The Centurion is almost a pocket heavy mech, more than it is a medium mech. It's a great intro mech for new players, since its modest speed and lackluster heat sinking forces you to play to it smartly.
The Centurion is one of my favorite mechs ever. It's one of the first you get in Mechwarrior 5's campaign, so it was one of my first. It'll always hold a place in my heart.
One of my favorite minor mods is to take the stock Centurion from 3025, flip the rear ML forward, drop a ton of LRM ammo and add 1 ton of armor. Easy enough. By the time you've shot 12 rounds of LRM, the battle is almost always over.
I love the AL. I had one that I upgraded the laser to the pulse varient, and then pulled the LRM racks for SRMs instead. I had to upgrade to double-heatsinks to save weight and keep it cool. Brutal in close range, but if caught out of position it always got hammered.
The ACs in classic Battletech have somewhat underwhelming performance, so taking a tiny reduction in damage in exchange for less ammo-dependency, more armor and more heatsinks is a welcome trade. CN9-AL is life. CN9-AL is love.
The 9AL was always a thorn to me in the HBS Battletech Campaign, it showed up very frequently and slapped me with some pain every time. Usually because I had a much bigger threat to hammer down before I got to its line item entry on the list.
The Centurion: The more successful and well known younger brother due to putting himself out there way more than his older brother who tended to stay in his lane. Thanks for the video.
Since our BT group allowed basic parts swaps (nothing complicated, just simple trades) -we often replaced the LRM 10 with two LRM 5s, added a heat-sink, then moved the rear laser to the Centurion's left arm. While still sensitive to heat buildup, our Centurions became much better close and medium range brawlers.
Whats there not to love? Its a great chassi for mechwarrior players. The redesign from piranha is sick. On the tabletop its a stellar design, especially for rookie pilots in campaign thanks to the Short Range buff to accuracy. Also it defied the odds and didnt go down even when pummeled by 3 enemy mechs. Love it. It is a medium that fights for a spot in my heart next to the hunchback. Cheers, nice vid
Gause rifle, 2xER mediun lasers and a 230xl engine is my favorite sniper loadout in any of the mechwarrior or battletech games. A fantastic sniper with MANY shots. That is still pretty brutal in medium to close.
Special mech. I was playing a mission in Mech warrior 5 where you had to protect a city from raiders. The city was protected by a near closed crescent moon of mountains. I was able to peak over the rise to lay down ac fire and acquire targets for lrm barrages. I think I took down 7 mechs and a bunch of tanks/copters this way. On the tabletop it's always seemed to punch up. I love long range harassment weapons so this guy is one of my faves
Hello Frog. Another fine video, and one about a 'workhorse' Mech that's been in the game since the beginning, back in 1984. Although your MF variant is fairly good, it has serious flaws. This is true of most variants of the Centurion, as well as the original 'low-tech' version presented in the original rules. When tech changed and the 3050 and 3055 rules and TROS were released, I modified a variety of the Yen Lo Wang to fit my preferences. The CN9-YLW2-SLC (Star Lions Corps variant) sports an Inner Sphere Gauss Rifle in the right arm, an Inner Sphere ER Large Laser mounted upon the forearm of the left arm, and finally, a standard Inner Sphere Medium Laser mounted in the Center Torso front. The Mech also sports a Hatchet in the left hand, and has 16 shots for its Gauss Rifle. This is done by giving the Centurion Inner Sphere Endo-Steel Internal Structures. And just to make it more 'lethal' at short range, TSM was added to the design to make that hatchet's strikes more effective and dangerous. Those never having encountered the variant will not know of the TSM until that hatchet cleaves off whole limbs, but it is still worth the investment. At least, in my opinion. Feel free to snatch this variant and try it out.
Ah yes the good ol Centurion the mech that hits hard for the weight. If the Orion is the poor man's Atlas the Centurion is the poor man's Orion. Such a timeless design.
The Centurion is one of those Mechs that does things WELL but does nothing GREAT. It's a great piece that makes for a great starter for anyone beginning a Battletech career
It's a little known fact that for the Centurion Omni to change configurations, the pilot has to shout "POWER EXTREME" over the external vox before the hardpoint locks will disengage.
Yen Lo Wang had claws not a hatchet, the rules of the hatchet were used to keep from having to add customer rules for the only mech of the time to have functional claws. Note that I said functional claws, the claws on the Kodiak were decorative not functional. Excellent video as always, and you chose to cover a well loved personal favorite. Keep them coming Frog, and we'll hop right on them.
one of my absolute favorite Medium 'Mechs. So versatile, so many variants, and it all comes back to a solid design. Kudos good sir, keep up the great work!
The centurion just works. Take the rear laser on the 3025 version and put it out front gives you a medium mech that can output potential 20 damage at almost any range while being relatively cool. Though I wish that the PGI version is the official art because it looks badass
Hard not to appreciate the Centurion; it's just an amazingly solid trooper mech that presents a daunting foe to anyone or anything that doesn't significantly outmass it.
Big fan of the Centurion, shame it's bad for maintenance with those non-standard parts, that kinda hurts it as a trooper-a role the design is otherwise well-suited for between the Enforcer and the Centurion, the Federated Suns are quite good for troopers
Easily my favorite medium mech even if I don't often play the space Romans/ Brits (Fed-sons). It's versatility and flexibility is out standing and Omni tech shot this into the stars. Even if not the toughest or fastest for its weight class, it's excellent if weirdly expensive at times. A true Jad of all trades. Master of none.
I'm mostly familiar with the centurion from the BattleTech cartoon I never played it. Clarification, I've played BattleTech, MechWarrior, etcetera, just that I was never interested in running the centurion
Just take a look at the goofy original model of the Centurion: What is not to love? On the table it is a little slow but can dish out damage at all range brackets while also being able to take a hit or two. Love that mech :)
A solid workhorse design with good weapons (aside from the wrong-facing laser) across all range brackets and good heat control. It's an affordable mech to fit into your list, and it'll be an excellent bodyguard for your lance Commander. If it dies doing its job, that's worth it to protect your other lancemates, and easily replaced. Definitely one to keep in mind when building a list.
The centurion is the archetypical grunt medium mech. A hefty right hook, a backup medium laser and a LRM10 for support fire (incidantly to support its sister chasses the trebutchet). The backfacing medium laser however is in my eyes a massive design flaw. No medium laser in the back has in the history of ever, deterred a light mech or destroyed anything. Infact reinstalling the medium laser to face forward is highly adviced to increase the mechs overall firepower. Cause if you have to rely on a backfacing medium laser... you have allready lost the battle. Anything that gets in your back is either to fast to hit, or to heavily armored to be impressed by a single medium laser. The non standard parts can be tricky if you dont have inventive techmechs, otherwise though you get a reliable workhorse grunt suit in the medium bracket that has slight above weight punching capabilities.
