9
Nightmare1’s Comprehensive New Player Guide
Welcome!
So, you’re a new player who just installed MechWarrior Online (MWO), and you’re wondering what your first step should be to get into the game and learn the ropes! Well, have no fear! This guide is designed to not only help you get started learning those ropes, but also to guide you as you develop your skills and progress deeper into MWO’s gameplay.
To veteran pilots who read this, I ask that you bear in mind that this guide is written simplistically to give new players a bird’s-eye-view of the game. As a result, some difficult concepts have been potentially oversimplified to introduce new players to them. Please refrain from picking those apart. However, if you see real errors, feel free to weigh in on this guide.
New players, as you grow you will realize that the simplified portions of this guide are not as simple as initially presented. This guide will give you a working knowledge to get you started, but it will ultimately be up to you to take your education further!
First things first! MWO has no story. It is not campaign or story driven, and lacks a single-player system. The game is completely multiplayer focused and success will depend heavily on how well you work together with your teammates. With the exception of one game mode (more on that later), MWO matches take place between two teams of 12 players each. While individual efforts can be enough to turn the tide of a battle, it is more often than not the team’s overall performance which paves the way to victory. So, do your best not only to boost your score, but also to coordinate with your allies to win matches! Now, let’s get started!
User Interface (UI):
Spoiler
Open the game and log into it. The first thing you should do, is familiarize yourself with the User Interface (UI) and then to open the Training Tutorial. Click the Spoiler below for a pair of tutorial videos on the Mechlab, the UI, the Training Academy, and how to enable your VOIP and All Chat.
The Training Tutorial is not going to make you a champion MechWarrior, but it will teach you the basics of the game while also giving you your first bit of pocket change. Please note, that I do not recommend purchasing any BattleMechs until you have completed all 25 Cadet Bonuses. Once you have completed all Cadet Bonuses, you will have a tidy sum of money to use on purchasing a BattleMech. Make sure you try out each of the Trial Mechs so that you get a good feel for what each weight class is like, and then purchase a Mech that you favor. An important item to note, is that any XP you earn with a Trial Chassis will be retained, so it may be in your benefit to purchase one of the trial chassis you used to obtain your Cadet Bonuses to help you save time leveling your first Mech.
Be sure to research the BattleMech you want to purchase before buying it though. Not all Mechs are equal, and some perform very poorly. You do not want to lose all your hard-earned, one-time Cadet Bonus C-bills because you purchased a bad Mech.
Spoiler
The Training Tutorial is not going to make you a champion MechWarrior, but it will teach you the basics of the game while also giving you your first bit of pocket change. Please note, that I do not recommend purchasing any BattleMechs until you have completed all 25 Cadet Bonuses. Once you have completed all Cadet Bonuses, you will have a tidy sum of money to use on purchasing a BattleMech. Make sure you try out each of the Trial Mechs so that you get a good feel for what each weight class is like, and then purchase a Mech that you favor. An important item to note, is that any XP you earn with a Trial Chassis will be retained, so it may be in your benefit to purchase one of the trial chassis you used to obtain your Cadet Bonuses to help you save time leveling your first Mech.
Spoiler
Here is a video to give you an idea of what the Academy is like:
Here is a video to give you an idea of what the Academy is like:
Be sure to research the BattleMech you want to purchase before buying it though. Not all Mechs are equal, and some perform very poorly. You do not want to lose all your hard-earned, one-time Cadet Bonus C-bills because you purchased a bad Mech.
Buying Your First Mech:
Spoiler
This next video will teach you how to purchase and outfit a Mech. Click the Spoiler for a video tutorial on purchasing and outfitting a Mech.
Combat Types:
Faction Tech:
Weight Classes:
Closing: On a final note regarding Mech purchases, keep in mind that you are going to make mistakes. If you make a mistake with a Light Mech, it generally results in instant death. If you make a mistake with an Assault, it generally results in a slow, agonizing death while your team watches from afar. For new pilots, I think it is important to stick with Mediums or Heavies so that you have the speed, armor, and agility to extricate yourself from tough situations.
Spoiler
Combat Types:
Spoiler
The Mech I purchased and used in that video is an Inner Sphere (IS) Cicada. It is a Medium Mech that specializes in speed and skirmishing. It is not particularly tanky, nor does it pack a substantial amount of firepower. As I demonstrated in the video, it works best when used to harass the enemy team while using strike-and-fade tactics. Other Mechs, like the Atlas, are tanks that absorb large amounts of damage while also outputting their own high damage. Others still, like the Hunchback, are built to be brawlers and excel at close-range, hard-hitting infighting. Some Mechs can be snipers and others can be Long-Range Missile (LRM) boats, lobbing their ordinance at targets from afar while tucked away safely behind cover. You, as the new Mech purchaser, must decide which gameplay style you favor the most!
It is important to note, that some styles are better than others. LRMs, for example, work well in the lower skill brackets, but are ineffective the higher you climb through the skill levels (more on skill levels in a moment). Sniping and skirmishing remain effective regardless of the tier level in which you find yourself. It is to your benefit to find a robust combat style that will carry you upwards through the ranks while maintaining its effectiveness.
It is important to note, that some styles are better than others. LRMs, for example, work well in the lower skill brackets, but are ineffective the higher you climb through the skill levels (more on skill levels in a moment). Sniping and skirmishing remain effective regardless of the tier level in which you find yourself. It is to your benefit to find a robust combat style that will carry you upwards through the ranks while maintaining its effectiveness.
Faction Tech:
Spoiler
One other thing to recall, is that there are two principal Factions in this game. You have the IS and the Clans. The IS specializes in close-range brawling and mid-range skirmishing with tanky Mechs, high pinpoint damage, and lower heat generation. The Clans focus on long-range combat with high damage output and quick speeds, and also perform very well in skirmishing. Each Faction has its own advantages and disadvantages. As a general rule of thumb, Clan Mechs are far costlier than IS Mechs while also being more fragile. They can output more damage though and at longer ranges, so they are popular with competitive players. Think of Clans as being your performance vehicles while the IS is your work truck. The hot rod will beat your truck in a street race, but the truck will outperform that hot rod off-road or while pulling a load. Neither is better than the other, but each serves its niche. It is up to you to determine which one you like best for that first Mech purchase.
There is one more important difference between the IS and Clans. IS Mechs are all fixed hardpoint Mechs with fully unlocked chassis. Clan Mechs have two types though. There are the IIC Mechs, which are like high-performance versions of IS Mechs, and there are OmniMechs, which are unique. OmniMechs have locked chassis which limits the amount of customization available. This was done to help balance the Clans and IS since OmniMechs have the unique, modular equipment system known as OmniPods. OmniPods contain weapon hardpoints, and can be swapped around between Mech variants of the same chassis. This means that you can recombine hardpoints to acquire a weapons setup you like the most.
Bear in mind, that you are not limited to one Faction. You can own Mechs from both! However, this takes time since you must grind out all those C-bills. You can always take a shortcut and spend real money to buy Mechs though. Just make sure, as I said previously, that you research the chassis before buying it.
Personally speaking, I recommend that new pilots use IS Mechs. They are easier to learn how to pilot and are much cheaper, enabling you to purchase more of the them on a shorter time basis than the Clans. Overall, the IS is cheaper and friendlier to new players.
There is one more important difference between the IS and Clans. IS Mechs are all fixed hardpoint Mechs with fully unlocked chassis. Clan Mechs have two types though. There are the IIC Mechs, which are like high-performance versions of IS Mechs, and there are OmniMechs, which are unique. OmniMechs have locked chassis which limits the amount of customization available. This was done to help balance the Clans and IS since OmniMechs have the unique, modular equipment system known as OmniPods. OmniPods contain weapon hardpoints, and can be swapped around between Mech variants of the same chassis. This means that you can recombine hardpoints to acquire a weapons setup you like the most.
Bear in mind, that you are not limited to one Faction. You can own Mechs from both! However, this takes time since you must grind out all those C-bills. You can always take a shortcut and spend real money to buy Mechs though. Just make sure, as I said previously, that you research the chassis before buying it.
Personally speaking, I recommend that new pilots use IS Mechs. They are easier to learn how to pilot and are much cheaper, enabling you to purchase more of the them on a shorter time basis than the Clans. Overall, the IS is cheaper and friendlier to new players.
Weight Classes:
Spoiler
Now that we have discussed the IS versus Clans, let’s look at weight classes. You have four classes from which to choose! These classes are Light, Medium, Heavy, and Assault.
Light Mechs focus on scouting, skirmisher, and brawling support. They are the fastest class of Mechs in the game, but also the most lightly armed and armored. A Light Mech cannot face down a heavier Mech in a head-to-head fight, but must instead focus on using its high speed and maneuverability to keep its enemy off balance. Light Mechs excel at flanking their enemies and are good for taking out Assault Mechs, or for slipping behind enemies that are engaged with teammates in order to backstab them. Light Mechs also typically run hot since they cannot mount many heatsinks (heatsinks dictate how fast heat dissipates from your Mech and protect you from overheating). Light Mech pilots must never stop moving and must be aware of their surroundings, their position, their teammates’ placement, and the enemy’s location. They also have the best Jump Jets in the game, which gives them many options regarding how they can traverse the map. Some Lights can follow special paths, such as being able to run underneath the ramps in the HPG Manifold map. Lastly, certain Light Mech chassis work well as snipers or as spotters for LRM boats, and others carry ECM suites (90-meter radius) which can hide themselves and allies from enemy sensors. Light Mechs are also the cheapest Mechs in the game. You should never run LRMs on a Light Mech unless for "lols." All Lights should be fast. If they are not, they are likely to be massacred.
