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[Sandpit]

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

This will not be a single post. It will be added to and restructured as my time permits.

Before I start, please keep in mind this is meant to be a VERY basic building guide for new players. I know everyone has their own flavor and styles when it comes to customizing mechs and loadouts. Also keep in mind that while this is pretty basic and somewhat generic information it mostly focuses on I.S. mechs, a lot of the information will carry over but there will be some specific things that will only pertain to I.S. mechs (like engine selection)

If it catches enough interest I will update and edit as needed. If you have anything to add please do not hesitate but anything off-topic will immediately be reported. This is to help other players, not discuss PGI, development, etc. This is purely for informational purposes. If you disagree with something I've stated as a matter of opinion, that's fine, but this isn't about the "best" way to do something. This is just how I develop and build mechs, it's a highly subjective area and everyone will have their own opinions on it. If you think you have a "better" way to do it, cool, the start topic button is located up top in the right-hand corner

Now with that said, I'm not the end all be all of anything regarding this game. I consider myself a slightly above average player, I maintain positive KDRs in most of my builds and have carried a positive W/L for most of my career as a warrior of the Inner Sphere. With that said, if you see something that I simply have wrong, as in a factual mistake, please point it out so I can correct it. Remember this is all about helping other players so keep it constructive.

This will be a pretty lengthy post so I will be posting and editing a lot. I want to cover each weight class separately but within the same thread so I will be using 4 placeholder posts after this one. One each for Lights, mediums, heavies, and assaults. I will also be posting links to build in Smurfy to help illustrate how I build mechs and the process and end result.

I'm only doing that to help with cohesion and ease of reading so I don't have a light section that has 30 replies to it, then the mediums, so on and so forth. If you have any questions or comments please don't hesitate to reply or PM me.
GL&GH warriors

NOTE: This will (hopefully) be under constant revision and as I obtain more use with the clan mechs I will also include a guide for them as well. I have decided to break the weight classes up into separate "role" posts for ease of reading and make it easier for players to find info on specific build archetypes and weight classes.

Now that the fine print is out of the way, let's begin!

One of the first things to consider after choosing your weight class and chassis will be deciding how to outfit said mech with engines, armor, weapons, heatsinks, etc.

This will depend primarily on your own personal taste but there are a few simple things that can help guide you in taking that first step. I will be giving examples of "good" and "bad" build. That is to say I will (hopefully) show the difference between a mech that is poorly optimized versus one that maximizes its potential.

One of the first decisions you will often find yourself making is the choice between standard or XL engines. Both have their pros and cons and each can be viable depending on the build. A few things to note. There is no difference in rating between a standard engine and its XL counterpart. a 200 standard engine will give the same speed ratings as a 200 XL engine. Engine ratings determine how fast your mech will go. The higher the rating, the higher your mech's top speed will be. A mech with a damaged engine cannot move at full speed and can even be destroyed if the engine takes enough damage. That is where the similarities end though...

Standard engines:
Standard engines are the "standard" (see what I did there? lol) I.S. engine. With a few exceptions these are the most common engines you will find in stock mechs. These engines offer compact size at the cost of extra weight. All critical slots are held within the center torso making it more durable than XLs. If you are designing a mech that will more than likely be involved in prolonged engagements with the enemy or putting itself in harm's way more often than not, this may be the answer for you.
You will have to decide if the longevity of having a more compact engine is worth the trade-off of extra weight when making this choice.

XL Engines:
XL Engines are much lighter than their standard counterparts. This means you can slide in a much bigger engine without sacrificing overall weight for higher top speeds. You will, however, sacrifice longevity and space for this. XL engines are housed in all 3 torso locations. This means that instead of having only 3 hit locations available to enemies, you will have 9 hit locations that are vulnerable to damage. If you lose a side torso, your mech will be destroyed. You can achieve much faster speeds with much lower weight costs though so again, it becomes more a matter of your intended role and playstyle when choosing which engine to go with.
*Personal note: I am attempting to keep this as objective as possible but I would like to insert a personal note here.

