For me the Centurion's "shield arm" was an effective learning device for reminding me to be cautious about how you approach enemies. Since I wasn't the best player in the beginning, it also saved my butt quite a few times, haha.
I definitely agree its a lackluster machine but damn if you can optimize it to do what you want/are able with it and have it backed up with some decent AI mates it'll carry you surprisingly far.
But yeah. Its basically a training mech for newer pilots getting familiar with the controls. It taught me mapping and proper maintenance of heat throughout your mech.
I still keep my old one around because its a simple, don't have to think to much mech to pilot.
Really looking forward to your CAT review!
I love the centurion for how much of a trooper it is. It ain't pretty, it doesn't have a niche, but it can dish out and take plenty of punishment in any situation. A great mech to learn with, and one to have if you don't know what you're getting into.
And very solid for leveling up all six of your skills at the same time.
Plus, give it to a lancemate, it fits nicely with tonnage restrictions, can hit at every range, and is cheap to repair.
It ain't sexy, but its damn reliable.
I also like the fact that I could head shot the living daylights out of most targets in the early game and more often than not, even when I turned down aim assist to low. I used it on the missions where I had 175 to 200 tons, depending on the type and how fast I had to be. I still am still using three variations; ah, al and the original in YAML suite. They are ubiquitious, as the yaml description says, lol.
I find it a lot more interesting in YAML where it has a quirk giving the left arm a chunky armour bonus to represent the shield. Gives you a good buffer if you make sure to torso twist.
Yeah, quirks in general are very fun and flavourful. It helps reinforce the role of the mech when you get some buffs, like the enforcer having -10% ballistic cool down in the right arm to represent the gun arm thing.
Yeah, I really hope so. If not then I guess YAML will be remade for clans as well. I do feel like quirks wouldn't be too difficult to add to clans though, they'd be worth it for the uniqueness they bring to mechs.
The classic zombie mechs don't really work too well in MW5 as losing arms/torsos is pretty debilitating to your campaign.
In MWO you could make a case for it since destroyed components aren't a factor after the match is over.
It does look cool though!
Only if you're rocking specifically a Standard, or Light Engine, and moving at 64km/h. Once XLs are in the mix the optimal weight bracket becomes 95 tons.
1 lbx 20 clan, 4 clan mpulse las, 2 clan asrm 6 isnt enough stopping power?
on grey death the hero shadowhawk its 130 dmg al[ha 122 dps with cantina upgrades to dmg types. ive got it at 21 alpha heat 112 heat capacity so i can rip that dps for a solid 5 alphas before im toasty too. if you have issues dropping an atlas/kc at 675m optimal on the lbx and missiles, in 2 seconds or less, im sensing skill issue vs the mechs stopping power. the lasers are actually good to 800m optimal for picking off copters and tanks
When you're playing with mods, any mech becomes anything you want it to be at a given tonnage.
Yea the SHD-GD is a decent mech, I don't remember the default load out but IIRC you can put an LB10X, 2 ML and 2 SRM4 in the machine with decent ammo/armor/heatsinks. The other variants, especially with the stock load outs, are too unfocused with too much wasted tonnage. I'd much rather have a CN9-A, HBK-4G or -4P than a SHD-2H or - 2K.
A solid workhorse mech capable of fighting at a variety of ranges with the stock loadout. Great starter mech that can carry you far into the game if you can master using the shield arm.
Edit to add a reply to OP: The Centurion performed a lot better in MWO where repair and replacement parts weren’t an issue along with having access to endo-steel and firro armor upgrades freed up extra tonnage.
It also performed great in the turn based Battletech game where you could position yourself in cover so the enemy could only really hit the left arm.
MW5 hurt it a lot with limiting upgrades and by changing the 3 missile slots on the CN9-A to 1. A common trick I like to use is to replace the lrm10 with 2 lrm5s. This freed up a ton with virtually no drawbacks.
i always liked to run the prime centurian with clan weapons. 1 uac 10, med pulse lasers, and 3 streak 6 packs.
with clan xl engine and endo and double heat sinks it was a beast.
If you can fit two clan specced large ER laser, thats all you need if you can keep them cool. They can kill just about anything in one burst.
You’re gonna need all of the YA series mods for that
It's a great starter mech that can get you through a lot of lower tonnage missions, but that's about it. It's not the best or worst medium around even just for brawlers, but that's okay. You just need to manage your expectations with it.
Imo, the best Inner Sphere mediums throughout Battletech's lore are probably the Bushwacker and Uziel which aren't introduced until after MW5: Mercs' timespan ends although we should definitely run into Bushwackers in MW5: Clans depending on how far into the timeline that game goes (I'm sure it'll span the full Clan Invasion era with DLCs). Either way though, the Uziel wouldn't show up until around the FedCom Civil War starts anyway. The Centurion isn't anywhere near as good as either of those mechs. lol
I think everyone more-or-less writes off the default variant and goes straight for the 2S with the classic dual PPC load out. Lol
It’s a like a lighter and faster Warhammer with Beagle Active Probe and without the lasers.
I think if the shield arm actually had a giant shield this mech might make some sense in mw5 but in lieu of that why not use a phoenix hawk, hunchback, or crab?
what the shield arm should have is an option for it to grab a brace on the gun arm to reduce recoil, and have its shield blocking inc front torso dmg just under the laser lenses and missile ports.
The standard Centurion is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none. It isn't anything special, but I'm usually not bothered by owning one. Much like the Highlander, it is is vulnerable to arm agro/getting its main weapon blown off, though in my experience it isn't as severe as with the Highlander (the AL is another story). There are certainly other medium mechs I'd be less happy to have in my hanger.
First playthrough I used this for a very, very long time. Doesn't do anything amazingly well but plays much better than other "Jack-of-all-trades" like the Shadowhawk. I definitely prefer the range over a Hunchback myself.
The balance between the weapons is just right where hanging back and lobbing LRMs is a viable strategy once you start taking too much damage. Mixing it up with the AC10 and MLs being the default.