I couldn't agree more! Rear-firing weapons are a waste of tonnage if you're doing things right, and strong rear armor and smart positioning of your lancemates are far better deterrents for those sneaky little backstabbers (yes, Capellans, I'm looking at you).
@@brianhenry152 While I agree that in general rear-facing weapons are a bad idea, I don't think the goal was ever to deter backstabbers. If you look at mechs with rear-facing weaponry (The first four I think of are Centerion, Atlas, Quickdraw, and Zeus), most are expected to end up in a brawl. It seems to me that the point of rear-arc weapons was to allow brawlers to take extra shots on weakened targets while they used their bigger guns on the greater threat, with the hope of a lucky crit or a kill shot. However, I think this only really works in introtech. Once 3050 hits it becomes a evolutionary dead end. The thing that made rear-firing weapons viable (in my opinion) was that mechs tended to be on the slower and/or lighter-armored side during intro-tech, and that mechs seem to survive long enough to loose a lot of their firepower (that might be just my experience though). I think the thing that killed them was the advent of the XL engine. XL's made it easier to bring a lot of firepower while paradoxically making it harder for a mech to be stripped of it's firepower. Mainly by being destroyed before losing a significant portion of it's guns. These conditions rendered turning away from an enemy a non-option, effectivly killing the one niche rear-firing weapons had. In short, I think that rear-firing weapons had a place in introtech, but thats about it. In most cases I think you'd get more mileage out of your mech being able to arm-flip anyway.
Originally slow and less maneuverable mechs carried rear facing armaments for anti-infantry purposes. The design idea was that while you were facing an enemy mech, you fight be forced to turn your spine towards infantry, who could then take pot shots with man portable anti-mech weapons like SRM packs or small lasers. So the rear facing weapon was to make sure that the infantry kept their heads down, or got them shot off. Infantry became less of a concern as warfare changed with the introduction of Elementals, and as mechs became less ponderous and slow with the reintroduction of XL engines (Helm memory core).
@@Dang_Near_Fed_Up The medium laser is a horrible anti infantry weapon though, it will only kill 1 to 2 infantry per shot out of a unit that is usual about 30 soldiers strong. And that is if you even manage to hit them since is more likely then not that that infantry unit is your secondary target while your primary is infront of you. Its still far more beneficial to replace that rear facing medium laser with a forward facing one and have allies with actual anti infantry weapons to cover your back ... (or not get into situations where infantry gets into your back to begin with) Its dead weight thats not going to prevent anyone be they infantry, vehicles or other mechs, from trying to backstab you
@@riptors9777 I agree it is not a good anti-infantry weapon, but that was the explanation for the rear facing weapon in the original tabletop game. An extra ton of armor would be more useful. Or turning that weapon facing forward as you said. Even just an extra heatsink would be more useful in many cases.
I love it because it is half an Atlas. Though not my favorite, too much chance for internal boom, but it is a solid boom stick carrier and a lot of fun.
@@MechanicalFrogThat's where you're wrong. C'mon, we're not expecting a full album, just a single excerpt for the channel intro would elevate it from an inside joke to a legitimate claim to fame. Or infamy, who knows. Either would be worth a laugh.
The first thing I do with most Centurion configurations is drop the LRM10 in favor of 2 LRM5s, as this frees up 1 ton (or 1/2 ton if you're using the clan variety) , that you can then use to add armor, ammo or cooling, as your build requires.
I have a CN9-A variant upgraded with a clan UAC-20, LRM-10 and a pair of ER-Mediums. 8.5t std armor and 4/6/4 movement. The backstory is a chassis that was gradually updated with captured clan-spec weaponry during the fighting of the clan invasion. However you fluff it, though, the machine is devastating at close range, with an alpha of 67 pts... Just don't plan on moving much afterwards. LOL Makes a great bodyguard, though, especially if you have an elite-level gunner to drive it.
@MechanicalFrog not a competition, my dude. We just want to see ya paint, and paint right along with ya :) Those MF variants aren't gonna paint themselves!
A classic for a reason. Though are there any mechs with rear facing weapons where they would just be better fixed forward? 1-2 medium lasers usually are making anyone think twice about trying to shoot you in the back.
I didn't care so much for Centurion. But the GM challenged me to make an IS tech and mech that had to be under 7milion c-bills. The Centurion fits the bill. This is what I came up with. Centurion CN-OZ-1 Weight: 50 tons Cost: BV: 1,051 6,875,500 C-bills Movement: 4/6 Engine: 200 XL Double Heat Sinks: 13 [26] HEAT: 34/26 Gyro: Standard Gyro Armor: Internal: 83 (Endo-Steel) Armor: 152/169 (9.5tons) Weapons: 3x MRM10 in LT, CT, and RT (2 tons of MRM10 Ammo in the LT CASE protected. 48 shots) 2x Large Pulse Lasers in the RA
@@MechanicalFrog Heh yeah I was imagining the Chad Centurion wearing a buttoned shirt and then suddenly pulling open its shirt Superman-style to unleash all them pectoral missiles. lol
I have a long history with the Centurion. The main thing is that I'm still kind of sad that it doesn't have a proper mech shield for its right arm outside of specific custom-fit examples. (that, and the combination of Auto-Cannons being overweight for their effect with mech weaponry/shields having the same problem creates yet more missed opportunities) The early CN9 models (the A, AL, and AH) are solid performers, with the AL in particular being astoundingly good value in BT. (Laser spam is safe and effective during the Succession Wars) My Mechwarrior, experience with the Centurion is a bit of a mixed bag. In MechWarrior 4, it's an obnoxiously durable brick due to its exceptionally high (hidden) armor/structure bonuses and bizarrely shaped hit boxes for its torso locations; though the mech is generally slow by its Fed-Com Civil War era counterparts, its actually fairly difficult to consistently land shots on the center torso if the mech isn't facing you directly. (Again, MW4 is a weird game where your knowledge of the Battletech tabletop game is of little use. Lots of things are different, especially performance values for mechs) In Mechwarrior 5, the classic CN9 is Commander Mason's (read: YOU) personal ride at the start of the game. Funnily enough, I find it to be almost as much of a liability during the DeBerry tutorial missions as it is an asset; at least until I'm able to do some field refits of its weaponry to strap on more armor and even out its offense profit. (Swap the AC/10 out for an AC/5, and the LRM-10 for a pair of SRM4s. Upgrade the armor. That's a much better mech for the early MW5 campaign.) Most variants of the Centurion are decent, but its bulky frame and lack of speed makes it an easy punching bag and prime backstab candidate for light mechs during the 3025 era. The upgraded models generally fare far better due to the proliferation of that XL 300 engine, but there are much better medium mechs available by the 3040s when they're making their debut. It's not as good as a Hunchback, Dervish or Shadow-Hawk IMO (again, in Mechwarrior, not Battletech) but its not bad.
