Here are few points. First, a timeline of Clan alterations after the Invasion pack was released.
July 2-14 (Only 2 weeks after Clan release)
Weapons tuning:
Clan LRM launchers heat scales set to 3.1 up from 2.8
Clan LB2 spread set to 0.45, down from 1.3
Clan LB5 spread to 0.85, down from 1.3
Clan LB2, AC2, UAC2 and IS AC2 cooldown set to 0.72 down from 0.8
Clan ER Small Laser damage reduced from 5.0 to 4.0
Clan ER Small Laser range increased from 180m/360m to 200m/400m
Clan Small Pulse Laser damage increased from 3.4 to 4.4
Clan Medium Pulse Laser damage increase from 7.0 to 7.4
Clan Medium Pulse Laser heat increased from 5.0 to 5.5
Clan Medium Pulse Laser duration reduced from 1.1 to 0.9
Clan SRM/2 and SRM/6 impulse value reduced from 0.192 to 0.11
Aug 26-14
Several 'Mechs were previously under-valued for the load-out provided, the following prices have shifted:
NVA-S is now 3750 MC
SMN-B is now 5630 MC
SMN-D is now 5560 MC
Sept 5-14
Weapon Balance
IS ER Large Laser heat down from 8.5 to 8.0
IS ER Large Laser duration increased from 1.0 to 1.5
Clan ER Large Laser damage down from 11.25 to 11.0
Clan ER Large Laser heat penalty down from 12.0 to 4.0
Clan ER Large Laser long range (max damage) reduced from 890m to 740m
Clan ER Large Laser max range (falloff to zero damage) reduced from 1780m to 1480m
Clan ER Large Laser duration down from 2.0s to 1.6s
Clan ER Medium Laser base heat increased from 5.0 to 6.0
Clan ER Medium Laser long range (max damage) reduced from 450m to 400m
Clan ER Medium Laser max range (falloff to zero damage) reduced from 900m to 800m
Clan ER Medium Laser duration down from 1.3s to 1.25s
Clan ER Small Laser base heat increased from 2.0 to 3.0
Clan ER Small Laser long range (max damage) reduced from 200m to 150m
Clan ER Small Laser max range (falloff to zero damage) reduced from 400m to 300m
Clan Large Pulse Laser damage down from 11.8 to 11.6
Clan Large Pulse Laser heat penalty increased from 2.8 to 4.0
Clan Large Pulse Laser base heat increased from 8.0 to 9.0
Clan Large Pulse Laser long range (max damage) reduced from 600m to 525m
Clan Large Pulse Laser max range (falloff to zero damage) reduced from 1200m to 1050m
Clan Large Pulse Laser duration down from 1.3s to 1.2s
Clan Medium Pulse Laser base heat increased from 5.5 to 6.0
Clan Medium Pulse Laser long range (max damage) reduced from 400m to 330m
Clan Medium Pulse Laser max range (falloff to zero damage) reduced from 800m to 660m
Clan Medium Pulse Laser duration down from 0.9s to 0.85s
Clan Small Pulse Laser base heat increased from 2.4 to 3.4
Clan Small Pulse Laser long range (max damage) reduced from 180m to 150m
Clan Small Pulse Laser max range (falloff to zero damage) reduced from 360m to 300m
Clan LRM-5 cooldown increased from 3.25s to 3.5s
Clan LRM-10 cooldown increased from 3.75s to 4.0s
Clan LRM-15 cooldown increased from 4.25s to 4.5s
Clan LRM-20 cooldown increased from 4.75s to 5.0s
Clan Streak SRM-4 cooldown decreased from 5.25s to 5.0s
Clan Streak SRM-6 cooldown decreased from 7.0s to 6.0s
Oct 7-14
Gameplay
New heat penalties when a 'Mech equipped with a Clan XL engine loses a side torso.
The 'Mech will lose 20% of the heat sinks in the engine.
This percentage is calculated as the total of the heat sinks integral to the engine as well as any equipped in its heat sink slots.
The lost heat sinks are removed from those integral to the engine.
