33 replies to this topic

[Dace]

Hey guys,

I just came back to MWO a few days ago having forgot my original login details (not a big deal, wasn't very far out of my cadet matches anyway). Mostly I came back because I noticed that Clan 'mechs are now available and I've always been a fan of them (although my exposure to them in the series stems primarily from MechCommander). Anyway, I digress. I'm trying to pick my first 'Mech and I don't want to buy something then regret it. My preference is if I can get a Clan mech that fits what I want to do, but if theres an IS one that suits it better; so be it.

Based mainly on what I've been doing, I think I seem to do best in medium mechs, as I've had a fair amount of games where I don't get absolutely stomped in the Stormcrow, with Light mechs (Spider and Raven) being my next best (and they aren't very good stats lol). I want something that I can start to build and make my own, as I'm just playing (obviously) the trial mechs at the moment.

So. What am I looking for? Honestly? I'm having trouble quantifying that myself. Speed is certainly important, Assault mechs aren't for me as I can't stand going that slow. A decent amount of firepower and something that's fairly forgiving on a newer pilot (with decent aim, working on that) if it also happens to be able to vary it up (medium-long range, able to switch to something in either category, I know I'm asking a lot)

My only other big request outside of that is for people to not recommend me Mechs that are only available for real world money as currently I just don't have it in the budget to buy one!

Cheers, and if there's anything else I need to add in order for people to be able to advise me on the right mech (or any general tips, in general!) I will reply ASAP with the required information

Thanks (again)

[-Vompo-]

After the cadet games you should have enough c-bills to buy pretty much any mech in the game. If I would buy my first mech now and I'd want a clan mech I would buy a timberwolf. It is a versatile chasis and even with the recent nerfs it is still one of the best mechs in the game.

[B L O O D W I T C H]

Buy a hellbringer, you don't have money for a radar deprivation module so you'll stick to ecm anyways.
then buy 3 stormcrows, elite them, sell one of them and buy 2 more hellbringer.
Put your next c.bills into 2 radar derp modules and whatever modules you want to outkit your deck. (i'd personally say seismic and medium laser (range/cooldown) and gauss cooldown, 'cuz that covers the most versatile builds)

both chassis have the tonnage and the (omni) hardpoints to do a lot of builds. both have high speed for their weightclasses.

You don't want to play community warfare? well you're missing free mechbays and stuff.

[Rogue Jedi]

how fast us fast enough?
if 80 KPH is OK then any of the Clan Heavies, the Stormcrow and Nova should fit your requirements.
the Hellbringer can carry an ECM (provided you fit the Prime left torso omnipod), the Mad Dog is great with missiles, the Timber Wolf is arguably the best Mech in the game, and in terms of weapons can do almost anything except multiple large balistics but is also a high priority target, so if the enemy see you they will likely focus on you.
the Stormcrow has some of the best hitboxes for spreading damage in the game making it rather durable, however it is one of the best Mechs, so again expect to attract a lot of fire,
the Nova can carry a LOT of lasers, never alpha strike with 12 lasers, you will be shutdown for about 30 seconds, and on the hot maps you may suffer fatal damage from the first overheat, it can carry 12 lasers + 4 Machine guns

if you want faster than 100 then you are mostly restricted to Inner Sphere Light Mechs, at current the 35 ton IS Lights are considered the best fast Mechs, usualy with a max possible speed of about 150KPH
Firestarter is the best harasser/brawler due to really good hitboxes and 7-8 hardpoints for beam and ballistic weapons depending on the variant, all can fit Jumpjets
the Jenner is the most agile and still has at least 4 Lasers and 1 missile, or 6 lasers, the Firestarter has more durability and weaponry but the Jenner has more mobility and has a wider torso twist range, again all can have Jumpjets, excapt the Oxide hero Mech
the Raven is best used as a scout or support Mech, a popular build uses 2 ERLL as a sniper Mech, the RVN-3L can carry an ECM.

