Kintaro: The Most OP Medium Mech in Mechwarrior 5 Mercenaries 

Being able to slap an assault mech with a wall of SRMs? YES. But we should talk about the Golden Boy Kintaro regardless. If you collect the smaller Heroes, it will turn up eventually, and the Golden Boy will carry anyone through until they can buy a Skokomish Zeus. Also for anyone late to the party, please move ammo to the legs ASAP unless the logistics of ammo feeds bothers you that much

Hi I just tried the Kintaro but configured it for LRMS instead. For war contract missions my damage is close to 2,000 every time. 4x LRM-5 Streaks + 2 Medium Lasers. Thanks for the tip its certainly a great mech to have!

Ha, that's exactly my build, except I put my ammo in the legs.

Yo, real talk? The Crab is amazing. You say it has a big center torso but you completely fail to mention it’s slim as fuck, and if you wiggle, you can easily spread the damage, it’s a really nice medium mech that has two large lasers. Really underrated 50 toner.

There's a hunchback variant that has 2xSRM6 in torsos and 4xMLasers in the arms I prefer it

I have the Kintaro GB hero mech and it is a murder machine. I put all the SRMs into one fire-group set to chain fire. Turns it into a semi-auto shotgun of missiles. Works great for turrets and tanks because there is always a weapon ready to fire no matter how fast I am at target acquisition. It even works well for helicopters as you can just fire a few volleys in quick succession to zero in on the target. A flak gun... of missiles. When a real threat like a heavy mech is encountered, just click-click-click-click-click rapidly. Repeat if necessary. Loaded with double-heatsinks and several shit-tons of SRMs, it can keep on murdering until my finger gives out or more likely, I run out of enemies. I can't speak as to how the AI does with it because it is the one mech they are never allowed to touch. When the warhammer is just not enough firepower, out comes the Kintaro.

Just started MW5 and the Kintaro is one of my goto mechs in a very similar config for the HSB mechwarrior game. It is great to know that I can still do about the same in this game with it.

Love the Kintaro as well I just lost the Lasers for more ammo/ double heatsinks and srm4's so I can spam for MASSIVE damage and not overheat. problem with srm6 is they are heavier and cause more heat. Rocket spam for the win!!

This is good. However, i prefer at least one balistic HP for high powered cannons or railguns for that sniping. I prefer to use my missile HP for long range volley's on buildings, small targets, or to just soften mechs . That being said, i prefer to fight from a distance in order to reduce incoming damage. Ill definitely kit out a Kintaro tho.

I love the Kintaro... It can soak up damage, and deal damage to an almost ungodly degree, Sure the SRM spreads a bit.. But you just get right in their face and let loose. In a front aspect you're almost gonna wipe out armour in one shot (and it reloads fast). On the side aspect, even worse, you will strip off an arm and maybe a side torso. and a close up leg hit is devastating to enemies that rely on their mobility

Thank you! This looks like a solid build, I just got my first Kintaro today this guide was a big help.

Went for the Hero Wolverine instead. Awesome mech with great mobility and also great mixture of energy, ballistic and missile hardpoints. I like to have at least one ballistic weapon, since it allows you to take down flyers / tanks and partly enemy mechs from greater ranges. I used SRMs as well; made it a perfect brawler for me. I also had a shadow hawk piloted by the AI, but that thing got shredded nearly every mission. Best Mech for AI support is the Archer in my opinion. Even the AI can use that one quite efficiently.

I’ve had a lot of fun with a Centurion armed with AC 20 and LRM

Somehow the KTO-GB was the first hero mech I encountered. Scooped it up and it carried me through just about every story mission in the game. And I don't really remember if I didn't think it could handle the mission, or if I just wanted to stomp buildings with an Atlas. Absolute monster with double heat sinks. Only heavy assault mechs or multiple enemies last long enough against it to deal any kind of damage.

Hi there I have just started to play the game and love it but Iam going to do a cash and crab to build up my c bills

I laser boat with a hunchy.

