How did I miss this thread?
Ah, the Whitworth... my precioussss....
Yeah I have an unreasonable affection for the Whitworth. I just feel it is really one of the best-designed of the 'Mechs at the 3025 era. Consider:
It is the lightest 'Mech of all introductory tech that can in theory cause a PSR at a range over 9 (you have to go 10 tons higher for the next).
It can run and fire both primary weapons with no heat buildup. It can run and fire its three secondary weapons with only one heat point built up.
Its damage curve is consistent from range 21 to range 1.
Near max armor (9 pts shy of maximum for its weight).
Mobility of 4/6/4 is comparable or better than many 'mechs of similar role of any weight.
Unlike the similar (but 25 tons heavier) Catapult design, the Whitworth can at least offer some resistance to an attack from the rear. In addition, each rear torso can take a medium laser hit without going internal.
Ammo is decently-well protected critical-slot wise within the torsos.
Yes, it's slow for its size. But for its *role*, it's a REALLY solid design. It's really the epitome of the "speed, armor, firepower. Pick two" aesthetic.
As far as the later ones, we don't talk about the WTH-2. We. Don't. Talk. About. It. Until you play Alpha Strike and then it's superior to the original.
The SRM-6 one is OK (I like the Javelin better) , and the rest of the variants are pretty meh until you get to the K. You lose a little bit of the long range firepower but those ML 7's at shorter range are devastating, and the 5 jump from the IJJ's gives the Whit-K that crucial extra TMM +1 that can often make all the difference. I got to pilot one of these in this year's Masters & Minions game at Gen Con and it was devastating, and more than once that extra +1 TMM made the trio of Nova Cat A's that I was up against, miss me instead of hit.