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I love the looks of it, in fact I would say this is my best looking mech after a camo and colour change. I really want to love this mech, in all aspects but I just think it sucks, and here are my reasons:
1. Shape, size and agility.
Pretty obvious stuff, but it has quite a wide profile, meaning it's not so great at edging in and out of hard cover (edge of a building etc) and if you try to do this, the weapon layout means you will only effectively be able to use one of your arm weapons at a time unless you expose more than 50% of your mech.
The locked arms means that it is cumbersome at close ranges, it struggles to torso twist fast enough (particularly when using standard lasers) to track the faster light's. Large CT and small side arm profile make your CT easy to hit, meaning you almost have to completely turn away from your opponent(s) to avoid fire. A wide profile in general makes the mech easy to hit.
Speed is ok, however you need to nearly max your engine to make it as fast as you need it, especially when you factor in the agility benefits of a large engine.
2. Weapons and load out
Weapon choices are restrictive, no missile or ballistic hard points mean and all energy build.
PPCs. PPC's are one way to go, but have drawbacks, high heat, slow projectile speed vs. ballistic counterparts, heavy (although admittedly not as heavy as the ballistic counterparts).
Also unless using ER PPC's (even worse heat) you have a min range issue. Finally damage output isn't great, DPS and especially damage to heat ratio vs. lasers (either regular or pulse) is worse.
Large/ER Large lasers. OK, better on heat and weight then the PCC counterparts, however you have to directly face your opponent to get the damage in, which makes you vulnerable. Also lasers point both ways, so you make yourself a beacon of opportunity for a quick point a click ballistic sniper. And finally they are bad up close against fast moving targets when trying to track with torso twist.
Pulse lasers. Higher on heat then regular, heavier, poor range. I have yet to really try a full on pulse laser build, maybe where I am missing out, however, it will take you completely out of any ranged game, which means you will be hanging around at the start of most matches waiting for the engagement to close. This is a bad thing if you are pugging and your team isn't great.
Heat in general. Even with 18 or so DHS any combination of the above will run hot. They way the mech is you need to put a large engine in, and also plenty of DHS, so already most of your tonnage and slots are taken. Even if you had more tonnage for weapons, you would then have more heat, and need more heat sinks, so balancing it can be difficult, loses out in the respect to other mechs who can balance out heat with ballistics. You don't have enough hard points to go for several medium sizes lasers (if you could put 8 medium pulse lasers for example, mmmmmmm) but 6 doesn't cut it.
3. General strategy drawbacks
Sniping: Unless you are using PPC's you have to point straight at your target in put down the damage, which means if they have faster point damage (gauss, high calibre AC's) you will lose out. This makes it weak as a sniper, plus again, your size and shape is not ideal for this anyway. PPC's get outclassed by ballistic counterparts in almost every respect.
Brawling: Just forget it. Lights will run circles round you while you heat up and struggle to get your cumbersome weapons on them, mediums much the same and dish out more hurt at the same time. Heavies will just out damage you, same with most assaults.
Medium range fire support: Pretty much the only way to use this mech, stay behind your mates, pop out and back again acting as fire support, this relies a lot on your team though. Is cumbersome for peaking in and out in to cover.
To summarise:
The chassis was originally made to sit back, well behind cover, and out of any firing line, and barrage LRM's.
Ok it's not all bad, it looks amazing, double AMS is nice, JJ's are handy but, simply put this mech does nothing another mech cannot do better. It has no niche, and the possible builds are so restrictive it isn't viable to set it up to try and fulfil any specific role.
Edited by BUDFORCE, 01 December 2014 - 04:03 AM.
Definitely one of my favorites! Hope you can figure something out that suites your playstyle with it.
