20517 replies to this topic

[Bishop Steiner]

Brain Cancer, on 04 June 2017 - 06:11 PM, said:

The classic Atlas was literally a collection of the short-range weapons of 3025 with a barely-capable LRM-20 launcher added as an afterthought so it'd be able to shoot something past 270 meters. And near maximum armor, with the purpose of smashing through things, planting your 100-ton boot in the enemy robots for good measure.

MWO took it even further by yanking the LRM in most builds and mounting even more SRMs for the classic assault tank.

Yes it was mostly short range weapons, on a chassis too slow to leverage them well. That is not a classic "brawler". The Atlas was, even in the SLDF rare enough that it was a command mech most often.

Which is why the RS version, while less "intimidating" on paper makes a hell of a lot more sense, with level 1 tech.

[Odanan]

Imperius, on 05 June 2017 - 05:13 AM, said:

Pretty confident the Fafnir and the Blood Asp are in the next pack.

Quite possible, but they gave us 3 assault mechs in the last 8 released. And Clans got 3 assault mechs in their last 6 released.
So maybe they will invest in other weights?

What I would want:
- Wasp and Crusader for IS.
- Fire Moth and Rifleman IIC for Clan.

What we will probably get: (and I'm not exactly complaining)
- Chimera (or Hellspawn) and Fafnir for IS.
- Hellhound and Blood Asp for Clan.

Edited by Odanan, 06 June 2017 - 04:58 PM.

[Sereglach]

Odanan, on 05 June 2017 - 08:40 AM, said:

What I would want:
- Wasp and Crusader for IS.
- Fire Moth and Rifleman IIC for Clan.

I'd be thrilled to see that pack, just because it fills a lot of the gaps I'm interested in (especially the Wasp and Crusader). Depending on how the upcoming Clan Wave II heroes goes over (providing 6 and 8 MGs potential for ACH and MLX chassis), the Fire Moth could easily be replaced with a Piranha. The Piranha also does a good job showing off often unseen new tech like LMGs, ER and Pulse Micro lasers, Light Active Probe, and Small Heavy Lasers.

Of course, there are a few other mechs I wouldn't mind seeing, either, but they don't really fit the Fed-Com Civil War era.

I'd love a Clint, which would actually provide a solid front-line 40 Ton Brawler that'd probably be quirked like a Wolfhound and Centurion combined, so it can fulfill its role. However, it might want to wait for Plasma Rifles and Light AC's that some variants carry.

I'd also love a Clan Incubus (some new tech in late variants), Griffin IIC (shows off lots of new tech in many variants), Shadow Hawk IIC (shows off lots of new tech that isn't even in the FCCW update, so might need to wait), or a Horned Owl (a little new tech, but not much).

[Virlutris]

FLG 01, on 04 June 2017 - 02:08 PM, said:

Here is a little breakdown of the Heros, as far as I can identify them:

Nova Cat: Nova Cats, Xi Galaxy formed from Cloud Cobra bondsmen. Their paintscheme is described several times: "Garish colors had been slapped on haphazardly and rows of glyphs had been painted down the sides of its legs. The thought of every 'Mech in Xi Provisional Galaxy painted in this same manner was revolting." (Path of Glory), or: "neon colors and ancient glyph symbols that can be very distracting" (FM:CS). I do not know the pilot though.

Nightstar: Wolf Dragoons, Delta Regiment (dusty gray), likely Shelly Brubaker.

Arctic Wolf: Wolves in Exile, Omega Galaxy (steel finish with bronze accents).

Osiris: no idea.


I must say I would have preferred Tancred Sandoval for the Nightstar since he had a notable part in the FCCW and this is a, well, FCCW Mech pack. (And his Robinso Rangers have a nice paintscheme, too!)

For the Nova Cat Hero, probably not Jal Steiner, given that he was a Shadow Cat pilot. Maybe he trades up eventually?

(Edit, whoops, forgot link: http://www.sarna.net..._(Clan_Nova_Cat))

Or perhaps Elianna Deleportis or Isaiah Khatib? Khatib would be a great pick because of his iconic Cloud Cobra bloodname.

Edited by Virlutris, 05 June 2017 - 01:49 PM.

[Brain Cancer]

Quote

Yes it was mostly short range weapons, on a chassis too slow to leverage them well. That is not a classic "brawler". The Atlas was, even in the SLDF rare enough that it was a command mech most often.

You'll notice I said "tank", not brawler.

Like most assaults, it was designed to literally assault defenses, frequently static ones. You either shot at it's massive armor in an effort to bring it down before it got where it needed to, or you ate it's main batteries when they got close enough to obliterate said defense. Most 3025-era assaults were built around either that, the "oversized heavy" concept (and the poor Cyclops got the worst of all worlds there), with a precious few (read: Awesome) actually designed to efficiently if slowly deliver a pounding with weapons that could chase opponents far enough to make up for not fast enough.

The King Crab is in the same boat. Soak up damage until you can break a defensive line- to the point where it has such limited ammo due to the assumption that it won't last much longer than that once in AC/20 range.

In tabletop, people managed to easily forget that, and like many slow assaults in MWO, they ended up taking long strolls, were too slow to keep up, and unprotected end up slagged before doing muc.

[Metus regem]

Brain Cancer, on 06 June 2017 - 12:43 PM, said:

You'll notice I said "tank", not brawler.

