6 replies to this topic

[Diznitch]

Ok, I'd like everyone to list their TOP 3 chassis in EACH WEIGHT class. This is more or less the ones you think are the best at overall play. It's a loaded concept so don't focus on what best means, just tell me what you think. The idea is to figure out what the best mechs to invest your CBills/MC in, so that you get the best play experience. I just read a thread on the Wolverine, and would not expect it to make the list (I've not played it tho). For the most part, we should be able to agree on the top quartile...

I'll start. These are all from my stable of mechs. I need to learn what I'm missing, partly why I am posting this. So what mechs are better than these you think? I play Clan and IS.

Lights - RVN-3L, FS-9S (or Ember), SPD-5D Should I get some Jenners? ACH?

Medium - SCR (Streakcat, Lasercat, etc.), ENF-5P (twin UAC5), ??? (CN9-AH (L) w/ AC/20 is interesting but not great)

Heavy - TBR-PRIME, GHR-5J, JM6-S

Assault - DWF-PRIME, AS7-D-DC, KGC-000(L) ??? mines still basic...

Ok fire away. I am hoping to see some trends on which mechs are best!

[Spheroid]

Light: Artic Cheater, Firestarter-A/S, Locust-1E

Medium: Stormcrow, Blackjack-1X, Hunchback-4P/J

Heavy: Timberwolf, Ebon Jaguar, Thunderbolt-5SS

Assault: Direwolf, Banshee-3M, Mauler?

Edited by Spheroid, 01 November 2015 - 10:32 AM.

[ExplicitContent]

Light- FS9A, ACH-prime, (i dont play lights much)

Medium- ENF-4P, BJ-1X, Nova (L) (ERSL spam)

Heavy- EBJ-Prime, TBR-C, TDR-5SS

Assault- Mauler 1P, DWF B, Misery

Edited by ExplicitContent, 01 November 2015 - 10:39 AM.

[Y E O N N E]

Lights: Firestarter (A, S), Arctic Cheetah, Locust (1E, 3M)

The ACH and FS9 are amazing for playing squirreling with their good durability, jump jets, and rapid heavy pokes. Three shots to the CT from them is enough to kill most 'Mechs, and it is enough to mission-kill any 'Mech so long as it is part of a team that knows how to press "R" and shoot open components.

The Locust 1E is, in my opinon, the best medium-range poke machine in terms of lights. It can run at 160+ kph, reaches out to 365 meters, and deals 30 damage. A Jenner has more armor, but it's also significantly larger, less agile, slower, and shorter ranged. The ACH with three cMPL or four cERML makes a pretty mid-range good mid-ranger skirmisher, too, and it has ECM, so I think taken as a whole it's a wash against the 1E there. 1v1, the ACH would probably win.

Mediums: Blackjack (1DC, 1X), Storm Crow

Storm Crow is fast, has max tonnage and all that goes with it, has excellent hit-boxes, has excellent hard-point options, and has all of the Clan advantages. There is, objectively, no better Medium 'Mech in the game. Subjectively, I'd argue that there is no better value in the game than a Storm Crow; the gap between an SCR and the next one down is far greater than the gap between a Timberwolf and the next one down. You can run this with mid-range laser poke, you can run it with anti-med/light Streaks, you can run it with SRM+cSPL brawl, and you can even run Gauss. There's nothing this 'Mech can't do except jump or run ECM.

Blackjack is a strange 'Mech. Its hit-boxes are average, it's an Inner Sphere 'mech, it's only 45 tons, and outside the 1X they can't go faster than 93 kph. But they have some secret sauce. First, it's on the smaller side, and so those average hit-boxes become good hit-boxes (but not great like the SCR). Second, it's 45 tons...and that's a fantastic weight to be because it means you get a lot of speed for not a lot of engine. Finally, it has great energy quirks. So, while it can't run that fast, it can run fast enough to keep up with Timbers and Jags and still have enough room in its hull to pack some frightful firepower. The 1DC can stuff two large lasers and four mediums, or some derivative thereof, and just rack up damage like mad from a good distance away. The 1X trades range for speed...but otherwise does the same thing.

You'll notice I don't have a third. That's because there's nothing particularly stand-out after those two. Anything you pick that isn't a Vindicator (unless you want to jump-snipe) is a wash overall. But, here's a somewhat controversial recommendation: Try an HBK-4H. Strap an AC/10 on and all the medium lasers. It will shred.

Heavy: Thunderbolt (9SE, 5SS), Ebon Jaguar, Hellbringer

Thuds have high mounted energy and great quirks. The 9SE is a real pain in the butt if you let it poke with 3x LPL or ERLL, the 5SS will hurt at mid-range. They have some considerable durability quirks, too, so removing weapons is a chore. Just leg them.

Ebon Jag has fearsome firepower at any range bracket, and it has it in better hard-points than a Timber Wolf. They are more fragile, but they can apply their strengths to a greater extent which makes them more dangerous than a Timber.

Hellbringer is similar to the Ebon Jag, but it can roll damage better and brings ECM.

There's no Timber Wolf on here because, while it is the best 1v1, I don't find it to be the best in a mixed-'Mech, mix-team environment due to its low hard-points and easy-to-hit side torsos.

Assault: Stalker (4N, Misery), Banshee (3M), Dire Wolf

Stalker 4N and Misery put down ferrocious pin-point damage at long range, they move pretty quick for assaults with that kind of firepower, and they can spread damage really well.

Banshee is similar, but trades some range for improved pinpoint strike.

Dire Wolf just has all the guns. When played right with support, it's the match-maker.

I think the gap between assaults is, generally, small. There are outliers, like the Victor and certain Awesomes, but generally if you do well in one you can probably do well in them all. If you can work a BNC, you can work a BLR or MAL with little adjustment. If you can work a DWF, a Stalker or King Crab should be natural.

[Xetelian]

Absolute best
Light:. ACH and FS9
Medium: SCR
Heavy: EBJ and TBR
Assault: DWF

Honorable mentions

Light: LCT 1E
Medium: SHD and BJ 1DC
Heavy: TDR
Assault: KGC STK

Edited by Xetelian, 01 November 2015 - 11:01 AM.

[Myke Pantera]

The mechs i currently like playing the most:

Light: Panther 10k (certainly not the best, but soooo much fun. Ember and FS9-H/K are also pretty good)
Medium: Sparky (Hands down my best medium, besides CDA-3M)
Heavy: Grasshopper 5H (Sparky XL, works good for me, but I'm not a heavy pilot)
Assault: None... Only play Victors and not very successful since clans invaded the IS.

[Lostdragon]

Light: FS9/ACH
Medium: HBK/SCR
Heavy: TDR/TBR
Assault: STK/DWF