TheArisen, on 02 March 2018 - 08:18 PM, said:
Well PGI did it to themselves. Since the beginning light mechs were sold for less. Their hero variants as well. So not only do people not like them as much but PGI reduced their perceived value.
I think another -possibly bigger- facet came with the introduction of mech packs all the way back to the Project Phoenix pack. All tiers were only $20 each, which put the "perceived" value of an Assault mech pack at $20. The reality is that a 100 ton hero sells for ~$35 in MC, ALONE. That's the biggest shot in the foot that PGI did to themselves, in my personal opinion. The value comparison between light vs. heavy/assault mech packs is absolutely insane. Of course a heavy or assault pack is going to sell well when you get 60-75% savings, or more, vs. in game MC costs.
Then consider that they can't provide those kinds of savings for a light mech because they'd practically be giving them away. Even if they didn't do it in the 4x Mech Pack bundles (value/savings could be considered to equal out as you buy higher tiers), as soon as they went to solo mech packs they should have increased the cost of packs for larger class mechs.
The poor in-game treatment of lights by PGI is a whole other matter, entirely, and it certainly doesn't do PGI any favors. Combined with the perceived value, like you said, and it's sadly quite understandable that people are more hesitant to invest in mech packs for lights.
TheArisen, on 02 March 2018 - 08:18 PM, said:
As for the Flea, I'm not sure how well it will be able to use it's HPs. It's going to lack ammo and I wonder if it'd be better off not equipping MASC and just being a slower Locust.
I'm not so sure about that. The MASC and ECM carrying variants have fewer hardpoints than the others, for one. Then there's only two with a lot of ballistics, and I don't think they'll fare that bad. XL 170 + Near Max LFF (3 points off head to even tonnage) + ES + 4 required external HS = 7 tons free.
On the FLE-19 that's 8xLMG/MG with 2.5 tons ammo and 1x ERSL. Skill tree makes that just shy of 3 tons ammo. That's not bad . . . maybe a little light, but certainly not ammo starved.
For the FLE-FA that's 6xLMG/MG with 2.5 tons ammo and 3x ERSL. Again, skill tree makes that ~3 tons ammo, which is plenty for 6x LMG/MG.
No idea what quirks or inherent handling will be, but I also wouldn't be surprised to see 1x LPL/ERLL "Bug Zappers" akin to the old LCT-1V build if the quirks are right for it on any given variant. MASC might make it the twitchiest little laser poker out there.
On the other hand, if it gets armor quirks like an Urbanmech with slower handling, then said variant(s) might be a really tanky 20 ton mech that's seriously up-gunned for its weight class. MASC might not be needed.
Then again, it could be utterly terrible, with next to no quirks, and be DOA. However, I seriously doubt that one, as it's no Piranha. There's no fear of 12xLMG/MG instantly gutting any exposed internals or any other fear of being "OP". If anything, the fear of being too weak might help ensure better launch quirks.