Shadowhawk fits the "high mounted weapons and range" - bracket pretty well
If you want a mech that forgives lots of mistakes and is really tanky,go with the Centurion,it is good,really good,but does not have jump jets and the CN9-D variant is quite expensive.(just remember to open those weapon bay doors!)
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31 replies to this topic
#22
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- The CyberKnight
- 3,695 posts
Member
- LocationUnited States
Posted 25 September 2014 - 04:04 PM
kramxel, on 25 September 2014 - 04:25 AM, said:
Unfortunately there's no way I can play one before paying, and the 3L build is a little of my reach in therms of C-Bills (almost 14M).
You can also buy it now and buy the upgrades as you get the funds. You're gonna have to unlock the xp skill tree anyway. Might as well get started.
#23
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- 6 posts
Rookie
Posted 26 September 2014 - 04:33 AM
TheCaptainJZ, on 25 September 2014 - 04:04 PM, said:
You can also buy it now and buy the upgrades as you get the funds. You're gonna have to unlock the xp skill tree anyway. Might as well get started.
After much consideration I opted to go this route.
If my goal was always going to be the Raven, going through BJs while helpful (and they're definitely my favourite medium), would be just a distraction for my real purppose.
I thought about a 4X build, but ultimately decided to go with a 3L with the stock engine, and now I'm grinding the credits for a XL275 (compatbile with the other Ravens and a lot of mediums), and loving it.
I appreciate all the help and feedback I got from this thread, which showed me I still have a lot to learn!
Edited by kramxel, 26 September 2014 - 04:34 AM.
#24
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- Ace Of Spades
- 3,410 posts
Member
- LocationBusy stealing clan mechs.
Posted 26 September 2014 - 05:21 AM
kramxel, on 25 September 2014 - 06:03 AM, said:
As I'm just starting, I don't even know what will be my role/investment in the game, so it's hard to tell.
Even though I played some MW3 and was a fan of the animated series, I'm not too familiar with the whole MW universe.
Right now I really don't have a grasp for how much C-Bills are expected and what is good earning or not.
In my 25 cadet games, including 20 using the free premium day, I made those 10,5M C-Bills.
What kind of turnover is expected on a non-premium account?
That's OK then just take your time and build up your C-Bills then in the mean time before going crazy with getting a boat load of mechs.
As for your grasp on C-Bills you will gain an understanding the longer you play. As for right now a good match with out premium time is anywhere between 80,000 to 100,000 C-Bills in a match that is being a new player and winning the match which helps the most with C-Bills. Mind you the more you play and having premium time a good match is about 175,000 to 200,000 for an experienced player having premium time. As for myself I never played with premium time until this past July when Clan mechs came in and before then I did alright with the C-Bill count it was a grind but I also used my hero mechs to help as well.
In truth the easiest way to compensate the C-Bill grind is to spend real cash on the game, but if you don't want to do that you will always have more of a grind. Hero Mechs do 30% bonus, premium time has a bonus, and then winning bonuses are the three biggest C-Bill bonuses in the game and two of them you have to pay for.
#25
Posted 26 September 2014 - 09:39 AM
ok this is just me but if you like the high mounted weapons try and jager.
one thing I found later after I had purchased many mechs i didn't love was SMURFYs mech builder. google search that **** and add it to your favorites. you can look at all the mechs and there load out options before purchase.
me personally I think a atlas or stalker are the two easiest to get and go starter mechs. im sure many will not agree. but
they have a slower pace. lots of armor. and pack a big bag. stalkers have high weapons s well
one thing I found later after I had purchased many mechs i didn't love was SMURFYs mech builder. google search that **** and add it to your favorites. you can look at all the mechs and there load out options before purchase.
me personally I think a atlas or stalker are the two easiest to get and go starter mechs. im sure many will not agree. but
they have a slower pace. lots of armor. and pack a big bag. stalkers have high weapons s well
#26
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- 526 posts
Member
- LocationFlorida
Posted 26 September 2014 - 10:07 AM
Blackjack: It us a very good mech for its weight, but the shadowhawks do have 10 more tons to work with, and are still considered medium mechs.
There is a fast blackjack that cant jump, as well as slow ones that can jump.
Avoid the BJ-D-DC because it is slow and cant jump.
If you want to go fast in the fast version, use a 295xl. The 295xl works in a lot of mech, however. It is the max for the fastest blackjacks, as well as the fastest ravens.
The other blackjacks can only use a 235 engine. Sadly, the 235xl is an engine that is ideal for only 3 mech: blackjacks and commandos. Commandos are not recommended.