my personal favorite is the 30 ton Spider, compared to the other Light Mechs it does not have many weapon hardpoints but the speed and mobility more than make up for that in my opinion, the SDR-5D can carry an ECM, and the 5V can carry an amazing 12 Jumpjets, that variant truly files but can only carry 2 energy weapons.

at current the Clans only have 2 Mechs capable of going faster than 100kph without speed tweak, they are the Myst Lynx and the Artic Cheetah.
the MLX is a 25 ton light, it is 25 KPH slower than most of the IS Lights and has 6 locked jumpjets, it can fit an ECM but that and all weapons are arm mounted, and the arms are comparatively huge. if you take the ECM you can only fit 2 Lasers or 1 Laser and 2 Machine Guns
the IFR is again lightly armed but is faster and carrys more armor than the MLX, while still having 3 extra tonnes for weapons, the IFR can almost keep up with most IS Lights, and seems to work best as a light hunter or harasser

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 05 July 2015 - 12:41 PM.

[Dace]

80kph is certainly fast enough! Heh.

Thanks for all the advice so far.. I'm at 11.4m c-bills atm, so I can buy almost anything that was suggested (with the Timber wolf (aka Mad Cat :D)) being currently just out of reach. Not sure if I should save for that, or go for something else in the mean time and build back up? There have been a few good suggestions here, but I'm honestly not sure yet lol. I've been enjoying the Stormcrow so far but I have noticed I tend to draw a lot of fire in it.

Would people recommend just saving up and getting the Timber Wolf, being so close, or just take something else in the mean time, like say the Stormcrow or Nova?

[bad arcade kitty]

buy stormcrow, especially since you enjoy it already

you can run 25 cadet + possibly few extra matches in it, buy your own scr-c and you will have all that experience which you earned in the trial scr to quickly level up it

it's easier to play than timber albeit timber has a higher potential
hellbringer is even harder than timber

[dezgra]

Hunchback. You will want three; brawler; lazor; missle. (1)They are cheap. (2)They have "uber" torso twist. (3)They are "Iconic" and look good in camo. Try a 4J, it is the best medium missle chassis, and can pack lotsa lazor.

Forgot to mention 4J gots more module slots than you can throw a duck at.

Edited by dezgra, 05 July 2015 - 07:51 PM.

[TheCaptainJZ]

Stormcrow. You have piloted the trial version. You get to keep that xp for when you actually own that variant and 3 crows are cheaper than 3 Timberwolfs. Otherwise, 3 Timberwolfs.

[Rogue Jedi]

if you are drawing a lot of fire in a Stormcrow just bear in mind the Timber Wolf will get a lot more attention.

I would recommend getting a Nova, Mad Dog or Helbringer first then coming back for the Timber Wolf and Stormcrow later. this is mainly because you do not want to be in a top priority target as a beginner

[Elizander]

If you are looking to participate in CW at some point in time, it's always best to pick a mech that is at 50-70 tons (55-65 being a sweet spot of sorts) so that your first 3 purchases of that same mech (to master it) can be used for your drop deck and your fourth purchase (or a trial mech) can round it off.

I can't say that I am a fan of Stormcrows but they are cheaper than Hellbringers. I'd still go for 3 HBRs first unless you're really in a hurry.

TL;DR

CW drop decks are capped at 240 tons. Starting with 50-70 ton mechs (of the same chassis/3 variants) will get you mastered and set at 150-210 tons. Use trial or buy 4th mech to close off drop deck. If you love clams, start with 3 SCRs or 3 HBRs.

[mailin]

As previously mentioned there are a lot of reasons for going for the Stormcrow. The major advantage of them is that you can buy three variants but swap out omnipods. This means that you can buy three variants but have the same load out on them if you want. I too suggest Stormcrows for that reason in addition to being able to use your current acquired Xp. I discourage newish pilots from Ecm mechs like the Hellbringer because it is one more piece of equipment for you to manage.

The hunchback is a very good mech and comparatively inexpensive. They have some significant differences between variants which can help pilots learn different weapon systems.

