31 replies to this topic

[RazorbeastFXK3]

Welcome to mwomercs.com, Mechwarrior!

Centurions are widely classified as a 'Jack of all trades' 'mech. They have a decent variety of loadouts you can choose from that suit your style of battling. The Centurion was my first 'mech because it was simple, didn't have jumpjets and with or without XL engines it's rather formidable in the field.

When making my builds I normally refer to www.sarna.net to see how they were originally meant to be handled before applying my own twist. With armor placement, most players have 75/80/90% armor mounted on the front and 25/20/10% in the back (some are rather crazy with their builds and will remove all armor from their head with full armor on the front as if they're not expecting anyone to be able to hit their backs or get a headshot on them). Everyone has their own style and there isn't a 100% right/wrong way to play so long as your intentions are to attack/defeat the 'mechs with red indicators and protect/assist the ones with teal/blue indicators.

This is a friendly community that I'm proud to fight with and against with the majority of them being helpful over offering hints/tips and suggestions as to how to improve/modify the gameplay so you have better end results after each battle and the minority of them calling players newbs and throwing unnecessary insults about weapon loadout/'mech setups.

I hope you enjoy your time with us and remember, the only dumb question is one never asked.

[Julopabene]

Thanks for all of your advice guys! I've bought a Centurion-A yesterday and I'm enjoying it so far. I dropped the LRM 10 for 2 more heatsinks and a bit of extra armor. I also replaced the medium lasers in the torso with medium pulse lasers. I might buy a Hunchback as well, as I heard a lot of positive things about it.

[EX S]

I'd to momentarily hijack this thread instead of making another topic asking the same question.

My playstyle is a bit different from OPs. I prefer outright brawling instead of hit and runs or poke wars.

I've been using the KGC-0000 and it's been an absolute blast. When I don't over commit like an idiot, I tend to do pretty well in it. For sure, I am going to stick with the chassis and elite it but I am concerned about the other 3 empty mech bays and the new one occupied by the free champion Cataphract 3D.
This raises a few questions that I'd like to ask in order to save time and C Bills:

1) Is this Cataphract compatible with my playstyle, or should I sell it and free up the extra mech bay?

2) Since I plan on eventually playing CW, should I sell the Cataphract anyway and buy 4 Clan mechs or keep it and eventually join a IS faction?

3) Depending on the answer for question 2, what 'mechs of each weight class should I invest in for Clan/IS and how should I build them? (For lights, which is the most fun?)

[Ano]

EX S, on 25 January 2015 - 10:51 PM, said:

I've been using the KGC-0000 and it's been an absolute blast. When I don't over commit like an idiot, I tend to do pretty well in it. For sure, I am going to stick with the chassis and elite it but I am concerned about the other 3 empty mech bays and the new one occupied by the free champion Cataphract 3D.

Probably worth reminding you at this point that you won't be able to elite until you've bought another two King Crabs -- you need to unlock the basic skills on three variants of a chassis to make the Elite skills available.

EX S, on 25 January 2015 - 10:51 PM, said:

2) Since I plan on eventually playing CW, should I sell the Cataphract anyway and buy 4 Clan mechs or keep it and eventually join a IS faction?

Clan or IS is very much up to you, but again remember that you need to "basic" three variants of a mech before you can unlock the elite skills. It's possible to build a fully elited/mastered CW dropdeck with 4 free mechbays, by first buying three variants of a 75 ton mech, unlocking the skill tiers you need then selling two, then buying three variants of a 55 ton mech and using all three -- but that's quite limiting IMO.

EX S, on 25 January 2015 - 10:51 PM, said:

3) Depending on the answer for question 2, what 'mechs of each weight class should I invest in for Clan/IS and how should I build them? (For lights, which is the most fun?)

I'm not playing CW much myself at the moment but a quick cruise of the community warfare forum will give you some hints: the ones people are complaining about are currently strong.

[Rogue Jedi]

EX S, on 25 January 2015 - 10:51 PM, said:

I'd to momentarily hijack this thread instead of making another topic asking the same question.

My playstyle is a bit different from OPs. I prefer outright brawling instead of hit and runs or poke wars.