Overall Clan Observations:
Clan Weapon Values:
[O = Original Values on Release / C = Current Values to Date]
- CLRM (All) Heat Scale: O= 2.8 C=3.1
- CERSML Damage: O=5 C=4
- CERSML Range O=180/360m C=150/300m
- CERSML Heat O=2 C=3
- CERSMPL Heat O=2.4 C= 3.4
- CERSMPL Range: O=180/360m C=150m/300m
- CERMPL Heat: O=5 C=6
- CERMPL Range: O= 400/800m C=330/660m
- CERLL Duration O=1.25 C=1.6
- CERLL Damage O=11.25 C=11
- CERLL Range O=890m/1780m C=740m/1480m
- CERLPL Damage O=11.8 C=11.6
- CERLPL Heat Penalty O=2.8 C=4
- CERLPL Heat O=8 C=9
- CERLPL Range O=600/1200m C=525/1050m
- CERML Heat O=5 C=6
- CERML Range: O=450/900m C=400/800m
- CLRM5 Cooldown O=3.25 C=3.5
- CLRM10 Cooldown O=3.75 C=4
- CLRM15 Cooldown O=4.25 C=4.5
- CLRM20 Cooldown O=4.75 C=5
Observations: As you can see, almost
every clan weapon has been nerfed, some of them very significantly since Clan's were released.
Almost every weapon advantage originally given to Clans have been tken away completely, or significantly reduced to include proportionate negative values to correlate to the positive values over Is weapons.
There is a clear pattern to the Clan nerfs. Their benefits have been either reduced slightly, and/or offset with slight negative increases, or their benefits have just been significantly reduced.
Nerfed Weapons: CLRM5, 10, 15,20, CERSML, CSERSMPL, CERML, CERMPL, CERLL, CERLPL
Buffed Weapons: CSTRK 4, 6 (Small Cooldown buffs)
Additional Nerfs Since launch:
- Nova, Summoner have both had MC price increased (which increases it's Cash value as well)
- Clan Side Torso's have had Heat Sink reductions added on destruction
Clan Vs IS Comparisons
- SML Damage: C=4 IS=3
- SML Range C=150/300m IS=~100m/~200m
- SML Heat C=3 IS=2
- SPL Heat C=3.4 IS= 2.4
- SPL Range: C=150m/300m IS=~100m/~200m
- MPL Heat: C=6 IS= 4.6
- MPL Range: C=330/660m IS=~300m/~400m
- ERLL Tonnage: C=4 IS=5
- ERLL Duration C=1.6 IS=1.25
- ERLL Damage C=11 IS=9
- ERLL Range C=740m/1480m IS=~700m/~1400m
- LPL Tonnage: C=6 IS=7
- LPL Damage C=11.6 IS=10.6
- LPL Heat Penalty C=4
- LPL Heat C=9 IS=8
- LPL Range C=525/1050m IS=~350m/~700m
- LPL Duration C=1.2 IS=.6
- ML Heat C=6 IS=4
- ML Range: C=400/800m IS=250m/500m
- LRM5 Cooldown C=3.5 IS= 3.25
- LRM10 Cooldown C=4 IS=3.75
- LRM15 Cooldown C=4.5 IS=4.25
- LRM20 Cooldown C=5 IS=4.75
Observations: (Obviously this is an incomplete list, and represents only the weapons that have been tuned since Clan Launch). Clans consistently have significantly more range, slightly more damage, slightly less tonnage. IS Consistently has significantly less heat, significantly less duration/cooldown.
Significant Clan Pro's
- Laser weapons have slightly longer range, and slightly more damage
- Clans have better short range missile, and Ballistic weapon variety (LB, and UAC Options)
- Clan weapons consistently are slightly less tonnage
- Clans can lose a torso with an XL Engine
Significant IS Pro's
- Ballistic Weapons have pinpoint damage from firing single projectiles
- Mech Chassis are more customizable for armour type, structure, guidance, and heat sink type
- Engine choice is swappable, and customizable to fit a variety of play styles, including Standard Engine sizes that allow better tanking durability and 'Zombie' builds, and Engines allowing greater speed and maneuverability choices
- LRM's fire in single volley's reducing effectiveness of AMS
Clan and IS Offsets
- Lasers: Clan has longer range/damage on Lasers, but has significantly more heat, and greater beam durations to deal damage. EG: LPL Duration=.6 vs. CLPL Duration=1.2. This means that a Clan LPL must be held on target for literally twice as long in order to do 1 single point of damage more. Conclusion: Even. In some weapons the Clans are significantly better (CERML Vs. ML). In other laser weapons IS has a clear advantage (LPL Vs. CLPL), yet others are relatively even in terms of tradeoffs (CERLL Vs. LL)
- Ballistics: Clans can carry a greater variety of ballistics, with slightly less tonnage, but have significantly less pinpoint damage compared to IS AC's. EG: CAC20 deals 20 damage over 4 individual projectiles = 5 pinpoint damage per projectile Vs. AC20 deals 20 damage over a single projectile = 20 pinpoint damage. Conclusion: Even. Clans can boat more ballistics and put more suppression fire downrange, but IS is able to pinpoint damage to destroy mechs or components easier. EG: Clans have great 80+ point alpha suppression DireWolves. IS gets 40 pinpoint Dual AC20 Jagers, and 30 pinpoint AC20/PPC Shadowhawks, Quad AC2 Banshees and Dual AC10 Battlemasters.
