135 replies to this topic

[ForgeBear]

The role of the scout and assault mech is clearly evident, but what of the medium mechs?

One of my fav mechs is the Centurion, but what role/advantage would this mech class have over a heavy or assault mech?

The light mech scouts, and caps bases where the assault is a front line brawler. But how will the medium mechs make a difference in this game? They arent the fastest (except the Cicada), most manuverable or the toughest.

Why would i want to chose a medium mech over an assault mech? Unless teams will be ballanced based on tonnage it just sounds like a no brainer to go heavy or assault.

I was never into the Mech warrior series (except for MW2) but i did play the beta of battletech 3025 or what ever it was called. A medium mechs in 3025 made sence cause you had to earn your next weight class over time, but buying the founder pack and choosing the Atlas is like skiping all the game play and just winding up with the best machine out there.

[Nightborn]

It falls on play style, and personal preference mainly. If you want a heavy, get a heavy. Mediums may not stand out in any certain area, but can be a little more rounded in roles, they could be thought of as off-tank dps if you will.

[Chunkymonkey]

Medium mech is supposed to make you a Jack of All trades


I know right?

[Squigles]

Likely benefits? Greater torso twist range, faster torso twist, and despite the fact that the majority of those that have been released are slow boats, you CAN customize them to be zippy little buggers, so they excel at scout hunting. And who knows what chassis bonuses the dev's have for medium's as you gain xp.

[Spriing]

Squigles, on 12 June 2012 - 07:40 PM, said:

And who knows what chassis bonuses the dev's have for medium's as you gain xp.

This is what I am very interested in, can't wait to see the line ups.

[Major Bill Curtis]

Your initial post makes the assumption that a medium 'mech isn't a scout . . .

1) Scouting

2) Killing scouts

3) Perimeter security for fire support or command

4) a lot else

[ForgeBear]

Good point Squigles, i guess time will tell what chassis bonuses they will think of. Hopefully enough to keep mediums in play.

[Forscythe]

I always thought the role of a medium mech was to eliminate the long range support mechs. I like to think that a medium and a light could close on say a catapult and take it out of the equation without much problem. (speculating again)

Also I think a medium mech would be able to come to the defense of a long range support mech if a small hunting party is trying to take him out of the battle.

To me the medium mech seems like it would be the jack of all trades. Running with scouts if needed running back to defend if needed moving forward to assist.(over simplified).

A medium just seems like it would be a very versatile mech if used right.

[BarHaid]

Squigles, on 12 June 2012 - 07:40 PM, said:

Likely benefits? Greater torso twist range, faster torso twist, and despite the fact that the majority of those that have been released are slow boats, you CAN customize them to be zippy little buggers, so they excel at scout hunting. And who knows what chassis bonuses the dev's have for medium's as you gain xp.

Add in the possibility of quicker acceleration. The top speed may not be better than a heavy or (fast) assault, but the medium can get up to speed faster. Hopefully.

Insidious Johnson, on 12 June 2012 - 07:50 PM, said:

what a bold new topic that we has nevar seed b4 and no wayz could b found with search! + 200 internets!

Someone's getting bitter Is the wait getting to you too?

[UncleKulikov]

Firepower > Lights
Armor > Lights
Speed > Heavies & Assaults

Generic flexibility over specialty.

[TKG]

the role of the medium is based on three factors:
1. who's driving
2. what is the specific medium's current weapons armor and speed.
3. the terrain on which it is to fight.

Prime example in MW4 I had at least 60 hunchback variants for every kind of situation but found that ten was good enough to handle all likely scenarios. Those ten were specialized and worked well and could be used by others if I passed out the key data for each.

In short a good medium can do just about anything you want, it is merely a matter of learning how to apply it.

[Southern Taxi]

ForgeBear, on 12 June 2012 - 07:32 PM, said:

[...] but buying the founder pack and choosing the Atlas is like skiping all the game play and just winding up with the best machine out there.

Ugh... I'm a newbie at battletech, but I've already learnt to hate Atlas (May change my mind later when i learn a bit more... but i find that hard to imagine).
Besides shittons of armor (never used that word as close to literally before XD) and an average firepower for an Assault... too slow for it's not that long range. If caught alone, a good pilot on a Light or Medium could just dance around him faster than he can turn, chipping into his armor until he's dead.
If it's an Assault, give me an Awesome or a Longbow instead.

Don't missunderstand me, I get how incredibly powerful it is... it's just that it doesn't seem like "the ultimate mech" to me. Without a lance to cover for him, it's just a sitting duck (holding a shotgun).



And going back on topic: A Medium could be able to fulfill an incredible scout/support role. More armor than a light, good speed, and it can carry support equipment without completely crippling his damage (I.E.: Using a missile hardpoint to carry a NARC for your teammates LRMs and still having enough firepower to fight lights/other mediums).

Edited by Southern Taxi, 12 June 2012 - 10:00 PM.

