11 replies to this topic

[DavidStarr]

I've asked a similar question during the last Christmas sale - basically, the question was which hero mechs are definitely worth getting, and I got a lot of really good advice. Avoided buying some "meh" ones, got a good number of great ones. I hope to draw from your experience again, because now we have some new heroes on sale that weren't available half a year ago. And also, skill tree + new tech might make some of the old mechs great.

So, among the following mechs (many of which are not covered by Metamechs so I really have no idea about them), which would you definitely recommend getting?

Mechs I may be interested in, in no particular order (first a couple old ones that were so-so, but could have changed with the recent game updates):

1. AWS-PB (Awesome Pretty Baby)
2. HGN-HM (Highlander Heavy Metal)
3. AS7-BH ( Atlas Boar's Head - I don't have a single Atlas, could this be THE ONE to get?..)
4. ON1-P (Orion Protector)
5. HMN-PA
6. SCR-LC (brings second AMS and a second arm ballistic hardpoint over the standard pods; not sure if justifies a purchase)
7. DWF-UV (I already have a special variant DWF, but the extra two arm ballistic hardpoints are tempting for UAC/2 or LB-X 2 builds, and one cannot have enough Direwolves in one's garage, can one?..)
8. WHK-NQ (I don't get this chassis, looks super weak for an 85-ton assault, but I do want to learn what to do with it).
9. BSW-HR (doesn't look very unique compared to other variants, but the only one with energy range quirk, although that may go away in the future)
10. MAD-IIC-SC (4 missile hardpoints look tempting, I like brawling)
11. SNV-BR (The only one with ballistic hardpoints)
12. RGH-R

Which ones do you recommend as a worthwhile purchase that brings either unique gameplay or just better results over the standard variants? Thjanks!

[Pariah Devalis]

HMN-PA. Extremely good investment. Especially if you ever plan on doing Scouting, but even if you don't, the thing is a monster. It provides the best missile clustering out of all the Huntsmen due to the tightly packed 2x/2x M torsos. 4x ASRM6, 4x ERSLas is absolutely brutal. The thing takes on mechs far larger than itself, and bullies them. Just totally wrecks their day.

For example:



Or:

[Yumoshiri]

DavidStarr, on 27 July 2017 - 11:40 PM, said:

I've asked a similar question during the last Christmas sale - basically, the question was which hero mechs are definitely worth getting, and I got a lot of really good advice. Avoided buying some "meh" ones, got a good number of great ones. I hope to draw from your experience again, because now we have some new heroes on sale that weren't available half a year ago. And also, skill tree + new tech might make some of the old mechs great.

So, among the following mechs (many of which are not covered by Metamechs so I really have no idea about them), which would you definitely recommend getting?

Mechs I may be interested in, in no particular order (first a couple old ones that were so-so, but could have changed with the recent game updates):

1. AWS-PB (Awesome Pretty Baby)
2. HGN-HM (Highlander Heavy Metal)
3. AS7-BH ( Atlas Boar's Head - I don't have a single Atlas, could this be THE ONE to get?..)
4. ON1-P (Orion Protector)
5. HMN-PA
6. SCR-LC (brings second AMS and a second arm ballistic hardpoint over the standard pods; not sure if justifies a purchase)
7. DWF-UV (I already have a special variant DWF, but the extra two arm ballistic hardpoints are tempting for UAC/2 or LB-X 2 builds, and one cannot have enough Direwolves in one's garage, can one?..)
8. WHK-NQ (I don't get this chassis, looks super weak for an 85-ton assault, but I do want to learn what to do with it).
9. BSW-HR (doesn't look very unique compared to other variants, but the only one with energy range quirk, although that may go away in the future)
10. MAD-IIC-SC (4 missile hardpoints look tempting, I like brawling)
11. SNV-BR (The only one with ballistic hardpoints)
12. RGH-R

Which ones do you recommend as a worthwhile purchase that brings either unique gameplay or just better results over the standard variants? Thjanks!

The thing with the new clan heroes for MC: their MC equivalent is almost the same as their cost in $, so don't feel pushed now because they are on 50% discount. To go further in on the batch of clans that came at that time: DWF-UV, only difference is that you can mod for 8 ballistic hardpoints. 8 AC2 will be fun guaranteed. Expensive fun though. WHK-NQ, this warhawk differs by offering an extra ballistic arm, making ballistic builds sensible on WHK's where they previously were not.
Neither of these IMO, are worth the bucks for the joy they offer. Other heroes are mostly just c-bill variants with a camo. The only god in this bunch of 8 clan heroes is the KFX-purifier, which allows the little fox to get 7 laser hard points where previous max was 3.

