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| Image courtesy of mwomercs.com |
What I've decided to do, is to help new players get acquainted with MWO. I won't be providing a Mentoring service in game; however I am willing to answer questions and explain things to a new/beginner player. I am by no means a "pro" however I'm pretty decent if I do say so myself. I know my way around a MechLab and generally build pretty decent/effective Mechs.
On average, a new player who recently finished their Cadet Bonus will have approximately 8 mil CBills to 10 mil CBills. Which means that the "Beginner Builds" I'll suggest are all within the budget of 9 mil CBills.
With the introduction taken care of; Welcome to Part 1 of Beginner Mech Builds, the Medium BattleMech!
Generally, Medium BattleMechs are the most beginner friendly Mechs in all of MWO. They have a very good mix of Firepower, DPS, Speed and Armour. In addition, they have the most room for error. If you make a small mistake by overextending yourself, you usually have enough speed to get away.
Out of all the current Medium BattleMechs, the most highly recommended beginner Mechs are the Hunchback and the Centurion (they are also fan favourites).
Beginner Hunchback HBK-4SP Build
Mechromancer MechLab: [Link]
Smurfy MechLab: [Link]
Role: Striker
Speed: 81 kph
Firepower: 44
Armour: 320
Cost: 8.5 mil CBills (Approximately)
Weapon Groups
Primary Weapon Group: Both SRM6 + Artemis
Secondary Weapon Group: All 4 Medium Lasers
The Hunchback HBK-4SP is what everybody suggests as a good first Mech. I
personally agree with this assessment. The Hardpoints on this Mech are
very well rounded. If you lose your Right Torso or Left Torso, you only
lose half your Firepower. In addition, you lack the Hunchback's natural
"Hunch" weakness.
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Beginner Hunchback HBK-4H Build
Mechromancer MechLab: [Link]
Smurfy MechLab: [Link]
Role: Striker
Speed: 81 kph
Firepower: 35
Armour: 338
Cost: 8.2 mil CBills (Approximately)
Weapon Groups
Primary Weapon Group: AC/20
Secondary Weapon Group: All 5 Small Lasers
The Hunchback HBK-4H is probably the next best Hunchback as a beginner Mech. This is mainly due to the very versatile Hardpoints. Many builds that will work on a HBK-4G, will work on a HBK-4H easily.
As with most Hunchbacks, this Hunchback has a major weakness in the form of its "Hunch". Lost this "Hunch" and a big chunk of it's Firepower is lost. This is why the Armour distribution is asymmetrical. Almost all angles of the "Hunch" count as Front Armour.
With piloting this Hunchback, you'll have to Torso Twist as much as possible to protect your "Hunch" (and that AC/20).
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Beginner Hunchback HBK-4G Build
Mechromancer MechLab: [Link]
Smurfy MechLab: [Link]
Role: Striker
Speed: 81 kph
Firepower: 35
Armour: 322
Cost: 7.6 mil CBills (Approximately)
Weapon Groups
Primary Weapon Group: AC/20
Secondary Weapon Group: All 3 Medium Lasers
I don't exactly recommend the Hunchback HBK-4G as a good beginner Mech. Mainly due to the not so versatile Hardpoints. Most builds that utilise only 1 Ballistic Hardpoint on this Mech, can easily be built on the HBK-4H. However, the HBK-4G can prove to be a very capable and decent Mech.
As with most
Hunchbacks, this Hunchback has a major weakness in the form of its
"Hunch". Lost this "Hunch" and a big chunk of it's Firepower is lost.
This is why the Armour distribution is asymmetrical. Almost all angles
of the "Hunch" count as Front Armour.
With piloting this Hunchback, you'll have to Torso Twist as much as possible to protect your "Hunch" (and that AC/20).
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Beginner Centurion CN9-A Build
Mechromancer MechLab: [Link]
Smurfy MechLab: [Link]
Role: Striker
Speed: 81 kph
Firepower: 46
Armour: 336
Cost: 8.9 mil CBills (Approximately)
Weapon Groups
Primary Weapon Group: All 3 SRM6 + Artemis
Secondary Weapon Group: Both Medium Lasers
If you don't want Hunchbacks as your beginner Mech, the next best choice is the Centurion CN9-A. The Centurion is arguably the best beginner Mech. There have been many arguments over which is more suited, the Centurion, or the Hunchback. Regardless you should consider both.
The Centurion is my personal favourite, due to it being a very survivable Mech. This build can use both Arms as shields (Torso Twist as much as you can, showing either arm if possible). Use the Right side as your primary shield, as the whole Right Arm and Right Torso can be lost without issues.
This build also includes an Anti-Missile System (AMS), for extra protection against LRMs.
Reminder: All these builds are designed to be easily acquired for any new player's first BattleMech (in which there is a budget limitation). Hence not all Medium BattleMechs are featured here.
Note that most new players find it difficult to control many Weapon Groups, hence most, if not all these builds will contain primarily 2 Weapon Groups. As you gain more experience and begin to get better, you'll start to have more Weapon Groups (such as a Weapon Group for Chain Firing). By this stage, you'll start to experiment and create new Builds for yourself.
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