Light Mechs I recommend to new players include the Locust (IS), Firestarter (IS), Raven (IS), Jenner (IS), Jenner IIC (Clan), Arctic Cheetah (Clan), and Kit Fox (Clan).
Click the Spoiler below for a Light Mech match during the Conquest Game Mode.
Medium Mechs are a terrific starter chassis and the one I recommend most highly to new pilots! They have accurately been described as the “Jack of all trades, master of none” weight class. Mediums can be as fast as Light Mechs yet as heavily armed as Heavy Mechs. The price they pay for this is their fragility. Many Mediums are not much tankier than their Light Mech cousins. Other Mediums can be very tanky though at the cost of speed and ammunition. You really have to research each individual chassis since no two chassis in the Medium weight class are alike. Personally speaking, Medium Mechs are my all-time favorite chassis. I have my best matches with them and own the most of this weight class compared to all others. Mediums provide better durability and firepower compared to Lights without sacrificing too much speed. Similarly, to Lights, you do not typically want to fight enemies head-on in Mediums, although certain niche chassis excel at this. Mediums make terrific strikers and brawlers and certain chassis act very well as snipers or LRM boats. Lastly, Mediums are not much more expensive than Light Mechs which makes them good starter Mechs for new players with limited incomes and small purses.
Mediums I recommend include the Hunchback (IS, slow), Hunchback IIC (Clan, slow), Centurion (IS, fast), Cicada (IS, fast), Enforcer (IS, slow), Bushwhacker (IS), Nova (Clan, slow), Shadowcat (Clan, fast) and Stormcrow (Clan, fast).
Click the Spoiler below for a Medium Mech match in the Assault Game Mode.
Heavy Mechs are the bread-and-butter of MechWarrior. Arguably the most popular chassis weight class in the game, Heavies, like Mediums, offer you a diverse style of gameplay. Some Heavies behave like big Medium Mechs, while others behave more like small Assault Mechs. They can effectively carry heavy weapons while maintaining good speed and agility. They have better armor than Mediums and can slug it out toe-to-toe more effectively. They make good fire support, sniper, brawler, LRM boat, and skirmisher Mechs. They have the fewest drawbacks out of all weight classes and are possibly the most rewarding. However, you will pay more for them than for a Light or Medium.
Heavy Mechs I recommend include the Quickdraw (IS, fast), Catpult (IS), Thunderbolt (IS), Timber Wolf (Clan, fast), Hellbringer (Clan), Black Knight (IS, slow), Marauder (IS, slow), Warhammer (IS, slow), Ebon Jaguar (Clan), and Mad Dog (Clan, fast).
Click the Spoiler below for a Heavy Mech match on Domination.
Assault Mechs are your true heavy-hitters. Topping out at the peak of the weight classes, they are the slowest, most expensive, and most powerful Mechs in the game. They can play every role well except for skirmisher and scout, and are best suited for front-line combat since their massive amounts of armor enables them to tank for the team. They are the tip of the spear for team pushes and responsible for dishing out as much devastation as possible! However, their Achilles’ Heel is their ponderous size and slow speeds. They have the most trouble navigating the map and make easy targets. Enemies will focus on you if you pilot this Mech, and Light Mechs will delight in bedeviling you from your blind spot since it is nearly impossible to shake them free. Assault Mechs are the most team-reliant Mechs, since bad teams will generally fail to support Assaults and wind up leaving them to die horrifically on their own. I view Assaults as an end-game content type Mech that only seasoned pilots should use.
Assaults I recommend include the BattleMaster (IS, fast), Atlas (IS, slow and king of tanks), Kodiak (Clan, fast and best Assault in-game), Stalker (IS), Marauder IIC (Clan), and Mauler (IS).
Click the Spoiler below for an Assault Mech Match on Conquest.
Light Mechs focus on scouting, skirmisher, and brawling support. They are the fastest class of Mechs in the game, but also the most lightly armed and armored. A Light Mech cannot face down a heavier Mech in a head-to-head fight, but must instead focus on using its high speed and maneuverability to keep its enemy off balance. Light Mechs excel at flanking their enemies and are good for taking out Assault Mechs, or for slipping behind enemies that are engaged with teammates in order to backstab them. Light Mechs also typically run hot since they cannot mount many heatsinks (heatsinks dictate how fast heat dissipates from your Mech and protect you from overheating). Light Mech pilots must never stop moving and must be aware of their surroundings, their position, their teammates’ placement, and the enemy’s location. They also have the best Jump Jets in the game, which gives them many options regarding how they can traverse the map. Some Lights can follow special paths, such as being able to run underneath the ramps in the HPG Manifold map. Lastly, certain Light Mech chassis work well as snipers or as spotters for LRM boats, and others carry ECM suites (90-meter radius) which can hide themselves and allies from enemy sensors. Light Mechs are also the cheapest Mechs in the game. You should never run LRMs on a Light Mech unless for "lols." All Lights should be fast. If they are not, they are likely to be massacred.
Light Mechs I recommend to new players include the Locust (IS), Firestarter (IS), Raven (IS), Jenner (IS), Jenner IIC (Clan), Arctic Cheetah (Clan), and Kit Fox (Clan).
Click the Spoiler below for a Light Mech match during the Conquest Game Mode.
Spoiler
Medium Mechs are a terrific starter chassis and the one I recommend most highly to new pilots! They have accurately been described as the “Jack of all trades, master of none” weight class. Mediums can be as fast as Light Mechs yet as heavily armed as Heavy Mechs. The price they pay for this is their fragility. Many Mediums are not much tankier than their Light Mech cousins. Other Mediums can be very tanky though at the cost of speed and ammunition. You really have to research each individual chassis since no two chassis in the Medium weight class are alike. Personally speaking, Medium Mechs are my all-time favorite chassis. I have my best matches with them and own the most of this weight class compared to all others. Mediums provide better durability and firepower compared to Lights without sacrificing too much speed. Similarly, to Lights, you do not typically want to fight enemies head-on in Mediums, although certain niche chassis excel at this. Mediums make terrific strikers and brawlers and certain chassis act very well as snipers or LRM boats. Lastly, Mediums are not much more expensive than Light Mechs which makes them good starter Mechs for new players with limited incomes and small purses.
Mediums I recommend include the Hunchback (IS, slow), Hunchback IIC (Clan, slow), Centurion (IS, fast), Cicada (IS, fast), Enforcer (IS, slow), Bushwhacker (IS), Nova (Clan, slow), Shadowcat (Clan, fast) and Stormcrow (Clan, fast).
Click the Spoiler below for a Medium Mech match in the Assault Game Mode.
Spoiler
Heavy Mechs are the bread-and-butter of MechWarrior. Arguably the most popular chassis weight class in the game, Heavies, like Mediums, offer you a diverse style of gameplay. Some Heavies behave like big Medium Mechs, while others behave more like small Assault Mechs. They can effectively carry heavy weapons while maintaining good speed and agility. They have better armor than Mediums and can slug it out toe-to-toe more effectively. They make good fire support, sniper, brawler, LRM boat, and skirmisher Mechs. They have the fewest drawbacks out of all weight classes and are possibly the most rewarding. However, you will pay more for them than for a Light or Medium.
Heavy Mechs I recommend include the Quickdraw (IS, fast), Catpult (IS), Thunderbolt (IS), Timber Wolf (Clan, fast), Hellbringer (Clan), Black Knight (IS, slow), Marauder (IS, slow), Warhammer (IS, slow), Ebon Jaguar (Clan), and Mad Dog (Clan, fast).
Click the Spoiler below for a Heavy Mech match on Domination.
Spoiler
Assault Mechs are your true heavy-hitters. Topping out at the peak of the weight classes, they are the slowest, most expensive, and most powerful Mechs in the game. They can play every role well except for skirmisher and scout, and are best suited for front-line combat since their massive amounts of armor enables them to tank for the team. They are the tip of the spear for team pushes and responsible for dishing out as much devastation as possible! However, their Achilles’ Heel is their ponderous size and slow speeds. They have the most trouble navigating the map and make easy targets. Enemies will focus on you if you pilot this Mech, and Light Mechs will delight in bedeviling you from your blind spot since it is nearly impossible to shake them free. Assault Mechs are the most team-reliant Mechs, since bad teams will generally fail to support Assaults and wind up leaving them to die horrifically on their own. I view Assaults as an end-game content type Mech that only seasoned pilots should use.
Assaults I recommend include the BattleMaster (IS, fast), Atlas (IS, slow and king of tanks), Kodiak (Clan, fast and best Assault in-game), Stalker (IS), Marauder IIC (Clan), and Mauler (IS).
Click the Spoiler below for an Assault Mech Match on Conquest.
