cdlord, on 12 July 2013 - 04:26 AM, said:
PGI has said before that they retain creative license over variants in case they needed to fill out a mech. So to say there are not enough variants, while true on Sarna.net, doesn't mean the Mech is DOA for us. Let's speculate on what we'd like to see though...
EDIT: Another idea.
There are enough already if we consider the fact that the King Crab probably won't be in the game anytime soon (
http://www.cooltexan.com/bte):
But here is a detailed list
(2743) KGC-000 (2x AC/20, 1 LRM15, 1 Large Laser) (unique layout - prime variant)
(2815) KGC-0000 (
same as KGC-000 - removed FF and CASE - Can be built with KGC-000)
(2743) KGC-000b (
same as KGC-000 -
DHS added, Artemis Added - Can be built with KGC-000)
(2743) KGC-010 (Full Arm Actuators Re-added, 2x LB 10-X, 2x SRM6, 2x PPC) (unique layout - hp's, different)
With the
bare minimum available variants going by the 'current' timeline, the KGC-000, 0000, and 010 can be added, except the 0000/000 would have different HP numbers.
Plenty of Future Variants:
Next (3052) - KGC-001 (
Only 2 arm actuators, same per 000/0000, 2 Gauss Rifles, 1 LRM 15, 2 Streak SRM2's, 1 Large Pulse Laser) (unique layout - hp's, different)
(3062) - KGC-005 (2x LB 20-X, 2x Streak SRM4's, 1x ER Large Laser, 1 Improved C3 -
can be built with 001 barring future tech or weapon availability)
(3069) - KGC-008 (2x LAC/2, 2x Heavy PPC, 2x ER Medium Laser, ECM, Improved C3) (unique layout - hp's, pure energy and ballistic King Crab)
As far as custom 'hero' variants, they can make up anything or take a character's king crab (King Hopper Morrison "King" or Lt. General Linda McDonald "Arcturan" and make up its loadout).
Also, PGI would need to program a way to have split crits, either allowing split crits
only on a Mech that did per record sheet variant, or simply programming it for any of the weapons that were allowed to split crit per the rules. They said something along the lines of no 'split crit,' but that just means they haven't thought of a way or even experimented with programming it in the Mech Lab. If they can program it, then that's another PLUS for keeping the Mech Lab true to build rules.
Remember, 2x AC/20's on a King Crab has the disadvantage of limited movement of its arms, since the weapon also spills into the torso's. Since they wanted to keep the hands on the design, which also has the unique look of the gun itself stored inside the claws, that's why the gun is split. If it ran out of ammo, it could still use its hands. And split critting between the arm and torso is the equivalent of having a lower arm actuator removed, with limited horizontal arm movement. Certain weapons even
require split criticals like Arrow IV, since the IS version takes up
15 critical slots.
Edited by General Taskeen, 12 July 2013 - 07:49 AM.