13 replies to this topic

[Gierling]

Ok so clans are out of whack and many people recognize there needs to be something done about it. Unfortunately many people are averse to any sort of Nerf and they fall back to the argument of lore, specifically that clans are supposed to be superior to inner sphere mechs.

This raises a good point but we do need to balance them somehow. 10v12 is just not feasible as has been gone over many times, and clan players do not want to see weapon nerfs. One such way is Zellbriggen, the Clan honor.

If we are going to give the Clans all the advantages they had in lore (Technological Superiority),then we should also make sure they possess the disadvantages they had in lore (Stifling Honor).

I was hoping that Clan players would institute Zellbriggen themselves given how devoted the lore they are (they are the first to bring that up loudly and often during any conversation about clan balance). Shockingly very few Clan players practice Clan honor themselves.

So I think it is a modest proposal to restore clan equipment to their Tabletop Values, and in exchange for this overwhelming advantage we hard code clan honor into the game.

Make it so that no clan mech can target an enemy mech if that mech is already targeted by someone else on their team. Furthermore, do not allow clan weapons to fire at anything but the currently targeted mech (You can just play the sound that streaks make without a lock so that they know they can't fire).

Clan honor is strict, so they should lose the lock if the enemy is not facing you. Unable to regain it until they are face to face with the enemy.

If for some reason they accidently hit another mech then the one they are honorably engaged with, a penalty is in order. Something modest to show the severe loss of face and shame the clan pilot must endure. Say -25,000 cbills and - 5gxp for every point of damage done to a non targeted enemy (more if it was in the enemies rear) say -50,000 cbills and -10 gxp).

Furthermore, indirect fire should be removed from C-LRMS as you would not be able to target an enemy mech unless you saw it yourself so that functionality would be unneeded.

With these few minor changes we could restore clan tech to its proper state and still have a balanced play experience that falls completely in line with Battletech Lore.

Edited by Gierling, 17 September 2014 - 07:29 AM.

[Agelmar]

So IS mechs under ECM cover can't be shot by anyone.

This idea. It will work....

[Gierling]

Honorable clan mechs will need to bring BAP or rely on ECM and teamplay.

[Kain Demos]

There's a few issues here:

1. Right now the teams are always mixed, it is not Clan vs IS so this would have to be changed
2. Not all clans adhered to Zellbriggen strictly--this varied greatly among the clans

It is funny you bring it up because last night when they had the MM going we had a Clan vs Clan matchup and I went to chat to try to turn it into 12 1v1 duels but not everyone agreed.

Edited by Kain Thul, 17 September 2014 - 07:37 AM.

[Mcgral18]

[Mavairo]

My Jester kills clan mechs like no tomorrow.

Same with my Tbolts, and Dragons.

Protip for piloting a successful career against clan mechs.
1: don't run XL engines in mechs with large STs (DUH!)
2: If you're in a Heavy your target speed should be 70 KPH +

Edited by Mavairo, 17 September 2014 - 07:38 AM.

[TercieI]

Since you used "A Modest Proposal," I'll assume this is satire.

[Monkey Lover]

They're going to cut the speed and increase the heat when one side is destroyed. Then they're going to buff the heck out of IS mechs.


Clan mechs will not be worth owning soon. Im guessing this will happen soon after the sales of the new clan pack start going down.

[Mercules]

Here is an issue with this.

The Zellbriggen is null and void if broken by the opposition. So, once the first couple IS mechs double team a clan mech with firepower they locks would have to come off and the Clanners could then fire on whomever they wished.

[Gierling]

Terciel, Thank God someone got the reference...

Edited by Gierling, 17 September 2014 - 07:45 AM.

[Andross Deverow]

If memory serves me correctly Zellbriggen was eventually ignored by Clans due to the IS lack of honor in this regard according to the Clans. So basically it is a moot point it gets ignored anyways eventually.

Regards

[Mawai]

Does the IS get to eat the vat grown babies?

[Mystere]

Gierling, on 17 September 2014 - 07:30 AM, said:

Honorable clan mechs will need to bring BAP or rely on ECM and teamplay.

If you think about it, there is not real "honor" in war.

Gierling, on 17 September 2014 - 07:27 AM, said:

Ok so clans are out of whack and many people recognize there needs to be something done about it. Unfortunately many people are averse to any sort of Nerf and they fall back to the argument of lore, specifically that clans are supposed to be superior to inner sphere mechs.

This raises a good point but we do need to balance them somehow. 10v12 is just not feasible as has been gone over many times, and clan players do not want to see weapon nerfs.

This is my radical solution to the 10vs12 problem:

Mystere, on 16 September 2014 - 10:06 PM, said:

So how about a radical idea. Bring the Clan vs. IS balance close (perfect balance is impossible) and then still implement 10 Clan vs. 12 IS?

The Clans were supposed to be better skilled. So let those skills show and have success playing as the Clans highly dependent on skill. Call it "hard mode". (and yes, I am serious)

[Sandpit]

Kain Thul, on 17 September 2014 - 07:36 AM, said:

There's a few issues here:

1. Right now the teams are always mixed, it is not Clan vs IS so this would have to be changed
2. Not all clans adhered to Zellbriggen strictly--this varied greatly among the clans

It is funny you bring it up because last night when they had the MM going we had a Clan vs Clan matchup and I went to chat to try to turn it into 12 1v1 duels but not everyone agreed.

CW queue this won't be the case. No mixed tech in CW. That was announced at the townhall meeting. Zellbriggen was ONLY enforced if they deemed you worthy of it in the first place, which the vast majority of IS forces were not. Clans touted honor, but most threw it out the window when it came down to it.