Securitymechs vs modded Battlemechs

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

No, not one on one.

We know that Securitymechs exist: Industrialmechs built to perform crowd control and low-intensity urban suppression.  We've got a few canon configurations in various sourcebooks, like TRO Vehicle Annex.

We also know that there are variants of actual Battlemechs built for the same duty, like the Urbanmech that showed up in Illusion of Victory: it had its small lasers replaced with a water cannon.

So my question is this: given the choice, which one would you purchase to protect your non-vital facilities?

[Dies Irae]

I sort of assume the QUA-51T Quasit is the industry gold standard - it's got plenty of things going for it.
1. Stayed in production throughout the Succession Wars
2. Military grade hardware (LRMs, SRMs and a Medium Laser) and an antipersonnel weapon you can load up with rubber bullets (MG).
3. Fast-ish for a militia 'Mech platform.
4. Available as an 'off-the-shelf' purchase rather than a conversion.
5. Hand actuators for emergency engineering work and other assorted tasks.

[Giovanni Blasini]

BattleMechs have significant advantages over IndustrialMechs in this role.  First off, they're environmentally sealed by default, and come with ejector seats, two things that cost extra mass to do on IndustrialMechs.

[pensiveswetness]

How much do you want to spend on monthly repairs & upkeep? that's would be the Real Life kicker to determine which type you (or the company in question) would choose...

[Colt Ward]

I think timeframe also matters . . . for instance, the Inquisitor II IMO is a very good platform . . . mostly b/c the TSEMP Cannon.  Unfortunately we never got the I in stats to compare with the previously mentioned Quasit.

Honestly, this might also be what the bugs were for . . .

[AlphaMirage]

I think timeframe also matters . . . for instance, the Inquisitor II IMO is a very good platform . . . mostly b/c the TSEMP Cannon.  Unfortunately we never got the I in stats to compare with the previously mentioned Quasit.

Honestly, this might also be what the bugs were for . . .

That's what I typically use them for in my games, Wasps and Stingers make great crowd control mechs (Tear Gas SRM for the Wasp, Rubber bullets in the MG for the Stinger), the Locust is not very good at this aspect its speed makes it more of a dedicated military scout mech than a general purpose low end unit.

[Colt Ward]

Well, a hand held set up with a grenade launcher (or 10) and tear gas grenades would work for both . . .