THE CENTURION | A breakdown of the roughest, toughest medium mech around

Generic greetings and welcome to a video on the centurion. A medium mech i consider to be a legend. A mech so awesome and kickass it eventually became one of the most common mechs in the setting. from pirates to mercenaries, warlords to great houses. This bad boy was born in the middle of battle, and that's where it thrives.
If you’d like to support Science Insanity check out our patreon:
/ scienceinsanity
If you'd like to join the discord, click here:
/ discord

[@g3heathen209]

Fed sun pilot to cappellen opponents "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the cappellen march, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true prince davion. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."

[@Kingofdragons117]

Are you sure you aren’t part of the Marian Hegemony?

[@PeachDragon_]

Then he gets killed by a PPC because he's fighting vindicators

[@PeachDragon_]

Then a vindicator mauls him

[@Reddotzebra]

@@PeachDragon_ 😇 Then a vindicator mauls him, aye...

[@lordhosk]

I feel like im engaging to boost stats

[@devlincognito5005]

As much as it would make more sense for the Centurion to be an escort for the Catapult (same speed and an LRM10 to help with fire support whilst hanging back), it was originally designed to escort the Trebuchet. The Treb is 30 MPH faster and also built by Corean Industries. Loving the Ship Breaker music at the end!

[@PeachDragon_]

The catapult escorts itself, according to catapult pilots at least

[@Eserchie]

@@PeachDragon_ That they do. 4ML is a nice welcome mat for anything that slips under minimum LRM range, and the legs can keep kicking while you are at it.

[@catboxvideo]

ok, thank you. i was thinking, ummm... I thought catapults and centurions are the same speed. ... i am not going (more) crazy

[@Pulmonox]

The whole time I was thinking 'Catapult? Wasn't it the Trebuchet?' Thank you for dispersing the gaslighting.

[@tenchraven]

The intent was to be a wingman for the Trebuchet, but it works for Catapults, Archers, Dervishes, Hunchbacks, etc. But we can make it better. Don't have the record sheet with me at the moment but pull the AC for a LL. That is slightly less punch but no ammo issues. That lets you upgrade the engine to a 250, adds HSs and a little more armour. You could got with a PPC then you have to choose the engine or the ability to over overheat.

[@extremesheepdawg6379]

Centurion: firepower with enough maneuvering and speed to avoid most incoming fire. Enough armor to absorb what can not be avoided. Light on the heat buildup. All around good mech.

[@PeachDragon_]

It's a good mech in a lineup of S tier machines so it's only good when you don't compare it to say, a vindicator, a kintaro, a hunchback, a wolverine or a crab. It is better than an enforcer or cicada at least.

[@shawn6860]

The centurian also can use a snub nosed ppc in the chest.

[@cobalt968]

@@PeachDragon_in the lore, I think it was actually going to be supplanted by the Enforcer. But that was narrowly avoided due to lobbying or other stuff. As crazy as it sounds, it was nearly discontinued at some point.

[@boxtank5288]

@@PeachDragon_ The Centurion also has nice ol' BATTLEFISTS ready to do some pretty brutal work if something closes even further in. Sure, maybe the melee isn't exactly spectacular in MW5 (More on the Dancing Bear principle in that the wonder isn't that it dances well but that it dances at all) but it can be startling how effective just driving your fist into a Mech's CT is.

[@schmeatgaming853]

New player here, I'm having trouble grasping what I should do in-game. For the most part, I either flank or push with my team but I don't stay at very front, maybe the middle or at the edges (I guess?) of a charge so I can easily break off to flank enemies or alternatively fend off or chase pesky lights. But what should I really be doing? Also, should I even bother trying the Thunderbolt? Or should I just sell it instead? What should I do with it in the middle of a Battle? What is it's role? One last thing, are there any mechs out there that are friendly for new players? I prefer Medium and Heavies but I don't mind Assaults. It's just I don't know what to do as an Assault really haha

[@guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285]

The Centurion is a solid trooper; it can slug it out with pretty much anything else in it's weight class, credibly threaten heavies and it won't break the bank. Definitley what you'd want to build a planetary garrison with.