Based and objectively correct. The kintaro is great. My favorite is the blackjack. It taught me how to beam armor off a cockpit, then put some ballistic rounds through the windshield. Lots of fun, though not the objective best. But I like alot of bad mechs

My Enforcer has two med lasers and an AC/20. It gets 60 rounds. That's a light killer in one or two shots with the right hits. Destroys almost all legs of Med builds in 4 or 5 shots. And can go toe to toe with heavies at a decent range. I took off the smlazer to get more armor. Also it came with a single double heat since and takes a good while to over heat with constant fire. I love my Enforcer. I'm using it more than my Marauder us of heat cooling But your kintaro is pretty brutal

19b... its ridiculous

CN9 likes to lose its gun arm with astounding regularity, even when twisting...

I just picked up MW5 (Steam sale) and would love to get one of the Kintaro mechs. I like the centurion too, but I am always last to the battle because it is so slow.... Thanks for the video!

Just found my Kintaro GB yesterday. I'm happy.

i found hunchback to be the best medium mech

The Kintaro that i have is carrying 3 SRM6-ST's And 2 Short burst medium lasers.The SRM's are in chain fire mode and if i'm not firing them too fast i can keep a steady stream of missiles on the target with devastating effect. Did away with the LRM 5 because with several LRM boats in my unit i don't really need that. Also i have installed some Double freezers i aquired though i still need a couple of single ones just to be safe. I hope that at some poit i can replace those by more double ones. finally armor is maxed wich makes the mech slightly lighter than it should be (it's not even half a ton so it does'nt bother me).

I don't like the Kintaro personally. Can't take much punishment. Always seems to be the first mech down when my lancemates use it too.

Only negative I see is stupid high heat in a short amount of time

I got a pretty dope one.. LRM10, LRM5, SRM6+ART, 2xSRM4's+ART, 3med lasers.. It can basically do it all. I like to hang back and pummel with LRMs while my bigger guys start brawling.. and then I tear though the softened line usually one-shotting everything.. it can get pretty hot, but even fresh mechs cant survive much more than 2 alphas of those SRMs/lasers.. ..thinkin of getting rid of the artimis for more heat sinks though.

KTO-190 is a better choice if you can find it. Best non-hero in it's weight class. (with YAML mod's).

I found the Kintaro hero mech. Hehe...

Just started playing this game over the past weekend (I didn't even know it was out, last one I played was MWO, but my computer at the time sucked, so I didn't play much). After making like 15 million C-bills, went to an industrial hub, and they had a Golden Boy. I of course bought that right then and there. I have been having so much fun piloting it... but unfortunately I did lose one of the Double Heat Sinks. I have since replaced it with a Single Heat Sink, but goddamn am I overheating more frequently now. Still no luck finding any Doubles for sale anywhere (same with MP Lasers, which I am so paranoid of losing since I don't have any backup MP Lasers). I had been thinking I need to purchase another Kintaro to use as a backup mech whenever my GB is in repair. So this build you showed off definitely gives me an idea of what to run.

Using a KTO-18P (melee) varient with my "Fire Support Lance." Eager to try a modified version of this build.. 2xSM6, SRM4, Mlaser, and a Tag. I'm at the point where I afford to play around a bit with my builds to find some fun combinations before I transition to a Career playthrough.

Here's a fun meme build: Kintaro Miura. Step 1: equip the right hand with the biggest sword possible. Step 2: drop all other weapons except the ones on the left arm. Step 3: Hai-yai forces.

The Kintaro is hands down one of the best mediums in the entire franchise. The only two game systems where it isn't good is the OG Classic Battletech and only because SRMs suck in Classic Battletech, no other reason and in the role playing pen and paper game which uses CBT as it's game system because on top of the SRMs that are meh, it further suffers from the restrictions imposed by a lore based ruleset which hampers pretty much every mech in that game. The mech is just fantastic in every single video game.

Hunchback 4P

I think Dervish Hero mech kinda serve a similar role now, and it also have Jump Jets! But I still use Kintaro from time to time

Hunchback with ac10 and 4 medium lasers is my most effective medium mech.

