mech's getting blown off in short order.

I would say to anyone, if you are having a hard time find a group (either a House unit or a Merc corp.) and you will get good advice, good builds to help you out and in game you will (mostly) find that you will do better due to co-operative tactics.

Edited by xX PUG Xx, 25 April 2014 - 08:29 PM.

[SethAbercromby]

Mediums generally excel at flexibility. They have good mobility and can take a few hits before going down, which allows them to fill into almost any role and, with less focused jack of all trades builds, can even go as far as to be able to fill almost any role, whichever is the most effective at the given time. The medium class is the least bound by certain role archetypes, though tonnage and armor restrictions do apply.

[Buckminster]

rocketgamecorner, on 25 April 2014 - 03:33 PM, said:

I still play poorly. I rarely get kills, and die really quickly

Let me leave this here:

• 1716 games on record
  
• 807 wins, 909 losses
  
• 730 kills, 1200 deaths
  
• a KDR of .61

As someone that generally PUGs, the game is rough. It can be very frustrating, especially when you have that streak of 5-6 games where you just can't seem to do anything right. But then you have that game where it all comes together, and *heavenly music* you completely forget how awful things seemed.



Honestly, it's a big reason I don't sell anything. I've been running heavies a lot lately (trying to get my Thunderbolts mastered), but sometimes I just can't seem to do it. So I grab a different mech and let it rip, and that usually seems to be what it takes to snap me out of my losing streak.

As for what to do with your Cent, I don't like single ERPPCs. They tend to be way too hot for my taste, and just don't seem to have enough punch. I'd also try and make some use of those missile slots. Right now, once that arm is gone all you have is twin SPLs, and that just isn't much.

Edit: Also worth noting is that PPCs have the longest cooldown of all the energy weapons. That means that after each shot, you're a sitting duck for the next 4 seconds. It's a good idea to mix weapon types so that your cooldowns overlap.

Edited by Buckminster, 25 April 2014 - 07:52 PM.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

KDR, you say?

Look, I generally run about a .6-.7 KDR in my favorite mechs (JR7-D/D(S), RVN-3L). It's pathetic.

Last weekend, I decided to throw down on a CPLT-J "Jester". Running 1.08 in it. 1.58 in the CPLT-K2, and 5.00 in the CPLT-C1.

Why tell you that? I didn't think I'd like a heavy mech with a BIG CT hit box and big, squishy arms. The thing's got a weak torso pitch, and the twist ain't that great either. And, it's a heavy. I'm not used to going slow.

Turns out, that's a good thing (so far). I didn't expect to like these CPLTs. I do. A LOT.

So, if you're not getting the performance you want from the CN9, you might consider getting out of it and into something else.

That's all I can really say about that. That, and feel free to look me up in-game. My teammates and I would be glad to do some 4-man drops with you, and we might all learn something from one another. I'm sure most everyone on this forum would say the same, too, and mean it. Doesn't mean you have to become a competitive player, put in 6 hours of practice every day (8 on Saturday), etc. Just look up the folks that are being helpful on the forum, maybe catch up on TeamSpeak if you can, and we'll know soon enough if it's you or your mech that's holding you back.

Good luck, mechwarrior!

[Roosterfish]

rocket, just going off what you have listed you could do this without to large an outlay of cbills.

2 ERLLas in the arm, keep the small pulses or 2 MLas in the chest, 2 SRM4's in the left torso with one ton of ammo somewhere, keep the ams and same engine, and put in 3 double heatsinks somewhere. This would leave you 1.9 tons with endosteel to play around with, this is with full armor everywhere so you could easily have 2 more tons.

Edit- for whatever reason my link to smurfy's ain't working tonight.

Edited by Roosterfish, 25 April 2014 - 08:45 PM.

[Ertur]

The other theory crafters may object, but maybe something like this may work better for you. Again, stick close to heavies and assaults. Engage with things from point-blank to 270m with everything, up to 600m with the arm. 3 weapons groups: arm, CT, SRMs. Be mindful of heat.

CN9-AL 1xLPlsLas 3xMLas 2xSRM4

[Alaskan Nobody]

Ertur, on 25 April 2014 - 09:38 PM, said:

The other theory crafters may object, but maybe something like this may work better for you.

I run similar to that but swap the 3rd ML for a tag, and the SRM4 for LRM5s.

Makes a strong LRMskirmisher