37 replies to this topic

[Duncan MacIntyre]

As a longtime fan of TT Battletech I purchased a Founder's Package and tried the game out a little bit in Beta. I wasn't a huge fan of it back then and managed to get hooked on a couple of other games. Now after burning out on those games, I finally decided to try MWO again. So far I am doing horrible. I mean BAD. I have only played about 15 games and have gotten some assists, but not even my first kill. I remember doing better back in Beta, but understand everyone was a noob like me at the time.

I have run most of my games so far in my Founder's Mechs (mostly the Hunchback), but a few in trial mechs. I have not made any modifications to any mechs yet and have a few questions of what I should do. The questions I have are somewhat connected so please read them all before responding (though I would greatly appreciate any help I can get).

1) I understand the basics of how the skill system works and therefore understand I really should focus on a specific chassis. What would be a good chassis for a complete noob to focus on to learn the basics of the game? At this point I am leaning towards a heavy or an assault mech though I have no clue what playstyle works for me.

2) I have a sizeable amount of MC from the Founder's Package and would be willing to buy one of the Mastery Bundles. Due to being of Scottish decent (username is not my real name though) and a former Drum Major of a bagpipe band, the Highlander package is screaming BUY ME. Would this be a good package for a complete noob.

or

3) Would buying one of the Clan Mech a la Carte packages with real money make more sense? Which one would be the most noob friendly?

4) If I buy either a Mastery Bundle or an a la Carte Clan Mech should I use the c-bills from the cadet bonus to upgrade these mechs or buy another mech?

I am sure I have more questions, but this post is more than long enough...

[Mechteric]

1) Cataphract

2) CATAPHRACT

3) Cataph...

4) RACT

[Redshift2k5]

Your lack of modifications is a huge handicap- all mechs see huge increases in performance with DHS upgrade and almost every mech works better with Endosteel structure (except Assaults who need to be picky about how they use their crit slots). The Catapult works really well with an 300XL engine.

Focus on whichever weight class you like best. Try them all!

I would not be in too much of a rush to buy a Mastery pack, get to know the weight classes, game modes, and weapons before you make an expensive decision. I would get your Atlas outfitted with typical upgrades to get a better idea of how it runs than using a stock mech with stock SHS.

A la carte Clan mechs, they're all pretty fun but obviously some are better than others. Dire Wolf, Timberwolf, Stormcrow are all excellent mechs that really push the envelope. There's no rush here, either, as no end-date has yet been announced for Clan wave 1 or 2.

Spending your Cadet bonus C-bills on upgrades is fine, since you already have a nice starting point for mechs (and neither a mastery pack nor a clan pack will cost you c-bills) and your Founder mechs and premium time will keep your c-bill income high.

Bonus round: Tuesday the 21st there will be free mechs given out for anyone who ordered a package: you will receive a free Atlas-S, so don't go out and buy a bunch of Atlases until you get that one. (you'll only need to buy one more Atlas to complete 3 of 3!)

Edited by Redshift2k5, 10 October 2014 - 11:44 AM.

[DeRazer]

Seriously. Just practice.

Highlanders ok but seem sluggish to me - never got on with them myself. As Capper says - Cataphracts still do well in the current game - the ballistics (AC5/Ultra AC5) + Medium Lasers being cool (while you "level up") and dealing good damage against Clan. No jump jets though... except on the 3D...

Seeing that they are about to be "un-nerfed" I would recommend the Victors. AC5+PPC combos are still very good, the Victor is agile and has JJ and as long as you don't go crazy should get you a couple of kills before the inevitable. Some SRMs if you want too. Not really good for LRMing though.

Stay clear of mediums right now, and most lights are tough, you'll learn better if you shoot more and stay alive longer.

That's my tuppence.

[Eaerie]

i would recommend a heavy mech, cataphracts and jagers are both solid mechs.

[Summon3r]

just a heads up almost EVERYTHING will feel extremely sluggish till you get your chassis elited, the double basics on mechs skills make a huge difference. the shadowhawk line of mechs is excellent in every way good high weapon mounts good mobility and survivability. to each there own tho... get your double basics!

