Medium Clan Mechs and ECM?

[gunner]

Hi guys, just wondering is it worth getting Medium Clan Mechs with ECM? Would like some suggestions and comments about Medium Clan mechs. I am not certain if I want to get an ECM Clan Mech because of tonnage restrictions.

Thanks for any input.

[Captain Worthy]

Just make sure it's an omnimech, then you can use various builds without the ECM too when you tire of the lack of tonnage.

[tutzdes]

I believe that you should not choose the mech just for its ability to carry ECM.

There are several medium Clan mechs that are able to mount ECM (or just some variants of those): Arctic Wolf, Ice Ferret, Shadow Cat, Black Lanner.

Of these Arctic Wolf (only 3 variants of which are omni and can mount ECM) and Shadow Cat are considered decent. I like the Shadow Cat, it is effective and fun to play, but this mech is pretty niche and not for everyone (Omni Arctic is kinda like that too and I don't like its agility).

If you would ask me: "Which clan medium mech I should buy?" without mentioned ECM, I would say Huntsman for versatility and one of the Hunchbacks IIC for pure firepower. No ECM here though.

All Clan ECM mediums are tricky to use and two of them are generally considered very situational if not outright garbage.

[gunner]

Are IS medium ECM mechs cheaper to build? Stealth Armour on Medium Mechs seems interesting but more not be ideal if you want to do more damage?

[tutzdes]

Originally posted by gunner:

Are IS medium ECM mechs cheaper to build? Stealth Armour on Medium Mechs seems interesting but more not be ideal if you want to do more damage?

IS mechs are a bit cheaper (not by much) than Clan omnis if you're only fitting one variant/build. Clan omnimechs can offer much higher variety for a bit higher price.

Stealth armor is a good option for some very specific setups (like Gauss Ghilie - Enforcer hero), for most ECM medium mechs you're not benefiting from it that much. Good stealth medium mech needs to be ballistic (or maybe missile) focused with enough tonnage to support a big low-heat weapon.

OK, here are IS medium mechs with ECM I used:

Cicada CDA-3M - I love it. Cicada is a really great light mech wanabee and this variant for me by far overshadows Raven 3L. Use it as a pure laserboat. It was equipped with stealth armor before arm/ST armor rebalance with stripped arms, now I switched to Ferro+ECM to keep the engine rating. For mid-range poking no difference stealth armor not from my experience for this mech. It is "cheap" in a way that the stock XL320 engine is pretty adequate if you use it as a pure laserboat. You will need to downgrade the engine for ballistics if you want to use it.

Hellspawn HSN-7D - it is not the best mech in the world, but it is ok. For my use as a mid-range supression/dps/support mechs woth MRMs the stealth armor is not really needed, ECM alone is enough. As Cicada before, it is pretty fine with the stock XL270.

The mechs I don't own:

Phoenix Hawk PXH-1B and 2 - I am not a fan of the chassis, haven't played the ECM variant, not sure I will like it.
Assassin ASN-27 - The chassis is very-very good. I own two other variants, great mechs. This one should perform very well as a MRM carrier, I believe it will be better at that than the Hellspawn. DD hero has worse hardpoints but should do ok too.
Enforcer Ghilie - hero mech, I see it used as a stealth mech time to time. Should be an ok mech. Enforcer is a solid chassis IMO.
Griffin GRF-2N - I really dislike the lack of agility of this chassis, but it is is a solid mech overall. Should work.

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by gunner:

Hi guys, just wondering is it worth getting Medium Clan Mechs with ECM?

ECM by and large is a crutch. Most mechs variants, among the medium, are better without their ECM. That being said, i do plan to buy an ACW-A at some point, and run it as SRM splat.

I haven't tried the Icebox.. but allegedly the Ferret is a solid light mech for a Medium...

The Shadowcat is a 'Meh' mech, that can be good in the right hands, but you really have to like the whole sniping thing, if you want the ECM, because you loose 3 ballistic hardpoints for it.

I haven't tried the Black Lanner, so no idea if that is worth it, but i am sure there is a good reason why you never see them on the battlefield.

So over all, i find the Mediums with ECM rather meh over all, and while i consider the ACW for myself.. i think the A is the weakest of the Arctic Wolf options.

Originally posted by gunner:

Are IS medium ECM mechs cheaper to build? Stealth Armour on Medium Mechs seems interesting but more not be ideal if you want to do more damage?

Tutzdes has covered a lot already, so let me add some thoughts on that myself:

I have an ASN-27, which is alight, but you do pretty much play it like a oversized commando. The way i use it is with an ER Medium in the head, regular Medium lasers in the arm and dual SRM 4 launchers..

Its a fun little mech, but nothing to write home about about how great it is. I enjoyed my time in it, tho.

The Griffin GRF-2N[mwo.smurfy-net.de] is a workhorse, if you are willing to run it with an XL reactor. Its a quite scary Splat that can come from about anywhere. Would i pick this variant over another Griffin variant? Hell no. Its a waste of a Griffin, in my opinion, and the same goes for a lot of the other mechs as well.

Originally posted by tutzdes:

Cicada CDA-3M - I love it. Cicada is a really great light mech wanabee and this variant for me by far overshadows Raven 3L. Use it as a pure laserboat.

I agree with the Cicada playing like a heavily armored light mech.

Originally posted by tutzdes:

Hellspawn HSN-7D - it is not the best mech in the world, but it is ok. For my use as a mid-range supression/dps/support mechs woth MRMs the stealth armor is not really needed, ECM alone is enough. As Cicada before, it is pretty fine with the stock XL270.

I bought myself one and i still haven't found a loadout that works for me. I am absolutely not having any fun with the Hellspawn.

Originally posted by tutzdes:

Phoenix Hawk PXH-1B and 2 - I am not a fan of the chassis, haven't played the ECM variant, not sure I will like it.

I have a PXH-1B[mwo.smurfy-net.de], which is working quite well. Its definitely more of a flanker/harasser. I tired a number of different loadouts with it, but ultimately the one at the link is what i found worked best for me. You harass the enemy with the PPC, which is in a good position, and you do dip into the enemy on occassion with the Pulse lasers.

It has no staying power and you need to play it like a slow light mech. Caveat: Phoenix Hawk is one of my favorite Mechs from the lore, next to the Wolverine, so i have a soft spot for it. MWO (un)fortunately screwed the Wolverine up.

[tutzdes]

Originally posted by Ishan451:

I bought myself one and i still haven't found a loadout that works for me. I am absolutely not having any fun with the Hellspawn.

I used it with a single mrm40 in the arm and iirc 2xML.

Black Lanner can carry much lower weapon load than say Shadow Cat. So if you think the cat is finicky, the lanner is by far more so. As for Wolverine, it is my favourite 55t mech and one of the overall favourites.

[Maddermax]

I got the Assassin 27 last sale, can’t say it’s really worked for me. It can’t really justify the ECM weight and mediocre hard points, and you miss quite a bit of firepower. I’m mulling over getting the ASN21 in the current sale, to see if it does better for me.

I think when it comes to mediums, fast sniper mechs will get more out of it - brawler mediums should be on the flanks of the team, but being there you don’t need to worry about being spotted like a light or sniper does (as your team is there for support), but you are usually too far away to buff your team with ECM like ECM heavies/assaults usually do. And fast mediums have the speed to get cover from missiles when needed, so ECM isn’t necessary for missiles protection outside of Polar Highlands.

I’d look into the cicada and Shadow cat for fast sniper mechs, but that said, I own neither, I’ve just seen them perform pretty well generally.