Everything he said in exact reverse with one exception I Built 4 hunchback 4j s and they delete everything and have less armor sure but they also have smaller hitboxes than your heavy and assault mechs

I started off doing some house davion quests & salvaged this mech from one of their assassinations early in the game. The build is definitely fun.

awesome video, thanks for the info and good edit. keep up the good work. :)

Keep ammo in legs. It's less likely to explode, or if it does you won't lose any guns.

Ever use the Raven. god that mech is amazing for its tonnage.

that moment when ;your watching this hunting for a kintaro and find a hero kintaro...

Hi, thanks for the video. It certainly helps beginners like myself in enjoying the game. Just some comments: 1. After getting nowhere in my first campaign (sudden spike in difficulty and my mechs and lancemates (and I unfortunately) cannot handle the campaign missions), I watched tutorials and gameplay like yours before I started my second. However, I noticed both times I came across Kintaro Hero version (in House Davion region). 2. In my second campaign, after getting my hand on my Hero version, I actually came across 2 KTO-18s (also in Davion area) and thus also bought one of them. 3. I'm still learning to pilot it as you do but I found heat management most challenging. I'm still learning how not to overheat it. 4. Another thing I noticed is that my Kintaro is slow. Your videos show it's running at 81kmph(mph?). However mine only runs at 64 if I remember right. Did the game make changes since you made the video?

An srm frenzy dervish slaps above its weight

The Kintaro isn't my cup of tea, with either LRM or SRMs, but this is a good video showing that this mech can be very good in a brawl. It's been two years since this video, did the AI pilots change? because if you give them a Kintaro with 4xLRM5/10, they do a good job of standing off and raining on targets, which keeps them alive better than I remember.

kintaro is good but once I encounterd the heavies and above it just didn't provide enough armor. new go to one is a Stalker equipped with 4 medium lasers, two heavy lasers and 4 srm6 - slow af but it obliterates any mech

yeah med mechs suck. Many are too soft, crap hardpoints, not enough useable space....just ugh. I might try KTO. I havent used it at all yet.

The quickdraw is awesome too. Tons of srms

I found this by chance. I have a Kintaro - 18 and have exactly the same build! I am still using it when my 3 idiots need the protection of 70-75 ton mechs. Ive found that swapping in Double Heat Sinks helps - a bit - but not much because you cant put enough in. I have a good time taking the legs off Heavy & Assault mechs in it :) Recently I came across the -20 model with a Large Laser, not sure. It can be equipped with an Er Lg Laser instead, but I think the 2 mediums still do the job - just.

I agree that the Kintaro is the best medium mech (though the Shadow Hawk is on its level), but you're using it wrong. The key, especially in the late game vs heavier mechs, is to let your lance mates draw aggro (obviously works best in coop, but if you hold your fire, AI pilots work too), get in behind of them and alpha strike the rear CT. Because of your agility, you can consistently get at least three such salvos off, which is enough to kill almost every mech at least with my setup (4 SRM4s and nothing else). That also counters the biggest weakness of the Kintaro, which is heat management, and is the only reason I consider the Kintaro on par with the Shadow Hawk.

The SRM is one of the best weapons in the Game.

The Kintaro is a Kurita design so it is the most likely pace to find it. Playing the Classic tabletop game it is oddb& just a bit frustrating how different or how best to utilize chasis & weapons. Clearly the SRM6 is unusually nasty in MW5 & I haven't even heard of anyone even running a Kintaro (CGL doesn't even make one so you need to buy a metal one from Ironwind Metals or 3D a 3rd party one) where as the Wolverine & Hunchback are fan favorites & great mechs to field on the tabletop. Also while in Classic hit location is random in MW5 it just seems like your arms fall off especially with your lance mates. Just something that is a rather substantial learning curve when coming over from Classic. I hadn't even bothered with a Kintaro, but will pick one up next time I can justify getting over to stomp on Kurita. I have a feeling I will have a lance of Panthers & Kintaros when the DCMS DLC is released.

Just got the Kintaro, agree 100%! Can you do a video on the best mechs for AI lance mates?

the light jenner hero oxide with 4 srm 4s is pretty good.

Double heat sicks, redistribute armor to the front. I have a KTO19 w/ 2x Tier 4 Mlas, 2x Tier 3 SRM 6, 2x Tier 3 SRM 4 and core most mediums in a single alpha on the rear.

