Posted 01 August 2012 - 11:10 AM
So, we're thinking Cyclops, Zeus, Victor, Charger, Mauler, or Banshee.
Hrm. In no particular order...
Mauler
Pros
-It is 3/5 like the other assaults thus far. While they might want to shake things up a bit, if assaults move 4/6 there's no point to heavies (or a lot of mediums) sans artificial drop weight restrictions. That'll have to be addressed at some point given the number of 4/6 assaults, but I could see them limiting stock assaults to low speeds, at least initially.
-Been in other games; people know it and...well, they know it.
Cons
-Only two variants at launch, and that's only if you count the Daboku prototype. The MAL-C doesn't show until '51, and it's virtually identical anyway. In fact, all the variants are really close.
-Thus far everything else has been Succession War-era stuff. It'd be odd to break that now.
Banshee
Pros
-Lots of variants! -3E, 3M, -3MC, -3Q, -3S...All kinds of good stuff. Better still, they'd all play VERY differently.
-Looks like a BOSS.
-Is a 4/6 assault, but it's not better than a 4/6 heavy because that big an engine is a dumb idea without XLs. So, it gets more armor than, say, the Cataphract, but it has less firepower.
Cons
-Some of those variants are really bad. With no physical attacks to make the speed and tonnage lethal on its own, the anemic weapons on some of the variants won't get the job done.
-I dunno how much it matters but there aren't any Lostech upgrades until the -5S in '53. The BNC-5S rocks, but that's still years off.
Victor
Pros
-OMG IT JUMPS
-Plenty of reasonably diverse variants, including a Lostech upgrade.
Cons
-It makes a lot of heavies and mediums redundant. Do you want the Hunchback, or the 'Mech with the same big gun with more ammo in a better location. Also it has better armor and better backup guns. And the same land speed but it also has jump jets.
Zeus
Pros
-Cool looking, lots of variant diversity including several Lostech upgrades (another Command Console 'Mech so the AS7-D-DC isn't unique!).
-Not a lot of iconically Lyran designs yet.
Cons
-Just plain better than a number of heavies. Notice a pattern emerging here? 4/6 is for Assaults! Heavies need to be faster than that! Mediums faster still! Lights even faster!
Charger
Pros
-no
Cons
-just no
-okay actually ramming IS a thing unlike punches kicks...but that is a really stupid thing to be good at.
-Okay the -3K is pretty nifty, although underarmored and stupid expensive.
Cyclops
Pros
-Umm...
-I guess it looks pretty cool
-There's a good selection of variants as well, including a -DC.
-Seems like a good commander ride for the whole role warfare thing.
Cons
-Oh god that armor would be tolerable on a medium
-And instead of armor there's guns that make people want to shoot you more
-You put that mobile HQ down this instant you are not a semi truck you don't need to haul anything besides guns, armor, and ammo.
If I had to narrow it down I'd say the Cyclops or the Banshee. They've introduced three "kill the crap out of them" assaults and I think it might be time for a "commander's ride" assault (although the Atlas can fill that role). The Cyclops and Zeus have decent command variants, but it's just one variant for the Zeus, while battlefield awareness is pretty much the Cyclops' entire shtick. I still have hope for the Banshee, though, since I think Flyingdebris would make it insanely badass.
That said, while I'll be pretty surprised if we get a Victor, Charger, or Mauler, I've been wrong before. I didn't anticipate the Stalker at all, for instance.
Am I on the right track?
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ryoken12, on 01 August 2012 - 10:22 AM, said:
