Hello, Mechwarriors! I am Grevious437, and I am a returning player. I played years ago, couldn't tell you when that was, but my interest in Mechwarrior and Battletech have returned to me and I'd like to ask a few questions to those who still regularly play, or at least keep up with the game.
1. How has the game been recently? Is MWO still a well populated game?
2. Are there units out there that take in new players and help them improve at the game? If so, what are some of them, and how can I get into contact with them?
3. I'm most interested in playing as light mechs or mediums that move well. What is some advice for playing as these types of fast moving, low armor type of mechs?
I live in the central daylight time zone (GMT-5) I appreciate your help, and look forward to your responses. My hope is that I make friends and join a unit so that I'm not having to learn this game on my own.
LocationLook at my Arctic Wolf. Closer... Closer...
Posted 17 March 2025 - 04:03 AM
1. game is pretty much the same constant nerf/buff cycles in patches some new mechs and weapons, take a look yourself https://mwo.nav-alpha.com.
2. If you look around there are plenty of units to choose from contact them here or in game
3.your in luck the lightest and fastest mech the firemoth was just released if your willing to pay real money for it and the early adopter rewards are still vialble too till next month As https://mwomercs.com/fire-moth
some good fast mediums include the shadow cat Viper and i think there are a couple on the Sphere side as well but i cannot recall them other than maybe the enforcer if you build it correctly.
As for my advice playing light mechs keep on the move and try not to stand around too long.
I have to tell you that player population is down, but you can still find matches. The game's variety is much improved, and GrimMechs remains an excellent resource for meta builds.
When playing fast, mobile 'mechs, it depends on what you're doing with them. Some 'mechs like the Huntsman or Shadow Hawk are excellent firepower platforms, but not terribly fast, while Phoenix Hawks and Shadow Cats are great mobile snipers and harassers. Then you have the Light 'mech side of that category, which tend toward being mid-range poke builds or fast knife fighters.
Like Vix said, there are quite a few guilds still active, and most groups will be happy to help you out. I'm in BWC, and I believe there's a Discord somewhere. I'd have to hunt it down, though.
If you're playing a skirmisher/sniper that can hit hard, but cannot sustain the dps needed for close combat, keep on the move and don't (especially with a Light) peek from the same place twice if you can help it. For closer-ranged 'mechs, it's going to come down to cooperation with your team. Scout ahead of the group a little if you have a 'mech that's fast enough, but you'll want to stay on the edges of the fighting and just add your firepower to your teammates' - you need to make the enemy choose between shooting you and shooting the Dire Wolf that's coring them out. A surprising amount of the time they'll choose you, so be prepared for that, and just move around the fight and try someone else if an opponent seems intent on staring in your direction waiting for you to expose.
3. I'm most interested in playing as light mechs or mediums that move well. What is some advice for playing as these types of fast moving, low armor type of mechs?
An equipment that greatly increase a mech mobility is the MASC, you should look for mechs having MASC.
- the Fire Moth is the speed queen, 175 kph cruising speed, 209 kph with MASC activated ; I really love this mech, but since it's brand new it's not yet available for ingame currencies.
- the Flea (FLE-17, FLE-20 and FLE-FA have MASC) is the former fastest mech, the most agile mech of all (accel/decel)
- in the light category, there are also MASC capable variant for the Urbanmech (UM-R), Commando (COM-D03) and Piranha (PIR-D)
- the Vulcan-5S is the lightest and fastest mech with MASC to also mount jumpjets ; the most popular build is 2 snub PPCs with 2 magshots
- among other MASC+JJs medium mechs typically packing PPCs, there are the Phoenix Hawk-7S, the Shadow Cat and the Vapor Eagle Rival.
Of course MASC is not mandatory to have fun, but it was a way for me to limit my recommendations.
As for advice for piloting low armor fast mechs, my number one is always plan an escape route and keep in mind where the baddies are.
Also, watch this great guide on movement by JP Jango (one of the best light pilots):
LocationLook at my Arctic Wolf. Closer... Closer...
Posted 18 March 2025 - 06:57 AM
epikt, on 18 March 2025 - 05:58 AM, said:
An equipment that greatly increase a mech mobility is the MASC, you should look for mechs having MASC.
- the Fire Moth is the speed queen, 175 kph cruising speed, 209 kph with MASC activated ; I really love this mech, but since it's brand new it's not yet available for ingame currencies.