Spoiler
Spoiler
Old Skill Tree: Quick note on skills: As the earlier Mechlab Tutorial video noted, you must own three different Mech Variants of the same chassis in order to fully level your Mechs. For example, if I want to level the Cicada in the video, I would need to purchase three of them, and then work on leveling all three until I had unlocked all their Basic Skills on the Skill Tree. At that point, I could sell off the two I do not want and keep the one I actually do want. Once the Elite Skill Tree is available for leveling, you only need the one Mech. Because of this, it would behoove you, as a new player, to avoid purchasing an expensive first Mech since you will undoubtedly want to be able to afford two additional variants for leveling purposes. This information is all outdated now that the New Skill Tree has been added into the game. Please disregard the rule of three referenced in any of the videos since now you need only own one Mech. I have left the parts about the Old Skill Tree intact in this guide so that new players will be able to understand what the older veterans are talking about whenever skill tree discussions arise, but have hidden them with spoilers.
Closing: On a final note regarding Mech purchases, keep in mind that you are going to make mistakes. If you make a mistake with a Light Mech, it generally results in instant death. If you make a mistake with an Assault, it generally results in a slow, agonizing death while your team watches from afar. For new pilots, I think it is important to stick with Mediums or Heavies so that you have the speed, armor, and agility to extricate yourself from tough situations.
Old Skill Tree:
The Old Skill Tree has been removed from the game and replaced with the New Skill Tree. I have left all of the information concerning the Old Skill Tree in this guide, which you can access by opening the spoiler immediately below this text. It no longer relates to the game, but it can provide your with a better understanding of the game's history.
Spoiler
Earning XP: I already discussed this briefly. There are three levels in the Skill Tree: Basic, Elite, and Master. Every Mech comes with the Basic Skills available for unlocking. You earn XP each match that can be used to unlock skills. You will also generate GXP each match, at a rate of about 10% of your match’s XP earnings. More on GXP in a moment.
Purchasing: To unlock skills, just click on them and then select “Unlock.” A popup will ask if you want to use XP or GXP. Choose whichever one you want, but keep in mind that it is preferable to level Mechs using XP than it is to level them using GXP.
Skill Tiers: Once you have unlocked all the Basic Skills, it is time to unlock all the Elite ones, right? Wrong! The Elite Skill Tree is locked until you have Basic’d three unique Mech variants for the same chassis. For example, if I want to Elite a Hunchback 4G (HBK-4G), then I must also unlock all the basic skills for two other variants. I might Basic the HBK-4G, the HBK-4P, and the HBK-4SP. Once I Basic all three variants for the HBK chassis, then the Elite Skill Tree will open for all three variants. At this point, I can sell off the 4P and the 4SP if I do not want them, and keep only the 4G while I continue to level it. Or, if I like the other two variants, then I will keep and level them together with the 4G.
Once you have unlocked all the Elite skills on a single variant, the Master skill will open. You do not need to own three variants to open up the Master Skill like you must in order to open up the Elite Skills. The Master Skill is helpful, but not as important as some other skills since it merely gives you an extra module slot. Since modules are late-game content, unlocking this does not help you much as a new player.
One important thing to remember about the Elite Tree, is that once all Elite Skills are unlocked, they will apply a x2 multiplier against all of the skills in the Basic Tree. This is very powerful and a must-have for each Mech you want to keep and use seriously. The Master Tree, however, does not apply any multipliers whatsoever.
It requires 21,500 XP for each Elite and Master tier of leveling, and 14,250 XP for the Basic Tier. Hence, in order to fully Master a Mech, you must earn and burn 57,250 XP for that one Variant alone.
GXP: While XP can only be used to level Mechs, GXP can be used to level and unlock modules. This includes Consumables like Cool Shot, Pilot Modules such as Radar Deprivation, and Weapon Modules like AC/20 Cooldown and Range. This makes GXP very valuable as a supplemental resource, and something that you should be careful not to waste. GXP is earned very slowly at the end of a match, but you can convert XP into GXP for an MC cost to speed things along. The most effective way to do this, is to wait for a x2 GXP Conversion Sale from PGI.
Please see the earlier UI Tutorial Video for an explanation on what MC is and how it works.
Earning XP: I already discussed this briefly. There are three levels in the Skill Tree: Basic, Elite, and Master. Every Mech comes with the Basic Skills available for unlocking. You earn XP each match that can be used to unlock skills. You will also generate GXP each match, at a rate of about 10% of your match’s XP earnings. More on GXP in a moment.
Purchasing: To unlock skills, just click on them and then select “Unlock.” A popup will ask if you want to use XP or GXP. Choose whichever one you want, but keep in mind that it is preferable to level Mechs using XP than it is to level them using GXP.
Skill Tiers: Once you have unlocked all the Basic Skills, it is time to unlock all the Elite ones, right? Wrong! The Elite Skill Tree is locked until you have Basic’d three unique Mech variants for the same chassis. For example, if I want to Elite a Hunchback 4G (HBK-4G), then I must also unlock all the basic skills for two other variants. I might Basic the HBK-4G, the HBK-4P, and the HBK-4SP. Once I Basic all three variants for the HBK chassis, then the Elite Skill Tree will open for all three variants. At this point, I can sell off the 4P and the 4SP if I do not want them, and keep only the 4G while I continue to level it. Or, if I like the other two variants, then I will keep and level them together with the 4G.
Once you have unlocked all the Elite skills on a single variant, the Master skill will open. You do not need to own three variants to open up the Master Skill like you must in order to open up the Elite Skills. The Master Skill is helpful, but not as important as some other skills since it merely gives you an extra module slot. Since modules are late-game content, unlocking this does not help you much as a new player.
One important thing to remember about the Elite Tree, is that once all Elite Skills are unlocked, they will apply a x2 multiplier against all of the skills in the Basic Tree. This is very powerful and a must-have for each Mech you want to keep and use seriously. The Master Tree, however, does not apply any multipliers whatsoever.
It requires 21,500 XP for each Elite and Master tier of leveling, and 14,250 XP for the Basic Tier. Hence, in order to fully Master a Mech, you must earn and burn 57,250 XP for that one Variant alone.
GXP: While XP can only be used to level Mechs, GXP can be used to level and unlock modules. This includes Consumables like Cool Shot, Pilot Modules such as Radar Deprivation, and Weapon Modules like AC/20 Cooldown and Range. This makes GXP very valuable as a supplemental resource, and something that you should be careful not to waste. GXP is earned very slowly at the end of a match, but you can convert XP into GXP for an MC cost to speed things along. The most effective way to do this, is to wait for a x2 GXP Conversion Sale from PGI.
Please see the earlier UI Tutorial Video for an explanation on what MC is and how it works.
Important Note Regarding the Skill Tree: The Skill Tree has been completely overhauled. Please refer to the section below for the new information regarding the tree. I have decided to keep the old information above as a reference so that players can understand the differences between the two versions. However, if new players find it confusing, then I will remove or hide it.
New Skill Tree Update!
Spoiler
The Skill Tree has undergone a radical change as of 5/16/17. Pilots no longer need to purchase three variants of a single chassis in order to unlock new sets of tiers. Instead of 13 unique skills, there are now a great number of interlacing skill "nodes" split across several distinct trees. Players can choose to unlock nodes at will, and then purchase the unlocked nodes using C-bills, XP, GXP, and new currencies known as Historical XP (HXP) and Historical GXP.
Another major change, is that modules, previously considered to be end-game user content in the form of perfomance-enhancing accessories, have been completely removed from the game. All modules purchased prior to December 3rd, 2016 were refunded to players in the form of SP, while all modules purchased after that date were refunded in the form of C-bills. SP stands for "Skill Points." SP can be used to directly unlock skill nodes without having to spend XP, GXP, or C-bills.
Regarding the skills, they have self-help tool tips that explain what effects they have on your Mech. Because of this, I am not going to go into a full explanation on what the skills are.
Below are some videos demonstrating how to use the Skill Tree. Towards the end, there is a video where I assist a Unit buddy in converting his Historic SP to make skill node purchases. Please bear in mind that the views and opinions professed in the videos are just that; views and opinions. They aren't necessarily representative of the meta or the most efficient skill paths. The skills I picked are ones I wanted for myself personally. The discussion regarding mechanics, UI interface, and resources should all be considered accurate though.
Currently, it requires 4,095,000 C-bills and 72,800 XP to purchase the 91 nodes needed to Master a Mech under the new skill tree.
If anyone notices an error in these figures, please feel free to point it out constructively.
For additional detail and PGI's official announcement and Skill Tree explanation and breakdown, please refer to the official announcement here: https://mwomercs.com...ost__p__5739202
For a write-up on the High Explosive Skill, please view this post here: https://mwomercs.com...ost__p__5752934
That post is in this thread on the second page, I just wanted to provide a shortcut.
Note, I kept the old Skill Tree explanation in the preceding section so that players can understand the differences between the old and new Skill Trees. Please refer to this "Updated" section for the current tree though.
Another major change, is that modules, previously considered to be end-game user content in the form of perfomance-enhancing accessories, have been completely removed from the game. All modules purchased prior to December 3rd, 2016 were refunded to players in the form of SP, while all modules purchased after that date were refunded in the form of C-bills. SP stands for "Skill Points." SP can be used to directly unlock skill nodes without having to spend XP, GXP, or C-bills.
Regarding the skills, they have self-help tool tips that explain what effects they have on your Mech. Because of this, I am not going to go into a full explanation on what the skills are.
