TheMadTypist, on 17 October 2014 - 05:34 PM, said:
I am curious what caused you to consider the Thunderbolt a skirmisher- it's not very fast, and it has very tank-like hitboxes if you keep the twisting up. What did you look at as far as designating one of the different roles for an individual 'mech? What differentiates a skirmisher from a support, or from a brawler?
The roles are usually done by there quirks, (stock) load out, and engine size typically. Hitboxes and the size of them normally never matter unless it is an "extra" one or 'reinforced" ie a shield or a weapon pod.
Skirmisher is a mech that is pretty much as good up close as it is at long range and also in the in between range. these mechs are normally medium and heavy mechs however some lights and assaults can fit the bill. They often require to be mobile as well and need to be fluid in combat, they are not a master of anything. just average at each thing.
These mechs are often 60 to 80 kph with often the weapons of choice being medium lasers, srm's, (close range weapons), large lasers, PPC's, AC 5's, (Med range weapons), and ER PPC's, LRM's, AC 2's, etc (long range weapons)
however these are not important to the role. These are just the popular weapons of choice.
The Thunderbolt 5S have...
Long range:
1 LRM 15
Medium range:
1 Large laser
Short range:
3 medium laser
1 SRM 2
With quite decent armour
65 kph (this is a stock IS mech with no speed tweak. This is decent speed for stock/cannon terms)
With 2 Machine guns for close up anti infantry and vehicle work. Not the best at a specific area but it's great.
If you put the Skirmisher up against a Brawler. Then up close it'll lose, also up close it'll lose to the juggernaut.
At range it'll lose to the supporter class roles in a long range combat.
A supporter class is a general name for these 2 main classes.
"Snipers" and "LRM boat"
Snipers normally have long range weaponry such as PPC's or ER PPC's or something like AC 2's or 5's
They feature in long range direct fire weaponary. ER large lasers not being to common but it isn't unheard of>
These tend to be slower then the brawlers, skirmishers, and strikers.
They carry some close up weapons but usually just for support when all else fails. tend to be machine guns, medium lasers, small lasers, etc.
Missile boats are similar in description to the snipers but they feature in indirect firepower. Arrow artillery system, LRM's, ATM's, Swarm Missile launchers, and sometimes described as a "Missile boat" a mech with a thumber of a long tom. even though these are ballistic weapons. These are inaccurate and have a huge firing arc.
2 examples of this that is quite good is the Catapult K2 and Catapult C1
K2 has 2 PPC's, 2 Medium lasers, 2 Machine guns. It tends to use the ppc's quite often and medium laser only for support and machine gunsfor vehicle and infantry work. The PPC's are high mounted and it's
C1 has 2 LRM 15's and 4 medium lasers. LRM 15's being the main weapon of choice while the lasers are close up support.
These support mechs often hide in semi-concealed areas or cover and away from possible light mechs or faster mechs.