42 replies to this topic

[Brighty]

ive been told the Humpback, Centurion, and Bushwhacker are good first mechs. is one of them better than the others, or are they about equal? if it makes any difference i prefer ballistic weapons so far.

i would appreciate loadouts if u could provide them.

Edited by Brighty, 14 September 2022 - 10:23 AM.

[Brizna]

I want to be honest with you, there's been many changes with stats of many mechs I am quite out of the loop these days so I am not exactly on the current meta maybe some of those mechs got recently quirked very strongly and is a good mech but I have not seen anything to imply so. Personally I think they are weak mechs at the moment.

Centurion is easy to kill
Hunchback is easy to disable
Bushwacker is not as powerful as it used to be.

Recommending a good first mech is not easy because it's not just a question of what mech is good or bad but also a question of what play style you prefer. Generally speaking I would recommend starting with a heavy mech, but medium are not a crazy choice either. Also as a new player you probably are better in a hard to kill mech than in a glass cannon so you can afford to make mistakes yet and survive, but this is ultimately a choice of style. Assuming you go for the safer route of picking survival mechs I will put forward the following:

Heavies:

Roughnecks: They are very sturdy and have plenty of dakka build available, they are properly quirked.
Orion: Again very sturdy, you can get one for free this month, so don't buy if you can fulfil the event. ( https://mwomercs.com/events/465 )
Sunspider: This is probably the most sturdy heavy clan mech, that said clan mechs tend to be glass cannons so take this with a pinch of salt, that said it has plenty of good builds.
Crusader: Currently only available for real $$, but if you are willing to pay I have seen great things of them (will be available later this year for in game currency)
Quickdraw IV: It's not as strong as it used to be but it's still sturdy and punchy enough with MRM60 or MRM80 (hero mech so you need in game currency called MC (you can buy for real $$ or get slowly with events)
Warhammer 6R: Is a great mech in which you can combine a couple dakka with lasers, one of the most common weapon combinations available.

Mediums:

Vindicator: This mech is infamous for sucking, but this is an opinion forged in its early days when it truly sucked, thanks to this it's got great quirks, good hit boxes and now with MRMs good punch. You are basically stuck with builds with a MRM 40 and some lasers 1R is probably the most flexible at the moment and 1X the best quirked, The hero version is good, but again MCs.
Vapor Eagle: This is my clan recommendation for medium, it's sturdy as far as clan mechs go and you have several solid options. It is not an omnimech which is actually great but won't allow you to experiment freely with the omnipods a wide range of different builds: VGL 3 (ATMs), VGL A (big ballistic plus SRMs) and VGL 1 (gauss vomit) are the best choices for C-Bills.

Edited by Brizna, 14 September 2022 - 10:56 AM.

[ScrapIron Prime]

I'll rebut one point there... the Centurion is NOT easy to kill. Fit it with a light engine and tank for days. it has as much armor and structure as most 70 ton mechs.

The Centurion D is your best brawler or distance Centurion for ballistics. With a 40% cooldown on LBX autocannons, you can kit one for distance with 2 LBX/5 and an LPPC, or for brawling with LBX/10, 2ML, 2 SRM or MRM. The fire rate on those autocannons is insane.

LBX5's = https://mwo.nav-alph...=50c66246_CN9-D
LBX10 = https://mwo.nav-alph...=b355ded5_CN9-D

If you'd like to switch up to energy weapons, the Centurion AL is your boy. (Unless you want massed Medium Lasers, there's a hunchback for that.)

Here's the AL with ERLL for extreme ranged punch. You'll note it has rockets. This is the ONLY mech I run rockets on, because the mech is not meant to get in anything's face, and when something does get in your face, a couple SRM2's aren't going to cut it. =)

https://mwo.nav-alph...27313914_CN9-AL

You can also field it with medium range LPL action, or close in Snub PPC spam (just be careful to fire those 2-1 instead of all at once for the ghost heat).

LPL = https://mwo.nav-alph...3a240bd9_CN9-AL
SnPPC = https://mwo.nav-alph...cbc7bea4_CN9-AL

Yeah... I love Centurions.

[Brighty]

@ScrapIron Prime isnt it bad/ a liability to have ammo in the arm? also arent side torsos preferable for weapon placement?

[ScrapIron Prime]

Brighty, on 14 September 2022 - 04:32 PM, said:

@ScrapIron Prime isnt it bad/ a liability to have ammo in the arm? also arent side torsos preferable for weapon placement?

Good questions!

Side torsos are a bit better for weapon arcs and survivability, depending on the mech. It's a liability in the Hunchback because the hunch is so easy to hit, so despite the up-armored torso, the main gun gets shot off rather easily. Same thing with mechs like the Timberwolf and the Blood Asp if they use the high torso mounts... you can often shoot that torso from any angle.

In the centurion, because you can torso twist it well to spread damage, the right arm most often goes when they shoot out the right torso, in my experience. And with good twisting skill, you can't hit the right arm from the mech's left side until the left arm (the shield arm) is gone. For that reason, I often put ammo in the weapon arm. You can also spread it across the legs, and putting a ton in the head is always good.