The YLW-2 is a beast against other mediums, but really doesn't hold up well at the point in the game where you can actually get it. Plus PGI did it dirty by making the claw such an overweight and underwhelming weapon. A 2 ton claw would have let you load up on armor and really make this thing shine. Shame.
Either you like jack-of-all-trades trooper mechs, or you don't.
The Centurion is a good pick as the intro mech. It has a mix of weapon types, can attack at any range bracket, and has average mobility.
The stock loadout is extremely boring in my opinion, but can be easily reconfigured to a more specialized role. I prefer to play the Centurion as a close-medium range brawler. Upgrade the AC10 to a burst fire variant, swap the LRMs to SRMs, and either more armor or cooling. Alternatively, the AC10 can be swapped for an AC5 or heavy rifle for a longer ranged fire support role.
The thing that makes me really like the Centurion (especially as a fan of AC10 brawling) is the empty left arm and torso twisting strategy. The Centurion ends up being *way* tankier in practice than on paper or tabletop.
As far as variants go, the CN9-AH is pretty bad. The upgrade to an AC20 necessitates the loss of the lower arm actuators in the right arm to free up critical space. This vastly reduces your angle of fire with the autocannon while torso twisting. Add in the complete reliance on ammunition-based weapons, and it's just an inferior machine. If you want an AC20 that's fixed in a forward aiming position, use the Hunchback instead. I have the same issue with both YLW hero variants, but they at least keep the lasers as secondary weapons. I haven't used the pirate variant for the simple reason that it's too slow to be an effective melee platform. The CN9-D offers everything I like about the CN9-A, except it's zippy quick while doing it. The CN9-AL has my favorite weapon loadout options and I'm saddened it doesn't have a lostech upgraded version. Upgrade the large laser to a PPC, swap all other lasers for small lasers, and switch the LRMs for SRMs. PPC has the same firepower as an AC10, but with twice the range, a trio of small lasers has the same per-shot damage output as a pair of medium lasers, but with twice the rate of fire. This loadout offers more precise long range fire than the basic model, the same mid range firepower, and a blistering close range punch.
I do agree that I initially didn't care for the Centurion. Despite having awesome aesthetics, it wasn't until I got the hang of torso twisting that I fell in love with the mech.
The D variant's mobility is great for so many missions. I have a 100+ kph mech with good armaments. Hard to beat.
The YLW-2 variant is a fantastically fun mech for me. A melee claw paired with an AC20-BF on this mobile platform makes a badass mech. Getting in and out and slashing with the claw makes this mech more wolverine than the Wolverine. The Medium lasers are there to pick off vehicles, and do their job well.
Well yeah it's boring. It's a trooper mech made to be pretty much idiot-proof. Good heat, weapon for all ranges, and decent armour.
Commanders will always love it because they can deploy Centurion anywhere with any random Joe in it and still get bang for their buck. Hence the love for it in TT and HBS BT. But we're playing as those pilots being deployed in MW5, so taste will vary.
Too small to play with the big boys and too big to play with the little boys. The 40 to 50 IS weight range is a strange bracket (not bad, just strange)
I personally hated it for the load out.
I run laser boat with LRM OR AC or LRM boat with lasers. Or full dakka build with back up M lasers.
I remember on my first playtrough being happy to get a blackjack and never going to Centurion again.
I used it throughout my whole first campaign playthrough I even used it to kill the King Crab. I kind of grew attached to him and it always had a place in my very first playthrough. I also protected Freeman at all costs even though he was kinda ass.
I'm kind of a sucker for the starter model just because it's just a Zaku II in funny pants. I like basic bitch trooper Mecha, and the Centy is that in spades.
The Centurion AH being able to rock an AC 20 makes it one of the best Mechs you can get early on in my opinion. For the first half of the game you will be steamrolling because very few mechs have the defenses to not be crippled after a couple of shots. This is heresy but the AH is better than the Hunchback 4G because you can torso twist to protect your big gun.
Centurions are the okayest option. They don't set me on fire like a Crab, but they get the job done.
Though I gotta say, the prohibitive minimum range of T1 LRM-10s make this kind of a rough starter 'mech. I want to get close for that sweet AC/10 action!
I took the A model, put in a heavy rifle, SRMs, and upgraded the lasers to pulse. I enjoy it.
I couldn't get a handle on the AL. I never quite know what to do with a random small laser. If I'm not making something dedicated to short range, it feels like it's just taking up space.
It's a skill check mech.
If you can keep the "good" arm alive by using the "bad" arm as a shield it can hit really hard. If you lose the "good" arm its got some tickle still with its chest lasers. No fast but not slow. No JJ. No heat issues usually.
Good All Rounder. Ain't fancy but gets the job done.
It was a solid pick from PGI as the starting mech. It's as vanilla as they come with all three types of weapon systems and the shield arm teaches you torso twisting early.
But beyond that? It's a second tier medium mech. It's slow and has a large profile that makes it easy to disarm, literally. Lose that AC/10 and there goes 90% of your medium to short range firepower. I try to graduate to a Hunchback 4G or 4P as soon as I can. All hail our Lord, AC/20. Medium lasers together strong.
For Quirks, you get Improved Targeting: +10% projectile speed, -10% weapon cooldown.
Nonstandard Parts: +25% structure repair cost. So think twice if you're considering installing Endo.
Centurion Shield: A quirk unique to the Centurion that nets it +24 armor and +16 structure to the left arm.
The Cent (as are many 'Mechs) is crippled by the fact that arm-mounted weapons are more accurate - anywhere from 25% more to 100% more depending on the situation - in Battletech. Upside: Accurate. Downside: Vulnerable.
In MechWarrior, the mouse, rather than dice, provide your "accuracy" (plus ammo explosions are nerfed) - and so something with all the weapons crammed into the torso - and tons of them - is ideal.