[@lordhosk]

Is this how you goose the stats with engagement in conversation?

[@guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285]

@@lordhosk what?

[@Aettaro]

I love how the AH is basically just an Urbanmech on steroids.

[@WolfHreda]

The CN9-AH: "Who needs lasers?! More ammo!"

[@LegendStormcrow]

Same. Gotta love it.

[@mickbrown7793]

"Someone is wrong on the internet time!" I'm fairly sure that the Centurion was built to support the Trebuchet, a fast moving LRM boat built by Corean, not the Catapult which is built in Capellan space and is not any faster than the Centurion. Speculatively, the fluff of autocannon problems with the Centurion may be due to the first time we see one in a novel - where the gun jams in a Solaris duel. Ironically though, that Centurion was one of those refitted with a AC/20 which would make problems more plausible.

[@weldonwin]

23:37 and that's a Dragon, not a Centurion

[@Alizardwithdaftideas]

Having played a LOT of MW5 Mercs, I have fallen in love with the Centurion.

[@joshuamidgette4846]

Checked Sarna, the Centurion was meant to pair with the Trebuchet. Corean never built the Catapult.

[@PeachDragon_]

The catapult was literally built by the terran hegemony it's one of the oldest mechs ever built, it's older than corean industries i think.

[@JuNkBoYcaNNoN]

Also, the Catapult and Centurion both move at 4-6.

[@Comicsluvr]

The 50-55 ton range is the sweet spot for Mech design IMHO. You have a whole host of Mechs from that range including the Centurion, the Griffin, the Wolverine, and the Shadow Hawk. At 60+ tons you're getting a bit on the heavy side to move fast and at 45 tons and below you're giving up firepower, armor, or both.

[@WolfHreda]

The CN9-AL is my favorite Centurion. Maxed out armor and less ammo reliance is fantastic. And it's got enough heat sinks to let you fire pretty much anything you want. I also found out that switching to double heat sinks can give you enough weight savings to turn it into a very convincing Super Vindicator.

[@joelaugustin6407]

The CNA-AL is awesome, definitely one of the top 3025 medium mechs

[@lordilluminati5836]

the problem is that a centurion without AC feels just wrong

[@spartanx9293]

0:43 Nobody who isn't blinded by eighties nostalgia is gonna argue

[@Dave-hr2sm]

well I started playing in '91 but I'll gladly admit to 80s nostalgia. I think that the highlighted 'best looking' Centurion is garbage, its a crappy take on an 80s punk vibe or a Go-Bot trying to be a Decepticon. I'll happily take the OG or the new CGL redesign over it. That said the skin is terrible but its still the same ass kicking trooper mech inside. If its your jam go with it.

[@spartanx9293]

the original design was ugly as sin the CGl design isn't very unique looking. It just looks like a generic medium mech In my opinion, there is only one situation where CGl beats Pgi the black knight

[@CharliMorganMusic]

I like the centurion. It's for when you don't have heavy mech money, but want a heavy mech.

[@PeachDragon_]

Hunchback

[@Eserchie]

Okay, I was laughing like a crazy person when you got to the H variants. So many of them too, and the line leads to the C9_H3. "We put Ferrofibrous armor and an ultra autocannon on it now!" "Isn't this an upgraded C9-H Series?" "Yeah, why?" "the series built on industrial mech chassis, with primitive engines and industrial or primitive armor?" "Not anymore, now it has armor that costs 20,000 c-bills a ton and can only be made in zero-g!" "Did you put an atmosphere seal on the cockpit?" "..." "..." ".... no?"

[@SuperiorAutocraft]

Having read the Warrior trilogy as a teen, YLW always holds a special place in my heart. Justin's original version I believe had sharpened claws in the left hand, not a shield, but I might be fuzzy on the details.