When I am building a mech, if it is a build that will be engaging the enemy and taking damage on a regular basis from medium to short range, I prefer standard engines. Side torsos carry less armor and therefore provide less protection to XL engines. If you are considering a build that will be soaking up damage regularly or will be considered a "priority target" I always suggest trying to build around standard engines.

If you are looking for a build that will not be standing toe-to-toe with enemy forces such as fire support, recon, hunter, or scout builds, this is where XL engines can really shine. They allow a player to still maintain mobility. They also allow players to save on weight which can be used for more armor, firepower, ammo, etc.

Edited by Sandpit, 06 July 2014 - 10:42 AM.

[Sandpit]

Scouts:

Ok so here we go!


Lights are the cheapest and easiest mechs to get into as you start your mechwarrior career. The mistake many pilots make is thinking this makes them "easier" to use. They are actually one of, if not the most difficult weight class to master. Speed and mobility are generally the only thing that keep light mechs from a quick and painful death.

Without their speed and mobility, the often paper thin armor of a light mech can be shredded in one to two volleys of anything heavier than another light mech. There are a few exceptions of course and we will be covering that throughout this post.

The first thing to consider when putting ANY mech together is role. What exactly are you wanting this mech to do? Are you wanting a brawler? Do you want to sit back and snipe? Do you want to scout and recon enemy positions? This is the most important aspect in my opinion. You can have the world's greatest build but if you try to use it outside of its intended role it may very well flounder on the battlefield. A fire-support LRM mech isn't going to do well if they are rushed by enemy forces who quickly move under your effective range. A brawler isn't going to do well no matter how much armor and firepower you're carrying if you blindly charge in against a few support mechs that pick you off before you get into your effective range.

So again, the first step should always be "What am I going to use this mech for?"

In the case of lights there are 3 major roles I look at when building a mech.

Scouting: This one is pretty straightforward. Scouting ahead of your forces to locate and report back on enemy positions and movement. You may be covering the entire map in the first few minutes of a match so speed should always be the first consideration here.

Harasser: This one gets a little more "murky". For the purposes of this thread I'll define Harasser as a hit and run style mech. You'll want to carry a decent amount of firepower while still keeping your speed and armor and optimal levels as well. Since you'll actively be attacking enemy targets that are much bigger than you, you'll want to be able to pop up, hit them hard, and move quickly to a new position.

Squirrel Hunter: In this role you are your "big brothers'" best friend. This mech is designed to ensure the enemy harassers don't distract or interfere with the heavier mechs on your team from taking out the other big boys on the field. Speed isn't as important in this role but still a consideration as you'll want to be able to at least chase other lights out of your "command" area where your main force is located. I say speed is less important because you do not always have to chase them down. Your job here is just to make sure they cannot tear up the rear armor of friendlies with impunity. You shouldn't stray too far from your main force in this roles unlike the other 2.

Now keep in mind this is a simplification of all the different roles a light mech can feel and I'll be touching on those as well. Consider these roles your college majors while the other "sub-roles" would be a minor. Sub-roles are what I consider "secondary" roles. You may have built a mech starting with one of the first three "major" roles but that doesn't mean the build can't excel in other areas as well. They key to building any mech is going to be finding a build that fits your distinct playstyle. There simply will never be a "best" build due to player skill being a major factor.

So let's start with a few examples of scout builds:


LCT-1E
SDR-5D
RVN-3L

These are examples of a fast, lightly armored scout mech. The long range weaponry allows it to maintain a safe distance from enemy forces, the AMS helps ensure survivability against LRMs, and the speed makes sure that you can relocate quickly, retreat, and keep squirrel hunters from easily chasing you down. Notice that I have buffed the rear armor just a tad. Even with extreme manuevering, speed, and torso twisting you will be taking shots to your rear armor areas. This is the only time I feel rear armor should be buffed a bit over the default settings.
Now you may notice that even though they all fit the above mentioned criteria for scouts, they are drastically different. The locust is much faster at the sacrifice of armaments and armor, while the Spider and Raven both utilize the ECM countermeasure to help ensure their longevity on the field.One thing to keep in mind with a dedicated scout build. They are generally not designed to maintain engagements with enemy forces. The weaponry in these roles is secondary to keeping out of sight and out of mind for most of the fight.

