How do you evaluate a record sheet?

[Sizer]

Newish player here and diving into the pile of record sheets. Sort of starting around 3025 up to the end of the Clan Invasion.

How do you all evaluate a mech when looking at a record sheet?

I know something's could be a bit era dependent. Things like primary weapons should have ~12 rounds of firing, etc.

[AlphaMirage]

Speed,
Most Damaging Weapon Range,
and Armor/Structure

In that order most of the time, that determines how you would play that kind of mech. Those are basically the core components of any Battlemech and take up most of its tonnage (and are basically its Alpha Strike/Battleforce Stats).

After that you'd look at its heat dissipation (although as a new player that isn't in the box sets) and ammo endurance (again ignore that for your first couple of games, armor fails before ammo most of the time).

Once you know those five things you can effectively run that mech. So just focus on those. More advanced force construction strategy will come once you realize some of the synergies in the game.

[Daryk]

I'd only add that jumping ability should be an explicit part of the speed criterion.

[Sizer]

Here's sort of what I've compiled so far. For example with the 3025 era:

Speed:
How does it match up against averages? 6/9 Light, 5/8 Medium, 4/6 Heavy, 3/5 Assault
How does the design compare against mechs moving similar speeds?
Ability to hit key TMM break points? Walk 5, Run 7, Jump 7
Can it jump? Ideally at least 5 hexes

Weapons:
Weapon Mix? Does it have a way to pierce armor? Crit-seeking weapons?
Range Mix? Long/medium/short only or weapons across all brackets?
Can it force a PSR on its own? (20+ dmg in a round)
Do the weapons compliment the role/design? (for example big weapons in the arms for a brawler)
Bad weapons? (AC/2, AC/5 at low weight, etc)

Armor/Survivability:
How close to maximum is the armor?
Damage break points in locations? IE can it take a AC/20, PPC/AC10, LL, ML, etc without a crit
Areas with a significant chance of ammo explosion? If so, is it ammo that can be dumped before a brawl with minimal downside?
Too much ammo? (To where it contributes to an ammo explosion)
Too little ammo? (at least 12 rounds of firing)

Heat:
Can it move at highest heat and alpha? (Limit at 6+ over sinking)
Efficient fire patterns? (For example the Awesome-8Q with it's 3-3-3-2)
Weapon groupings that can bracket fire efficiently while using heat?
Is it over or under sinked badly?
Chance for ammo explosions if going high on heat?

Utility:
Quirks?
Anti-infantry capability?
Anti-air?
ECM?
Command?

 Appreciate the input so far. Any help on criteria would be great!

[AlphaMirage]

That's a very in-depth chart Sizer. Those are however basically all the things that are used to evaluate a unit's battle value so you could always just look at that for optimization purposes. However optimal games IMO are boring so I sometimes just pick units for the looks, to give myself a challenge, or faction specific reasons.

[Daryk]

AC/2s aren't bad per se... niche, certainly, but not "bad" (e.g., they're the best AAA you can get in 3025, at least if you're playing with lawn dart checks).  Also, don't be afraid to overheat if it's part of an ideal heat pattern (e.g., the Marik Wolverine is perfectly tuned to jump and alpha strike (overheating by 9), then jump away and cool off completely, rinse and repeat).

The main thing to keep in mind about BattleTech is that every general rule has exceptions... ;)

[Vonshroom]

Newish player here and diving into the pile of record sheets. Sort of starting around 3025 up to the end of the Clan Invasion.

How do you all evaluate a mech when looking at a record sheet?

I know something's could be a bit era dependent. Things like primary weapons should have ~12 rounds of firing, etc.

When I am looking at a new mech or variant (or even custom sheet) from the era these are the things I look at.

1. Weight Class & BV (Later eras presence of XL Engines, Double Heat Sinks, FF Armor or Endo Steel)
I need to know what sort of "bracket" the mech fits into. Is it a heavy with a BV value that is going to be putting it up against Orions and Archers? Or is it a low end medium like  Clint or Cicada which is going to be outclassed by some light mechs with good design choices. This is going to give you the biggest insight into what it is going to be used for as well. This is where the "role of the mech gets established". Also in the later eras recognizing if it is a "super mech" rolling with all the latest 3050 upgrades or if it simply a 3025 rehash with a few upgraded weapons or components.

From there I go on to filling niches or roles when I am looking at a mech for my TO&E. But if I am looking over a completely new sheet to understand the capability or checking out someone elses custom these are the things I am looking at next.

2. Weaponry
What kind of firepower is this thing packing, and how usable is it? Mechs like the Rifleman boast awesome firepower but the lack of heat sinking means that a user has to be really careful and a full alpha will grossly overheat the mech. Sometimes this is a huge advantage to have, sometimes a more cool running and "usable" loadout is better.

Under this category I am looking at:
Ranges (of all weapons and the range the mech is to be used at based off its aresenal)
Ammo (amount / type / any ammo bombs?, too much, too little, etc.)
Heat Sinking Capacity for the Payload
Crit / Weapon Placement (this is key)
Ability to deal with Ground Armor, Infantry, BA, Fliers, Etc. as appropriate
Ability to use special ammo (as needed)
Complimenting weaponry types and intelligent "Defined" firing brackets

3. Speed / Movement
Ground Speed
Jump Capability

4. Armor / Physical Characteristics
How much armor?
Crit Placement?
Hands, Actuators, Etc.
Capability of Physical attacks
Ability to withstand damage / lose components and remain functional

5. Final Analysis

From Here I really start breaking it down into usability and role based off the factors noted above. You can get the idea of exactly how to best use a mech based off these criteria, and sort it into a "class".  It's not that I am really looking for it to meet thresholds or not. I am simply evaluating the mech. There is plenty of underwhelming designs that look poor on paper but if used intelligently in a way that most maximizes their role on the field are really dangerous. Mechs like the Jagermech or Rifleman for example wouldn't really stand out as "well designed mechs" but tempered by their BV and in the hands of a skilled player both are capable of absolutely wrecking someone who underestimates the mech. Especially if they are paired with designs that compliment them and play to their weakness. I also like playing with sub-optimal designs but it can be nice to use these criteria to sort of "measure up" to enemy mechs and figure out how to better sort both yours and your opponents mechs into a "usefulness ranking" not from a general sense of BV or weight, but rather what their role on the field will be.

