What did stay the same, is a plan to buy every mech there is to make a full formation out of those. There are some which I'm not so sure about, like Orcus, but it's “cheaper” to buy and upgrade those now than collect later. And if the worst should happen, I get my niodes back if I sell it at level 38 (if I level it using free upgrade only). Nephilax and Zadok are also in that collect list, but they are not in this shopping list as they are little harder to get.
So, the list is still in level order, in what level you can or need to buy something. Example level 5. You get bigger base, so you need one Red Ant and one Anzu to keep formations full. Also you can now buy Warhorses, so you “need” six of those. Of course you need only five more, as one you got at beginning of game (same thing with Red Ants earlier). And as Anzu got first Chassis slot and Warhorse get first Cockpit slot (at level 3), you need 6 Hip Actuator and 6 FOF Targeting when all your mechs are leveled up. Brackets around mech name indicates that equipment is needed because that mech gained new slot to use them, so I can keep track why I buy a bunch of stuff.
Equipment you can buy before you actually need them, and after your level allows, you can buy more mechs that you need at that moment. I'm personally happy if I just can keep me close enough my actual level when I go shopping. Truth be told, I'm a few pieces of equipment behind my schedule because I bought bunch of mechs, those will take me near 4 month to upgrade (if I don't level myself at that time period)
And timetable of this plan. That depends solely on niodes. From KOTM you get of average 1-2 niodes per day if you manage to get bronze. Circuit income average is 1 niodes per day. So 60 niodes at month if you don't use money. With 1$ every rent party you get 60 niodes more. That mean that you need close to three month to collect enough niodes to buy everything you need at level 5. If you can win those bronzes when you are level 5. Temptation to use more money, specially when with niodes would come much needed mechs too, is quite high sometimes. My way to avoid that temptation is write something and hope that gets a little niodes as reward.
lv01
Lachesis 30 Fer (4 Mech)
4x Red Ant 500 Fer, 500 Biop
lv02
4x Anzu 1500 Fer, 900 Biop
lv03
Metis 60 Fer, 20 Biop (5 Mech)
1x Red Ant 125 Fer, 125 Biop
1x Anzu 375 Fer, 225 Biop
lv05
Palma 150 Fer, 50 Biop (6 Mech)
1x Red Ant 125 Fer, 125 Biop
1x Anzu 375 Fer, 225 Biop
6x Warhorse 750 Fer, 1200 Biop, 180 Niod
6x Hip Actuator 768 Fer, 1200 Biop, 54 Niod (Anzu)
6x FOF Targeting 846 Fer, 1320 Biop, 90 Niod (Horse)
(Actuator = best dodge without kickback)
(FOF = best precision + other bonuses)
lv07
6x Alpha Shield 600 Fer, 1200 Biop, 48 Niod (Horse)
(Alpha = Projectile and Laser shields first, but need all types in the end)
lv08
6x Shocklite 5400 Fer, 1800 Biop, 120 Crys
6x Axe Bot 2100 Fer, 2100 Biop, 210 Niod
6x Cogwerk Micro Block 858 Fer, 1452 Biop, 84 Niod (Axe)
(Micro = Best speed with repair)
lv10
Themis 300 Fer, 100 Biop (8 Mech)
2x Red Ant 250 Fer, 250 Biop
2x Anzu 750 Fer, 450 Biop
2x Warhorse 125 Fer, 200 Biop, 30 Niod
2x Shocklite 1800 Fer, 600 Biop, 40 Crys
2x Axe Bot 700 Fer, 700 Biop, 70 Niod
8x Hoplite 8000 Fer, 3600 Biop, 240 Crys
2x FOF Targeting 282 Fer, 440 Biop, 30 Niod
2x Hip Actuator 256 Fer, 400 Biop, 18 Niod