Here is where we also get into the sub-roles mentioned above. With all that speed and mobility these mechs also shine in being able to cap points in certain modes. So you scouted, reported, and otherwise fulfilled your main role. The main forces are engaged and duking it out. You're not built to withstand prolonged firefights so what can you do to help your team at this point?

CAP! With the high speed these mechs can attain, it is very easy for them to move from point a to point b on the maps. Oftentimes your team can be losing the big slugfest but you will still be able to contribute. Roaming from cap point to cap point or capping an enemy's "home base" can often lead to an enemy force splitting up to "shoo" you off of a point. This means your bigger buddies now have less of an enemy force to contend with and can sway the outcome of a battle. See what I mean by sub-roles? There are far too many strategies and tactics to list them all, but I do want to touch on things like this. Think outside the box with your builds, it may save your life!

Edited by Sandpit, 06 July 2014 - 10:43 AM.

[Sandpit]

Harassers:

This is the most common type of build I've encountered. There's just something about stalking down that assault support mech behind enemy lines and taking it down while they start cursing squirrels! This is also one of my personal favorites when it comes to the archetypes I'm discussing.

Harassment: to annoy or bother in a constant or repeated way; to make repeated attacks

Think of a harasser as a that pesky fly that keeps annoying the heck out of you. They may not do much damage to you physically but they can sure distract and attract attention which diverts it from their main objective. If you get enough "bites" you'll become annoyed and forget all about strategy. This type of build isn't built to "kill" but to "assist". If you only have 0-1 kills but 9+ assists,you probably performed admirably in this role. It's not about large damage, it's more about constant damage. Rear armor on mechs is generally very light in comparison to their forward facing locations. A mech that ignores a light mech constantly pecking away at their rear armor does so at their own peril.

You want to hit, run, hide, repeat. I find that running in and attracting a bit of attention or sniping from long range does the trick quite well. Once you have the enemy's attention you relocate and wait until they've turned their attention back to your main force, then repeat the process. This role is definitely not for the faint of heart. You will oftentimes find yourself facing off against much bigger mechs or in a very bad situation if you do not keep situational awareness in mind.

you typically want a little more armor and firepower in this role but speed and mobility must still be a consideration. You need ot be able to relocate or completely disengage and regroup if you find yourself overwhelmed or being chased down by a squirrel hunter.

Examples of harasser builds:
JR7-D
FS9-K
RVN-3L

Again, these are just generic examples of builds. They key will always be finding a balance that fits your individual playstyle. These are just generic guidelines to help players, especially those that are new to MWO and Btech in general.

You can sacrifice a little heat management, or armor, or speed in favor of other things like JJs, different loadouts, etc. They key is to get a "what do I want this mech to be able to do" question answered. It will help guide you in your mech builds and begin to understand the depth that can come from being able to customize mechs.

These mechs are designed to use guerilla style attacks. You pop in, take a few potshots, attract some attention, make some noise, and fade back into cover. You do not typically want to stand toe-to-toe with enemy mechs but you can give just as well as you receive in many cases. These builds can be a tremendous help to your team. They prevent the enemy's big guns from focusing on your teammates, breaks enemy lines, and otherwise just annoy the piss out of their forces

Here again, we have sub-roles that can be filled. With their speed and mobility they can also cap points. They tend to have a bit more firepower and armor than dedicated scouts so even if the enemy sends a light scout back to "shoo" you off of a cap point, you can surprise them and force the enemy to dedicate more forces to pushing you off, thus freeing up your teammates to push in from the other side.

