23 replies to this topic

[BlazeIXI]

Figured Id start here. I have had some wins and some losses after playing awhile. But I am stuck. I dont know what mech to get. I have tried a few here and there but i dont like the majority of them. I kinda like to be the long range attack but seems hard since heatsinks drop so fast. I just bought the hunchback but cant really do much with it and i die in 3 hits.
Would anyone recommend a mech for me?

[MechWarrior4023212]

I started in a Panther and with no long range, it makes you keep moving and learn to control. Never stand still unless you feel confident that you are safe.

Learning to move will help you stay alive.

Come to SWOL Clan Wolf, great bunch and they can help you as we run training days.

[BlazeIXI]

Um, sure, how do i do that?

[mailin]

Welcome to MWO. Which weapons do you like to use? Which mechs have you tried? You mention the Hunchback. Which variant of it, and have you tried customizing it? One thing worth noting, Hunchies generally don't take XL engines well.

Edited by mailin, 20 January 2016 - 09:09 PM.

[BlazeIXI]

Um, I like lasers and long range missiles on the hunchback. I dont know what a variant is, or that there are different ones so i couldnt answer that.
I have customized it so many times and spent alot of Cbills screwing up. I put so far 5 med lasers, 1 large laser and 2 10x long range missiles on it.
I have tried a few, dont remember names. Timberwolf has been my fav since Mech Warrior 2 so I do really want that one.

[mailin]

In MWO there are a LOT of things to know, just remember to press R to lock a target (always keep one locked, preferrably your current target). Also, make sure you know the maximum ranges on your weapons, and stay close to your team mates. First concentrate on staying alive until the end of the match while still damaging enemies.

Good luck, and hope to see you on the battlefield.

[Darkspart3n]

Research and trail and error will be your friend, there are many different play styles and many different mechs so asking for flat mech recommendations is a bit hard to answer without wasting your time and c-bills if you happen to not like a mech. Some general tips for building your own mech is to try and focus on one dmg range, clicking on a weapon before dragging it over to your mech will display alot of stats one of which will be the effective and max range. Picking a group of weapons that all work around the same range will allow you to focus more on just killing things once you get into that range rather than having to worry about it right off the bat. Also if you look at the mech info box in the bottom right of the mech lab you can find a stat that will be pertaining to your heat ratio, a general rule of thumb if your just begining is to try and keep that number above 1.1-1.2 and under 1.6-1.7 this is normally a heat range that will allow you to not over heat too quickly while still giving you enough weapons to deal some good dmg.

From your description of your weapon loadout it sounds like your running a Hunchback-4J (even the stock build is VERY hot at .91). My recommendation if you want to keep this mech is to drop down to maybe 3 or 4 medium lasers (what ever you feel is better for you) and focus more on staying with your teams second line and supporting with LRMs. If some mechs come into your laser range you still have some to deal some dmg but you dont have to be out in front. As to your dieing predicament the hunchback with a stock engine is quite slow for a medium and even though it is a 50 tonner it is very squishy with a large hit box on your left torso so there is not much you can do about that.

TLDR: 3 meds, 2 lrm 10s, ammo and heatsinks

Lastly if you really like the timber wolf go ahead and save for it, you will be getting alot of extra c-bills from your cadet bonuses if you still have them and even if you dont the timber wolf is a strong mech so you cant so wrong in getting one. Last last thing I swear, I started out on stormcrows (huge medium mech fan) now I am not saying you will like them but dont be afraid to save up for an expensive mech if you really want it.

~Dark

[qS Sachiel]

To get money (CBills) quickly (for a first-timer):

1) Cadet bonuses
2) Do the Boot Camp / Training missions, they net you a few million easy CBill's
3) look for easy Acchievements (which give smaller rewards for early, but they're easy to acchieve so...)

Then it's mostly trial and error. This isn't toooooooooo bad though, because if you like a chassis, (use the trials first to check out the chassis handling etc) you need to fully unlock 3x variants of that chassis to have an ultimately level-playing-field unit (in the Skills tab up top, is where you can spend mech XP or General XP on augmentations/mods for your mech).

Once you get to know the weapons and units a bit better, you can select which one you think will be more fun / less likely to keep first, then leave the (desired trait) chassis variant to last, to keep (I usually sell the ones i dont plan on keeping for the CBill recycle).

Edited by qS Sachiel, 20 January 2016 - 10:15 PM.

[Void Angel]

BlazeIXI, on 20 January 2016 - 09:20 PM, said:

Um, I like lasers and long range missiles on the hunchback. I dont know what a variant is, or that there are different ones so i couldnt answer that.
I have customized it so many times and spent alot of Cbills screwing up. I put so far 5 med lasers, 1 large laser and 2 10x long range missiles on it.
I have tried a few, dont remember names. Timberwolf has been my fav since Mech Warrior 2 so I do really want that one.