[DONTOR]

#3 I would recomend getting the Hellbringer Clan mech. It WILL be a fantastic mech no doubts about it. Lots of hardpoints, decent extra tonnage for weapons, and ECM!

[Summon3r]

oh another thing i see your willing to spend cash on the game for mechs, the jagermech line is good as well and the hero mech firebrand is very good and gets you extra cbills, and as Dontor said the hellbringer is looking to be fantastic, infact im looking forward to the entire clan wave 2 package

Edited by Summon3r, 10 October 2014 - 11:24 AM.

[Rogue Jedi]

1) the Hunchback is not a bad beginner Mech, to upgrade the Stock build possibly look into adding Double Heat Sinks, Endo Steel Internals and Fero Fibrus armor, then use the free weight to add more ammo for the AC20 and possibly also a larger engine, after you complete the Basics on your owned Hunchback look at http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab to decide which other variants you like the look of

2) while buying a mastery pack would not be a bad idea, the Highlander would not be my recommendation for a good beginner Mech,
The best advice I can give is to try the Trial Mechs which have a mastery pack available, see if you like any of them, if you do then consider getting the relevant Mastery pack.

3) as a new player I would not recommend any of the Clan packs as Clan Mechs require a higher level of skill then IS Mechs to use successfully (e.g. longer laser burn time, burst fire Autocannons, ripple fire LRMs, meaning you need to keep the targeting recital on target for far longer than with equivalent IS Mechs) however if you want to go down this route the best Clan Mechs are the Stormcrow and Timber Wolf

4) yes, definitely spend money to upgrade any Mechs you purchase, upgrading a Mech will make a huge difference, e.g. Double Heat Sinks is almost a compulsory upgrade for most Mechs if you want to be competitive, the weight saving of Endo Steel is really useful except on some assaults and different sized engines make a huge difference to a Mechs handling, however if you buy the mastery pack you will probably get a good engine, swap this between Mechs to make good builds

[Duncan Longwood]

1. IS Chassis are getting a new quirk system, I believe by the end of the month... so this is subject to change. Do you know which weapon type you prefer; missles, energy, or ballistics? As Capper said, the Cataphract is a great IS heavy to start with if you aren't interested in missle weapons. The Jagermech is better if you like to play peek-a-boo on ridges, you will be shooting the dirt for awhile as you learn how low-slung the 'phracts arms are. The Jager also has variants that can do all three weapon types.

On the clan side, you can't go wrong with the Timberwolf, it can boat all three weapon types with ease, is fast, and very tanky.

2. The highlander used to be good and may be again depending on the quirk pass. Currently, it is slow and has agility nerfs to boot. The Mastery packs seem to be a good value though, so there is that.

3. Clans are being released, so the "necessity" of paying real money to play them is passing. That said, they are alot of cbills to purchase. If you have more money than time, A la carte could be a nice way to get rid of the grind. Prime variant cbill bonus is nice.

4. When to buy more mechs and when to min/max your owned mechs is a personal decision. Just know that "fully upgraded" means about 18 million cbills in modules. With premium time active and a mech with a cbill bonus you can make a little over 1 million cbills an hour playing the game.

Some people have a handful of mechs, others are pokemech-gotta-catch-em-all types. I have all the mechs I want, so I'm just grinding out modules at this point.

[Hoax415]

Since you have the MC anyways and its not accruing interest buying the Highlander package seems like a decent choice. You have special reason to be fond of the mech and it doesn't pigeon hole you into a super specific playstyle like some chassis will.

If your just looking for an edge to get "free" wins. You should get the Mad Cat aka Timber Wolf which is available for MC currently.

If you would prefer to be smart and judicious with that MC you should stop playing with unmodified founder mechs (those are going to be horrible until you upgrade them and set the up) and stick to trial mechs.

Practice with all the trials until you have a sense of which battlefield roles / playstyles, which weapon systems and which chassis you feel like you enjoy more than others as well as which trials you hated.

Once you have that info you can make this type of thread again and tell people what you like and dislike and get proper good advice tailored to your preferences.

