Where Are All the Crappy Assault Mechs?

[willydstyle]

So how about BNC-3E? Its weapons put it to first category, but it's faster than that... has less BV tho, so maybe your second category?

I would guess that it would fall into the "I would rather use a faster medium or heavy" category.

[Kobold]

I would guess that it would fall into the "I would rather use a faster medium or heavy" category.

Exactly.  Not enough long range firepower for category 1, not enough short range firepower for category 2.  Rip out the AC 5 and replace it with four ML and some extra HS and we could talk.

[Matti]

Exactly.  Not enough long range firepower for category 1, not enough short range firepower for category 2.  Rip out the AC 5 and replace it with four ML and some extra HS and we could talk.

That's BLR-1G

[Matti]

I would guess that it would fall into the "I would rather use a faster medium or heavy" category.

BNC-3E can put up a fight against those, even against the infamous GRF-1N. Been there, done that.

[willydstyle]

BNC-3E can put up a fight against those, even against the infamous GRF-1N. Been there, done that.

I'd take the WVR-6M instead of a BNC-3E any day.

[Kobold]

That's BLR-1G

Which you notice I actually listed at the end of the category 2 description. :)

[deathfrombeyond]

I'd take the WVR-6M instead of a BNC-3E any day.

I think most people would prefer to use a design with no AC/5\AC/2 over a design that does. Would you still take a WVR-6R over a BNC-3E?

[Kobold]

I think most people would prefer to use a design with no AC/5\AC/2 over a design that does. Would you still take a WVR-6R over a BNC-3E?

As a general purpose unit in a generalist lance that has no idea what mission it is going on or what the enemy forces are?  Maybe.  Depends on the rest of the lance.  If I am trying to build a force to defend a fixed position, probably not.

I'm not saying that every mech is better than a BNC-3E, I'm just saying that in the roles that I would ever consider using an assault mech, the BNC-3E is not very good.  In any other role, there are cheaper (c-bill, if not necessarily BV) mechs that would do the job better. 

[willydstyle]

Ironically, the WVR-6R is still more useful at short range, though it's not one that I would use frequently, because like the Banshee, it's weapons just don't really fit its role.

While I realize that the AC/5 is a horribly weight-inefficient weapon, it still enjoy it on my favorite MAD variant, the 3L, because it has range that matches the rest of the weapons and the role of the mech.

The problem with the Banshee -3E is that, in addition to it's inefficient engine, its weapons just don't sync well with it's movement profile, mass, inclusion of hand actuators, and torso-mounted weapons, which would indicate that it's intended to close to melee range and pound the crap out of the enemy.  Give me a 4/6 banshee with a Large Laser in place of the PPC, and an AC/10 in place of the AC/5, and drop a couple heat sinks to make the mass work, and you have a winner, IMO.

[va_wanderer]

The -3MC variant actually is pretty close. Drops five sinks and trades up from an AC/5 to an AC/10 with 20 shots. An AC/10 + large laser version wouldn't be bad, though. It certainly can be tinkered with, but for what it does the AC/5 isn't unreasonable.

[deathfrombeyond]

The problem with the Banshee -3E is that, in addition to it's inefficient engine, its weapons just don't sync well with it's movement profile, mass, inclusion of hand actuators, and torso-mounted weapons, which would indicate that it's intended to close to melee range and pound the crap out of the enemy.  Give me a 4/6 banshee with a Large Laser in place of the PPC, and an AC/10 in place of the AC/5, and drop a couple heat sinks to make the mass work, and you have a winner, IMO.

Yeah, there's a lot of design decisions that don't synergize very well in TRO: 3025, like the combination of the HCT-3F's thin armor and its melee weapons.

[willydstyle]

Yeah, there's a lot of design decisions that don't synergize very well in TRO: 3025, like the combination of the HCT-3F's thin armor and its melee weapons.

You mean how the same design could have been actually good if it were 75 tons instead of 45 :D

[Kobold]

Yeah, there's a lot of design decisions that don't synergize very well in TRO: 3025, like the combination of the HCT-3F's thin armor and its melee weapons.

I tolerate the HCT because it brings a good amount of firepower for its BV.  The key is to use it as an urban backstabber exclusively.  It is too slow to run across open terrain.

[deathfrombeyond]

You mean how the same design could have been actually good if it were 75 tons instead of 45 :D

I guess?

EDIT: removed unnecessary rant on customizing.

[willydstyle]

I don't care about the novels.  I like the history, I like reading TROs, but I also play the game primarily because I like the people I play with, and the mechanics of the game are good at turning matches into a spectacle.