Void Angel, on 15 July 2014 - 10:47 PM, said:
For 'Mechs, don't just buy a couple - you need three of any chassis to double the effectiveness of your Basic skills, as well as to buy Speed Tweak. This is vital in order to unlock (see what I did there) the full potential of any chassis.
As for what 'mechs to buy, it depends on what you enjoy. Use the trial 'mechs to get a general idea, and build on what you know. I recommend you buy one of every weight class first, and then branch out from there.
For gameplay, you'll need to be more cautious than you've been in the past, particularly with the Clan Invasion. The Clans are pretty fun, and not clearly overpowered, but there is a LOT more firepower with a LOT more range floating around out there. This makes players very cautious, and they'll tend to camp and snipe a lot of the time. This trend might be reversing, as the metagame stabilizes in the aftermath of so many new 'Mechs being released, but it's early to tell. In any case, be prepared for Heavy 'Mechs that are faster than you've ever seen, and watch your teammates to get a feel for what they're going to do.
For what you have, I'd recommend taking that Raven 3L and going Laserchicken (2 ER Large Lasers) with it. Slap in extended range, seismic, and advanced target decay, then poke the flanks and spot for missiles - never stay in the same place for too long, and try to take the time (from cover) to relay information to your team. This will get you a feel for how games in your Elo range are playing out, as well as getting you some C-bills for spotting enemies and taking out wounded 'mechs who don't know you've flanked their cover.
Huehue! I've ran that before. Right now I've changed it up, and went 1 ERLL/1 ERPPC, and snickering as I pop things.
So far a lot of suggestions for the Shadowhawk and Jager/Blackjack. I will admit, all three are some of my favorites to play out of the trial mechs (shadowhawk in particular) so mebbe once I get some cash I may grab a Jager or Shadowhawk. I'm also curious if you guys think the clan packs are worth it, or should I pick and choose chassys,