Raven: The ECM variant is good, and you will help your team just by being around.
There is also a jump jet raven for when you try to get 3 of the chassis. Its not great, but at least you will have a JJ mech.
The 3rd raven is actually not too bad, although it its no Jenner, it can be effective with 4 lasers.
Sadly, the ravens can't all quite hold the 295 xl, so again, you may find yourself buying multiple engines.
Shadowhawks: the main guns are right by the cockpit, which you should like. They are torso guns, but the torso has good movement, so they are easy to aim.
Some shadow hawks include a275xl engine, which is nice.
Bote that the 280xl is better, though. Same weight, slightly more speed.
Stormcrows:
These will be out very soon.
They are fast and have good firepower. They cannot jump, however.
You can't switch the engines on clan mechs, so no need to spend any more money there.
The downside comes when you decide to buy 3 so you can master the mech.
All 3 versions are exactly the same, except for the swappable pods.
You could sell them after you unlocked all the elite efficies, but youonly get half your money back.
There is a fast blackjack that cant jump, as well as slow ones that can jump.
Avoid the BJ-D-DC because it is slow and cant jump.
If you want to go fast in the fast version, use a 295xl. The 295xl works in a lot of mech, however. It is the max for the fastest blackjacks, as well as the fastest ravens.
The other blackjacks can only use a 235 engine. Sadly, the 235xl is an engine that is ideal for only 3 mech: blackjacks and commandos. Commandos are not recommended.
Raven: The ECM variant is good, and you will help your team just by being around.
There is also a jump jet raven for when you try to get 3 of the chassis. Its not great, but at least you will have a JJ mech.
The 3rd raven is actually not too bad, although it its no Jenner, it can be effective with 4 lasers.
Sadly, the ravens can't all quite hold the 295 xl, so again, you may find yourself buying multiple engines.
Shadowhawks: the main guns are right by the cockpit, which you should like. They are torso guns, but the torso has good movement, so they are easy to aim.
Some shadow hawks include a275xl engine, which is nice.
Bote that the 280xl is better, though. Same weight, slightly more speed.
Stormcrows:
These will be out very soon.
They are fast and have good firepower. They cannot jump, however.
You can't switch the engines on clan mechs, so no need to spend any more money there.
The downside comes when you decide to buy 3 so you can master the mech.
All 3 versions are exactly the same, except for the swappable pods.
You could sell them after you unlocked all the elite efficies, but youonly get half your money back.
#27
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- The CyberKnight
- 3,695 posts
Member
- LocationUnited States
Posted 26 September 2014 - 10:10 AM
kramxel, on 26 September 2014 - 04:33 AM, said:
After much consideration I opted to go this route.
If my goal was always going to be the Raven, going through BJs while helpful (and they're definitely my favourite medium), would be just a distraction for my real purppose.
I thought about a 4X build, but ultimately decided to go with a 3L with the stock engine, and now I'm grinding the credits for a XL275 (compatbile with the other Ravens and a lot of mediums), and loving it.
I appreciate all the help and feedback I got from this thread, which showed me I still have a lot to learn!
the 280 XL is identical in weight but slightly faster. Depending on engine cap limits you are looking at, you should get the 280xl instead.
#28
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- 33 posts
Member
Posted 26 September 2014 - 02:01 PM
If you like the BJ's playstyle with high mounted weapons then that should be the mech for you to go. You will have to stick with your first chassis for quite some time to master three of them, so be sure you like that mechs.
If you're not sure if it should be a medium there are mechs in other weight classes with similar characteristics:
Raven
A lovely light mechs with high mounted weapons and an ECM variant. But due to it's long legs and the bulky torso it's an easy target for good pilots.
Jagermech
Simply one of the best mechs in game and BJ's bigger brother. Specialized in ballistics the Jager still has many other options depending on the variant (including a nice missile platform). The Firebrand is one of the best Heroes in game. The only drawback is the huge torso and the fact that a Jager is almost always the primary target of your foes.
Catapult
If Jagers are BJ's bigger brothers the Catapult is the same for Ravens. A very versatily mech with two missile, one ballistic and one energy variant. High mounted ears for primary weapons and not too low mounted torso slots for the rest. Combined with JJs and a lovely torso twist angle these are great heavies too. I just love the K2 and the Jester. Oh, and birdy mechs look cool.
Stalker
Being Catapult's big, fat mommy the Stalker is like a walking house. It's huge, fat, slow but comfortable. It can soak a lot of damage while giving the enemy a hard time. The high mounted torso weapons and ears make it a great mech if you like to fire from behind cover. All variants are somewhat missile heavy but also work great as energy platforms.