Like most assaults, it was designed to literally assault defenses, frequently static ones. You either shot at it's massive armor in an effort to bring it down before it got where it needed to, or you ate it's main batteries when they got close enough to obliterate said defense. Most 3025-era assaults were built around either that, the "oversized heavy" concept (and the poor Cyclops got the worst of all worlds there), with a precious few (read: Awesome) actually designed to efficiently if slowly deliver a pounding with weapons that could chase opponents far enough to make up for not fast enough.

The King Crab is in the same boat. Soak up damage until you can break a defensive line- to the point where it has such limited ammo due to the assumption that it won't last much longer than that once in AC/20 range.

In tabletop, people managed to easily forget that, and like many slow assaults in MWO, they ended up taking long strolls, were too slow to keep up, and unprotected end up slagged before doing muc.

I always saw the King Crab as an A2/AD unit with 9 hexes of "Nope!!" In the form of dual AC/20's....

[Scout Derek]

Back to what Imperius said, I double his voice on Fafnir being the next big bad boy in a mech pack.

However, I do believe the Templar will appear as well, considering the two were the counter to one another as far as mech engineering and such.

For clans, I'm not so sure yet, perhaps something lighter. who knows.

[Odanan]

Scout Derek, on 06 June 2017 - 02:26 PM, said:

Back to what Imperius said, I double his voice on Fafnir being the next big bad boy in a mech pack.

However, I do believe the Templar will appear as well, considering the two were the counter to one another as far as mech engineering and such.

For clans, I'm not so sure yet, perhaps something lighter. who knows.

2 assaults at the same time for IS? I find it unlikely...

[Metus regem]

Odanan, on 06 June 2017 - 04:49 PM, said:

2 assaults at the same time for IS? I find it unlikely...

Well the IS just got two announced back to back.... Annihilator and Nightstar, so I'd say anything goes at this point.

[Odanan]

Metus regem, on 06 June 2017 - 04:54 PM, said:

Well the IS just got two announced back to back.... Annihilator and Nightstar, so I'd say anything goes at this point.

But not in the same pack.

[TheArisen]

Odanan, on 06 June 2017 - 05:02 PM, said:

But not in the same pack.

I don't think they'll go for two in the same pack because it'd clog up the assault que. Maybe the next two IS packs will have Fafnir & then Templar?

[Requiemking]

To be completely honest, I kinda wish they would lay off the Heavies and Assaults a bit and improve the QOL for the lighter weightclasses.

[Metus regem]

Requiemking, on 06 June 2017 - 05:34 PM, said:

To be completely honest, I kinda wish they would lay off the Heavies and Assaults a bit and improve the QOL for the lighter weightclasses.

Wasp and Stinger would go a long way for IS lights....

[Requiemking]

Metus regem, on 06 June 2017 - 05:58 PM, said:

Wasp and Stinger would go a long way for IS lights....

Not really no. Both of them would be substantially larger than the Locust(thanks Volumetric scaling), both would have to spend too much tonnage on JJS, and both would have useless ammo-based hardpoints.

Edited by Requiemking, 06 June 2017 - 06:53 PM.

[Imperius]

Fafnir, blood Asp, Hellhound (MW4 ver), and raptor and I'll be happier

[Metus regem]

Requiemking, on 06 June 2017 - 06:53 PM, said:

Not really no. Both of them would be substantially larger than the Locust(thanks Volumetric scaling), both would have to spend too much tonnage on JJS, and both would have useless ammo-based hardpoints.

WSP-1W

Wasp WSP-1W:

• Associated with Wolf's Dragoons and debuting in 3009, the 1W Wasp replaced all of the weapons with six small lasers, two each split between the right arm, right torso and left torso. While sacrificing long-range capability this gives the 1W superior close-range firepower.

Not totally useless, granted not great, but it would be slightly shorter than a Mist Lynx.

[Requiemking]

Metus regem, on 06 June 2017 - 07:00 PM, said:

WSP-1W

Wasp WSP-1W:

• Associated with Wolf's Dragoons and debuting in 3009, the 1W Wasp replaced all of the weapons with six small lasers, two each split between the right arm, right torso and left torso. While sacrificing long-range capability this gives the 1W superior close-range firepower.

Not totally useless, granted not great, but it would be slightly shorter than a Mist Lynx.

Actually, it would probably be taller than the MLX, mainly because it is narrower in profile and limb width.

Imperius, on 06 June 2017 - 06:57 PM, said:

Fafnir, blood Asp, Hellhound (Canon ver), and raptor and I'll be happier

FTFY

[TheArisen]

Metus regem, on 06 June 2017 - 05:58 PM, said:

Wasp and Stinger would go a long way for IS lights....

They're good for nostalgia but you know that. 20 tonners just don't have the tonnage for heavier equipment.

[Odanan]

Imperius, on 06 June 2017 - 06:57 PM, said:

Fafnir, blood Asp, Hellhound (MW4 ver), and raptor and I'll be happier

I would be very happy with that picks too.

Requiemking, on 06 June 2017 - 07:02 PM, said:

FTFY

But the Conjurer is so... uninspired.

[Odanan]

TheArisen, on 06 June 2017 - 07:16 PM, said:

They're good for nostalgia but you know that. 20 tonners just don't have the tonnage for heavier equipment.

They don't need heavier equipment. They just need a big XL Engine, some jump jets and lots of small lasers/SRMs/MGs.

Imagine a mech smaller than the Spider.