[Voivode]

Hunchbacks are a great choice for learning the games. The chassis is cheap, the variants are quite distinct from each other, and they teach excellent basic player skills. I'd recommend going there before stormcrows for the reduced cost and greater variety.

[Dace]

Hey guys. Thanks for all the replies! I still haven't sunk my hard earned (very hard earned. Steep learning curve and apparently I am not very good, or I keep getting matched against much better people, idk! lol) C-bills. So, having read and re-read all the replies a few times..

Would the majority recommendation be to get the Hunchback (variants and all) and then once I've used them and gotten used to them and better at the game, then buy the Stormcrow? If so, my follow up questions:

Does my exp on the Stormcrow stay when I finally purchase the real one? Or does it go away?

Which Hunchback varient is the best to start with? Or is it worth buying 3 different ones right off the bat?

Also, for the sake of not starting a new topic is there any general pointers or tips people can give me? Or be willing to show me some basics in game?

Or, alternatively - should I just dive in the deep end and get the Stormcrow and tough it out? Or some other third option? (There were a few other suggestions besides these two recurring opinions after all )

Thanks, again-

[GenghisJr]

I'd go for the Hellbringer, take ECM with you and you will always be surrounded by team mates to draw enemy fire, its fun chassis to play and offers a great variety of builds. No jump jets though....if that matters.

Im not an expert on them but Hunch's do provide an avenue to develop skills, battle tactics, positioning, aim, torso twisting etc. The chassis is dangerous to opponents but to get the most out of it the above skills must be used. You can also swap the same engine in the variants so they would be inexpensive compared to HBR's.
They are a robust and forgiving chassis, even if you lose your main weapon it can stay in the fight and you can practice targeting components with your OP medium lasers

[SnagaDance]

DaCerZ, on 06 July 2015 - 08:58 PM, said:

1) Does my exp on the Stormcrow stay when I finally purchase the real one? Or does it go away?

2) Which Hunchback varient is the best to start with? Or is it worth buying 3 different ones right off the bat?

1) It stays and will never decline or go away.

2) Depends on what you want to do: Big AC/20? 4G. Missiles? 4J. Lazors? 4P. etc.

But you might as well tough it out in the Stormcrow if you think you're going to stay a dedicated Clan player. It won't be that much harder than going for the Hunchback. Yes, you'll be a slightly more priority target, but all the more reason to learn the ropes on the chassis you really want. Hunchback won't magically help you to play the game better than the Stormcrow, that only comes with experience.

[Rogue Jedi]

DaCerZ, on 06 July 2015 - 08:58 PM, said:

Which Hunchback varient is the best to start with? Or is it worth buying 3 different ones right off the bat?

Also, for the sake of not starting a new topic is there any general pointers or tips people can give me? Or be willing to show me some basics in game?

I definately think the Hunchback is the best choice for a beginner

HBK-4G has great quirks for the AC20 (short range heavy hitter), if has a far faster rate of fire, and is cooler on that Mech
HBK-4H has quirks for the AC10 (medium range, half the damage of the 20)
HBK-4P medium lasers (upto 9) this one runs hot despite the quirks
HBK-4J great quirks for the LRM10
HPK-4SP SRMs
HBK-GI the Hunchback hero Mech meaning only purchasable with MC (you buy MC with real money), strong Gauss Rifle quirks

the Hunchbacks are all quirked around their stock primary weapon,
most of the Hunchback variants will want Double Heat Sinks and Endo Steel Structure, which will free up enough weight for a larger standard engine, I recomend the 250, which gives you the same speed as the Clan heavies, and is the smallest engine not to require external heat sinks.
figure on double the purchase price for the first one including DHS, Endo a Standard 250 engine, later variants you can swop the engine from the first so the upgrade cost will be about 2 million.

the advantage of IS Mechs is that you can chose the upgrades you want, but a major disadvantage is that the upgrades are not usualy included in the price, Clan Mechs initial purchase price is higher but they are much less expensive to outfit than IS Mechs

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 07 July 2015 - 04:17 AM.

