[Request] Refit/Build for Centurion (2022)

[NicoTheRaven]

Hello, Mechwarriors. I'm new at the game and I´m searching for different builds for the Centurion medium mech.
In other reddits people says that Centurion is a good early-game LRM boat, others that is better at close range. But I would love to try other roles for this mech like: Striker, Cavalry or even brawler.

<I like to play it as a CQC striker: x3 SRMs, AC/5, MG and ++ Arm mods for better melee. >

[MarkDey]

All of those are good options. I tend to use the 2x LRM15, 1x LRM20 build to help with long range support in the early game.

[wesnef]

My most common Centurion build is ranged sniper: 2x Large Laser, AC/5.

Every so often, I'll try a Yen Lo Wang-ish build. AC/20, Small Laser, Jump Jets. The problem with that one is it's very All Or Nothing.

[Wantoomany]

Originally posted by NicoTheRaven:

<I like to play it as a CQC striker: x3 SRMs, AC/5, MG and ++ Arm mods for better melee. >

AC5 is not a short ranged weapon, it has a minimum range of 3 hexes. If you plan to use it in punching range you will suffer an accuracy penalty. I would recommend replacing it with a large laser or something similar.

[ImHelping]

Originally posted by Wantoomany:

Originally posted by NicoTheRaven:

<I like to play it as a CQC striker: x3 SRMs, AC/5, MG and ++ Arm mods for better melee. >

AC5 is not a short ranged weapon, it has a minimum range of 3 hexes. If you plan to use it in punching range you will suffer an accuracy penalty. I would recommend replacing it with a large laser or something similar.

I think a lot of people are essentially spoiled by assuming all combat will be done with 8-10 across the board pilots which negates 90 minimum range penalty. Which has even lead to some comedy "My token LRM20 on a thunderbolt with seven medium lasers is also brawling/backstab weapon" results.

AC5 at the very least, is more user friendly on something that likes to get up close but not be useless beyond that than an AC2 or regular PPC if you can't afford to handle the heat.

Large lasers suck less now with the 18? heat for 40 damage and a soft accuracy bonus. So they do work out as filler in the early game against light mech spam and mediums with shoddy armor debuffs. And not like you are putting a fancy gyro in your pity centurion yet that a large laser would deny room for.

I would put jets on over an arm mod on a medium mech as much as I love punching, because of how often the map border invisible lines love to cut through footpath options. "Okay we removed the jets from the jagermech to be more optimal-*only non walk into a killbox foot route is zigzagging past the mission border* god. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. damnit"

AC20 is amazing. but it is more impressive on an enemy medium than your mediums because the enemy is a kamikaze MMO asset.

While for the player it is more user friendly to wait for a heavy mech that gets more generous capacity, due to the need to have 15 (or even 20) ammo to run the marathon of "4 vs spam", math hating you constant 85% missed shots, and wishing you had the extra ammo to take those 35% shots hoping for a lucky break without also having balsa wood armor and being unable to afford some medium lasers along for the ride.

This is why my first orion tends to end up "Fat hunchback with jumpjets". They got enough beef to laugh at an SRM carrier spawning our of nowhere then kill it ways a hunchback or Centurion can't, while still getting more evasion pips than an assault if you Jet or sprint around the map.

EDIT: If you have your heart set on "better melee" if I remember right, 95 or 100 melee damage total was the breakpoint for "Can reliably stomp a demolisher to death through the side armor, not just the rear" and 120 to front kill them guaranteed.

200 front armor and 40 hull on a demolisher is surprisingly stubborn when your stock 90 damage grasshopper punch hits one side, and all six of your small lasers hit literally anywhere else. Oh my god I'm getting flashbacks to all the almost but not quite kills.

[NicoTheRaven]

Originally posted by ImHelping:

Originally posted by Wantoomany:

EDIT: If you have your heart set on "better melee" if I remember right, 95 or 100 melee damage total was the breakpoint for "Can reliably stomp a demolisher to death through the side armor, not just the rear" and 120 to front kill them guaranteed.

Wow, that is quite a guide itself. So... I understood this: AC/5 aren't optimal at close but they are good enough, and if I use ballistic I should try AC/20. Large lasers are good in early game to fight light-medium mechs. The LRM build leaves little armor and no room for medium lasers when out of ammo. JumperJets over poor arm mods and I have to reach a minimum of 100 melee dmg to have a real "better melee". Thank you for the advice.

I want you to know that I know Centurion isn't the best medium mech at all but I want to explore with it because I like it's design and I am a classic greek-roman culture fan. Also, Centurion fits my playstyle: Push, tank and alpha strike.

[ImHelping]

The minimum raw melee damage is more something to worry about if you want to be absolutely certain you can guaranteed one shot any tank or spoiler vehicle in existence with melee. If for some crazy reason you wanted to be sure you could melee a full armor demolisher instead of shoot it from a safe distance.

"Why do so many assault mechs have 115 instead of 120 raw melee damage when they shamelessly give the Archer Heavy LRM mech and Warhammer heavy sniper mech 100 damage?... oh. ooooh. you ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥."

[Bovril Brigadier]

Originally posted by NicoTheRaven:

<I like to play it as a CQC striker: x3 SRMs, AC/5, MG and ++ Arm mods for better melee. >

*PTSD from AC/20 + 3xSRM6 Centurion intensifies*

[pete]

Do I have the mech for you! May I present the Charger (Strayed stop laughing)

[Bovril Brigadier]

Originally posted by pete:

Do I have the mech for you! May I present the Charger (Strayed stop laughing)

I like the Charger though?

[pete]

Originally posted by Strayed:

Originally posted by pete:

Do I have the mech for you! May I present the Charger (Strayed stop laughing)

I like the Charger though?

Thie bog standard model?

[pete]

Originally posted by Strayed:

Originally posted by NicoTheRaven:

<I like to play it as a CQC striker: x3 SRMs, AC/5, MG and ++ Arm mods for better melee. >

*PTSD from AC/20 + 3xSRM6 Centurion intensifies*

Maybe you could take some more armour off and put some more SRM's or MG's

[Bovril Brigadier]

Originally posted by pete:

Thie bog standard model?

No, but you never mentioned that :^)
Also, wrong game.

[screwysquirrel69]

My go to Centurion build, if I get one in campaign mode to start, is to remove 1 ton each of AC/10 amd LRM ammo and 1 ML, max the front armor and 25/25/25 rear armor. This takes 0 days and is solid for early matches.

Later I'll remove the weapons and replace with an AC/20, even better if its a + or ++ with +10/+20 damage, 2 ML and a SL, and up the rear armor to 35/45/35 as I'm on my way to the second planet. Vs the light Mechs in the early game its a 1-shot cripple and sometimes 1 shot kill. In the story campaign, I'll build the Centurion you capture on the pirate moon this way from the start,

[steelcoresoviet]

If you have heavy metal, the centurion makes a nice slot for a + UAC/5.
I typically run 3/5 jets and some SRM Racks in addition to this.

[FeeNix]

My favorite is the Centurion AH Build: AC-20 in the Right Arm with two tons of Ammo, an LRM-10 in the Left Torso with 1 ton of Ammo.

You're limited in engagements, but it packs one heck of a punch.