Those would be the 4P and 4J variants, respectively. A variant is a version of a chassis that is fitted with different hardpoints. They usually have different quirks as well. Thus, the Hunchback is the chassis, and the Hunchback 4P is the laser-centric variant, whilst the Hunchback 4J is focused on LRMs. Other variants have their own sets of hardpoints - and quirks.

Quirks (shown in the sidebar when you mouse over a 'mech in the store or mechbay,) are a balancing mechanic meant to give different variants a distinct flavor. Most Clan 'mechs have minimal quirks, while the Inner Sphere 'mechs are full of them - particularly for chassis that haven't been performing well historically. In any case, there's a List of Them Here - just hit CTRL F and type the model name of the 'mech you're looking for (hunchbacks are HBK.)

Alternately, you can see all the quirks and much more at Smurfy's Awesome Website! This is seriously the best reference site for any game I've yet played, and since the site pulls from the game files directly, it's always accurate. The Mechlab on Smurfy's is the tool we recommend new players use to build out their 'mechs before spending c-bills - it lets you know what fits, and it even has a WeaponLab tool to tell you how hot it's going to be. Seriously a superb reference, and well worth checking out.
Many of us have posted guides on various topics to these forums (mine are in my signature.) Of special note are these Excellent Tactical Comics. They're easy to understand, accurate, and just generally well done. Some players have also gone to Youtube - for creative hilarity, no one can match TheB33f. Of course, all guides (even mine!) should be taken with a grain of salt - or in TheB33f's case, a flashing "don't try this at home" sign.

For specific questions, just post here! There's a small army of us who pay at least nominal attention to the new player forums - Koniving even has a forum title from doing it. You'll meet him. Soon. For specific advice on my part based on your Hunchback 4J build, I'd recommend you pull out the Large Laser, increase your engine size to at least around 250 STD, and just go with 4 medium lasers, TAG, and the LRMs. Then just have fun and adjust the build as needed. Iterate. If you find you're running out of ammunition before the match is really decided, then pull out something and add more ammo; if you find you never run out of ammo, pull some out and use it somewhere else. Don't make adjustments based on a single match, and don't spend a lot of c-bills on it yet, but don't feel like you're married to your build.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

So, your missile Hunchback is the HBK-4J. It's one of the BEST medium LRM mechs there is, PERIOD. Good quirks for the LRM-10, specifically, make it a freakin' WINNER. Like Charlie Sheen, but less blow and viruses, and lots more tiger blood.

It's dangerous to go alone. Take THIS.

That's a humble suggestion for a budget upgrade to your stock HBK-4J. It ditches two MLs and a SL, and all those extra standard heat sinks. Yeah, you're gonna have to bury 1.5 million CBills for the Double Heat Sink upgrade, but it's SO worth it. Adds a TAG in the head. If you have the means, set the TAG to a fire group you don't use (probably 6), and set that to TOGGLE on/off. (I've got an old Nostromo N52 Speed Pad that can do that, and it's pretty awesome specifically for TAG.) This also adds the Beagle Active Probe and a couple Double Heat Sinks, as well as two more tons of ammo for the LRMs. With this, you want to stay near the friendly heavies and fire those LRMs at whatever target they're focusing on, preferably in the 400-600 meter range. You're best served by having direct line of sight to the target, and keeping that TAG beam on it. The Active Probe will help with target lock times and defeating enemy ECM up close (TAG helps against ECM, too). Believe me, you'll be popular enough with your teammates if you can just stick near them in that, take your share of the damage, keep the targets lit up, and pour in the damage with those LRMs without being cowardly about it. There are a crazy few out there that actually LOVE that mech, and regularly put up 1,000+ damage per match with it.

That's a budget build, by the way. A more wealthy version would go to a faster engine, upgrade to Endo-Steel internal structure, MAYBE go with Artemis IV fire control for the missiles, and so on. Also, if you want to grab an extra heat sink (though that suggestion above is pretty good on heat already), scrape some of the armor off of the arms, or at least the left one. And feel free to move the TAG to the RT, and one of the MLs to the head, just in case you LOSE that RT.

DEFINITELY run STANDARD engines in HBKs (save the HBK-4SP, which is not exactly XL-unfriendly since it lacks the signature hunch of the chassis).

Good luck! And WELCOME ABOARD!