Below are some videos demonstrating how to use the Skill Tree. Towards the end, there is a video where I assist a Unit buddy in converting his Historic SP to make skill node purchases. Please bear in mind that the views and opinions professed in the videos are just that; views and opinions. They aren't necessarily representative of the meta or the most efficient skill paths. The skills I picked are ones I wanted for myself personally. The discussion regarding mechanics, UI interface, and resources should all be considered accurate though.
Spoiler
Currently, it requires 4,095,000 C-bills and 72,800 XP to purchase the 91 nodes needed to Master a Mech under the new skill tree.
If anyone notices an error in these figures, please feel free to point it out constructively.
For additional detail and PGI's official announcement and Skill Tree explanation and breakdown, please refer to the official announcement here: https://mwomercs.com...ost__p__5739202
For a write-up on the High Explosive Skill, please view this post here: https://mwomercs.com...ost__p__5752934
That post is in this thread on the second page, I just wanted to provide a shortcut.
Note, I kept the old Skill Tree explanation in the preceding section so that players can understand the differences between the old and new Skill Trees. Please refer to this "Updated" section for the current tree though.
PSR Tiers:
Spoiler
Tiers: Earlier in this guide, I mentioned that there are skill level tiers that divide the players. This is called PSR. There are five Tiers, with Tier 1 being the highest and Tier 5 being the lowest. All new players begin in Tier 5 by default.
Tier 5: Being in Tier 5 is nothing to be embarrassed about as a new player. It is natural and you will move out of it before too long as you progress upward through the Tiers. Though Tiers are somewhat skill based, it is better to consider them as an XP bar. The more you play, the more the bar fills up and the higher you climb. You get lots of PSR credit for victories, but only lose a little bit for losses. Hence, unless you are highly unskilled or unlucky, it is actually more difficult to move down in PSR than it is to move up.
Progression: Around Tier 3, the PSR becomes more reliant on your skills and you will find yourself progressing more slowly. Do not be discouraged, just keep plugging away. As a general rule, the higher the PSR, the better your gameplay experience since you are playing with other, similarly experienced pilots, however this does not always hold true. PGI will sometimes release the PSR gates to help drive faster matchmaking, particularly during major game events when the developers are trying to collect data.
Matchmaker: Lastly, bear in mind that when dropping in the Group Queue, the Matchmaker (MM) will use your group’s average PSR in an attempt to match it with other, similarly skilled groups. This is different from how the MM will use your personal PSR when dropping alone, to try to match you with other, similarly skilled pilots in the Solo Queue.
Tiers: Earlier in this guide, I mentioned that there are skill level tiers that divide the players. This is called PSR. There are five Tiers, with Tier 1 being the highest and Tier 5 being the lowest. All new players begin in Tier 5 by default.
Tier 5: Being in Tier 5 is nothing to be embarrassed about as a new player. It is natural and you will move out of it before too long as you progress upward through the Tiers. Though Tiers are somewhat skill based, it is better to consider them as an XP bar. The more you play, the more the bar fills up and the higher you climb. You get lots of PSR credit for victories, but only lose a little bit for losses. Hence, unless you are highly unskilled or unlucky, it is actually more difficult to move down in PSR than it is to move up.
Progression: Around Tier 3, the PSR becomes more reliant on your skills and you will find yourself progressing more slowly. Do not be discouraged, just keep plugging away. As a general rule, the higher the PSR, the better your gameplay experience since you are playing with other, similarly experienced pilots, however this does not always hold true. PGI will sometimes release the PSR gates to help drive faster matchmaking, particularly during major game events when the developers are trying to collect data.
Matchmaker: Lastly, bear in mind that when dropping in the Group Queue, the Matchmaker (MM) will use your group’s average PSR in an attempt to match it with other, similarly skilled groups. This is different from how the MM will use your personal PSR when dropping alone, to try to match you with other, similarly skilled pilots in the Solo Queue.
Game Modes:
Spoiler
There are two principal forms of gameplay with a large array of gameplay modes. These two forms are Quick Play and Faction Warfare (FW).
Quick Play: Quick Play is the first form and the most heavily populated. This is akin to instant-action arena shooting. You pick a Mech and hit the Quick Play button to drop into a mission. It comes in two flavors, Solo Queue and Group Queue. In Solo Queue, you play by yourself, while in Group Queue you drop in a group with other people. Looking for Group (LFG) teams also drop in the Group Queue. LFG’ers can be thought of as solo players who have banded together temporarily. By contrast, premades are groups comprised of pilots from Units (guilds) that are familiar with each other and fight well together. In general terms, LFG groups will be at a disadvantage when facing premade groups since premades have better coordination and often more highly skilled players than the LFG group.
Quick Play has six game modes including Skirmish, Assault, Conquest, Domination, Escort, and Incursion. All modes involve two teams of 12 fighting it out for victory.
Skirmish is your basic shoot-em-up where the goal is to annihilate the entire enemy team.
Assault is like Skirmish, but with a base that can be captured. Hence, there is one additional victory option which is to cap out the enemy base.
Conquest is like a stationary Capture-the-Flag. There are five points on the map that you must cap and hold. The team with the highest score at the end wins. This mode provides a greater C-bill bonus than Skirmish or Assault.
Domination is basically King of the Hill, with a zone of control that you must own until the timer hits zero.
Escort is a protect-the-target type of gameplay mode. An Atlas moves across the map and your team must fend off the enemy team to win. The victory conditions for defenders are annihilating the entire enemy team, or ensuring that your VIP Atlas makes it into the DropShip’s pickup zone. The victory condition for the attackers is to kill the VIP Atlas. Escort is unique in that it has UAV/ECM nodes scattered across the map that are protected by Medium Laser turrets. These nodes are initially owned by the defending team, but can be capture by the attackers. The turrets cannot be captured, and can only be destroyed, though they will not attack the defending team.
Incursion is a 12v12 mode that features fully functional bases. Each base has four "flags" that are represented by destructible buildings. Each base also has three towers that can be powered with batteries to buff your team. The Radar Tower will periodically reveal enemy locations across the entire map. The Jamming Tower will project an ECM field a certain distance out from your base. The Air Control Tower will summon Drop Ships that will swoop down to strafe Mechs in the enemy base. Each of these towers is powered by batteries that can be obtained from any one of three charging nodes on the map. The objective of the mode, is to destroy all four "flags" and all three towers in your enemies' base, or to have dealt the most damage to the enemy base before the match timer ends.
Mechs that use batteries to power their team's towers receive C-bill and XP rewards for doing so. Conversely, killing an enemy that is carrying a battery will also award bonus earnings.
Quick Tip: It is helpful to use your Target Overlay (default button Q) to identify the Towers and Flags in your base since their icons tend to overlap on the minimap.
Capping: One quick note on Conquest, Domination, and Assault: Your team will stop capping the zone of control if an enemy team member steps inside the zone, or if any of your allies inside the zone receive enemy fire. Also, if your Mech is equipped with Stealth Armor, then you will not be able to cap unless you switch off your armor.
All four of the Mech Weight Class videos I posted earlier are from the Quick Play form.
Faction Warfare (FW) represents the hard-core mode of MechWarrior and is a mode that new players should avoid. New pilots will stand no chance using Trial Mechs, and should make sure that they have Mechs that are fully mastered before dropping in it. Faction Warfare has two types of gameplay. There is Invasion which has a mixed queue of 12 versus 12 where groups and solo pilots will rub shoulders. There is also Scouting Mode where teams of 4 duke it out. Scout Mode also has a mixed queue similarly to Invasion. Invasion once had a mission mode called “Invasion,” but PGI changed that mission name to "Siege." If you are a returning player, then you should know that "Invasion" now refers to an entire mode, rather than a mission, and that "Siege" now refers to the old Invasion mission.
Clear as mud?
Drop Decks: Unlike Quick Play, FW requires you to own multiple Mechs. If you play Invasion, you must outfit four separate Mechs. There is a minimum tonnage limit and a maximum tonnage limit that varies depending on whether you are IS or Clan. The four Mechs you choose to put into your Dropdeck, must not exceed the max tonnage limit, or fall below the min tonnage limit.
Invasion: In Invasion, you will have the chance to play some of the game modes found in Quick Play, as well as one other game mode not found in Quick Play. This latter mode is Siege. In Siege, you have Attackers and Defenders. Defenders have walls and turrets that the Attackers must overcome in addition to the Defenders. The Attackers must destroy a set objective while the Defenders must kill off all of the attackers or run out the timer.
Click the Spoiler below for an Invasion video
Note that it is important to shoot the generators themselves to damage the gun. You cannot damage the gun itself by shooting its superstructure.
Counter-Attack and Other Invasion Missions: The old Counter Attack mission mode has been removed from the game. Instead, Skirmish, Domination, Conquest, and Incursion have been changed to basically be the same as the Quick Play Modes previously discussed, but with much larger timers and counters. The other main difference is that you have four Mechs (four lives) instead of one life. Please refer to the previous explanation for the Game Mode Details.
Note: The only Quick Play Modes not found in Counter-Attack are Escort and Assault. All of the other modes can be played.
