to my knowledge it is the only hero with a lousy quirk and on paper compared to all other assaults there is no reason that i can think of, that it should be given a penalty. if we compared them to the average assault it is basically nerfed in two areas (total hard points and deceleration speed) only to gain the "option" of equipping a 400 engine.
i will do my best to compare the PB in a short list.
PB compared to awesome variants:
-number of module slots virtually identical to all (except 8R)
-torso/arm degree of rotation is identical to all.
-can mount 400 engine.
-has one less hard point compared to all. (9m has 9 hard points but 4 are in the CT, reducing effectiveness to 2)
-hard points are distributed roughly same pattern.
------For the option of mounting a 400, i get reduced deceleration speed and one less hard point. no extra modules, no special hard point location, no special equipment eg. ecm or jj, no extra torso/arm degree of rotation or speed. this is not even on equal ground with the standard variants or other assaults.
PB compared to other assaults:
- 1of4 assaults to have 6 hard points and have its hard point to module ratio reduce by 1.
------even though the misery, Atlas-7k, Victor-9k are the odd balls out, they do not receive additional penalties. though both 7k are odd balls, they are not mc variants. the misery on the other hand is the only stalker to have ballistics, ballistics can produce increase to same dps with less heat at the cost of weight and ammo. this effective damage source maybe the reason why it has one less hard point then all stalkers and other assaults.
hero differences and advantages within their variant:
-Misery: only stalker to have ballistics.
-Dragon Slayer: larger maximum engine size, unique hard point layout.
-Heavy Metal: more jump jets, unique hard point layout, only highlander with energy on left side all 3 energy in left arm, larger maximum engine size.
-Ilya Muromets: 3 ballistic with no max engine decrease, unique ballistic hard point layout.
-Firebrand: larger maximum engine size, unique hard point layout, only Jager with 6 energy, only jager with energy in arms.
-Flame: unique hard point layout, 4 energy in arms.
-Fang: has a paint job.
-Yen-lo-wang: extra crit slot in right arm, extra module trade off for less hard points.
-X-5: only cicada with missile hard points, unique hard point layout, energy distributed evenly between arms and torso. no ams.
-Death's Knell: unique hard point lay out, only one with 4 energy, all energy in arms.
-Pretty Baby: larger Maximum engine, only Awesome with one less hard point, only awesome with reduction in deceleration speed. (why does it get two nerfs? why dont the other heros get any nerfs?)
looking at this list alone i do not understand why the PB gets any drawbacks at all, unless this is the joke i didnt understand. every other hero gets something special, some even get a few and none except the PB get drawbacks.
in short, the reduction in hard points is not made up in modules slots and the decrease in deceleration due to "optional" larger engine does not explain why this mech gets this quirk and other heros with small advantages are not penalized in other areas.
Edited by King Arthur IV, 22 July 2013 - 06:37 AM.