My personal Best Buy is the pirates bane, was my 3th mech in the game, and still continues to please me and earns me a ton of c-bills, and even more with the new tech. The fastest ECM mech, that can deal a good punch, yet take very little.

My regret was the Highlander Heavy Metal, although with the new tech there is hope for it. Highlanders are the tankiest mechs in the game. Previous issue with HM: can't fit an AC20 in their arm. Not enough lasers, not enough missiles.
Current ideas for builds:
A: MRM + double ac5
B: MRM + Rotary Ac5 + ERML or ppc variants
C: MRM + UAC10 + ERML

considering it is a slow assault, and has a ton of armor, you're best bet is taking weapons with longer face time and higher damage. PPC's and AC can be more convenient to punish peekers however.

The highlander-HM is however in no sense unique to other highlanders, except for the music part.

Regarding Atlas Boars Head, not sure how it performs under new tech, but used to be underwhelming compared to the S variant or the DDC with ECM.

Scorch and Boiler:
Brawler wise, they can do the same thing, but Scorch has the better hitboxes. My scorch has: 2x LBX20 + 4 SRM6A. Hot build, but devastating brawler, you can punish entire enemy teams if you're not primary'd by them. My desired boiler build, although I don't have a boiler, would also have 2x LBX20, 3x SRM6A and 3x Spl. In both instances, they are unique for their chassis, allowing builds that are otherwise not available. My scorch regularly sees games >1000 damage, but the other side of the spectrum is also possible if you find yourself in a bad position, and focused at.

Personally I considered Pakhet, but I'm already satisfied with my current huntsmen and don't require additional missile hard points.

hope it helps

[DavidStarr]

Pariah Devalis, on 28 July 2017 - 06:26 AM, said:

HMN-PA. Extremely good investment.

Awesome, thanks! Purchasing HMN-PA right now, especially because I love brawling so much (which is another way to say "I suck at everything else", but oh well).
Nice videos, too! Gonna check out the rest of your channel

P. S. For scouting, I've found dual LB20-X HBK-IIC work rather well, although HMN is probably better.

Yumoshiri, on 28 July 2017 - 07:18 AM, said:

hope it helps

Immensely! Great break-down, thanks for taking the time to write this.

Think I'm going to go for Scorch and Pakhet. Heavy Metal is also appealing, though. The tankiest assault? Me wants! But I only have 5900 MC.
And I was wondering what's wrong with the price of DWF and other recent clan heroes. As much as I want moar dakka, guess I'll hold off until later time. After all, 6xLB2-X + 2xMPL DWF-W is already super brutal.

Edited by DavidStarr, 28 July 2017 - 01:18 PM.

[DavidStarr]

Pariah Devalis, on 28 July 2017 - 06:26 AM, said:

4x ASRM6, 4x ERSLas is absolutely brutal.

Can you please share the loadout? I have a problem filling up the last 1 or 2 tons of free weight.

[Koniving]

I don't own any Clan heroes so I won't say squat there. Except on the Warhawk. While I'm not sure what the hero is boasting, but remember it is an Omnimech so you can swap out the limbs to get hardpoints more suited to you. This said, Warhawks are pretty awesome with their advantages being decent speed and superb cooling power on a weapons platform not dissimilar from the Stalker.

Warhawks are awesome.

Keep in mind I'm in group play and sometimes there's a lot of posturing going on before anyone actually fights (like a Naruto, Bleach, Jojo or *Cringes* Dragon Ball anime) so between LRM volleys on targets being called I'd swap out to youtube. Suddenly things got real so I switched back and we rushed back to our base. Most of our team is wiped out and including one of our friends as we get there, leaving just me, Lordred and some other dude that dies within seconds to defend our base against 7 enemies. Shortly after a kill I open up Fraps and hit record, the youtube video I was watching still plays in the background. Lordred covers my left flank with his Awesome, and I cover his right flank with my Warhawk and we have overlapping firing lines. In the end the 6 or 7 versus 2 dwindles to 1 vs 1 for a final showdown!

Anyway...
I own almost every IS hero there is and all you've listed (except the BSW).

