Let's look at what each weight class gives us.
Note: Not all variants listed are in production. Information comes from
Sarna &
The Master Unit List
Guide
Brawler - ability to wade into the thick of combat and survive prolonged close quarters combat
Direct fire support - provides direct fire support through auto-cannons and energy weapons/Sniping
Indirect fire support - provides indirect fire support through long range missiles
Rear Line Support - defending/assisting indirect fire support mechs
Front Line Support - assisting front line brawlers
Variant variety - chassis has more then 4 variants available (not counting hero mechs)
MRF - Mixed role fighter, can cover a variety of combat roles at once
Jump Jets - One or more variants has the ability to equip jump jets
H&R - Hit and Run combat
Fast Attack - Maintaining attack speeds of 85kp/h+ in prolonged combat engagements
Scout - Forward recon & skirmishing
Lights
Jenner - H&R, Fast Attack, Scout, Jump Jets, Rear Line/Front Line support
Raven - H&R, Fast Attack, Scout, Jump Jets, ECM, Rear Line/Front Line support
Commando - H&R, Scout, ECM, Rear Line/Front Line support
Spider - H&R, Fast Attack, Scout, Jump Jets, ECM, Rear Line/Front Line support
Flea - H&R, Scout, Rear Line/Front Line support
Mediums
Hunchback - Brawler, Variant variety
Centurion - Rear line support, Front line support, MRF
Cicada - Light hunter, Fast attack, H&R, ECM, Scout, Rear Line/Front Line support
Trebuchet - Indirect fire support, Jump Jets, variant variety
Blackjack - Direct fire support, Jump Jets
Heavy
Dragon - Fast Attack, H&R, Front line support
Catapult - Indriect & Direct fire support, Jump Jets
Cataphract - Brawler, Jump Jets, MRF
Jagermech - Direct & Indirect fire support
Orion - Brawler, MRF
Assault
Atlas - Brawler, MRF, ECM
Awesome - Direct & Indirect fire support, MRF, variant variety
Stalker - Direct & Indirect fire support, variant variety
Highlander - Brawler, Jump Jets, MRF
Now the only thing really missing from the assaults is something that is able to be fast attack and variant variety. That's what makes the Banshee fit so nicely aside from filling in the tonnage gap role. It has these 5 variants available in the timeline according to the Master Unit List: BNC-3E, BNC-3M, BNC-3Q, BNC-3S, BNC-3MC.
Banshee - Fast Attack, Bralwer, MRF, variant variety
Let's look at the Zeus
Zeus - Brawler, Direct & Indirect fire support, MRF, variant variety
It cover one of the needed factors in variant variert with upwards of 9 variants released by or on the year 3049. The downside is a lot of these variants are only minor changes as well as lost or discontinued. Of which I am unsure. The Master Unit List reads off these: ZEU-5T, ZEU-5S, ZEU-6S, ZEU-6T, ZEU-9S and the ZEU-9S-DC. I am not counting the 6S1 and 6S-DC variants as they are sketchy.
The Charger gives us both variant variety and a fast attack assault but at the cost of firepower. It has these variants available: CGR-1A1, CGR-1A5, CGR-1A9, CGR-1L, CGR-3K. Both the Charger and Zeus are another 80 ton mech and would be a alternative to the Awesome.
Charger - Fast Attack, Front/Rear Line Support, variant variety
So given this information I feel it boils down to the Charger or the Banshee and my vote still lies with the Banshee due to it also filling in a unqiue tonnage gap.
Go! Banshee Go!
Note: Why did I make this? Boredom at work, and to make conversation!