[Rogue Jedi]

BlazeIXI, on 20 January 2016 - 09:20 PM, said:

I have customized it so many times and spent alot of Cbills screwing up. I put so far 5 med lasers, 1 large laser and 2 10x long range missiles on it.
I have tried a few, dont remember names. Timberwolf has been my fav since Mech Warrior 2 so I do really want that one.

if it came with LRMs on it then it is the 4J, if it came with SRMs then it is the 4SP.
this is how I have my HBK4J setup
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...2c26dda3e44f0fe
the way I use it is to use the LRMs at 200-600m, and the lasers as your short range weapons, avoid firing both together too much or you will find yourself running hot.
if you are targeting something with LRMs try to have line of sight and use your TAG to reduce lock time and increase accuracy.
if the enemy start shooting at you twist to use your left side as a shield, not only does that protect your firepower but after loosing the arm any fire that hits the arm looses 60% of its damage and only has 40% of its damage applied to the side torso, after loosing the torso fire hitting the torso looses 60% of its damage, any fire that hits both the torso and arm looses 84% of its damage, only 16% of the damage is transferred to the Center Torso

as for the Timber Wolf, that is an extremely strong Mech but as everyone knows that you will be a priority target for the enemy team, there are a few other priority targets including the Dire Wolf and Stormcrow, because those Mechs will get focus fired to death pretty much as soon as the enemy team notices them I advise against playing them until you have a bit of experience, learning to protect the Hunch on the Hunchback will seriously help with lasting longer under sustained fire when half the enemy team is shooting at your Timber Wolf.
you can absolutely get the Timber Wolf as soon as you can afford it but do not be surprised if you die within seconds of the enemy team noticing you.

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 21 January 2016 - 02:04 AM.

[Leone]

BlazeIXI, on 20 January 2016 - 09:20 PM, said:

Um, I like lasers and long range missiles on the hunchback. I dont know what a variant is, or that there are different ones so i couldnt answer that.
I have customized it so many times and spent alot of Cbills screwing up. I put so far 5 med lasers, 1 large laser and 2 10x long range missiles on it.
I have tried a few, dont remember names. Timberwolf has been my fav since Mech Warrior 2 so I do really want that one.

My suggestion would be to keep tweaking the hunchback until you can survive in it, try out the other mechs and keep saving on up for a Madcat... or Timberwolf as you may know it. Hopefully you'll find out what's holding you back with the Hunchback and by the time you get the timberwolf, you'll have learned valuable positioning and torso twisting skills that'll do you right.

As for the build you mentioned, I do believe that it may suffer from too many weapons. You know, I never expected to say that. Lemme rephrase that. I do believe that it may suffer from too many high heat weapons. Sounds better. Me personally, I run my missile hunches with the double LRM 10, Five medium lasers, and a tag on the off side of my mech. (I shield with that side.)

The way I run it is I generally fire LRMs or Lasers, dependent on range. Otherwise it gets too hot. Seriously, even then it gets too hot. (OH! by the way, this is just mech optimization opinion. Feelings differ by playstyle. Consider what I suggest but don't feel the need to be constrained by it. Just 'cuz a build works for me doesn't mean it'll work for you.)

However, something tells me that the build may not be the issue. You mentioned you die in three hits... Now, I admit, the hunchbacks not to beefiest of thingies, but it's no paper tiger. I believe you may be either standing still to fire, or looking straight into the shots. I could be wrong, but I would suggest never stopping, and turning away from incoming fire.

If I am wrong, I suggest you friend me in game an we can try an drop together, an I'll see what I can do to help. I'd like to offer actually useful advice, but I'm not too good at it yet.

~Leone.

Edited by Leone, 21 January 2016 - 01:19 AM.

[MechWarrior4023212]

BlazeIXI, on 20 January 2016 - 09:04 PM, said:

Um, sure, how do i do that?

http://mwomercs.com/...ly-environment/

That is the forum link for the group.

[Koniving]

BlazeIXI, on 20 January 2016 - 08:40 PM, said:

Figured Id start here. I have had some wins and some losses after playing awhile. But I am stuck. I dont know what mech to get. I have tried a few here and there but i dont like the majority of them. I kinda like to be the long range attack but seems hard since heatsinks drop so fast. I just bought the hunchback but cant really do much with it and i die in 3 hits.
Would anyone recommend a mech for me?

Since you joined Jade Falcon you should look into Clan mechs.

That said lets salvage what you have.
The std 200 engine it comes with is manageable. What you need is to support its shape with some armor reallocation. First, right torso. Front armor 40, rear 8. On the left I find 15 rear, 33 front works great. Twist to protect right side. Upgrade to double heatsinks asap(1.5 mil). Now for weapons. You can roll with the large or Er large but it is a tonnage hog. I suggest more ammo and heatsinks with a 6th medium laser. Just use the lasers sparingly and make the shot count!

