90 replies to this topic

[perfectblue]

Why would you select the hunchback?

The hunchback moves nearly as slow as the Atlas, has less armor, and 1/3 the payload an Atlas carries. In addition, the hunchback needs to stand toe to toe with its adversaries to be the most effective. In essence, its a medium mech having to position itself like a heavy or assault to contribute to the team. The main Hunchback variant relies on the AC/20, an Atlas carries an AC/20 by default, plus a cluster of lasers and an LRM 20 pack and additional armor. It just seems like a poor mans Atlas to me.

Usually when I choose medium mechs its for a balance between speed, weapon load and maneuverability. For instance a shadowhawk or shadowcat.

What role does the hunchback satisfy that the Atlas cannot? I would appreciate if veterans of the games specifically would chime in, since scenarios sometimes play out different than the table top.

Edited by perfectblue, 04 June 2012 - 04:42 AM.

[Roughneck45]

I think it will have more to do with what modules you can bring, maybe the hunchback will have something unique that is worthwhile.

Also, we dont know how all the maps will be yet. There could be more advantageous terrain for physically smaller mechs, and while his speed is not much better than an atlas, we have yet to see how that translates into game. He could be much more agile and quicker to accelerate, while just not having a very high top speed.

I dont play the tabletop, so i dont know if there is something more specefic. My suggestions are just speculation from a gamers standpoint.

[Karl Streiger]

The Hunchback costs nearly half of the Atlas.
You have a solid 50t brawler with 20% armor - (more then 50% of the Atlas)
I expect/hope to see that the Hunchback will be more mobile as a Atlas
Smaller target...you may hardly able to miss 20meterx10meter Atlas target but maybe a 16Meter x 5 Meter Hunchback
Did i said costs?

And another advantage...you are a teamplayer...a Atlas Driver may think he is invulnerable that his teammates are only additional armor or kill stealer or else...but you in your small hunchback life and die by the aid of your comrades

Edited by Karl Streiger, 04 June 2012 - 05:01 AM.

[Adridos]

Hunchback has the Swayback variant, for example.

Also, the speed is really on a whole new level.

[CheeseThief]

So... comparing an assault mech to a medium mech this is a third the price...

Well lets start, the Hunchback is a medium mech so it's going to have significantly higher turning and acceleration than a 100t assault making it a better infighter, not to mention that it is also half the size of said assault so it's less likely to get hit by random pot shots and LRM barrages. The Hunchbacks role on the battlefield involves it using it's speed and jump jets to ambush people with that AC 20, it is fast enough to beat the heavier chassis to good ambush sites and is also able to head off enemy scouts as the situation depends.

Being a 50 ton mech the Hunchback will also respond significantly better to engine upgrades than an assault, so swapping those jump jets out, or by just getting an XL engine should allow you to push 80kmph without needing to lose the AC 20 or duel PPC's or whatever your variant has.

Because the hunchback is a third the price of an Atlas, it will also be significantly cheaper to repair than an Atlas, which should result in significantly higher profitability in game.


Besides, the Shadow Cat is clanner crutchtech and the Shadow Hawk doesn't have an AC 20.

[CaveMan]

You can get a 5/8 Hunchback without needing an XL engine. But I think I'd rather outfit my Dragon with an AC/20 instead

[Grokmoo]

This question has been discussed extensively, and there is actually a (partial) dev answer:
http://mwomercs.com/...devs-2-answers/

[Sassori]

Why select the hunchback?

Because there is a mechlab.

In that mechlab I can make that hunchback go 5/8 or 6/9 speeds, something that an atlas will never do.

In order to make an Atlas go 4/6 you have to use up soooo much weight just for the engine and that's the most it'll ever do.

Also, hard point layout means the hunchback even stock can have some nice customization ability and isn't stuck moving 4/6 like an Atlas would be at best.

That's why the Hunchback is being taken for me. Though mine won't have a hunched back, no AC in the torso.

[Ramien]

You really can't load an XL engine into the Hunchback without removing the AC/20, unless the game supports splitting the AC/20's crits across the arm and torso. IS XL engines take up three crits on each side, the AC/20 takes ten, and there are only twelve crits total in either side torso.

[Morang]

Having torso weapon mounts so close to the head makes it good sniper. Gauss-equipped Hunchie may only expose his head and gun pod over the terrain to get a clear shot. Same with Swayback and ER PPCs. Atlas has to expose himself much more to bring his weapons to bear.