[@michaelmeisterfeld4442]

He put ‚fingernails‘ on Yen Lo Wangs hand like the ones that were famous at that time with wealthy capellans. Tsen Shang had carbon reinforced razorsharp nails on his hands. I think it was like middle- and ringfinger and pinky.

[@JPG.01]

"Coming at you at Mach Jesus" god damn I'm stealing that line.

[@dracphelan]

I love the Centurion. My favorite variant is the D5. A RAC5, targeting computer, and MASC is just wonderful.

[@tomarmadiyer2698]

*curses* That centi... You didn't get that from Discount Dan's did you?

[@MrGrimsmith]

If it still has at least 75% of its parts? Definitely not!

[@SulliMike23]

I LOVE the Centurion! It’s my favorite of the Medium category of mechs!

[@michaelmorford3932]

Centurion is a good line-mech. It has weapons for all brackets and has an economy of scale. Include a full Lance and you'll get your money's worth!

[@jasonscheiwe8404]

It wasn't the catapult that it was to be paired with. It was the trebuchet, which is also a 50-ton mech. I know this because I have no life.

[@flow5tate346]

MWO Yen-Lo Wang afficionado here. Smacks anyone and anything hard enough to reconsider f***ing around with, 'cause you'll most assurately find out. Also.....WANG BANG! (Here's your Wang joke). And yeah.....PGI absolutely nailed the design (kudos to the artist who suggested the art designs to PGI in the first place, Alex Martinez was it??? I don't remember). I might consider CGL and Weisman & Co. as the true originators of the Battletech franchise, the PGI art render is all that matters now. Case closed, Your Honor.

[@drakkenmensch]

The Centurion looks like he fights assault mechs for lunch BECAUSE IT DOES!

[@PeachDragon_]

The hunchback:🗿 The wolverine: 🗿 The kintaro:🗿 The vindicator: 🗿 The enforcer and centurion: 🤡

[@Yacovo]

Centurion: Using a hammer as a cockroach swatter until they realized it was better used as a hammer. Thanks for the video.

[@3ightba113]

The Centurion's designated battle buddy was the Trebuchet, not the Catapult

[@CC-vp1on]

I am so looking forward to an Inner Sphere Omnimech video. It's basically just the mech version of pre-dreadnaught battleships.

[@igorbukovy4313]

PGI's design is the best, no doubt.

[@kilrathi827]

100% agree with you. The PGI model is the only one that is canon to me nowadays to the point that I'm sad when I'm playing in an official tabletop event and have to pull out the normal CGL one instead. Especially since the PGI model was used in both MW5 and the HBP Battletech game. Can't convince me its not the "Right" model. It is the gigachad of mediums.

[@blackc1479]

I dont see why folks are unhappy with the shield arm/pauldron idea. Makes a hell of a lot more sense than mech melee weapons. (You know who you are. Not just in BT)

[@scottwalker6947]

Battle Tech has always "suffered" from Mechs having advantages/disadvantages in lore (ie the Cyclops having superior comms), that simply wasn't applied in game.

[@VickyAmaru]

There is a third configuration of the Yen-Lo-Wang, piloted by Danai Liao-Centrella, Kai Allard-Liao's cousin. It used Clan-tech weapons, specifically a gauss rifle, an LRM-20, an ER medium laser and a hatchet. She later removed the gauss rifle and the medium laser for a heavy large laser and a shield. Both versions also use triple strength myomer.

[@kieranadamson3224]

Hold on, I knew melee weapons were a thing for Mechs. But you can have a mech with a shield?! So I could have a Black Knight with a sword and shield?

[@VickyAmaru]

@@kieranadamson3224 There's a few Black Knight variants that carry shields, yes. The only one I know that has both a shield and a sword is the Red Reaper from Experimental Technical Readout: Most Wanted.

