HBSTech Career first-timer – Advice wanted

[Akamia]

As I mentioned in the general HBSTech thread, I started my first career mode playthrough. It’s a vanilla game, but with all the expansions. I was expecting a crate with randomized gear, but apparently I didn’t get any such thing. Maybe I don’t get that right away, or maybe it just doesn’t happen on ironman playthroughs. I don’t know. ;D I’d like to know.

My current game plan is to get on the pirates’ good side and buy up some SLDF Royal ‘Mechs. I hear the Phoenix Hawks are the best in the game, so I might gather up a lance of those and MAD-2R Marauders. I’m also planning to get a lance’s worth of BSK-MAZ Bull Sharks when those become available. Naturally, I want replacement parts to repair these if something goes wrong. I’m aiming to mirror the SLDF with my lance doctrine. ;D

I heard that the Arano Restoration/Aurigan Coalition is effectively worthless for my endgame score, so there’s no point to allying with them; ergo, I will be ignoring them the entire career.

Is there anything else I should know? Perhaps there’s a flaw in my plan that I should deal with, or I’m operating on false intel. Either way, I could use some tips.

[Jim1701]

I believe you get the crate after the clock starts and at least a day's gone by. 

I've done the pirate store once and I find it fairly disappointing.  I much prefer the Davion store and all their lovely AC's.

There are high end PPC's that aren't too hard to find that will head cap so gauss rifles aren't critica IMO.  In fact I usually go for quantity over quality.  Put as many high end lasers on as possible and it won't be uncommon to get multiple head hits with the MAD on called shots. 

AFIAK Marik space is the best place to find the Cockpit mods to protect your pilots.  Avoiding injuries is also critical.  Anything that makes you run the clock without accomplishing anything is bad for your career score. 

For me the most efficient method to boost score is to do as many low end jobs in the beginning as possible.  You're on the clock whenever time advances.  Use it as efficiently as possible.  Try to wait to repair mechs while traveling then at least you're killing two birds with one stone. 

[Alzer]

The Bull Shark is a questline Mech, they're buyable on the market after that but I've seldom seen them. Also it's tricky to rush that questline as it is actively challenging at points.

Really just chosing one faction and maintaining good relations with them should do you fine.


Oh there's a setting in the Career for having a healthy collection of different mechs as well.

[Luciora]

Keep on good terms with the pirates as well for the black market.  Doing missions against the planetary government doesn't ding you at all, so its a free way to grind rep with the more questionable factions, or build it back up.

[Akamia]

I believe you get the crate after the clock starts and at least a day's gone by. 

I've done the pirate store once and I find it fairly disappointing.  I much prefer the Davion store and all their lovely AC's.

There are high end PPC's that aren't too hard to find that will head cap so gauss rifles aren't critica IMO.  In fact I usually go for quantity over quality.  Put as many high end lasers on as possible and it won't be uncommon to get multiple head hits with the MAD on called shots. 

AFIAK Marik space is the best place to find the Cockpit mods to protect your pilots.  Avoiding injuries is also critical.  Anything that makes you run the clock without accomplishing anything is bad for your career score. 

For me the most efficient method to boost score is to do as many low end jobs in the beginning as possible.  You're on the clock whenever time advances.  Use it as efficiently as possible.  Try to wait to repair mechs while traveling then at least you're killing two birds with one stone. 

Yeah, I learned about repairing ‘Mechs while traveling just playing the campaign. Especially after my very first attempt there cost me so much waiting time and funding that I went bankrupt. I’ll be looking into getting in with the Davions, probably; you’re right, those autocannons they’re selling are pretty sweet.

The Bull Shark is a questline Mech, they're buyable on the market after that but I've seldom seen them. Also it's tricky to rush that questline as it is actively challenging at points.

Really just chosing one faction and maintaining good relations with them should do you fine.


Oh there's a setting in the Career for having a healthy collection of different mechs as well.

Well, if the Career Mode Black Market is anything like the Campaign one, there should be enough BSK-MAZs around to fill out a lance after the first one the flashpoint gives me for free. I’ll be collecting other ‘Mechs too, but I’m probably gonna stick most of them in storage as I acquire the BSK-MAZs and SLDF Royal ‘Mechs I’m after.

Keep on good terms with the pirates as well for the black market.  Doing missions against the planetary government doesn't ding you at all, so its a free way to grind rep with the more questionable factions, or build it back up.

That’s the plan as far as maintaining pirate rep goes. ;D

[MarauderD]

For first career--get exalted with Pirates straight away, makes the fees for the black market cheap.

Go nuts finding cockpit mods--fully skilled pilots that don't take injuries are priceless.  Once you get a group of elite pilots with cockpit mods, start rotating in 2 newbs.  That way you skill up more pilots, which contributes to final score.

Don't sell chassis unless they are super common and you're sure to get more (SHD-2H for instance) because you need one of everything at the end of your career.

Last tip, go cash poor and salvage heavy on all your contracts.  You'll sell more chassis, which is almost always worth more than the cash. 

[Jim1701]

My current career game I've been trying to maintain a decent relationship with pirates but it's a giant pain.  Seems like 3 of 4 contracts involve "go kill some pirates" and contracts where the target is planetary government have been annoyingly rare.  Mostly I've decided to throw the Taurans under the bus so I take whatever contract where I kill those guys. 

[Fat Guy]

Here's a bunch of good advice: https://github.com/mjbroekman/BattleTech/blob/master/Guides/Career_Scoring.md