[Xantars]

the role of the medium mech is to kill other mechs

[SirLANsalot]

As people have said, meds are made to be able to do everything good, but nothing very well. What they DO good at is killing scouts, or being a heavy scout, they bring enough firepower to the table to take down the big boys, but remian fast enough to evade the damage the big ones can bring. However there drawback is the same as the scout, get a few good hits on a med and its dead, lights useally will die to 1 or 2 hits from a big assault (3 gauss/ppc will end a poor light). Med can take a few more hits and keep on trucking, but not that much more.

Much like in WoT some med tanks can be as fast or slightly slower then some of the light tanks, and even in some matches you will have only meds for your "scouts" for the artillery.

[ToxinTractor]

Think of the medium as say.. a soldier in Tf2 or the assault class in BF. They come with enough armor to survive a fight (of course they cant stand up large amounts of fire) and they come with a variety of guns to get the job done. They are not as fast as a light (save for a few exceptions) nor do they bring the amount of fire power as a assault or heavy. Often at times they are based around a large weapon that defines the role or range they fight at then carry weapons to back it up. The centurion is based more or less around its AC10 which makes it more of a mid range fighter, while its LRMs help soften up a large while it or you close the med lasers help to deal pin point damage. You have pretty good speed at 86km (i think) so you can kite around the bigger close range units or mediums that are slow (hunchback). With the mech lab and such you will be able to tweak or change what engagement range you want of course so if you want more long range then change the AC out if you want close swap the missiles out, your medium lasers are handy in either role so its up to you if you change those.

Just remember as said earlier they are pretty much your jack of all trades master of none. A lot of the larger mechs tend to stick very close to one role so having that flexibly is very nice, and a lot of the time if base is getting capped or your team needs a unit to respond and support a area quickly thats where you come in. Your not as fast as a light but the extra armor/guns with your speed allow you to do that roll better then any other unit.

Based on what the devs are saying, we will be seeing a lot of medium mechs as well.

Edited by ToxinTractor, 12 June 2012 - 10:27 PM.

[Pvt Dancer]

The historical role of Medium mechs is the support role. As stated, they are a jack of all trades master of none. They fill out the lance they are in and gives the lance some versitility.

For example, if you have a fire support lance that the basis is LRMs, having two Catapults, a Dragon, and a Centurion (as the medium) makes sense. You have the added value of having a AC 10 that might polish off mechs that wade through the hail of LRMs and AC 5 fire. Sure, he is the least manuverable of the 4 mechs (Dragon is faster), but that Medium is giving that Heavy lance a important member that can still pitch in on the lance's intended role (long range support fire).

Till we get more mediums, the role of Mediums will be based on what we have. The Hunchback /has/ to go toe to toe with an Atlas because we have 12 mechs, thus the Hunch will rarily go in a pure medium mech lance. The Centurion will be a swinger, the Cicadia will be hunting lights or Scouting... because that is what we will have. Sure, what versions we get might alter the mech's roles, as well as what people change them to do with the mechlab... but I don't think we will see a Cicadia brawler or a Hunch Scout.

[Thanassis79]

Okay, I see that a lot of people keep stating that they don't excell in anything but that they are versatile.
But that isn't really right is it ?
You have mechlab, you can easily specialise in something ... why not try to make it better on one point than staying to the same 'versatile' idea?
I know, I will have a few versatile mediums as well, but I will tinker with some specialised roles for it.
Mechlab might change the world as you know it!

[Ian]

The late model Centurions are very fast. I aim to make one a bit earlier in the timeline than normal, although no RAC so will have to stick with a GR or AC for now.

[Nightborn]

Thanassis79, on 12 June 2012 - 10:43 PM, said:

Okay, I see that a lot of people keep stating that they don't excell in anything but that they are versatile.
But that isn't really right is it ?
You have mechlab, you can easily specialise in something ... why not try to make it better on one point than staying to the same 'versatile' idea?
I know, I will have a few versatile mediums as well, but I will tinker with some specialised roles for it.
Mechlab might change the world as you know it!

The mechlab will allow for greater specialization, but at the same time mediums typically wont have as much firepower as a heavy. Which in turn leads you towards hunting smaller game. You can dodge around a heavy, but if he manages to get a few good shots at you close/mid range, you could be in for a world of hurt.

[AntiSqueaker]

Mediums are the jack of all trades, and can be the most flexible mech on the battlefield, making them excellent for pilots needing a general combat unit thats not "boated out" (like an Awesome or Catapult). Need a single heavy weapon, with some smatterings of support weapons? You got that.

Need a scout in a pinch because your Jenner got ambushed? You can do that.

Need to sit back and cover the heavy guys while they get set up, and then babysit them so a mean old light doesnt come and ruin their LRM chuckin fun? You got that covered.

Need to wade in with the Assaults and flank around some enemies while they're distracted? You DEFINITELY have that covered.

Mediums have a very good blend of firepower, maneuverability, and survive-ability that makes them comfortably able to do any job they might need. Naturally, there will be faster lights, more gun-heavy Assaults and Heavies, but they each sacrifice a lot to get to that "A+" level. Mediums can do everything, without giving up too much of anything. (Except the Cicada, that's really a medium in name only.)

Edited by AntiSqueaker, 12 June 2012 - 11:20 PM.