[Cannonshop]

Rule 1: Is it Legible?

This is the VERY first thing I look at in a record sheet-can I read it quickly and clearly.  This rule goes back to the dark old days when those of us who didn't have photocopiers and didn't want to tear out pages to cram them through a fax machine as a sort-of-photocpier did our record sheets on notebook paper with hand-drawn tracings of the damage diagram.

can I read it?

Those of you who recall an era before Megamek, when you had to fill out the blank record sheet by hand know what I'm talking about as well.

Okay, so first, it's 'can I read it?'

Next is "Does it comply with the rules we're using?"

sounds not so tough, right? well, again, in the bad old days, when all the Unbound, Maxtech, and Solaris stuff were in separate rule books and we had either ONLY basic Battletech (softcover from the original boxes) or Compendium/BMR/BMR(r)?  someone showing up with a 'mech built to "Maxtech" rules had something that was illegal under the old "Level 1/2/" types of play.

so it has to compile, as it were, with the rules at the game session.  If EVERYBODY is using Maxtech/Unbound/Munchkin'sguidetopowergaming/Homebrew rules, it's not a big deal, but if Joe is, and nobody else has a copy, that's getting into Palladium territory.  (those who remember the monthly powercreep of Palladium's height, and the irritation it could cause, know what I"m talking about.)

So, first, it must be legible.
Then, it must conform to the construction rules we're using.

Okay, now we can start talking qualities...and that's an incredible mess, because some playing styles don't work for some players, just the way that some optional rules don't work in some player groups

General terms, if you're using bare BV (or CV, or Tonnage) to set your scenarios, it should conform in some way so that the unit, or force of units, is within around ten percent of the BV, BV2, BV2(r), CV, Points Value, or Tonnage (depending on ruleset and the rules you're using).

aka it has to fit the scenario's 'rules' as agreed to by all the players.  (this means you can't put that Clan RAC on a 3025 Marauder in 3025, even if you can make it fit using the construction rules!)

Quirks is House RUles level stuff-that is, the House better be okay with it, or you can forget it as anything but fluff.

Your game or campaign may vary-but in general, a notebook sheet traced and drawn legibly, to the current rules the group are using, of a 'mech that conforms to the current rules the group are using, that fits whatever scenario restrictions your group are using for the match...

is superior to a full-color printout in laser-focused font that is illegible, or doesn't conform to the conditions of the game due to things like using special rules or a different rule-set.

Even if it's an official catalyst product, while the guy who drew his out with a bic pen and is using a number two pencil for marking isn't.

Why?

Because this is a game, and it's meant to be challenging and fun, it's not a one-upsmanship "I own the book neener neener neener" phallic volume contest.

Other opinions, of course, may vary.

[RifleMech]

How do you all evaluate a mech when looking at a record sheet?

I don't. I use Record Sheets to record damage. To select units, I use the stats in the TRO books or TRO sections of sourcebooks to pick what units I want to use.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

But what about the variants that don't have full TRO entries?  Or in some cases don't even have mentions in TROs?

[RifleMech]

But what about the variants that don't have full TRO entries?  Or in some cases don't even have mentions in TROs?

They tend to remain unknown or forgotten about unless I read about them in a book or on sarna or someone tells me about them. I guess it's because how I got into Battletech. We didn't have prefilled record sheets available, so we always used the TROs to pick units. The preprinted RS are just a time saver so we don't have to fill though out by hand.

[idea weenie]

I don't. I use Record Sheets to record damage. To select units, I use the stats in the TRO books or TRO sections of sourcebooks to pick what units I want to use.

TRO can be useful, but you need to keep an eye on the Record Sheet books for when TPTB decide to be sneaky.

For example there was 2002's Tech Readout: 3067 that had the Leviathan Transport Warship.  Then there was 2003's Aerotech 2 Record Sheets book that had the Leviathan II.  The Leviathan II is a bit different than the Leviathan Transport.

IIRC, one of the demo agents played an Aerospace game using the Leviathan II as their ship vs 4-5 other players.  The Leviathan II munched nearly all the other ships using just the forward half, and one of the other ships was a McKenna.

[RifleMech]

TRO can be useful, but you need to keep an eye on the Record Sheet books for when TPTB decide to be sneaky.

For example there was 2002's Tech Readout: 3067 that had the Leviathan Transport Warship.  Then there was 2003's Aerotech 2 Record Sheets book that had the Leviathan II.  The Leviathan II is a bit different than the Leviathan Transport.

IIRC, one of the demo agents played an Aerospace game using the Leviathan II as their ship vs 4-5 other players.  The Leviathan II munched nearly all the other ships using just the forward half, and one of the other ships was a McKenna.

I know lots of variants get put in RS but I can read stats a lot easier and quicker. Like I said, RS books, just make keeping track of damage easier. They're not something I usually go to to look up a unit. I think its frustrating that variants are hidden in RS books instead of having their stats published in a TRO.

[Col Toda]

1 Armor
2 Speed
3 weapon damage
4 heat balance. 
Find the compromise of the 4 above that works for you.