Bishop Steiner, on 26 February 2015 - 11:17 AM, said:
I hear things like the T-bolt can't run XLs.....all mine run them fine. Centurions don't XL.... run XLs in every single last one. Now, one of the best hitbox designed Assaults, which has always tanked XLs like a boss, is unsafe to run XLs in?
Ultimately there is no such thing as "safe XL". This is an unavoidable fact.
There is a thing as "XL friendly".
Victor's are certainly XL friendly, but to say there is no risk - no associated cost - is just untrue.
I would go out on a limb and say you are easily experienced enough of a player that you can probably do the estimate in your head on an opponents load out and guess whether or not they have an XL and if you can exploit that.
It's relatively easy to spot, and exploit, on a Victor.
On the other hand, I tend to agree with you for Centurions - comparitively speaking their STs are tiny vs. a Victors.
I would still run Victors with XLs, but there are times that I would know I could have pushed more, or harder and been more aggressive if I had a STD - or times I was killed because I simply lost my ST.
TDR personally, I feel has very very wide STs and does not have massive shoulders to help absorb damage.
I can honestly say that once achieving double basics, it is exceedingly rare for me to be CTd before I completely lose a ST.
All those times would be deaths, isntead of running a STD as I do now and continue to contribute to the match.
Can you do it? Sure.
Is there a risk? Of course.
Are STD engines more survivable? Yes.
It's a choice, and if a mech can run a STD and still have an effective loadout then that's the choice I will make.
If a mech can not have a STD and run an effective loadout, then I will often take the risk.
Metus regem, on 26 February 2015 - 11:27 AM, said:
IS XL mechs are undeniably less survivable than Clan XL mechs & STD engine builds - especially mechs that go beyond 55 tons (because they become progressively larger, and slower).
This is a truth, and it's silly to try and pretend it's not true.
Otherwise, see my reply above.
Edited by Ultimatum X, 26 February 2015 - 01:13 PM.