MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries MW5 Main Campaign Progression Guide

Introduction & DLC Requirements

Greetings Mechwarrior, this guide will provide you with the knowledge required to progress the game rapidly with the goal of competing the main campaign and major DLC content.

For this guide, you need the following DLCs.

If you are playing Co-op, only the host requires these DLCs.

Required DLC:

Heros of the Inner Sphere

Legend of the Kestrel Lancers

Recommended DLC:

Rise of Rasalhague - Adds Crusader mechs, Rasalhague campaign & Bounty Hunter

Dragon's Gambit - Adds Kurita campaign & interesting loot/rewards

Non-essential/Optional:

Call to Arms

The following content will be SKIPPED.

Those in Need - (Rewards are too insignificant)

Dire Circumstances (Too far out, rewards are too insignificant)

Tributes for the Imperator (Too far out, rewards are too insignificant)

Optional (For Best Solo Start & Coop/Multiplayer)

If you plan to have the most perfect start or are playing with friends, I recommend installing YAML mod after completing the starting missions to get Goblin & his hero phoenix hawk, Kobold. You can uninstall YAML after getting Kobold if you want to have an unmodded experience.

For Coop/Multiplayer:

This provides your team with more mechs to work with so that you dont have to fight over the free Razer branded wolverine you get from Valentine system.

For Best Solo Start:

This provides you with more mechs and AI pilots to work with & makes the early grind alot easier.

Overall Progression

This is only a general recommendation for starting a new campaign mission. Expect spoilers if you continue reading. Updated for Dragon's Gambit.

1) Get 30 Million Cbills & free Wolverine @ Valentine system

2) Go to Terra or Steiner territory & buy any two heavy mechs from this list. Sell mechs as needed but try to keep a light mech for infiltration missions.

Archer 2S (Excellent firepower, mobility & compatible w AI)

Crusader 2R (Agincourt but 5T lighter. Remove mg if you intend to pass it to AI)3) Play the following missions to salvage these mechs:

No Pilot Left Behind Mission 1: Battlemaster 1G

Errant Signal Final Mission: Stalker 3F (outfit it with med lasers & srm6)4) Complete Hazing of the Weak, get the following mechs:

Black Knight 6

Highlander 732B (put 1 Jump Jet on this for Tikonov Final Mission)

Stalker 3Fb(2 large sb, med lasers, 2 LRM10)

Orion-YAJ (2 large sb lasers & 3 SRM6)5) Head over to Marik/Steiner territory, get the following mechs:

two Battlemaster 1G (Fast moving assault mech for AI to use)

Stalker 3F (Outfitted med lasers & srm6, fills downtime of the first stalker 3F)

Atlas RS (Outfitted with UAC, Large sb lasers & srm)

Kane’s King Crab (2x gauss & srm6 or 2x ac20 + tag & LRM)6) Complete Main Campaign (Completed around 3020-3023)

Get Banshee 3S or Black Knight Partisan (Crucible mission)7) Get the following mechs:

Cataphract 0X & Raven 1X (Eyes On Democracy Final Mission)

Archer Agincourt & 2 Charger 1A5 (Bow & Arrow missions)

Corsair (X Marks The Spot)

If you took Partisan in step 6, buy a second Atlas RS8) Complete Kestrel Lancer Campaign

Highlander 732B (put 1 Jump Jet on this for Tikonov Final Mission. You can toss this mech in cold storage after completing Kestral campaign)

Place Cataphract 0X at 4th position to minimise damage, provide ecm support & counter enemy ecm)9) Run Cantina Missions & bounty hunter rep

9) Complete Rise of Rasalhague & get the following mechs:

Banshee 3S (Gunsberg Mission 3, filled w T5 weapons)10) Complete Operation Onoda & continue to grind cantina/bounty hunter

OPTIONAL: Replace Orion YAJ with Orion M11) Complete Dragon's Gambit, replace Atlas RS with Mauler 2P MX90S. Replace Charger 1A5 w 3KS.

12) Whatever missions you wanna do next.

