15 replies to this topic

[Breidr]

I've been looking at some of the packs recently because I want to build a 'mech collection with different types for most occasions and such. I started with the Hunchback and have all the variants elite'd.

Now I'm looking to expand my collection, but not have too many 'mechs that some just sit and gather dust.I'm worried about changes and quirks screwing me over, but want to have a stable of somewhat viable 'mechs for PUGging and CW.

I've got mediums down to a science. My Hunchbacks can do anything I want them to do and are very durable, which I like. I've had some suggestions to look into the Catapult and the Cataphract, as well as the Wolverine, but that is another medium.

Is it worth it for me to sink in a resistance pack to get chassis that fit all types, are would I be better off collecting them on my own over time? I've been looking into the Resistance II energy heavy 'mechs for CW and because, well, I like energy boats like my HBK-4P.

I'm leaning towards doing that, or picking up some mastery bundles to fill out my collections. I have limited time to play and mastery makes a difference from what I can see.

What would the recommended course of action be for an IS pilot that is just out for fun in regular matches and CW? A couple more mastery bundles, a 'mech pack?

[Escef]

The first Resistance pack has some good mechs, but I'm not sure the Panther or Enforcer are right for you, and the Grasshoppers are all pretty close to each other in performance and layout. Resistance II is a light laserboat (with no jumpjets), a medium laserboat, a heavy laserboat, and the Mauler.

For heavies, I recommend the Jagermechs, unless you want jump jets, in which case you might want to consider the Catapults. However, the only Inner Sphere heavy that does both ballistics and jump jets is the Cataphract 3D. You might also wish to consider the Thunderbolts.

Assaults don't see a lot of play in CW. I'd recommend the Stalker (cheaper to kit out, good hitboxes) or Battlemaster (expensive to kit out, but fun), both 85 tons. The Zeus, at 80 tons, is on the low end of assault, but it's pretty tanky and one variant or another will do what you want it to do (unless you want jumpjets, in which case the Victor or Highlander, but assault mech jets are not in a good place right now).

For Inner Sphere lights it's hard to go wrong with the Firestarter or Jenner, Ravens are also good. Urbanmech, if you kit it out right, is a bit slow for a light, but small and packs a punch.

[kesmai]

You can always try the trials. If you want to have a rewarding challenge i suggest the blackjacks and the quickdraws. ESpecially the qdr is a chassis that is overloOked by many, hard to master but really rewarding.

[Sjorpha]

If you want a strong IS heavy for a CW dropdeck, that is currently the thunderbolt 9SE and 5SS (and the 9S remains a decent sniper as well), and jagermechs are a good complement to thunderbolts as they can be swapped into the same dropdeck slot and cover ballistics and missiles for hot maps.

For IS assaults I recommend banshees (best is 3e and 3m) and stalkers (best is Misery and 4n). I've seen a lot of battlemasters lately in CW, and they seem to be a great CW alternative to the stalker (same tonnage) as you can make them fast and do a lot of builds, I'm planning to get them as my next cbill mech.

I like the resistance mechs, but I can't really recommend them to a new player.

If you are planning to use big IS assaults in CW (banshee, atlas, king crab), then I would seriously look at getting locusts as well since they are needed as a filler in many of the best dropdecks. 1E and pirate's bane are the keepers, 1E is actually a very good damage dealer and PB is a great scout and ECM provider.

Edited by Sjorpha, 22 June 2015 - 01:43 AM.

[Breidr]

I've decided to pick up Stalkers next as they seem easy to understand and have a nice shape for an assault. I want to try Jagermechs but the huge torso plus the need for an XL engine turned me off a bit.

I own Urbanmechs for the lols and plan to kit them out but have never been a good light pilot. Heavies seem awkward too.

Edited by Breidr Breidsson, 22 June 2015 - 03:38 AM.

[Konphujun]

Breidr Breidsson, on 22 June 2015 - 03:38 AM, said:

I've decided to pick up Stalkers next as they seem easy to understand and have a nice shape for an assault. I want to try Jagermechs but the huge torso plus the need for an XL engine turned me off a bit.

I own Urbanmechs for the lols and plan to kit them out but have never been a good light pilot. Heavies seem awkward too.

Heavies are the best mechs in the game. They have a great balance of speed, firepower and durability that makes them perfect for the current set up of the game. There's a reason the Heavy queue is always the highest. I recommend Thunderbolts for IS and Timberwolves for Clan.

[Fuggles]

Breidr Breidsson, on 22 June 2015 - 03:38 AM, said:

I've decided to pick up Stalkers next as they seem easy to understand and have a nice shape for an assault. I want to try Jagermechs but the huge torso plus the need for an XL engine turned me off a bit.

I own Urbanmechs for the lols and plan to kit them out but have never been a good light pilot. Heavies seem awkward too.

stalkers were a good choice, if you want to go into heavies and want a chassis that is STD friendly (i dont blame you $$ is tough starting out) thunderbolts are the best choice.

personally the value behind the mech packs is all the extra stuff you get. getting a pack early with lots of extra rewards is the way to go. buying mech packs for mechs that you can buy with cbills is a waste IMHO.

i should note that there seems to be a desire to get tons of different mechs when your starting out, but your best bet is to focus on a few get them fully XPed out, and get a good set of modules for 4 mechs.

