33 replies to this topic

[Chryckan]

I'm pondering which mech to master next.
However, a lot of mechs have quite similar chassis, like the catapult for example that with the exception of the hero and the K2 are all missile boats.
Which often means, at least for me, that once you mastered a mech you have one or more chassis that are very similar to the rest so you end up with a redundant chassis.

So this time I'm looking for a mech were all the variants are very different from each other so when you have mastered the 3 minimum you'd need, you still have three viable variants, like one dakka mech, one brawler or one sniper or missile boat for example.

At the moment I'm thinking of picking either the Blackjack, or either the IS or Clan Hunchback.
Though I am willing to move up one weight class and master a heavy. It's just that my knowlege of heavies is kind of small so I don't know which mech to pick.

I'd like one of the variants to be a dakka mech because I find ballistics fun but the important thing is that you can get three very different builds.

So which heavy or medium mechs have diverse chassis that you would recommend?

(I've mastered the catapult, the griffin and the urbie so far)

[ImperialKnight]

HBK-IIC

[Khereg]

Stormcrow has the most diverse viable loadouts in the game.

Examples:

Classic laser vomit: 1 LPL, 4 ERML

SPL-crow: 12 or 13 SPL

Splat/Streak Crow: 5 SRM6 or SSRM6

Gauss/Laser: 1 Gauss, 4 ERML

MPL Monster: 5 or 6 MPL

All viable builds in the right hands.

Edited by Khereg, 03 April 2016 - 06:48 AM.

[Cato Phoenix]

Cataphracts are diverse.

Jagermechs have dakka/dakka/missiles.

Hunchies are diverse.

Ebon Jags, Warhawks, shadow cats, novas, stormcrows, timbies can all be very diverse. Ebon Jags with a minimal of omnipod swapping.

wolverines are different

[invernomuto]

I have the Blakjack (BJ-1, BJ-3 and BJ-1X). One is for sniper ER-PPCs, one is for fast skirmisher MLs/MPLs and one is for AC/2 fun. I also tend to buy mechs that have variants that specialize in different roles.

PS
BJ are little too "light" for my playstyle but they're fun.

[Kurbeks]

Banshee, probably some other IS assults Also DW

Jager mech - all Dakka, but you get dual gauss, dual AC20 and 3xUAC5

Hunchies

Crows

and etc.

Edited by Kurbeks, 03 April 2016 - 10:15 AM.

[StumbleBee]

My next chassis may be the Warhammer because it can do missiles, dakka, and beams.

Hunchbacks have already been mentioned, but they're worth repeating. Great flexibility.

[Chryckan]

I admit that I was thinking about EBJs or Timberwolf but the C-bill cost for those are a bit out of my price range. Most clan mechs are, the exception is the adapted IS mech. (They are still pricey though.

So think I'm gonna stay true to IS for now.
Still thinking of Hunchies and BJs.

What IS heavies are diverse?

[StumbleBee]

Chryckan, on 03 April 2016 - 12:51 PM, said:

I admit that I was thinking about EBJs or Timberwolf but the C-bill cost for those are a bit out of my price range. Most clan mechs are, the exception is the adapted IS mech. (They are still pricey though.

Adding DHS or endosteel and changing engines will be expensive, too. Clan 'mechs aren't bad deals.

Just review the hardpoints available for the IS heavies. The Catapult, Jagermech, Thunderbolt, and Orion can all do missiles, ballistics, and energy, but no one else can decide which of them will be best for you.

[Catho Sharn]

BJs are a bit on the light side, but they're really fun mechs and offer a lot of variety.

[bayoucowboy]

If you are sticking with IS chassis, my recommendation would be Jagermechs. They excel at ACs, but the JM6-A can be setup as a LRM boat. The Firebrand Hero is the strong energy mech, or you could just wait until the Rifleman becomes cbill available for your laser fix.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

HUNCHBACK!

-4G and -4H have a Ballistic RT, with Energy backups.

-4J has a Missile RT, and Energy backups.

-4P has an all-Energy layout.

-4SP has Missiles in BOTH torsos, less of a shoulder hunch, and energy backups.

And just in case you find some spare MC burning a hole in your pocket...

The HBK-GI "Gridiron" hero mech has a Ballistic in one torso, Missile in the other, and Energy backups.

Short of begging for JJs and ECM, that's about as diverse a chassis as you can get. Each variant is specialized, but the chassis has something for everyone. Max engine produces reasonable speed for a MEDIUM IS mech.

The HBK-IIC are good, too. Similarly, the -IIC and -IIC-C do Ballistic torsos, and Energy CT (and arms on the -C), along with Jump Jets and Clan tech. The -IIC-A is one of my highest damage/match mechs, and is a pure Energy boat. And the -IIC-B has Missile shoulders, with a couple of Energy points in the CT. Same speed considerations, but they do ClammerStyle and get all Kriss Kross (the daddy mac'll make ya)...

