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I didn't think I'd be getting this 'Mech at first, but after watching several others play it, I determined that I'd made a grievous error in not placing the venerable Chip on my must-have list. I proceeded to play PokeMech, because I'm a sucker with poor impulse control...
...and the Champion is turning out to be my new favorite heavy. The Rifleman was the first heavy I really clicked with, but while it packs a good punch it's never been particularly nimble, and it's notorious for having a glass jaw. The Dragon is somewhat anemic in the firepower department despite being pretty tanky nowadays, and the Quickdraw is kind of a one-trick pony anymore since only the hero is worth looking at. The 60-ton range has never really had a generalist, but it seems like the Champion is going to change that. There are a few limitations, but most of its variants support an impressive degree of build diversity.
The key seems to be that most of the Chips can shave an extra two tons off their arms, which allows them to hit harder (or more often) than a Rifleman, while having armor and mobility comparable to a Dragon... a little squishier because it hasn't got structure buffs on top of armor buffs, but durable enough to stand and fight when it has to (and, at least, more durable than any Quickdraw other than IV-Four). The result is a very solid 'Mech. Not OP by any stretch of the imagination, but capable and flexible with a good range of builds and roles.
Obviously, the chief downside is that most of the Champions don't have any arm weapons. Not being able to pop UAVs is a constant issue, and you will lose fights sometimes because you can't quite get your guns to the enemy's elevation. Ballistic-focused configs will have to give extra care to protecting their RT. Some weapon combinations (dual UAC10, for example, or quad LB2X) just won't work because of slot restrictions. The hitboxes are middling at best; you're going to want the survival tree on most any config. Nevertheless, it's a 'Mech that will find a happy home with any fan of faster heavies. I'm a fan.
CHP-1N(S) - There's something to be said for keeping it simple. AC20+4xMPL delivers a consistent, accurate punch. With both ammo capacity nodes, 3t of AC20 ammo is plenty- more than 4t would have yielded before the Skill Tree, anyway. I'm very pleased with the results I've been getting with it. I think I might main this for a while.
CHP-1N - The third iteration. I tried a stock-adjacent build first just for kicks (LB10X+SRMs+lasers), but found it wanting and switched to dakka+lasers (2xAC5+4xERML, now 2xUAC5+4xERML), which has been more consistent. I'm liking the Champions for dakka. More on that in a bit...
CHP-2N - I tried 3xRAC2 on this one, but RACs are still too situational for my liking. 2xAC5+AC2+lasers is a little less exotic, perhaps, but more reliable. Dakka is good on the Champion. It's got this nice, tight mount grouping...
CHP-3N - It's a Jester without the jump jets. Or, at least, that's what I built it as, because the energy arms are the only thing setting it apart from the other variants. Lots of sinks keep the pewpew going all day long. Not much else to say... other than the Invictus, it's the only Champion that can pop UAVs without help, so it's got that going for it too.
CHP-1N2 - I wasn't really sure what to do with this critter. It'd probably have made a good AC20 'Mech, but I wanted the boom on my 1N(S) for the cbill boost, so I felt like I had to find another niche for the 1N2. UAC10 makes it different enough to be interesting.
CHP-1NB - WAAAAGH! DAKKKADAKKADAKKA! This might just be the best 60-ton AC2 boat, even without any ballistic quirks besides velocity. The Rifleman can run quad AC2, but the mounts are pretty far apart way out on the arms. The Dragon can run a nice UAC2 cluster on its arm, but it's a low arm, and pretty far from the cockpit. The Champion 1NB has an amazing mount cluster. All four guns are all scrunched up together, they're all near or at cockpit level, and they're all snuggled up close to the body. You hit what you're pointing at, and the damage all goes exactly where you want it to- every time, at any range. Sure, having all four Bs in the same component means that you're never going to be doing anything but AC2 spam of one kind or another with that cluster... but it's good at AC2 spam. Really good. Easily the best of the 60-ton dakka platforms. Mine was a little light on ammo until I got the capacity nodes, but the lasers have really helped in overwhelming enemies that try to burst me down in brawl.
CHP-INV - The obvious thing to do with the Invictus is MRMs. The Quickdraw is better at it because the Quickdraw has better hitboxes, though. It also can't really run SRMs that well because they're all spread out (unlike the ballistics on the dakka-capable variants). I've been experimenting with different things trying to get more use out of the arms- it'd seem a waste to keep them empty, since only one other Champion has arm weapons. 2xMRM30+2xERML seems to do okay. I think this is probably the weakest Champion... which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because the other Champions are quite good. It's just not going to be usurping the IV-Four any time soon. Looks much cooler while jump-jetting, though.
So... yeah. That's my take on the 'Mech, anyway. She's a keeper. Good fun in a funny-looking package. Post 'em if you've got 'em!
Edited by WrathOfDeadguy, 25 October 2018 - 01:52 AM.
