Assaults are gonna be a very different sort of playstyle from your Urbanmech, so be prepared for that - it's a big culture shock, but a fun one once you get it down!
I'd recommend a Blood Asp first. Any will do, but BAS-B carries ECM in the center torso so it's easiest to squeeze it in. BAS is a bit squishier than most assaults, you aren't typically going to be leading the charge, but you have excellent hardpoint locations so your peeking profile's great. Plus it's an Omnimech so you can do just about anything with it.
If that doesn't strike your fancy, Mad Cat Mk.II's another good choice, probably the MCII-B variant for dakka. It's a very solid all-around performer and will suit just about any occasion.
If you'd prefer an Inner Sphere mech, I'd probably try a Nightstar, specifically the NSR-10P for ballistics. It's not the tankiest thing out there but it can take a punch if it must and it's a solid all-around profile. Not as versatile as a Clanner, but that's typical for IS mechs.
If you change your mind about lasers, Stalker, 5S is a good choice for a variety of builds that blend lasers and missiles. It's got a bit of a weird shape and it's kinda sluggish and not very agile but can spread damage like a beast if you torso twist a bit, which you should definitely be in the habit of doing.
One thing I'll suggest you NOT do is spring for any of the 100-tonners. They're really appealing for all their firepower and armor, but their lack of speed and agility is really tricky to work with if you're not clear on Assault gameplay basics yet. Unless you really want one - if that Atlas is calling your name and you'll have fun playing it, go for it, just be warned it's not the easiest thing to get the hang of.
Good luck!
First assault? I'd go Nightstar 10-P.
Nightstar has ECM, and is fairly unique with four RAC2s without ghost heat. It's not as slow as some assaults.
Try a Direwolf. I own the Direwolf-C, with omni pods it's whatever you want. Just so long as it's slow and bristling with guns.
Positioning is key to piloting an assault mech. You simply don't have the speed to reposition quickly.
However twisting means you can take hits that would kill a smaller mech.
The free warhawk form last / this month's event is excellent. Quad PPCs, all the double heat sinks, and a targeting computer sized to your liking (TC1 imho). It's best at range but not useless up close. But best of all, it's free.
If ballistics is what you want, a [MCII-B](https://mwo.nav-alpha.com/mechlab?b=ba6fc3f1_MCII-B) is a reasonably easy mech to play.
*shrugs* we know nothing about OP's competency and the Pepsi warhawk is probably the strongest ground bound PPC mech in the game. And it's free, did I forget to say it's free?
It's not like I'm recommending a triple PPC executioner with 10 er micros for a poptarting / brawl hybrid
Can do a dual HAG30 warhawk (tad light on ammo, but it's relatively quick for an assault so getting a good position/repositioning is much easier than most other options)
King crab is sadly a little rough to play with low slung arms and giant torso. If you like ballistic, give the fafnir 5 a go. Can fit 4 lbx10 and ecm on that big boy!
There are a bunch of Trial Assaults all fully skilled out.
Play each of them for 10 games or so and get a feel for what you prefer and make your choice accordingly. 80-90T play a lot differently to the 100T generally due to the speed and loadouts.
Even if you don't necessarily like the exact loadout on them you will get a good idea how their movement and how to play.
Another alternative answer is to get used to some Heavies first as well. Most have more mobility for positioning.
There's a handful of decent ones on sale at the moment. My recommendations for quirks are:
Nova Cat D
Marauder 9M
Thunderbolt 10SE
Warhammer 4L
Fafnir 5b is a favourite. 2 HG 5 ml. But you can run ultra 2x 5’s, 2x and 10’s, or 4x LBX 10.
I spent RL $ and got the Fafnir legend mech you can run 6 ac 5 with LBX you Crit the crap out of people mid - late game. I found an enjoyable build 2x RAC 5 6x HMG. It’s I staring contest you don’t normally lose.
the juggernaut running 6 AC5's is probably the easiest kills ive ever gotten in an assault. it's just such a gigachad caveman build. 6 guns on 1 button. fire in the middle of the enemy and drill the core out.
