16 replies to this topic

[Gryphon187]

Hi everyone. New player here. I bought my first Battlemech (GRF-1N). Now how do I work to improve it? Also, how do I swap out weapons etc... and increase the speed? Thanks.

[Bigbacon]

first step would be to go here
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...echlab#modified

click the dropdown where it says "no mech selected" and find your variant and play around with it.

in the game, you configure everything in the mech lab. so click mechlab then click configure under the picture of the mech you want to mess with.

Hopefully you've been saving C-bills because you'll need in order to buy new equipment.


pretty sad stock layout though. unless you've got the bills, i'd just stick with the engine that it comes with (STD 275)

add endo steel to free up some tonnage and mess around. I would most likely double heat sink that thing also.

Edited by Bigbacon, 08 May 2014 - 10:22 AM.

[Redshift2k5]

Here is a brief guide to using the user interface, including the mechlab



Increasing your speed requires you to increase the engine, which means you'll need to free up some additional weight capacity by utilizing other upgrades such as adding Endo Steel or sitching to Double Heat Sinks (both can be added in the Upgrades section of the mechlab). Engines & upgrades are not cheap!

You will also get a speed boost by unlocking the speed tweak mech skill, which is part of the Elite mech skills, which requires you to own 3 mechs of a chassis and complete all the basic skills on those mechs. You still have a long way to go before you get to the Elite skills.

It would help to have an idea of what you intend to build, so using a site like Smurfy (which Big Bacon linked above) will allow you to construct your ideal mech and experiment with different configurations, as well as allow you to share your ideas so we can help you.

Edited by Redshift2k5, 08 May 2014 - 10:23 AM.

[Gryphon187]

Thank you for the input. I will go to smurfys and work on it. I know it isn't the best "mech. I want to work up to the 3M version. Figured I had to start with the weakest chassis and go up from there. Anyway I like the challenge of trying to take a non-popular mech and becoming a good warrior in it.

[Iqfish]

A Griffin can be amazingly deadly.

Never underestimate a good pilot with a Battlemech.
I saw players doing top damage in Awesomes aka Barn Doors.

Griffins are "competetively used" mechs, that says all.
(That means big and mostly good units use it in their tournaments)

Edited by Iqfish, 08 May 2014 - 11:48 AM.

[Alaskan Nobody]

One thing to add - if you are new there are a couple things to keep an eye on - such as the xp mechanics (mechs get much deadlier after you have "mastered" them)

Other very useful guides can be found listed here

Plus - any short questions you have, we have a thread just for answering those (and we are semi-fine with people asking what has already been asked - there are a lot of pages to dig through )

[Modo44]

The Griffins are pretty strong, actually. They can pack heavy energy weapons, lots of streaks, or big LRM volleys in good configurations. Their torso twist allows them to shoot directly behind the mech -- something only a few chassis are capable of. Just stay away from SRMs for now as their hit registration can be very bad. Consider this as a basic upgrade to your stock mech.

[Motörhead]

I would test if SRM work for you after patch.
for me they did and they are really funny.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...a5f29883665ddd1

Other then that Modo build is really good and long lasting with the STD engine.
Personally, I'm not a streak person, but with the STD275 it looks pretty much the best non SRM loadout.

But the 2PPC setup is highly reccomended to start with, with the SRM you need to be really close to the ostile mechs and know the maps, while you can keep distance with the PPCs.

And when you want to get closer you can keep the same build with 2 LPL.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...d7efb6c916dca16

Edited by fx8320, 08 May 2014 - 12:27 PM.

[Koniving]

Gryphon187, on 08 May 2014 - 11:25 AM, said:

Thank you for the input. I will go to smurfys and work on it. I know it isn't the best "mech. I want to work up to the 3M version. Figured I had to start with the weakest chassis and go up from there. Anyway I like the challenge of trying to take a non-popular mech and becoming a good warrior in it.

You have a great point. Going from the worst to the best makes it a much more thrilling experience than going from the best to the worst. In this particular case I still would have gone with the 3M first for the type of engine it has feels almost necessary. I myself love the Cataphracts, but the 3D (the best one) is the last one on my list. Same with the Atlas D-DC. But for the Griffins, the 3M has the best starting point.

Now, while the SHK 5M and the Wolverine 7K have the best starting points, it actually doesn't mean much they are the best. The best SHK is debateable (2d2 in my opinion but I prefer to make those once I've owned every single one), but the 5M is pretty much the worst assortment of hardpoints.

That said, the 1S is the worst Griffin in my opinion, using it is quite a struggle. The 1-N has a solid, even number of hardpoints and the entire left side can be used as a shield.