[@kieranadamson3224]

@@VickyAmaru I'm guessing that's a rule/lore book for the tabletop game? If so, I actually have a more general question. Where should I go to try and buy these different books? I'm interested in getting as many as possible entirely due to things such as the example of that Black Knight. They'll have lore or even just little snippets with some art that I'm sure I would adore.

[@VickyAmaru]

​@@kieranadamson3224You can find pretty much all of them as PDFs on Catalyst Game Labs' website.

[@aPreciousPiggy]

As far as I'm concerned, PGI's design is the canon design. Everything they've done is an improvement visually over the technical readouts

[@kieranadamson3224]

Seriously! I don't get how people DON'T prefer the newer designs. The original eighties designs looked like knock off transformers that could barely sustain their own weight. Now, Battlemechs in particular looks much more durable and intimidating. Even a light mech looks menacing now.

[@jasonfarley9025]

This is a favourite Mech of mine, and I often run it and an Enforcer together The CN-10D is the model I have been using the most recently, and it's damn good

[@alexs5814]

I miss Steve, Thanks for the video, sad you didn't talk about the "unbreakability" memes of the mech and the Cent' is absolutely a poster boi for Mediums!

[@chrisflagg1329]

Love the CN9-AL, put Ferro, Endo, double heat syncs in mine while replacing the large laser with a binary laser and the LRM 10 for a MRM 20 because it's hilarious to burn holes through the core of light mechs and sandblasting ones unlucky enough to sneak up on me.

[@dakkath414]

The centurion is very very whelming

[@Funkin_Disher]

Yep. A rear facing laser, lrms that would have been better served with some 5s or a 15, and an autocannon that probably should have been a laser or ppc. The mobility and armor is middling, the ammo questionable. But hey, its a pretty bargain-bin BV!

[@Wastelandman7000]

I just had the wildest idea. What it the Earth the Battlestar Galactica was looking for was in the Battletech universe.....Cylons would be in for a bad bad bad shock LOL

[@earnestbrown6524]

Read a Fanfic were a group of the Final Five were in the Intersphere buying mechs and one goes "but we have to buy the Centurion. What kind of Cylons would we be? It's tradition."

[@ohuckabee]

The Centurion doesn't even need a melee weapon in the left hand, per se, just a big pointy bit at the end of the shield. Just a straight swing for the cockpit - one and done.

[@PopeMetallicus]

One of my favorite Mechs, This thing is the most versatile 50 tonner by far

[@FunkThompson]

Several variants are just overall some of the best medium mechs in the game, really.

[@SLDFSpectreSix]

If I can't have a Hunchback, give me a Centurion. If I can't have either one, get out of my face.

[@jebe4563]

Per lore the Centurion is a Junk Medium, whose main weapon is particularly prone to jamming, to the point the Federated Suns ability to develop New Mechs in the late 3rd Succession War era is heavily attributed to the grueling exercise involved in making it not be a complete waste of time and resources, ala the WW2 era USN Mark 14 Torpedo's extensive and comprehensive problems. The most infamous one effectively throws the design and sanity away to make it an ill advised wannabe Hunchback. However granted... Ludo-narrative Dissonance with 'Rules as Written' versus the Lore however means the fanbase doesn't think poorly of it. In short per Lore the Enforcer was supposed to be the FedSun Medium Workhorse, while the Centurion was supposed to be a source of endless problems that blows up when you look at it funny associated with the ammo distribution and thin armor.

[@swj719]

I deeply love the lore around the IS omnimechs.

[@bthsr7113]

A true classic, reinvented time and time again, always ready to serve.

[@cropathfinder]

you know whats funnier then an centi with a AC20, a centi with a HAG

[@carlpeters1278]

Looking good. I like the changes so far.

[@juliaharrell4072]

YEAH BABY THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR

[@KodeeDentares]

What's that? Insane offshoots? >Catapult has entered chat

[@PeachDragon_]

This is the only video that makes the centurion look appealing to me

[@tywren2486]

Roughest, toughest medium mech around. Hunchback has entered the chat.

