43 replies to this topic

[PEEFsmash]

Tor Gungnir, on 04 July 2013 - 02:23 PM, said:

Mediums are there so we can recommend the Hunchie to new players!

LOL I took that advice when I was new, and it was bad advice to take.

[Narcissistic Martyr]

In short the primary problems with medium mechs at the moment is that most of them are far too slow to be optimal, SRMs being absolute garbage, and every single fast medium (with the exception of the BJ-1X) is over sized (this is the case for all weight classes, see Awesome, Quickdraw, and the Dragon).

With regards to mediums being too slow please see the charts on the link below.

Speed vs Weight Optimization

From the charts you can see that with a STD engine mediums are the best choice if you want to go 6/9 (106 kph with speed tweak) speeds. In addition, due to the change from 0.5 ton JJ to 1 ton JJ at 60 tons a 55 ton 5/8/x mech will have the most free tonnage with that movement profile. Currently the trebuchetes, CN9-D, YLW, and BJ-1X are the only mechs capabable of having speeds in this range.

Once you switch to XL engines the cicada can carry the most tonnage at 8/12 speeds (142 kph with speed tweak) however, this half ton advantage over the jenner/raven is in fact negligible due to the poor hard point selection of the cicada and it's excessive size. The 50 ton chassis can carry the most free tonnage of any XL engined 7/11 (125kph with speed tweak) mech. However, only the CN9-D and TBT-3C are capable of mounting the required XL350 engine
The upcoming Shadowhawk will be the king of jump capable mechs moving 106kph due to reduced JJ weight. In addition the trebuchet also beats the the quickdraw in tonnage efficiency at 6/9 speeds so long as 3 or more JJ are added.

TL/DR: Fast mediums and quick jump capable mediums are pretty good if you have a team that can capitalize on the speed and maneuverability however most mediums are too slow to be any good.

[Deathlike]

BillyM, on 04 July 2013 - 08:08 AM, said:

One thing frequently skipped over is that heavies generally have enough armor to risk an XL engine. Mediums are currently (1) 45-55pt alpha away from an XL death, and therefore risky/debilitating.

Mediums were once the money-makers. Put a financial buff back on mediums (lets try a 20% c-bill bonus for a patch-cycle) and watch them become the go-to grinders.

Just because they are good grinders, it doesn't make them viable for serious competitive play.

It's one thing to give incentives for those wanting to take the mechs (if only to see them on the field), it's another to want them to be useful across the board... just giving more C-bills and XP does not make that happen.

Edited by Deathlike, 04 July 2013 - 03:54 PM.

[mogs01gt]

Tor Gungnir, on 04 July 2013 - 02:23 PM, said:

Mediums are there so we can recommend the Hunchie to new players!

Which is the issue Im stuck in. I got a visually appealing Mech that reminded me of the Thor's back from MW2. Yet due to the play style I wanted to start off with, I got a 4j which IMO sounded like a decent mid to long range support mech........bad idea.. LRMS do no dmg, rarely hit their target unless you have line of sight which is bad in this current PPC meta and with 4 Med lasers I do the damage of a light mech without the speed.... Each game it seems I pop my head out to launch my line of sight established artemis LRMs and I get 3 or 4 PPCs to the face....

Ok lets try to brawl with 2x6SRMs.... ohhh wait they are just as weak as the LRMs, I cant keep up with Lights and Heavies are just as agile as my mech. Ok lets upgrade the engine, ohhh wait that either limits firepower or DHS....


I find it odd that the way to play this game is the same way you would play the campaign. Pack heat sinks with PPCs and blast people in their face...