13 replies to this topic

[CFC Conky]

Hello all,

So, I’ve reached 400 loot bags and have yet to choose my free mechs. I have a pretty good idea about which light/medium/Legend mechs I’ll pick up, but I’m a bit stuck when it comes to the assault-class heroes.
I own pretty much all the hero mechs already so I would be choosing a duplicate. I’m leaning towards an Atlas, specifically the Warlord or Boar’s Head.

I’d be interested is knowing what other players have chosen, in all weight classes, and which Atlas Hero is you favourite and/or most effective.

Now I fully realize that any choice will depend on one’s individual preferences, but I’m still curious about what the community likes to play when it comes to those free mechs.

Thank you in advance!

Good hunting,
CFC Conky

Edited by CFC Conky, 02 September 2025 - 11:14 AM.

[Ilostmycactus]

I did the Spectre, Argent, and Gauszilla. (used mc to get the Apache). Spectre is the hardest to use, but all of these are fun. As far as I know the Warlord is the best Atlas brawler available. It's strong but being a brawler you have to be careful what you commit to. Boar's head is kinda niche with arm mounted lasers. But I don't use my atlases that often.

The Gauszilla is a lot of fun, very strong. Not quite as weak to the anni's speed because of your range. You may also consider which warhorn/bolton you like the most, for your legend choice.

[Davegt27]

it took me 48 drops to level up the free Banshee SR I got
that was a big mistake

I picked a Apache for the hvy free mech, another bad choice

I am working on leveling this Behemoth its so so, I can't recommend it

[Void Angel]

The most effective Hero Atlas is the Warlord. Hands-down. The ability to mount ballistics in each torso, combined with the head and ct energy mounts, makes for a reasonably fast zombie build that's Brutally Efficient. If you already have a Warlord, but not a Stone Crusher or Gauszilla, you should pick one of those instead. The Stone Crusher is potentially the fastest variant of its chassis, and the ability to mount Clantech on an Annihilator makes the Gauszilla an excellent platform.

The rewards I grabbed were the Arrow (Blackjack,) Esprit de Corps (Ebon Jaguar,) War Emu (Stalker,) and the Sovereign Legendary pack. The first two were solid offerings in their weight classes that I didn't already have, the War Emu looks fun, and the Sovereign is an unholy dakka-monster. In all cases, I got a variant or pod set that allowed dramatically different builds from what I had available on similar chassis.

Edited by Void Angel, 03 September 2025 - 10:53 AM.

[Shibas]

So, I've had the events done for a while now and I didn't even know we got free mechs until I saw this thread. Apparently I didn't read the fine print of the event. I just though you did the thing got the cockpit stuff and that was that. So thanks for that.

I ended up taking the ugly as hell but neat idea of the shield centurion - onyx and much better looking Black Knight - Red Reaper, then for the assaults; I did the Behemoth and Gausszilla pack. Though a part of me reaaaaallly wanted to not do the centurion and pick the ubrie-k9 police squad. I think I picked up enough MC form the 400 loot bags to get it though if I wanted to do that route.

As far as the atlas, I only have the AS7-RS, I don't even see that mech available to get from the store, I can't even remember how I got it.

Edit:
I basically picked up ones to mechs that looked cool that I didn't have, except the centurion which I was curious to see how the shields work out.

Edited by Shibas, 03 September 2025 - 10:34 AM.

[CFC Conky]

Hello all,

Thanks for the replies, those are all good rides. Keep ‘em coming!
Good hunting,
CFC Conky

[Ilfi]

These are a little out of date, but it's what helped me decide on what to go with:
https://docs.google....TEzmIUMpQX4Yzk/
https://grimmechs.is...im.org/Database

I chose the Mishipeshu, the Crael, the Gausszilla, and the Sovereign Legendary Mech Pack. Other options I was considering were the Clan Bullshark and the Aksum. I already had the Bellonarious, otherwise I would have picked that for my Medium Hero.

Good event, no complaints. Time to go into hibernation until the next Loot Bag event... see you in a few months.

P.S. the Charger 1A1 unlock is a complete joke in comparison to the Pick-A-Mech options. I hope no one is excited about that one... even with 5 LPL, it's anemic in today's meta-- heaven forbid someone actually runs that thing with 9 ER Small Laser.

[VeeOt Dragon]

so far i have only unlocked the first one. for that i chose the Griffon-Ares (mostly because its the only one i don't have that i thought was interesting.) here is my first test build.