I personally love the Hunchbacks - I don't find the right torso to be that much of a problem. BUT their arms tend to fall of unreasonably quickly. That being said - they do have absurd amounts of firepower for their weight class - and with different variants, you can cover any range and any role - you can very easily make a full lance of those covering every possible role, except for speedy scouting. Centurions are a classic and you can't really go wrong with them - good "soldier" mech, able to do just about anything reasonably well, but not extremely well. They lack concentrated firepower. I have also found that... Blackjacks tend to work very well. Mech that is very mediocre in lore actually works like a very solid workhorse. Also, you can't really go wrong with Shadow Hawk - you have a good set of hardpoints, jumping capability. I think you can outfit it in a similar way to Kintaro here.

I finally discovered this mech in the most recent DLC. Surprisingly good dps and durability.

I'm new to MW5, played Battletech originally. Anyway, i'm like 10hrs in and I got a Dervish 6M. Same speed, couple of MLs + srm. What are the pros and cons of each chassis?

"The blackjack has too many weapons on it''s arms", Lol, No. The hero blackjack with machine guns pretty much outdamages anything up to to 60 tons. You also talk about too many weapon hardpoints on multiple mechs but I am going to blow your mind. You do not have to use every weapon hardpoint...

My most effective med mec is a Griffin with a ppc and a level 3 srm 6 art IV

The GB kintaro is amazing. But I prefer my King Crab 000 tbh

The rebalancing mod me and my friends use does not do the kintaro...or rather, SRMs, justice. Too bad, now that I see what could have been if I had tried this before modding!

Out of my twelve mechs I’m most used to my kintaro. If u find the golden boy u have a mech that can one to two shot any mech in or below it’s weight class and I only use other mechs of a higher weight class for armor but usually end up with the same or less firepower but ammo and heat sinks make the mech better for quick missions like war zone and defence

Absolutely agree with you, I progressed from assassin srms to raven srms and then finally Kintaro Srms with no lasers and max cooling & ammo, rocking with it till end game and does more average damage most of the time then my top equipped atlas brawlers.

The Kintaro is an SRM shotgun. The Hero Kinaro is ludicrous.

How about a SHADOWHAWK 2-K?

I find that, for ai lancemates, big heavily armored mechs work best as they tend to stop and fire instead of being on the move. Even in this video you can see they stop and fire. also, make sure they have at least a 5 in their damage mitigation stat.

Sry but, HUNCHIE either the Laserboat or the Hero is Amazing Mech. You should try it with Srm4, AC20/Gauss, 2x MPulse and 1x SLaser. Its amazing. one of the very best Medium Mechs either Online or in Mercenaries. WOLVERINE Quickdraw seems amazing too with Srms and Laser, plus it has Jump Jets which is good for leeting the Ai missi their shots if you fly saround them and shoot Missiles. CRAB is super tanky, either in MWO or here in Mercenaries. it has some of the very best Hitboxes you can find on a Mech. There is probably none better Mech for spreading Damage on the Armor. He lacks Firepower but hes Tanky as Hell. Shadow Hawk with a LBX 10 Solid, 2x SRM4 and 4x Med Laser is Good Damage. Hes a bit weak on the Arms, but that LBX shoots so fast and does great damage and he has Jump Jetzs aswell, plus enough Ammo and full Armor build. Either of these are Amazing Mediums and that coming from a Priamry Assault Player! PS. What the heck has Artemis to do with being worse in Close Quarters? Artemis is an Upgrade that gives you less spread. Normally ou only use it on SRM6 in MWO becauae Srm4 has already tight spread unlike Mercenaries. But hey, sometimes less Ammo but able to do More damage because you hit everything or able to Dmg specific parts better is better than Ammo.

Hey, loved your vid! I got to ask, wich part of the map do you say you find them more than other places? You mention it in your video but english isn't my first language and i can't really pick it up from the video. But I want to try to get the hero kintaro :)

Kintaro is great, but the Hero Treb is my favorite medium.

