32 replies to this topic

[Hammerhai]

Very important point:
Stick with mouse and Keyboard or HOTAM. (Hands On Throttle And Mouse+Rudder)
The game is coded for mouse support and joystick support will never be more than an add on second best

Loc Nar was the resident expert on that but seems to have left, and I tried to play JS for a year and more before calling it quits.
Read the thread "Controls demystified" by L N for an explanation.
http://mwomercs.com/...ls-demystified/

Very effective and legitimate uses for bought MC's were

Premium time
Mech bays
Hero mechs
and then any other in pretty much that order . Watch out for XP to GXP weekend conversions and convert XP to GXP then only. (GXP is more versatile than XP for grinding and the only way to unlock modules, but you only earn them at the rate of 5% of XP earnings.) Since Premium and Cadet no longer stack, it is a little less desirable right off the bat, but a handy way to increase earnings per match to bearable levels.

NEVER sell XL engines if you go Inner Sphere, usually you want to keep what you have in terms of equipment around rather than sell off sat 50% and then having to re buy.

Handy XL engines for IS are
280XL
300XL
350XL
360XL
as they fit a lot of different chassis.

Edited by Hammerhai, 08 December 2014 - 01:39 PM.

[blood4blood]

Just saw this thread ... FYI there are a few RAGE guys playing that I see in opens if you haven't caught up with them already. I was never in RAGE, but I knew a bunch of them from opens on the Zone and playing against them in various leagues (MWL, BZ, etc.). Always good to see old veterans returning.

A few pointers from me as a former MW4 player who's been playing MWO since beta:

- Use KB & mouse (I was a 'stick player in MW4 too, but KB&M is the way to go in MWO).

- Start with IS lights. They're cheaper, faster, and often carry as much firepower as meds anyway. I'd recommend Firestarter or Jenner first for a skirmisher/scout (firepower & speed), then Raven or Spider (decent firepower & ECM variant). I'd save the others for later, including all the Clan chassis (they can't upgrade engines, so they play more like mediums).

- Remember lasers and guns will shoot further than the listed max range but with reduced damage, and even a low-damage at extended range can get you kill assist points.

- If you buy Hero mechs, the Ember (Firestarter) is awesome IMHO, but the Huginn (Raven) and Oxide (Jenner) can be frustrating because both rely purely on ammo-based weapons. I haven't tried the others.

- Cicada is a nice 40-ton medium that moves like a light and has an ECM variant. Not as much outright firepower as the 50- or 55- tonners, though, and no JJ.

Edited by blood4blood, 08 December 2014 - 02:51 PM.

[Hammerhai]

To elaborate, all guns shoot up to 2x their listed long range at a linear depreciation, so an LPL will still do 5 damage at about 460 metres or so. Best

Lights are tricky to start off with, best chassis for me are the Jenner 7F and the Ember, closely followed by the Firestarter A since quirks and small pulses. It rapes a Dire Wolf.

Often very recommended Hero was the Ilya Muromets, and Cataphract 3 D also very popular as a jump sniper at a point. Plus the 3D comes stock with that lovely XL 280 incl in the purchase price. Am a bit rusty on the current Meta though.

Edited by Hammerhai, 08 December 2014 - 03:05 PM.

[Sandtiger]

Welcome to MWO! Many of the questions you have, may have already been answered on this thread. http://mwomercs.com/...176066-hey-hey/ If you have any questions for me directly, please don't hesitate to shoot me an message. I'm all about new player help.

If your looking for formidable light mechs. Check out the Raven's. The 3L is equipped with ECM, and the Huggins Hero Mech is devastating with the SRM4 Cool down, and Machine Gun Range Modules. I love the ravens, but they may or may not be for you.

Spiders have better hit boxes and are like giant steel roaches. No matter how hard you hit them, they just keep going! I don't own any, but I plan on them being the next chassis that I master.

Also, don't sell yourself down the river on assaults. They are huge and encumbering, but not without their charm. You just need to learn how to utilize them.

As for the Joystick. I have one, and I have to tell you that a mouse and Keyboard are the way to go. I used a joystick in MW4, but with this game. I think that the Keyboard and Mouse will serve you better. But that is all about what makes you comfortable.

If your looking to pal around with some laid back mechwarriors. We play Mechwarrior Mondays at 7:00 PM Mountain Time (as my unit lives in Utah...well, most of us) Hit me up for the Team Speak Information if Interested.

Until we meet as Allies, or Foes. Good Luck Mechwarrior.

~Sand

Edited by Sandtiger, 08 December 2014 - 04:06 PM.

[MechWarrior3671771]

Good info gents, thanks.

Since Planetary will be my thing, it looks like I'll need more than 4 lights of the same chasis. So I'll need to work up a 2d chasis, either heavy or assault.

