Talk to me about the.... Highlander IIC

[Water Kitsune]

Love the model and starting to mess around it. While browsing this forum I came upon an entry for the Blood Asp mech where to heavily paraphrase a poster 'The long range weapons are a window dressing, the mech's a brawler 1st and foremost.' I let that thought bounce around in my head and it looks like that assessment holds true for the Highlander IIC as well, with the LRM/20 and the GR being 'window dressing' for 3MPLS and 2 SSRM/6's. The GR and LRM are good in their own right, but those other weapons in  close are the keys to making the mech work, comming from this viewpoint.

Is this an accurate assesment or am I misreading the mech?

[lowrolling]

With the range (12 hexes) and nature (streaks only firing with a hard lock) of the weapons in question I have always seen this beauty as a mid-ranged powerhouse. By the time you get to close range with this mech you should just about be in need of another target.

[Ghostbear_Gurdel]

Brutal machine. In mid-range it is terrifying. The last game I used one, I kept it at about 8+ hexes away from the targets (as best I could with a 3/5/3 mech). This machine almost single handedly took out a WoB Longbow and an Albatross. It had help, but honestly the Highlander IIC probably did not need it. Plus it has so much ammo, just shoot, no matter the numbers, the law of averages can be made to work in your favor with this mech.

[Ian Sharpe]

One of my absolute favourite mechs.  And yes, it is a short-range monster, because the weapons are fairly low heat, and the ranged weapons work just fine up close.  No minimums on the LRMs, and the gauss has a 2.  Its not a bracket fire design, but it doesn't need to be. 

[Moonsword]

Since there's some interest, I'm updating and reposting the Highlander 'Mech of the Week article.  It's going to be a bit longer since a total of five variants have been published since the article was written in late 2009, including two new IIC variants.

EDIT: Done!  In general, they're very dangerous 'Mechs.  I pointed out a few very minor flaws in the article but trying to exploit them isn't easy.  It's worth trying but a lot of it comes down to luck.  The 2 and 3 are horses of somewhat different colors.  The 2's higher heat and prevalence of explosive crits can be problematic but it's not useless by any means.  I'm not fond of laser heat sinks for a couple of reasons (not least of which is the glowing technicolor anime air they lend to events), but if it points everything at the enemy for a couple of turns, he may not be left to argue the point.  Their bonus against external heat loads can be useful, too.  Infantry may mutiny before walking in front of one, too.  The 3 uses a HAG/20 and gains ECM.  I'd rather have the Gauss rifle, all told, but HAGs can certainly be useful, and at short range, the additional clusters will make some targets even less happy.