Good mech for the new guy to learn in?

[Stinkfinger75]

Crysis Warhead for $4.99 on Steam today finally got me to pull the trigger on buying it and MWLL was a big reason I bought it.  Just curious as to what a good mech would be for someone who is brand new to the game as well as Battletech in general?  I tend to play support role types if that helps out.  Thanks for your help.

[Nytmare]

LIGHT
-Owens: LRM version, nice long range support.
-Osiris: Nice punch for light with 2 PPC, stay back, armor on this mech is about as thick as a pair of silk underwear.
-Puma: 2 PPC version or ATM version.

MEDIUM
-Scat: The one with 1 PPC and 1 Gauss.
-Uziel: 2 Light Gauss. Extreme range, not a lot of kick to its alpha.

HEAVY
-Mad Cat E: aka Big Murder, 2 PPC, 2 atm 12. Pretty much owns most other mechs.
-Nova Cat C: 4 PPC. Beast at long range. In fighters will tear you up if they get close.

ASSAULT
-Awesome: 4 PPC. IS version of the Nova Cat. Tougher, but less range and slower.

[~SJ~MausGMR]

Owens C is the current bread and butter cheap mech that blend survivability, weapon power, speed, and electronics, all for under 49000.

Get yours today, and beat most other light mechs in the game =P

[Nable]

Like what the poster above said, Owens C is truly the best light mech in almost every field.

For mediums, I'd have to suggest the Hgauss Hollander. The armor on it sucks, but if you keep your distance it can really tear holes in mechs.

The Vulture A is probably one of my favorite heavy mechs as well. Two cgauss rifles and ECM, what's not to love?

[Stinkfinger75]

Thanks for all the great suggestions gang.  Just curious, how is money earned?  It seems like every time I respawn I have the same amount of cash.

[Ralux]

You rank up if you do a certain amout of damage. Finish a mech/vehicle for extra rank score.

Your rank progress is on the scoreboard, lower part.

You can also simply earn money from doing damage, however if you die you'll have max(current money, rank money) - if you are new you'll have rank money most of the time

[Nable]

Yeah, it's tough to make money when you're first starting out. Try finishing off already damaged mechs or accepting donations when offered. Don't feel like you're greedy or anything when someone says "I have 100k free." Trust me, when people say they have spare money, they really do want to get rid of it.

Also sell your mechs when you're through with them. For example, lets say you take an Owens C to start off with. Then you go out and make around 40k, but your mech is now damaged. Don't repair it. Instead, go back to the main hangar and sell your mech by pressing J in a mech bay. Then you'll probably have enough to upgrade to a medium mech.

[[Wie AG] Ranger]

I didn't see warhead for 4.99?  is that still going on?

[KorJax]

In MWLL, you have your "base" pay (49k for the lowest rank), which means whenever you die and respawn, should you ever have lower than your base pay, you will spawn with it. Higher ranks have higher base pays (55k for warrior, etc). You earn rank via kills, damage, and objectives (if you are playing TC).

Ways you earn money in MWLL:

1. By far the best way is damage. In MWLL, you earn cbills per damage you do. If you do enough damage and survive long enough in a single asset you might find yourself with over 80k to play with, even if you might still be the first rank. If you die with said 80k cbills, then you should respawn with it (assuming your base pay isn't higher than what you died with). Though generally it's better to hike it back to base and sell (press J while in a vehicle) if you want to "upgrade".

2. Your starting/base pay. The more points you aquire (through damage, support, objectives, kills, etc) the higher your rank will be. Which in turn, means you spawn with more money should you happen to die when broke/poor.

3. Kills. Killing an enemy gives you a nice bonus, depending on the enemy. An Atlas kill in an Owens will be much more valuble than killing a Battlearmor for example.

4. Support. C3 can earn you cbills for simply using it with active radar, as will using NARC and having friendly missiles home in on your beacon. Using an APC and having BA spawn inside of it and your allies rearming themselves near it will also earn you cbills (you don't have to be in the APC the entire time AFAIK as long as the vehicle was purchased by you [and I think if you don't die]).

I didn't see warhead for 4.99?  is that still going on?

It was a promotion on steam for one day, it's over now though.

[Profane Arbiter]

-Owens: LRM version, nice long range support.

So, no we aren't starting the new player off as an LRM camper. Aside from being pointless in terms of success in early game, he will learn nothing about how to play and get good.

-Osiris: Nice punch for light with 2 PPC, stay back, armor on this mech is about as thick as a pair of silk underwear.
-Puma: 2 PPC version or ATM version.

MEDIUM
-Scat: The one with 1 PPC and 1 Gauss.
-Uziel: 2 Light Gauss. Extreme range, not a lot of kick to its alpha.