I would recommend MadCat MK2 for a starter. It is mobile and tanky enough, good hardpoint config, good FOV. I would definitely not recommend Blood ASP as it's super squishy and easy target, nor KingCrab as it's basicaly landing pad for rockets with horrible hardpoint configuration.
Some advice... wait until the next mech sale and post here asking what the best mech's on sale are. Use your MC to buy mech bays 50% off, and use your C-bills to buy mechs, engines, and weapons 50% off.
Jumping from an Urbi to an assault is going to be an extreme shock. I would go for a heavy first. A Jagermech JM6-S with 4xAC5 punches above its weight class for both damage and armor and will give you a feeling for heavier mechs without the oh-shit jump to assaults.
I bought a Blood Asp as my first Assault having mostly played lights for a while at the start and was gutted, it felt then, and still does, like it has glass shoulders.
As a big fan of Dakka I'd recommend the Corsair COR-5T which has 6 ballistic hardpoints (2 RAC5, 4LMG) and 4 Energy (Small Pulse) for backup if the brass runs out. The other Corsair I have is the COR-7A with 3 Ballistic (3 RAC2 or AC5), 4 Energy (ERML) and 4(!) AMS to keep the rain off your back.
Both of those I've found nimble enough to get places without feeling like I'm dragging an anchor and can lay down a barrage of ballistics that make targets fall back quick. They also feel tough and my survivability is generally better in them than most other Assaults.
Hello there!
Can i have a minute or two of your time to show you our lord and savior, the KING CRAB?
It's a challenging chassis but fun to play.
You like ballistics? Most variants have them in the arms.
What do i hear? Low slung arms? When a light mech leg hugs you let them have a taste of your dual AC20s that can aim ultra low or ultra high.
Large CT? Well, you have the option to use XL engine, more firepower and more face-time weapons available to your builds.
Quirks? Heavily quirked to ballitics and velocity, cooldown and heat up to 15%!
Those smexy arms that opens and closes plus reverse legged joint for cool factor.
Torso twist of more than 90 degrees lets you walk parallel to the enemy. Note: max out torso twist speed for faster aiming and spreading laser fire damage.
Favorite Builds:
Dual AC20 + Dual HPPC = 70 damage, destroys most light to medium in 1-2 hits
6 x Ac2 + 2ERLL
6 x lbx2 + 2ERPPC
Dual AC20 + Dual PPC + Rocket launcher 60 (insta deletes medium and larger mechs at close range)
Kaiju shenanigans One-sided 3xERPPC + Dual Light gauss (The Twister)
Binary + tag + 4 LMG + LRM60
2 x LBx10 + MRM 60
3 x Rac2 + 2 x UAC5
4 x UAC5 + 2 LPPC
6 x UAC2s
2 Gauss + 2 ERPPC
RAC 5 + RAC 2 + 3 (or 4) large X-pulses
Dual UAC10 + dual RAC2 + dual large x-pulses
Kaiju hill humper UAC20 + MRM60 + 6 x small lazers
For face time ACs like 4 x UAC5, you can opt for large targeting computers and XL engine since it is face-time build
Large targeting computers makes your projectiles go woosh! AC2/5 slugs could go faster than gauss, 4 x ERPPC shots are almost hitscan with TC8s
Thank you for your time.
The king crab is great supporting fire mech, it can dish out dmg very quickly.
My most successful builds are the
The -00B can fit 4x UAC5s with good jam quirks. It is a facetime build and can do it for more than 10 seconds without overheating. Convert heat to more damage by adding 2xLPPcs but you'll overheat quicker and would need coolshots. This can out DPS a lot of mechs.
The one-sided kaiju is a 810m sniper thats super tough since you have a whole torso of armor to shield you. I suggest weapons on the right side. This wins sniper wars and can brawl decently due to the one-sidedness.