2x Cogwerk Micro Block 286 Fer, 484 Biop, 28 Niod
2x Alpha Shield 200 Fer, 400 Biop, 16 Niod
8x Hip Hopper Hips 1832 Fer, 2000 Biop, 232 Niod (Hoplite)
(Hips = Best dodge, there was originally Nanobot too)
lv11
8x Nerio 4000 Fer, 2400 Biop, 400 Niod
8x Beta Shield 1600 Fer, 2000 Biop, 168 Niod (Nerio)
8x Immersive Neural Rig 1672 Fer, 2000 Biop, 184 Niod (Nerio)
8x Scrub Grub 2648 Fer, 1344 Biop, 224 Niod (Nerio)
(Beta = Projectile and Laser shields first, but need all types in the end)
(Neural = Precision with best crit-kill)
(Scrup = Enough speed with fork)
lv12
Egeria 360 Fer, 120 Biop (9 Mech)
1x Red Ant 125 Fer, 125 Biop
1x Anzu 375 Fer, 225 Biop
1x Warhorse 125 Fer, 200 Biop, 30 Niod
9x iMech 12150 Fer, 5400 Biop, 360 Crys
9x Trooper 7200 Fer, 4500 Biop, 450 Niod
1x Hoplite 1000 Fer, 450 Biop, 30 Crys
1x Nerio 500 Fer, 300 Biop, 50 Niod
1x FOF Targeting 141 Fer, 220 Biop, 15 Niod
1x Hip Actuator 128 Fer, 200 Biop, 9 Niod
1x Cogwerk Micro Block 143 Fer, 242 Biop, 14 Niod
1x Alpha Shield 100 Fer, 200 Biop, 8 Niod
1x Beta Shield 200 Fer, 250 Biop, 21 Niod
1x Hip Hopper Hips 229 Fer, 250 Biop, 29 Niod
1x Immersive Neural Rig 209 Fer, 250 Biop, 23 Niod
1x Scrub Grub 331 Fer, 168 Biop, 28 Niod
lv14
9x Orcus 8100 Fer, 3600 Biop, 630 Niod
9x Improvised Jump Jet 7488 Fer, 1548 Biop, 306 Niod (Axe)
9x Beta Shield 1800 Fer, 2250 Biop, 189 Niod (Nerio)
9x Hip Hopper Hips 2061 Fer, 2250 Biop, 261 Niod (Trooper)
9x Hip Shocks 5580 Fer, 4185 Biop, 306 Niod (Orcus)
(Jump = Need more dodge to 20t fight, even with risk of kickback)
(Beta = Fill other types)
(Shocks = Combination of Dodge, Speed and Precision)
lv15
9x Keradon 9900 Fer, 7200 Biop, 630 Niod
lv16
9x Holmes 14175 Fer, 9450 Biop, 630 Crys
9x Cogwerk Micro Block 1287 Fer, 2178 Biop, 126 Niod (Axe)
9x Hip Shocks 5580 Fer, 4185 Biop, 306 Niod (Holmes)
lv18
9x Dread 10125 Fer, 6300 Biop, 810 Niod
9x FOF Targeting 1269 Fer, 1980 Biop, 135 Niod (Ant)
9x Scrub Grub 2979 Fer, 1512 Biop, 252 Niod (Keradon)
9x Semi-stable power field 2160 Fer, 2565 Biop, 360 Niod (Dread)
(Semi-stable = Speed with Trample and Freeze)
lv19
9x Nifthel 16200 Fer, 10800 Biop, 720 Crys
lv20
Diotima 600 Fer, 200 Biop (10 Mech)
1x Red Ant 125 Fer, 125 Biop
1x Anzu 375 Fer, 225 Biop
1x Warhorse 125 Fer, 200 Biop, 30 Niod
1x Shocklite 900 Fer, 300 Biop, 20 Crys
1x Axe Bot 350 Fer, 350 Biop, 35 Niod
1x Hoplite 1000 Fer, 450 Biop, 30 Crys
1x Nerio 500 Fer, 300 Biop, 50 Niod
1x iMech 1350 Fer, 600 Biop, 40 Crys
1x Trooper 800 Fer, 500 Biop, 50 Niod
1x Orcus 900 Fer, 400 Biop, 70 Niod
1x Keradon 1100 Fer, 800 Biop, 70 Niod
1x Holmes 1575 Fer, 1050 Biop, 70 Crys
1x Dread 1125 Fer, 700 Biop, 90 Niod
1x Nifthel 1800 Fer, 1200 Biop, 80 Crys
2x FOF Targeting 282 Fer, 440 Biop, 30 Niod
1x Immersive Neural Rig 209 Fer, 250 Biop, 23 Niod
2x Beta Shield 400 Fer, 500 Biop, 42 Niod
2x Hip Hopper Hips 458 Fer, 500 Biop, 58 Niod
1x Alpha Shield 100 Fer, 200 Biop, 8 Niod
1x Hip Actuator 128 Fer, 200 Biop, 9 Niod
2x Scrub Grub 662 Fer, 336 Biop, 56 Niod
2x Hip Shocks 1240 Fer, 930 Biop, 68 Niod
1x Semi-stable power field 240 Fer, 285 Biop, 40 Niod
As Mystery Vortex should be open at this level, it is in my shopping list. 3 Crate cost 145 Niodes, and I could get weapons, equipment and mechs that are way above my current level. But this is optional, as there is always shortage of niodes, and all that equipment on the list take lot to buy.