I've been using the KGC-0000 and it's been an absolute blast. When I don't over commit like an idiot, I tend to do pretty well in it. For sure, I am going to stick with the chassis and elite it but I am concerned about the other 3 empty mech bays and the new one occupied by the free champion Cataphract 3D.
This raises a few questions that I'd like to ask in order to save time and C Bills:

1) Is this Cataphract compatible with my play style, or should I sell it and free up the extra Mech bay?

2) Since I plan on eventually playing CW, should I sell the Cataphract anyway and buy 4 Clan Mechs or keep it and eventually join a IS faction?

3) Depending on the answer for question 2, what Mechs of each weight class should I invest in for Clan/IS and how should I build them? (For lights, which is the most fun?)

1) yes the Cataphract is compatible with your play style, decide for yourself, but first see what you can fit on it here:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...7dd8acc305be761
That is a link to the stock Champion Cataphract

2) Again your decision, bear in mind that you cannot take 2 King Crabs without also taking 2 Locusts, the 20 ton Locust is unlikely to fit your play style in the King Crab, the Clan Dire Wolf probably will but most Clan Mechs are much faster. if you take a KCG and a CTF that would leave you with 70 tons to play with, that is 2 35 ton lights, or a light and a medium.

3) Unfortunately there is no good answer to this,

if you go Clan then Timber Wolf, Stormcrow, Helbringer, Kit Fox is my drop deck 1 Timber Wolf + 3 Storm Crows is very popular as those are arguably the 2 best Mechs in the game.

for Inner Sphere there are a lot of options, you can take your KCG, a FS9 and 2 Mediums, or perhaps the KCG, FS9-A, another FS9 and CFT, that fit within tonnage, or you could go for virtually anything, most IS Mechs are viable since the quirk pass,
When IS I usually (unless the Team has a plan in which case I bring Mechs to complement that plan) go for 1 BLR (ether a brawler for attack or LRM boat for defence) 1 CPLT-C1 LRM boat, 1 GRF-3M SRM boat and a FS9-A for attack or SDR-5D (with 3 MPL) for defence

The most fun Light, in my opinion, is definitely the Spider, but the FIrestarter is far more effective at the cost of a bit of agility, or the Locust can be exciting in a 1 hit and you are dead kind of way

[Bespoke Cheese Cake]

When I first learnt to play I had...

Light: Firestarters (solid fast close range scout).

Medium: Didn't have any until later though I recommend getting one.

Heavy: Timber Wolf (user friendly with good speed, armor and firepower).

Assault: Atlas (hard to use at first, but it will teach you good habits and tactics).

[EX S]

Thanks for your input guys.

Yes, I was aware I would have to complete basic on 3 variants to unlock elite efficiences. I don't have to own them all at the same time right?

On paper, the CTF chassis looks like a good fit. I'll complete basic on the champion to be absolutely sure of what to do with it.

I've decided to use the Centurion and Locust as my other 'mechs assuming the Cataphract works out. I know I won't do very well in the Locust, but it's a charming little bugger and I've heard from more than one person it is extremely fun. I don't know how much of that was genuine and how much was a joke, but since it is affordable I figure it is worth a shot.

After I finish eliting I'll have 1 free space, so I might buy a Nova as my little guilty pleasure. Or maybe the Timber Wolf or Stormcrow. I don't know, but I adore the versatility of Omnipods so it'll definitely be a Clan 'mech.

[Rogue Jedi]

EX S, on 26 January 2015 - 10:57 AM, said:

I know I won't do very well in the Locust, but it's a charming little bugger and I've heard from more than one person it is extremely fun. I don't know how much of that was genuine and how much was a joke, but since it is affordable I figure it is worth a shot.

please bear in mind the Locust may be cheep to purchase but like any Light it is expensive to outfit, all will need Endo Steel internals and Double Heat Sinks, most will also want an XL engine and Fero Fibrus Armor, the XL is a one off cost as you can change it between Mechs but the XL190 (the largest engine the Locust can use) costs more than 3 million cbills, you are looking at an additional 2 million per Mech for DHS Endo and Fero, here is about the cheapest you will put together a combat ready locust:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...f2e84f1dcaf9740
it still costs more than 4 million despite the fact that it uses a standard engine and only Small Lasers for weapons

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 27 January 2015 - 05:28 AM.

[DrRedCoat]

EX S, on 26 January 2015 - 10:57 AM, said:

Thanks for your input guys.

