Maverick01, on 11 August 2013 - 08:06 PM, said:
I think people don't realize that some 'Mechs bring more to MWO due to their iconic status (UrbanMech, Vindicator, Panther, Zeus) than hardpoints, role, number of variants, etc.
At this point I'm happy pretty much with whatever they give us. Pretty much every weight class has any kind of playstyle covered within reason, so adding 'mechs people like just because they like them (with the pre-req three variants/timeline legal,) is fine with me and has been for a while.
And because it's going to be hitting the market, let's take a look at the Wolverine!
Wolverine WVR-6R:
RA: 1x Ballistic (AC/5)
HD: 1x Energy (Medium Laser)
LT: 1x Missile (SRM 6)
Jump Jets: 5 (1x CT, 2x LT, 3x RT)
Standard 275 Engine: 86.4 KPH
Max 355 Engine: 104 KPH
Decent speed if you want to really ratchet up the engine weight, though it's still not bad if you don't want to dump all that tonnage into it's reactor. Jump Jets will definitely help but it's weapons load out is very limited for it's size, and the head mounted laser gimps the hardpoint to the medium laser or smaller. Would most likely receive additional hardpoints as most designs this light on weapon hardpoints go. I'd guess an extra missile in the LT, energy in the RT or RA, maybe another ballistic in the RT, or a combination there of.
Wolverine WVR-6M:
RA: 1x Energy (Large Laser)
HD: 1x Energy (Medium Laser)
LT: 1x Missile (SRM 6)
LA: 1x Energy (Medium Laser)
Jump Jets: 5 (1x CT, 2x LT, 3x RT)
Standard 275 Engine: 86.4 KPH
Max 355 Engine: 104 KPH
This one gains an additional weapon hardpoint for it's baseline while going laser heavy by swapping out it's Autocannon/5. Probably a more popular variant then the 6R for being able to pack more weaponry aboard even if it has to be lasers. They could keep the ballistic in the RA as an additional added hardpoint for this design, but then it would completely render the original design moot unless there was more variation in added hardpoints. I'd say maybe an additional laser in the RA, one to two more missiles in the LT, or maybe two ballistics in the RT.
Wolverine WVR-7D:
RA: 1x Ballistic (Ultra AC/5)
HD: 1x Energy (Medium Pulse Laser)
LT: 1x Missile (SRM 6)
Jump Jets: 5 (1x CT, 2x LT, 3x RT)
XL 275 Engine: 86.4 KPH (108 KPH M.A.S.C)
Max 355 Engine: 104 KPH
Not a big difference again from the stock model, though this one comes with an XL engine, Ferro-Fibrous armor, and M.A.S.C. which we'll get once they release the Flea most likely. Not really sure they'll go with this variant, but it's possible.
Wolverine WVR-7H:
RA: 1x Ballistic (Ultra AC/5)
HD: 1x Energy (Medium Pulse Laser)
LT: 1x Missile (SRM 6 + Artemis VI FCS)
Jump Jets: 5 (1x CT, 2x LT, 3x RT)
XL 275 Engine: 86.4 KPH
Max 355 Engine: 104 KPH
Star League Royal variant. Extinct before Succession Wars began.
Wolverine WVR-7K:
RA: 2x Energy (Large Pulse Laser, Small Pulse Laser)
RT: 1x Missile (SRM 6)
HD: 1x Energy (Medium Laser)
LT: 1x Missile (SRM 6)
LA: 1x Energy (Medium Laser)
Jump Jets: 5 (1x CT, 2x LT, 3x RT)
XL 275 Engine: 86.4 KPH
Max 355 Engine: 104 KPH
Produced in 3050, it's the most up to date version of the Wolverine and last on the list able to be considered within the current legal timeline. It's also got the best base weapon spread by number, but it's lacking in ballistic hardpoints for those who want them. Easy to add one or two or just add more missiles in the torsos..but then it runs the risk of being a Kintaro copy. PGI may not care about that since overlap is going to happen a bit.
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With all this in mind, I can see the WVR-6R, WVR-6M, and WVR-7K being added as it's first three variants. 7H is a royal variant and as with other royal variants probably won't be seen for a while if ever, as most of them are technically extinct as they've been lost, destroyed, or went with Kerensky. 7D would be semi interesting due to the inclusion of M.A.S.C., but without knowing fully how it works in MW:O or if it's got a dedicated hardpoint/availability like ECM does, I think it's not as compelling as the other variants to start off the 'mech with.
It's got a lot of weapon overlap until it gets hard points added and a lot of it really doesn't change much at all between variants, but it's got great potential to be a strong Medium that packs decent speed and jump jets with decent weaponry. Now, if only Medium 'Mechs weren't in an awkward state in game...but balance is an ongoing beast.
Edited by Jack Gallows, 11 August 2013 - 09:54 PM.