This is where I think new pilots have a great opportunity to begin to learn how to engage while not dedicating themselves to a full fledged firefight. You begin to understand why things like situational awareness are so important. If the enemy sends out a scout to attack you, you're probably going to be ok holding your ground for a bit.
If you round a corner and see a 90 ton assault mech bearing down on you it's important to know when to cut your losses and run. Knowing where the enemy is, what their forces are, etc. go hand-in-hand with having a scout to help report and maintain visual on enemy forces. Starting to see how the roles play into one another and how sub-roles can help prevent you form feeling like you're not contributing?

The main thing to remember is that this build's job is to create confusion and annoyance in the enemy. If you hear or see enemy forces complaining about things like "Can someone PLEASE shoot the *^&*(% jenner?!?!?", you know you're doing your job.

This effect can be amplified with strategic use of things like airstrikes and arty strikes as well. You want to keep the enemy force from getting "set" in their positions and strategies. Even though this role may not have the highest damage output or kill numbers, it can be one of the most important roles on the field

Edited by Sandpit, 27 June 2014 - 01:21 PM.

[Sandpit]

Squirrel Hunters

This is the light harasser's natural enemy. Built for firepower and weaponry for all ranges. This mech can ensure that those pesky squirrels don't create the confusion and irritation in your friendly forces. Although still fast, they are not designed to venture out on their own and are best used while keeping fairly close to your main force.

This mech is designed to produce enough damage to enemy light mechs as possible, helping to ensure that flanks are kept clear. Speed isn't as much of a need in this builds although they still need to be fast enough to chase off enemy light scouts and harassers. here is where we start seeing the diversity of light mechs and the different builds that can be utilized under 40 tons.

Examples of Hunter Builds:
FS9-H
JR7-D

As you can see in these example there's not a big difference in this and a harasser. By sacrificing a little speed we are able to add in a bit more firepower and range to our weapons. This allows you to not only chase those pesky squirrels off but also participate in the firefight by having weapons with longer ranges without having to get "down and dirty" with the enemy forces.

The thing to keep in mind with these types of builds and roles is that, although they are a little hardier than their scout and harasser counterparts, they are not long for this world when caught out alone. They don't have the blinding speed to immediately withdraw to safety and don't have the firepower to sustain a 1v1 engagement on all but the lightest of mediums and other light mechs.

Given all of the customization options it is impossible to give anyone a clear cut "this is the build you should use". Most of it will come down to the individual player being able to make an honest assessment of their individual skill level and what areas they excel at and understanding where their weaknesses are.

It is also impossible to pigeon-hole every mech into a few roles. The nice thing about the level of customization available to players in MWO is that it allows the individual more freedom with being able to find a mech, loadout, and role that fits their playstyle. I will be adding and expanding as time permits but I hope this can be a good guide to help players understanding more about the nuances of MWO. The steep learning curve can be daunting for the uninitiated but keeping some of these ideas in mind will hopefully help you find your niche in the Btech universe.

Edited by Sandpit, 27 June 2014 - 02:44 PM.

[Sandpit]

Mediums

Ok, medium mechs are not what I would consider the "hardest" to learn BUT, they are the most complicated in my opinion. Simply because it can be hard to define a role for them. Many mediums can handle the workload of a lower or higher weight class albeit not as proficiently. You tend to get more bang for your buck when talking armor, payloads, etc. than a light mech will but you won't be nearly as fast in most cases.

You also get almost as much bang for your buck in the same terms as a heavy mech albeit not as proficiently. One of the most common arguments against purchasing and using medium mechs is that "I can do it better in a heavy or light mech" While this may be true in some cases, with the advent of the rule of 3 MM system, it will change that landscape a bit. With all teams having to take 3 medium mechs, it means mediums will become more common on the battlefield. In my opinion, this is great for new(er) players. They are more cost effective than heavy mechs and are much more forgiving when a pilot makes a tactical error or mistake. If you get caught in a bad spot while piloting a light mech, chances are you're going to be very dead very quickly. Mediums carry more armor and thus are a bit easier to navigate out of positions like that.