Scouting: It is important to note that the overall Invasion form of game mode is reliant on the Scouting game mode. In Scouting, teams of 4 struggle to control Intel Points. Attackers need to collect 10 points to trigger a DropShip to pick them up, while Defenders must destroy all of the attackers. If the Defenders collect 11 Intel Points, then this will also trigger the DropShip. Every data point the attackers collect contributes to filling out an Intel meter on the contested planet. As the meter fills, it can unlock three Intel assists. Both planetary defenders and attackers can fill out this bar. The assists are Enemy ID, Scan, and Radar Jam. Enemy ID allows you to see what the enemy Mechs are, while Scan periodically scans the map and reveals all enemy locations. Radar Jam periodically jams enemy sensors and hides your team from them.
Click the Spoiler below for a Scout Mode video where I play as a defending IS team member.
All DropShips in Invasion and Scouting are heavily armed and indestructible. Avoid engaging them!
Final Note: One last difference between Invasion and Scout Mode, is that Invasion allows you to effectively drop with four lives, while Scout Mode only lets you drop with one. Both game types provide you with two Dropdecks by default though. Additional Dropdecks can be purchased for MC.
There are two principal forms of gameplay with a large array of gameplay modes. These two forms are Quick Play and Faction Warfare (FW).
Quick Play: Quick Play is the first form and the most heavily populated. This is akin to instant-action arena shooting. You pick a Mech and hit the Quick Play button to drop into a mission. It comes in two flavors, Solo Queue and Group Queue. In Solo Queue, you play by yourself, while in Group Queue you drop in a group with other people. Looking for Group (LFG) teams also drop in the Group Queue. LFG’ers can be thought of as solo players who have banded together temporarily. By contrast, premades are groups comprised of pilots from Units (guilds) that are familiar with each other and fight well together. In general terms, LFG groups will be at a disadvantage when facing premade groups since premades have better coordination and often more highly skilled players than the LFG group.
Quick Play has six game modes including Skirmish, Assault, Conquest, Domination, Escort, and Incursion. All modes involve two teams of 12 fighting it out for victory.
Skirmish is your basic shoot-em-up where the goal is to annihilate the entire enemy team.
Assault is like Skirmish, but with a base that can be captured. Hence, there is one additional victory option which is to cap out the enemy base.
Conquest is like a stationary Capture-the-Flag. There are five points on the map that you must cap and hold. The team with the highest score at the end wins. This mode provides a greater C-bill bonus than Skirmish or Assault.
Domination is basically King of the Hill, with a zone of control that you must own until the timer hits zero.
Escort is a protect-the-target type of gameplay mode. An Atlas moves across the map and your team must fend off the enemy team to win. The victory conditions for defenders are annihilating the entire enemy team, or ensuring that your VIP Atlas makes it into the DropShip’s pickup zone. The victory condition for the attackers is to kill the VIP Atlas. Escort is unique in that it has UAV/ECM nodes scattered across the map that are protected by Medium Laser turrets. These nodes are initially owned by the defending team, but can be capture by the attackers. The turrets cannot be captured, and can only be destroyed, though they will not attack the defending team.
Incursion is a 12v12 mode that features fully functional bases. Each base has four "flags" that are represented by destructible buildings. Each base also has three towers that can be powered with batteries to buff your team. The Radar Tower will periodically reveal enemy locations across the entire map. The Jamming Tower will project an ECM field a certain distance out from your base. The Air Control Tower will summon Drop Ships that will swoop down to strafe Mechs in the enemy base. Each of these towers is powered by batteries that can be obtained from any one of three charging nodes on the map. The objective of the mode, is to destroy all four "flags" and all three towers in your enemies' base, or to have dealt the most damage to the enemy base before the match timer ends.
Mechs that use batteries to power their team's towers receive C-bill and XP rewards for doing so. Conversely, killing an enemy that is carrying a battery will also award bonus earnings.
Quick Tip: It is helpful to use your Target Overlay (default button Q) to identify the Towers and Flags in your base since their icons tend to overlap on the minimap.
Capping: One quick note on Conquest, Domination, and Assault: Your team will stop capping the zone of control if an enemy team member steps inside the zone, or if any of your allies inside the zone receive enemy fire. Also, if your Mech is equipped with Stealth Armor, then you will not be able to cap unless you switch off your armor.
All four of the Mech Weight Class videos I posted earlier are from the Quick Play form.
Faction Warfare (FW) represents the hard-core mode of MechWarrior and is a mode that new players should avoid. New pilots will stand no chance using Trial Mechs, and should make sure that they have Mechs that are fully mastered before dropping in it. Faction Warfare has two types of gameplay. There is Invasion which has a mixed queue of 12 versus 12 where groups and solo pilots will rub shoulders. There is also Scouting Mode where teams of 4 duke it out. Scout Mode also has a mixed queue similarly to Invasion. Invasion once had a mission mode called “Invasion,” but PGI changed that mission name to "Siege." If you are a returning player, then you should know that "Invasion" now refers to an entire mode, rather than a mission, and that "Siege" now refers to the old Invasion mission.
Clear as mud?
Drop Decks: Unlike Quick Play, FW requires you to own multiple Mechs. If you play Invasion, you must outfit four separate Mechs. There is a minimum tonnage limit and a maximum tonnage limit that varies depending on whether you are IS or Clan. The four Mechs you choose to put into your Dropdeck, must not exceed the max tonnage limit, or fall below the min tonnage limit.
Invasion: In Invasion, you will have the chance to play some of the game modes found in Quick Play, as well as one other game mode not found in Quick Play. This latter mode is Siege. In Siege, you have Attackers and Defenders. Defenders have walls and turrets that the Attackers must overcome in addition to the Defenders. The Attackers must destroy a set objective while the Defenders must kill off all of the attackers or run out the timer.
Click the Spoiler below for an Invasion video
Spoiler
Note that it is important to shoot the generators themselves to damage the gun. You cannot damage the gun itself by shooting its superstructure.
Spoiler
Counter-Attack and Other Invasion Missions: The old Counter Attack mission mode has been removed from the game. Instead, Skirmish, Domination, Conquest, and Incursion have been changed to basically be the same as the Quick Play Modes previously discussed, but with much larger timers and counters. The other main difference is that you have four Mechs (four lives) instead of one life. Please refer to the previous explanation for the Game Mode Details.
Note: The only Quick Play Modes not found in Counter-Attack are Escort and Assault. All of the other modes can be played.
Scouting: It is important to note that the overall Invasion form of game mode is reliant on the Scouting game mode. In Scouting, teams of 4 struggle to control Intel Points. Attackers need to collect 10 points to trigger a DropShip to pick them up, while Defenders must destroy all of the attackers. If the Defenders collect 11 Intel Points, then this will also trigger the DropShip. Every data point the attackers collect contributes to filling out an Intel meter on the contested planet. As the meter fills, it can unlock three Intel assists. Both planetary defenders and attackers can fill out this bar. The assists are Enemy ID, Scan, and Radar Jam. Enemy ID allows you to see what the enemy Mechs are, while Scan periodically scans the map and reveals all enemy locations. Radar Jam periodically jams enemy sensors and hides your team from them.
Click the Spoiler below for a Scout Mode video where I play as a defending IS team member.
Spoiler
All DropShips in Invasion and Scouting are heavily armed and indestructible. Avoid engaging them!
Final Note: One last difference between Invasion and Scout Mode, is that Invasion allows you to effectively drop with four lives, while Scout Mode only lets you drop with one. Both game types provide you with two Dropdecks by default though. Additional Dropdecks can be purchased for MC.
Additional Resources:
Spoiler
Okay, now that you know the basics, it’s time that you understood a few more things. First off, there are already some really great guides that can help you improve the quality of your games. I really encourage you to check these out!
Reward System Breakdown: This link is for a discussion detailing the current, in-game Rewards System, how much each reward gives you in terms of C-bills and XP, and how to trigger each reward: https://mwomercs.com...ost__p__4562743
Grinding C-bills: This link is for a discussion regarding match rewards and C-bill grinding: https://mwomercs.com...ost__p__4938239
Grinding C-bills (Spreadsheet): This spreadsheet provides details on how long it would take to grind a particular Mech chassis as well as to Master a single Mech. In this case, it is a Timber Wolf (Clan Heavy OmniMech), which is a very expensive BattleMech. Most Mechs will take much less time to grind out resources to purchase. This spreadsheet compares the time it would take with and without a Hero Mech bonus as well as across game modes and whether or not there is an active event: https://docs.google....dit?usp=sharing
There are also a wide variety of YouTube Tutorial videos, much like those I provided above. I have included links to some recommended ones below.
Video Tutorial Playlist: This is a video playlist I have constructed. It contains all of the Training Videos and Tutorials I have created for my Unit, The Brethren Pirates. You will find videos on nearly every game topic, and it should help you understand game mechanics. Most of these videos are from live streams where I took new recruits and taught them gameplay basics in real time, while answering any questions they had. The link is here: https://www.youtube....f3rGq5_d5Wdtw6I
Additional Info and Tips: New players should also visit this thread: https://mwomercs.com...fo-tips-videos/
That is a repository for player-created help guides and tutorials that will contain additional resources above and beyond this guide. Use the video tutorials to help improve your game performance and feel free to ask questions!
