New Player, Heavy Mech Recommendation
#1
Posted 31 August 2017 - 02:08 PM
Sorry in advance if this is the wrong place to post this. I'm looking for tips as to which heavy mech to choose.
I kind of squandered half of my cadet bonus away, have maybe 4 left to earn, so i'm resting at 11m right now. I prefer missiles and ballistic if possible. I know i can't afford much right now, so i want to know what i should start saving for.
Any tips/advice is deeply appreciated!
cashiimo
#2
Posted 31 August 2017 - 02:19 PM
Clan: Ebon Jaguar, Hellbringer, Timber Wolf.
If you wasted your cadet bonus, you could just start another account.
#3
Posted 31 August 2017 - 02:23 PM
Marauder and Warhammer are indeed good mechs as well.
Edited by Mad Dog Morgan, 31 August 2017 - 02:24 PM.
#4
Posted 31 August 2017 - 02:26 PM
Mad Dog Morgan, on 31 August 2017 - 02:23 PM, said:
Timby fell from his throne a bit, engine desynch cost him the ability to torso twist and turn. Still decent but there are better brawlers out there.
#5
Posted 31 August 2017 - 02:31 PM
#6
Posted 31 August 2017 - 02:40 PM
cashiimo, on 31 August 2017 - 02:31 PM, said:
Well to be blunt, the Warhammer is the better mech, but being the better mech comes at a cost, it has a higher targeting priority, meaning it will draw fire sooner than the Roughneck will.
To get an idea of how you are going to want to build it, I would spend time with http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab.
#7
Posted 31 August 2017 - 05:34 PM
cashiimo, on 31 August 2017 - 02:31 PM, said:
There really isnt a 'support' role in MWO. The best support for your team is to damage the enemy and minimize incoming damage without camping or getting out of position.
Triple AMS and Narc arent really support.
#8
Posted 31 August 2017 - 11:47 PM
LRMs for instance are never a true main weapon as there are too many counters to them, but they can be excellent in keeping enemy mechs in cover, though when used well (300-400m, staying just behind the main line) they can be good damage dealers. Of course the damage is spread, helping to open up mechs for others to exploit, rather support like IMO.
Same with AC/2's, even massed like they are on one of my King Crabs I don't considerer them to be a true mainline fighting weapon (though an 1100 damage game just yesterday was all kinds of fun).
So maybe in MWO the support weapons are the sub-optimal ones, the ones that are less likely to win a 1v1. Try hards may rage against them but god forbid anyone from having fun in a game eh?
#9
Posted 01 September 2017 - 08:04 AM
cashiimo, on 31 August 2017 - 02:08 PM, said:
Sorry in advance if this is the wrong place to post this. I'm looking for tips as to which heavy mech to choose.
I kind of squandered half of my cadet bonus away, have maybe 4 left to earn, so i'm resting at 11m right now. I prefer missiles and ballistic if possible. I know i can't afford much right now, so i want to know what i should start saving for.
Any tips/advice is deeply appreciated!
cashiimo
Good morning. Koniving here with 270+ mechs at the moment. (Think it's 272 or 273). Anyway, got plenty of IS and Clan experience and been here since just before summer 2012. Been helping since late 2012.
Normally people recommend medium mechs to help you figure out what kind of player you want to be. I understand you're looking at heavy mechs and the fixation seems to be on the Inner Sphere side.
In addition to the Roughneck and the Warhammer, both being very capable mechs, might I also recommend mechs of similar caliber in the same weight categories (65 and 75 tons) on the IS side:
Thunderbolt (65 tons) is similar to a Roughneck but with a larger focus on energy and more missile options. Most of the weapons are in the torsos.
Orion (75 tons) is similar to the Warhammer but also plays like a lighter, faster Atlas (100 tons). Weapons are reasonably split between body parts rather than heavily focused in the torsos as is the case with the Warhammer.
Marauder (75 tons) is similar to the Warhammer but has the merits of being a chickenwalker. Yes this means larger side torsos, but provided you are not using an XL engine the larger side torsos can act as a shield, reducing incoming damage by 60% after you lose the side torso (hence why it only works if not using an XL engine; as you'd die instantly if you lost it while using XL).