On to builds.
Here's a pretty basic, very cheap idea.
Very cool running, very easy to acquire, pretty cheap in general.
It's 3 medium lasers and 3 streaks, with the upgrades endo steel, DHS, and it has a BAP installed to counter ECM mechs. Very well padded to keep your weapons alive long after you're dead. Not that it matters then, but it's better than weapons dying before you do.
For more range on the missile department.
Changes the Streaks for LRMs. It's a fast assortment of launchers. Nothing incredible but great for 'stealing' some credit for kills and assists, especially if you keep your distance or use it to pepper enemies before getting close.
And for more range on the laser department while keeping good close defense. Lets you keep the range fight, but also enables you to hunt enemy light mechs at your leisure with the streaks.

Enable Artemis whenever possible in the near future if it doesn't hinder you too much (cut down launcher counts and get bigger tube counts instead).

A combination of streaks and lasers is NOT badly impacted by jump fighting, and Griffins are great at leaping fights. Just don't chain fire the streaks like I did.

Modo's build is also really good, but you'll need to be very watchful of your heat. It'd be a good training exercise in heat management and you can use BACKSPACE to set your PPCs to chain fire (one at a time) to help with the heat when it's high. My own builds focused on endurance, as I typically find myself fighting 1 against 2 to 3 enemies at a time, and outperforming them even on the hottest maps in terms of heat management is always a high priority for me.

Edited by Koniving, 08 May 2014 - 05:11 PM.

[Barkem Squirrel]

One thing to note.

If you buy the GRF-3M, it comes with a 275XL engine. It is cheaper to buy the XL engines in a mech than from the mech lab. Not all the times, but sometimes there are XL engines in one the mechs for each chassis.

You can run this as a streak boat, or LRM boat.

Or you can mix 2 SSRMS with an LRM 20.

Just remember that after finishing the elite pilot skills your basic skills are doubled. After that you can run away from a target and almost shoot it.

Edited by Barkem Squirrel, 08 May 2014 - 01:11 PM.

[Mainerd]

Unless that mech is piloted by me.

[Marvyn Dodgers]

Koniving, on 08 May 2014 - 12:23 PM, said:

Going from the worst to the best makes it a much more thrilling experience than going from the worst to the best.

Okay, I know I confuse easily, but isn't this contradictory?

[Koniving]

Marvyn Dodgers, on 08 May 2014 - 04:44 PM, said:

Okay, I know I confuse easily, but isn't this contradictory?

It is, unless you're dyslexic.

Or Polish, in which case you'd read one backwards. Or Koniving, where you get tied up in your own words.

[Denolven]

Gryphon187, on 08 May 2014 - 11:25 AM, said:

Anyway I like the challenge of trying to take a non-popular mech and becoming a good warrior in it.

The Griffin is fine. If you are looking for challenges, the following ones are probably alot tougher; most people would call them underpowered. The Locust is screwed by the 10-heatsink-rule, the Spider 5V by the lack of weaponry in a game that only allows fighting, and the others by their size:

Locust (light)
Spider 5V
Trebuchet (medium)
Dragon (heavy)
Quickdraw (heavy)
Awesome (assault)

Spoiler

The Trebuchet 5J is the mech that taught me the game (after finding out that there is no such thing as scouting in this game, which I usually do). It was the first one that got me a triple digit damage count and it's still one of my favourite mechs, although with the amount of lights rising, I rarely play it these days (same with Blackjack). Unless I pack half a dozen streaks, or mysteriously get godlike aim and an AC20, anything is able to kill me. Lights simply because I can't hit them, everything else because it has more firepower and armor.

And yet I manage to get a positive win-lose-ratio, with average damage around 100 (200 with missiles). Now imagine I could actually fight anything - I would be so badass
Sucks to be me I guess...

[Modo44]

Koniving, on 08 May 2014 - 05:12 PM, said:

Or Polish, in which case you'd read one backwards.

I wonder how many people got that one.

[Joseph Mallan]

Koniving, on 08 May 2014 - 05:12 PM, said:

It is, unless you're dyslexic.

Or Polish, in which case you'd read one backwards. Or Koniving, where you get tied up in your own words.

Talk to me. I'm half Polish, Half Irish, And adopted by an Italian and a Chek!

[Gryphon187]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their responses to my post. All the information is valuable to me. I want to give a big shout out to Redshift25k for posting the video tutorial. That is exactly what I was looking for. Also thanks everyone for not making fun of my choice of Battlemech. Constructive critiques are always wanted and encouraged. From reading other posts I surmise that the Griffin seems to be a Love it / Hate it "mech. I am looking forward to the challenge of mastering it. So watch out on the Battlefield! On a side note, To all the people who have developed this game and continue to support / update it: THANK YOU! This game takes everything about Battlemechs to the Nth degree. It is a very challenging and intellectual game. I can tell you now, that I am going to enjoy this game for many years to come.