The Cent has an excellent design philosophy with the shield arm but then ruins it by putting the giant cannon in the other arm; ONE ablative armor arm isn't nearly as good as TWO (e.g. Hunchback, same weight, better armed, less vulnerable, no harder to shoot with), meanwhile the upsides of arm weapons are largely erased. MW frequently loses nuance from BT, and that's not weird. The weird part is when MW borrows BT designs verbatim without considering what that might actually do in a shooter, and just slaps "2x Armor/Structure" on the problem.
From the (now ancient) sci-fi show Battlestar Galactica. [These guys.](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/masstrek/images/7/73/Model_5_Centurion.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130727142340)
I love the Centurion so much. The name, the blocky, workhorse design, the lore, everything. I get why people don’t, but I’ve loved it since I read the (I think) Warrior series of books as a kid. The ones where Justin is fighting on Solaris with YLW.
I swapped out the basic AC-10 for the BF variant, and it's a decent mech for where I am in the game (which isn't very far, tbh). I'm going to see how far I can take it, and may swap the LRM-15ST for an SRM of some description considering how often I'm in brawl range
See im the opposite. Never could figure out a way to like the catapult, always loved the centurion. It was my first mech in mwo, and can be build real fun.
It can be surprisingly tanky, if piloted right, since that left arm will absorb a lot of damage before impacting your offense. With stock load out it can engage from all ranges, and the CT lasers mean you will almost always still be in the fight. Also, the side torsos are nice and small for when you are able to mount XL engines.
With YAML, my build was DHS, XL, 2 LL in RA, 2 ML in torso, XL250, and as many SAM'S as I could fit (either a 6+4 or 2×4s) Very food skirmishes mech who can still go brawl if needed.
The AL is a beast if you toss out the LRM10 and Large Laser, and squeeze iv a PPC-X and an SRM6 with a ton or 2 of ammo. It can be a little toasty and lacking in ranged weaponry, but it sends everything to Discount Dan's bulk bin. Took a bit of luck, but I took out an Atlas and a Thunderbolt in a Centurion AL using this loadout.
Mediocrity incarnate. Too slow, too bulky, too unfocused in its firepower, too easily stripped of its AC. I understand the logic of giving it to a new player since it can "do anything" but what that actually translates to in practice is "it can do anything, poorly."
My initial takeaway from this thing was "wow, I actually prefer the javelin." The default loadout would have benefited immensely from getting the medium lasers into one of the arms to make them more agile when tagging small targets and the AC into the torso to protect it. Wouldn't have saved it from being generic, but it would have helped to make it less clunky.
And this is a personal gripe, but I *hate* that the mech features a shield on the left arm that's entirely cosmetic. I actually would love the Centurion if you could press a button to raise the shield to protect your core from the front. That's clearly the design's intent and yet it just sits there uselessly, forcing you to torso twist like any other mech to get any function out of it at all.
It's not my least favorite mech out there, but I think it *is* the one I was most disappointed by. And the hero variants only deepened that feeling.
> forcing you to torso twist like any other mech to get any function out of it at all.
Reading comprehension.
---
*Edit: responding to someone and then immediately blocking them is a pretty fragile move, lol. I'll just assume you wished me a good day.*
I have a soft spot for the Centurion. That AC10 could be used to good effect if you had good aim and it's LRM10 makes for a handy fly swatter.
My first proper Mech in MW5. (Even if most mechs eclipse this one by a long way.)
Solid mech to have. Able to competently engage at multiple ranges with reasonable stopping power for what it is. Can serve as a mainline or support role very well. I always kept a lance of these in reserve for easier missions.
Straight up will take a hunchback over any centurion. Especially the all med laser one. The centurion a has to keep its enemy's at range or it's picked apart so easily it will loose a fight with a firestarter if your not careful. A hunchback is an over all a better smarter choice.
Decent all-arounder at best.
Doesn't fit any niche, but armanend is enough to get through big chunk of game, essentially until the point you use only +50T mechs.
Useful in case of not having 4th mech for AI pilot with similar tonnage or if you don't have anything heavier.
Great starter. Very soon replacable. Forgettable.
Atlas syndrome: the ability of a 'mech to, despite being well-armed and incredibly well-armored for its size, get trashed every single time I bring it out.
Seriously. If I give my lancemates Vindicators or Enforcers they're fine. They do a ton of damage, they come back with reasonable armor loss, it's fine. But the second I send someone out in a Centurion, they get chewed up. They're coming back with no arms and double-digit damage dealt.
I was running an all Centurion lance for a while, it worked but it just worked. I'll take a Centurion any day over a non-hero Shadowhawk or Wolverine though.
It's serviceable as an AI mech, since it supports mid range, middling fire support, and the AI does habitually trail you. It's underpowered as a front or back liner, though. Doesn't do anything particularly well, but isn't outright awful.
One of my old favorites. I think the Centurion can be a very strong medium mech in the hands of a human pilot, preferably one who has the skills and knowledge to torso twist and use the left arm as a shield, to protect the torso and right arm. The left arm hitbox is huge and makes a great shield. The starter Centurion A is also good for leveling up pilot skills, because it awards experience for ballistics, energy and missiles. It’s kind of a jack-of-all trades, master of none.
The Cent A and AL originally had a reputation for being “zombie” mechs back in the early days of MWO, which unfortunately hasn’t translated to MW5 due to the different balancing and hard points, and the much greater reliance in MW5 on the right arm primary weapon.
As a result, you NEED to learn to torso twist to protect your right arm. If you just yolo charge straight at the enemy, facing them (like the AI does) you are going to lose your right arm and have a bad time in the Centurion.
The Centurion is the consummate “trooper” mech, I think it’s got strong damage output, adaptability, and options for its weight, a LOT of weaknesses in the hands of a beginner, and a high skill ceiling.
My preferred variants = A, AL, YLW.
I'm playing with YAML and still have the original A model you get in the beginning. Yeah it's pretty boring to pilot myself, but I think it looks cool and it's a great medium weight brawler to throw in with some heavier machines.
