FlukeNL, on 18 March 2015 - 03:15 PM, said:
Thanks so far guys. Where can I find some more info on the difference between clans and IS?
I have been using the trial Stormcrow so far. It seems I'm liking that mech. The hunchbacks I saw in game were rather slow. Not sure if I can cope with that. The medium class however, seems to be just fine for me. I'l;l be concentrating my research on that class.
I also noticed I tend to stick to small groups, attacking at medium distances, not often closing in. Besides that I try to look out for opportunities to flank enemies that are harassing my team. It's starting to work (although I sometimes just run into a group of enemies, fixated on that one pest...
). Autocannons and lasers so far seem to be my preferred weapons.
has a lot of useful stuff in it, from the ability to pre-build mechs prior to purchases, to rundowns of weapon stats. It's a handy source for stats, and can be used to view many of the differences between Clan and Inner Sphere versions of weapons.
A typical Hunchback will go between 89 and 98 kph (assuming Speed Tweak is unlocked). The Stormcrow hits 107 after Speed Tweak. One problem Hunchbacks face is that they are terrible for running XLs, which means they have to sacrifice speed for firepower, or vice versa. Many other mediums are a lot more XL friendly, and of course Clan mechs all come with cXL engines standard.
Based on your play style, the Stormcrow seems like a great choice. However, given your professed desire for a support build in your OP, I'd be inclined to suggest running something capable of carrying ECM. It's by far the most potent close-range support equipment available. Unfortunately, prioritizing ECM capability has issues.
For the Inner Sphere, you basically have lights and the Atlas AS7-D-DC (the Cicada is a glorified light mech). If you are content with relying on your speed to survive, or are willing to put your hope in your team not to abandon you to die alone (the number one cause of death when in a slow assault), then consider going Inner Sphere.
If you want to commit to the Clans, though, there are a couple of decent options I see for you. Save up for a Hellbringer and run the Clan ECM heavy, or forget about ECM for the moment with the idea that you'll grab the Stormcrow for now and pick up the Shadow Cat once it's available for c-bills.
If you like ACs, cUACs can be a bit hard to use, but they're nowhere near as bad as a lot of the people on these forums seem to think. cLB-ACs are a bit more limited, but they have the advantage of firing in a single shot rather than a burst. Skip cACs (they're placeholders, since PGI hasn't yet figured out how to let LB-ACs swap ammo types from cluster to slug). Inner Sphere ACs tend to be easier to use and very deadly, but they're also a lot bulkier and heavier, which combined with lower quality weight-saving tech for IS mechs can make it difficult to run a ballistic-heavy medium loadout. It is possible, though, to do good work with an AC20 or a pair of AC5s in an IS medium mech.
As for lasers, Clan lasers tend to have very high burn times and pretty high heat, but each one has a vastly improved damage rating and range compared to a comparable IS laser. It's a tradeoff between power and ease of use. A good IS pilot can make the short burn times on their lasers work wonders, but a good Clan pilot can mitigate the problems that Clan lasers have, leaving the significant damage and range advantages pretty decisive.
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