(The Thunderbolt -- despite being humanoid -- also has the same advantage that the Marauder has going for it.)
-----
Don't let people tell you that some roles don't exist. Play the game the way you want.
"Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to come back and see you do it again, and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do." ~ Walter E. Disney
There's plenty of support roles. The issue is that there are no non-combat roles.
Due to the nature of this game, every feasible role is associated with combat in some capacity. Keep this in mind.
#10
Posted 01 September 2017 - 08:09 AM
You can also upgrade it to an LFE300 and toss in some extra heat sinks, but that costs more cash, so stick with the stock engine to start..
#11
Posted 01 September 2017 - 08:17 AM
SnagaDance, on 31 August 2017 - 11:47 PM, said:
Due to the nature of MWO, AC/2s are kind of in an iffy spot. Sure they can spam all kinds of damage that would surpass two RAC/2s in Battletech (in fact if you tweak unofficial tabletop "Megamek" a little bit so that a single AC/2 can fire like it does in MWO... you easily have a weapon that surpasses any pair of 3150 technology including the largest Hyper Assault Gauss Rifles and MRM-40s.).. But there's double+ armor and structure on all mechs, plus travel time, plus so many other factors...
In Battletech, AC/2s are used to fight infantry, to fight mechanized infantry, to fight light to moderately armored vehicles, to fight light and medium mechs, to harass heavy and assault mechs, to fight against airborne threats. And it is pretty effective at this, despite the fact that within the advanced rules you can net between 0 to 6 damage from a single AC/2 in tabletop. (Glancing/direct blows and "Rapid fire autocannons" allowing two damage ratings to be achieved at the risk of both a jam and a weapon explosion).
Now how many of those potential targets do we have? Yeah. And a fully armored Hunchback here, without quirks or skill tree is 320 armor points. In Battletech, just 160 armor points.
Even so, pack about 4 and have lots of fun. Even if you fire them like this.
The biggest issues are bullet travel time and leading targets; if you get up close they are superbly effective in groups of 3.
Long before quirks and such, triple AC/2.
Edited by Koniving, 01 September 2017 - 08:24 AM.
#12
Posted 01 September 2017 - 10:37 AM
#13
Posted 01 September 2017 - 10:51 AM
[more commonly known outside of MWO as Cauldron Born.]
Talking Phoenix Hawks or Shadow Hawks?
Either way hard pressed for them as new player mechs, but perhaps as early mechs. The thrill of seeing the hands holding guns in a Phoenix Hawk is strangely satisfying.
#14
Posted 01 September 2017 - 11:15 AM
Edited by Anunaki, 01 September 2017 - 11:16 AM.
#15
Posted 01 September 2017 - 03:34 PM
Anunaki, on 01 September 2017 - 11:15 AM, said:
Decent mobility.
Is what a Shadow Hawk feels like without going into quirks or changing the engine... Admittedly I think that it is one of the few mechs that has a sensation of 'weight' to it... what with the painfully slow acceleration and sluggish torso twisting.
And I say this as a Hunchback pilot with a love for the stock engine. (HBK stock: 64.8 kph. SHK stock: 81 kph.) It's the torso twist and turning abilities. They are okay if you don't need them and capitalize on the high mount, but meh. It makes up for these flaws in a number of ways.
However to say it beats a Centurion in firepower seems questionable, perhaps if we're talking about after putting in the biggest possible engines but otherwise they are pretty on par in this regard.
What I suppose really gets me though is... great jump capability....on a shadow hawk. If you think that is great, might I suggest trying literally any other 55 tonner that has jump capability and a full assortment of 7 (or more) jumpjets rather than the SHK's 3.
(I'm still struggling to find reason for the Shadowhawks occupying my mechbays. I have 7 of them. ...and find it difficult to enjoy 5 of them. Two of them seem okay, but for a scout/recon mech in BT lore... it feels like a slow lumbering artillery piece.)
