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I've recently played TT solely as MegaMek campaigns, and unfortunately there I've had to stop running Crusaders. The torso ammo bombs are something you can tolerate in a single game, but in a campaign something that "might kill you" becomes something that "WILL kill you". As much as I love the Crusader (more on this below), it's just not "campaign proof" but something that eventually gets your mechwarriors killed and very possibly your company bankrupt.
Now in a single game with no long-term company viability at stake, you can risk the ammo explosion, and here I actually do like the Crusader. Most notably it does the bracket-fire thing really well. At long range you sandblast the enemy with 2xLRM15's while just about barely keeping cool. And in short range you sandblast with SRM's, ML's and MG's -- again on the verge of overheating but not quite.
Apart from the heat issues, it's just a weird, quirky 'mech. The leg SRM's can get super awkward -- and also the fact that your short-range armament is distributed in both arms AND legs (so you can't melee and shoot) makes short-range combat feel like you're fighting with your hands tied behind your back.
There's not much to be said about the T-Bolt, it's the archetypal, medium-speed all-purpose heavy 'mech with an especially noteworthy ability to tank damage. But still I like the Crusader for all the character it has.
I love that Catalyst is finally putting out a new Crusader art. I really hope PGI is putting out their own version soon.
Edited by jss78, 07 December 2019 - 03:49 PM.