But as you seem to like the Blackjack I would recommend to stick with that mech and "grind" your way through the three variants. If you then still like the characteristics of the BJ, the above mechs may be worth a try as next chassis.
The most important point is to NOT see it as grind but just play the game, try to learn the game mechanics and enjoy how it gets better and better if you unlock the skill trees and buy new equip. If you don't think too much about the grind it's not really that much of a deal. Although I hate the cbill nerf introduced with 12 vs 12 a while ago the grind in MWO still is very moderate compared to other f2p games.
If you don't mind spending a few bucks on MWO I highly recommend having a look at the champion mechs for equip (they often offer XL engines, endo or DHS for little money) and heroes for the cbill bonus. You may have a look at the shop and check for a 30% or 50% off event for your preferred champs / heroes. This is how I got mine.
If you're not sure if it should be a medium there are mechs in other weight classes with similar characteristics:
Raven
A lovely light mechs with high mounted weapons and an ECM variant. But due to it's long legs and the bulky torso it's an easy target for good pilots.
Jagermech
Simply one of the best mechs in game and BJ's bigger brother. Specialized in ballistics the Jager still has many other options depending on the variant (including a nice missile platform). The Firebrand is one of the best Heroes in game. The only drawback is the huge torso and the fact that a Jager is almost always the primary target of your foes.
Catapult
If Jagers are BJ's bigger brothers the Catapult is the same for Ravens. A very versatily mech with two missile, one ballistic and one energy variant. High mounted ears for primary weapons and not too low mounted torso slots for the rest. Combined with JJs and a lovely torso twist angle these are great heavies too. I just love the K2 and the Jester. Oh, and birdy mechs look cool.
Stalker
Being Catapult's big, fat mommy the Stalker is like a walking house. It's huge, fat, slow but comfortable. It can soak a lot of damage while giving the enemy a hard time. The high mounted torso weapons and ears make it a great mech if you like to fire from behind cover. All variants are somewhat missile heavy but also work great as energy platforms.
But as you seem to like the Blackjack I would recommend to stick with that mech and "grind" your way through the three variants. If you then still like the characteristics of the BJ, the above mechs may be worth a try as next chassis.
The most important point is to NOT see it as grind but just play the game, try to learn the game mechanics and enjoy how it gets better and better if you unlock the skill trees and buy new equip. If you don't think too much about the grind it's not really that much of a deal. Although I hate the cbill nerf introduced with 12 vs 12 a while ago the grind in MWO still is very moderate compared to other f2p games.
If you don't mind spending a few bucks on MWO I highly recommend having a look at the champion mechs for equip (they often offer XL engines, endo or DHS for little money) and heroes for the cbill bonus. You may have a look at the shop and check for a 30% or 50% off event for your preferred champs / heroes. This is how I got mine.
#29
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- 6 posts
Rookie
Posted 26 September 2014 - 03:19 PM
clownwarlord, on 26 September 2014 - 05:21 AM, said:
In truth the easiest way to compensate the C-Bill grind is to spend real cash on the game, but if you don't want to do that you will always have more of a grind. Hero Mechs do 30% bonus, premium time has a bonus, and then winning bonuses are the three biggest C-Bill bonuses in the game and two of them you have to pay for.
Thanks for the info on the earnings!
I've been doing over 100-180k in a win, and half when I lose. One thing I noted is I've been doing less avg damage in the Raven than I did with the BJ, but I'm still trying it out, and it does have a different playstyle... with that said I absolutely love the little chicken! Can't wait to mount a decent engine on it!
About the premium time, I definitely see the advantage, and I currently own a premium account in World of Tanks, so I may go that way in MWO if I find it engaging enough in the long time. (right now I'm having a blast and getting addicted)
The only issue I have is that I don't have a lot of time to play, but that hasn't stopped me yet.
SnkOnDesNutz, on 26 September 2014 - 09:39 AM, said:
ok this is just me but if you like the high mounted weapons try and jager.
one thing I found later after I had purchased many mechs i didn't love was SMURFYs mech builder. google search that **** and add it to your favorites. you can look at all the mechs and there load out options before purchase.
one thing I found later after I had purchased many mechs i didn't love was SMURFYs mech builder. google search that **** and add it to your favorites. you can look at all the mechs and there load out options before purchase.
The Jaeger is definitely on my list. Same profile as the BJ and I did like those energy+ballistic builds. Not much a fan of missiles, but I also haven't messed with them too much.
Do they rotate the trial mechs? If so I'll definitely try a Jaeger as soon as I get the chance.
