People often play different lights to have fun but they know that few other Light do like everything else better . Clan Lights also have few things going for them that are simply not counter weighted on Inner Sphere side .
Biggest Factors :
Huge performance Difference between Small Laser and Clan Small laser
Clan ER Small laser for me is bread a butter of supplementary DPS (It is extremely important weapon for lights with large amount of energy hardpoints ). It is so DPS efficient that I actually run it on Mediums and Heavies as free damage if I have spare Energy slots and it works ridiculously well .Where Inner Sphere Small Laser Deals 2 Less Damage has ***** optimal range making it a complete garbage that I would never use .
Its like Complete Opposite . Useful for what it is and not usable at all .
Dealing 3 Damage and having 135 meter Optimal is unacceptable in this game as far as common sense goes .
Small Laser
Inner Sphere Lights are too slow without risky Inner Sphere XL engine
Its very uncommon for light mech to loose both shoulders before death but you can easily die from loosing 1 shoulder especially if someone manages to tag you on the back where you have almost no armor .
Inner Sphere Light mechs are pretty much forced to run XL engines because otherwise they cannot move fast enough to dodge most of laser beam's damage. Even then they have to sacrifice some firepower to go same speed as Clan mechs .
Perphas to avoid effecting other weight classes you could buff some of the Inner Sphere Light with 3 shoulder armor . Not sure how you calculate 3 ( because I mean like 3 in front and 3 in a back )
I personally think that Inner XL Engine needs to be drastically redesigned . Maybe it should reduce your speed by 50% and deal damage to nearby components when it explodes . You will still be basically dead but not completely out of the fight .
2-3 Clan Mediums can Act as decent mid range poke with 440+ buffed range
I know some people love to debate that Clan Mediums are too hot . ( yes they are ) . However you have to understand that this game is not all about DPS ( alpha striking and range poking is a big factor ) Light mechs have limited amount of space so if you went 2 ERL you would have low heat efficiency .
Now 2-3 Clan Mediums even with their high heat make a very good 3 Ton worth of 21 damage at mid range . Inner Sphere Mediums Lasers in best case scenario are short of 440+ optimal buffed Clan Mediums
I would like to see Inner sphere mediums receive more range and maybe increase heat by 1 .
Right now they basically like better Small lasers. Only few mechs with 10% range bonus can use them properly for mid range .
Laser Range Bonuses should have been selective . Not overall nerf .
Panther Is a very underwhelming light to play . He has up to 3 lasers in one arm ( ouch ) and they are in low location ( ouch again )
He was a terrible mech with 20% range bonus . Gets nerfed because of heavier mechs using ERL .
I liked that some crapy mechs had huge bonuses . Now why would anyone play them?
Edited by MadCat02, 17 April 2016 - 10:59 AM.