QuickDraw then Kintaro they’re pretty much neck n neck but I like the QD better cuz it can jump and put out more damage the Kintaro just has slightly more armor

Kintaro is pretty good. The hero wolverine is my favourite both are better than shadow hawk which is hindered by its ac cannon on its shoulder. The regular wolverine with 2 ac 2 is good too but you have to use the reduced weapon mass mod.

What area of the Map is the combine for Kintaro purchase??

Kintaro's OP no matter where it is.

Good stuff.

Where to get the best machine guns for Warhammer mech?

Interesting build! Will try it today, as I have the Kintaro. I'm still using the default Centurion, with lrm10 3+, AC10bf 3+, and 2 Mlaser 3+, because of it's versatility. I can open fight from far, and do a lot of damage to mecs in close combat, ripping light mechs to pieces. But yes, it is slow...

Very good info but wouldn't it be better to house the ammo in the legs? Anyway good content thank you for sharing it...

For personal use non-hero i like the wolverine but i like ACs. The extraneous arms give some fitting leeway and let you more easily damage soak by twisting. But i have a blackjack-A hero (with 6 MG4s) and am comfortable using that in the harder if missions. Its my vote for best medium if i can accept hero mechs. The regular BJ isnt bad either, like a lighter rifleman (which you give short shrift. Its got more arm armor than a jagermech!)

In MWO the Kintaro is called "Shitaro", in MW5 and Battletech (PC and also pin and board game) it is a very good mech.

I’m annoyed because I got this on the second level I played and it’s all I’ve used ever since. I want to use other mechs, sometimes when I play them they just don’t seem as good

Hero wolverine is the best medium mech.

I'm new to Mech warrior. What is a hard point?

Hmmm... I have a similar set of weapons on my Shadowhawk (didn't use the balistic slot)... it has jump jets, too

Really late to this video (I know) but the Kintaro is still a great mech. I put the ammo in the legs (to reduce chance of an ammo explosion) and never use any Artemis weapons until I have maxed out my missile skill - Artemis weapons grant no XP to the mech pilot (you or an AI pilot). My go to AI brawler in medium mechs is the Hunchback 4J variant fitted with two SRM6 and 5 Med Lasers. I leave the small laser head slot empty. This combo absolutely trashes things and is very survivable.

Wher would I find one

I love the hunchback 4SP, but it is too slow in this game. I have not found a Kintaro in my game yet. But it will most likely be too late for that, at the current tonnage/difficulty.

I like the Kintaro. However, I don't know if it s a bug on my game or not but it's armor is twice as expensive to replace as any other mech, so I sold it.

The blackjack hero is soooooooooooooo busted at any point in the game tho and definitely deserved some acknowledgment. I use it in any mission in urban environments. Its nearly a requirement cause high dps is just that important at 80 difficulty

Kintaro does do good damage but I love my Shadowhawk GD with LBX-10 Solid Slug 2 SRM4 and 4 ML. (yes I did farm alot to get this)

I think the Catpult is the BEST heavy mech in this game, especially the hero version, Catpult BB, it runs fast, can carry 4 SRM6(normal version can only carry 2), moves fast, able to jet jump, decent armor

Your tip about Firestarter was great but now when i do higher difficulty missions i start to have problems. I use Firestarter as distraction so my lance mates have easier time during the fight but when i now face more heavy and assault mechs in the missions i am starting to think about bigger mechs with more armor and firepower, just like before. Which version do you use and what is your build? Do you use Firestarter only in demolition missions? I noticed that i have problems with Firestart in urban environment with lot of buildings which limits my maneuvering around targets. That is how i had success so far, circling around targets, i thought that it is OP but now i see that it is not. I do not pilot medium mechs much unless i have to so i do not have any favourite medium mech.

Hi! I enjoyed your video and I'm curious to know your PC specs. Cheers!

Dervish is better imo

How do you have so many active mechs? is that a mod?

assassin mech is by far the most useless medium mech.

This review style seems really dismissive of other builds and mechs, just to prop up the 'best' build. I don't even know why you should mention other mechs if you're only going to give them a small misleading sentence on them. Either focus on the best mech or go in-depth as to why others lack the "best" spot.