- the Flea (FLE-17, FLE-20 and FLE-FA have MASC) is the former fastest mech, the most agile mech of all (accel/decel)
- in the light category, there are also MASC capable variant for the Urbanmech (UM-R), Commando (COM-D03) and Piranha (PIR-D)
- the Vulcan-5S is the lightest and fastest mech with MASC to also mount jumpjets ; the most popular build is 2 snub PPCs with 2 magshots
- among other MASC+JJs medium mechs typically packing PPCs, there are the Phoenix Hawk-7S, the Shadow Cat and the Vapor Eagle Rival.
Of course MASC is not mandatory to have fun, but it was a way for me to limit my recommendations.
As for advice for piloting low armor fast mechs, my number one is always plan an escape route and keep in mind where the baddies are.
Also, watch this great guide on movement by JP Jango (one of the best light pilots):
note that 175 (209 with MASC) is only with full speed quirks from the skill tree and while using masC. And only temporary because masc has a limit before it starts damagin your leg also the firemoth is not as manuverable as other 20 tonners
Returned player myself. Having a bit of fun pugging but the usual inconsistencies remain with QP when it comes to team balancing however it's not really any worse than it ever was.
The only annoyance I have is that ballistics boating still remains stupidly OP when it comes to blinding/suppression, crit and front loaded damage otherwise they've actually done a decent job of balancing IS/Clans.
The blinding effect is definitely stupid, always has been. At this point, I don't think they're employing the engineering assets that would be needed to fix it, but you should only get blinding effects if the damage is landing on your 'mech's head.
As for tech base balance - yeah! Clantech still has the edge, which is why so many IS machines have more powerful quirks, but overall, they've come to a decent spot of "different but competitive."
Well, it was implied - anyone who doesn't unlock speed tweak on a light mech has no idea how to work a light mech.
I don't always. Sometimes I'm looking more for jump jets, ECM, or even consumables, and the 'mech is already mobile enough - generally, though Speed Tweak is a skill I slept on for way too long. These days I use it often - even on heat-limited Assaults.
LocationLook at my Arctic Wolf. Closer... Closer...
Posted Yesterday, 03:57 AM
Milocinia, on 18 March 2025 - 11:22 AM, said:
Returned player myself. Having a bit of fun pugging but the usual inconsistencies remain with QP when it comes to team balancing however it's not really any worse than it ever was.
The only annoyance I have is that ballistics boating still remains stupidly OP when it comes to blinding/suppression, crit and front loaded damage otherwise they've actually done a decent job of balancing IS/Clans.
Yeah they changed the flamer graphic to stop blinding people but Racs and other weapons can still blind you easily, currently the only option is to switch to heat vision 'H' by default i think.
Flashes have already been toned down Feb-2024 patch, and for RAC2, RAC5, AC2 and LAC2 it is noticeably better.
I've looked into this both before and after this Feb-2024 patch!
The blinding effect is definitely stupid, always has been. At this point, I don't think they're employing the engineering assets that would be needed to fix it, but you should only get blinding effects if the damage is landing on your 'mech's head.
...
KursedVixen, on 19 March 2025 - 03:57 AM, said:
Yeah they changed the flamer graphic to stop blinding people but Racs and other weapons can still blind you easily, currently the only option is to switch to heat vision 'H' by default i think.
LocationLook at my Arctic Wolf. Closer... Closer...
Posted Yesterday, 08:06 AM
w0qj, on 19 March 2025 - 06:21 AM, said:
Flashes have already been toned down Feb-2024 patch, and for RAC2, RAC5, AC2 and LAC2 it is noticeably better.
I've looked into this both before and after this Feb-2024 patch!
the second link you listed shows muzzle flash not explosion flash I'm talking about being blinded by the pellets from an AC o RAC blasting in my face.. the receiving end not the one firing them.
Flashes have already been toned down Feb-2024 patch, and for RAC2, RAC5, AC2 and LAC2 it is noticeably better.
I've looked into this both before and after this Feb-2024 patch!
Yeah, it's not the firing that I object to (though I do remember when the Pirates' Bane stock build was unplayable because of the MGs.) It's the fact that someone can faceroll through their firing groups and block your ability to see. It's made worse by better particles, if I'm not mistaken, which both makes it exploitable via settings, and punishes people for having good graphics.
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