Edited by Fuggles, 22 June 2015 - 07:46 AM.

[KHETTI]

@ OP. You might want to check out some clan mediums if you like laser vomit builds, they excel at this currently.

[Tiger Dad]

I have a decent amount of mechs but my dropdeck is mainly the Thunderbolts cause I was cheap and they were OP for a bit. With the 3x65=195 tons, I have 45 more to play with. I can either use a light or medium. (Firestarter or Cicada 3M for me). Stalkers are tough mothers. I don't play them very well, but when I play against them... Bye bye Tiger Dad.

[Agent 0 Fortune]

It is difficult to compare anything to the hunchback, they have the most variety and some best quirks in the game. The trade off is the limited engine size and vulnerable hunch.

I would say the Jagermech would be a similar Heavy chassis, they can be build for any task, and have similar limitations (playstyle) to a hunchback.

Assault. I don't play many assaults, But I do like the Zeus. The Zeus is a jack of all trades, with missile, energy, and ballistic in varying loadouts. It is on the light end of the Assault class, but that allows it to move like a heavy, and after cutting your teeth on medium mechs you may appreciate that mobility.

Lights. I play even fewer lights than assaults, I don't like the tweaker playstyle, which means the only light mech I really enjoy is the Urbanmech (Ithought I would like the panther, but PGI went another route with that one).

Edited by Agent 0 Fortune, 22 June 2015 - 09:52 AM.

[Ghogiel]

STKs have never not been very viable. Even in the midst of HGN domination a STK was pretty good.

TDR right now are the go to IS heavy imo. I always liked them even in poptart days I would use the 9SE with some PPCs, but people said it was terribad so it got monster quirks. To those people I say thanks .

WVR has a couple variants that are decent, a dakka and the meta laser flavors.

Or go clan and get SCRs and just run a full drop deck of those until you get HBR or TBRs.

[CocoaJin]

None of these recommendations mean anything until we know your play style, your desired role in game, your temperament, etc.

A Mech is only as a good as the pilot and how well he can adapt to the strengths of that mech. That being said, it's easier to jump into a mech that matches you...minimizing how much you have to adapt.

This means an utterly crap mech by most people's opinion can be a face wrecking force of nature in the hands of another(case in point, my +5 KDR in a QuickDraw-5K).

So first things first, how do you like to play? How do you move across the battlefield, what's your prey and how do you hunt and engage your targets?

Edited by CocoaJin, 22 June 2015 - 09:50 AM.

[Breidr]

Well, I tend to gravitate more to a medium or long range fire support role, although I'm trying to learn brawling on my HBK-SP. I like the 4P up close because I can zap and run, and the 4G and GI let me peek and poke.

I was wanting to try these 'mechs for thier higher weapon mounts and tougher structure. The stalker can laser as well as carry my beloved AC/40 in the Misery.

It's no so much the expense of XL engines in the Jager as it is survivability. A square body sounds like disaster for an XL and I may or may not make positioning errors that exacerbate this.

[Y E O N N E]

Breidr Breidsson, on 22 June 2015 - 03:38 AM, said:

I've decided to pick up Stalkers next as they seem easy to understand and have a nice shape for an assault. I want to try Jagermechs but the huge torso plus the need for an XL engine turned me off a bit.

I own Urbanmechs for the lols and plan to kit them out but have never been a good light pilot. Heavies seem awkward too.

Jagers don't need XL, especially not for solo play. I don't run an XL in any of mine and they do just fine. A STD 260 will carry you quite far and moves at a respectable pace for a direct-fire weapons support platform. You can fit a 2x UAC/5 workhorse into a STD275 or STD 280 build and do well, too. The JM6A offers some potent SRM play options using a STD310, though a STD300 would probably be more optimal (85 kph, super twisty Jager is addicting, mind you).

My current favorite is a STD260 JM6-S with 4x ML and 2x LB-10X with 5.5 tons of ammo.

[Kristov Kerensky]

I would say that the Stalker is probably your best option based on your own statements on how you like to play, what you like do, and understanding your own weaknesses, which is always a rare and very good thing to know.

The 4N should fit your energy heavy desires, and it's an effective Mech for CW. I'm more partial to the BattleMaster myself, but I run ERLL and LRMs on mine for CW, those high energy mounts are nice for that, and the agility and twist lets me roll damage better than the Stalker can due to it's limited twist range.

[CocoaJin]

Breidr Breidsson, on 22 June 2015 - 12:04 PM, said:

Well, I tend to gravitate more to a medium or long range fire support role, although I'm trying to learn brawling on my HBK-SP. I like the 4P up close because I can zap and run, and the 4G and GI let me peek and poke.

For your primary role of ranged support, all you need is a mech that can equip at least 3 LPLs or 4 LLs. That can be(but not limited to) Wolverines for mediums, Grasshoppers and QuickDraws for Heavies.

I'd stay in the medium to heavy classes...you might be able to venture in light-Assaults, but they start to get a little bulky and clunky...though I've seen some fast Battlemasters.

Don't be too fast to shy away from XLs...some chassisies do well with them. Make sure you have good speed and agility...that means 325-350 engines are a must. Bigger is better.

Edited by CocoaJin, 22 June 2015 - 05:18 PM.