With mediums we also start looking at a few different design concepts.

Brawler:

This mech is designed to wade in, soak damage, and deal as much damage as possible to enemy forces. This is not for the faint of heart! You have to understand that you will oftentimes be one of the primary targets for enemy mechs to focus upon. This is also where it starts becoming crucial to learn and understand the pros and cons of trading off weight, damage output, ammo, armor, mobility, etc. I see many players (old and new alike) make the mistake of thinking they're invulnerable because they've beefed up their mech with max armor, loads of weapons, and just blindly charge in ala Rambo thinking they're going to take down a few enemy mechs.
2-4 Enemy mechs focusing all of their fire on a single mech is going to quickly turn that mech into a charred husk regardless of weight and armor. Do not expect to live long with this kind of strategy. You still need to give consideration to situational awareness and enemy composition.
Although you are often more heavily armored than your light counterparts you still require support and help from your big brothers on the field. This is where strategy can really start to shine. In a medium brawler it is generally a smart idea to link up with your team's heavier brawlers and follow them in. Given the opportunity to prioritize targets, enemy forces will generally start with the biggest target available. By having a few other teammates with you, you increase your battlefield longevity.
You are then able to concentrate on dealing damage with your weapons and helping focus fire on the enemy's big boys instead of the other way around.

Brawler Examples:

HBK-4G
CN9-AL
SHD-2H

Now, before we go any further, there is a subject I haven't touched on yet. Positioning of weapons, ammo, equipment, etc.
Never, under any circumstances, should you place ammo in your arms. They are the easiest limb to target, carry less armor, and are more prone to destruction. You will also lose your arm (and the ammo placed in it) if an enemy takes out the side torso.
If you are going to sacrifice armor for more weight, the first place to consider dropping armor is generally going to either be the legs or the arms. Keep this in mind when building your mech. If you have an area that you are going to sacrifice armor points on, it can be wise to place ammo in a more heavily armored position.

This is where we also get into arm mounted weapons versus torso mounted weapons. Arm mounted weapons fill track target moving laterally faster and at a wider angle than torso weapons are able to but with the downsides I mentioned earlier about armor and enemy targeting.
Torso mounted weapons will tend to have more protection and thus survive longer than arm mounted weapons. Torso mounted weapons also tend to have a higher firing point. What this means for your mech is that when you're "peeking" over a ridge to take a shot at an enemy mech, you do not have to expose as much of your mech to return fire. You lose the tracking ease at extremely short range for laterally moving targets as though.

SKIRMISHER:

Ok now we talk a bit about mediums builds that aren't going to be standing toe-to-toe with opposing forces. This is similar to the "harasser" archetype I mentioned earlier regarding light mechs. The thing to note is that even though you may be in a heavier weight class, these designs will flourish and be more successful overall using run and gun type tactics. You wont' be quite as fast or mobile as a light harasser but you will typically carry more firepower and armor to offset that. While a pesky little squirrel might get ignored, a medium skirmisher is more likely to draw more attention more quickly. You must be prepared to keep constantly on the move and keep situational awareness. It is much easier to get caught by a couple of light mechs due to their higher speeds. Even though you're in a heavier mech, you will not survive long if you find yourself trying to single-handedly take out 2-3 light mechs. These are also great for covering your light harassers and ensuring they have a little backup should they get chased down. With a skirmisher you'll want to try and pack as much punch as you can in each shot. You don't have the armor to survive a prolonged engagement so your entire goal should be disrupting the enemy force and doing enough damage to ensure you grab the attention of your opponents. Speed is still something to consider but not nearly as important as it was in scouts and harassers.

Examples:
SHD-2D
This Shadow Hawk uses a combination of speed, jump jets, long range weaponry, and armor to ensure survivability while operating independently of any support from the rest of the team.