Here's what I can tell you.
There was a time when Pretty Baby was Awesome...as in actually good in some niche way. This was in the age of quirks before quirks were called quirks, in which it had a 400% torso twist speed... and slightly worse stopping ability compared to other Awesomes...which was terrible compared to all mechs -- and that was a DAMN good thing when they introduced hill climb (know all those spires in Tourmaline Desert? Imagine being the only 'Mech that can climb any of them all the way to the top without jumpjets, provided you kept that 400 engine installed and 'Skyrim mountain climbed' which is basically 'running at cliff edges' at weird ways until you went up...) Yeah... that went the way of the dinosaur. It just...isn't as good anymore.

Heavy Metal: One of my favorite hero mechs. I made an anti-meta build back in 2014 and have used it ever since with only minor differences (swapped flamers for medium lasers, swapped LBX for AC/10s in competitive gameplay and back to LB10-X for quickplay; LB-10x's heat endurance is wonderful in quickplay but not necessary in organized group play). Either way I keep the AC/2 supplemental ballistic. For missile weapons I tend to stick to Streaks but if I ever substituted then it would have LRMs. The big advantage the Heavy Metal has over other Highlanders is that all the weapons can be setup to follow the "o" crosshair (provided your torso missiles can lock so Streaks / LRMs only), which is a phenomenal advantage in combat as an assault mech.
Here's Heavy Metal before it got armor quirks, heck back when it had negative quirks.
A beating test; actually me getting blasted and yet still alive.
My favorite anti-meta build in action; skip to 5 minutes if you'd rather to just see the action.
Competition rig, there are three teamspeak channels I'm in the assault channel and my voice isn't being recorded.
If it's that good back then, imagine it "unnerfed" and then buffed with quirks.

Boar's Head: An Atlas K and an Atlas RS crossbred, or a 100 ton Stalker Misery with one extra energy hardpoint / Orion Protector. swapping the ballistic for a couple of energy hardpoints. The Boar's Head torso autocannon might not have much compatibility with the arms but the missile launcher can if you want; or you can maintain the missile launcher as a dumbfilre setup (SRMs or MRMs) so that you can supplement the autocannon in hitting one target while the arms deal with another. Quite a bit of versatility here. Though if you want to try it without buying it, get an Atlas RS.

My Boar's Head tends to drop the ballistic entirely and boat 28 tons of Large Pulse Lasers supplement with 2 tons of TAG (to help deal with the 'low arm' issue by allowing me to see when I have clear shots; if the TAG beam breaks between the arm and the target, I know I will waste my shot so I hold it until I get a clear shot).

Screenshot by Lordred.

Protector: A 75 ton Atlas that's a lot more forgiving due to its speed potential, but limited on ammo. You'll probably never use the torso energy hardpoint; I... still haven't. I've had it for a lot of years.

Roughneck Reaver: A 65 ton Cataphract, effectively. The chest missile launcher I use as a Streak 6 so that they compliment the arms, and the torso lasers I've 4 ER Mediums. I've only had it since last week but I'm reasonably content. Remember to fill its survival tree; this thing tanks like a Stalker. Take advantage of it.

Edit: Added one more for the Highlander Heavy Metal; it showcases the build I described which reading Yumoshiri's description of the HM reminded me of. The Heavy Metal is a good charger, hammer things, keep yourself nice and cool, and keep going. Preferably with the team backing you; though it'll be reasonably fine if they don't. Just be sure to go for the most isolated enemies.

Edited by Koniving, 28 July 2017 - 10:32 AM.

[Rogue Jedi]

sorry but I do not have a strong opinion on any of those heroes

DavidStarr, on 27 July 2017 - 11:40 PM, said:

3. AS7-BH ( Atlas Boar's Head - I don't have a single Atlas, could this be THE ONE to get?..)

no, Boars Head is, in my opinion, not THE Atlas to get, unless you want a highly durable assualt class energy boat.
Boars Head has exactly 2 things going for it, the XL400 engine (which is realy useful for some other assualt Mechs, not great for an Atlas) and the 6 arm mounted energy hardpoints, but the arms are rather low, so those 6 hardpoints are not that useful unless you are taking something like MPLs, and if you are using those in a brawl the SRMs of other varients would probably be more usefull

if you are thinking about getting an Atlas here is a breakdown of the varients

AS7-D, a good all rounder, not the best or the worst, has 2 arm mounted energy, 2 torso energy, 2 balistic hardpoints, 2 missile hardpoints.