And no need to point smurfy's, it's like a sanctuary!
The info available, the customization and then the forums with some nice builds. Such a must have. I also recently found a great site to test heat management. Those two are must have for new and experienced players!
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/
http://keikun17.gith...heat_simulator/
Concerning the engines, I found the 275XL a good fit, because it's good for the remaining Ravens, and it fits a lot of mediums (though being an XL it has it's drawbacks in a medium).
Again I must comment on the variety and constant feedback I've been given... Being an experienced gamer and an active forum member on so many other communities, I don't think I've ever seen so many trying to help out fellow members.
I truly appreciate it!
#30
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- Stone Cold
- 82 posts
Member
Posted 26 September 2014 - 03:58 PM
They do rotate the trial mechs, but that happens only very sporadically. The last time we got new Trials was four weeks ago when they released the Nova for CBills. They replaced the trial Jenner with the Kit Fox and the trial Kintaro with the Nova. At some point they might release a trial Jager but no one knows if that will happen anytime soon.
As for the engine it's really only the Ravens where the XL275 is a decent choice, considering it's the biggest engine you can cram into the -4X and -2X. Otherwise the XL280 weighs the same and has a five points better engine rating, making the 275 somewhat obsolete. If you want to mainly play your Ravens though and maybe use the engine on some Mediums at some point then go ahead. It's not exactly min-maxed, but it'll work just fine. Five points more or less engine rating usually doesn't make *that* much of a difference, on a 50 ton mech it comes down to about 1.6 kph.
Considering your damage - that's pretty normal, Lights just aren't as well armed as the Mediums so you will usually put out less damage. In a Light, especially a RVN-3L, you also do lots of other jobs (scouting, spotting, electronic warfare) that more than make up for the reduced damage though. And some guy can really rock the house in a Light, it just takes more practice.
As for the engine it's really only the Ravens where the XL275 is a decent choice, considering it's the biggest engine you can cram into the -4X and -2X. Otherwise the XL280 weighs the same and has a five points better engine rating, making the 275 somewhat obsolete. If you want to mainly play your Ravens though and maybe use the engine on some Mediums at some point then go ahead. It's not exactly min-maxed, but it'll work just fine. Five points more or less engine rating usually doesn't make *that* much of a difference, on a 50 ton mech it comes down to about 1.6 kph.
Considering your damage - that's pretty normal, Lights just aren't as well armed as the Mediums so you will usually put out less damage. In a Light, especially a RVN-3L, you also do lots of other jobs (scouting, spotting, electronic warfare) that more than make up for the reduced damage though. And some guy can really rock the house in a Light, it just takes more practice.
#31
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- 24 posts
Member
- LocationBEHIND YOU!!
Posted 29 September 2014 - 06:36 AM
maybe its best to start with lights then work your way up
altho a heavy medium (50-55t) or a light heavy (60-65t) is the way to go
like anassi said,lights are awsome
raven 3l with large laser ecm tag and narc in a team does wonders(or in this case lrm shower)
altho a heavy medium (50-55t) or a light heavy (60-65t) is the way to go
like anassi said,lights are awsome
raven 3l with large laser ecm tag and narc in a team does wonders(or in this case lrm shower)
#32
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- The Hammer
- 1,551 posts
Member
- LocationNorth Carolina
Posted 29 September 2014 - 07:17 AM
kramxel, on 26 September 2014 - 04:33 AM, said:
After much consideration I opted to go this route.
If my goal was always going to be the Raven, going through BJs while helpful (and they're definitely my favourite medium), would be just a distraction for my real purppose.
I thought about a 4X build, but ultimately decided to go with a 3L with the stock engine, and now I'm grinding the credits for a XL275 (compatbile with the other Ravens and a lot of mediums), and loving it.
I appreciate all the help and feedback I got from this thread, which showed me I still have a lot to learn!
Sorry I was a little late to the party, glad you're enjoying the Raven.
Once you level up your Ravens, you might want to go back and give the BJ a try, so I'll weigh in on the BJ.
I own 5 of the 6 variants. The 1X is by far my favorite. The larger engine cap makes this mech shine. I run 1 ERLL and 6 ML for up close work. Just be careful with the heat. I run nearly the same load out on the BJ-3, but with JJ and a smaller engine obviously.
The BJ-1, 1DC, and BJ-A, all get the same treatment, 1 AC/20 and 3 ML. I'll change out the A for 6 MG on occasion just for some variety, but that AC/20 load out is one of the best all around load outs I've found. It's a great back-stabber loadout.
Jody
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