TBT-7K
This Trebuchet shows how a little "outside of the box" thinking can turn a very underestimated mech into a great skirmisher. Moving at over 100kph and packing 2LLs along with a UAC5 ensure you've got a pretty good punch for anything foolish enough to wander into your firing arcs. The speed ensures you can get in and out of trouble quickly without exposing yourself to prolonged enemy fire. Note: You must remember that XL engines are easier to destroy (and in turn take your mech out of action) so although this might be a heavily armored mech, it is still not designed ot stand toe to toe with other mechs trading shots.

GRF-3M


Squirrel Hunter:

Ok, now we start looking into mechs that are more of a support role. The first of I'd like to mention are medium squirrel hunters. These mechs are designed ot be fast enough to chase down all but the fastest of light mechs and make sure they don't run through your team wreaking havoc. We will be sacrificing a little armor for speed and firepower. You don't need massive amounts of either but you need enough to at least be a credible thread to light mechs. With this archetype you will want to stick with your group and never stray out too far on your own. One of my favorite tactics is to get a mech like this to chase me, leading them straight into an ambush. You cannot afford to sustain a firefight in these builds. Think of them as more of the angry old guy waving his arms around yelling, "You kids get off of my lawn!". You'll want to chase them off but never stray too far from your own yard. Or better yet, a dog on a leash. You're going to be a handful for anything that strays into your area but you need to be tethered to your main force.

CDA-3M
KTO-18
One of the most important aspects of a squirrel hunter is going to be packing weaponry that is reliable against fast moving light mechs. The Kintaro can be a very good squirrel killer in this role. Loaded up with a BAP, artemis, and streak missiles, it can make quick work of any lights foolish enough to grab its attention. Remember, it's not always the "best" idea to "max out" firepower. Sometimes it is better to sacrifice a little firepower for things like BAP, ECM, Artemis, etc. Remember, it's all about being able to fill your role.

Fire Support:

This is often the first opportunity players have to begin experimenting with long-range fire support. These are commonly referred to as LRM boats or lurms. There are some very important things to consider when building a mech like this. First and foremost, you are NOT a brawling mech. Your position within your team should be towards the rear to ensure you're not easily made a primary target and make full use of your range. You must also not only obtain a lock (either through your own line of sight or via spotters) but you must hold the lock as well. There is a lot of debate regarding "skill" needed to use LRMs. Some claim that LRMs require no skill to use. If only that were true... I'm sure everyone reading this has watched a lurm boat fire salvo after salvo at enemy mechs, firing off hundreds if not thousands of missiles, and wind up doing 100 damage at the end of the match.
This is usually because the pilot begins firing immediately upon receiving a target lock. Patience is key when piloting an LRM boat. It is very tempting to just immediately fire off every missile you can any time a mech shows up as a target. This is a mistake commonly made by players who don't understand how to maximize LRM usage. LRMs are the least reliable weapon in the game in my opinion. Enemy mechs have numerous opportunities to counter your weapon of choice. LRMs are also the only weapon in the game that has a hard counter.
ECM mechs will negate your team's ability to acquire target locks. AMS will actively shoot down your missiles. Getting behind cover such as a hill or building will prevent your missiles from hitting their target. So remember, just because you have a target lock does not mean you will hit your target. Ask your teammates for confirmation on locks. This is one of the few areas I really few VOIP offers a huge advantage. Being on comms allows you and your teammate to quickly communicate whether you have a "hard" lock on an enemy mech. A hard look implies that you have a steady line of sight on the enemy mech and it's "safe" to fire off your LRMs.
Even though LRMs have counters, they also have buffs. Artemis will improve your grouping helping ensure more damage goes to fewer locations, essentially concentrating your damage. TAG is also available and ensures a tighter group as well. BAP will negate ECM effects and decrease lock on times. NARC recently received a buff allowing it to also negate ECM affects.

As you can see LRMs are one of the most complicated weapon systems to properly use. You must have a little patience and fire discipline in order to use them in the most effective manner.

