2
One key issue, is that people either know nothing about armored combat tactics (sorry playing WoT does not count) or they try to view it through the "lens" of Modern Warfare. You cannot do that. By modern Warfare standards, a Battlemech is a 30 ft tall, walking target, easily destroyed by an infantryman packing a disposable rocket launcher.
The basis for design, mechanics and such, of the Battletech universe, actually has much more to do with the order of battle, tactics and such of WWII than of any modern tactics. And in that scenario, people keep making one HUGE, glaring misassumption.
That the Assault Mech, is the "Tank".
And that is just wrong, on every level. (For one thing, vs other tanks? Tanks are not terribly "tanky" to begin with, and don't weather huge amounts of incoming fire)
A successful armored attack features your MBT (Main Battle Tank/ Modern term replacing the upper end Medium Tank/Heavy Tank nomenclature of WWII) as the center piece. Assault Mechs are NOT, in general your MBTs, because MBTs are traditionally mobile, with decent armor and a big gun. In this, your centerpiece should actually be your Heavy Mechs (and mobile Assaults, like Victors, traditionally). More mobile, and because of that mobility, harder to kill, easier to bring firepower where needed.
A good armor advance needs SUPPORT elements to protect it, hence your Mediums, in effect work as your Medium and Light Armor, and your Light Mechs as the Infantry/Mounted Infantry/Tankette protecting your flanks and scouting.
What is your Assault Mech, then? http://en.wikipedia..../Tank_destroyer
That's right. Not tanks, but tank destroyers, which are deployed totally differently from Tanks, because while they usually bigger, and often better armored (at least in front) and have the biggest guns.... they are devoid of mobility in general, and as such, leading the charge, are easily flanked, swarmed and overwhelmed. The best place, usually for an Assault, is coming in BEHIND the Heavies, so that when the opposing units are flushed, then they can bring that massive frontal armor and firepower to bear on the opposing tanks.
Alternatively, you who want to bash the Stalker in the back with the LRMs? Assaults are also still the best choice for that role. Because unlike your Light/Medium/Heavy, they not only have the tonnage to spare to do it more effectively than you, but the role itself does not call for mobility.
No, this is not a perfect 1 for 1 comparison, because that is essentially, impossible. It is meant as a very basic primer for people who seem to simply not get the basics of Role Warfare. Yes the overall viability of some roles are currently suspect, and because of the current broken Poptart MEta, some of this is fuzzy (tanks, traditionally did not jump. They did use defilade fire, a lot, but in general were much less mobile about it).
I don't drive Assault, as a general rule, because I find their low mobility too defining a characteristic. I prefer Mediums, and I recognize, without me on the Big Guy's flank? He is dead fast, and that firepower deprived from my unit. So please, stop insisting the Assault lead from the front, unless, in general you WANT to keep losing.
Edited by Bishop Steiner, 24 June 2014 - 12:11 PM.
