BUT as this poll address the autocannon 5 in a succession war (presumably introtech) context, the AC 5 performs somewhere in between adequately and admirably.
Mmm. Maybe I need to clarify my line of thought better.
In Battletech, there are several broad categories that weapons fit into - they can change based on the weight of the 'Mech, but are pretty firm.
1) Main Gun - the primary damage dealer of the 'Mech. Most of the weight and/or heatsink capability is dedicated to the weapon because it can punch holes through the armor of any weight-equivalent 'Mechs or support heavier 'Mechs. In SW-era, PPC, Large Laser, AC/10, AC/20 fit into this category - on lights, Medium Lasers are the main gun of choice.
2) Secondary Gun - Weapons capable of softening up enemy armor or widening holes caused by the main gun once it's run out of ammo or the heat burden is too high from firing it. Medium Lasers are the usual secondary gun.
3) Critseekers - Lots of little damage spread out looking for holes, preferably with an almost nonexistent heat burden. SRMs, MGs, and small lasers are all the critseekers of Battletech.
4) Ranged support/Indirect Fire - For softening up 'Mechs before the heavy hitters with main guns close in, and have the range to bring down aircraft as well. AC/2s and LRMs fit into this category.
The problem with the AC/5 is that it fits into none of those categories without being seriously outclassed by anything.
Main guns? PPCs and Large Lasers are unequivocally better at any weight over 20 tons - yes, the heat burden is higher, but as a primary weapon a 'Mech can naturally sink the heat from either with its primary heatsinks, and can't mount secondary weapons to take advantage of the AC/5's lower heat because of its greater weight.
Secondary gun? MLs outclass it until you get to the higher weights - but by the time you reach the upper tonnages, the large laser becomes competitive, and the AC/10 is almost as good.
Critseeker? No.
Ranged Support? Almost, but the problem is that the LRM-15 with 2 tons of ammo weighs the same, does slightly more heat, more damage, more range... There's a reason that the anti-air version of the Jagermech uses LRM-15s instead of AC/5s.
It does no job well, and all jobs badly.
And YES, if I DO find something wrong with my FAVORITE game and have found it wrong for twenty years now, I AM allowed to complain. Or have you never found
anything wrong with the
perfection that is Battletech?
And I like the idea of lowering the weight and crits... that might actually make it good. I wish I'd put THAT in the poll. the problem is that it involves retconning... 10 'Mechs?
Let me count that again. Clint, Hermes II, Sentinel, Shadow Hawk, Wolverine, Rifleman, Jagermech, Marauder, Zeus, Banshee. Oh, and a couple of vehicles, but w/e. Have I missed any AC/5 users out there?
Unfortunately, it also means doing SOMETHING to the UAC/5, and there are a LOT more designs out there with UAC/5s.