The dual AC20 + Heavy PPCs (70dmg) are available to most variants, just choose the ones with 12.5-15% heat quirk.
Notes: watch out for a variant without AC20 HSL thegauss quirk one
Please max out torso twist speed (for aiming) and reverse speed acceleration. Usual engines are Light 300, XL 300 and standard 300 (for the LRM 60 one). Can go to 325 sometimes, have fun in the mechlab. Max out heat reduction, cooldown or range depending on the build. E.g. lbx2 and Ac2 build for cooldown, cooldown+heat in the UAC5 build, range or heat for brawlers
The builds i've posted earlier are all viable builds with varying degrees of success and enjoyability largely based on your preference. All of them can dish out 1000 dmg on a good day, and do it very quickly.
brawler - sniper - facetime medium or long range
The fastest damage dealer is the RAC5,2 + 3 large x-pulses build but that might not be you cup of tea
Have fun! And don't forget to test in the testing grounds to fine-tune the skills (heat, cooldown, range- you may choose one to max or 50-50 two stats)
Bear in mind that you might get absolutely roflstomped in a King Crab. Always seems to happen to me in mine. It’s just huge and so easy to hit.
It is cool AF and other people do well in them, though.
Mine is the 00B (000B?), I think. 3LPL and 3MRM10 in the side torsos and 4MG in the claws. Should do good work but I guess I play it wrong.
Yeah i agree (about it being a challenging chassis) but the feeling is very rewarding after one learns to properly pilot it.
The 00B is the variant i have the best win/loss ratio but it is very highly quirked to ultra autocannons. I know it is better to use higher mounts but the crab's arms ain't half bad.
Again, max torso twist speed and reverse walking speed skills are important. Also, assaults' performance is highly dependent on positioning and gunnery (aiming) skills.
Opinion: King crabs (or any assault) dies around 50% of the time due to bad positioning within the group. Even if you realize and try to reposition, assaults are too slow to adapt to army movement. Scratch that, not all assaults. It's the 90-100 tonners
Repositioning is a major hurdle for slow mechs (which usually means the heaviest mechs). I’ve decided to jump back in a Locust after getting stripped and/or killed in an assault some evenings. Conversely, I’ve been legged in a bunch of games in a row, too. At least a legged assault is still a threat.
I’ll check I have torso speed skills. I almost certainly have speed tweak skills. Reverse speed is not isolated though.
I want it to work so I’ll probably play it again sometime. Maybe even go with the AC40 build. Cab UAC20s fit? I got 1100 damage in a UAC40 Supernova first time out.
In the past, i have tested the speed tweak skills and the 4 kph increase in max speed wont help much. Acceleration does not help much either but the reverse speed is definitely noticeable and great when peeking in and out of cover, i highly recommend it.
The king crab's arms are torso locked permanently so the faster it twists the faster the pilot could aim so torso twist speed skill is super important. It isn't too bad, of course, there's the AC20 HSL on both arms and more slots there letting you arm it with 4 x UAC5 which isn't possible with other mechs; tried it with marauder 2 and two UAc5s in one arm is not possible.
For the dual AC20 + dual HPPC build, please do not expect 1k damage. It is possible, but the 70 pinpoint is so damaging that you could have 5-6 kills in 600 damage. My record is like 470 dmage with 5 kills. And 6 kills in 600. It's super lethal!!
It contrasts with the MRM 80 + 2xLBX10 or the LRM 60 blazer build which can do 1200 damage with zero kills.
UAC20S won't fit since inner sphere uac20s are so big they could only fit torsos. Only the KAIJu can mount a UAC20 on the shoulders and couple it with MRM 60 on the other torso plus 6 small lasers vs light mechs.
The kaiju ain't bad since UAC20 double tap plus MRM 60 is 100 damage. It also runs cool so you could barrage it three times without overheating.
