6 replies to this topic

[Socdef]

So I'm still downloading the game and I'm just looking for a little insight into the difference between the Clan and IS mechs. Essentially how differently each are set up with how their load outs are equipped.

[Heeknot]

Intersphere mecs are usually cheaper in terms of price. Everything on them is customizeable but they are not as advanced as the clan mecs. The wepons do less damage, there is less variety, and their components tend to be bulkier. The IS advantages come from the full customization of every component, and their heavy balistic weapons such as the AC20 shoot one powerful shot while the clan varients shoot 4 weaker projectiles. IS XL engines will also explode if you loose a side torso

Clan mecs (excluding IIC mecs) are much more expensive with a light or medium clan costing as much as an IS heavy or assult. Many of the componets are locked into place and cannot be changed, as well as having a lock on the armor, heat sync, and structure type. The clan advantages come from superioror/compact equipment as well as the ability to switch out omni-pods to further custoimize weapon hardpoints. Clan XL engines will only explode when you loose both side torsos.

IIC mecs for the most part are considered clan but they are a hybrid between the 2. They use all the clan tech with the ability to fit both IS standard engines as well as clan XL engines. None of the equipment is locked into place allowing full customization of allmost all the components.

[Darwins Dog]

Heeknot, on 07 February 2016 - 08:27 PM, said:

Intersphere mecs are usually cheaper in terms of price. Everything on them is customizeable but they are not as advanced as the clan mecs. The wepons do less damage, there is less variety, and their components tend to be bulkier. The IS advantages come from the full customization of every component, and their heavy balistic weapons such as the AC20 shoot one powerful shot while the clan varients shoot 4 weaker projectiles. IS XL engines will also explode if you loose a side torso

Clan mecs (excluding IIC mecs) are much more expensive with a light or medium clan costing as much as an IS heavy or assult. Many of the componets are locked into place and cannot be changed, as well as having a lock on the armor, heat sync, and structure type. The clan advantages come from superioror/compact equipment as well as the ability to switch out omni-pods to further custoimize weapon hardpoints. Clan XL engines will only explode when you loose both side torsos.

IIC mecs for the most part are considered clan but they are a hybrid between the 2. They use all the clan tech with the ability to fit both IS standard engines as well as clan XL engines. None of the equipment is locked into place allowing full customization of allmost all the components.

This is mostly true, except the cost part. IS mechs are not necessarily cheaper, they just start that way. Clan mechs come with lots of upgrades (double heat sinks, XL engines, endo-steel structure, etc.) that you have to pay for in an IS mech. When you add up the cost of a typical Firestarter (a really good IS light mech) with all of the upgrades, it costs about 1.6 million cbills more than an Arctic Cheetah (a really good clan light mech).

The two places where IS saves money is with the ability to swap engines, and with the mechs that run best in standard engines. The firestarter I mentioned earlier runs an engine that costs 4.8 mil, but you can share it between all of your firestarters (and lots of other mechs, for that matter). Clan mechs can't swap engines so you have to buy a new engine for each one (fixed into the base cost).

Lots of heavy and assault mechs in the inner sphere make good use of STD engines which are a lot cheaper than XL engines (plus you can still share them).

[MechWarrior4023212]

Clan mechs are being un-nurffed soon, so will be back on par with IS scum

[Socdef]

Cool. Thanks for the insight. I've got a few decisions to make apparently since the last time i played MW was MW2 it think lol. I prefer speed over power regardless, so hopefully things won't be too costly for me in the light area. I appreciate the help.

[Big Hammer]

There are trial mechs too that you can borrow for free. You can't customise them though.

Using trial mechs is a good way to earn CB though untill you can afford the mech you want (if its even available for CB).

[Rogue Jedi]

swapping omnipods on Clan Omnimechs was mentioned earlier, but not explained.
In MWO an omnipod contains all the equipment and hardpoints for a componant like an arm, leg, head or side torso. only the Center Torso pod cannot be swapped.

so lets say you buy a Mech and realize it does not have any Missile hardpoints and you really want to take a missile but you see another variant does have missiles, you can buy the pod with the missile hardpoint from another variant and put it on your Mech to give you missiles.
that means, provided your loadout does not require a CT hardpoint you can run the same loadout on every variant of that chassis if you want, it also means if 1 variant can run ECM or AMS then any variant can.
in some cases if 1 varient has Jumpjets all do but the Timber Wolf, Kit Fox and Dire Wolf have 1 variant with jumpjets meaning you can choose how many jets you want to take bu taking a certain number of the jumpjet pods.