Flame - LB10x 2 MPL, 2 MLThis was my first mech in Open Beta and I love it so. It has the speed and firepower to worry light mechs and the rugged armor to let it run right through a pack of assault mechs without dying (assuming you do so at full speed). Utilize your allies to their fullest potential as tanks while you swing around to the enemy's rear and blow the ever-living crap out of him. Remember, this mech is not one to go toe to toe with someone. It's an opportunist. Keep moving. I generally get first place in damage with this variant.
FLAME - 4LLMy theoretical next Flame build. I find it a bit questionable as a mobile sniper because charging around at 104kph through buildings makes it hard to keep lasers on track. Still, the firepower isn't something to laugh at. Lasers hits to the rear also attract less attention than explosions.
DRG-5N - Gauss Rifle, ERPPCThis was built to be something of a mobile sniper. It hurts quite a bit, but I think the lack of lasers hurts the flexibility of the build. In addition, even though it's just one ERPPC...it's still hot with repeated use. Which is why I graduated to the next build.
Forum stopped liking me doing BB code urls at this point for some reason...
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=23&l ... 66b28f8abcGauss Rifle, 2 MPL, SRM6
This 5N is my most successful 5N build, the one I used mostly to fill out my pilot skills before jumping to the (clearly superior) 1C chassis. The Gauss Rifle of course can be used at any range....but I can't resist a good scrap, so I generally find myself at 200 meters or less to the enemy.
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=11&l ... 45f63133dfGauss Rifle, ERPPC, 3 ML
You may see some resemblance to my first 5N variant. That is not a coincidence. The 5N was a throwaway mech for me, so I felt little need to upgrade it beyond double heatsinks. The 1C is permanent, so it got Endo Steel. With the weight savings, it has more armor and 3 lasers. Don't worry about the heat much. I tend to use the PPC up until the enemy gets to 100 meters, but there's certainly nothing stopping you from dumping a full alpha into someone standing still at point blank range (except heat).
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=11&l ... e9147042ccLB10X, 2LL, 2ML
This is my current 1C build. I use it in a similar way to my Flame, but slower and more carefully. You have to guard that right arm and use alphas only as an emergency. I'm not sure it's optimal yet, but the variant is really just a stepping stone to...
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=11&l ... 228275a4f74 LL, SRM6
Your standard 4 LL toting dragon with added SRM bonus! It's hot and untested, so we'll see how that goes.
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=23&l ... bdfc2a7d3c2 AC5, 2 LL
I'm pretty much done with 5Ns, but this was a theoretical build I never tried out before I exchanged the chassis for a 1C.
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=11&l ... 68cb8b5addLPL, 3MPL, Machine Gun, SSRM2
This was my build in Closed Beta. I couldn't tell you what I was thinking. There was a lot of screaming though.
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=56&l ... 31c58200dcGauss Rifle, 4 ML
I might switch my Flame back to this, even though it feels a little....cookie cutter.
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=10&l ... 0c75523911LB10x, 2LL, 2SSRM2
I don't drive 1Ns. But if I did, it would be something like this.
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=56&l ... 9b0b486bc5LB10x, 4ML, SSRM2
As of January 20th, this is my primary Flame build. It's so deadly and successful that I might be done customizing the mech, although getting endo steel and maxing my leg armor does occur to me.