Odanan, on 22 June 2015 - 10:29 AM, said:
The Flea for example, will have a max speed of 151.5KPH, +15.2KPH (for 166.7kph), and a boost to turning, stopping, starting.
Right, fine.
That costs you 9T and 24 Slots (with DHS - 17 with SHS).
The Locust however, can take an XL190, which gives you a permament 169.3KPH, with (less, but still) improved turning, mobility, etc.
That's a perm +17.8KPH for 9T and 21 Slots (15 with SHS) AND provides better cooling.
Both with have the same base Chasis + Armour weight of 4T, meaning both will have 7T free.
Previously, you could argue for taking a slightly lower engine, using a heavier weapons loadout (8-9T even) on the Flea to allow for a heavier, tiny platform with the ability to rapidly redeploy, as MASC could provide a better boost for the weight.
(Infact, an XL145 would have been sufficient to hit max speed with MASC, allowing you 7.5T to play with, or even a 125, for 8T).
Now though, at a 145, that's a MASC speed of 142.1kph.
For 7.5T free, and 1 free slot.
Meaning you have to go SHS (to keep tonnage) or drop FF (losing the tonnage, you're now back to 7T free).
I simply don't know what it can do now, that the Locust can't do better, for the same weight, a similar size, and a similar model.