Honestly, and I'm just commenting so that the video gets more engagement from the all-powerful algorithm, the MF is one my least-favourite MF variants you've come up with. I don't think the ER PPC fits the theme, here. I'd have been happier with a Clan LB10X or Ultra10. Best of the week to you all, my favourite battletech fans. You're all awesome.
3050 full clan tech rebuild of the Centurion. 50 tons, 6/9/6 movement, 2.5t endo-steel, 9.5t XL + DHS, 6t standard cockpit+gyro, 8.5t fero-fiberous, 3t JumpJets, 20.5t podspace. PRIME Config: LB-10X with 2t ammo (ra), LRM-10 with 2t ammo (lt), Streak SRM-4 with 1t ammo (rt), ERML (la). AltConfig: Large Pulse Laser (ra), 2 MPL (lt), MPL (la), LRM-15 with 1t ammo (lt), Targeting Computer (rt)
@@MechanicalFrogthe moment you started talking about the Romans evolving from the phalanx to the Manipular legion because of the Samnite wars, i got the feeling you actually know what you're talking about. That's not info someone would just bring up to explain why a mech is called a 'Centurion', it's the kind of thing that only comes out when know enough about something that you can't resist explaining the context around it.
Take 2: The Centurion is a mech I like because it gets me thinking. Its flaws, strengths, and upgrades. Its got some firepower, but Its an overall poorly optimized design, a "Poor Man's Heavy mech". Now what I wouldve like the Centurion to be would be has already been made. The Thunderbolt, Orion, and Zeus are great examples of Troopers done better. Its primary flaw is its signature Autocannon-10. It takes up almost 33% of the mechs total weight. Ditch that for a Large Laser, PPC, or LRM launcher. Another notable flaw is its slow speed, especially for a Medium battlemech. Its a snail it later eras. Of the 3025 era variants one fairs much better. The CN9-AL removes the Autocannon for a Large Laser, a Small Laser, extra armor, and heat sinks. Its still slow, but now its tougher and more sustainable on the battletech. What I would like the Centurion to be in 3025 would be a like Griffin(if you want speed) or a Whitworth(if you want slow). I remember in the Battletech2018 PC game where you get an unarmed Centurion as part of a campaign mission reward. It's a fixer-upper, but I made my Centurion into a missile boat with 30 LRMs.
I didn’t know much about it, now I do! Thank you! I love the look of the ‘Mech. Must get one sometime. I just checked and it’s in the Inner Sphere Heavy Lance: Banshee, Grasshopper, Centurion, Hatchetman. Nice! Go-go MechFrog algorithm!✊
Great job as always.. Always take a bet that your variant will have a plasma rifle... I really, really enjoy this machine. My first variant was a successor wars variant that removed the autocannon, replacing the original engine with a Trebuchets (5/8), and adding a large laser with 4 additional heat sinks. I also move the rear-facing laser to the front. Its cheap, tough, and decently mobile machine.
I'm surprised more variants didn't switch out the LRMs with SRMs. I've done that to every single Centurion I salvage. Just makes more sense, imo, for a brawler mech. I could see the argument for clan LRMs, though, as there's no minimum range with those.
I do love the Centurion it's still one of my favorite mech of all times. I spent many weekend nights playing the tabletop version of BattleTech, and for the most part, the Centurion has never let me down. I love the design of it and how easy it is to modify it. And I have a few variants of it I do love.
The Centurion has always been one of my favorites. I almost always find my merc companies using one for at least a little while. They're just super solid.
I have a pretty standard upgrade off a AL. Swap to a heavy L laser. Add fero. Upgrade the small to a med. Swap to doubles add 1 and about .7 tons of armor
Its a favorite medium mech to be sure. Definition of line mech. Often put it at the lead of medium lances or have it in heavier lances backing up mechs like the thunderbolt, Marauder, and Warhammer. Firepower often the enemy can't ignore. I often thought time wasn't exactly kind to it. The XL engine really changes how its played going from trooper to striker. I never could get used to that change really looses that ability to hang in there with the heavies.
A Centurion was the first mech I ever painted, and I've gotten quite a bit of use out of it. It's the classic frontline trooper medium mech. I like the 10-series in particular for better durability and modest weapon upgrades, and omni version offers some fun republic-era options if you have a bit of extra BV.
A great overview of a great soldier mech :-) i like the first lbx centurion it punches above its weight and is useful at all ranges :-) edited to make it clear which lbx mech i prefer :-)
This is one of those mechs i have loved since it was introduced. it is one of my favorite trooper mechs. i have moded then in so many ways. SRMs over LRMS, energy builds, etc etc etc. what ever salvage that fit to replace what ever got shredded making that salvage. such a great design. Thanks for another great vide sir frog. one time we had salvaged a 9AH and what we did was make the RA/RT look damaged, Stand off and use LRMs turn off HS to make it look running hot moving slow- or appearing seriously f'd up... i mean merch unit no down time, lights would close, getting inside the LRM min range and SUPRISE AC 20 to the scout. yeah i was a sneaky sneaky boy in the campaign my friend ran for me.
I swear every time I go to see if there is a “why do we love” video on a mech, and there isnt one yet, its always uploaded the next day. I dont know why this seems to keep happening but its sure is convenient :)
Because it gives us the opportunity to think about both Rome and BT when making “he’s thinking about her” memes. Also, “There ain’t no laws” when facing the Frog’s claws! 🐸
The Centurion is always a solid starting point for a medium trooper. 50-tonners don't often get as much love as the 45ers or 55s, but they're plenty flexible. I almost always keep the spirit of the Centurion when customizing, leaving the left arm empty, or at best adding short range, single shot, or melee weapons. Maybe even an actual shield. As much as I like the ballistic gun arm, the CN9-AL is my starting platform of choice. For a nice 3025 refit, I drop the wasteful half ton of armor, one ton of LRM ammo, and the Small Laser, and replace the Large Laser with a PPC, giving it back the punch of the CN9-A with less ammo to worry about.
