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Of course, the way I deal with the grind is to just enjoy playing the game. 
This! If it feels like a grind then you're doing it wrong. You should enjoy playing for the sake of playing. The C-Bills you earn are a nice added bonus, not the reason to play.
I fully understand the OP's desire to branch out, though. Variety keeps the game feeling fresh. If you haven't already done so I recommend trying to group up with some other pilots on TeamSpeak and play in the group queue. It may be a brutal eye-opening experience for you, but the variety of play styles that become possible with a coordinated group can keep the game feeling fresh even when you're running the same mech.
I won't deny that the pace of unlocking content is abysmally slow, though. My recommendation is to focus next on a mech/build which does not require super expensive upgrades to perform well. Gauss rifle and AC/5 builds can often work with single heatsinks, and certain medium mechs (typically SRM-heavy builds) do not require XL engines. Go for one of those. It's pretty difficult to avoid paying for Endo Steel, however; pretty much required on every optimal build except for a few assault mechs.
Be sure to check out the sales! The HBK-4G and HBK-4H are on sale now, and both of them are relatively cheap to upgrade. Their primary weapons are fairly heat-efficient autocannons, so the expensive heat sink upgrade can probably be delayed for a bit if you're strapped for cash.
Edited by Shlkt, 27 January 2015 - 05:43 AM.
