5 replies to this topic

[Seffi]

So I played this game a ton from 2013-2015 then came back in 2018 to find that brawling was pretty much no existent and it was just a gauss/ppc/LRM poptart fest.

What is the current state of the game right now? I loved brawling on hunchbacks or running light mechs around and the extreme long range meta the was prevalent when I came back kinda killed it for me.

I was looking for something new to play and saw MW5 then though about giving this game another go.

Yes I know its a free game and I should just give it a try (and i probably will). Are the older mechs still viable or has there been a lot of power creep?

A preemptive thank you to anyone who takes time to read this or reply.

[martian]

Seffi, on 23 June 2025 - 11:14 AM, said:

So I played this game a ton from 2013-2015 then came back in 2018 to find that brawling was pretty much no existent and it was just a gauss/ppc/LRM poptart fest.

Well, that poptarting has been toned down, although it is still viable, especially on some 'Mechs. Since brawling is not exactly easy, I would suggest that you check your inventory and you equip your 'Mechs with weapons suitable for medium range combat, i.e. some 400-600 m), at least for now.

Seffi, on 23 June 2025 - 11:14 AM, said:

What is the current state of the game right now? I loved brawling on hunchbacks or running light mechs around and the extreme long range meta the was prevalent when I came back kinda killed it for me.

The long range meta is still strong, there is no denying about that.

On the other hand, Hunchbacks (even brawling ones) are still viable, although not especially strong. After all, they are just medium 'Mechs. It is not unusual to see 4-5 assault 'Mechs deployed by the both teams, so it is not easy for medium 'Mechs such as Hunchback or Centurion to be successful every time.

Seffi, on 23 June 2025 - 11:14 AM, said:

I was looking for something new to play and saw MW5 then though about giving this game another go.

There is this event that you should try to complete. You have a week and those prizes are not bad. You can obtain a Clan Hero assault 'Mech Kodiak "Spirit Bear" just for winning one game. Slightly more effort will net you BattleMaster and Bull Shark too.

Seffi, on 23 June 2025 - 11:14 AM, said:

Yes I know its a free game and I should just give it a try (and i probably will). Are the older mechs still viable or has there been a lot of power creep?

Both is true: The power creep is real, but older 'Mechs are still viable, although they are not typically that strong.

On the other hand, I presume that you are in Tier 5 currently, so almost everything is more or less viable.

Seffi, on 23 June 2025 - 11:14 AM, said:

A preemptive thank you to anyone who takes time to read this or reply.

It could be a good idea to ask here, before you spend some cash, MCs, C-Bills or your effort on something.

Also, perhaps it could be a good idea to list some 'Mechs that you own.

[Void Angel]

The state of the game is pretty well balanced; brawling is a little different than it was when I played an Atlas through the poptart era (I'm stubborn sometimes.) Big, slow brawlers are still a thing, and with modern quirking and/or weapons, you can make a bloody mess of any long-range 'mech with one. However, mid- and long-range is viable, too - so you end up having to bide your time a lot. Honestly the biggest driver of that was the switch from 8v8 to 12v12. Matches have the potential to be more dynamic, but you've also got 50% more potential firepower available to punish any individual 'mech - that's why long-range was so prevalent last time you were playing (I drifted away from the game then, too.)

Today, balance is run by a player council, the Cauldron. They do a lot of analysis, and have been given data access from PGI, so they can make informed decisions (PGI can veto Cauldron choices, but almost never does, other than for technical reasons.) You may hear some of the Professionally Dissatisfied crowd hate on the Cauldron, accusing them of privileging their own preferred play styles via balance changes - but empirically, there are more viable builds and more meta-viable 'Mechs than there were in 2018.

In any case, Brawling is viable! But the old, all-in attack with an slow-moving Assault brawler is hard to do. I'd suggest taking a fast Medium or Heavy brawler, and be prepared to wait around until the tactical situation favors you (try the Crusader 6T. You won't be sad.)

[Seffi]

martian, on 23 June 2025 - 12:30 PM, said:

.Also, perhaps it could be a good idea to list some 'Mechs that you own.

Light
Death Knell
Firestarte Fs9-fs
Javelin Jvn 11(f)l
Locust 1v(p) 3m 3s
Raven 3L
Spider 5d
Urbanmech SC

Medium
Bushwacker P2
Cicada 5x 3f(L)
Centurian AH(L)
Griffin AR
Hunchback 4SP
Nova S S(C)
Shadow Cat B
Shadow Hawk 2D2 2H(p)
Vindicator 1AA

Heavy
Catapult J
Dragon 1C
Jagermech DD
Mad Dog RV
Rifleman DB
Thunderbolt 5S(P)

Assult
Atlas S(L) KR
Battlemaster 1g(P)
Banshee SR
King Crab 000(L)

I think thats everything unless I missed something

I played a lot of hit and run with lights in addition to brawling. I never was a huge fan of the super slow moving stuff.

Edited by Seffi, 24 June 2025 - 06:04 AM.

[martian]

Seffi, on 24 June 2025 - 05:57 AM, said:

...
I think thats everything unless I missed something

I played a lot of hit and run with lights in addition to brawling. I never was a huge fan of the super slow moving stuff.

I think that your selection of 'Mechs is quite good. You will just have to change some loadouts. For example, although your King Crab is quirked for boating AC-20s, it would be probably better to equip it with other weapons that have longer reach. Ditto for other 'Mechs.

Seffi, on 24 June 2025 - 05:57 AM, said:

I played a lot of hit and run with lights in addition to brawling.

I would say that your light 'Mechs are still viable.

[Void Angel]

Yeah, you've got some good 'mechs in there - check out the Vindicator's quirks some time. =)

If you have any specific builds in mind, feel free to post them here and get feedback if you so desire.