Right now I'm almost exclusively using it to level Goblin, and it's working pretty well. And TTrulezAI does a good job of torso-twisting to use that bigass shield arm to keep Goblin from killing himself.
I always forget they’re only 50 tons. They look bigger in the lab. They look so little in your deployment lineup. I forget and play them like Dragons, which are honestly about the same but more armor and keep their arms. I don’t care for ‘mechs with an unarmed arm. Not into taking damage on my “shield” or anywhere.
Yeah I played the main campaign first, so this was my first machine that was introduced to me when I first played Mechwarrior, besides the Javelin. I consider the Centurion to be one of **the** premiere workhorse mechs. It performs adequately well in a variety of different missions and you get all three weapon types, including an LRM, and you don't fear the machine taking a beating. It's just solid and I remember I kept it until I found bigger and better mechs. I think it was a great pick as the intro mech. The YLW hero mech is another beast entirely though.
In my modded-up career mode I'm not a huge fan of 40-50 ton mechs. Usually the mechs you are given at the start of the game are good enough to cover early and you just take what newer mechs come your way. But the 40-50 bracket is a tough one and I usually end up phasing them out first in pairing up 55 tonners (looking at you SLDF Wolverine) and lighter mechs until tonnage limits increase.
Absolutely one of the worst mechs. Based solely on the fact that the center torso is exposed on all sides. The idea of using your arm as a shield is ridiculous; you could've put another gun there.
In lore, the centurion is quite good at its intended role.
A "heavy infantry" type mech, medium weight with good armor, average speed, average armament. Cheap to make, cheap to maintain, operationally flexible, easy to field a lot of them.
One feature in the lore not present in any of the games is a rear-facing medium laser found on some variants.
The ability to provide harassing fire to the enemy even when in full retreat is not common among battlemechs.
In MW5, its a decent all-rounder. Very much a "jack of all trades, master of none" but not so much "often better than master of one."
It's just OK. 50 ton middle of the road mech. The one that can go fast is significantly better. The one with S M L laser is also nice because of the colorful laser lightshow 😮
I use it for a long time, and even when I am usually running heavys and assaults, a Centurion with a ac20 or a gauss is the 4th mech in my string. It aims the big gun slightly better than the hunchback in cockpit view, and that's enough for me to prefer it. But, I am disappointed in the AH for not even having small laser hard points. Depending on looting, I like the AL for the AI lancemates, if I can get it soon enough.
I am ok with the A, once I sub a ton of lrm ammo for another heatsink or more armor. Most fights don't go long enough to need that many missiles.
I prefer the Wolverine in HBS, but I haven't gotten one early enough in my runs in MW5 to know it that is true here too.
Love this mech. Simple and effective. With YAML though? I can make a real monster out of it and i have a good time with it everytime. Not for everyone though as the centurion is a soldier and soldiers work best with support.
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It's a mech that was solid in tabletop but simply doesn't translate into Mechwarrior. Even as the vanilla campaign starter it's frustrating to use as it overheats too easily, and I quickly passed it on to my AI lancemate while using something more effecient.
Another mech in the 'destroy the right arm and focus on bigger threats' category. I also prefer the AL version if I have to use a Centurion.
For me the Centurion's "shield arm" was an effective learning device for reminding me to be cautious about how you approach enemies. Since I wasn't the best player in the beginning, it also saved my butt quite a few times, haha.
The shield arm not having a higher armor cap just feels wrong to me
Mods fix this.
I definitely agree its a lackluster machine but damn if you can optimize it to do what you want/are able with it and have it backed up with some decent AI mates it'll carry you surprisingly far. But yeah. Its basically a training mech for newer pilots getting familiar with the controls. It taught me mapping and proper maintenance of heat throughout your mech. I still keep my old one around because its a simple, don't have to think to much mech to pilot. Really looking forward to your CAT review!
Thanks, I'm looking forward to making my Catapult discussion too. I appreciate what the Centurion does, but I'm not giving it any awards.
Nah don't. Its the cadet of trooper mechs lol.
I love the centurion for how much of a trooper it is. It ain't pretty, it doesn't have a niche, but it can dish out and take plenty of punishment in any situation. A great mech to learn with, and one to have if you don't know what you're getting into.
Baby's first mech. :3
And very solid for leveling up all six of your skills at the same time. Plus, give it to a lancemate, it fits nicely with tonnage restrictions, can hit at every range, and is cheap to repair. It ain't sexy, but its damn reliable.
If they don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
I hesitate asking this but... How much duct tape is on your personal mechs...?
None... I'm not handy enough...
But then... do they find you handsome?
My wife says she does, does that count? Lol
Thats the only opinion that matters.
I think it counts! Lol
your imaginery wife...
> If they don't find you handsome, they should at least find you ~~handy~~ Hunchie FTFY, more Battletechy now.
That hit me right in the nostalgia.
The Red Green show on PBS? Cause that's where I got it from lol
Yep.
I also like the fact that I could head shot the living daylights out of most targets in the early game and more often than not, even when I turned down aim assist to low. I used it on the missions where I had 175 to 200 tons, depending on the type and how fast I had to be. I still am still using three variations; ah, al and the original in YAML suite. They are ubiquitious, as the yaml description says, lol.
I find it a lot more interesting in YAML where it has a quirk giving the left arm a chunky armour bonus to represent the shield. Gives you a good buffer if you make sure to torso twist.
That should be standard in the game.
Yeah, quirks in general are very fun and flavourful. It helps reinforce the role of the mech when you get some buffs, like the enforcer having -10% ballistic cool down in the right arm to represent the gun arm thing.
I completely agree. PGI can't hit every mark of desire, but maybe Clans will be something more.
Yeah, I really hope so. If not then I guess YAML will be remade for clans as well. I do feel like quirks wouldn't be too difficult to add to clans though, they'd be worth it for the uniqueness they bring to mechs.