Examples of Fire Support:
TBT-7M
KTO-18

Notice the addition of XL engines? In a fire support mech you should be well behind your team's point and scouts. That doesn't mean you need to be sitting in the spawn, but you shouldn't be at the forefront of the battle. The XL and lack of damage under 180m make them extremely vulnerable to direct fire. Even though they have max armor values, they won't survive long in the face of direct fire.
**
NOTE: Not all of the mechs I have posted as examples would be completely functional. I will edit and correct the designs as time permits. I wanted to get them up though just to have a more illustrated example of how that build archetype works.

Edited by Sandpit, 05 September 2014 - 07:07 AM.

[Sandpit]

Heavies

Edited by Sandpit, 27 June 2014 - 12:46 PM.

[Sandpit]

Assaults

[Sandpit]

placeholder

[Sandpit]

Placeholder (I promise these are all for a purpose lol, I just want to be able to break down the info so players aren't forced to flip through multiple threads and/or read through one long megapost when all they want are some ideas or information regarding a specific class or build.)

[Beaching Betty]

The sub-topic should at least be BOLDED, this looks plain, better take this into consideration and yes, I know it is still in construction, Im just saying, take this as a mini feedback to improve this guide and not an insult lol

Edited by zeyqer, 01 July 2014 - 03:14 AM.

[Sandpit]

Lol I'm not offended. This is all about helping others. As long as it's constructive I'm all for input on how to make it better

[Kin3ticX]

I am curious if you are planning to lead towards the metagame or another direction. I can pm you two dozen+ completed smurfy links if you think it would save you time. They are mostly all top tier and 2ndary meta though but covers all classes. Even more builds are buried somewhere in my guide "book".

The project I did existed a full year before I ever published it for all to see. It took tons and tons of refining to get it half decent. You seem to be going into a lot more detail and that is going to be tons of work to get totally right. I found it helpful to collaborate with people, even a bit with of some of the best players in the game, and I added or removed most of what was suggested.

ohh and heres a free bump regardless

Edited by Kin3ticX, 09 July 2014 - 05:19 AM.

[Sandpit]

Sure! I'm just doing this in my free time to help out new (er) players mostly.

The learning curve here is steep and I just want to help give them some ideas on where to start when picking a mech and loadout. Any help is welcome because I'm smart enough to know I am FAR from an expert. Lol

[ApolloKaras]

Sandpit, on 09 July 2014 - 07:58 AM, said:

Sure! I'm just doing this in my free time to help out new (er) players mostly.

The learning curve here is steep and I just want to help give them some ideas on where to start when picking a mech and loadout. Any help is welcome because I'm smart enough to know I am FAR from an expert. Lol

This is some nice work

[Sandpit]

Thanks!

I'm trying to walk the line between generic and too specific. It's more of how to understand how to use mechs as well as building a mech that's going to fit an individual's play style

[Sandpit]

Myke Pantera, on 09 July 2014 - 09:14 AM, said:

Hi Sandpit, great effort!!!, but while i was reading through the light section (and i consider myself a solid light pilot) i couldn't help but notice that the locust build is invalid, and some others not very well executed.

*Scouts*
I tried to keep your idea with long range weaponry, but made Locust valid, optimized Spider's weight usage & included the standard RVN-3L build:

You can't run an XL190 without 3 external heat sinks. Added FS, ES & Put the laser in the center to allow reducing arm armor. I might feel saver with 1.5t AMS ammo and more head armor though.
LCT-3M
Added DHS, ES, FF, TAG & AMS to the spider. Or ER-PPC for boring meta sniping. ER-LL+2ML also works well, as does ER-LL+SPL+TAG.
SDR-5D (TAG)
SDR-5D (PPC)
Everyones favourite Raven (NOT)
RVN-3L

*Harasser*
Not my favorite builds, but thats personal preferences i guess. You could add something that is NOT made of LL + 2/3ML + AMS though.