Critical Hits: Use this link to read up on MWO’s critting system and how it works: https://mwomercs.com...-a-brief-guide/
Heat Scale and Ghost Heat: An excellent, official PGI guide to MWO’s Heat Scale and Ghost Heat can be found here: http://mwomercs.com/...cale-the-maths/
Mech Mastery Packs: This next link provides a detailed discussion regarding Mastery Packs. It also has several other helpful links to sites such as Smurfy (online Mechlab simulator), MetaMechs (competitive Mech discussions), and more! It is a good resource for the savvy newcomer: https://mwomercs.com...eviews-welcome/
Teamspeak 3: In MWO, it is highly advisable that you download, install, and use the voice system TeamSpeak3. This next link provides you with a resource that has the direct download link, as well as the communal, MWO TeamSpeak3 Comstar Server: https://mwomercs.com...then-look-here/
Use that server to find LFG groups and Units to drop with to increase your odds of winning, earning C-bills, and enjoying the game via camaraderie with others!
Tactics: Fat4Eyes has developed a wonderful series of comic strips depicting common strategies and tactics employed in the game, as well as common blunders. I recommend checking it out for amusing and educational advice! https://mwomercs.com...ics-101-comics/
Units (Guilds): Speaking of Units, you should consider joining one! Units in MWO behave the same way that guilds do in other games. They are your best chance to find friendly allies to drop with in-game, as well as to gain friends who will help you improve your gameplay experience. My own Unit, The Brethren Pirates [TBRN], is always recruiting (Website: brethrenmwo.enjin.com). Other good Units include The Cadre [BOSS], The Praetorian Legion [PL], The MarineMechs [MM], and The Grog Corps [GROG]. These Units all represent good casual groups of players as well as some semi-competitive or competitive teams.
Use these links to discover additional Units too!
Mercenary Units: https://mwomercs.com...ons-merc-corps/
IS Loyalist Units: https://mwomercs.com...s-inner-sphere/
Clan Units: https://mwomercs.com...factions-clans/
Each Faction will also typically have its own TeamSpeak3 server.
Okay, now that you know the basics, it’s time that you understood a few more things. First off, there are already some really great guides that can help you improve the quality of your games. I really encourage you to check these out!
Reward System Breakdown: This link is for a discussion detailing the current, in-game Rewards System, how much each reward gives you in terms of C-bills and XP, and how to trigger each reward: https://mwomercs.com...ost__p__4562743
Grinding C-bills: This link is for a discussion regarding match rewards and C-bill grinding: https://mwomercs.com...ost__p__4938239
Grinding C-bills (Spreadsheet): This spreadsheet provides details on how long it would take to grind a particular Mech chassis as well as to Master a single Mech. In this case, it is a Timber Wolf (Clan Heavy OmniMech), which is a very expensive BattleMech. Most Mechs will take much less time to grind out resources to purchase. This spreadsheet compares the time it would take with and without a Hero Mech bonus as well as across game modes and whether or not there is an active event: https://docs.google....dit?usp=sharing
There are also a wide variety of YouTube Tutorial videos, much like those I provided above. I have included links to some recommended ones below.
Video Tutorial Playlist: This is a video playlist I have constructed. It contains all of the Training Videos and Tutorials I have created for my Unit, The Brethren Pirates. You will find videos on nearly every game topic, and it should help you understand game mechanics. Most of these videos are from live streams where I took new recruits and taught them gameplay basics in real time, while answering any questions they had. The link is here: https://www.youtube....f3rGq5_d5Wdtw6I
Additional Info and Tips: New players should also visit this thread: https://mwomercs.com...fo-tips-videos/
That is a repository for player-created help guides and tutorials that will contain additional resources above and beyond this guide. Use the video tutorials to help improve your game performance and feel free to ask questions!
Critical Hits: Use this link to read up on MWO’s critting system and how it works: https://mwomercs.com...-a-brief-guide/
Heat Scale and Ghost Heat: An excellent, official PGI guide to MWO’s Heat Scale and Ghost Heat can be found here: http://mwomercs.com/...cale-the-maths/
Mech Mastery Packs: This next link provides a detailed discussion regarding Mastery Packs. It also has several other helpful links to sites such as Smurfy (online Mechlab simulator), MetaMechs (competitive Mech discussions), and more! It is a good resource for the savvy newcomer: https://mwomercs.com...eviews-welcome/
Teamspeak 3: In MWO, it is highly advisable that you download, install, and use the voice system TeamSpeak3. This next link provides you with a resource that has the direct download link, as well as the communal, MWO TeamSpeak3 Comstar Server: https://mwomercs.com...then-look-here/
Use that server to find LFG groups and Units to drop with to increase your odds of winning, earning C-bills, and enjoying the game via camaraderie with others!
Tactics: Fat4Eyes has developed a wonderful series of comic strips depicting common strategies and tactics employed in the game, as well as common blunders. I recommend checking it out for amusing and educational advice! https://mwomercs.com...ics-101-comics/
Units (Guilds): Speaking of Units, you should consider joining one! Units in MWO behave the same way that guilds do in other games. They are your best chance to find friendly allies to drop with in-game, as well as to gain friends who will help you improve your gameplay experience. My own Unit, The Brethren Pirates [TBRN], is always recruiting (Website: brethrenmwo.enjin.com). Other good Units include The Cadre [BOSS], The Praetorian Legion [PL], The MarineMechs [MM], and The Grog Corps [GROG]. These Units all represent good casual groups of players as well as some semi-competitive or competitive teams.
Use these links to discover additional Units too!
Mercenary Units: https://mwomercs.com...ons-merc-corps/
IS Loyalist Units: https://mwomercs.com...s-inner-sphere/
Clan Units: https://mwomercs.com...factions-clans/
Each Faction will also typically have its own TeamSpeak3 server.
Closing:
I hope you found this guide enlightening! Please post feedback on anything you thought could be improved or topics you would like additional help understanding. Welcome to MechWarrior, and I wish you the best of luck! See you on the Battlefield!
Addendum: What Is the World and Lore of MechWarrior?
Koniving has written two good, detailed posts providing background on the Lore with respect to Factions, Mechs, and Tech and their differences. As MWO gains a larger presence on Steam, there has been an influx of players who have little to no experience with the decades-old, long-running series of board games, books, and video games that constitute the world of BattleTech and MechWarrior. For anyone who needs a primer on this, please refer to his two posts that I have quoted below:
Spoiler
Knowledge of this is generally assumed.
Okay, so this will be split into TWO sections.
The first, is how it applies to MWO as a game.
The second, is how it applies to the source material, and by extension, MWO, other games of the past and the upcoming "Battletech" PC game by Harebrained Schemes, Mechwarrior 5 Mercs (the single player sandbox supposedly preceding "Mechwarrior 5", similar to Mechwarrior 2 Mercs and Mechwarrior 2, Mechwarrior 4 Mercs and Mechwarrior 4), and "Classic BattleTech" currently run by Catalyst Games and created by FASA (with 'the' original creator and cofounder being the owner of Harebrained Schemes).
Here we go.
MWO:
For the source material side I will do a separate post.
Short version:
If you're interested in a long summarized version... ask me and I might go about it tomorrow.
You can look up anything in EITHER Sarna.net OR "Mech Factory" app for Android.
Of the two, the latter is largely more accurate as Sarna paraphrases based on sources and Mech Factory copies word for word on "released" (free) sources from the PDF.
But the semi-short lore stuff of interesting note:
A tidbit of lore that really bugs me about MWO.
Koniving, on 13 January 2018 - 07:25 AM, said:
Knowledge of this is generally assumed.
Okay, so this will be split into TWO sections.
The first, is how it applies to MWO as a game.
The second, is how it applies to the source material, and by extension, MWO, other games of the past and the upcoming "Battletech" PC game by Harebrained Schemes, Mechwarrior 5 Mercs (the single player sandbox supposedly preceding "Mechwarrior 5", similar to Mechwarrior 2 Mercs and Mechwarrior 2, Mechwarrior 4 Mercs and Mechwarrior 4), and "Classic BattleTech" currently run by Catalyst Games and created by FASA (with 'the' original creator and cofounder being the owner of Harebrained Schemes).
Here we go.
MWO:
Spoiler
The Inner Sphere consists of Seven "Great Houses" and a not-so-neutral Neutral party (Comstar, played by PGI Employees; may be relevant in future events). These are thrown together in a big bucket to fight against the Clans in faction warfare.
The Great Houses include: Liao (Capellan Confederation), Davion (Complicated), Kurita (Draconis Combine), ??? (Do not know the dictator's name, do not believe this group has a monarch of any sort; Free Rasalhague Republic), Steiner (Complicated), Marik (Free Worlds League).
Why are Davion and Steiner complicated? In the current timline, the two factions are either Married into an alliance, or breaking up. The game has never combined the two and thus it is hard to say what they are supposed to be called. The fact that we are supposed to be in the Civil War period is also left somewhat baffling,because Steiner and Davion never seemed to get married and thus... their separation can't happen and thus no civil war... Yeah.... Not touching this.
Currently the Inner Sphere has access to Battlemechs and does not have access (YET) to Omnimechs. More on this later.
The Clans consist of a total of 12 factions in the current timeline, of whom 6 factions are playable.
The Clans are an invading force of the self-exiled Star League military from 300+ years prior. The short end of it is these "Clans" have warped into Klingons, basically. Next Gen / Deep Space Nine Klingons, not "Discovery" Klingons. Though you COULD compare the Smoke Jaguars and Jade Falcons to "Discovery" Klingons in their extreme views towards the Inner Sphere.
