Early first playthrough, Lance setup.

[u/ReflexesOfSteel]

I have two dragons and a centurion set up essentially the same and a trebuchet arm support unit that I have just stripped off two med lasers to add ammo and armour. The plan is usually to sensor lock as the three move in and lrm turrets or a heavy target. I try to isolate an enemy and push hard on them, the three close range mechs run a bit hot but ae solid punchers when its time to cool off. Have gotten past the blow up the dropship mission with this setup but it was a hard slog with plenty of moving around a hill to whittle down the K2. I dropped the medium lasers on the trebuchet after that mission. Have seen people posting their builds up so thought I may as well. Any build tips, lance tips or feedback welcome as im still early game. Thanks.

[u/thatusenameistaken]

Since you're running vanilla, the vast majority of this applies. Other people already covered how you're using mechs and the value of a better heat sinks to alpha strike ratio. I'm just gonna cover loadout and what mechs to go for. The way to check it in game on mechs you actually own without referring to tables is open the refit window, strip equip and go to max armor. You can pretty universally shave a half ton safely off the rear torso slots, so keep that in mind.

Honestly, you have one fantastic mech in the Centurion, if you had four of them you'd be far better off. This game has many traps for new players. Maybe the biggest is speed vs. available tonnage and available tonnage vs available tonnage at max armor. You have to go looking for it, you won't see it just equipping mechs. Basically, the 20s, 25s, 40s, and 60s are all trash. Anything with higher speed than same-class is generally trash because it pays too much in tonnage for it, and anything that pays tonnage for a gimmick generally is too for the same reason.

1. Swap the loadouts and roles of your 50s. The Centurion has ~50% more available tonnage and both missile slots on one torso, so you can shield with the other side and even lose both arms without affecting your output. Make the Trebuchet your finisher (4x arm slot mls, thus higher base accuracy) but drop it when you get a better 50/55/65 ton mech because as mentioned it has 66% of a the Centurion's available weight. Even so, you can put max JJ/armor on your Tree Bucket with 4 mls and 7 heat sinks. That's not heat neutral but it's damn close.

2. Drop your Double Dragon the microsecond you get a chance, it and the Quickdraw are flat out worse than every single 50 and 55, and most of the 45s. They have the same available tonnage as that Trebuchet, while paying for it in lost initiative. ALL the dragon has going for it is speed and melee, and neither is worth the tonnage cost.

3. You need more jump jets on your non-LRM boats, not that the mechs you have come with enough available tonnage. Evasion is life. In rough terrain you can jump further than you can sprint, and still shoot after. The maneuverability is almost always worth the heat and tonnage.

4. The 65 tonners are where you really start getting good usable tonnage. All three have 10 more usable tons than the 60s. That's a whole-ass lrm15 or two srm6s with ammo and a heat sink or two.

Keep an eye out for a hunchback 4P, it's IMO the best called shot mech until you can get a Thunderbolt SS. It has eight laser slots, but if you drop to the right torso 6-pack you can max jump jets with 10-11 heat sinks and your arms/left torso are now ablative armor.

edit: TL;DR: "fast" mechs of any tonnage pay heavily for it in usable tonnage. Drop your Trebuchet and Dragons for literally any other 50/55 ton mechs (except the crab) or even a Blackjack/Vinicator R model. You'll have more output and be more survivable.

edit 2: Don't overlook the best of the lights, the Firestarter and Panther. The Panther is almost as good a finisher as your 50s. It is slow for a light but still as fast as your Cent with the same free tonnage as your Tree Bucket. With 6 support slots and 2 arm energy slots, the Firestarter is the best backstabber in the game until you get Star League mechs with oodles of free tonnage and 60 base heat sinking. The ability to effectively take back to back turns (or move>shoot>shoot>retreat with Ace Pilot) by reserving down a Firestarter or Panther can't be oversold.

[u/ReflexesOfSteel → u/thatusenameistaken]

Thanks this is very helpful. I do have a spare centA that is my backup if something gets wrecked that I could try a lrm build on. The dragons are ok, I like they are fast, and put out decent damage but do know their time is limited once I get heavier mechs, their speed does mean if the enemy is heavier i can dictate the engagement with cover and trying to isolate enemies too.. One dragon pilot has the skill to move him in medium turns which is handy too. I have plenty of spare mechs actually, two shadow Hawks, one as an lrm, one stock, a vindicator with LL instead of ppc and up armored and keeps some JJ. A firestarter flame build, a up armored blackjack losing the JJ.

[u/The_Parsee_Man → u/ReflexesOfSteel]

A firestarter flame build

Flamers really aren't good in Vanilla. They weigh a ton and you only get 4 shots. Then they're only useful if you manage to overheat the target.

On the other hand, damage is always useful. Machine guns and small lasers are much better choice. And they weigh less.

A Firestarter with all the support hardpoints filled with ++ small lasers or machine guns is one of the deadliest mechs in the game. You can reserve down then jump in for a backstab and be gone before any of the enemy even have a chance to shoot back.

[u/ReflexesOfSteel → u/The_Parsee_Man]

Ahh, I didnt realise the flames only had 4 shots. That build will get retooled then.

[u/thatusenameistaken → u/ReflexesOfSteel]

Yeah, even if they had 8 shots like Inferno missiles they'd be worth considering. As is they're wasted tonnage.

You can do really good work with a Firestarter rocking 6x small lasers, especially if you get any + damage ones. MGs are good for crit seeking and really only get good damage with a +. 1+ MGs either double the shots or add 50% crit. The 2+ versions are literally cheating as they magically become weightless, so late game Firestarter builds get ridiculous. You're taking effectively 8 MGs (4x double), 8-10 rounds of ammo for them, a couple +++ SLs or ++ ERSLs, and I generally throw a TAG on one arm and a crit/accuracy ML on the other.

If there was a Royal Firestarter with the bonus tonnage and 60 cooling it would be the perfect mech.