[Koniving]

Personally I loved the game a lot more back then in a visual and tabletop sense. It has strayed much since then.

1) You already have a Hunchback. But if you haven't upgraded, the repair and rearm system has been on a hiatus for two years. It's time to upgrade the mech or you will be in an absolutely horrible spot. Double heatsinks should be the very first upgrade you make. A couple more of them would suit for most things.

Other frequently to semi-frequently recommended mechs include the Shadowhawk (55 ton medium; very similar to the Hunchback), Cataphract, Orion, Griffin, Firestarter, various others.

Some ideas in the Hunchbacks and a few other mechs.

Spoiler

This is a Banshee, (95 tons). Skip to 6 minutes in... and somewhere between 8 and 10 minutes in is how assaults deal with lights.


Slow lights can be viable.

For the most affordable heavy, go with either a Cataphract or an Orion.

2) Highlander is pretty good. The champion Highlander you'll want to change the loadout on as soon as you can. Heavy Metal (Highlander hero) is easily one of my favorite mechs.
Heavy Metal vids.


On this one below, skip ahead to 7 minutes


3) Right now I haven't got a favorable opinion of most Clan mechs (despite owning them all). Timber Wolves are naturally the favorite. Stormcrow and Dire Wolf easy seconds. The Wave 2 ones you will have to wait for (they are a pre-purchase for upcoming mechs).

4) I'd say to upgrade the mechs to start with (not the entire batch as you'll have far more than you need to upgrade).

Also welcome back to MWO.

Semi-recent Atlas vids. Last one plays as both the Atlas and Dire Wolf.

Spoiler

Edited by Koniving, 10 October 2014 - 11:58 AM.

[Voivode]

Welcome back to the game. There's a pretty steep learning curve for MWO, so don't feel too bad or get discouraged. Once you get the hang of it the game really is quite fun.

Here's a few builds that might be good to run in your founder's mechs:

Atlas D: A fairly speedy build for an Atlas. Has a lot of firepower, not such incredible range, but very scrappy.

Catapult C1: This is the build I currently run on my C1, it works pretty well as a missile support craft.

Hunchback 4G: Fast, but protect that hunch as you get only two medium lasers without it.

Jenner D: This is a pretty standard build you'll see running around the battlefield.


As far as what other models you should get to elite the chassis (which I strongly recommend, especially for the Jenner) here's my suggestions. You already have 1 of each chassis and it takes three to elite, so you'll need 2 more for each mech.

ATLAS: As another poster stated, you'll be receiving a free Atlas S from PGI on the 21st of this month as part of their customer appreciation package. For the 3rd variant, I'd suggest the Atlas D-DC. It can carry ECM which is an excellent tool in the game.

CATAPULT: Here I'd suggest the K2 mainly because it's different. After that you can choose between the A1 and the C4, neither of which is very good, though the C4 might be the better of the two.

HUNCHBACK: Quite few choices here, though I'd suggest the 4J because it has the best hunch hitbox of the chassis and the 4SP because, like the K2, it's different and personally I love variety.

JENNER: Unless you want to go for the hero, you have no choices here. The JR7-F can run a lovely six or (more sane) 5 medium laser build. After that there's just the JR7-K variant which can basically run the same build as the JR7-D.


EDIT: Two thoughts, smurfy(the mech links above) is a great tool, use the hell out of it. And listen to that Koniving fellow. He's a great resource for newer / less experienced players.

Edited by Voivode, 10 October 2014 - 11:44 AM.

[Xenon Codex]

Here's a quick list of the IS mech rankings.

http://mwomercs.com/...ost__p__3776433

Note that the lower tier mechs will be getting more positive quirks than the upper tier mechs, so don't disregard them. It's just a list to give you an idea of what are generally considered the best mechs in the game at this time.

[Hospy]

I probably didn't get a kill until maybe my 20th match.

The newcomer experience in this game is pretty terrible, since not only do you not know what to do, you don't have any efficiencies and you're probably in a stock mech with single heat sinks with a bizarre loadout. It's like showing up to a gunfight with a water gun and you don't know how it works. Results are kind of expected.