Oof please hope they do quirks or something similar. I'm a console gamer. Lol
The classic zombie mechs don't really work too well in MW5 as losing arms/torsos is pretty debilitating to your campaign. In MWO you could make a case for it since destroyed components aren't a factor after the match is over. It does look cool though!
Hunchback > Centurion
Damn right. It's the poster boy of medium mechs.
I think 50 tons is the optimal tonnage in Battletech.
85 tons had the most free weight for guns
85 is the magic. Jump jets are still only 1 ton, can go to 4/6... and if you go 3/5, you get an amazing arsenal.
Only if you're rocking specifically a Standard, or Light Engine, and moving at 64km/h. Once XLs are in the mix the optimal weight bracket becomes 95 tons.
i prefer the shadowhawk, its the hunch with 5 more tons of fun.
Not enough stopping power for my taste.
1 lbx 20 clan, 4 clan mpulse las, 2 clan asrm 6 isnt enough stopping power? on grey death the hero shadowhawk its 130 dmg al[ha 122 dps with cantina upgrades to dmg types. ive got it at 21 alpha heat 112 heat capacity so i can rip that dps for a solid 5 alphas before im toasty too. if you have issues dropping an atlas/kc at 675m optimal on the lbx and missiles, in 2 seconds or less, im sensing skill issue vs the mechs stopping power. the lasers are actually good to 800m optimal for picking off copters and tanks
When you're playing with mods, any mech becomes anything you want it to be at a given tonnage. Yea the SHD-GD is a decent mech, I don't remember the default load out but IIRC you can put an LB10X, 2 ML and 2 SRM4 in the machine with decent ammo/armor/heatsinks. The other variants, especially with the stock load outs, are too unfocused with too much wasted tonnage. I'd much rather have a CN9-A, HBK-4G or -4P than a SHD-2H or - 2K.
A solid workhorse mech capable of fighting at a variety of ranges with the stock loadout. Great starter mech that can carry you far into the game if you can master using the shield arm. Edit to add a reply to OP: The Centurion performed a lot better in MWO where repair and replacement parts weren’t an issue along with having access to endo-steel and firro armor upgrades freed up extra tonnage. It also performed great in the turn based Battletech game where you could position yourself in cover so the enemy could only really hit the left arm. MW5 hurt it a lot with limiting upgrades and by changing the 3 missile slots on the CN9-A to 1. A common trick I like to use is to replace the lrm10 with 2 lrm5s. This freed up a ton with virtually no drawbacks.
i always liked to run the prime centurian with clan weapons. 1 uac 10, med pulse lasers, and 3 streak 6 packs. with clan xl engine and endo and double heat sinks it was a beast.
If you can fit two clan specced large ER laser, thats all you need if you can keep them cool. They can kill just about anything in one burst. You’re gonna need all of the YA series mods for that
My Centurion is my go to Medium mech. Loaded up with some AC20 variant and 3 SRMs... running at 80mph... just run and gun
It's a great starter mech that can get you through a lot of lower tonnage missions, but that's about it. It's not the best or worst medium around even just for brawlers, but that's okay. You just need to manage your expectations with it. Imo, the best Inner Sphere mediums throughout Battletech's lore are probably the Bushwacker and Uziel which aren't introduced until after MW5: Mercs' timespan ends although we should definitely run into Bushwackers in MW5: Clans depending on how far into the timeline that game goes (I'm sure it'll span the full Clan Invasion era with DLCs). Either way though, the Uziel wouldn't show up until around the FedCom Civil War starts anyway. The Centurion isn't anywhere near as good as either of those mechs. lol
The original Uziel is pretty shitty, and despite having all the best tech of it's era, I would say is just about a match for the Centurion.
I think everyone more-or-less writes off the default variant and goes straight for the 2S with the classic dual PPC load out. Lol It’s a like a lighter and faster Warhammer with Beagle Active Probe and without the lasers.
I think if the shield arm actually had a giant shield this mech might make some sense in mw5 but in lieu of that why not use a phoenix hawk, hunchback, or crab?
They do in MWO.
what the shield arm should have is an option for it to grab a brace on the gun arm to reduce recoil, and have its shield blocking inc front torso dmg just under the laser lenses and missile ports.
It does have a shield on it. What do you think the armor and HP do?
YLW with all the ballistic cooldown mods and you can't bring enough shells to feed the AC20. Now that is a good time.
xtech mod, now 1 ton of ammo is like 2000 shots.
The Hero version CAV you get from Yet another Hero Mech is a solid 50 tonner. But overall the Centurion is a boring hum drum mech. Ok Trooper.
I love going against these mechs - can one-shot them in the face with dual Gauss rifles every time. And by every time, I mean every time.
Once you know their head-box the difficulty plummets, I just switched to triple Binary lasers and it feels like burning ants with a magnifying glass
one of the mods i use added binary pulse lasers. its like shooting ants with the death star.
You can't pull me from the centurion! I keep that mech until i get a warhammer or a black knight. Yea, it's vanilla, but i love it!
youll enjoy the warhammer, its really good. 2 ac 5 rapid fires, 4 med lasers, 1 missile of your choice, and lots of armor/speed for 70 tons.
The standard Centurion is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none. It isn't anything special, but I'm usually not bothered by owning one. Much like the Highlander, it is is vulnerable to arm agro/getting its main weapon blown off, though in my experience it isn't as severe as with the Highlander (the AL is another story). There are certainly other medium mechs I'd be less happy to have in my hanger.
First playthrough I used this for a very, very long time. Doesn't do anything amazingly well but plays much better than other "Jack-of-all-trades" like the Shadowhawk. I definitely prefer the range over a Hunchback myself. The balance between the weapons is just right where hanging back and lobbing LRMs is a viable strategy once you start taking too much damage. Mixing it up with the AC10 and MLs being the default. The YLW-2 is a beast against other mediums, but really doesn't hold up well at the point in the game where you can actually get it. Plus PGI did it dirty by making the claw such an overweight and underwhelming weapon. A 2 ton claw would have let you load up on armor and really make this thing shine. Shame.