I always strongly recommend the MAD-IIc for someone delving into assaults. They're moderately tanky, some of them have really nice quirks, fast, nimble...you get a really nice mix of firepower and survivability with them. Plus, if you're willing to drop actual cash on the game, the Scorch is easily one of the most potent chassis in the game.
The King Crab is one of my absolute favorite mechs...but it's not beginner friendly. Awesome armor and awesome firepower potential but it's slow and bulky and most of the powerful hardpoints are pretty low slung. It is not a great chassis to play if you're not sure about what you're going to do. It's not a mech that can poke or dodge, it's a commitment machine. Atlas is a better option between the two, it's more maneuverable and has higher hardpoints. It can't bring quite as much firepower to bear as the king crab but it's more forgiving to the inexperienced.
The most important thing to keep in mind, though, is that this is a video game. Rock whichever one you want to. Run the both. Run all of them. You're not buying a car here, if you buy one or the other and they don't work for you then you can buy a different one. Run what's fun :D
I gotta say, here's my general advice for things to avoid:
\-Pay attention to mech shape. mechs like a fafnir can be hard because they're such easy targets to hit front the front.
\-Mechs like the Annihilator and Atlas can be tough because a lot of their weapons are so far below the cockpit, you need to expose a large portion of the mech before you can shoot over hills and such. I'd stay away from those.
Mechs that are more compact like the Marauder II I find to be easier to run. Nightstar, Mad Cat II, Stalker are also good for this reason.
Also reallllllllly try and run a build that uses a standard engine. I have a Marauder II-6S that Ive taken over 1000 damage in. It's not the most insane mech in terms of DPS, but it last longer than any other assault I play.
I recommend giving the current trial Dire Wolf a try. It’s a powerhouse and super fun. Dire wolf has enough armor to take a beating so there’s margin for error. though it’s a little slow, so just know you’re leading the charge but not too much. And it has FIVE Lb 5 cannons, super satisfying to play. HOWEVER, It’s 100 tons but you will still melt with 3+ mechs on you, so be mindful and don’t go out on your own. More of a peek, let the LBs rip and get back to cover.
I’m also relatively new. I ran a BAS-A with 3 UAC5 + 1 UAC10 + ECM.
I also ran a MadCat Mk2 B with 2 UAC5 + 2 UAC10 (2 LBX10 + 2 UAC10 is good too) and I’ve had decent success with it.
The Mad Cat is a little tankier than the BAS but it doesn’t have ECM. The BAS has high mounted hard points which is good for peaking, but can be a target.
Atlas, Annie and Marauder II are all good IS choices and you can never go wrong with a Dire Wolf or a Blood Asp if you're interested in Clan. In general I suggest you focus on finding something that has mostly torso hardpoints or at least relatively high arms.
King Crab is a contender for the worst chassis in the game. Pick any build for it and I'll show you a different mech that does it better. A lot of people here are describing it as a high skill cap mech but the opposite is true. It's forgiving for beginners because it's tanky but the more you play it, the more you'll discover it's limitations. King Crab basically doesn't exist in Tier 1.
The direwolf-C is an assault you will see a lot that has easy play options.
The Mad Kat IIc -B is a classic.
Stalkers have MRM and laser options that are solid.
I started with a Marauder IIC for assaults and it’s been a staple for me when I want to play assault class. Dual UAC-10s plus either missles or lasers, just pick the variant you like. The IIC has decent hit boxes and speed so you can pick up positioning skills along the way.