Since this is one of my favorite medium troopers I was super excited for this one and as always great video! The AL is probably overall my favorite and I wish there was a proper canon updated model. I also really like the D3/D3D and D4 models
Centurion AL was the basis for my own custom refit of the centurion. large pulse laser and a flamer in the arm, 2 medium lasers and an SRM6. replaced the heatsinks with half the total of doubles, and used all the saved mass for extra armor, except for one single heatsink in the head to try and make it less toasty for the mechwarrior. it serves me well as a solid close range brawler, with the range on the lp laser letting me give vehicles a reason to go bother somebody else so theyre not nipping my heels its a great refit in my biased opinion, and good for any mechwarrior with more agression than sense(hi) or prone to noble rear guard holding actions as im writing this comment it occurs to me a plasma rifle or cannon would fulfill the same role as the flamer but probably better overall
The AL is one of my favorite mechs. It has always served me well. I later upgraded it into something like the CN9-D9 but with a non XL engine and slower. Still, the Centurion suffers the arm mounted primary weapon issue. I lose arms so fast.
I like the Centurion. Its base loadout is what I think of as a trooper design, and In my opinion future mechs like the Bushwacker emulated the mix of weapons to be tactically useful in most engagements. I’ve ran the CN9-D, and had fun with its speed and punch. I did modify the Yen Lo Wang CGL mini into a CN9-AH (since it had the big gun arm already, just had to sculpt the launcher and remove the claws), but I have yet to use that variant.
Centurion is a Great mech. It was my favorite medium mech before I found the Eris. I always pair the centurion with a hunchback if possible, quite the duo.
One of my Favorite Medium Mechs out there. In MWO my Friends and I would each take a Yen-Low Variant with a XL Engine and each would Pick a Priamary Color. During Battles we would charge the Enemy Team to the tune of (Theme of Power Rangers)
I am a BIG fan of the CN-10D Centurion I am using it in our Chaos Campaign It is my most destroyed and rebuilt 'mech, because it is always on the front line, and always a threat
I love the Centurion. Whenever I use it I typically put it in a lance with a Trebuchet. Surprise surprise, they work great together. I usually take the good old 9A since I just like the 3025 or prior mechs.
I like the Centurion, it's got all the tools to function in most roles expected of a medium mech and balances every weakness with a strength. I'd like to mention a refit of the CN9-A that served me well in my first playthrough of HBS Battletech. It wasn't too fancy, I simply downgraded the LRM 10 to an LRM 5 with one ton of ammo and mounted four Jump Jets in the legs. I don't remember where the two remaining tons went, but it was most likely used to up the armor. The refit worked well in HBS Battletech, the extra level of mobility saved my bacon a couple times. I want to give it a try on tabletop, even if I feel it might actually be a downgrade outside of the HBSB fighting style.
Adriatic Sea, not the Aegean. Apologies.
Made sure to correct yourself before the Internet got ahold of that tiny detail????
@@MechanicalFrog I think somebody is trying to do a scam with ur name. One of my comments got a spam message
The centurion is the workhorse, the Orion is the big brother and the Atlas is the final boss. A family of getting things done trooper style
That’s a cool way to look at em
So what would be its light mech sibling? The panther?
The Centurion, you either overcome through terrible odds, or go out in a blaze of glory. There is no in between.
This is a fair appraisal.
The Centurion is almost a pocket heavy mech, more than it is a medium mech. It's a great intro mech for new players, since its modest speed and lackluster heat sinking forces you to play to it smartly.
I always ripped out the LRM for an SRM6 and more cooling
@@ironboy3245 very fair, I often go the other way and give it an AC5 instead of the AC10. Since it's so slow it might as well hang back.
@@Bomfunker91 I found that I'm the opposite in that I will strip out the lrms, put in srms and add AC ammo will possibly put in pulse medium lasers
Lack luster heat sinking?
It's damn near impossible to over critically .
The Centurion is one of my favorite mechs ever. It's one of the first you get in Mechwarrior 5's campaign, so it was one of my first. It'll always hold a place in my heart.
I can relate. The Crab is one of my favorites due to how fast you can get one in MechWarrior 2 mercs😊
Same! The PGI redesign is probably the best one imo, the hard edges, the stocky build, and the shielded left arm is just one hell of a look
I do love how so many of the IlClan variants of “classic” mechs are very much “modernized classics”.
Commenting before I watch to say: I bet the MF variant DOESN'T have a plasma rifle this time. Let's see if I'm correct...
Yes... let's see...
I'll take that bet!
One pays 25. I'll take that bet
Y'all both owe me! 😂😂
I do like the Claw-energy build with some SRM's
One of my favorite minor mods is to take the stock Centurion from 3025, flip the rear ML forward, drop a ton of LRM ammo and add 1 ton of armor. Easy enough. By the time you've shot 12 rounds of LRM, the battle is almost always over.
A solid field refit if I've ever heard one.
Citizen Yang's Yen-Lo Wang is Iconic. I am glad it got a mention.
Good times had by all.
Any Centurion video that doesn't mention Yen Lo Wang is incomplete.
The CN9-AL is a great variant that has served me well.
Quite solid.
I love the AL. I had one that I upgraded the laser to the pulse varient, and then pulled the LRM racks for SRMs instead. I had to upgrade to double-heatsinks to save weight and keep it cool. Brutal in close range, but if caught out of position it always got hammered.
The ACs in classic Battletech have somewhat underwhelming performance, so taking a tiny reduction in damage in exchange for less ammo-dependency, more armor and more heatsinks is a welcome trade.
CN9-AL is life.
CN9-AL is love.
The 9AL was always a thorn to me in the HBS Battletech Campaign, it showed up very frequently and slapped me with some pain every time. Usually because I had a much bigger threat to hammer down before I got to its line item entry on the list.
The Centurion: The more successful and well known younger brother due to putting himself out there way more than his older brother who tended to stay in his lane. Thanks for the video.
Since our BT group allowed basic parts swaps (nothing complicated, just simple trades) -we often replaced the LRM 10 with two LRM 5s, added a heat-sink, then moved the rear laser to the Centurion's left arm. While still sensitive to heat buildup, our Centurions became much better close and medium range brawlers.
Whats there not to love? Its a great chassi for mechwarrior players. The redesign from piranha is sick. On the tabletop its a stellar design, especially for rookie pilots in campaign thanks to the Short Range buff to accuracy. Also it defied the odds and didnt go down even when pummeled by 3 enemy mechs. Love it. It is a medium that fights for a spot in my heart next to the hunchback.
