[Top 5] Mechwarrior 5 Best Light Mechs

When you find yourself in a light ‘Mech with no backup, run.

Let’s talk about light ‘Mechs in MW5 this time around since these guys don’t seem to get enough love.  Here’s a quick refresher.  Light ‘Mechs are those battlemechs that weigh in at 35 tons or less and they are, in general, the fastest little buggers ever to roam the battlefields of MW5, with some ‘Mechs clocking in at more than 100 km/h.  

Yes, in the Mechwarrior 5 universe, they are mostly built for speed.  The trade off is these ‘Mechs can’t deal a ton of damage.  Most of them, anyway.  They also need some degree of skill and situational awareness to use properly.  Add that to the fact that these machines go down with a well placed AC/20 shot or SRM alpha strike, piloting a light ‘Mech leaves you little room for error as the smallest mistake can cost you big time.

You guys might be asking, “What’s the use of piloting these flimsy light ‘Mechs then?!”    Well, for starters, you don’t use them to go pick fights with the biggest enemy ‘Mech you can find.  Light ‘Mechs, as per Battletech lore, are used mainly as scout units, urban guards or to disrupt the advance of enemy forces.  

In the actual MW5 game, light ‘Mechs are best used in raid or demolition missions since they can use their speed to quickly reach & destroy targets, then run for the extraction zone like your life depends on it (which it does in most cases.)  They’re also fun to use in beachhead missions where you have to hunt down enemy artillery while dodging their rain of fire.  

That being said, we, as mechwarriors & mercenary commanders, have a duty to know which light ‘Mechs are the best or at the very least, decent enough to avoid sending us to our deaths in missions.  To help players in this endeavor, here are the 5 Light ‘Mechs that I think all players should have.   

5. Anansi SDR-A

Anansi might be lightly armed, but it’s also fast and agile.

Specs:

• Weight:  30 tons
• Armor:  144/222
• Structure:  111 Endosteel
• Free Tonnage:  10.57 tons
• Speed:  129.6 km/h
• Standard Loadout:  1 Medium Laser & 1 Machine Gun (Right Arm), 1 Medium Laser & 1 Machine Gun (Left Arm), 1 SRM 4 (Center Torso)

Named after an African trickster god of ancient Terra by the various militias attempting to bring it down, the Anansi terrorized the outer systems of the Federated Suns & Taurian Concordat for years in the name of the pirate queen Paula Trevaline and the Tortuga Dominions.  While eventually shot down and recovered by the AFFS, its pilot managed to avoid capture and is still suspected to be hiding among “Lady Death” Trevaline’s inner circle on Tortuga Prime.  

Strengths:

• One of the fastest light ‘Mechs in the game with a top speed of 129.6 km/h
• Perfect for raids & missions that require you to navigate treacherous terrain quickly (like 4th Crimson Crusade quest mission)
• 2 anti missile systems make the Anansi almost immune to enemy missiles.

The Anansi is a fun ‘Mech to pilot due to its speed and jump jets.  You can literally run circles around a bigger ‘Mech while shaving off bits of its armor with your SRM & machine guns.  This is especially true if said ‘Mech is a slow LRM boat.  It won’t be able to hurt you since the Anansi has a pair of AMS that shoot down incoming missiles.  

Anansi can be bought very early in the game if you have enough C-bills.  Players just need to find an industrial hub system with a skull icon.  Once you find the skull icon, save your game before traveling there.  Reload if Anansi doesn’t show up.

4. Raven RVN-3L

The 3L’s NARC can make missile boats on your team deadlier to enemies. 

Specs:

• Weight:  35 tons
• Armor:  179/250 Ferro Fibrous
• Structure:  125
• Free Tonnage:  16.03 tons
• Speed:  97.2 km/h XL
• Standard Loadout:  2 Medium Lasers (Right Arm), 1 NARC Beacon (Left Arm), 1 SRM 6 (Right Torso), 1 TAG Laser (Right Torso)

The Raven is a lightweight electronic warfare BattleMech which wasn’t just one of the first truly original 'Mech designs produced in centuries, but also represented the Inner Sphere’s effort to modernize the ever changing landscape of 31st century combat. 

Strengths:

• XL engine makes it faster than any other non hero Raven variant.
• Beagle Active Probe and ECM give it better battlefield command & control capabilities.
• TAG & NARC systems make it an ideal support for missile based allied ‘Mechs.

The 3L is great if you want to mess with enemy ‘Mechs.  The ECM disrupts enemy targeting systems within its range while the BAP helps identify all enemies  in your vicinity.  Shooting any hostile with NARC turns it into a missile magnet.  This is especially useful if you have a missile boat like the Archer or Catapult on your team.  

The RVN-3L has a higher chance of showing up in the Capellan Confederation after the year 3024.  Players might also want to check the industrial hubs there as you might get lucky and find one for sale in the ‘mech market.

3. Oxide JR7-O

The Oxide is fast, agile & can wreck the opposition with its SRMs.