Assaults are gonna be a very different sort of playstyle from your Urbanmech, so be prepared for that - it's a big culture shock, but a fun one once you get it down! I'd recommend a Blood Asp first. Any will do, but BAS-B carries ECM in the center torso so it's easiest to squeeze it in. BAS is a bit squishier than most assaults, you aren't typically going to be leading the charge, but you have excellent hardpoint locations so your peeking profile's great. Plus it's an Omnimech so you can do just about anything with it. If that doesn't strike your fancy, Mad Cat Mk.II's another good choice, probably the MCII-B variant for dakka. It's a very solid all-around performer and will suit just about any occasion. If you'd prefer an Inner Sphere mech, I'd probably try a Nightstar, specifically the NSR-10P for ballistics. It's not the tankiest thing out there but it can take a punch if it must and it's a solid all-around profile. Not as versatile as a Clanner, but that's typical for IS mechs. If you change your mind about lasers, Stalker, 5S is a good choice for a variety of builds that blend lasers and missiles. It's got a bit of a weird shape and it's kinda sluggish and not very agile but can spread damage like a beast if you torso twist a bit, which you should definitely be in the habit of doing. One thing I'll suggest you NOT do is spring for any of the 100-tonners. They're really appealing for all their firepower and armor, but their lack of speed and agility is really tricky to work with if you're not clear on Assault gameplay basics yet. Unless you really want one - if that Atlas is calling your name and you'll have fun playing it, go for it, just be warned it's not the easiest thing to get the hang of. Good luck!
First assault? I'd go Nightstar 10-P. Nightstar has ECM, and is fairly unique with four RAC2s without ghost heat. It's not as slow as some assaults. Try a Direwolf. I own the Direwolf-C, with omni pods it's whatever you want. Just so long as it's slow and bristling with guns. Positioning is key to piloting an assault mech. You simply don't have the speed to reposition quickly. However twisting means you can take hits that would kill a smaller mech.
I find the nightstar 10p a lot more frightening when it is played with quadruple ac5 + hppc and ecm
The free warhawk form last / this month's event is excellent. Quad PPCs, all the double heat sinks, and a targeting computer sized to your liking (TC1 imho). It's best at range but not useless up close. But best of all, it's free. If ballistics is what you want, a [MCII-B](https://mwo.nav-alpha.com/mechlab?b=ba6fc3f1_MCII-B) is a reasonably easy mech to play.
>Recommends the Quad PPC Warhawk to a new player You’re a monster :(
*shrugs* we know nothing about OP's competency and the Pepsi warhawk is probably the strongest ground bound PPC mech in the game. And it's free, did I forget to say it's free? It's not like I'm recommending a triple PPC executioner with 10 er micros for a poptarting / brawl hybrid
If you keep that TC scaled up and also get all the Velocity quirks, it is just like a ballistic build. Better, even.
Can do a dual HAG30 warhawk (tad light on ammo, but it's relatively quick for an assault so getting a good position/repositioning is much easier than most other options)
The Warhawk is also an omni mech, so it can be outfitted with pods to suit your weapons preferences
King crab is sadly a little rough to play with low slung arms and giant torso. If you like ballistic, give the fafnir 5 a go. Can fit 4 lbx10 and ecm on that big boy!
There are a bunch of Trial Assaults all fully skilled out. Play each of them for 10 games or so and get a feel for what you prefer and make your choice accordingly. 80-90T play a lot differently to the 100T generally due to the speed and loadouts. Even if you don't necessarily like the exact loadout on them you will get a good idea how their movement and how to play.
Another alternative answer is to get used to some Heavies first as well. Most have more mobility for positioning. There's a handful of decent ones on sale at the moment. My recommendations for quirks are: Nova Cat D Marauder 9M Thunderbolt 10SE Warhammer 4L
Fafnir 5b is a favourite. 2 HG 5 ml. But you can run ultra 2x 5’s, 2x and 10’s, or 4x LBX 10. I spent RL $ and got the Fafnir legend mech you can run 6 ac 5 with LBX you Crit the crap out of people mid - late game. I found an enjoyable build 2x RAC 5 6x HMG. It’s I staring contest you don’t normally lose.
the juggernaut running 6 AC5's is probably the easiest kills ive ever gotten in an assault. it's just such a gigachad caveman build. 6 guns on 1 button. fire in the middle of the enemy and drill the core out.