Cheers, nice vid
I really love the modern reimagining of the centurion. It just looks badass while still being grounded/practical (for a mech).
Uninspired but rock steady workhorse of a medium. One of my favorite lance filler mechs
CN-9D was my first exposure to this mech. Along with the Crab it became a medium against which all others would be judged
Its no Crab, but its right behind it on my favorite mechs list, with a spot in every lance.
The Crab does set a high bar.
Gause rifle, 2xER mediun lasers and a 230xl engine is my favorite sniper loadout in any of the mechwarrior or battletech games. A fantastic sniper with MANY shots. That is still pretty brutal in medium to close.
Special mech. I was playing a mission in Mech warrior 5 where you had to protect a city from raiders. The city was protected by a near closed crescent moon of mountains. I was able to peak over the rise to lay down ac fire and acquire targets for lrm barrages. I think I took down 7 mechs and a bunch of tanks/copters this way. On the tabletop it's always seemed to punch up. I love long range harassment weapons so this guy is one of my faves
I really appreciate that you take era in to mind when talking about the design of mechs.
Thank you. I think it's important to consider.
Does it say that I'm a bad fan that I didn't even realize you never did a video on the Centurion? Another good one Frog, a solid four out of five.
Thank ya.
Hello Frog.
Another fine video, and one about a 'workhorse' Mech that's been in the game since the beginning, back in 1984.
Although your MF variant is fairly good, it has serious flaws. This is true of most variants of the Centurion, as well as the original 'low-tech' version presented in the original rules.
When tech changed and the 3050 and 3055 rules and TROS were released, I modified a variety of the Yen Lo Wang to fit my preferences.
The CN9-YLW2-SLC (Star Lions Corps variant) sports an Inner Sphere Gauss Rifle in the right arm, an Inner Sphere ER Large Laser mounted upon the forearm of the left arm, and finally, a standard Inner Sphere Medium Laser mounted in the Center Torso front. The Mech also sports a Hatchet in the left hand, and has 16 shots for its Gauss Rifle. This is done by giving the Centurion Inner Sphere Endo-Steel Internal Structures. And just to make it more 'lethal' at short range, TSM was added to the design to make that hatchet's strikes more effective and dangerous.
Those never having encountered the variant will not know of the TSM until that hatchet cleaves off whole limbs, but it is still worth the investment. At least, in my opinion. Feel free to snatch this variant and try it out.
I now have unlocked the achievement of Mr. Mechfrog naming me wrong in one of his videos. 'Rashktah' became 'Kashtkah'. 😂
Yet another of my favorites
Ah yes the good ol Centurion the mech that hits hard for the weight. If the Orion is the poor man's Atlas the Centurion is the poor man's Orion. Such a timeless design.
The Centurion is one of those Mechs that does things WELL but does nothing GREAT. It's a great piece that makes for a great starter for anyone beginning a Battletech career
The Centurion is a perfectly solid trooper, the AC-10 just makes everyone sit up and take notice. Great video as always Mr Frog!
Thanks a ton!
It's a little known fact that for the Centurion Omni to change configurations, the pilot has to shout "POWER EXTREME" over the external vox before the hardpoint locks will disengage.
This sounds right.
deep cut. i salute you.
@@theangryMD *bows*
Well done. I see you are a man of taste and sosphistication.
@@NateTheBald591 Thank you, Thank you, I'll be here all week, :P
Yen Lo Wang had claws not a hatchet, the rules of the hatchet were used to keep from having to add customer rules for the only mech of the time to have functional claws. Note that I said functional claws, the claws on the Kodiak were decorative not functional.
Excellent video as always, and you chose to cover a well loved personal favorite. Keep them coming Frog, and we'll hop right on them.
Aff.
The poor man's Vindicator , makes my Capellan heart smile that the best variant pre Clan invasion is the Capellan variant
I liked that you start the main story mode of Mechwarrior 5 with a centurion. In Battletech 2018 I also had a centurion in my lance quite often
one of my absolute favorite Medium 'Mechs. So versatile, so many variants, and it all comes back to a solid design. Kudos good sir, keep up the great work!
Thank you!
Yen-Lo-Wang. The flagship of cappie plot armor.
The centurion just works. Take the rear laser on the 3025 version and put it out front gives you a medium mech that can output potential 20 damage at almost any range while being relatively cool. Though I wish that the PGI version is the official art because it looks badass
The PGI version is pretty cool. Maybe a bit bulky for 50 tons but... it looks cool.
Hard not to appreciate the Centurion; it's just an amazingly solid trooper mech that presents a daunting foe to anyone or anything that doesn't significantly outmass it.
Big fan of the Centurion, shame it's bad for maintenance with those non-standard parts, that kinda hurts it as a trooper-a role the design is otherwise well-suited for
between the Enforcer and the Centurion, the Federated Suns are quite good for troopers
Just raid FedSun depots. Problem solved.
@@MechanicalFrog that doesn't really work for the AFFS itself except during the FedSuns Civil War, and at that point they're not doing so great
Easily my favorite medium mech even if I don't often play the space Romans/ Brits (Fed-sons). It's versatility and flexibility is out standing and Omni tech shot this into the stars. Even if not the toughest or fastest for its weight class, it's excellent if weirdly expensive at times.
A true Jad of all trades. Master of none.
My favorite mech fell in love with the balance in mw5
Love the Centurion, my second favorite IS medium, right after the Bushwacker.
The Bushwacker is hard to beat as far as cool mechs go.
I'm mostly familiar with the centurion from the BattleTech cartoon I never played it.
Clarification, I've played BattleTech, MechWarrior, etcetera, just that I was never interested in running the centurion
There are plenty of good options in that 50 ton weight point.
Just take a look at the goofy original model of the Centurion: What is not to love?
On the table it is a little slow but can dish out damage at all range brackets while also being able to take a hit or two.
Love that mech :)
A solid workhorse design with good weapons (aside from the wrong-facing laser) across all range brackets and good heat control. It's an affordable mech to fit into your list, and it'll be an excellent bodyguard for your lance Commander. If it dies doing its job, that's worth it to protect your other lancemates, and easily replaced. Definitely one to keep in mind when building a list.
The centurion is the archetypical grunt medium mech.
A hefty right hook, a backup medium laser and a LRM10 for support fire (incidantly to support its sister chasses the trebutchet). The backfacing medium laser however is in my eyes a massive design flaw. No medium laser in the back has in the history of ever, deterred a light mech or destroyed anything. Infact reinstalling the medium laser to face forward is highly adviced to increase the mechs overall firepower.
