TheArisen, on 27 December 2015 - 04:32 PM, said:
Sounds great! No Flea! Hopefully the Failclops will follow it.
So, what's with the hate-on for the
Cyclops?
If anything, the
Cyclops is a very strong candidate for a near-term (of not "next") IS Assault 'Mech.
It has a number of variants that would be available:
- CP-10-Z: the "common"/"default" variant, available since 2710
- Default Loadout: x2 Medium Lasers, x1 AC/20, x1 LRM-10, x1 SRM-4
- Minimum Hardpoints: x2 energy (LA, RA), x1 ballistic (RT), x2 missile (LT, CT)
- Default Engine: STD 360
- CP-10-Z-DC: a variation of the common Cyclops equipped with a Command Console
- Default Loadout: x2 Medium Lasers, x1 AC/20, x1 LRM-10, x1 SRM-4
- Minimum Hardpoints: x2 energy (LA, RA), x1 ballistic (RT), x2 missile (LT, CT)
- Default Engine: STD 360
- CP-10-Q: variant focused more on missile-based long-range combat & energy-based close-range combat, available since 2801
- Default Loadout: x3 Medium Lasers, x2 LRM-10s, x1 SRM-4
- Minimum Hardpoints: x3 energy (LA, RT, RA), x3 missile (LT, CT, RT)
- Default Engine: STD 360
- CP-11-A: a LosTech variant, available since 3045
- Default Loadout: x2 Medium Lasers, x1 Gauss Rifle, x1 LRM-10, x1 SRM-4
- Minimum Hardpoints: x2 energy (LA, RA), x1 ballistic (RT), x2 missile (LT, CT)
- Default Engine: STD 360
- CP-11-A-DC: a LosTech variant equipped with a Command Console, available since 3045
- Default Loadout: x2 Medium Lasers, x1 Gauss Rifle, x1 LRM-10, x1 SRM-4
- Minimum Hardpoints: x2 energy (LA, RA), x1 ballistic (RT), x2 missile (LT, CT)
- Default Engine: STD 360
As most
Cyclops variants require a minimum of only five (5) hardpoints (six, in one case) while each MWO variant of the
Highlander has seven (7) hardpoints & each MWO variant of the
Mauler has ten (10) hardpoints, there will likely be some hardpoint inflation (up to about eight (8) hardpoints per variant would be sufficient, IMO) for the MWO
Cyclops.
The
Cyclops is common and popular in-universe; "the
Cyclops is a formidable weapon to be found in the battle lances of almost every `Mech regiment in the Successor States" and "the
Cyclops has been a part of every major engagement in the Succession Wars, having proved itself in both close combat and as an efficient command control vehicle" (direct quotations from pg. 118 of the original TRO 3025).
Additionally, there are a number of options for potential Hero 'Mechs:
- "General Ariana Winston, Commanding Officer of the Eridani Light Horse between 3045 to 3060, piloted a modified Cyclops which featured a dual-cockpit for command and coordination purposes."
- "Commander of House Steiner's 32nd Lyran Guard Regiment [in 3025], Brigadier Carson Enright has commanded brigade- and division-sized 'Mech units a number of times from his Cyclops known as the 'Archon's Eye'. Enright is famous for his brash and unpredictable tactics on the battlefield. Out of his 'Mech, he is a soldier of the old school, scowling at the habits of those MechWarriors who are less disciplined than him and the troops he commands."
- "Noted tactician of the mercenary battalion Waco's Rangers, MechWarrior Sergeant Lenny Markbright is one of the best known non-commissioned personnel to pilot a Cyclops. He is assigned as a tactical advisor to Colonel Wayne Waco's headquarters lance [as of 3025]. In his Cyclops, the 'Polyphemus', Markbright accompanies the battalion commander during an operation, keeping his keen mind turned to the output of his modified B-2000 battle computer. Known for his analytical yet flexible thinking, Lenny Markbright is one of the major reasons for Waco's Rangers' many successes."
From a gameplay perspective, the
Cyclops would complement the lighter
Orion and the heavier
Atlas & would compete with the same-tonnage
Highlander and
Mauler for the 90-ton slot in CW drop decks, and would truly shine in its intended role as a command vehicle if/when PGI gets the game's EW/IW systems sorted out and/or implements some form of InfoTech-related quirks.
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