5 replies to this topic

[bot5]

I've been curious about this for some time, but never thought to ask: Why are there SO MANY redundant engines?

For example, consider these:

STD 160 - 7 Tons - 39.9kph - 981,200 CB
STD 165 - 7 Tons - 41.1kph - 1,011,867 CB
STD 170 - 7 Tons - 42.4kph - 1,042,533 CB

Why would you ever buy the 160 or 165? The cost difference is one game's winnings or two games loss earnings, so unlike a real money purchase you can't say that the cost difference is an issue. Why are those even in the game? And there are a lot of these instance, though they are confined to the 100-200 range. 29 of the 122 engines (~24%) are, by all indications of the client, completely worthless.

[edit - spelling]

Edited by Dickbusticon, 26 November 2013 - 01:05 PM.

[FireSlade]

They are in game for stock mechs. You and me would pick the best that we could fit because money is no issue but in BT lore that becomes very expensive for the different houses that are constantly at war. It is also why so little stock mechs come with double heat sinks until after the Clans.

[Hans Von Lohman]

This has more to do with the limitations from the board game. In there you could only put in engines of specific ratings, depending on how fast you wanted to go.

The engine ratings allowed for a mech were intervals of it's own weight, such as a 50 ton mech could have a 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 or the massive 400. You couldn't put a 265 rated engine into a Centurion for example.

And yes, in the board game several engines were also the same weights. In fact all of the 205 standard engines and under have another engine that weighs the same.

Here in MWO the engines allowed are pretty much anything you want, so I tend to min-max my engine size to fit the loadout I like, with an emphasis on the 25 increments so I can get that extra heat sink slot, aka the 250 engine, 275, 300.

That being said, there are cases when you need a goofy engine size. I have a lot of XL275, despite the fact the XL280 is the same weight. The reason is that the max engine you can put in the Centurion-A and Centurion-AL is a 275.

[Zyllos]

The reason why there are tonnages that are the same is that normally, you have to pick an engine that is divisible by the mechs tonnage. For an example, a 45t mech could only equip 135, 180, 225, ect.

In MWO, they removed that restriction because you don't have to have your movement speed be a whole number, to move in hexes. So, the only reason for some of these redundant engine ratings is if your maximum engine rating happens to be that redundant engine.

[bot5]

Hurray, legitimate answers. Thanks, all!

[DONTOR]

Because if someone is running a 160 commando you know their a badass.