26 replies to this topic

[Ruccus]

I don't know if you want to spend real money on the game, but if you're willing I'd suggest waiting for this week's upcoming "Bushwacker vs Huntsman" sale. They're both very solid medium mechs that are a good base to learn the game and both packages come with 30 banked premium time to help to with earning c-bills (just remember that it's banked time so you'd enable it from your Profile page). They are both decently mobile to help staying with your team, both can pack a punch, and neither are the primary targets on a battlefield so you may be able to make a mistake or two without it being punished. For $16usd each I think they're a good deal.

Also the Bushwacker and Huntsman are staple mechs for faction play scouting (Bushwacker for the Inner Sphere, Huntsman for clans) if you want to dip your toe into faction play without jumping into the deep end to form a full invasion drop deck.

[Metus regem]

Ruccus, on 05 September 2017 - 06:49 PM, said:

I don't know if you want to spend real money on the game, but if you're willing I'd suggest waiting for this week's upcoming "Bushwacker vs Huntsman" sale. They're both very solid medium mechs that are a good base to learn the game and both packages come with 30 banked premium time to help to with earning c-bills (just remember that it's banked time so you'd enable it from your Profile page). They are both decently mobile to help staying with your team, both can pack a punch, and neither are the primary targets on a battlefield so you may be able to make a mistake or two without it being punished. For $16usd each I think they're a good deal.

Also the Bushwacker and Huntsman are staple mechs for faction play scouting (Bushwacker for the Inner Sphere, Huntsman for clans) if you want to dip your toe into faction play without jumping into the deep end to form a full invasion drop deck.

As much as I love my Bushwacker, I'd have to say that she is not very new player friendly. As to really make the mech shine, you need to have a skill set that is not actively encouraged to learn by the player base. Like the Dragon, the Bushwacker is a mech that really excels at looking one direction, running in a second and shooting in a third. Also like the Dragon, the Bushwacker becomes much stronger with map layout knowledge as you know where to make the most of the shoot and scoot style that really the Bushwacker excels with.

If I were to recommend a new player medium mech, I would recommend either the Huncback 4G or Centurion CN9-A / CN9-D.

The reason for the 4G is due to how well it teaches the hide and poke game play, back ally mugging game play as well as gunnery skills and shield sides. The Centurion on the other hand teaches poke, mugging, gunnery, shield side and torso twisting to spread damage. All of those skills are really important in game, and I cannot think of better mediums at teaching them.

[Ruccus]

Metus regem, on 06 September 2017 - 08:33 AM, said:

As much as I love my Bushwacker, I'd have to say that she is not very new player friendly. As to really make the mech shine, you need to have a skill set that is not actively encouraged to learn by the player base. Like the Dragon, the Bushwacker is a mech that really excels at looking one direction, running in a second and shooting in a third. Also like the Dragon, the Bushwacker becomes much stronger with map layout knowledge as you know where to make the most of the shoot and scoot style that really the Bushwacker excels with.

For me (with regards to the Bushwacker base pack that includes the X1, X2, and S2) only the S2 with its dead side fits your gameplay description (running one direction, showing the right torso, the flicking around to fire or firing the arm mounts while shielding). With the X1 (usually running triple AC5s or quad AC2s) and X2 (usually dual AC10s, LB10Xes, or RAC5s) I stare straight at the enemy and waggle the nose if I want to spread damage. If a torso is damaged I just have to stare off to the side of my target and can keep them in view near the edge of my monitor while the weapons cycle instead of having to 'show them my shoulder' as in the Centurion or Hunchback. The Bushwacker also has solid armour quirks that when skilled up turns it into a very tough mech.

I will agree that the Bushwacker isn't a good mech if you get yourself out of position a lot as its huge side profile can catch a lot of enemy fire, but if you're sticking with your heavy and assault teammates like you should be when you're learning the game that tends to be less of a problem. One thing for a new player though is to definitely take out that XL engine until you can learn to torso twist effectively - I'd rather see a new player running the X2 with 2 UAC5s and a standard engine than 2 UAC10s and an XL.

[Metus regem]

Ruccus, on 06 September 2017 - 09:42 AM, said:

For me (with regards to the Bushwacker base pack that includes the X1, X2, and S2) only the S2 with its dead side fits your gameplay description (running one direction, showing the right torso, the flicking around to fire or firing the arm mounts while shielding). With the X1 (usually running triple AC5s or quad AC2s) and X2 (usually dual AC10s, LB10Xes, or RAC5s) I stare straight at the enemy and waggle the nose if I want to spread damage. If a torso is damaged I just have to stare off to the side of my target and can keep them in view near the edge of my monitor while the weapons cycle instead of having to 'show them my shoulder' as in the Centurion or Hunchback. The Bushwacker also has solid armour quirks that when skilled up turns it into a very tough mech.

I will agree that the Bushwacker isn't a good mech if you get yourself out of position a lot as its huge side profile can catch a lot of enemy fire, but if you're sticking with your heavy and assault teammates like you should be when you're learning the game that tends to be less of a problem. One thing for a new player though is to definitely take out that XL engine until you can learn to torso twist effectively - I'd rather see a new player running the X2 with 2 UAC5s and a standard engine than 2 UAC10s and an XL.

/shrug

This is how I run my BSW-X2, I use my X2 in the way I described with arm lock off. I try to put my nose towards a red mech when I have to face one, doing little tiny twists to spread damage from LA/LT/CT/RT/RA and back again. I try to stay mid range skirmisher / flanker with it. But again It is not a mech I would suggest to some one fresh into the game, I would suggest one of the two IS mediums I did as they are both more forgiving than a Bushwacker to a new player.


Edit:

I normally run around 4 back armour on most of my mechs, but due to a design (hit box) quirk with the Bushy, the rear CT is hit-able from the front so I pushed it up to 8 on the rear.

Edited by Metus regem, 06 September 2017 - 10:14 AM.

[Ruccus]

That explains it. For me I'd run my X2 something like this (dual LB10Xes as an example but you can shoehorn a pair of any of the 10 to 12 ton guns), and for my X1 something like triple AC5s (or this if I want to stay at ~500m or more). I love the close ballistic torso mounts on the Bushwacker - they're great for hitting a mech in the same spot even when you're leading the target.

I guess it goes to what I mentioned in another thread about staying to spectate a match instead of leaving a match early - you can find builds you didn't think to try just by seeing a teammate's loadout and watching how they use it.

[DONALD KERENSKY TRUMP]

I Would think a Mad Cat will be awesome

[Koniving]

DONALD KERENSKY TRUMP, on 08 September 2017 - 08:28 AM, said:

I Would think a Mad Cat will be awesome

Do you mean Mad Cat aka Timber Wolf, or Mad Cat Mark II? Presuming the Timber Wolf. And it is. Some people gripe because without the skill tree, the torso twisting seems...sluggish.

Unlock like 2 or 3 twist speeds and it'll feel right.

Unlock more and it'll feel a bit fast.