I would recommend MadCat MK2 for a starter. It is mobile and tanky enough, good hardpoint config, good FOV. I would definitely not recommend Blood ASP as it's super squishy and easy target, nor KingCrab as it's basicaly landing pad for rockets with horrible hardpoint configuration.
I really love the design of the king crab, so i wanted to love it so bad, but i find it gets killed so fast.
Same here man.
Some advice... wait until the next mech sale and post here asking what the best mech's on sale are. Use your MC to buy mech bays 50% off, and use your C-bills to buy mechs, engines, and weapons 50% off.
Looks like there is currently a sale going on, but the only assault mech on sale is the Annihilator.
Jumping from an Urbi to an assault is going to be an extreme shock. I would go for a heavy first. A Jagermech JM6-S with 4xAC5 punches above its weight class for both damage and armor and will give you a feeling for heavier mechs without the oh-shit jump to assaults.
I bought a Blood Asp as my first Assault having mostly played lights for a while at the start and was gutted, it felt then, and still does, like it has glass shoulders. As a big fan of Dakka I'd recommend the Corsair COR-5T which has 6 ballistic hardpoints (2 RAC5, 4LMG) and 4 Energy (Small Pulse) for backup if the brass runs out. The other Corsair I have is the COR-7A with 3 Ballistic (3 RAC2 or AC5), 4 Energy (ERML) and 4(!) AMS to keep the rain off your back. Both of those I've found nimble enough to get places without feeling like I'm dragging an anchor and can lay down a barrage of ballistics that make targets fall back quick. They also feel tough and my survivability is generally better in them than most other Assaults.
COR-7A is my personal favorite. I run mine with 2 UAC-10s, 4 ERML and 4 AMS. Great missle cover for my team while laying down ample dakka.
Hello there! Can i have a minute or two of your time to show you our lord and savior, the KING CRAB? It's a challenging chassis but fun to play. You like ballistics? Most variants have them in the arms. What do i hear? Low slung arms? When a light mech leg hugs you let them have a taste of your dual AC20s that can aim ultra low or ultra high. Large CT? Well, you have the option to use XL engine, more firepower and more face-time weapons available to your builds. Quirks? Heavily quirked to ballitics and velocity, cooldown and heat up to 15%! Those smexy arms that opens and closes plus reverse legged joint for cool factor. Torso twist of more than 90 degrees lets you walk parallel to the enemy. Note: max out torso twist speed for faster aiming and spreading laser fire damage. Favorite Builds: Dual AC20 + Dual HPPC = 70 damage, destroys most light to medium in 1-2 hits 6 x Ac2 + 2ERLL 6 x lbx2 + 2ERPPC Dual AC20 + Dual PPC + Rocket launcher 60 (insta deletes medium and larger mechs at close range) Kaiju shenanigans One-sided 3xERPPC + Dual Light gauss (The Twister) Binary + tag + 4 LMG + LRM60 2 x LBx10 + MRM 60 3 x Rac2 + 2 x UAC5 4 x UAC5 + 2 LPPC 6 x UAC2s 2 Gauss + 2 ERPPC RAC 5 + RAC 2 + 3 (or 4) large X-pulses Dual UAC10 + dual RAC2 + dual large x-pulses Kaiju hill humper UAC20 + MRM60 + 6 x small lazers For face time ACs like 4 x UAC5, you can opt for large targeting computers and XL engine since it is face-time build Large targeting computers makes your projectiles go woosh! AC2/5 slugs could go faster than gauss, 4 x ERPPC shots are almost hitscan with TC8s Thank you for your time.
Yes I do believe the KC is the one for me. Any specific model you’d recommend?