But yes, if you want to pad that Centurion D a bit more, move a half ton of AC ammo to one leg and put CASE in that leg and in the right arm. (People often assume everyone puts ammo in the leg or that the leg is where you stripped a little armor, so legs are common targets! Plus I don't see too much point in having ammo in your legs if you've already lost the weapon that uses it.)

Edited by ScrapIron Prime, 14 September 2022 - 06:07 PM.

[Brighty]

what about catapults and cicadas? how do they fare usually?

edit: also wondering about ice ferrets. they seem to have good ballistic quirks.

Edited by Brighty, 14 September 2022 - 06:38 PM.

[w0qj]

There are many MWO content streamers suggesting which mechs to buy for MWO newcomers (or returning MWO players)...

For example, NGNG:
https://mwomercs.com...g-into-the-game
WLF-2 (35ton light, no JJ, IS)
VGL-3 (55ton medium, JJ, Clan)
VL-5T (40ton medium, JJ, IS)
MCII-B (90ton assault, JJ, Clan)
BAS-A (90ton assault, JJ, Clan)

Edited by w0qj, 14 September 2022 - 10:05 PM.

[w0qj]

Also: TTB's Guide to Beginner Medium Mechs:

[Gagis]

Brighty, on 14 September 2022 - 06:35 PM, said:

what about catapults and cicadas? how do they fare usually?

edit: also wondering about ice ferrets. they seem to have good ballistic quirks.

Some of the catapults are excellent but require a bit of experience to use well. My favourites are the K2 with 4ERPPC which is devastating but requires really steady aim and the C2 with 2LB10+4SRM2 which works at a short range and thus requires patience and manouvering.

Cicadas are not great.

Edited by Gagis, 15 September 2022 - 12:24 AM.

[ScrapIron Prime]

Gagis, on 15 September 2022 - 12:24 AM, said:

Cicadas are not great.

Don’t sell the Cicada 3M short. ECM, speed, and cockpit level weaponry, it’s good with either 2LL+2ML or UAC/5+4ML.

UAC = https://mwo.nav-alph...933ec7f4_CDA-3M

Edited by ScrapIron Prime, 15 September 2022 - 06:18 AM.

[Brighty]

"MCII-B (90ton assault, JJ, Clan)
BAS-A (90ton assault, JJ, Clan)"
do jump jets even do anything on assaults?

how much should i focus on quirks when picking a mech? also is there a way to see where the specific hardpoints are on a mech (eg ballistic hardpoints, energy, etc)?

from what ive looked at so far im leaning towards a bushwhacker with either rotaries or ac's.

[ScrapIron Prime]

Two jump jets on an assault lets the mech get on top of walls and cliffs that are slightly taller than the mech, as well as scaling steep slopes (which can be done with one jump jet). Stuttering the jump jets is also a trick that messes with hit registration and can keep some incoming fire off of you by exploiting the server mechanics. (Ugly fact, but true.)

Quirks are everything for Inner Sphere mechs, plan your builds around them. Hardpoints are everything for Clan mechs (because most of their equipment is just superior to IS mechs), with quirks being a secondary consideration.

[Frendly Pythagorean Natteri Tato]

Centurions are pretty tanky, just gotta twist to protect that CT. It dies more quickly in higher tiers when people can aim better.

[Brighty]

i think imma get either a centurion or bushwhacker first and the other second. ty all for the info and advice

[Sawk]

ok my 2 cents, i have 21000 drops-- and have made CAPT in 2 clans, if you looking to build and have fun, look no more.

the easy lazer vomit build is in the hunchback 2 c, go look, stock in the chest weapons, 6 med lazers is deadly, the next thing everyone hates --.

clan mech TIMBERWOLF, want LRMS omni pods, clan sensors to play with-- it is the jack of all trades, and you need to learn that a 2 weapon system, long range, med range, is the best set up, to earn cash MC ect

just a hint the clan sensors work way better then Inner spere, but close range inner spere can kill you.

SAWK CLANNER

[Brighty]

will i hafta pay for mech repairs/ ammo?

[ScrapIron Prime]

Brighty, on 15 September 2022 - 06:20 PM, said:

will i hafta pay for mech repairs/ ammo?

Nope, repair and ammo costs got eliminated in Beta testing. They're realistic, but they kinda sucked. Only thing you need to pay to restock is arty strikes, air strikes, and cool shot consumables... so use them sparingly until you're rich.

[Brighty]

thats a relief. its in other games i play, so im glad to find out repairs arent charged.

[Brighty]

this is my current loadout. hows it look?

bsw-x2p


Actual armor is: 44 RA, 65 FRT, 2 RRT, 41 RL, 20 H, 82 FCT, 2 RCT, 41 LL, 2 RLT, 65 FLT, 44 LA

[PsionicMantis]

If you switch the ferro-fibrous to standard, and change over to endo steel for the structure, you get more spare tonage