58 replies to this topic

[Breaker]

Upon paper, these 2 mechs vary very little. The Catapult is slower with more armour, but carrys 1 extra medium laser. But in turn, it is also more expensive than the Trebuchet.

I know these are the standard layout for these mechs, but my main question to those in the know is: what would compel a person to choose the more expensive catapult over the trebuchet? (Other than the fact the catapult looks awesome)


Catapult

2xLRM - 15's

4xMedium Lasers

Speed 64.8 km/h

Trebuchet

2x LRM - 15's

3x Medium Lasers

Speed 86.4 km/h

Also, just a small side question/statement. I thought the Catapult was armed with LRM - 20's, is this a varient?

Edited by Breaker, 12 July 2012 - 09:13 AM.

[Davoke]

Catapult is sexier.
Trebuchet is Centurion's sister.
Take out your Catapult with everyone but Centurion, because he is a bad influence

[Spleenslitta]

I will pick the Trenchbucket because it follows my philosophy to the letter through it's speed.

If you can chose the timing, the place, the opponent and the range of engagement most of the time then you will dominate the battlefield most of the time too.

Furthermore the dev's stated that mechs with humanoid arms (elbows and actual shoulders) would be able to aim their arms faster or was it wider?
In any case it's just one more advantage for the Trenchbucket that i believe many forget.

[Durant Carlyle]

The Catapult's standard loadout has always included LRM-15s.

Catapult has jump jets, so is more maneuverable despite being slower.

[xZaOx]

Jump jets!

[Wraith131313]

There are HUGE differences between the two... The Catapult is slower, and that is the only drawback... The advantages the Catapult has...

1. 1 extra medium laser
2. 33% more armour
3. 50% more heat sinks (The Treb overheats quickly firing both LRM-15's)
4. Although slower, the catapult has jump jets which make it far more mobile in many types of terrain

I would take the Catapult all day long if I had the choice between the two...

[Spleenslitta]

Durant Carlyle, on 12 July 2012 - 09:18 AM, said:

The Catapult's standard loadout has always included LRM-15s.

Catapult has jump jets, so is more maneuverable despite being slower.

The Trebuchet 5J variant has jump jets too. You would have to make some sacrifises that would probably decrease it's firepower...Oh well.

[Donovan Jenks]

I always thought of this as mainly an asthetic choice but one that does have bearing in the table-top game of battletech.

Both would be considered support mechs and as you indicated have very similar loadouts.

The difference is the Trebuchet is a humanoid design meaning is has arms which can be used for physical attacks against an opponent. It also has better speed to maneuver and charge an opponent. I would do mixed lance of 2 centurions and 2 trebuchet.

This has little bearing on MWO at this moment but that is my $.02

As far as the two LRM 20s that is a frequent misconception with the Catapult. The stock Archer mech has 2 LRM -20s and the stock Salamander has 3 LRM-20s!

[Butane9000]

Fire Support? Catapult hands down. Better and more variable platform for it.

[Najonii]

The Catapult also sports Jump Jets and an additonal 5 heat sinks and an extra 2.5 tons of armor.

[Dagger6T6]

I simply can't choose...



so I'm gonna pick...

[Spleenslitta]

Wraith131313, on 12 July 2012 - 09:24 AM, said:

There are HUGE differences between the two... The Catapult is slower, and that is the only drawback... The advantages the Catapult has...

1. 1 extra medium laser
2. 33% more armour
3. 50% more heat sinks (The Treb overheats quickly firing both LRM-15's)
4. Although slower, the catapult has jump jets which make it far more mobile in many types of terrain

I would take the Catapult all day long if I had the choice between the two...

Good points. Good indeed. I knew about the armor stuff but not the heatsink problem.
Could be solved with doubleheat sinks though since the Trebuchet doesn't have XL, Endo or Ferro.

[Butane9000]

Dagger6T6, on 12 July 2012 - 09:26 AM, said:

I simply can't choose...



so I'm gonna pick...

I lol'd

[Grunt56th]

The Treb has alittle bet of an egde in speed,but catapults jump jets counter that out nicely.Fire power wise they are pretty much equal,if you whant extra armo get the catapult.my personal choise is the Treb,

[Liquidx]

The Trench also has a smaller profile than the fat chicken-esque catapult. Its missile weapons are also a far less obvious target, and reside in the torso rather than the arms, and so are better protected.

Just thinking off paper here.

[EastCoastOutlaw]

The extra speed on the Trench is nice but i'd have to go with the Cat . I'll take jump jets and armor over the speed on a long range missle boat.

[Sept Wolfke]

thontor, on 12 July 2012 - 09:33 AM, said:

One observation.. yeah the Catapult has more armor, but it's LRMs are in the easy to hit and lightly armored arms... whereas the trebuchet has at least one of it's LRMs in the side torsos

beyond that, if you aim center mass on a catapult you're shooting at it's head. aim center mass on a trebuchet and you're aiming at it's center torso, where there's actually armor. this is a big difference to me.

catapults are gonna make for fun targets.

[NWHHarrier]

I really like the idea of centurion/trebuchet teams maneuvering together; their combined lrm capability is almost on par with a catapult plus the extra flexibility of having the two platforms. I would be curious to see how a lance of 2 cent and 2 trebs or even 3 treb/1 cent can perform as a backup indirect fire support group.

[Grey Weasel]

Spleenslitta, on 12 July 2012 - 09:24 AM, said:

The Trebuchet 5J variant has jump jets too. You would have to make some sacrifises that would probably decrease it's firepower...Oh well.

Yes, but the 5J also sacrifices one of those LRM-15s for those jump jets, too. The game play of these two mechs can be radically different due to equipment other than weaponry.

[Torben Ivarson]

Wraith131313, on 12 July 2012 - 09:24 AM, said:

There are HUGE differences between the two... The Catapult is slower, and that is the only drawback... The advantages the Catapult has...

1. 1 extra medium laser
2. 33% more armour
3. 50% more heat sinks (The Treb overheats quickly firing both LRM-15's)
4. Although slower, the catapult has jump jets which make it far more mobile in many types of terrain

I would take the Catapult all day long if I had the choice between the two...

Yep this pretty much describes it...

Not to mention when you start customizing the catapult have even more opportunity to gain ground. Drop an excel engine in and you gain 6 tons. Go double heatsinks and you can reduce down to 10 doubles to gain another 5 tons. You really dont have the same with the treb. YOu can gain 6 tons but still overall a lighter mech= squishy mech.

11 tons allows you to basically upgrade to lrm 20s and such things as artemis IV and even ERM.