[@paulgaither]

The Centurion is among my favorite mechs, and I wish it had been in the core MW3 and in MW4 games. It was in the Pirate Moon expansion but wasn't even in the Mektek packs for MW4. I love the clix game and own at least one of almost every Centurion. ❤

[@psyko2666]

A correction. The Centurion was designed to be paired with the Trebuchet, not the Catapult. Same role, similar mechs.

[@angrycrusader3926]

My three favorite mechs and the Centurion, the Crusader, and Highlandier.

[@Jake9066]

My only complaint about the PGI models is the double-thumb. Not a fan of the double-thumb.

[@carsontheoof]

Ah the lovely centurion the one mech in mechwarriors5 mercs that I will always use no matter what

[@gmradio2436]

David G should still receive a shout out. He was the first patron.

[@bismarkeugen6881]

Could you consider covering either the Omega, Poseidon or Ares, they're just so massive it's hilarious, they are even larger than the already hefty King Crab. (edit: You worked "Hard" to avoid any Wang Jokes? Sorry.)

[@SpiritWolf1966]

I enjoy all of SC.I SCIENCE INSANITY videos

[@Gillymonster18]

Just my 2¢ of input, but from a *lore* perspective the centurion is the T-72 of the Battletech universe: it’s so damn easy to repair and maintain they don’t bother actually fixing it’s critical flaws because that be too expensive. A mech with an unreliable main weapon shouldn’t be worth a damn, and I’ll wager the centurion’s own ruggedness got a lot of good mechwarriors killed because it’s cheaper to refit and rinse the pilot out with a hose than it is to buckle down and fix the damn gun.

[@mrfawkes9110]

The 9D might be my favorite medium mech, the Enforcer Ghillie(the unique gauss armed one in MW5) is the only competitor.

[@user-kk6mx9wf8c]

A UAC-10 and 10 SRM's is my favorite Battletech loadout for the Centurion.

[@immanuel_shadowhammonds2813]

This is My favorite Mech! The Bagpipe Mech (Highlander) is pretty good too

[@mercerholt8299]

Ah yes my second favorite medium mech only second to the phoinex hawk my beloved.

[@calebjones3636]

CENTURION, HELL YEAH!

[@miemsliva4464]

Okay, now I need to see a cover of the Enforcer.

[@robrib2682]

I thought the Trebuchet was the mech that the Centurion was designed as a out and out bodyguard for. Also wasn't the Catapult an sldf mech that only survived the succession wars by having its spare parts pieced together by the capelians mainly to make a new ones/ repair the old Other than that great video bro 👍

[@kreedome]

Glad to put a Centurion on ya lawn

[@mbr5742]

Na, the proper lawn ornament is a Chieftain (tracked not hatted). Just ask BAOR

[@KillerOrca]

It is a good GOOD time to be a battletech fan thats for sure

[@shawnhunter5605]

Love this mech. best all rounder

[@TheBallisticzero]

Answering the real ques.... LETS GOOOOOOOO!

[@Sethry406]

Correct on not needing to play with quirks, btw. They were not even a thing back when I had a group to play with (CityTech to 3055 era).

[@drizztiley8740]

PGI Centurion is the best centurion. It is the tactical brick and the shield arm + pauldron combo is great. It looks like a bodyguard now, like its aboutta jump in front of a Catapult screaming GET DOWN MISTER PRESIDENT.

[@gorbino9012]

Centurion my beloved...

[@grayboats7741]

Want a nightmare lance to fight? 2 Centurions, a Trebuchet, & a Hunchback. Another fun fact. Once swapped A/C 10 for a PPC & A/C 2.

[@Ju66alo4Life]

What if I want to enjoy the video while simultaneously waving a torch and pitchfork lol😂😂😂 1:33

[@RaderizDorret]

Given that you more or less start off with a Centurion in MW5, I''ve got a pretty decent feel for it. I made mine more of a close range brawler , though, since the LRM-10s kept breaking lock and I was finding myself in knife fight range more often than not. So I swapped the LRM-10s with SRM-6 which seems to suit my play style.