#16
Posted 01 September 2017 - 04:11 PM
Similar firepower. Better control and mobility. And while they are closer to the same size now, original the Wolverine was the smallest 55 tonner, and the SHK was the biggest. Wolverine is still smaller. It's true, the main gun isn't on a high point. But it's on a very flexible point, making it very suited for mobile horizontal combat.
I need to make new vids with the Wolverines. But since I can see my hand and we don't have the weapon model updates, I get iffy about recording the buggy looking UAC/5 barrel while using any of the new weapons.
The Griffin on the other hand... is pretty suited for vertical combat. Sadly most of my shots were getting shot down before I turned off chain fire. Horizontal combat with Griffin. Shadow Hawks could never hope to do this. Well maybe if they use Streaks. Yet more Griffin. Just don't think this mobility can be rivaled...
I personally think the Shadow Hawk is best behind a hill or building, pretending to kneel and sharp shoot. ...honestly haven't had much luck beyond that. Well there was this build...
#17
Posted 02 September 2017 - 07:56 AM
cashiimo, on 31 August 2017 - 02:31 PM, said:
InspectorG, on 31 August 2017 - 05:34 PM, said:
There really isnt a 'support' role in MWO. The best support for your team is to damage the enemy and minimize incoming damage without camping or getting out of position.
Triple AMS and Narc arent really support.
there are in fact several diferant support roles you can offer, ECM support, AMS support, fire support (usualy long range with LRMs or long range balistics) you can support the team by flanking or scouting.
cashiimo seemed to be asking about long range fire support,
Mechs which excel at this in the heavy weight class are pretty much anything with high mounted balistic, energy or missile hardpoints, I will give a few examples
most of the Thunderbolts have high mounted energy hardpoints, the TDR-9S especialy for a while was considered an excelent fire aupport Mech with some good PPC quirks (not sure it they are still there)
the Jagermech is another great fire support Mech, it has high mounted arms sutible for taking several balistic weapons, for long range work look at varients of the AC2, AC5 and Gauss Rifle weapon types, the JM6-DD comes with an XL engine and despite having the highest ticket price of all the Jagermechs, by the time you factor in upgrades it will likely work out the cheepest, because the stock engine is pretty good as a compromise between speed and tonage for the Jagermech and you would have to buy that (or a simular) engine seporately.
the Marauder has high mounted balistic hardpoints on most varients
on the Clan side the Ebon Jaguar makes a great fire support platform with its high mounted hardpoints on top of the Mech
the Helbringer is taller and has fewer high mounted hardpoints and less overall tonage but its ECM can make up for some of that.
#18
Posted 02 September 2017 - 03:23 PM
Rogue Jedi, on 02 September 2017 - 07:56 AM, said:
there are in fact several diferant support roles you can offer, ECM support, AMS support, fire support (usualy long range with LRMs or long range balistics) you can support the team by flanking or scouting.
cashiimo seemed to be asking about long range fire support,
Not really.
Groups/Comps who can pickk maps and develop strtas per map....maybe.
But in Solo, only role is:
DO DAMAGE
I could concede AMS 'support' as a factor of morale in Solo, in lieu of skill.
But when it comes time to carry, do you want to do more damage? or more ECM?
ECM isnt what it was, the Jesus Box has met the Age of Reason i guess...
AMS only helps those who lack in skill, or pilot very slow Assaults who havent made it to the battle line yet.
Range is tricky in Solo, you dont want to get left behind to get chewed up by some MG light, do you? Group plans for this, Solo cant even.
Closest i can think of 'Range Support' in Solo is ERPPC jumpsnipe with an emphasis on trying to get enemies to turn away from the battle line.
Or anything that hits hard at 500-600m, which can mean several mechs. just be wary of slow assaults, they are an acquired taste for Solo.
LRMs lead to bad habits and dont promote skill. They can bully the opponent if the opponent is a bad.
Anything else that doesnt do direct damage just delays the snowball.
#19
Posted 02 September 2017 - 04:44 PM
#20
Posted 04 September 2017 - 09:32 AM
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