Heavies? My GOD man, this game is all about the heavy mechs. Uh... WARHAMMER. No? Uh... JAGERMECH. Huh... Uh... THUNDERBOLT. Damn. Uh... THROW A DART AT THE BOARD AND BUY WHATEVER IT HITS. There are just too many to choose from...

[Chryckan]

Have looked at the heavies and atm I kind of like the warhammer and the cataphract. But as the majority of mechs seems to be heavies I'm back at mediums, where the choice still seems to be between the Hunchies and the blackjacks.

Though I saw that the mauler can be bought by Cbills and I've always liked how they looked and I've never played assaults so I'm a bit tempted.

So instead of asking for what mech to pick, any advice on how to pick one? How should I go about deciding which one?

[invernomuto]

Chryckan, on 04 April 2016 - 12:38 PM, said:

So instead of asking for what mech to pick, any advice on how to pick one? How should I go about deciding which one?

My first mech was a Cataphract and my selection criteria was: "it looked good" . I think that the majority of the mech are "good", in the sense that you can have fun with them and make good matches in terms of performance, expecially in tier 5.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

Chryckan, on 04 April 2016 - 12:38 PM, said:

Have looked at the heavies and atm I kind of like the warhammer and the cataphract. But as the majority of mechs seems to be heavies I'm back at mediums, where the choice still seems to be between the Hunchies and the blackjacks.

Though I saw that the mauler can be bought by Cbills and I've always liked how they looked and I've never played assaults so I'm a bit tempted.

So instead of asking for what mech to pick, any advice on how to pick one? How should I go about deciding which one?

SO, Maulers tend to draw a LOT of attention. Unless there's an Atlas or Dire Wolf nearby, you're a priority target. Sadly, they're not QUITE as tough to kill as they are to survive. Maulers are dakka mechs primarily. I mean, you CAN go stock or stock-ish, and bring those HUGE bunny-ear missile launcher shoulders to the fight, but nah man. LOTS of AC/5 or UAC/5, lots of ammo, SLOW, and will wear out ANY enemy mech in so many seconds. And if it gets caught out in the open, or focus-fired by a few enemies at once, it's toast. 90 tons of toast, to be more precise. FUN mech, but it's all offense when you're a barn door with guns.

HBK or BJ? Either is a good choice. BJ is more forgiving, so I'd recommend the HBK. Hunchie will MAKE you a better player, but it won't handicap you in a match. BJ is, even after the un-buffing-re-quirkening-WTF-ing of the BJ lately, it's still a tough little bugger to kill for its weight, it can carry a wicked loadout, and it's not exactly SLOW. It's a smaller, quicker RFL/JM6. With occasional JUMP JETS, too.

Nah, go HBK first. Serious.

[Chryckan]

Sister RAbbi, on 04 April 2016 - 08:59 PM, said:

SO, Maulers tend to draw a LOT of attention. Unless there's an Atlas or Dire Wolf nearby, you're a priority target.

Why is that? Because they are seen as a big threat or just because they are easy to kill or what? They still look good though.

So Hunchies it is...
Unless I win the lotto and can pay out to get the Warhammer or Phonix Hawk.

[Pineapple Salad]

Shadow Hawk is the obvious choice here. Laser vomit is pretty much the only thing they can't do. And even then, 3LPL/3LL/3ERLL fits come pretty close.

[Virlutris]

Off-brand IS medium choice:

Trebs.

Now, I'm not saying they're good in the sense of being highly competitive. However, they do energy (wubs and pew), SRMs, LRMs, and even ballistics. They quite literally do it all, and several (not all) variants have JJs. They even do it reasonably competently, and a couple do things well (TBT-7M in particular does SRMs or LRMs like a boss).

Hunchies are mainstream, even conventional, amd they're a great choice. Trebs are totally the hipster option. If you want to do something different and diverse, Trebs are the ticket.

I'd echo the WVR too, for another off-brand IS choice. WVRs are more competitive than the Trebs, I think.

Aside from that, Stormcrows do virtually anything except boating small-caliber ballistics. They can still do a nice big-gun-plus-stuff build. Awesomely diverse mech, the crow.

Timbers and Ebons do a diverse array of builds nicely too. Adders are underrated for their diverse build options, as are Kit Foxes. Clan OmniTech is funny like that.

Edited by Virlutris, 06 April 2016 - 10:35 AM.

[Mogney]

Enforcers come to mind. There is a laser boat, a uac one, and an ac20 brawler. Best part is that all 3 are objectively good mechs.

[Mogney]

If diversity is all your after ill echo virl on trebs. I think there over 4000 variants in the game seriously the j is a boss laser boat, the 7m is lrm spam at its best, and the hero is an srm beast. Caveat no treb is actually great. Just fun.