Specs:

• Weight:  35 tons
• Armor:  128/250
• Structure:  125 Endosteel
• Free Tonnage:  9.19 tons
• Speed:  108.77 km/h
• Standard Loadout:  1 SRM 4 (Right Arm), 1 SRM 4 (Left Arm), 2 LRM 5 (Center Torso)

As a small group of independent systems within the Free Worlds League, the Silver Hawks Coalition relies on home-grown heroes to defend their homeland when House Marik will not.  Despite their modest upbringing, for nearly 50 years the Ortega family had committed their family’s ‘Mech, Oxide, to the services of the Silver Hawk Irregulars.  Oxide’s most recent pilot, Julie Ortega, was believed to be killed in action in a Steiner raid against the Coalition worlds.  

Strengths:

• Has the most free tonnage out of all the Jenner variants.  
• Can take out other ‘Mechs its size easily at close range due to its SRMs
• The only Jenner variant to have a Double Heat Sink.  It dissipates waste heat better than Single Heat Sinks.  

Get rid of the LRMs & replace them with more SRMs.  High tiered, preferably.  With a total of 4 SRM launchers, players will have no trouble bringing down larger opponents.  While a bit slower than other Jenner variants & without any jump jets equipped, the Oxide might require some degree of piloting skill to use without getting blown up.  Pick your targets wisely and don’t overextend yourself.  Let your bigger, tougher squadmates take the enemy’s aggro while you finish off those same enemies with your SRMs.  

Oxide will be sold in industrial hubs very early in the game, as early as 3015.  Look for skull icons in those hubs.  Save.  Reload if it’s not there.  

2. Hi There! JVN-HT

Is it me or does this 'Mech have the coolest name ever?

Specs:

• Weight:  30 tons
• Armor:  128/222
• Structure:  111 Endosteel
• Free Tonnage:  16.07 tons
• Speed:  97.2 km/h XL
• Standard Loadout:  2 Medium Lasers (Right Arm), 1 SRM 6 (Right Torso), 2 Medium Lasers (Left Arm), 1 SRM 6 (Left Torso)

The ever eccentric Bill Wilkes was a famed ambusher attached to the Federated Sun’s 4th Deneb Light Cavalry.  Insisting to go by the name “Wildman,” Bill & his javelin “Hi There!” led the Light Cavalry in hundreds of successful ambushes throughout his career.  Much to the chagrin of his fellow servicemen who found his reckless “Wildman” persona to be insufferable, despite the success it brought their unit.  

Strengths:

• Equipped with 3 Double Heat Sinks to vent thermal build up more efficiently, ensuring consistent damage output from weapons.
• Has the most free tonnage out of all the Javelin variants, giving you more customization options.
• Deals considerable damage for a light ‘Mech thanks to its 2 SRM 6 launchers.

Hi There! is a great hit and run unit, especially with a pair of high tier SRMs.  Players will be putting down opposing light ‘Mechs, tanks, turrets, some medium ‘Mechs & probably a couple of heavies if you have a good squad backing you up.  With its speed & jump capabilities, experienced players can use the JVN-HT to take advantage of the terrain to get close, spamming those SRM 6s before escaping into a ravine and repeating the process as necessary.  

The JVN-HT can be found quite early in the game.  Assuming RNGsus blesses you, you’ll find it in skull iconified systems of industrial hubs that litter the Inner Sphere map.  

1. Grinner WLF-GR

The Grinner can chase down almost any ‘Mech.  Those that it can’t chase, it can reach with its large laser.  

Specs:

• Weight:  35 tons
• Armor:  240/250
• Structure:  125 Endosteel
• Free Tonnage:  12.19 tons
• Speed:  97.2 km/h
• Standard Loadout:  1 Large Laser (Right Arm), 1 Medium Laser (Right Torso), 2 Medium Laser (Center Torso), 1 Medium Laser (Left Arm)

A custom Wolfhound codenamed “Grinner” that recently ‘fell off a dropship’ from the factories on Arc-Royal.  The shipping manifest provided with the ‘Mech claims it was commissioned as a gift by the commander of the Kell Hounds, Morgan Kell, personally.  Most likely for his rumored love child or teenage son Phelan Kell.  

Strengths:

• Can poke enemies from long range with its large laser and is sturdy enough to bring the fight closer thanks to its 4 medium lasers.   
• Has an ECM suite that messes up a foe’s targeting system.
• It’s the only Wolfhound variant equipped with Double Heat Sinks, allowing for better damage output.
• Laser based weaponry means you don’t have to worry about ammo.

Decent speed, well armored & equipped with 5 lasers, the Grinner can be deadly in the right hands.  Focus those lasers on a single enemy part (like the head or a leg).  Circle strafe them till they are dead.  Of course, make sure other enemies don’t all start shooting at you when you’re busy with one opponent.  Situational awareness is key.

Grinner takes some time to appear in the game.  Look for it when the in-game year reaches 3045.  You know the drill.  Look for the skull icon in industrial hubs.  Save. Reload if necessary.

Ah… a tier 5 SRM 6.  A light ‘Mech’s best friend…

A final word to players that love bringing light ‘Mechs to every mission.  Don’t.  I can’t stress enough how fragile light ‘Mechs can be.  Like all tools, we need to know which ones we should use for the job.  And fielding a light ‘Mech to use in a warzone mission isn’t smart, especially at higher reputations.  Use these ‘Mechs if your current mission needs speed. Other than that, bring something heavier.  

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