*Squirrel Hunters*
If you want to kick other lights arses you gotta be quick and carry something that makes hitting lights as easy as possible. AC5 is no such weapon. SSRM, ML and MPL are your friends here. I don't think STD engine and AC5 is a good build for a light.
RVN-3L
JR7-D

*Assassin*
You try to find isolated, preferably slow, mechs and try to kick their arses. Works best if you're not alone. You can harass just fine as long as there is nothing to assassin. Your best friends are MLs & MGs.
EMBER
JR7-F
FS9-K

My personal jack of all above trades:
FS9-H

Edit: By the way, with the Kit-Fox comes something like an utility or auxiliary light mech role. ECM + triple AMS greatly helps your team, but you are to slow, to do what IS lights do. A Streakfox could be a good hunter, now that i think of it. But haven't played any clan light so far. Also i do not want to discourage you with my post! Just my 12-Cents.

I noted that not all builds are not valid. They are just examples to point a player in the right direction. Given all of the customization options and individual skill levels I'm trying to avoid "good" and "bad" builds. I do REALLY well in LL boats, but most won't and don't. So I wanted to keep it as generic as possible with the actual builds.

This is more for new players so they can begin to understand how the different roles and archetypes work together on a team. Everyone is more than welcome to post example builds as well but again please keep in mind that players' individual skill levels will play a major role in determining what a "good" build for them is personally.
I had also planned at the end posting several of my own personal builds that I do well in. I jut want to help players understand why they may have a build that isn't doing well. Taking something that's designed around scouting simply is not going to do well for the average player if they're trying to use it in more of a "fighting" role. Hopefully we can build a good solid thread that will help players find a playstyle and build that will help them have more fun and be more successful overall

Edited by Sandpit, 09 July 2014 - 12:39 PM.

[Sandpit]

Building the thread will resume, thank you for everyone that continues to support the guides section!

Edited by Sandpit, 24 July 2014 - 03:06 PM.

[AdamBaines]

Sandpit, on 09 July 2014 - 01:18 PM, said:

I will be deleting this thread I apologize but if anyone would like to use the information here I'll leave it up for a week or so so that anyone wanting the information can grab it. gl&gh everyone

This was a great thread Sandpit and a great asset to noobs (and ummm....the ummm...not so....noob (cough)) why are you deleting it?

Also never noticed the link in your Sig before. That alone makes me give you like +100.

[Sandpit]

AdamBaines, on 14 July 2014 - 12:32 PM, said:

This was a great thread Sandpit and a great asset to noobs (and ummm....the ummm...not so....noob (cough)) why are you deleting it?

Also never noticed the link in your Sig before. That alone makes me give you like +100.

well thank you
Don't give me the props for that, give it to the victims though

It's just a personal decision. In a nutshell, I really feel like certain members of the PGI team are very disrespectful and dismissive of the volunteer hours that many put into this game to help them build a better community. I don't feel that they appreciate all of the hard work and money that community members donate to their game to help it be successful. Until I feel that has been changed I just cannot see supporting them in this manner and this is one of the ways I'm taking a stand.

I just really think it's time that PGI treats its customers with a little more respect in general. Not just the ones they "like". I'll just leave it at that.

[AdamBaines]

Sandpit, on 14 July 2014 - 03:10 PM, said:

well thank you
Don't give me the props for that, give it to the victims though

It's just a personal decision. In a nutshell, I really feel like certain members of the PGI team are very disrespectful and dismissive of the volunteer hours that many put into this game to help them build a better community. I don't feel that they appreciate all of the hard work and money that community members donate to their game to help it be successful. Until I feel that has been changed I just cannot see supporting them in this manner and this is one of the ways I'm taking a stand.

I just really think it's time that PGI treats its customers with a little more respect in general. Not just the ones they "like". I'll just leave it at that.

Sorry to hear about that decision, but I respect it.

Here is to the hope that fences can be mended, and not all bridges being burned so that we can get some good info out of you again :-)