HEAVY
-Mad Cat E: aka Big Murder, 2 PPC, 2 atm 12. Pretty much owns most other mechs.

Remind me why you think these are good newbie mechs?

-Nova Cat C: 4 PPC. Beast at long range. In fighters will tear you up if they get close.

ASSAULT
-Awesome: 4 PPC. IS version of the Nova Cat. Tougher, but less range and slower.

The CERPPC NC  isn't that great. Very overpriced for what you get. Quite simply there are better options for the money, and I would suggest the less expensive 5 CERLBL Novacat (A variant) all day long due to its greater precision and more importantly, jump jets to counter LRMs, Arrows, Firebombs, poptarting, or to enact a hasty retreat over terrain.

The PPC Awesome damage output is also poorer than that of the CERPPC NC in addition to the reduction in range and speed. The true value in this mech is that PPCs reload faster than CERPPCs, and as a result, well timed chain fire can create endless screen shake even more effectively than a streak Vulture. Since the damage output isnt great however, you really don't want to be getting targeted by more than one opponent, and the mech is therefore best mainly just for dueling. Once you get the shake going on that one target, he should never be able to get a straight shot at you. Again, I can't suggest this mech in most spots in anyone's hands let alone a new player.

[Eviticus]

...Again, I can't suggest this mech in most spots in anyone's hands let alone a new player.

Then speaking as a super new player (Patching my way up to 0.4.9 as we speak) if you have so many reasons why the ones listed are bad, then can you make any positive suggestions on what you think would be a good mech or two for a new player to try out in? I am not trying to be snarky or anything, just simply curious. I have no delusion that when I start until I find my feet I will be a negative force on my team. I would just like to have the best idea of what I am doing and what to do as early as possible.

[Cik]

owens c variant is a foolproof noobmobile, with all that speed and armor you have a lot of room for mistakes. make strafing runs with your lasers, but don't dig yourself too far into the enemy position or you'll get annihilated. run your radar active so you can feed c3 to your friends.

[Kelmola]

Wouldn't it be fun if there was a dedicated brawler server where anyone who would dare to use weapons with over 700m range would be kickbanned? Then we wouldn't have these discussions of "campers" and "not learning to play the game properly".

-Puma: 2 PPC version or ATM version.
-Scat: The one with 1 PPC and 1 Gauss.
-Uziel: 2 Light Gauss. Extreme range, not a lot of kick to its alpha.

Remind me why you think these are good newbie mechs?

Maybe because sniping is easier and less risky than brawling? Though the ATM Puma is not maybe a "newbie" mech (requiring understanding of missile logic, radar/ECM play and manoeuvering to keep the enemy in range), it still packs a punch and if you get the lock, it's still easier to hit with ATM's than AC's or even LB-X's. I remember when I started MWLL and all I heard was raving rants how large-bore AC's and LB-X's are the ultimate weapon and how everyone should just brawl with those, that's the key to instant success. I just kept dying horribly and then I decided to go the other way - LRM boats, sniper 'Mechs and AA tanks (Partisan Prime, Huit Prime), and suddenly, I did not die as often and found myself higher on the scoreboard than before because I stayed far away from the expert brawlers.

Also, even though I nowadays feel confident enought to sometimes take a brawler - AC20/PPC Bushy and SSRM Vulture being my favourites - as long as the hit detection is as wonky as it currently is with high-caliber AC's and (S)SRM's, and as long as the damage of X-pulse lasers is illogically tied to the framerate, I still prefer sniping over brawling.

[Bill]

Brawling is how you get hairs on your chest Mechwarrior 

[Squibby]

Sorry,

I laughed when I saw an Osiris on the newbie mech list.
If you're a newbie please stay away from this mech. Even in expert hands it gets facerolled within 5 seconds for very little gain.
It's way too lightly armoured and requires a good understanding of damage spreading to maybe make it last for 10 seconds. You have to be a good pilot because if you stand still or stop in any way during combat you're toast, and be good enough to hit with your weapons while constantly moving.

Heed the other advice, use the Owens C, or if you're feeling adventurous the Uller Prime at the start of the match.

The Uller prime has a wider variety of weapons that require a bit more skill to hit with and coordinate, but you'll get a good understanding for weapon groupings, and leading fire (With the lbx and SRMs). Also you'll never be caught with your pants down at any range because of your varied arsenal.

It is a bit weaker, slower and much easier to hit than the Owens, but it's a good second step once you're farily comfortable with the Owens. If used right you can lay down a constant smackdown on your target and is more than capable of besting the Owens C, or even higher tier light mechs and some mediums.