First thing I can recommend is try all the trial 'mechs (which are by and large terrible, but it's not like you have a choice) to figure out which weight class/mobility level you feel comfortable with and go from there. Figure out what kind of weapons you like, etc.

There's no one mech that does everything. (The Shadow Hawk comes close, but it doesn't exactly do slow, big gun + armor brawling)

[terrycloth]

The trial mechs are actually upgraded, and some of them are decent loadouts (although not optimal).

The nova prime and dire wolf prime aren't bad, although the initial weapon groups for the DWP are basically unusable. x.x

Spider K (c) is about as good as you're going to get for a non-ECM spider. This is not saying much.

The Jenner F (c) is also not too bad.

And the champion shadowhawk is okay if you like PPCs.

But, basically... you have to die. And die. And die. And die. And die. And die. And have fun doing it.

Edited by terrycloth, 10 October 2014 - 03:50 PM.

[Void Angel]

Duncan MacIntyre, on 10 October 2014 - 10:29 AM, said:

1) I understand the basics of how the skill system works and therefore understand I really should focus on a specific chassis. What would be a good chassis for a complete noob to focus on to learn the basics of the game? At this point I am leaning towards a heavy or an assault mech though I have no clue what playstyle works for me.

2) I have a sizeable amount of MC from the Founder's Package and would be willing to buy one of the Mastery Bundles. Due to being of Scottish decent (username is not my real name though) and a former Drum Major of a bagpipe band, the Highlander package is screaming BUY ME. Would this be a good package for a complete noob.

or

3) Would buying one of the Clan Mech a la Carte packages with real money make more sense? Which one would be the most noob friendly?

4) If I buy either a Mastery Bundle or an a la Carte Clan Mech should I use the c-bills from the cadet bonus to upgrade these mechs or buy another mech?

I am sure I have more questions, but this post is more than long enough...

Well, everyone tends to gravitate toward a few 'mechs or chassis that appeal to them more, but every good player should be able to play, and enjoy, a variety of weight classes and 'Mechs. Thus, you can get used to the game with just about any chassis. Your Hunchback is ok for that, because of the c-bill Founders bonus and the variety of builds available to its variants. Many Medium builds are, however, dependent on cooperation with other 'mechs, so you might want to go higher. Given that you're looking at getting a heavier weight class, this is what I would recommend:

• Upgrade your 'mechs before buying a new chassis. You generally need Double Heat Sinks and Endo-steel to really run a good build, so upgrade your 'mechs to get the most out of them before you buy a new chassis that you won't be able to afford to upgrade. =) This is the case whether you are buying 'mechs with c-bills or MC/Cash: always upgrade first.
  
• The Highlander isn't in a very good place right now; it's not unplayable, but you don't see it so often any more, for good reason.
  
• The Misery, on the other hand, is an exceptional killing machine, and you will not regret buying it. It also is the only Stalker that can mount a ballistic hardpoint. The chassis is overall quite powerful, and if you get an Assault package, I'd recommend that one to you.
  
• The Atlas, still my current personal favorite Assault 'Mech, is an excellent chassis overall, but the Boar's Head does tend to disappoint - I'd recommend buying it with C-bills, not a Hero package.
  
• As an alternative to Assault 'mechs, the Cataphract chassis supports a wide variety of direct-fire builds, and is probably the Best Inner Sphere Battlemech in its class.
  
• On that note, the fracking Timber Wolf is one of the best 'mechs in the game by all acounts; the Storm Crow and Starebear Dire Wolf are popular as well - but since I haven't bought any Clan 'Mechs, I can only offer an outsider's view.

Finally, I am glad to hear that you are using a pseudonym. Random Internet Jackass #487 does not need to know your real name.

[Flak Kannon]

Hi Duncan,

Bottom line, you just need more reps.


We all struggled. It's like your new again..

In a Hunchback, make sure you are not ever first.

The game has evolved a bit into a strategic 'wait till the other team has a player that makes a mistake' game.

Don't be that guy.

Play slower. There are so many mechs that can shred you, no matter what size chassis your in...

Be more support for now, slow down, play behind the big boys, support the push, and look for lone targets.

