- SHC and SMN were underperformers for a long time, ever since they were released. SHC was outclassed by Nova and Stormcrow, SMN was outclassed by Hellbringer and Timber Wolf.
- People struggled to find more than 1 or 2 decent builds for these mechs.
- PGI buffed CERPPCs
- PGI gave SMN some Energy nipple hardpoints.
- SHC and SMN became popular poptart builds.
- PGI nerfed SMN and SHC.
SHC now has zero bonus leg structure and also lost structure quirks for the ECM omnipod. Weapon quirks are tied to 8-set bonuses, but most of the stock omnipod configurations are bad. Also, combining different omnipods with different bonuses (legs had either structure, acceleration or turn rate bonus) was one way to put together different builds with different abilities, but you can't do that now.
SMN now has less torso twist, which makes it a worse brawler but doesn't affect its poptarting that much. It also has less energy weapon quirks, which reduces its already terrible DPS for anyone who doesn't have loyalty omnipods. Have fun with your OP 2LPL+2ML build without energy heat reduction. You can always equip a single SRM6 for that massive alpha strike.
Someone please explain. Are comp players using some other builds for the SHC and SMN that I don't know about? Is the CUAC10 + 3CERML Shadow Cat back? Is the SRM-Summoner taking over? What's going on?