Notes: All Charger 1A5, ECM Ravens/Cataphracts in Kestral campaign cannot be salvaged. If you need a fast moving mini atlas, get the 1A5 or other mech before the campaign starts.

Mech Market Resetting

To purchase two Archer 2S or Crusader 2R, you will need to abuse the following steps to get the mechs to appear in the mech markets.

1) Save your game some distance away from the industrial hubs. You must not be able to see the various features that are available (eg: cantina, rare weapons/mechs)

2) Jump to the industrial hub system (eg: Terra for Crusader 2R)

3a) If the mech is NOT in the market, load your save from step 1

3b) If the mech spawns, buy it and save your game.

Why Buy Crusader 2R Or Archer 2S?

Similarities:

Both store most of their firepower in the torsos

Both can be built into SRM brawlers

Both can be built into LRM boats for late game

Archer 2S Advantages:

More armour than Crusader 2R

More room for heatsinks (Especially in early game)

Usually Cheaper (About 8mill)

Nothing important in arms

Can be used by players & AI

Crusader 2R Advantages

Better than Archer 2S in late game due to more missile slots

Can be built for either player or player & AI use

Weighs 5 tons less while carrying more firepower

Early game builds for each mech:

Archer 2S:

4x Medium Lasers

4x SRM4 + 2.5T ammo

Max Armour, rest to heatsinks

Crusader 2R:

4x SRM4 in torsos +2.5T Ammo

2x SRM2 in arms

2x Medium Lasers

Max Armour, rest to heatsinks

Late Game Player Builds for Crusader 2R:

4x SRM4 in torsos +2.5T Ammo

2x T2 SRM4 in arms

2x T2 Machine guns

2x T2 Medium Lasers

Max Armour, rest to double heatsinks

Why Stalker 3F

Stalker 3F has 4 missile slots and 6 laser hardpoints.

This gives the stalker one of the highest alpha strikes in vanilla gameplay.

Both players and AI can make good use of this mech.

Brawler:

6x Medium Lasers

4x SRM6

LRM support:

4x LRM10-ST

5 Med Lasers + TAG or 6 Med Lasers

Both builds are equally viable. However, I generally prefer to leave LRM support to the Fb variant due to ECM compatibility.

Why Use Atlas RS Over Atlas D?

Atlas RS has overall better balance than Atlas D in weapon loadouts.

Additionally, the role of close combat brawler is easily filled by the Stalker 3F for 15 tons less.

Loadout:

SRM6+ART

SRM4+ART

UAC5

2x Large SB Laser

Weapon Groups for Player:

SRMs to group 1, chain fire.

UAC5 & Large Lasers to group 2

UAC5, Large Lasers & SRMs to group 6 or alpha strike

Chainfire SRM gives you better control over SRM ammo usage.

UAC5 & Large SB lasers provides continuous long range fire support

All weapons in alpha strike should be used only when the target is close and cant avoid your fire. Due to the sheer number of heatainks you can mount, you’ll have continuou/sustained dps on nearby targets.

Weapon Groups for AI

SRM4+ART to group1

SRM6+ART to group 2

UAC5 to group 3

Large SB to group 4

This reduces the likelihood of AI over-aggroing enemy mechs while keeping DPS.

Double Heatsink Farming

Hero light mechs such as Commando TDK & Urbanmech K9 are cheap and carry multiple double heatsinks.

You can use these hero mechs to collect double heatsinks before the technology is widespread/available.

1) Check the number of heatsinks in the hero light mech

2) Purchase the hero light mech

3) Place the hero light mech in cold storage

This will remove all DHS from the mech4) Sell away the hero light mech

The hero mech will eventually respawn again in the future with DHS5) Continue playing the game as per normal & enjoy your new DHS

Weapon Grouping & Compatibility

The following is a simple guide on which weapons to fire on the same firing group.

You will still need to decide how to group your weapons for your playstyle.

Energy Weapons:

Tag: Pairs well with AC5BF, UAC5, medium/large lasers & SB variants

Flamers: Generally, avoid using these. AI may use only flamers if enemies get too close & ignore all other equipped weapons. alternatively, Get a mech with many flamers and overheat enemy AI to death. Pretty boring imo but dont let me stop you.