Yes, I was aware I would have to complete basic on 3 variants to unlock elite efficiences. I don't have to own them all at the same time right?

On paper, the CTF chassis looks like a good fit. I'll complete basic on the champion to be absolutely sure of what to do with it.

I've decided to use the Centurion and Locust as my other 'mechs assuming the Cataphract works out. I know I won't do very well in the Locust, but it's a charming little bugger and I've heard from more than one person it is extremely fun. I don't know how much of that was genuine and how much was a joke, but since it is affordable I figure it is worth a shot.

After I finish eliting I'll have 1 free space, so I might buy a Nova as my little guilty pleasure. Or maybe the Timber Wolf or Stormcrow. I don't know, but I adore the versatility of Omnipods so it'll definitely be a Clan 'mech.

You do not have to own them at the same time. Just be absolutely certain you're done with it before you sell it cause it's a real drag to buy back mechs you've already owned. Some claim you should never sell a mech but that implies you have the mechbays to keep them all around and a lot of people can't afford that so do with that what you will.
The centurion is solid. The locust, as you may have caught on, is bit of a masochistic mech but I personally love it. Fewer things are more satisfying that watching the frustration in an assault mech's movements as he fails to shake you while drilling through his backside.
I personally like the Blackhawk (Nova) but it is again a mech for those willing to work very hard for results. It's a very hot mech so heat management is an absolute. Both the Mad Cat (Timber Wolf) and the Ryoken (Stormcrow) are universally considered to be better mechs although I have not invested the cbills into trying either.

Edit - used to calling clan mechs by inner sphere names. added the clan names to avoid confusion

Edited by DrRedCoat, 26 January 2015 - 02:19 PM.

[Rear Admiral Tier 6]

Good out of the box? Trebuchet 3C,costs 8.5 million c-bills,has great LRM-quirks for a new player,XL-engine worth 5 million c-bills,endosteel and double heatsinks as standard.
Be active and follow your team from behind,engage the enemies your teammates are shooting with LRM:s,if opportunity arises use the lasers,if your targeting gets messed up due to ECM,use just the lasers

here is my recommendation for a beginner build

Firing groups: 1. Large Laser 2. 3 mediums 3. LRM15

Please note that the Treb is a long range support mech,and does not do well in brawls,but it excels in the long range support role. (other variants to get when eliting are 7K and 5J,they are good in their own right.)

[EX S]

Rogue Jedi, on 26 January 2015 - 01:34 PM, said:

please bear in mind the Locust may be cheep to purchase but like any Light it is expensive to outfit...
it still costs more than 4 million despite the fact that it uses a standard engine and only Small Lasers for weapons

I hadn't considered that. I'll have to rethink the Locust then for now, but I do at some point want to try it along with Cookie's Trebuchet build for a change of pace.

DrRedCoat, on 26 January 2015 - 02:17 PM, said:

I personally like the Blackhawk (Nova) but it is again a mech for those willing to work very hard for results. It's a very hot mech so heat management is an absolute. Both the Mad Cat (Timber Wolf) and the Ryoken (Stormcrow) are universally considered to be better mechs although I have not invested the cbills into trying either.

I've actually used the Nova Prime and got basic on it before the KGC, and it was very fun when it worked. I got a little frustrated with having to fiddle around waiting for assaults to push or someone to punish (in the KGC I could just instigate a push and everyone wanted a piece of me anyway), so I didn't continue the Nova line. Although I still have an absolutely grand time with the KGC, I still sometimes miss playing the Nova.

I didn't expect the Clan units to go on sale so soon. I think since I'm already with Clan Wolf, I should take advantage of the sale now and buy mech bays at a later date to play the IS mechs I want to use and eventually join a IS faction. For now, I think I want to focus on getting back a Nova and maybe a Direwolf.

[Rogue Jedi]

EX S, on 27 January 2015 - 01:12 AM, said:

I hadn't considered that. I'll have to rethink the Locust then for now

just to be clear, the problem with the Locust (cost of outfitting far exceeding purchase cost of the Mech) is common to most Light and some Medium Mechs, I suggest you use http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab to test any Mech build before purchasing so you do not get any unpleasant surprizes.

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 27 January 2015 - 05:38 AM.