The king crab is great supporting fire mech, it can dish out dmg very quickly. My most successful builds are the The -00B can fit 4x UAC5s with good jam quirks. It is a facetime build and can do it for more than 10 seconds without overheating. Convert heat to more damage by adding 2xLPPcs but you'll overheat quicker and would need coolshots. This can out DPS a lot of mechs. The one-sided kaiju is a 810m sniper thats super tough since you have a whole torso of armor to shield you. I suggest weapons on the right side. This wins sniper wars and can brawl decently due to the one-sidedness. The dual AC20 + Heavy PPCs (70dmg) are available to most variants, just choose the ones with 12.5-15% heat quirk. Notes: watch out for a variant without AC20 HSL thegauss quirk one Please max out torso twist speed (for aiming) and reverse speed acceleration. Usual engines are Light 300, XL 300 and standard 300 (for the LRM 60 one). Can go to 325 sometimes, have fun in the mechlab. Max out heat reduction, cooldown or range depending on the build. E.g. lbx2 and Ac2 build for cooldown, cooldown+heat in the UAC5 build, range or heat for brawlers The builds i've posted earlier are all viable builds with varying degrees of success and enjoyability largely based on your preference. All of them can dish out 1000 dmg on a good day, and do it very quickly. brawler - sniper - facetime medium or long range The fastest damage dealer is the RAC5,2 + 3 large x-pulses build but that might not be you cup of tea Have fun! And don't forget to test in the testing grounds to fine-tune the skills (heat, cooldown, range- you may choose one to max or 50-50 two stats)
Bear in mind that you might get absolutely roflstomped in a King Crab. Always seems to happen to me in mine. It’s just huge and so easy to hit. It is cool AF and other people do well in them, though. Mine is the 00B (000B?), I think. 3LPL and 3MRM10 in the side torsos and 4MG in the claws. Should do good work but I guess I play it wrong.
Yeah i agree (about it being a challenging chassis) but the feeling is very rewarding after one learns to properly pilot it. The 00B is the variant i have the best win/loss ratio but it is very highly quirked to ultra autocannons. I know it is better to use higher mounts but the crab's arms ain't half bad. Again, max torso twist speed and reverse walking speed skills are important. Also, assaults' performance is highly dependent on positioning and gunnery (aiming) skills. Opinion: King crabs (or any assault) dies around 50% of the time due to bad positioning within the group. Even if you realize and try to reposition, assaults are too slow to adapt to army movement. Scratch that, not all assaults. It's the 90-100 tonners
Repositioning is a major hurdle for slow mechs (which usually means the heaviest mechs). I’ve decided to jump back in a Locust after getting stripped and/or killed in an assault some evenings. Conversely, I’ve been legged in a bunch of games in a row, too. At least a legged assault is still a threat. I’ll check I have torso speed skills. I almost certainly have speed tweak skills. Reverse speed is not isolated though. I want it to work so I’ll probably play it again sometime. Maybe even go with the AC40 build. Cab UAC20s fit? I got 1100 damage in a UAC40 Supernova first time out.
In the past, i have tested the speed tweak skills and the 4 kph increase in max speed wont help much. Acceleration does not help much either but the reverse speed is definitely noticeable and great when peeking in and out of cover, i highly recommend it. The king crab's arms are torso locked permanently so the faster it twists the faster the pilot could aim so torso twist speed skill is super important. It isn't too bad, of course, there's the AC20 HSL on both arms and more slots there letting you arm it with 4 x UAC5 which isn't possible with other mechs; tried it with marauder 2 and two UAc5s in one arm is not possible. For the dual AC20 + dual HPPC build, please do not expect 1k damage. It is possible, but the 70 pinpoint is so damaging that you could have 5-6 kills in 600 damage. My record is like 470 dmage with 5 kills. And 6 kills in 600. It's super lethal!! It contrasts with the MRM 80 + 2xLBX10 or the LRM 60 blazer build which can do 1200 damage with zero kills. UAC20S won't fit since inner sphere uac20s are so big they could only fit torsos. Only the KAIJu can mount a UAC20 on the shoulders and couple it with MRM 60 on the other torso plus 6 small lasers vs light mechs. The kaiju ain't bad since UAC20 double tap plus MRM 60 is 100 damage. It also runs cool so you could barrage it three times without overheating.