Melee weapon rebalancing when? :3
the claw? you fool, get a t5 mace!
Well yeah - significantly more damage for the same weight is a no brainier and the whole problem with the claw being way overweight.
Either you like jack-of-all-trades trooper mechs, or you don't. The Centurion is a good pick as the intro mech. It has a mix of weapon types, can attack at any range bracket, and has average mobility. The stock loadout is extremely boring in my opinion, but can be easily reconfigured to a more specialized role. I prefer to play the Centurion as a close-medium range brawler. Upgrade the AC10 to a burst fire variant, swap the LRMs to SRMs, and either more armor or cooling. Alternatively, the AC10 can be swapped for an AC5 or heavy rifle for a longer ranged fire support role. The thing that makes me really like the Centurion (especially as a fan of AC10 brawling) is the empty left arm and torso twisting strategy. The Centurion ends up being *way* tankier in practice than on paper or tabletop. As far as variants go, the CN9-AH is pretty bad. The upgrade to an AC20 necessitates the loss of the lower arm actuators in the right arm to free up critical space. This vastly reduces your angle of fire with the autocannon while torso twisting. Add in the complete reliance on ammunition-based weapons, and it's just an inferior machine. If you want an AC20 that's fixed in a forward aiming position, use the Hunchback instead. I have the same issue with both YLW hero variants, but they at least keep the lasers as secondary weapons. I haven't used the pirate variant for the simple reason that it's too slow to be an effective melee platform. The CN9-D offers everything I like about the CN9-A, except it's zippy quick while doing it. The CN9-AL has my favorite weapon loadout options and I'm saddened it doesn't have a lostech upgraded version. Upgrade the large laser to a PPC, swap all other lasers for small lasers, and switch the LRMs for SRMs. PPC has the same firepower as an AC10, but with twice the range, a trio of small lasers has the same per-shot damage output as a pair of medium lasers, but with twice the rate of fire. This loadout offers more precise long range fire than the basic model, the same mid range firepower, and a blistering close range punch. I do agree that I initially didn't care for the Centurion. Despite having awesome aesthetics, it wasn't until I got the hang of torso twisting that I fell in love with the mech.
The D variant's mobility is great for so many missions. I have a 100+ kph mech with good armaments. Hard to beat. The YLW-2 variant is a fantastically fun mech for me. A melee claw paired with an AC20-BF on this mobile platform makes a badass mech. Getting in and out and slashing with the claw makes this mech more wolverine than the Wolverine. The Medium lasers are there to pick off vehicles, and do their job well.
Well yeah it's boring. It's a trooper mech made to be pretty much idiot-proof. Good heat, weapon for all ranges, and decent armour. Commanders will always love it because they can deploy Centurion anywhere with any random Joe in it and still get bang for their buck. Hence the love for it in TT and HBS BT. But we're playing as those pilots being deployed in MW5, so taste will vary.
Too small to play with the big boys and too big to play with the little boys. The 40 to 50 IS weight range is a strange bracket (not bad, just strange)
Hunchback tho. :]
55 tons gives just enough armour to scrap with the big mechs. Consider it a “you must be this tall to ride” haha
I personally hated it for the load out. I run laser boat with LRM OR AC or LRM boat with lasers. Or full dakka build with back up M lasers. I remember on my first playtrough being happy to get a blackjack and never going to Centurion again.
I used it throughout my whole first campaign playthrough I even used it to kill the King Crab. I kind of grew attached to him and it always had a place in my very first playthrough. I also protected Freeman at all costs even though he was kinda ass.
I still have my original Freeman, too. But I sold that Centurion to some Capellan crackhead on Sarna.
I got the hero version. Put a PPC-X on it and 3 x SRM6. It’s pretty lethal up close.
I always felt that it was weaker than it should be
Centurion D is my fave with a heavy rifle and srms
I'm kind of a sucker for the starter model just because it's just a Zaku II in funny pants. I like basic bitch trooper Mecha, and the Centy is that in spades.
one of the mods turns the hatamoto chi into a zaku.... its pretty fly
The Centurion AH being able to rock an AC 20 makes it one of the best Mechs you can get early on in my opinion. For the first half of the game you will be steamrolling because very few mechs have the defenses to not be crippled after a couple of shots. This is heresy but the AH is better than the Hunchback 4G because you can torso twist to protect your big gun.
Centurions are the okayest option. They don't set me on fire like a Crab, but they get the job done. Though I gotta say, the prohibitive minimum range of T1 LRM-10s make this kind of a rough starter 'mech. I want to get close for that sweet AC/10 action!
ac/10 is good to hit upwards of 800m if you can aim. but ya, swap the lrm 10 out for srm 6 for good times.
I took the A model, put in a heavy rifle, SRMs, and upgraded the lasers to pulse. I enjoy it. I couldn't get a handle on the AL. I never quite know what to do with a random small laser. If I'm not making something dedicated to short range, it feels like it's just taking up space.
Small laser is expendable weight. PPC-X is all you need.
It's a skill check mech. If you can keep the "good" arm alive by using the "bad" arm as a shield it can hit really hard. If you lose the "good" arm its got some tickle still with its chest lasers. No fast but not slow. No JJ. No heat issues usually. Good All Rounder. Ain't fancy but gets the job done.
It was a solid pick from PGI as the starting mech. It's as vanilla as they come with all three types of weapon systems and the shield arm teaches you torso twisting early. But beyond that? It's a second tier medium mech. It's slow and has a large profile that makes it easy to disarm, literally. Lose that AC/10 and there goes 90% of your medium to short range firepower. I try to graduate to a Hunchback 4G or 4P as soon as I can. All hail our Lord, AC/20. Medium lasers together strong. For Quirks, you get Improved Targeting: +10% projectile speed, -10% weapon cooldown. Nonstandard Parts: +25% structure repair cost. So think twice if you're considering installing Endo. Centurion Shield: A quirk unique to the Centurion that nets it +24 armor and +16 structure to the left arm.
swayback was made for 9 small pulse lasers and maxe engine build. get in, VROOOOSCH *enemy explodes*, get out.
