Hunchback 4G/4H AC/20 Working Brawler Guide

The Hunchback is a very cool chassis. However, many people don’t like it (or struggle while playing), because the hunch, the Hunchback’s signature side torso is such a vulnerable part. The hunch usually holds most of the important weapons and will always be focused down by enemies. This Hunchback brawler guide will show you how to make your hunch less vulnerable enabling a skilled pilot to dish out unseen amounts of damage. The build is centered around an AC/20 and is complemented by lasers. The Hunchback brawler load-out is brought to you by Reslin and was posted in the mwo-builds.net looking-for-builds thread in the official forums. Reslin also wrote a more in-depth guide about several Hunchback variants. Check them out and give him a thumbs up.

Because it is one of the most crucial things about this Hunchback brawler build, I want to point it out first: Pay close attention to the armor allocation on the builds! The hunch has only 2 rear armor and everything else on the front side. Such a distribution will greatly increase your effectiveness on the battlefield. The hunch’s rear torso will almost never get hit, thus, most points of armor should be at the front.

A similar load-out can be done with the HBK-4H, as well. This particular version of the Hunchback brawler build utilises the additional energy slots in the hunch. If you don’t like the reduced range of the small lasers, just go with the 4G build above. However, the small lasers increase the maximum possible alpha strike slightly.

• Pay close attention to the armor allocation on the load-outs. If you are off by only a few points, it will greatly diminish your survivability on the battlefield.
• Always stay in motion. If you stand still or overheat, you are toast.
• If you are eating damage and can’t easily return fire, turn your upper torso to protect it and head for cover.
• Your AC/20 is your main weapon. Try to always hit perfect shots on cooldown. If you are unsure that you can place your shot, don’t shoot.
• Try to focus all lasers on the same component to incapacitate and down enemies fast.
• Weapon grouping hints for first load-out: 1) AC/20 2) All Lasers.
• Weapon grouping hints for second load-out: 1) AC/20 2) All Medium Lasers 3) All Lasers.
• Do not use arm-lock with this build. It might help newer players to optimise pinpoint damage, but you are wasting a lot of the Hunchbacks’s excellent agility and run-by abilities.

 

The builds in this Hunchback guide were kindly provided by Reslin. He also wrote a more in-depth guide about the Hunchback chassis. Check it out and drop him a like.

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Endo Steel Structure is a Mech upgrade that you may purchase for roughly one million c-bills on every Mech (depending on Mech size). It will provide you with a hand full more tons (5% of the total weight) to play with but also occupy many critical slots (the lines where you put your equipment in).

Cost versus gain

Depending on your mech´s size the upgrade will roughly cost one million c-bills. Beware that undoing the upgrade will cost you roughly half that amount again! In addition,you will lose internal space to put items, called critical slots; 14 to be precise. In turn your mech´s structure will weigh only half and thus adding 5% more tonnage to play with. These 5% depend on your Mech size and can be calculated as “Maximum tonnage times .05″. Example: for an Atlas you will have 100 tons and upgrading Endo Steel Structure will yield you 5 additional tons. A Hunchback weighing only 50 tons will get a bonus of 2.5 tons.

How does it work ingame: Dynamic Structure Slots

Once you´ve purchased the Endo Steel Structure upgrade, you will notice two new kinds of items appearing in your critical slots (the lines where you equip your stuff): Dynamic Structure Slot and Structure Slot. These mark the places where the Endo Steel Structure resides within your Mech. However, they can be automatically moved to a certain extent: Dynamic Structure Slots can be treated like free slots. The Structure will be moved to another part of your Mech (where ever some space is left), and you can mount your items in Dynamic Structure Slots like in any other free slot.

Once you no longer see Dynamic Structure Slots you are out of space. If you are out of space and still have some tons left, I´d recommend maxing out armor and see if you can upgrade a weapon to something heavier without using up (much) more space e.g. Medium Laser to Medium Pulse Laser.

When to purchase Endo Steel Structure

The following list will give you a rough idea on when to consider Endo Steel and when you should think of something else. However, certain situations and builds may contradict these guidelines.

• Endo Steel Structure is  highly recommended on light and medium Mechs. Heavys often times but normally never a good idea on Assaults.
• If you need more heat sinks and/or more ammunition do not go for Endo Steel, but consider upgrading to Double Heat Sinks.
• If you are planning not to put much/anything in your arms go for Endo Steel Upgrade.
• The smaller/lighter your Mech the higher the chance Endo Steel is worth a look.
• If your Mech runs with a lot of lasers, stream srm2 and other small weapons with little/no ammo Endo Steel Structure is worth a look, too.

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