GRF-AR (4 L-PPC, 2 SRM-4 (2T ammo) running an LE-295 with 4 DHS, and endo.

Ad::20o0|i^|Ugp[0|\?|\?|i^q[0|i^|i^rT0|G@|G@sT0|G@|G@t]0u]0|\O|\OvB0w909090

as for the others i was thinking

Heavy- Thunderbolt-Top Dog (just because i kind of like T-bolts and don't have the hero, thinking a rather unimaginative 2 ER LL, 6 ER ML build or something along those lines.)

Assault- Stalker- War Emu

Legendary- King Crab-Argent

[Void Angel]

Try Blazers and ERMLs with the Top Dog. Better range pairing and a good laser alpha, with the flexibility to switch to the appropriately-ranged lasers if you're having cooling issues in the... er, heat of the moment.

[Void Angel]

Ilfi, on 03 September 2025 - 07:10 PM, said:

P.S. the Charger 1A1 unlock is a complete joke in comparison to the Pick-A-Mech options. I hope no one is excited about that one... even with 5 LPL, it's anemic in today's meta-- heaven forbid someone actually runs that thing with 9 ER Small Laser.

Actually, if you pick your moment and your target well, that Charger looks like fun with standard Small Lasers. It'll require careful positioning and patience like all brawlers, but... it's an 80-tonner that runs at 89kph and can sustain 17 points of hitscan dps, for over half a minute, before skills. Play it as a fast Medium brawler, and it'll do well in its role. I'll tell you - I'd not like to fight one fresh with my Railshark, not at close range.

Edited by Void Angel, 03 September 2025 - 10:39 PM.

[1453 R]

I've played the 7SL Charger, if in the Nub Pit down at the bottom of the barrel. It does not, in fact, mess around. It's quite effective at bullying lighter or wounded targets, and you can't really twist off its damage as well as other brawlers because the cooldown on its weapons is so short it can just shoot while you're twisted, then shoot more when you twist back to try and fight it off. It's almost a proto-XPulse 'Mech, really. has the same sort of general playstyle, and the same weakness - SL Chargers like to face stare to keep their guns cycling and chewing, but if you pick your targets properly that's not a dealbreaker.

It's way too fast for most of its targets to escape, and it's agile enough it can argue the point with enemy anklebiters, as well - in small 'Mechs I leave SL Chargers all the dang way alone unless I'm forced to engage them. I like to run mine with LAMS because it's got such phenomenal heat efficiency with basic heat skills (Cool Run/Heat Containment) that it can easily bring an overloaded LAMS on an LFE400 and contribute missile defense when it can't get close enough to let it rip without actually affecting its primary armament at all.

It's a one-note meme of a 'Mech, but the meme it notes is not to be dismissed. Honestly kinda perfect for one of the tabletop game's biggest memes, heh.

[Ilfi]

Hmm... I'm not totally convinced, but I'll take your word for it. It is faster than anything I pilot, at least. I'm more of a RAC bullet hose kind of guy when I want to punish people 500m away for being caught in the open. Same DPS, more range, but more of a cooldown.

[LordNothing]

i mostly went for omnipods and ended up selling the chassis. i have all these already. did get the behemoth because i got the hero version and wanted to do the battlepass for the legend. since i bought most legends, there weren't very many to choose from.

[1453 R]

To answer the question rather than dicker on the Charger, however: I chose Belial for my medium because I am rapidly running out of medium Heroes worth owning that I don't already own, and Belial has a gimmick I can get behind given how much I enjoy high-velocity MRMs. Heavy I went with the Hangover; always liked Thanatoses in MW4 but had yet to get one, and an ECM-capable jumping heavy with a big honkoff SRM Stank Fist has appealed for a while. I have since discovered that the Thanatos' cockpit sucks, but hey. Heh. Assault I have yet to unlock because other stuff has taken priority over MWO, but my intent is to grab Wrath, which can carry a positively Clan-like level of "I disapprove of your existence and wish for you to cease it".

All three are chassis I've never bothered with before, as for the most part I already have the various worthwhile Heroes/Legends for the chassis I do bother with.

I don't do Atlases, but I'd echo what Void said. No Atlas Hero on the field makes me even a quarter as nervous as seeing a competently assembled Warlord. Those things are not okay, and kind of epitomize what the Atlas is supposed to be - this ponderous, unkillable mass of murderous close-quarters rage. It's the Jason Vorhees of 'Mechs - shoot it all you like, it will come for you and it will eat your spleen.