Edited by Morang, 04 June 2012 - 05:28 AM.

[Spleenslitta]

All of the above posters put up good examples when comparing a Hunchback with an Atlas. So i will alter the view just a tiny bit.
Why would you pick a Hunchback instead of a Centurion?

The Centurion has space available for an AC20 in the arm if you fiddle a bit in the mechlab. Arm mounted weapons are faster to aim than torso mounted weapons.
Thus you make better use of the AC20 if that is what you chose to mount.
Furthermore the Centurion has a missile slot in the chest giving it opportunity for a more flexible weapons loadaout.

That is a lot to chew on....

Edited by Spleenslitta, 04 June 2012 - 05:28 AM.

[Arkhangel]

if you've been paying attention, they've said a LOT that they're trying to make Lights, Mediums and Heavies viable choices. also... Hunch's speed is 65 km/h vs. the Atlas's 54 km/h. That's actually a pretty significant speed difference. It's also half the weight, ridiculously well armored for its size, and..well.. if you watch the gameplay trailer at that last moment? that's a Hunchback pilot. He/she blew the Atlas's rather large head off.Your almighty assault mech's still going to die in very few shots from an AC/20 (or a crapload of medium lasers, a'la Swayback) because..well... it's a giant assed target with crappy maneuverability that also can't mount jump jets to offset that failing. btw..price difference? a Hunchback costs barely over a third what an Atlas does. I'd personally rather buy a lance of, you know, BatteMechs than one barely mobile turret.

btw, your allegiance icon is set wrong if you love the Atlas so much. though...guess what mech the Lyran Commonwealth also uses?

[Star Captain Obvious Kerensky]

Once you pull out the mechlab and drop in an XL engine, swap out the AC20, its not really a hunchback anymore.

Since we know players will be allowed to start with any mech they want; The slow mediums like the hunchback are relegated to the "Hipster" mechs: People take them because they are crappy and pilot them to be ironic.

What remains to be seen is if the Hunchback has a partcular set of modules available to it take make it more desirable than taking a Heavy like the Dragon, Catapult, or Cataphract.

[Morang]

Arkhangel, on 04 June 2012 - 05:30 AM, said:

Hunch's speed is 65 km/h vs. the Atlas's 54 km/h. That's actually a pretty significant speed difference.

And without unnecessary rounding up Atlas will go not 3/5, but 3/4,5, only 48,6 kph.

[Drei]

Not so sure about this, but i always take in consideration the ability to manage heat. Its easy to ramp the temp up in an Atlas while in the middle of a battle, but the smaller load out may help manage that temp better. Just throwing ideas out there....

[perfectblue]

Arkhangel, on 04 June 2012 - 05:30 AM, said:

btw, your allegiance icon is set wrong if you love the Atlas so much. though...guess what mech the Lyran Commonwealth also uses?

Pretty big assumption that I "love" the Atlas so much. I am merely looking at the Hunchback and Atlas objectively and trying to understand why you would pick one over the other. No I have no desire to join house Steiner.

[Sassori]

This whole idiocy that Steiner uses nothing but assaults needs to stop. Just because they can afford more heavy and assaults than anyone else doesn't mean that's all they use.

[perfectblue]

CheeseThief, on 04 June 2012 - 05:08 AM, said:

The Hunchbacks role on the battlefield involves it using it's speed and jump jets to ambush people with that AC 20, it is fast enough to beat the heavier chassis to good ambush sites and is also able to head off enemy scouts as the situation depends.

Since when has the Hunchback had jump jets?

The only real flaw in theHunchbacks design as a city fighter is its lack of jump jets combined with its relatively slow ground speed of only 64.8 km/h
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Hunchback Sarna

Edited by perfectblue, 04 June 2012 - 05:44 AM.

[Sassori]

There are variants with jump jets.

[Mechteric]

Christopher Dayson, on 04 June 2012 - 05:44 AM, said:

There are variants with jump jets.

specifically the 5S

HBK-5S - Originally a refit line converted to full production, the 5S is a complete overhaul of the Hunchback design developed by Norse-Storm BattleMechs. The structure has been modified to use Endo Steel construction techniques, the engine has been upgraded to a Light Fusion Engine, and it has had four Jump Jets added for increased mobility. The 'Mech carries, as its primary weapon, an LB-X Autocannon/20 supported by two Medium Pulse Lasers and a single Small Laser.


but... that's assuming the devs decide to allow this one.