As far as the game goes, all Clan factions are basically the same.
The Clans have access to Battlemechs (though few of them) and Omnimechs.
A Battlemech in MWO can change everything except its hardpoints.
An Omnimech can change its hardpoints by swapping body parts called "Omnipods." It cannot change engines, structure, armor, or heatsink type.
The individual factions do not truly have an actual identity in terms of MWO beyond some lines of text, a separate "rank" and "reward" tree, and 'pay'. Note that the pay is based almost exclusively on the current player population within a faction. Too many players, too little pay. Too few players, SOOO much pay.
Beyond that there's really nothing there beyond win and loss conditions for each side per "season." There's MC earnings to be had if you have a group that can take over a planet, but that is fleeting because the more players you have the less you get, and you have to have a large enough amount of players to really take over a planet in your group's name.
So where it really matters is in the available technology and how it differs.
Tech Unique to IS:
Stealth armor (need ECM).
Beagle Active Probe (more on this later).
"Light Ferro" armor, 7 slots, inferior weight savings to standard.
Weapons unique to IS:
Rotary Autocannon (2 and 5, a giant minigun).
Medium Range Missiles (10, 20, 30, 40. Dumb, low spread rapid firing 'missiles').
Rocket Launcher (10, 15, 20. High damage, one-use weapon. Somewhat high spread and for some reason seems to have a minimum range for delivering damage, make sure your target is beyond 150 meters before using.)
Tech unique to the Clans:
Clan Active Probe (more on this later).
"Light TAG".
Light Active Probe. (Does the job of CAP, but only half the ranges for half the weight).
Weapons unique to the Clans:
"Advance Tactical Missile" (ATM, 3 6 9 and 12. In MWO this missile provides variable damage depending on range. The longer the range the weaker that damage is. At a close range beyond a minimum range of 150 meters, it does 3 damage per missile. At the longest range it does 1 damage per missile.)
"Micro" Lasers. A very weak class of lasers actually intended for use against infantry and lightly armored vehicles. Blend well with Heavy Machine Guns. High firing rate.
"Heavy" Lasers. An exceptionally powerful category of lasers with small, medium, and large classes. Each have very low firing rates compared to normal versions of each class.
I'm sure I am missing some.
"But Koniving, there's a lot of difference between their shared, tech, too." True, but weight/heat/duration differences are to be expected. The reason I singled out CAP versus BAP is they have a big difference in mechanics, too.
BAP is a device that requires no interaction from the player. It detects powered down mechs at a set range, enhances sensors by a set percentage, counters ECM at a set range and will automatically counter the closest ECM unit no matter what.
CAP: Does the same. EXCEPT... CAP does not automatically counter the closest ECM. It counters the ECM of the unit TARGETED by the user. This has mixed implications.
In a way this slightly raises the difficulty curve, as this means a closer ECM unit can jam you. However, this also means that you can selectively counter a different ECM unit than the one that is closest to you as long as it is within range.
This has some advanced tactical implications, such as what if the closest ECM unit is pretty health while one slightly farther away is pretty weak and being attacked by your allies... but then because of ECM the allies can't attack it anymore -- welp you counter HIM instead of the closer guy, and now your friends can hit him with indirect support as well as better see him due to targeting highlights.
Note: Since by default you pretty much target enemies on your own, many players never really notice CAP's idiosyncrasies.
Beyond this:
Clan lasers generally have more range at higher damage per shot, slower firing rates and more heat compared to IS versions. Clan Lasers also require more time on target to get this damage.
Clan ballistic weapons are DPS oriented and have burst fire which accumulate to rated damage. IS ballistic weapons are more about high damage per shot. Clan ballistic weapons have slightly longer effective ranges which help mitigate how easy it is to spread their damage.
IS SRMs pack more 'punch'. IS LRMs have a minimum range (180 meters) in which they do zero damage. Clan LRMs have exponentially reduced damage if they fall within that minimum range. (Somewhat more complicated but just take that as the simple version).
Clan weapons and equipment generally take fewer slots and weigh less. As such, Clan W&E will comparatively less health compared to IS equipment and weapons and be destroyed within the mech much easier.
The Inner Sphere consists of Seven "Great Houses" and a not-so-neutral Neutral party (Comstar, played by PGI Employees; may be relevant in future events). These are thrown together in a big bucket to fight against the Clans in faction warfare.
The Great Houses include: Liao (Capellan Confederation), Davion (Complicated), Kurita (Draconis Combine), ??? (Do not know the dictator's name, do not believe this group has a monarch of any sort; Free Rasalhague Republic), Steiner (Complicated), Marik (Free Worlds League).
Why are Davion and Steiner complicated? In the current timline, the two factions are either Married into an alliance, or breaking up. The game has never combined the two and thus it is hard to say what they are supposed to be called. The fact that we are supposed to be in the Civil War period is also left somewhat baffling,because Steiner and Davion never seemed to get married and thus... their separation can't happen and thus no civil war... Yeah.... Not touching this.
Currently the Inner Sphere has access to Battlemechs and does not have access (YET) to Omnimechs. More on this later.
The Clans consist of a total of 12 factions in the current timeline, of whom 6 factions are playable.
The Clans are an invading force of the self-exiled Star League military from 300+ years prior. The short end of it is these "Clans" have warped into Klingons, basically. Next Gen / Deep Space Nine Klingons, not "Discovery" Klingons. Though you COULD compare the Smoke Jaguars and Jade Falcons to "Discovery" Klingons in their extreme views towards the Inner Sphere.
As far as the game goes, all Clan factions are basically the same.
The Clans have access to Battlemechs (though few of them) and Omnimechs.
A Battlemech in MWO can change everything except its hardpoints.
An Omnimech can change its hardpoints by swapping body parts called "Omnipods." It cannot change engines, structure, armor, or heatsink type.
The individual factions do not truly have an actual identity in terms of MWO beyond some lines of text, a separate "rank" and "reward" tree, and 'pay'. Note that the pay is based almost exclusively on the current player population within a faction. Too many players, too little pay. Too few players, SOOO much pay.
Beyond that there's really nothing there beyond win and loss conditions for each side per "season." There's MC earnings to be had if you have a group that can take over a planet, but that is fleeting because the more players you have the less you get, and you have to have a large enough amount of players to really take over a planet in your group's name.
So where it really matters is in the available technology and how it differs.
Tech Unique to IS:
Stealth armor (need ECM).
Beagle Active Probe (more on this later).
"Light Ferro" armor, 7 slots, inferior weight savings to standard.
Weapons unique to IS:
Rotary Autocannon (2 and 5, a giant minigun).
Medium Range Missiles (10, 20, 30, 40. Dumb, low spread rapid firing 'missiles').
Rocket Launcher (10, 15, 20. High damage, one-use weapon. Somewhat high spread and for some reason seems to have a minimum range for delivering damage, make sure your target is beyond 150 meters before using.)
Tech unique to the Clans:
Clan Active Probe (more on this later).
"Light TAG".
Light Active Probe. (Does the job of CAP, but only half the ranges for half the weight).
Weapons unique to the Clans:
"Advance Tactical Missile" (ATM, 3 6 9 and 12. In MWO this missile provides variable damage depending on range. The longer the range the weaker that damage is. At a close range beyond a minimum range of 150 meters, it does 3 damage per missile. At the longest range it does 1 damage per missile.)
"Micro" Lasers. A very weak class of lasers actually intended for use against infantry and lightly armored vehicles. Blend well with Heavy Machine Guns. High firing rate.
"Heavy" Lasers. An exceptionally powerful category of lasers with small, medium, and large classes. Each have very low firing rates compared to normal versions of each class.
I'm sure I am missing some.
"But Koniving, there's a lot of difference between their shared, tech, too." True, but weight/heat/duration differences are to be expected. The reason I singled out CAP versus BAP is they have a big difference in mechanics, too.
BAP is a device that requires no interaction from the player. It detects powered down mechs at a set range, enhances sensors by a set percentage, counters ECM at a set range and will automatically counter the closest ECM unit no matter what.
CAP: Does the same. EXCEPT... CAP does not automatically counter the closest ECM. It counters the ECM of the unit TARGETED by the user. This has mixed implications.
In a way this slightly raises the difficulty curve, as this means a closer ECM unit can jam you. However, this also means that you can selectively counter a different ECM unit than the one that is closest to you as long as it is within range.
This has some advanced tactical implications, such as what if the closest ECM unit is pretty health while one slightly farther away is pretty weak and being attacked by your allies... but then because of ECM the allies can't attack it anymore -- welp you counter HIM instead of the closer guy, and now your friends can hit him with indirect support as well as better see him due to targeting highlights.
Note: Since by default you pretty much target enemies on your own, many players never really notice CAP's idiosyncrasies.
Beyond this:
Clan lasers generally have more range at higher damage per shot, slower firing rates and more heat compared to IS versions. Clan Lasers also require more time on target to get this damage.
Clan ballistic weapons are DPS oriented and have burst fire which accumulate to rated damage. IS ballistic weapons are more about high damage per shot. Clan ballistic weapons have slightly longer effective ranges which help mitigate how easy it is to spread their damage.