Cause if you have to rely on a backfacing medium laser... you have allready lost the battle. Anything that gets in your back is either to fast to hit, or to heavily armored to be impressed by a single medium laser.
The non standard parts can be tricky if you dont have inventive techmechs, otherwise though you get a reliable workhorse grunt suit in the medium bracket that has slight above weight punching capabilities.
I couldn't agree more! Rear-firing weapons are a waste of tonnage if you're doing things right, and strong rear armor and smart positioning of your lancemates are far better deterrents for those sneaky little backstabbers (yes, Capellans, I'm looking at you).
@@brianhenry152 While I agree that in general rear-facing weapons are a bad idea, I don't think the goal was ever to deter backstabbers. If you look at mechs with rear-facing weaponry (The first four I think of are Centerion, Atlas, Quickdraw, and Zeus), most are expected to end up in a brawl. It seems to me that the point of rear-arc weapons was to allow brawlers to take extra shots on weakened targets while they used their bigger guns on the greater threat, with the hope of a lucky crit or a kill shot.
However, I think this only really works in introtech. Once 3050 hits it becomes a evolutionary dead end. The thing that made rear-firing weapons viable (in my opinion) was that mechs tended to be on the slower and/or lighter-armored side during intro-tech, and that mechs seem to survive long enough to loose a lot of their firepower (that might be just my experience though). I think the thing that killed them was the advent of the XL engine. XL's made it easier to bring a lot of firepower while paradoxically making it harder for a mech to be stripped of it's firepower. Mainly by being destroyed before losing a significant portion of it's guns. These conditions rendered turning away from an enemy a non-option, effectivly killing the one niche rear-firing weapons had.
In short, I think that rear-firing weapons had a place in introtech, but thats about it. In most cases I think you'd get more mileage out of your mech being able to arm-flip anyway.
Originally slow and less maneuverable mechs carried rear facing armaments for anti-infantry purposes. The design idea was that while you were facing an enemy mech, you fight be forced to turn your spine towards infantry, who could then take pot shots with man portable anti-mech weapons like SRM packs or small lasers. So the rear facing weapon was to make sure that the infantry kept their heads down, or got them shot off.
Infantry became less of a concern as warfare changed with the introduction of Elementals, and as mechs became less ponderous and slow with the reintroduction of XL engines (Helm memory core).
@@Dang_Near_Fed_Up The medium laser is a horrible anti infantry weapon though, it will only kill 1 to 2 infantry per shot out of a unit that is usual about 30 soldiers strong. And that is if you even manage to hit them since is more likely then not that that infantry unit is your secondary target while your primary is infront of you.
Its still far more beneficial to replace that rear facing medium laser with a forward facing one and have allies with actual anti infantry weapons to cover your back ... (or not get into situations where infantry gets into your back to begin with) Its dead weight thats not going to prevent anyone be they infantry, vehicles or other mechs, from trying to backstab you
@@riptors9777 I agree it is not a good anti-infantry weapon, but that was the explanation for the rear facing weapon in the original tabletop game.
An extra ton of armor would be more useful. Or turning that weapon facing forward as you said. Even just an extra heatsink would be more useful in many cases.
I love it because it is half an Atlas.
Though not my favorite, too much chance for internal boom, but it is a solid boom stick carrier and a lot of fun.
Fun is key.
One of these days I’d like you to hear what Battletech-Country-Hip Hop Fusion sounds like.
No one actually wants to hear that.
@@MechanicalFrogThat's where you're wrong. C'mon, we're not expecting a full album, just a single excerpt for the channel intro would elevate it from an inside joke to a legitimate claim to fame. Or infamy, who knows. Either would be worth a laugh.
My beloved Battlemech
CN9-D ftw!!!! Twin RAC/2s!!!
22:54 a completely legitimate, honorable, and justified occupation 🙂.
🐉Completely. Any who say otherwise would be an honour-less dog!
The first thing I do with most Centurion configurations is drop the LRM10 in favor of 2 LRM5s, as this frees up 1 ton (or 1/2 ton if you're using the clan variety) , that you can then use to add armor, ammo or cooling, as your build requires.
Love the AL in MWO, especially after Blazer update. Double Blazer and all the heatsink I can crammed into the chassis.
I have a CN9-A variant upgraded with a clan UAC-20, LRM-10 and a pair of ER-Mediums. 8.5t std armor and 4/6/4 movement. The backstory is a chassis that was gradually updated with captured clan-spec weaponry during the fighting of the clan invasion. However you fluff it, though, the machine is devastating at close range, with an alpha of 67 pts... Just don't plan on moving much afterwards. LOL Makes a great bodyguard, though, especially if you have an elite-level gunner to drive it.
Space Roman Marian legionnaires, rise up!
One may admire how those Space Roman LARPers came up with the Centurion militiamechs
"We can't get any from this far away, so we'll just make our own."
Will we be getting more painting videos? They are my favorite.
Not going to say never but, my painting skills have been eclipsed by many others in the community who have really stepped up their games.
@MechanicalFrog not a competition, my dude. We just want to see ya paint, and paint right along with ya :) Those MF variants aren't gonna paint themselves!
A classic for a reason. Though are there any mechs with rear facing weapons where they would just be better fixed forward? 1-2 medium lasers usually are making anyone think twice about trying to shoot you in the back.
I didn't care so much for Centurion. But the GM challenged me to make an IS tech and mech that had to be under 7milion c-bills. The Centurion fits the bill. This is what I came up with.
Centurion CN-OZ-1
Weight: 50 tons
Cost: BV: 1,051 6,875,500 C-bills
Movement: 4/6 Engine: 200 XL
Double Heat Sinks: 13 [26] HEAT: 34/26
Gyro: Standard Gyro
Armor: Internal: 83 (Endo-Steel) Armor: 152/169 (9.5tons)
Weapons:
3x MRM10 in LT, CT, and RT (2 tons of MRM10 Ammo in the LT CASE protected. 48 shots)
2x Large Pulse Lasers in the RA
Looks solid. Plenty of missiles. :D
@@MechanicalFrog Heh yeah I was imagining the Chad Centurion wearing a buttoned shirt and then suddenly pulling open its shirt Superman-style to unleash all them pectoral missiles. lol
Great video! Thank you for making the Centurion video. The Centurion is one of my favorite IS mechs. Looking forward to more videos.
More to come!
