Cockpit: Cup Holder boosts kill power, costs no niodes/crystal. Better versions available but cost crystal/niodes.
Chassis: Light Torso Plating gives Shield (4) at a cost in speed; Reinforced Joints gives Dodge (10). Neither of the previous cost niodes/crystal, and better versions are available but cost niodes/crystal.
Engine: Block Charge boosts Speed, costs no niodes/crystal. Better versions in niodes/crystal.
Shield: Different shields are available at no cost in niodes/crystal; each grants protection against one type of weapon damage (laser, projectile, missile, fire, ice) at 34%, and gives vulnerability to two other damage types at 12% and 10% respectively. The niode versions grant 44% protection and vulnerability to only a single other damage type at 12%, and Shield (6). If you're having trouble in a match against a particular weapon type, get the appropriate shield; it can make a load of difference. Although I still recommend caution in spending niodes/crystal, niode shields *are* really great.
Red Ant: No cost in niodes/crystal. 20 start armor, 1 weapon + 1/6 levels. Good laser damage bonus, but fragile. Gains cockpit slot at mech levels 8 and 18, which boost kill power, but do nothing to help with fragility. Not much use against most opponents as they simply die too fast.
Anzu: No cost in niodes/crystal. 25 start armor, 1 weapon + 1/7 levels. Decent laser damage bonus and low proj. damage bonus, but fragile. Has Kickback, which may damage the mech a bit, but this is negligible against most opponents (against weak opponents it doesn't matter; against strong opponents the other characteristics of the Anzu are more important). Gains chassis slot at 5, engine slot at 12 and 20. This is your go-to mech if you don't have crystal/niodes. The chassis slot lets you gain Shield, which is good against very weak opponents, or Dodge, which is better than nothing against stronger opponents. Engine slots boost Anzu speed even more, allowing it to fire first (and so possibly inflict a bit of damage before it's destroyed.) Generally better than Red Ant, as it survives longer with Dodge, but still the Anzu is usually best used only if you don't have crystal/niodes for better mechs.
WarHorse: Costs niodes, then 3 niodes per upgrade; 30 start armor, 2 weapon + 1/5 levels. Low bonuses to various weapon type damage, has 3X Damage and Freeze chances. Cockpit slot at 3, shield slot at 7, chassis slot at 17. This mech is often sold off, as higher level players find niodes better spent on equipment or other mechs than leveling this. However, this mech has the distinction of being the first mech to gain a shield slot, at level 7, which may make a difference for players planning to stay low level to level up their mechs. (I don't recommend for or against staying at low level, but apart from the low 3X damage and Freeze abilities of the WarHorse, the shield slot at level 7 distinguishes this mech.)
Axe Bot: Costs niodes, then 3 niodes per upgrade; comes free if purchasing $25 worth of niodes on mechagalaxy.com (follow link in-game). 35 start armor, 3 weapons + 1/5 levels. 3X damage, Crit-Kill, Speed bonus, Shield (3) very quickly. Engine slot at 6, chassis slot at 14, engine slot at 16. There's very little a 20-ton mech can do with engine slots apart from speed bonuses, and the chassis slot is probably best directed towards gaining more Shield, which allows the mech to remain a bit relevant at higher levels. Although tougher and hittier than previously listed mechs, and having some nice bonuses, Axe Bot is still outperformed by higher level mechs, so you may not want to invest in this too much. Still, Axe Bot *does* come equipped with the Fist of Fury projectile weapon and an Air Shock missile weapon, which are very good; particularly the Fist of Fury's 38 damage 111 speed. Apart from limited quantity niode weapon sales (which granted do show up regularly) you still can't get comparable weapons until around level 19, including weapons you get on other mechs you purchase.
Shocklite: Costs crystal, then 1 crystal per upgrade, 45 start armor, 3 weapon + 1/7 levels. Very good missile bonus damage, cockpit slot at 5, shield slot at 11, engine slot at 18. The cockpit slot makes this mech even more killy, and the shield slot helps survivability at higher levels (though notice you can't get the shield slot until level 11!)
LEVEL 10 MECH: Hoplite: Costs crystal, then 2 crystal per upgrade, 55 start armor, 3 weapon + 1/7 levels. Low chance of 2X Damage and Freeze. Has assorted damage-specific Shields as leveling up, shield slot at 6, chassis slot at 9, engine slot at 13.
A player that starts an event in division 9 (levels 1-9) remains in division 9 until the event expires, even if leveling up to 10 or beyond. That is why the Hoplite is listed here; along with the Shocklite, it's a crystal mech that early on features a Shield Slot. Unlike the Shocklite, the Hoplite isn't focused on missiles, but instead has added general purpose abilities.
LEVEL 11 MECH: Nerio: Costs niodes, 50 start armor, 3 weapons + 1/5 levels. Small bonuses to various weapon types, Precision, 3X Damage as leveling up. Cockpit slot at 3, shield slot at 7 and 14, engine slot at 9. With multiple shield slots available by mech level 14, the Nerio can be pretty durable, especially with niode shields of the appropriate type.
In closing - if you've decided to camp out in levels 1-9 to try to get multiple small Division 9 prizes, the WarHorse might be worth considering. However, this should only be considered by players that are *really* determined to stay at low level - the 80 XP bonus you gain from winning 2nd through 10th place will push you out of Division 9 pretty quickly, then you'll have spent a lot of niodes on a very weak mech.
If you've decided to stall a bit in levels 1-9, build up crystal for a Shocklite mech for as soon as you hit level 10, and niodes for equipment and/or other mechs. But watch out for leveling right through a division; you can jump from Division 9 (level 1-9) through Division 8 (Level 10-18) into Division 7 (level 19-26) in a few days, especially if you invested points in energy, used stimpacks, and watched a few videos for energy. Jumping two divisions means you might not be able to place top ten, or even top twenty-five in your new division, so you won't be able to secure those division prizes any more - your old mechs just won't be able to keep up with iMechs and Ogguns or what have you.
Submitted by Jim Lee#843365