Mek
From MegaMekNET
The Battle Mek is the focal point of the entire MegaMek universe. They are the most influential force on the battle field, and the most lethal weapon in any commanders Army.
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Mek classification by weight
Light
Light Meks are 20-35 tons in MegaMek. Most light meks fall into the scout or special purpose category, with few exceptions. Light meks are generally the fastest units on the battle field, but almost always have a very limited selection of weaponry. The speed of those light meks is almost always their only defense when combating heavier meks.
Light Meks and small weapons are not strangers. Most Meks in this class almost exclusively use small and medium lasers, machine guns, flamers and SRM racks. Rare is the light with an Autocannon, PPC (Particle Projection Cannon) or large Laser.
Medium
Meks in the Medium weight class make up the bulk of most faction Mek arsenals. Relatively cheap and cheap to maintain, 40-55 ton Meks are the "jacks-of-all-trades" in the MegaMekNET campaign. Mediums can be as agile as lights or slow and well armored as heavies. A few have no qualm going toe-to-toe with the average assault class monster, while others will serve you well as snipers or back-biters.
Medium Meks use the full range of all weapons. Traditional favorites are those that pack Laser banks (3+ lasers) and multiple SRM racks. You can find decent support meks in this weight class as well.
Heavy
Heavy Meks are the favorite weight class of a large portion of the MegaMekNET community. 60-75 tonners offer a good balance of speed, armor and firepower at a reasonable Battle Value. Support type heavies are worth their weight in gold to many players as they usually pack twin PPCs or heavy LRM racks, with enough heatsinks to generate substantial firepower without overheating.
The Heavy class is not without it's fair share of brawlers and infighters too. You'll find a good portion of 5/8 mobile heavies perfect for getting close to an opponent quickly, and taking them apart at close range. Slower infighters commonly use large bore ACs, SRM racks and laser banks as well.
Assault
80+ ton Meks are expensive, slow and generally a pain to maintain, but you usually get what you pay for. No other classification of mek can match the firepower offered in the Assault weights. Assaults can destroy smaller meks in a single volley, or maintain shots on multiple targets at different ranges. Some assaults offer a combination of short and long range firepower, while others specialize in infighting or support.
No weapon is off-limits to the assault class. The decimating large-bore Autocannons are prevalent here, and you'll find as many if not more PPCs and large lasers as in the heavy class. Without dispute is the overwhelming amount of armor, which you can't find in meks under 80 tons. The apex of the assault class, the 95 and 100 tonners, regularly have 280+ points of armor.
Mek classification by role
Scout/Recon
Scout and reconnaissance meks are almost exclusively found in the light and medium classes, however there have been some daring attempts to make these meks at higher weights. Common recon meks are:
- Locust LCT-1V
- Cicada CDA-2A
- Charger CGR-1A1
Variants of recon meks are usually of the same chassis with different weapon configurations. Many of these configurations are simple but effective changes that drastically increase the efficiency of the Mek.
- Locust LCT-1E
- Jenner JR7-F
Invasion
Invasion type meks are usually slow movers with thick armor and an awesome assortment of weaponry. Large-bore autocannons, laser banks and/or plenty of SRMs to find the holes made by the heavier weapons. Common examples of Invasion type meks include:
- Atlas AS7-D
- Hunchback HBK-4G
- Enforcer ENF-4R
- Orion ON1-K
Some meks originally designed for other roles have been adapted to carry on invasion tasks as well. These variants are rare, and usually very powerful and prized by commanders.
- Whitworth WHT-1S
- Charger CGR-SB
Support
Good support meks are among the most prized meks in the game. LRM and PPC "boats" used properly can shred an incoming invasion force before they get in range to unleash thier lethal payloads. Speed and armor for support meks vary, but they have one thing in common: death at range. Common support meks include:
- Archer ARC-2R
- Banshee BNC-3E
- Awesome AWS-8Q
- Trebuchet TBT-5N
Rare, valuble variants of support meks often offer a PPC-for-AC5 upgrade or increasing the number of LRMs in the main rack(s). Some nice support meks are complete overhauls of their former selves. Some of them include:
- Zeus ZEU-6T
- Hunchback HBK-4J
- Warhammer WHM-6D
Special Purpose
Special purpose meks are designed to fill small holes in defenses and augment the regular forces by means not considered usual. They are widely varied in speed, armor and weaponry, but will serve you well if applied properly.
- Urbanmech UM-R60, designed with cities in mind
- Jagermech JM6-S, primarily used to combat air assaults
- Firestarter FS9-H, great against infantry