I have a long history with the Centurion. The main thing is that I'm still kind of sad that it doesn't have a proper mech shield for its right arm outside of specific custom-fit examples. (that, and the combination of Auto-Cannons being overweight for their effect with mech weaponry/shields having the same problem creates yet more missed opportunities)
The early CN9 models (the A, AL, and AH) are solid performers, with the AL in particular being astoundingly good value in BT. (Laser spam is safe and effective during the Succession Wars)
My Mechwarrior, experience with the Centurion is a bit of a mixed bag.
In MechWarrior 4, it's an obnoxiously durable brick due to its exceptionally high (hidden) armor/structure bonuses and bizarrely shaped hit boxes for its torso locations; though the mech is generally slow by its Fed-Com Civil War era counterparts, its actually fairly difficult to consistently land shots on the center torso if the mech isn't facing you directly.
(Again, MW4 is a weird game where your knowledge of the Battletech tabletop game is of little use. Lots of things are different, especially performance values for mechs)
In Mechwarrior 5, the classic CN9 is Commander Mason's (read: YOU) personal ride at the start of the game. Funnily enough, I find it to be almost as much of a liability during the DeBerry tutorial missions as it is an asset; at least until I'm able to do some field refits of its weaponry to strap on more armor and even out its offense profit. (Swap the AC/10 out for an AC/5, and the LRM-10 for a pair of SRM4s. Upgrade the armor. That's a much better mech for the early MW5 campaign.)
Most variants of the Centurion are decent, but its bulky frame and lack of speed makes it an easy punching bag and prime backstab candidate for light mechs during the 3025 era. The upgraded models generally fare far better due to the proliferation of that XL 300 engine, but there are much better medium mechs available by the 3040s when they're making their debut.
It's not as good as a Hunchback, Dervish or Shadow-Hawk IMO (again, in Mechwarrior, not Battletech) but its not bad.
Honestly, and I'm just commenting so that the video gets more engagement from the all-powerful algorithm, the MF is one my least-favourite MF variants you've come up with. I don't think the ER PPC fits the theme, here. I'd have been happier with a Clan LB10X or Ultra10. Best of the week to you all, my favourite battletech fans. You're all awesome.
Fair enough! Maybe I can get you back in with the next MF.
im so used to seeing the rear laser on the front from the battletech video game, seems like a much better design
It's a good mech to start out with.
Yep. Solid.
3050 full clan tech rebuild of the Centurion. 50 tons, 6/9/6 movement, 2.5t endo-steel, 9.5t XL + DHS, 6t standard cockpit+gyro, 8.5t fero-fiberous, 3t JumpJets, 20.5t podspace.
PRIME Config: LB-10X with 2t ammo (ra), LRM-10 with 2t ammo (lt), Streak SRM-4 with 1t ammo (rt), ERML (la).
AltConfig: Large Pulse Laser (ra), 2 MPL (lt), MPL (la), LRM-15 with 1t ammo (lt), Targeting Computer (rt)
It's the Good Shield Boy; I loved the AC-20 variant in MechWarrior 5.
Thanks for the video!
You bet!
ngl I would gladly listen to a longform Mechanical Frog vid on the history of Rome and their military doctrine
I used to have a tight 50 minutes on Hannibal's invasion of Rome up through Scipio Africanus but, it's been a few years and I'm a bit rusty.
@@MechanicalFrogthe moment you started talking about the Romans evolving from the phalanx to the Manipular legion because of the Samnite wars, i got the feeling you actually know what you're talking about. That's not info someone would just bring up to explain why a mech is called a 'Centurion', it's the kind of thing that only comes out when know enough about something that you can't resist explaining the context around it.
Take 2: The Centurion is a mech I like because it gets me thinking. Its flaws, strengths, and upgrades.
Its got some firepower, but Its an overall poorly optimized design, a "Poor Man's Heavy mech". Now what I wouldve like the Centurion to be would be has already been made. The Thunderbolt, Orion, and Zeus are great examples of Troopers done better.
Its primary flaw is its signature Autocannon-10. It takes up almost 33% of the mechs total weight. Ditch that for a Large Laser, PPC, or LRM launcher.
Another notable flaw is its slow speed, especially for a Medium battlemech. Its a snail it later eras.
Of the 3025 era variants one fairs much better. The CN9-AL removes the Autocannon for a Large Laser, a Small Laser, extra armor, and heat sinks. Its still slow, but now its tougher and more sustainable on the battletech.
What I would like the Centurion to be in 3025 would be a like Griffin(if you want speed) or a Whitworth(if you want slow).
I remember in the Battletech2018 PC game where you get an unarmed Centurion as part of a campaign mission reward. It's a fixer-upper, but I made my Centurion into a missile boat with 30 LRMs.
My favorite Mech. Anytime I can get a game in, no matter the era of play, I'm always happy to pilot a Centurion.
I don't care what build it is either.
I think the take away message I got was "make emotional support small lasers illegal so everybody runs them." 🤣
Hmm...
Ah yes, the trebucket. My favorite mech
My favorite mech. Own five, for those occasions when I need to field an entire century of them.
👍
And they are all Insane Kangaroo versions, so they have the MW5 look.
Centerpiece of my Marian Hegemony cohort.
I didn’t know much about it, now I do! Thank you! I love the look of the ‘Mech. Must get one sometime. I just checked and it’s in the Inner Sphere Heavy Lance: Banshee, Grasshopper, Centurion, Hatchetman. Nice!
Go-go MechFrog algorithm!✊
One of my favorite Medium Mechs. It was one of the first mechs I saw, thanks to the animated series, and one of the first I used on the tabletop.
A fun classic pick.
Centurion! What is your profession?! Boom!
Kablooey.
@@MechanicalFrog I think the Centurion and Trebuchet will be the primary mechs for the Duchy of Parma's Militia.
"...and I'm ALL out of bubblegum."
Cento is a classic. I didnt appreciate starting with one in MW5 until I had to face one.
Great job as always.. Always take a bet that your variant will have a plasma rifle...
I really, really enjoy this machine. My first variant was a successor wars variant that removed the autocannon, replacing the original engine with a Trebuchets (5/8), and adding a large laser with 4 additional heat sinks. I also move the rear-facing laser to the front. Its cheap, tough, and decently mobile machine.
Definitely one of my go to battlemechs.
I'm surprised more variants didn't switch out the LRMs with SRMs. I've done that to every single Centurion I salvage. Just makes more sense, imo, for a brawler mech.
I could see the argument for clan LRMs, though, as there's no minimum range with those.
