Protomech Autocannons: mostly worthless or completely useless?

[SCC]

Except for all of those numerous occasions where cluster shot is useful.

Infantry already have an integral cluster shot option in their normal weapon attack and the normal way to use cluster weapons is to precede them with weapons that do big groups in the hopes that they open up a location to crits, right?

[Liam's Ghost]

Infantry cluster attacks rarely reach as far as LBX cluster attacks.

Also, using them to find holes that other weapons opened is one way to use them, not the only way.

[Weirdo]

What he said, every bit of it. There's plenty of situations where you want to use the cluster shot first, or by itself. Besides, smart infantry users already support them with ranged hole punchers.

[TigerShark]

Infantry already have an integral cluster shot option in their normal weapon attack and the normal way to use cluster weapons is to precede them with weapons that do big groups in the hopes that they open up a location to crits, right?

As long as your opponent is within kicking distance, sure. What happens when they're 15 hexes out?

[Kit deSummersville]

As long as your opponent is within kicking distance, sure. What happens when they're 15 hexes out?

"Don't worry men, his large laser can only kill two of us at a time, as long as he stands still half of us can unleash hell on him when we get into range. Charge!"

[Colt Ward]

Kit, when did Catalyst publish a Capellan Infantry Manual?

[SCC]

As long as your opponent is within kicking distance, sure. What happens when they're 15 hexes out?

That's well beyond most anti-infantry weapon range so that's a plus, think of the old bubble of doom of Demolisher's. And while it requires mixed tech it is possible to have a platoon's basic attack to reach out to 15 hexes and beyond.

At 15 hexes the PAC/2 is probably better then the LB2-X, 5 two-point pallets (Remember special ammo) has an edge over 8 one-pointers.

And PAC's can actually breach the 20-point barrier and while LB-X's can it requires rolling max cluster hits.

[Kit deSummersville]

Kit, when did Catalyst publish a Capellan Infantry Manual?

Well, in typical Capellan fashion it wasn't published but rather scrawled on the backs of rejected proposals.

[Fat Guy]

Like the Capellans need an infantry manual. All they need to know is "Take your bolt action rifle (if it isn't a thousand years old, the design certainly is!) and charge the enemy, until only he or you remain."   >:D

[YingJanshi]

Like the Capellans need an infantry manual. All they need to know is "Take your bolt action rifle (if it isn't a thousand years old, the design certainly is!) and charge the enemy, until only he or you remain."   >:D

Come now, everyone knows we Capellans only use the finest matchlocks. :D

[anastrace]

I've  been looking at them since I've come back, and I mainly see them as being a second or even further down the line for clansmen. I like the alternate ammo ability, as it means those garrison troops can be more flexible. If they can be flexible in a lot of ways without the best equipment, so much the better right?

[Wrangler]

I wish the PAC had better range to make up for their short comings.  I know some weapons are suppose to have flaws and do not want out shine the core weaponry use the game...i think it would have been nice.  I like having options out there, on a random pickup game where your randomly rolled up machine. I think it's cool have bit of variety.  Flawed or not.

I think it comes down how your playing Battletech.  if your playing in campaign, there always going be certain stuff available you got make due with.  I think it makes it more interesting game.  With PAC guns in some units, it would add depth to it as well make it challenging. 

Then you have the pick up game where you can do what you want and play what you want.  Which cool too.