AS7-K, a downgrade from the -D, and arguably the worst varient, it comes with an XL300 engine and has an extra AMS, but looses a B and an M hardpoint.

AS7-RS its 4 E hardpoints are all in the arms, 2m, 2B hardpoints

AS7-Boars Head, 6 energy but it only has 1 each M and B hardpoint, the fastest varient (it can mount a 400 engine, the others are limited to 360)

AS7-D-DC, ECM varient, also has 2B, 3M and 2 arm mounted E hardpoints, was undoubtably the best until the -S came along, still arguably the best

AS7-S, has more firepower potential than any other Atlas varient with 4E (2 in the CT 1 in each arm) 4M and 1B hardpoint, tied with D-DC as best varient.

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 28 July 2017 - 10:46 AM.

[Koniving]

Rogue Jedi, on 28 July 2017 - 10:01 AM, said:

AS7-D-DC, ECM varient, also has 3B, 3M and 2 arm mounted E hardpoints, was undoubtably the best until the -S came along, still arguably the best

3 ballistic? Since when?

Quote

AS7-K, a downgrade from the -D, and arguably the worst varient, it comes with an XL300 engine and has an extra AMS, but looses a B and an M hardpoint.

The most technologically advanced AS7 Atlas to exist in Battletech... is a downgrade in MWO. PGI really flopped here; this one should have had the ECM at the very least. All the D-DC was supposed to be is an Atlas D with rear torso lasers yanked out to make room for all the cabling, controls, etc. of a secondary cockpit and command station. Such makes me sad.

[Metus regem]

DavidStarr, on 27 July 2017 - 11:40 PM, said:

9. BSW-HR (doesn't look very unique compared to other variants, but the only one with energy range quirk, although that may go away in the future)

Which ones do you recommend as a worthwhile purchase that brings either unique gameplay or just better results over the standard variants? Thjanks!

I've got all the Bushwackers, and I've got to be honest with you, the High Roller is my least favorite of them. That being said, it is still very tanky (with Standard or LFE), as well as being rather decent head on with an XL engine... Now with that out of the way, the Bushwacker is not the mech you want to take head on against other mechs, she excels as a flanker, second line fire support and ambush predator. This is a game play style that that a lot of people have problems with, I find she works similarly to a Dragon, in other words to make the most of this chassis, you need to be able to twist your torso and aim with your arms. It sounds easier than it actually is, but if you can get that skill down, you'll do well with it.

As for a Hero I would recommend, I'd have to say either the Locust Pirate's Bane or the Centurion Yen Lo Wang. The introduction of the LEF and UAC/20 has really made my Len Yo Wang a beast out in the field.

[Rogue Jedi]

Koniving, on 28 July 2017 - 10:12 AM, said:

3 ballistic? Since when?

sorry, I missed the 2, I have corrected it

Quote

The most technologically advanced AS7 Atlas to exist in Battletech... is a downgrade in MWO. PGI really flopped here; this one should have had the ECM at the very least. All the D-DC was supposed to be is an Atlas D with rear torso lasers yanked out to make room for all the cabling, controls, etc. of a secondary cockpit and command station. Such makes me sad.

agreed

[Pariah Devalis]

DavidStarr, on 28 July 2017 - 08:46 AM, said:

Can you please share the loadout? I have a problem filling up the last 1 or 2 tons of free weight.

Here ya go!

https://mwomercs.com...ost__p__5806890

[Throe]

I realize I'm a little late here, but I have a ton of fun in my Grey Death. I almost always run one of two builds on it, although I've been having fun with the new tech as well lately, I haven't settled on a specific build including any new tech that I especially like. These are both basically Brawler builds, with some significant overall variation between the two:

AC10; 2 SRM4; 4 SLas (looks like I might have to try this one with Light FF armor). I run a very similar build on my SMN-D, using a UAC-10 instead.
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...961ca8ab3cd1d8a

2 LPL; 2 SRM4 (this is an emulation of my favorite build for my HBK-4SP, but with a CBill bonus and a jumpjet, basically)
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...4be3b90aed7a47d

I bought Ultraviolet, Boiler, IV-Four, Warrant, (the Summoner Hero; what is it called?), and Pirate's Bane... and maybe one more Hero 'Mech, I can't remember.

So far, I'm enjoying Warrant the most. It's like a heavier Summoner, with slightly fewer jump jets and more armament(using an -S side torso for JJs).