Small: Skip unless you're on a light mech. Range is too short & AI does not work well with small lasers. AI may use only small lasers if enemies get too close & ignore all other equipped weapons.

Medium & Medium SB: Pairs well with AC5BF, UAC5 & SSRM

Large: Pairs well with AC5BF & UAC5. I personally prefer large SB due to shorter burn times.

Large SB: Pairs well with ACBF, UAC5 & Gauss

Large Pulse: Pairs well with medium & medium SB lasers.

PPC: Pairs well with PPC due to zero projectile drop.

ER-PPC: Pairs with ER-PPC due to zero projectile drop.

Ballistic Weapons:

Machine Guns: Generally, avoid using these. AI may use only machine guns if enemies get too close & ignore all other equipped weapons.

Light Rifle: Pairs well with AC20 & SRMs due to similar range and projectile speeds.

Medium Rifles: Skip these. They dont do enough damage and are too heavy.

Heavy Rifles: Heavy rifles pair best with MORE HEAVY RIFLES. Upgrade your mechs with projectile & ballistic speed and you'll have a gauss rifle for half the tonnage. If you fancy a challenge, try to headshot targets outside of your effective range.

Gauss: Pairs best with Gauss & Large SB Lasers due to minimal projectile drop and similar ranges.

Missiles:

SSRM: Pairs best with tag & med lasers

SRM: Pairs best with AC20 & light rifles

SRM-ST: Avoid using these. The damage spread and odd tracking makes it difficult to concentrate damage.

LRM & LRM-ST: Pairs best with tag

Setting Up Your Lance

This is a general guide/layout for your lance.

As you progress in the game, you will likely find yourself mixing and matching as needed.

Heavy Assault Lance: (48km/h)

Purpose: Battlefield/Defence/Assassination

Player Mech: Atlas RS, Mauler 2P or Stalker 3F

AI Mech 2: King Crab Carapace or Banshee 3S

AI Mech 3: Corsair or Banshee 3S

AI Mech 4: Stalker 3Fb (Guardian ECM + LRM)

Fast Assault Lance: (64km/h)

Purpose: Demolition/Raid/Assassination

Player Mech: Mauler MX90-S, Banshee 3P

AI Mech 2: Battlemaster 1G/3M or Charger 1A5

AI Mech 3: Battlemaster 1G/3M or Charger 1A5

AI Mech 4: Battlemaster 1P (Guardian ECM)

Heavy Lance: (64km/h)

Player Mech: Archer 2S, Agincourt or Crusader 2R

AI Mech 2: Archer2S, Black Knight 6 or Charger 1A5

AI mech 3: Archer 2S, Black Knight 6 or Charger 1A5

AI mech 4: Cataphract 0X or Raven 1X/3L (Guardian ECM)

Infiltration:

Player Mech: Raven 1X/3L w BAP & ECM

AIMechs 2/3: Heaviest possible without exceeding tonnage limits

AI Mech 4: Preferably ecm capable without exceeding tonnage limits

Reason: This is due to some missions requiring you to break stealth. You'll need that firepower to delay enemies while you provide ECM cover to the retreating mech.

ECM & How It Works

All enemy mechs within an allied mech’s ECM range will suffer penalties to accuracy. Similarly, allied mech in the presence of enemy ECM will have a decrease to accuracy.

Allied ECM can be toggled to disable enemy ECM. This helps during several missions such as Tikonov & Sarna (Kestrel Lancers) & Bounty Hunter’s mission. By disabling enemy ecm, your lance & allied mechs regain their original accuracy and will be less likely to miss their targets.

Another note is the position your ECM enabled mech takes in the field. As Guardian ECM modules are quite difficult to come by, I recommend placing ECM mechs in the 4th lancemate position. This gives you ECM coverage and reduces aggro on the ECM mech as AI in the 4th slot are more passive.

Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3061756472

MW5 Main Campaign Progression Guide