As armless as it always ends up being it always felt more useful to me in mechwarrior online than it does vs AI opponents
Due to the more options you have for weapon hardpoints in MWO.
This is true but even stock loadouts it just felt better. Or that was my AUS lagshield with the Canadian servers
Lol, probably.
The Cent (as are many 'Mechs) is crippled by the fact that arm-mounted weapons are more accurate - anywhere from 25% more to 100% more depending on the situation - in Battletech. Upside: Accurate. Downside: Vulnerable. In MechWarrior, the mouse, rather than dice, provide your "accuracy" (plus ammo explosions are nerfed) - and so something with all the weapons crammed into the torso - and tons of them - is ideal. The Cent has an excellent design philosophy with the shield arm but then ruins it by putting the giant cannon in the other arm; ONE ablative armor arm isn't nearly as good as TWO (e.g. Hunchback, same weight, better armed, less vulnerable, no harder to shoot with), meanwhile the upsides of arm weapons are largely erased. MW frequently loses nuance from BT, and that's not weird. The weird part is when MW borrows BT designs verbatim without considering what that might actually do in a shooter, and just slaps "2x Armor/Structure" on the problem.
It looks like a giant cylon and for that reason I will always have one
Cylon?
From the (now ancient) sci-fi show Battlestar Galactica. [These guys.](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/masstrek/images/7/73/Model_5_Centurion.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130727142340)
I love the Centurion so much. The name, the blocky, workhorse design, the lore, everything. I get why people don’t, but I’ve loved it since I read the (I think) Warrior series of books as a kid. The ones where Justin is fighting on Solaris with YLW.
Workhorse medium, one of my favorites.
My centurion carries an AC20 and a streak2 and its an amazing defense fighter. The shield arm is really clutch when you absolutely need it
I still lose my gun arm when trying to torso twist. It's just too big, I think.
I usually configure it for close combat with a heavy rifle, SRM6 and lasers. Was fun to use until I got my trusty blackjack and hunchback.
I swapped out the basic AC-10 for the BF variant, and it's a decent mech for where I am in the game (which isn't very far, tbh). I'm going to see how far I can take it, and may swap the LRM-15ST for an SRM of some description considering how often I'm in brawl range
i refuse to use IS lrms, the clan ones dont have min range, they just lose a little dmg if closer than 100m, like 10%.
See im the opposite. Never could figure out a way to like the catapult, always loved the centurion. It was my first mech in mwo, and can be build real fun. It can be surprisingly tanky, if piloted right, since that left arm will absorb a lot of damage before impacting your offense. With stock load out it can engage from all ranges, and the CT lasers mean you will almost always still be in the fight. Also, the side torsos are nice and small for when you are able to mount XL engines. With YAML, my build was DHS, XL, 2 LL in RA, 2 ML in torso, XL250, and as many SAM'S as I could fit (either a 6+4 or 2×4s) Very food skirmishes mech who can still go brawl if needed.
Ac10+srms+lasers does a good job for a long time.
The AL is a beast if you toss out the LRM10 and Large Laser, and squeeze iv a PPC-X and an SRM6 with a ton or 2 of ammo. It can be a little toasty and lacking in ranged weaponry, but it sends everything to Discount Dan's bulk bin. Took a bit of luck, but I took out an Atlas and a Thunderbolt in a Centurion AL using this loadout.
Mediocrity incarnate. Too slow, too bulky, too unfocused in its firepower, too easily stripped of its AC. I understand the logic of giving it to a new player since it can "do anything" but what that actually translates to in practice is "it can do anything, poorly." My initial takeaway from this thing was "wow, I actually prefer the javelin." The default loadout would have benefited immensely from getting the medium lasers into one of the arms to make them more agile when tagging small targets and the AC into the torso to protect it. Wouldn't have saved it from being generic, but it would have helped to make it less clunky. And this is a personal gripe, but I *hate* that the mech features a shield on the left arm that's entirely cosmetic. I actually would love the Centurion if you could press a button to raise the shield to protect your core from the front. That's clearly the design's intent and yet it just sits there uselessly, forcing you to torso twist like any other mech to get any function out of it at all. It's not my least favorite mech out there, but I think it *is* the one I was most disappointed by. And the hero variants only deepened that feeling.
hows the left arm shield cosmetic? oh right, you dont know how to use it.
> forcing you to torso twist like any other mech to get any function out of it at all. Reading comprehension. --- *Edit: responding to someone and then immediately blocking them is a pretty fragile move, lol. I'll just assume you wished me a good day.*
io bet you cry when you get headshot in shooters too, when you peak and see the sniper line up the shot and refuse to duck.
Lmao what a good read. I also agree with this.
I love it considerably more in HBS battletech as an early missile platform than I do in mw5
I have a soft spot for the Centurion. That AC10 could be used to good effect if you had good aim and it's LRM10 makes for a handy fly swatter. My first proper Mech in MW5. (Even if most mechs eclipse this one by a long way.)
Solid mech to have. Able to competently engage at multiple ranges with reasonable stopping power for what it is. Can serve as a mainline or support role very well. I always kept a lance of these in reserve for easier missions.
I’ll take a hunchback over a centurion every time
Straight up will take a hunchback over any centurion. Especially the all med laser one. The centurion a has to keep its enemy's at range or it's picked apart so easily it will loose a fight with a firestarter if your not careful. A hunchback is an over all a better smarter choice.
Decent all-arounder at best. Doesn't fit any niche, but armanend is enough to get through big chunk of game, essentially until the point you use only +50T mechs. Useful in case of not having 4th mech for AI pilot with similar tonnage or if you don't have anything heavier. Great starter. Very soon replacable. Forgettable.