[@Wastelandman7000]

We can write our own Wang jokes, you're off the hook LOL

[@Juria1987]

I do like the shield arm and it being beefy, gotta be swol to handle the stupidly big guns they keep shoving onto that other arm.

[@FormulaFox]

Put the arm shield and left pauldron extension of the PGI redesign onto the current CGL version and you would have perfection. I am actively tinkering with my 3d print files to try and create this.

[@teehasheestower]

The best looking terrible mech.

[@eltoxicdog7587]

All my Centurion's are named after Marty Robbins songs. The Arazona Ranger, Tall Handsome Stranger, and Sun Down.

[@kausalkraken5951]

This is a great mech

[@alejandrobadia4835]

FTL soundtrack? Good video, Im subscribing

[@mbr5742]

The Enforcer is the better trooper since it concentrates on one job instead of being a "a bit of all and nothing well" like the base Centurion or Shadowjoke

[@nickolasturner]

This mech is always in my top 3 favourite mechs.

[@tomsimpkins1211]

Well, despite holding onto my pitchfork for a while, you do seem to appreciate big autocannon and big arm.. I think I'll put pitchfork back in shed.

[@timknight68]

All systems nominal.

[@sethharley5557]

I love it

[@olafseverin9181]

The Centur'on even emerged in MW 1, so right from the start.

[@Captain_Razor_88]

My head canon is that the lore reason for opt-in/opt-out quircks comes from the brand of the tech being installed in the mech. Like the company that is standard for providing the Federated Suns with their ACs is of lower quality (but not enough to be considered non-cost effective, typical case of lowest bidder that still gets the job done) while other manufacturers in other regions might produce better or worse quality and independant groups like a merc lance might have versions from multiple suppliers due to contract/salvage awards. So why would a mechtech ever swap a superior model for an inferior one? Maintenance. There may be no surplus of a superior model but they have an op coming up that the maintenance of the system will overshoot. Swap out the better but battered system for the serviced but slightly (or greatly) worse version so you have at least "something" to bring to the battlefield, an underperforming system is still better than no system at all.

[@g-man4439]

Yen-Lo Wang is the name of the Chinese God of Hell. Wang means king/lord, and pronounced as Waang, with a long "Aah" sound. Nothing to do with genitalia.

[@g-man4439]

Makes sense because it was the ride of the famed Justin Allard (then known as Justin Xiang) who fought in Solaris VII and claimed victories in the name of the Cappella Confed.

[@Koriolis]

I mean, par for the course for an ignorant American to make fun of it. Nothing to be surprised about either.

[@mathewfitzpatrick5645]

I really do like the PGI version of the centurion.

[@duanewong1527]

The centurion is what comes to mind when someone thinks of a trooper mech. Only downside is its terrible luxor series autocannon.

[@Roman14Fox88]

This video needs more Steve in it.

[@merrick1588]

New design is cannon tho, it was worked in that these were the redesign series from the new factory

[@TheBallisticzero]

Centurion: any last wordz? Urbie: I may look like a trash can, but today is "GARBAGE DAY!" hahahahhahaaaaa!

[@arizona-hunter6684]

Hi, can you upload the Protomolecule vid? Can you do battle breakdowns for BSG? Interesting vid.

[@izzycat2184]

In my mind I’ve always compared the centurion to the hunchback. Hunchie always wins out for me

[@jpmrwiggles121]

i remember fighting a dragon in the centurion back when mwo was in beta we were the only two mechs left i won but only after both him and i lost both our arms and shoulders and were down to chest weapons this mech is scrappy if you can utilize that shield arm.

[@derekburge5294]

In regards to PGI, I don't think people dislike them because of their weird additions... It's their total lack of soul. MW5 was made utterly without passion and it shows in just about every aspect of the story.

[@jamesmortimer4016]

I prefer the vindicator. But in a battleline, next to T-Bolts and the like the centurion is ideal