IS SRMs pack more 'punch'. IS LRMs have a minimum range (180 meters) in which they do zero damage. Clan LRMs have exponentially reduced damage if they fall within that minimum range. (Somewhat more complicated but just take that as the simple version).
Clan weapons and equipment generally take fewer slots and weigh less. As such, Clan W&E will comparatively less health compared to IS equipment and weapons and be destroyed within the mech much easier.
For the source material side I will do a separate post.
Koniving, on 13 January 2018 - 07:57 AM, said:
Short version:
If you're interested in a long summarized version... ask me and I might go about it tomorrow.
You can look up anything in EITHER Sarna.net OR "Mech Factory" app for Android.
Of the two, the latter is largely more accurate as Sarna paraphrases based on sources and Mech Factory copies word for word on "released" (free) sources from the PDF.
But the semi-short lore stuff of interesting note:
Spoiler
While MWO includes just mechs and leads us to believe that VIPs roam around in weaponless Atlases, there's a whole combined arms thing going on in which 'Mechs are the rarest (but for the most part the most intimidating) things on the field. Their size is nowhere near as exaggerated as MWO, as the Atlas is roughly the size of MWO's Hunchback, with the Centurion being taller than the source material's tallest mech by 0.3 meters.
While the "IS" and "Clan" general tech is generally implied... IS and Clan factions actually hold somewhat exclusive access to tech. For example, "ECM" is exceptionally rare and the IS versions are mostly concentrated in Liao space and mechs. The highest access to double heatsinks and XL engines is actually held by Marik (and as such "Marik" mechs indicated by the "M" designation usually come stock with XL engines and double heatsinks). Endo Steel is very limited access and very limited in supply, as such, you'd never see it as much as you do in MWO, as such few mechs come with endo steel stock. Again mostly Marik in origin.
Ferro armor is much more widely available and you'll see plenty of it in stock mechs. As it is inferior to endo steel structure in weight savings, however, make the swap asap.
If interested in the lore of the Clans:
Look up: The Amaris Coup... this is the starting point of the Clans' story, the final disappointment that sends the Star League into self-exile. Exodus. The Second Exodus. Nicholas Kerensky. The (Clan) Remembrance. "Crusader Clan" "Warden Clan."
Note: The IS will not receive this radio message for another 100+ years from now.
Below is a Warden Clan. "We must return, return and protect that which is unique upon the stars [Earth]."
Below is a Crusader Clan. "We will retake what is ours by might. We are Crusaders and will trample all whom stand before us."
Wardens are invading to protect the Inner Sphere from itself, to restore order regardless of what the IS wants.
Crusaders are coming to take over and control everything, subjugating the Inner Sphere to its whims.
Regardless of the good or bad intentions, the IS wants nothing to do with it.
But because of this combined enemy, we have an unintended Zero Requiem, as the Clans provide an enemy from which the IS must unite against, setting aside rivalries and hundreds of years of war or lose everything. Perhaps in defeating the Clans, the IS can finally know a methodical peace for the first time since the 2800s. (I say methodical, because "War" used to be a controlled, highly relegated 'activity' to settle disputes in which there was no civilian casualties, very restricted damage, and monarchs could sit and watch their armies fight while drinking tea together and gossiping about who is marrying whom.)
While MWO includes just mechs and leads us to believe that VIPs roam around in weaponless Atlases, there's a whole combined arms thing going on in which 'Mechs are the rarest (but for the most part the most intimidating) things on the field. Their size is nowhere near as exaggerated as MWO, as the Atlas is roughly the size of MWO's Hunchback, with the Centurion being taller than the source material's tallest mech by 0.3 meters.
While the "IS" and "Clan" general tech is generally implied... IS and Clan factions actually hold somewhat exclusive access to tech. For example, "ECM" is exceptionally rare and the IS versions are mostly concentrated in Liao space and mechs. The highest access to double heatsinks and XL engines is actually held by Marik (and as such "Marik" mechs indicated by the "M" designation usually come stock with XL engines and double heatsinks). Endo Steel is very limited access and very limited in supply, as such, you'd never see it as much as you do in MWO, as such few mechs come with endo steel stock. Again mostly Marik in origin.
Ferro armor is much more widely available and you'll see plenty of it in stock mechs. As it is inferior to endo steel structure in weight savings, however, make the swap asap.
If interested in the lore of the Clans:
Look up: The Amaris Coup... this is the starting point of the Clans' story, the final disappointment that sends the Star League into self-exile. Exodus. The Second Exodus. Nicholas Kerensky. The (Clan) Remembrance. "Crusader Clan" "Warden Clan."
Note: The IS will not receive this radio message for another 100+ years from now.
Below is a Warden Clan. "We must return, return and protect that which is unique upon the stars [Earth]."
Below is a Crusader Clan. "We will retake what is ours by might. We are Crusaders and will trample all whom stand before us."
Wardens are invading to protect the Inner Sphere from itself, to restore order regardless of what the IS wants.
Crusaders are coming to take over and control everything, subjugating the Inner Sphere to its whims.
Regardless of the good or bad intentions, the IS wants nothing to do with it.
But because of this combined enemy, we have an unintended Zero Requiem, as the Clans provide an enemy from which the IS must unite against, setting aside rivalries and hundreds of years of war or lose everything. Perhaps in defeating the Clans, the IS can finally know a methodical peace for the first time since the 2800s. (I say methodical, because "War" used to be a controlled, highly relegated 'activity' to settle disputes in which there was no civilian casualties, very restricted damage, and monarchs could sit and watch their armies fight while drinking tea together and gossiping about who is marrying whom.)
A tidbit of lore that really bugs me about MWO.
Spoiler
On a separate note: MWO's "Invasion" game mode with the planetary cannon makes no sense in lore. One, the Cannon is shooting.... at something so slow that the cannon doesn't require any adjustment in accuracy. This implies it is shooting at a jumpship. NO ONE would shoot at a jumpship. They are too precious, too irreplaceable, no faction, under any circumstances, would fire on one. There is no greater taboo.
Stomping on a school filled with children is a far more acceptable activity, even if it isn't acceptable at all. To put weight on this, this very act would be as condemning as pressing a button that instantly causes every school in the world to self-destruct, every political entity to self-destruct, every power plant to self-destruct, every library to self-destruct, every thing that remotely resembles technology and anything that has to do with the knowledge to create it to self-destruct, all guns to self-destruct, and all vehicles to self-destruct, instantly pitting us into a dark age... with 30 minutes before the world explodes. And somehow, everyone knows that you pressed the button that doomed them all.
It is THAT bad. It is THAT forbidden. It is that unthinkable. It cannot be done under any circumstances. In the one case where a warship has accidentally done this, the entire crew was so distraught that they committed suicide in less than 12 hours, and even if they had not, every planet, in every system, of every faction, would try to kill them on the spot which includes their own, despite it having been an enemy jumpship.
Now, shooting at Dropships is perfectly acceptable. In fact it is what the planetary cannons are actually for.
Except it isn't shooting at dropships, they drop with no effort at all.
And if the cannon is supposed to be firing on, say, a warship, said warship would fire back and instantly destroy the cannon defeating the entire purpose of you fighting in the Invasion game mode.
Meaning the game mode makes no damn sense.
(Also in lore, PPCs could destroy the gates or blow through the walls. That's why they are dubbed Siege Cannons and PPC boats are dubbed Siege Mechs as their primary purpose is to blast holes through such defenses.)
On a separate note: MWO's "Invasion" game mode with the planetary cannon makes no sense in lore. One, the Cannon is shooting.... at something so slow that the cannon doesn't require any adjustment in accuracy. This implies it is shooting at a jumpship. NO ONE would shoot at a jumpship. They are too precious, too irreplaceable, no faction, under any circumstances, would fire on one. There is no greater taboo.
Stomping on a school filled with children is a far more acceptable activity, even if it isn't acceptable at all. To put weight on this, this very act would be as condemning as pressing a button that instantly causes every school in the world to self-destruct, every political entity to self-destruct, every power plant to self-destruct, every library to self-destruct, every thing that remotely resembles technology and anything that has to do with the knowledge to create it to self-destruct, all guns to self-destruct, and all vehicles to self-destruct, instantly pitting us into a dark age... with 30 minutes before the world explodes. And somehow, everyone knows that you pressed the button that doomed them all.
It is THAT bad. It is THAT forbidden. It is that unthinkable. It cannot be done under any circumstances. In the one case where a warship has accidentally done this, the entire crew was so distraught that they committed suicide in less than 12 hours, and even if they had not, every planet, in every system, of every faction, would try to kill them on the spot which includes their own, despite it having been an enemy jumpship.
Now, shooting at Dropships is perfectly acceptable. In fact it is what the planetary cannons are actually for.
Except it isn't shooting at dropships, they drop with no effort at all.
And if the cannon is supposed to be firing on, say, a warship, said warship would fire back and instantly destroy the cannon defeating the entire purpose of you fighting in the Invasion game mode.
Meaning the game mode makes no damn sense.
(Also in lore, PPCs could destroy the gates or blow through the walls. That's why they are dubbed Siege Cannons and PPC boats are dubbed Siege Mechs as their primary purpose is to blast holes through such defenses.)
Edited by Nightmare1, 13 January 2018 - 08:46 AM.