And ... take your knocks like we all did. This game is rather harsh on new players, so many of the player base have mastered mechs, with a full suite of Modules, and have many, many thousands of drops so know the ebb and flow better than you right now. They know where to be and not to be, the optimal firing lines, the best sniping spots, ect...


You'll get better if you can just grind out the painful re-learning.

Good luck!

[Ertur]

Only one or two people read the part that you hadn't modified the founders' mechs at all. They are all good mechs, but only after you fix them up.
Go to www.mechspecs.com and look at those builds. You don't need to copy any of them faithfully, but they would give you a good idea of where to start.

[JC Daxion]

If you have all 4 founders mechs, I would highly recommend you upgrade them, and then get 2 more of each.. that will really get you to understand the game a lot more. Personally i would start with the Hunchbacks, and catapults, as they are easier to learn to play than lights and assaults IMO.


for the HBK's you own the 4G so add the 4SP asap! this mech is just wonderful, Streaks, SRMs, and even lrms are all good set ups, and the only HBK with out a hump so you can even stuff in an XL if you are daring

as for the other, people tend to like the 4P (i don't really like laser boating on this one, But it is a great mech to do so, it runs HOT!!!, but then again i have done a lot of laser boating since i first tried this mech, so maybe it is time to revisit it) But this is also a good mech to pick up in champion version, with your MC getting the increased XP bonus on champions helps the grind, and can also help you grind out modules if you enjoy playing the mech. It also already comes with double heat sinks, and Endo.. so you save about 2.5m on upgrades, which instead you can spend on a STD 250 engine to use in your HBKs,, it really is a must to make these mechs shine. the 4H is another mech people like, but i have not tried this one.


Catapults i love.. (the founder mech) The C1, is my favorite, 2 LRM racks, 3 lasers, and a tag.. the C4 can boat more missiles (4 racks), and might be a decent SRM/MP short range monster these days, But for long range, i just love the dual LRM 15 racks, with 3 MPLs, over what the C4 can do, But maybe it has become better as a short ranged fighter these days, you just don't see it set up like that often. Get the K2, as it is the ballistics version, and has nice set ups. .. the A1, is the one with 6 Racks and is loved in the right circles, but ya loose your arms, you are out of weapons.

Try learning the maps.. Go hop in that Jenner, and hit testing grounds and play around with out people shooting at ya will help greatly.

I might wanna wait a bit to try the jenner and atlas. they are harder to get to know the game, unless of course you like a challenge!

Learn the weapons a bit, learn the maps, and learn how to use cover, torso twist, and move... Save that MC for a few paint sales and bays for now outside of maybe getting a champion version of the mechs you are using... But if you really wan't to try your hand at a Jenner, You might want to pick up the Champion version of the JF7-F now, It comes with an XL-300 engine, which is awesome for your catapults, and doesn't cost much at all.. you will also only need one more to master.. The atlas K, also comes with a XL-300, which is nice, to have a spare, and it is the only dual AMS mech. It comes in hand these days in PUGs with LRM rain.


as for other mechs you might wanna try down the road, I love the 55 ton wolverines, and the 65 ton thunder bolts, both not seen on the field that often, but i find them a whole lot of fun, in unquie rolls. I am also learning to find the joys of the cicada's now which are many! Catapracts are also a great mech, that move ok, and pack a punch at 75 tons, and one of it's best versions, the Cataphract 3D, comes with an XL-280, another Ideal engine for catapults. Stalkers are also fun! SO many mechs so little time

with that much MC< you might wanna spend a little to buy a couple mechs to help your grind, and spend money on upgrades, weapons, and weapon modules.. (they are really nice now and worth buying if you find weapons/mechs you really enjoy. a Medium laser Range is hard to go wrong with, as with the AC-5, 10, and 20 cool downs) Down the road you will need to save some around 6m each to pick up some mech modules, but wait for you are ready to unlock, and have the GXP for those. They will take awhile to unlock, so don't be afraid to spend some C-bills, on some chassis, to round out your founders mechs with the 3 you need to master.

good luck!

Edited by JC Daxion, 10 October 2014 - 08:34 PM.