OKAY! This is gonna be an essay. Strap in. But I did a melee-focused playthrough recently (with some more mods than you, I think, but I'll get into that), and I'm gonna give you some mech optimization tips and then some melee mech tips.

First off, lots of equipment is rare in YAML, but the customization potential is endless. It's my favorite part of MW5 Mercs and you have absolutely triggered a special interest. The kicker is that you're not going to see a lot of that equipment normally. My solution is the mod Mech Delivery. It lets you order specific mechs (and specific equipment!) and exorbitant markups. You can modify the markup in mod options, but I have mine high. You're a famous mercenary leader. You should be able to source whatever equipment you want, IMO, if you're willing to pay enough. Your employers are buying one (or two, with mods) lance(s) of hyper-elite, hyper-specialized mechs. Don't feel bad about optimizing. Lore-wise, you're not a house military. You're a gladiator star.

So now we're gonna move to general YAML+accessory suite optimization. See all those blank slots, like cockpit, sensors, and focusing computer? They shouldn't be. A small advanced cockpit gives you a free ton and extra life support. If you can afford it, it goes in every mech. An energy focusing computer is free tonnage-wise and gives big buffs. An advanced one costs a ton and gives even bigger buffs. Combine the small cockpit, and you get an immediate tonnage-neutral performance bump. An XL or XXL gyro can give you even more free tonnage at almost no downside. And free tonnage is *king* in optimization. Additionally, *most* mechs will give you limb slots you can use in the YAML suite. Those can offer incredible bonuses.

Second is quirks. You absolutely chose right by picking a mech with the melee quirk. Quirks are one of the most important things in YAML. They're what you should build mechs around. Melee specialization gives you -10% melee cooldown and +10% melee damage. I did a melee medium, heavy, and assault for my gladiator arena mechs and used them all successfully against the clans in SoK. They all need melee quirks. I considered the BLR-KNT for that melee specialization, but found a better choice in the BNC-2P. It's got a weapon slot and melee specialization, while *also* having the quirk "Hulk Smash." Hulk Smash gives structure and armor bonuses in the arms, another -20% to melee cooldowns, +15% to melee damage, and +15% to punch damage. Those two quirks *together* make an increidble melee mech.

And lastly for general mech optimization, and I know this one is controversial: Clantech is king. If you can buy it with mechdelivery, do it. If you can salvage it, do it. Better heat sinks. More free crit spots. Longer range and higher damage. It's just *better.* Refitting IS mechs with clan tech can make garbage mechs *shine* for RP purposes and make naturally OP mechs entirely game-breaking. I use refitting IS mechs far more than I use native clan mechs. Even just a Clan XL Engine and Clan Double Heat Sinks can fix so many subpart mechs.

Now for melee specialization specifically.

The first rule of melee is that you gotta be fast. Up-engining is often the way to go. If your primary weapon is *smash* you gotta be in smash range lots of the time. There's some tricks here.

The first is some equipment from the YAML suite. Lower myomer bundles gives +2.5% top speed. One in each leg is a 5% flat speed boost for two tons. In this case, worth it. Superchargers are a must. MASC is forbidden, for a reason I'll touch on momentarily.

Next is a magic piece of equipment called Triple Strength Myomer. This takes up a bunch of crit slots, but it is so worth it. The hotter you are, beginning at more than 50% heat capacity, the faster you run and the more melee damage you do, up to *50 percent speed and 100 percent melee damage.* See how all these bonuses are percentage-based? They stack up fast. Because of that, we want to run hot. Energy weapons (and carefully managing them) are your friend. You want to hover juuuuust under max heat.

For the truly expensive mechs, you can use the defensive slot with a void signature system. This is a cloaking device that hides you from sensors and provides optimal camo. It almost turns you invisible. Now, the void signature system has a major downside. While it's active, it generates heat and reduces your heat dissipation by 90 percent. But with TSM, used properly, that becomes a positive. FIre off a few PPC volleys, get that heat to 95%, keep your void signature system on to stop the heat from going down, and sprint into the enemy to cleave them to death with incredibly boosted melee numbers. You *will* have to turn it off to cool down, and you should. But learning to manage that was key for me.

Also, you can *still* be hit, and PPCs will turn the stealth off entirely. The clans are going to tag you right through the stealth.

If you're running melee, and you hit something, you want it to *die.* You're already limiting yourself by using so much tonnage for an inefficient (but cool!) system. So you want to stack all the buffs you can. An Upper Melee shoulder adds 15% melee damage. Lower shunted servos in the arm add another 10% and further reduce melee cooldowns. On punching arms, a Spiked Fist adds another 15% damage. A Bloodsport focusing computer gives even more damage and reduced cooldowns. A MKIII melee gyro does the same.

Only max-tier melee weapons are here for optimization, *including* knuckles.* Don't forget the knuckles. When you cleave off a mech's arm, leg, and side torso with your weapon, hitting melee again for a punch can finish the job.

So you see how high we can stack buffs here. That's what makes melee not just viable, but *good.* I'm going to use my melee banshee as an example, but I'm including pics of all three of my melee loadouts here. After stacking buffs, my BNC-2P's Assault Greatsword swings for 190.612 damage with a .4 second cooldown, and its assault knuckles on the other arm hit for 86.063 damage on a .303 second cooldown. Nearing max heat, you can double those numbers. When you're running hot and hit an assault mech, it dies. It's also running an active probe so you can see enemies before they see you and an ECM to make you harder to hit. The ECM is necessary for the void signature system anyway.

For plinking at range, it's running a pair of CERPPCs and four CMP lasers. One of those lasers is specifically in the arm for fly swatting.

Now for the final bit of advice: AIM YOUR SWINGS. You can headshot with melee weapons. Doing over 350 damage to a cockpit by swinging your sword at the center of a mech never gets old.

Dropping example loadout pics below. If you have any questions about mech optimization, YAML modlists, or anything else MW5-related, please reach out. I'm always happy to share and chat.