For the lights, I'm looking to go either BAP Raven or Cicada Hero. I'm assuming I can buy the x5 with MCs TWICE and have two in my mech bay (still have to level and equip each seperately). I think my choice will depend on how well the Cicada Hero and Champion mechs handle - my play style at MWL was chasing/shooting fast lights in a fast light so I'm hoping to translate that into a fast ML boat. Do you guys regard Cicadas as highly maneuverable or do they handle like rocks?

So if my Mains are in the 35-40 ton range, I should look for a decent 70-80 ton mech to fill out my drop deck. Probrably a pulse laser brawler with most maneuverability? Or maybe the most versatile, since drop maps and objectives will be varied? Any recs?

Edited by Fenrisulvyn, 10 December 2014 - 10:15 AM.

[JesterMWO]

To answer one of your other questions, there are plenty of non-USA players. Lots of Brits (like me), Europeans, Aussies, etc all playing happily with and against each other. I'm in the Windbourne Highlanders and we have both North American and International units. For CW we are a merc unit fighting for the Inner Sphere.

I agree with the comment that keyboard and mouse works well with MWO.

Edited by JesterMWO, 10 December 2014 - 11:09 AM.

[Siegegun]

Welcome, more players is always better!

-yes you can buy two hero mechs and then you can run both in CW. That's the only way you can actually.

-Cicadas are insanely fast and maneuverable. Also check out the ecm cicada, ecm is a good thing have in this game. When I had it, the medium pulse quirked Cicada was a lot of fun.

-I would play Cicada before you buy the hero, much less buy two. Some do not like the Cicada. I personally love them but others claim because they are basically lights that masquerade as mediums and are sized as mediums (thus making them easier to hit) makes them inferior to any 35 ton light which moves as fast or faster has a similar weapons load out, yet is tiny in comparison.

[Michael Howell]

Welcome back to Battletech!

[Sgt Greyhawk]

Here is a link to familiarize yourself with all the maps. It contains suggested paths and tactics.

http://mwomercs.com/...-tactical-view/

[Rogue Jedi]

Hammerhai, on 08 December 2014 - 03:01 PM, said:

To elaborate, all guns shoot up to 2x their listed long range at a linear depreciation, so an LPL will still do 5 damage at about 460 metres or so.

guns do (Lasers and Balistics) but Missiles do not, the range of a missile is its hard limit, outside that range they do no damage, IS LRMs also have a minimum range of 180m, and clan LRMs have scailing damage from 0-180m (doing very little damage inside 100m)

[JDH4mm3r]

Mucous Storm is around - i think as coolershark

Omega was on from time to time.... been a while since i last saw him around

HoP Grizzly is very active as Grizzly Viking

And Fen... i find myself loving the very same Mech Adler always pilots

so wassup?????????

[Mott]

Hey Fen, just popped in to say....

Welcome to

Edited by Mott, 05 February 2015 - 08:59 AM.

[Hammerhai]

Actually, if you buy 2 X 5's then both will share any xp earned on either one. You also need to level 3 different Variants, so you would still be stuck with doing the X5, 3M and one other. (in order to unlock 2 x basics by getting all variants to Elite.)

Look at buying a Mastery pack, and then buy an X5 separately if you must. JJ capable Lights for the Zerg Rush are always welcome, since you cannot do an all light drop deck any more. The X 5 is actually a ton of fun, and I found the criticisms unfounded.

Mediums wise you won't go wrong with the Griffins or Shadowhawks. The Griffin Sparky is a lovely hero mech, but remember I am fanboiing here. Here I would recommend Sparky, GRF 3M and 1N, but the 1S is the red headed step child

Personally I would advise getting up to speed with one JJ capable medium, and seriously look at the Firestarter mastery pack or the Jenner. The Ember is a beast, Jenners are also serious fun, though the Oxide - well, I am not a fan of that one. Though it works when it works. But the ammo consumption is a drawback in CW.

Seriously consider buying Champ Variants or hero mechs on discount for the engines you want to have in stock. Champs are less expensive, and there fore better for getting engines you want.

Examples:
CTF 3D XL 280. The single best IS XL light engine to have
X5 XL 330
The Cicada champ variant even has a XL 340.

Edit: XL 300 is the best engine for the Cicada all around.

IS XL Engines to have: for Lights, XL 300, XL 280, XL 295 for Ember and Raven. XL 330 for SHD or GRF, XL 350 for DRG, and 360 to round it out. Buying the X 5 gives you the 330, the Ember comes with the XL 295 and the JNR 7F comes with the XL 300. XL 300 also the best for the Cicada. For this reason I would recommend buying, as an engines is between 4 and 6 Mega C Bills. So Mastery packs can give you a headstart.

Edited by Hammerhai, 05 February 2015 - 12:12 PM.