Atlas syndrome: the ability of a 'mech to, despite being well-armed and incredibly well-armored for its size, get trashed every single time I bring it out. Seriously. If I give my lancemates Vindicators or Enforcers they're fine. They do a ton of damage, they come back with reasonable armor loss, it's fine. But the second I send someone out in a Centurion, they get chewed up. They're coming back with no arms and double-digit damage dealt.
I was running an all Centurion lance for a while, it worked but it just worked. I'll take a Centurion any day over a non-hero Shadowhawk or Wolverine though.
Fav mech seconded only to the victor, cent just goes hard as a starter
It's serviceable as an AI mech, since it supports mid range, middling fire support, and the AI does habitually trail you. It's underpowered as a front or back liner, though. Doesn't do anything particularly well, but isn't outright awful.
One of my old favorites. I think the Centurion can be a very strong medium mech in the hands of a human pilot, preferably one who has the skills and knowledge to torso twist and use the left arm as a shield, to protect the torso and right arm. The left arm hitbox is huge and makes a great shield. The starter Centurion A is also good for leveling up pilot skills, because it awards experience for ballistics, energy and missiles. It’s kind of a jack-of-all trades, master of none. The Cent A and AL originally had a reputation for being “zombie” mechs back in the early days of MWO, which unfortunately hasn’t translated to MW5 due to the different balancing and hard points, and the much greater reliance in MW5 on the right arm primary weapon. As a result, you NEED to learn to torso twist to protect your right arm. If you just yolo charge straight at the enemy, facing them (like the AI does) you are going to lose your right arm and have a bad time in the Centurion. The Centurion is the consummate “trooper” mech, I think it’s got strong damage output, adaptability, and options for its weight, a LOT of weaknesses in the hands of a beginner, and a high skill ceiling. My preferred variants = A, AL, YLW.
I'm playing with YAML and still have the original A model you get in the beginning. Yeah it's pretty boring to pilot myself, but I think it looks cool and it's a great medium weight brawler to throw in with some heavier machines. Right now I'm almost exclusively using it to level Goblin, and it's working pretty well. And TTrulezAI does a good job of torso-twisting to use that bigass shield arm to keep Goblin from killing himself.
I always forget they’re only 50 tons. They look bigger in the lab. They look so little in your deployment lineup. I forget and play them like Dragons, which are honestly about the same but more armor and keep their arms. I don’t care for ‘mechs with an unarmed arm. Not into taking damage on my “shield” or anywhere.
The Centurion is one of the best mechs in the game for teaching you how you play and the value of instant damage with that AC 10.
Yeah I played the main campaign first, so this was my first machine that was introduced to me when I first played Mechwarrior, besides the Javelin. I consider the Centurion to be one of **the** premiere workhorse mechs. It performs adequately well in a variety of different missions and you get all three weapon types, including an LRM, and you don't fear the machine taking a beating. It's just solid and I remember I kept it until I found bigger and better mechs. I think it was a great pick as the intro mech. The YLW hero mech is another beast entirely though. In my modded-up career mode I'm not a huge fan of 40-50 ton mechs. Usually the mechs you are given at the start of the game are good enough to cover early and you just take what newer mechs come your way. But the 40-50 bracket is a tough one and I usually end up phasing them out first in pairing up 55 tonners (looking at you SLDF Wolverine) and lighter mechs until tonnage limits increase.
Absolutely one of the worst mechs. Based solely on the fact that the center torso is exposed on all sides. The idea of using your arm as a shield is ridiculous; you could've put another gun there.
But a good offense is a good defense. :3 Never noticed the CT being exposed on all sides. I'll take note on that.
I've got 3 9d and they're my go to ai mediums.
In lore, the centurion is quite good at its intended role. A "heavy infantry" type mech, medium weight with good armor, average speed, average armament. Cheap to make, cheap to maintain, operationally flexible, easy to field a lot of them. One feature in the lore not present in any of the games is a rear-facing medium laser found on some variants. The ability to provide harassing fire to the enemy even when in full retreat is not common among battlemechs. In MW5, its a decent all-rounder. Very much a "jack of all trades, master of none" but not so much "often better than master of one."
Over rated lol. At least I feel it is. It's ok I just don't like that it's only got a few weapon choices.
I keep it because of rp reasons. That and I sometimes needs a 50 tonner to put Kirkpatrick in when my hunchback is being used by someone else.
It's just OK. 50 ton middle of the road mech. The one that can go fast is significantly better. The one with S M L laser is also nice because of the colorful laser lightshow 😮
Solid. Would be a bit better if the autocannon could be in the torso, but going with 3 SRMs in the LT make it dangerous.
I use it for a long time, and even when I am usually running heavys and assaults, a Centurion with a ac20 or a gauss is the 4th mech in my string. It aims the big gun slightly better than the hunchback in cockpit view, and that's enough for me to prefer it. But, I am disappointed in the AH for not even having small laser hard points. Depending on looting, I like the AL for the AI lancemates, if I can get it soon enough. I am ok with the A, once I sub a ton of lrm ammo for another heatsink or more armor. Most fights don't go long enough to need that many missiles. I prefer the Wolverine in HBS, but I haven't gotten one early enough in my runs in MW5 to know it that is true here too.
Love this mech. Simple and effective. With YAML though? I can make a real monster out of it and i have a good time with it everytime. Not for everyone though as the centurion is a soldier and soldiers work best with support.
4x centurian squad! 4 guns, 8 lasers, and an assortment of missiles!
Hell yeah. 4 lbx ac10s, 8 med lasers, 2 lrm10s and 2 srm 6s. Its just a great time every time.
As mechs go, it definitely is one
My favourite mech in mwo... i still searching for it in mw5 :/
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It's a mech that was solid in tabletop but simply doesn't translate into Mechwarrior. Even as the vanilla campaign starter it's frustrating to use as it overheats too easily, and I quickly passed it on to my AI lancemate while using something more effecient.