NOOB PLAYER, HIGHLY MOTIVATED TO LEARN

Keep playing the game. Keep reading the Wiki/Forum. Those two things alone will bring many steps up the Palace of Enlightenment.

Well, we need a few things, like your profile. When looking for possible candidates for my clan p, i always check their profile to see what decisions they had already made. So, post your profile.

Gulp.
pinata is many missles focused close range
pin is a few longer range missles more splash damage. 

Priority wsp purchases 4xmagnum 3x Taran
Priority gold purchases
2x orkan 1x galahad
3x aphid gep (no kidding you'll go far with this)

Start light and medium bot 4/6
Then proceed 6/8 heavies

This is the route I followed.

Edit:
This is where I'm currently at

Notice that 4/8 aphid gep, it's still a beast in my tier.

I've only been here a couple of weeks, but I'll share what this community has taught me thus far:

1. Slots before bots, always. Get your 3rd and 4th slots ASAP - do not spend gold on anything else until you unlock those.
2. After slots, next level your weapons. Always keep your weapons at least 2 levels above your bots
3. Do not put a medium bot like your Vityaz in the lineup yet. It will push you up to face tougher opponents in games than you are probably ready for.

I also think you have leveled up your Gepard too high. Others with more knowledge will let you know, but I think 4/6 is what you want. I'm not sure where a 6/6 Gepard will put you. For now I would focus on getting 3 Pinatas on it... but AFTER you have 4 slots.

I would suggest a Cossack for grabbing beacons. Mine is at 4/6 and I either run a Tulumbas or a Punisher T on it. I'm saving Workshop Points for a Taran for it. The Cossack is jump capable so you can get to beacons and capture them faster than anything in the game at this level.

Probably your best and cheapest hangar will be 4/6 Cossack with a Punisher T and then 3 Schutze with Thunders. All can be bought with silver - save all of your gold for slots.

Oh yeah - Dredd77 is right, you just put your Gepard in storage for now - it will be a great bot later on.

Although, if you get the offer for a Gepard with 3x Pinatas for $5 I'd highly recommend it if you have the resources. Just don't level it past 2.

Cossacks with Tarans (plasma gun, needs WSP, after character level 20) and Orkans (like 2xPinata w/ constant fire, needs Au, slots first) are some of the deadliest opponents in the lower tiers when they have a decent pilot at the helm. I have one of each on my n00b iOS account at 4/7. When I was gold farming on my Android account, I would always have 1 of each in my hanger for beacon capping before hauling out the Gepards.

Speaking of the much-maligned Gepard, 3xPinatas, 3xPins, and of course 3xMagnums are the most common builds. Go with Pinatas if you like close range, use the Pins for medium range if you are more of the dodgy type. That's for future reference, as others stated, your current Gep is netting you nastier opponents than the rest of your hanger can handle. Skill can only compensate so much for equipment disparities.

Can't wait for the new MM. I don't really care how much different it is, at this rate any change is a chance at improvement.

a) Did the game offer you the Gold/Silver bundle yet? It offers the Gep one the same way, you'll see it when it pops up on your screen.
b) I'd say that if what you're doing works for you, roll with it. Conventional wisdom has been pretty solid on MM tiering, but things are in a state of flux right now. We've seen some unusual pairing in advance of the full MM revision rollout next month. Could be matchmaking, could be you're just a natural, could be you've got a tape deck strapped to your leg and are listening to the inspiring words of Col. Charles "Chappie" Sinclair as you pilot.

Could be all three.