- Engines: Clans get no variety, and all mechs have a set speed range. They cannot reduce speed to increase firepower loadout, and cannot increase speed to improve hit and run ability. All Clan XL engines are more durable in return, but all clan mechs must run XL engines. IS mechs can choose between standard and XL engines, providing better role variability from slower chassis with greater firepower, to faster chassis with greater hit and run ability. Also, Fastest Clan mech to date runs at a top speed of 106kph. Fastest IS mech runs at 170kph, a full 64kph difference, which is very significant. As a result, IS engines are less durable if you choose an XL type. Conclusion: Even. An argument can be made that IS has an advantage here with certain roles, such as scouting, Zombie builds, etc.
- LRMs: Clan LRMs weigh less than IS. They deal the same damage, and the same heat. IS LRM's require less cooldown time. Also, Clan LRMs fire in streak patterns making them easier to counter with AMS. IS LRMs fire in one large volley, making them significantly more difficult to counter with AMS. Finally, Clan LRMs can deal reduced damage within 180m; IS LRMs deal 0 damage within 180m. Conclusion: Even. In some situations IS LRMs are vastly superior. EG: They overcome AMS better, and you can fire them more often. In other situations Clan LRMs are superior. With reduced weight you can Boat LRMs and have more backup weapons, and if you're rushed you can still deal damage with them within 180m. End result: IS LRMs are better for LRM specialization, Clan LRMs are better for versatile builds. Even, but different.
- Other weapons: Clan Gauss is lighter, but functions the same as IS Gauss. Clans only have CERPPC, IS can take a more heat efficient PPC that has a minimum range. Clan machineguns weigh less, and perform the same as IS.
- Upgrades: Clans cannot alter their armour, structure, or heat sink type. This ability allows IS mechs greater versatility for team role build variety.
- Overall: Clan mechs are more capable of loading greater Alpha strike loadouts due to weapons consistently weighing less than IS weapons. This ability is completely offset by heat generation, and component space (due to XL engines, fixed Heat Sinks, JJ's, etc.) EG: A Nova CAN outfit 12 CERMLs providing a total alpha damage of 84. They, however, cannot USE them effectively without overheating and blowing themselves up. This reduces their effective per cycle damage to somewhere between 28 and 42 non-pinpoint damage. An IS Shadowhawk can only outfit an AC20 and a PPC, but they can fire them repeatedly with pinpoint damage, providing an Alpha strike damage of 30, and a consistent Pinpoint damage of 30.
- To compare more useful builds, a 6CERML 4CMG Nova vs. a AC20/PPC Shadowhawk. The Shadowhawk is unchanged at 30 sustainable, pinpoint damage. The Nova is listed at 58 Alpha damage, with none of it being pinpoint, and the firepower is not sustainable. Even 6CERML must be cycled in order to be fired consistently. A point worth noting with these two compared mechs is that the Shadowhawk is more durable with a Standard engine, and all of its weaponry on one side of the mech, allowing it to use an entire arm and torso for a shield. Conclusion? They are different, but both are extremely effective, and neither has a clear advantage over the other. In a duel the winner would likely come down the pilots ability.
Conclusions:
Clan mechs are superior in some ways. IS mechs are superior in others. What matters is that PGI is about to force restrict the use of these mechs with Community Warfare. Clan players will have no use for IS mechs, and vice versa.
Why this is significant
To buy Clan mechs costs exactly (so far) $10 more
per mech. So, if a player would like to support the game, and purchase a mech, for whatever reason, they are
forced to make a greater contribution in real dollars, compared to players who have chosen the other faction.
PGI states that this is due to the fact that Clan mechs cost more MC, and the MC price is based on the CBill price of the stock mech. Clan mechs can only come with 3 out of 4 possible upgrades hard wired into the chassis, which significantly increases the CBill cost of the mech. IS mechs, although they COULD come equipped with the same upgrades, they most often
do not, and therefore cost less Cbills -> MC -> Real Money. In addition, Clan mechs come stock loaded with weapon loadouts that are significantly more expensive than IS mechs; also clan weapons cost more Cbills. This exacerbates the disparity. Originally the extra cost of clan weapons was justified, as they [u]were[/i] superior, consistently, to IS weapons. As I have shown, that is no longer the case, but the Cbill costs have remained the same, and therefore so do the real money costs.