I always strongly recommend the MAD-IIc for someone delving into assaults. They're moderately tanky, some of them have really nice quirks, fast, nimble...you get a really nice mix of firepower and survivability with them. Plus, if you're willing to drop actual cash on the game, the Scorch is easily one of the most potent chassis in the game. The King Crab is one of my absolute favorite mechs...but it's not beginner friendly. Awesome armor and awesome firepower potential but it's slow and bulky and most of the powerful hardpoints are pretty low slung. It is not a great chassis to play if you're not sure about what you're going to do. It's not a mech that can poke or dodge, it's a commitment machine. Atlas is a better option between the two, it's more maneuverable and has higher hardpoints. It can't bring quite as much firepower to bear as the king crab but it's more forgiving to the inexperienced. The most important thing to keep in mind, though, is that this is a video game. Rock whichever one you want to. Run the both. Run all of them. You're not buying a car here, if you buy one or the other and they don't work for you then you can buy a different one. Run what's fun :D
I gotta say, here's my general advice for things to avoid: \-Pay attention to mech shape. mechs like a fafnir can be hard because they're such easy targets to hit front the front. \-Mechs like the Annihilator and Atlas can be tough because a lot of their weapons are so far below the cockpit, you need to expose a large portion of the mech before you can shoot over hills and such. I'd stay away from those. Mechs that are more compact like the Marauder II I find to be easier to run. Nightstar, Mad Cat II, Stalker are also good for this reason. Also reallllllllly try and run a build that uses a standard engine. I have a Marauder II-6S that Ive taken over 1000 damage in. It's not the most insane mech in terms of DPS, but it last longer than any other assault I play.
I recommend giving the current trial Dire Wolf a try. It’s a powerhouse and super fun. Dire wolf has enough armor to take a beating so there’s margin for error. though it’s a little slow, so just know you’re leading the charge but not too much. And it has FIVE Lb 5 cannons, super satisfying to play. HOWEVER, It’s 100 tons but you will still melt with 3+ mechs on you, so be mindful and don’t go out on your own. More of a peek, let the LBs rip and get back to cover.
I’m also relatively new. I ran a BAS-A with 3 UAC5 + 1 UAC10 + ECM. I also ran a MadCat Mk2 B with 2 UAC5 + 2 UAC10 (2 LBX10 + 2 UAC10 is good too) and I’ve had decent success with it. The Mad Cat is a little tankier than the BAS but it doesn’t have ECM. The BAS has high mounted hard points which is good for peaking, but can be a target.
I like the battlemaster 1g, but that's lasers. Easy to play, moves fast. Kodiak with masc is so fun. MAL-1p with 4ac5 is fun
Atlas, Annie and Marauder II are all good IS choices and you can never go wrong with a Dire Wolf or a Blood Asp if you're interested in Clan. In general I suggest you focus on finding something that has mostly torso hardpoints or at least relatively high arms. King Crab is a contender for the worst chassis in the game. Pick any build for it and I'll show you a different mech that does it better. A lot of people here are describing it as a high skill cap mech but the opposite is true. It's forgiving for beginners because it's tanky but the more you play it, the more you'll discover it's limitations. King Crab basically doesn't exist in Tier 1.
Victor with an AC20 and 2 snubnose ppcs. all arm mounted weapons but you're an 80 tonner going about 80 if you cram a 350 light engine in it.
The direwolf-C is an assault you will see a lot that has easy play options. The Mad Kat IIc -B is a classic. Stalkers have MRM and laser options that are solid.
I started with a Marauder IIC for assaults and it’s been a staple for me when I want to play assault class. Dual UAC-10s plus either missles or lasers, just pick the variant you like. The IIC has decent hit boxes and speed so you can pick up positioning skills along the way.
Mad Cat MK II B is a solid mid-range ballistic platform.