If when firing on a Spider (or other mech) and you see the round or beam physically HIT the target in question, and also when your sensor readout of the enemy mech in the upper right hand corner of your screen lights up like a Christmas tree on a component, and when your crosshairs turn red, all indications are that you have HIT your target.
If these indicators are NOT relaying the correct information, then how is a pilot supposed to gauge his aiming..??
If a hit is indeed confirmed, yet the damage is not being applied, then something is wrong, whether it be HSR, or hit boxes, or whatever causing the issue, then an issue does indeed exist.
ANECDOTES: Personally I have used the same exact formula for aiming and shooting lights.
Here is what I have found.
Beam Weapons:
Spread damage across areas of all mechs unless their movement can be countered by aiming (holding beam on specific component, but all receive damage. The Jenner seems to take damage correctly relative to the energy weapon used, so does the Commando, the Raven, the medium mech Cicada, but the Spider does not seem to be affected in the same way, and even stationary Spiders (or slow moving behind a friendly) seem to have a problem receiving the appropriate amount of damage, but I expect an amount damage bug from a beam weapon.
Ballistic or One shot weapons: Here's the kicker!
The ER-PPC used, hit confirmed by sensors to the rear or front CT already yellow or orange, no damage change, and also if indicator is off why no other area affected, arm or leg should have taken damage. Something should have taken damage relative to the weapons listed damage, and also if any area already stripped of armor then damage transfer should be in effect if hit is actually hitting. It gets better! Damage should be concentrated to a degree, and not spread over entire mech (one shot weapon) by itself this is not game breaking, but when used in combination with other weapons the problem is compounded.
A one shot weapon should do all of it's damage in one hit to one component, if it ISN'T going through an arm to get to a CT, or side torso.
The AC-20 used at ranges between 40-50-100-150-etc meters, all indicators show a hit, and same as example above, something needs to take damage, even catching the rare stationary Spider, or the off straight line run away, and result is same as example above with ER-PPC. By itself is not game breaking, but again when used in combination with other weapons, then something needs to be damaged in relation to the weapons damage potential.
Lets say you see a Spider stop behind a friendly for a spilt second, and you fire an AC-20, ER-LL and ER-PPC into the rear CT of a Spider and it runs off either unhurt, or barely scratched... Hmmmm.. Seems odd.
Lets say a Spider is running from friendly, turns directly toward you at 120 meters and you hit him with everything you have, all indicators show hit, but his armor value in terms of color do NOT change... Hmmmm.. seems odd.
Now this doesn't happen every single time with the Spider, BUT here is the problem, are you ready for it..??
There is NO CONSISTENCY.
#1. Sometimes all indicators show a hit and what seems to be very little damage is done. (armor or no armor left)
#2. Sometimes all indicators show the exact same hit, and all damage seems to be done. (armor or no armor left)
#3. Sometimes all indicators show the exact same hit, and ZERO damage seems to be done. (armor or no armor left)
#4. Sometimes all indicators show the exact same hit, and the Spider dies even though he had what looks like full armor.
#5. Sometimes no sensors show hit, only visual confirmation of round hitting, and Spider takes no damage.
#6. Sometimes no sensors show hit, only visual confirmation of round hitting, and Spider dies.
If there is no consistency, then there is no rule, there is no standard on which to approach that issue.
And remember kids, you're probably NOT the only mech on your team firing at the Spider.!!!
This issue is does NOT exist soley with the Spider.
However the frequency of uncertainty as it relates to the damage the Spider takes depending on examples #1 to #6, is quite apparent.
The Jenner, Commando, Raven, Locust, and medium Cicada do not appear to suffer from the same degree of uncertainty, as it relates to damage taken. Personally I have no issues with any other mechs NOT taking damage, taking very little damage, or randomly taking damage to the extent I have seen with the Spider. Using the same formula for shooting all other light mechs, and having FAR greater success with more heavily armored lights and the medium Cicada compared to the Spider, then something is clearly off, and it is NOT my aim.
Is this a Hit Box issue..?? Unknown, and perhaps there is no design flaw with the mech itself.
Is this HSR issue..?? Possible, but we haven't been given any concrete info to look at.
Is there no issue at all..?? More then highly unlikely, the amount of feedback sighting the same issue over, and over, and over, and over, and over again by multitudes of players across the board, and even from those that pilot Spiders says otherwise.
We'll see what happens in the future, but for now just let the Hit Reg roll the dice to see if your weapons do their stated damage at stated ranges to the little devil.