lv21
10x Immersive Neural Rig 2090 Fer, 2500 Biop, 230 Niod (Nerio)
lv22
10x Luison 21000 Fer, 15000 Biop, 1000 Crys
10x Hip Shocks 6200 Fer, 4650 Biop, 340 Niod (Holmes)
lv23
10x Fides 16000 Fer, 12000 Biop, 1000 Niod
10x Untiam Actuators 3640 Fer, 3310 Biop, 450 Niod (Fides)
10x Gamma Shield 4800 Fer, 4800 Biop, 350 Niod (Fides)
10x Enhanced Senses 8100 Fer, 3000 Biop, 430 Niodes (Fides)
10x Untiam Actuators 3640 Fer, 3310 Biop, 450 Niod (Fides)
10x Gamma Shield 4800 Fer, 4800 Biop, 350 Niod (Fides)
10x Semi-stable power field 2400 Fer, 2850 Biop, 400 Niod
10x Gamma Shield 4800 Fer, 4800 Biop, 350 Niod (Fides)
(Untiam = Best Dodge with Speed)
(Gamma = All types but priority on Laser because of Laser Vulnerable)
(Senses = Precision with best crit-kill)
lv24
Iris 720 Fer, 240 Biop (11 Mech)
1x Luison 2100 Fer, 1500 Biop, 100 Crys
1x Fides 1600 Fer, 1200 Biop, 100 Niod
11x Oggun 27500 Fer, 17600, 1320 Crys
1x Alpha Shield 100 Fer, 200 Biop, 8 Niod
2x FOF Targeting 282 Fer, 440 Biop, 30 Niod
1x Hip Actuator 128 Fer, 200 Biop, 9 Niod
2x Beta Shield 400 Fer, 500 Biop, 42 Niod
2x Hip Hopper Hips 458 Fer, 500 Biop, 58 Niod
2x Immersive Neural Rig 418 Fer, 500 Biop, 46 Niod
3x Hip Shocks 1860 Fer, 1395 Biop, 102 Niod
2x Scrub Grub 662 Fer, 336 Biop, 56 Niod
1x Semi-stable power field 240 Fer, 285 Biop, 40 Niod
2x Untiam Actuators 728 Fer, 662 Biop, 90 Niod
3x Gamma Shield 1440 Fer, 1440 Biop, 105 Niod
1x Enhanced Senses 810 Fer, 300 Biop, 43 Niodes
2x Semi-stable power field 480 Fer, 570 Biop, 80 Niod
lv25
11x Immersive Neural Rig 2299 Fer, 2750 Biop, 253 Niod (Nerio)
11x Untiam Actuators 4004 Fer, 3641 Biop, 495 Niod (Oggun)
50 Ton mechs are lot harder to equip, as there is lot more stuff too choose from, and both Fides and Oggun are more multipurpose mechs than those lighter ones. Although Oggun gets quite good trample and 2x damage so you might want boost them more. But as I am just turning in to level 18, there is still time to figure out if I actually want to change what to buy before I get those mechs. That's why those other options are listed in here, as reminder if I do change my mind.
Cockpit
-Stuxnet Injection = 3x damage
-Sekhment Siege CPU = Fire+Laser damage, trample
-Thermal Analyzer = Fire+Ice damage, speed
Chassis
-Nanobot Repair = Repair 4 but kickback
-Handheld Nuke = Instant kill with suicide
Engine
-Quad Turpo Drive = Speed with 2x damage
-Core of the Dragon = Fire damage with trample
So here it is, for all opponents to see, what I have in my hangar. Still a little behind on my schedule, as I'm still missing few mechs that I should already have, and some equipment I have fewer than the list says, but they will be there someday. If this helps some new player to plan ahead, then I'm happy and this text wasn't for nothing. As for me, I got this list (some version of it) always next to my computer, just waiting to next sale to happen. It's quite full of notes, what I bought already, or won somewhere, and also what should take priority and when. And my most important rule, “There must be always enough mechs to use free upgrade before there is the next mech sale” . For me that's now two mechs at level 1 after each mech sale... well usually, after last sale there is eight now, and I'm close level up so there goes my timetable again when I up all mechs one level higher. Not to mention that I should collect almost 1600 niodes to buy all listed “to buy at level 18” on my list. That's lots of writing, kotm and circuits.
Submitted by Kalevi Karvinen#863817