Will have to suggest looking up Koniving and Hunchback or HBK on YouTube because I am on an android and haven't figured out copy paste in a reliable fashion without losing what I have typed in another tab.

[BlazeIXI]

Holy..****. You guys are incredible.
There is so much info, from all of you at once, and its easy to understand. I read them all.
Based on the info you guys gave me, the response time but also the welcome you present is enough for me to keep playing this game alot longer than i thought.
I will try out the different stuff, I guess i am ahppy I picked this guy up instead of something else.
Thank you all!

[Koniving]

You're quite welcome. Whenever you need help, just swing by here.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

The Hunchback is a really great first-mech chassis. Powerful enough to keep you in a fight, but squishy enough that you'll have to learn some good individual habits and team tactics to succeed in it consistently. And the chassis has about everything across its variants, other than Jump Jets and ECM.

If you're going to stay Clan for a while, also consider picking up the HBK-IIC mechs.

Enjoy!!

[SlimeLVL1]

Like you I started fairly recently, just the start of this month actually. All those who responded to your post could never be more helpful when it comes to lore, tips and tricks of the game. My personal opinion, regardless if you would follow the advice of your veteran peers or not is to try the easiest approach, learn from it and move on from there.

Now this is entirely based on my experience. Easiest style to start with is 'LRM' mechs, you can easily rack up dmg from afar, you do not have to find the enemies yourself and if you learn the arc of missile shots you can definitely fire away from cover. I cashed in a lot of cbills by doing just this. This is definitely the noob approach, even in legit hand guides it is stated LRM mechs are low tiers and should never be a spec for assault mechs.

Well I did just the opposite, I placed 3 15 lrms on my King Crab and noobed away, at this tier its easy to dominate with such specs.

The point of this approach is some things are a lot easier to get a grip on if you understand the short comings by doing it personally yourself. You'll learn things that against a well coordinated team, LRMs fall short to almost useless when enemies know how to mitigate dmg with torso twists, lure in for a peek and cover, and counter you with ecm and wolf pack mechs.

At this point you'd like to try on something more effective, and this is how I understood why everyone prefers lasers at range.
Trying everything you feel like is right, is probably not the best way of approaching it, but it's certainly an effective way of learning as long as you.. Well actually do learn from it.

And when you die, which is a normal occurence for us noobs. Spectate once in a while, spectate the brawler mechs, it helps you get ideas on how to dog fight successfully. In my personal opinion those mech warriors who mastered the lighter, lesser armored mechs have high Pilot IQ and mechanics.

I hope you get to enjoy this game more and as time goes on. I sure did.

[BlazeIXI]

UPDATE!!!!;

So far, i have been winning and kicking alot of *** now. I tried not to get too much damage and keep poking, while making sure they hit my left and not my right side.
This is going great so far guys, thank you.

[plodder]

BlazeIXI, on 21 January 2016 - 04:23 PM, said:

Holy..****. You guys are incredible.
There is so much info, from all of you at once, and its easy to understand. I read them all.
Based on the info you guys gave me, the response time but also the welcome you present is enough for me to keep playing this game alot longer than i thought.
I will try out the different stuff, I guess i am ahppy I picked this guy up instead of something else.
Thank you all!

Yeah these fellas are good.

The best thing I can add is what has already been said, but I saw no links.....Get with a group. You can look in the Forums under recruiting I believe, haven't done it myself since I have always had a group. You have chosen a Faction loyalty of Jade Falcon, but get with some fellas even if you do not join a group to start with. Download TeamSpeak3 http://www.teamspeak.com/downloads. Go to NO Guts No Galaxy teampeak. After downloading and opening it, manage bookmarks, add NGNG putting the first line in address and the second in password.

voip01.n1585.hypernia.net:9992
pw = MechWarrior


Just one place of many. Any group will help you, they like to help newbs. Come way down to the Windbourne Highlanders channel, poke us if we don't notice you in the lobby(you may need to adjust your settings to see who is in channels below you. left click on an individual and "poke" him or her. It is annoying as all get out, so they will respond immediately if not in game.)
We are very casual players and will take time to help.

MWO has a great community. Thanks for joining.
Also: Keep moving even when sniping..... Lrm usage, stay within 300 meters of front forces if safe....do not be afraid to give or ask for help, just try to keep the octaves down.... Never use a Xl engine in a Hunchback unless you are an elite pilot, only then if your build needs it..... front load your armor and never use it stock, always use double heatsinks, ignore the exceptions....Use endosteel and not ferofibrious unless you use both....

and just consider as a guideline, have 4 tons of ammo for every "primary weapon" per weapon, less if a universally balanced weapon platform..


add more or disagree brethren, ,,,LOL and add your teamspeak addresses!!!!!!!!!

Gl HF