It is odd...
MMLs are the perfect swap in later eras. Either that, or I'll sometimes swap out the LRM10 for an LRM5 and SRM6 with 1 ton of ammo each.
I do love the Centurion it's still one of my favorite mech of all times. I spent many weekend nights playing the tabletop version of BattleTech, and for the most part, the Centurion has never let me down. I love the design of it and how easy it is to modify it. And I have a few variants of it I do love.
The premier AC-10 delivery system! I always liked the lean, mean look of the original art, but the Centurion always looks good.
The Centurion has always been one of my favorites. I almost always find my merc companies using one for at least a little while. They're just super solid.
I have a pretty standard upgrade off a AL. Swap to a heavy L laser. Add fero. Upgrade the small to a med. Swap to doubles add 1 and about .7 tons of armor
To be fair, 55 tons is the limit for a LAM. We could make this happen.
Its a favorite medium mech to be sure. Definition of line mech. Often put it at the lead of medium lances or have it in heavier lances backing up mechs like the thunderbolt, Marauder, and Warhammer. Firepower often the enemy can't ignore. I often thought time wasn't exactly kind to it. The XL engine really changes how its played going from trooper to striker. I never could get used to that change really looses that ability to hang in there with the heavies.
A Centurion was the first mech I ever painted, and I've gotten quite a bit of use out of it. It's the classic frontline trooper medium mech. I like the 10-series in particular for better durability and modest weapon upgrades, and omni version offers some fun republic-era options if you have a bit of extra BV.
A great overview of a great soldier mech :-) i like the first lbx centurion it punches above its weight and is useful at all ranges :-) edited to make it clear which lbx mech i prefer :-)
Much love for the LB10X
This is one of those mechs i have loved since it was introduced. it is one of my favorite trooper mechs. i have moded then in so many ways. SRMs over LRMS, energy builds, etc etc etc. what ever salvage that fit to replace what ever got shredded making that salvage. such a great design.
Thanks for another great vide sir frog.
one time we had salvaged a 9AH and what we did was make the RA/RT look damaged, Stand off and use LRMs turn off HS to make it look running hot moving slow- or appearing seriously f'd up... i mean merch unit no down time, lights would close, getting inside the LRM min range and SUPRISE AC 20 to the scout. yeah i was a sneaky sneaky boy in the campaign my friend ran for me.
I swear every time I go to see if there is a “why do we love” video on a mech, and there isnt one yet, its always uploaded the next day. I dont know why this seems to keep happening but its sure is convenient :)
So am I in your head or are you in mine?
Between the Centurion and the Enforcer, it makes sense that Medium mechs are the heart of the AFFS
Because it gives us the opportunity to think about both Rome and BT when making “he’s thinking about her” memes. Also, “There ain’t no laws” when facing the Frog’s claws! 🐸
All fists and elbows like a whirling dervish. You cry out, "No! No!" but all Frog hears is, "Who wants cake?" And he always wants cake...
Et tu, Frog? :P
Really fun video.
Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori, Centurion.
The Centurion is always a solid starting point for a medium trooper. 50-tonners don't often get as much love as the 45ers or 55s, but they're plenty flexible.
I almost always keep the spirit of the Centurion when customizing, leaving the left arm empty, or at best adding short range, single shot, or melee weapons. Maybe even an actual shield.
As much as I like the ballistic gun arm, the CN9-AL is my starting platform of choice. For a nice 3025 refit, I drop the wasteful half ton of armor, one ton of LRM ammo, and the Small Laser, and replace the Large Laser with a PPC, giving it back the punch of the CN9-A with less ammo to worry about.
Since this is one of my favorite medium troopers I was super excited for this one and as always great video!
The AL is probably overall my favorite and I wish there was a proper canon updated model.
I also really like the D3/D3D and D4 models
Centurion AL was the basis for my own custom refit of the centurion. large pulse laser and a flamer in the arm, 2 medium lasers and an SRM6. replaced the heatsinks with half the total of doubles, and used all the saved mass for extra armor, except for one single heatsink in the head to try and make it less toasty for the mechwarrior.
it serves me well as a solid close range brawler, with the range on the lp laser letting me give vehicles a reason to go bother somebody else so theyre not nipping my heels
its a great refit in my biased opinion, and good for any mechwarrior with more agression than sense(hi) or prone to noble rear guard holding actions
as im writing this comment it occurs to me a plasma rifle or cannon would fulfill the same role as the flamer but probably better overall
The AL is one of my favorite mechs. It has always served me well. I later upgraded it into something like the CN9-D9 but with a non XL engine and slower. Still, the Centurion suffers the arm mounted primary weapon issue. I lose arms so fast.
Good to see this classic get covered. Thank You, Sir Mech of Frog😊
I like the Centurion. Its base loadout is what I think of as a trooper design, and In my opinion future mechs like the Bushwacker emulated the mix of weapons to be tactically useful in most engagements. I’ve ran the CN9-D, and had fun with its speed and punch. I did modify the Yen Lo Wang CGL mini into a CN9-AH (since it had the big gun arm already, just had to sculpt the launcher and remove the claws), but I have yet to use that variant.
Centurion is a Great mech. It was my favorite medium mech before I found the Eris. I always pair the centurion with a hunchback if possible, quite the duo.
An excellent partnership.
One of my Favorite Medium Mechs out there. In MWO my Friends and I would each take a Yen-Low Variant with a XL Engine and each would Pick a Priamary Color. During Battles we would charge the Enemy Team to the tune of (Theme of Power Rangers)
I am a BIG fan of the CN-10D Centurion
I am using it in our Chaos Campaign
It is my most destroyed and rebuilt 'mech, because it is always on the front line, and always a threat
I love the Centurion. Whenever I use it I typically put it in a lance with a Trebuchet. Surprise surprise, they work great together. I usually take the good old 9A since I just like the 3025 or prior mechs.
Wild-Cat144 Makes some Top Tier Art
Absolutely.
I like the Centurion, it's got all the tools to function in most roles expected of a medium mech and balances every weakness with a strength.
I'd like to mention a refit of the CN9-A that served me well in my first playthrough of HBS Battletech. It wasn't too fancy, I simply downgraded the LRM 10 to an LRM 5 with one ton of ammo and mounted four Jump Jets in the legs. I don't remember where the two remaining tons went, but it was most likely used to up the armor. The refit worked well in HBS Battletech, the extra level of mobility saved my bacon a couple times. I want to give it a try on tabletop, even if I feel it might actually be a downgrade outside of the HBSB fighting style.