Guide:Mech classes
In this guide will we will giving a brief overview of each of the mech classes and what to expect while piloting them. In MCM mechs are broken up into 4 different weight classes based on their individual stats.
With mechs offering an array of support abilities to highly mobile damage mechs lights can offer a skilled pilot a risky but rewarding playstyle. Most lights, as their name suggest, have extremely low armor instead relying on their speed and evasion to survive. Lights are best considered as support mechs to your team offering a variety of strategic uses such as Mite's ability to hold an enemy mech in place giving you team an easy target or Fire Ant's ability to redline opponent Tech mechs heat gauge or apply debilitating DoT to Bio mechs. In some cases such as Phalanx or Mantis they use their mobility and size to find good firing positions to execute weakened mechs or ambush distracted foes. Overall the light class of mechs is for pilots who are willing to walk the razor's edge to support their team.
Among the available freebies there are two light mechs. Firstly one of the lightest, even among the lights, the Flea! With the combination of its tiny size and quick speed the Flea makes for a difficult target to hit. When used in combination with its Jump Coil Drive it can be a very difficult mech to lock down in a skilled pilots hands but be aware that this mobility comes at a cost. With only minor armor and no resistances one good shot may be enough to send you back to the hangar. When it comes to offense, for its size, the Flea doesn't disappoint. Two pec mounted Flea Cannon lasers, mounted on the arms, allow the Flea to potentially deal comparatively high damage every second with well aimed shots. Overall, for its size, the Flea makes more an agile harasser mech that with a skilled pilot can be a thorn in the side of any combatant.
The second of the free lights is the Fox. The Fox boasts a bit more survivability, than the Flea, with a modest amount of armor but pays for that extra defense with a reduction in speed. The Fox is not a slow mech but relying on its speed alone for survival isn't an option. This shortcoming can be made up for with its hardmounted Enhanced JumpJet. This jumpjet grants more aerial maneuverability than a normal JumpJet along with increased fuel recovery, with the drawback of increased fuel usage. Using this Fox has the ability to evade pursuers or to gain better vantage by launching itself into the air. The arm mounted MD Rifles do a respectable amount of damage per shot at the relatively slow fire rate. While these may seem underwhelming when compared to the Flea cannons the Fox brings a bit more to a fight. Utilizing the twin sets of shoulder mounted LRM3s The fox can fire off a salvo of 6 lock on missiles at a time. In combination with the Fox's small stature and good positioning this can offer a means of constant harassment through missile barrages as well as distracting your opponents by forcing them to search for the source of the missiles. With careful positioning and tactics the Fox can make for an incredibly irritating long range harasser supporting its teammates with long range missile strikes.
Offering a mix of mobility and firepower the Medium class make up the vanguard in teamplay compositions. While many of them do not reach the levels of speed nor maneuverability of light mechs the Medium class makes up for the deficit through enhanced survivability often without too much of a sacrifice to the formers. While most Mediums do not match the power levels of the heavier classes the mixture of their mobility and damage their ability to deliver firepower to where the enemy is most vulnerable or where their team most needs their fire. Mechs like Vertigo make use of a mixture of their Strife Jet's extreme mobility and their explosive Streak Launchers to get to opportune flanking positions and disrupt enemies' movements through constant harassment via unexpected angle of attack. Trickster also making use of a Strife Jet offers a much mix of aggressive and defensive options by utilizing its Trickster Melee to bring the fight up close to the enemy or to fall back and lay down long range supporting fire with its Trickster Sniper Cannons. In other cases where carpeting the field with explosives is required mechs like Desperado can lay down a volley of fire using both the dumbfire RATLR-3-33s and the semi-guided Rainmakers to make even some of the toughest of mechs hesitate. When it comes to supporting fire some mediums are equipped to do that too. Bombard, while sacrificing in speed, come equipped with a devastating Bombard Cannon. This cannon fires in a ballistic arc allowing for strikes from the relative safety of hard cover while negating the cover of their opponents all while firing a devastating shell capable of destroying the legs of even assault mechs. For more concentrated support fire the Condor, equipped with two sets of LRM10s, can fire a swarm of 20 radar guided missiles straight to the enemy or take the fight straight the them with Condor Sidewinder SRMS. Overall the Medium Class is best played in a similar fashion to lights while allowing for a more self sufficient playstyle.
The freebie mech for the medium class is the Legionnaire. While it may not have the highest mobility it makes up for that with a mixture of its high DPS Legionnaire Laser capable of maintaining a high fire rate for mid range damage and the twin pec mounted Ultra Autocannons that offer just as high of DPS from mid to close range. The Ultra Autocannons on impact will explode causing damage on even near misses. Should an enemy come near enough it also come equipped with a Melee Axe to bring even more close range damage. When it comes to survivability, in return for its lower mobility, it has some well above average armor for its class and a Jump Jet should the fight start to go bad. Overall Legionnaire behaves similar to a heavy and can afford to exchange fire with mechs above its class but be wary of the mobility as overcommitting can be fatal.