[dragnier1]

If you intend to join a unit that plays mostly community warfare (CW) you will need a dropdeck to go along with the unit, either full clan or IS (240 tons total).

If you join a casual unit that doesn't do CW much or intend to pug (play by yourself) any mech will do. In such a case i suggest going for IS mediums first. They are cheaper than Clan mechs even after upgrading EndoSteel, DHS and XLS engine.

Besides the Hunchback, do consider the Centurion. The centurion comes with a shield arm that you can use to protect the torso. You can continue fighting even if you sacrifice both arms and side torsos (only with STD engine) and they are decent speed-wise. Just twist and use your arms (shield arm first, it's the left arm) to take the hits.

Edited by dragnier1, 07 July 2015 - 03:34 AM.

[Leone]

Personally, taking your preferences into consideration, I would suggest getting the stormcrows, with a look to making the hunchback your second chassis. The reason being, quite simply, omni parts. With the Hunchback you can get a missile variant, ballistic variant, and laser variant. You can test many an IS weapon and find your niche.

With the Royken (storm crow), you can get all the parts to build your own franken missile/laser/ballistic mech. The hunchback is geared for certain build sets. You'll be steered by hardpoints and quirks into certain designs. With the stormcrow, you can pick and choose hardpoints to test out every clan weapon and many varieties of builds. (Helpful hint, flamers are not as awesome as you might hope.) Once you've played around on the storm crow and tried out builds, it'll let you get an idea of what kinda weaponry you respect/enjoy/are good with. (They will not necessarily be the same.) and, while playing around with it, you'll hopefully get not only the cbills to make your next purchase, but a healthy idea of what you want next.

As for Community Warfare, I really enjoy it, but have heard it's not everyone's cup of tea. Some people don't like the extra maps it brings, or the fact you can drop four times in one game. Others bemoan the lack of matchmaking (And yes, it can be a great learning experience going up against coordinated veterans, but they are hard lessons to take for some folk.) But, if you wanna try it out, I'd suggest hopping around the clan factions on week long contracts, getting a feel for what kind of group you like, and while your hopping about, dropping in stormcrows, you can build up a hunchback trio to drop innersphere with, to give the other side a try.

Much as I respect the loyalists, there no reason not to test all the waters before you commit.

~Leone.

Edited by Leone, 07 July 2015 - 07:48 PM.

[Dace]

Okay guys. I bit the bullet as they say, and bought the Stromcrow C, with a mind to getting Hunchback as my next purchase.

I'm now faced with the fun and daunting task of actually making this mech my own, so no doubt there'll be a lot of wasted c-bills in my future lol. But yes, I will avoid flamers! The stock variant seems okay to me but as I understand it's maybe not as good as it could be. I'm staring at the mech lab at the moment and kind of.. overwhelming myself with omni-pod choices XD.

Of course, I am also trying to figure out where to get some extra tonnage to be able to actually put anything on this thing. I feel like I ought to have more lasers, am I right?

So yeah, any specific advice on the Stormcrow would now be appreciated and thanks again for everyone's help.

[Rogue Jedi]

just looking at the stock hardpoints I am thinking Gauss, 3 tonnes of ammo, 2 ERML and a LPL could be good,

or LB20, 2 SRM6 (LT omnipod from the D) and 2 ERML, with 3 tones of ammo for the AC and the SRMs should make for a devastating shotgun Mech, that is almost the same firepower as the average brawler Atlas in a fast 55 tonner

both those suggested builds use almost max armor.

of course with the Stormcrow you can set it up for almost any role, LRM boat, SRM brawler, laser boat, or any mixed loadout are achevable, depending on what you want to do, there is even an arm with 6 energy hardpoints which you could load up with 6 ERSL for a 3 ton 30 damage punch, about the only thing the Crow cannot do is multiple large balistics, or jump.