2487 replies to this topic

[Will9761]

BlueDevilspawn, on 27 September 2025 - 10:45 PM, said:

NGL, this thread is certainly one of the threads of all time. That said (and I'm not leaking anything), this post is one of the more rational, realistic, and thought through ones I've read given PGI's operating considerations and not someone going "reeee I want my Celestials / Mackie / Stinger / Wasp."

Much appreciated. My thought when writing that post was basically thinking of what good clan mechs could be in this game. Rather than trying approach the thread as "I want this mech now!" my thought was just to say why I think these mech could be viable for MWO. I wanted to think about their uniqueness and what they could bring to the table, while comparing them to the mechs that are currently added to the game. It also help to have the powers of MekLab and MegaMek, to make the choices easier .

[KursedVixen]

IIC pack including: Locust IIC, Wolverine IIC (Aka hellhound/Conjurer) Battlemaster IIC/Thunderbolt IIC?

[Hawk819]

KursedVixen, on 28 September 2025 - 12:08 PM, said:

IIC pack including: Locust IIC, Wolverine IIC (Aka hellhound/Conjurer) Battlemaster IIC/Thunderbolt IIC?

Locust would be more than easy to release. Just simply recycle the current version for the I.S.

[nanashi0110]

Will9761, on 25 September 2025 - 05:10 PM, said:

These are some good Clan Mechs I could see being in MWO for these reasons.

Light
Horned Owl (Peregrine) - Despite it being in Mechwarrior 2: GBL, the mech itself looks like it would serve as a "Spider IIC" in performance. It has 3 good variants for it: Horned Owl 2 is a "Splat Owl", the Horned Owl 3 serves as a "Dakka Owl" and the 7 or "Shimafukuro" could be a good harasser Legendary or Hero Mech due to the Partial Wings and if you replace the tag on it with a laser. I also have to throw this out there, but given how the Horned Owl has a Zaku-like appearance, it would be funny to give it shoulder pads based on a Zaku or GOUF as a reference to Ramba Ral with a similar paint scheme as a reference to Gundam.

Fire Falcon - The Fire Falcon was made by Clan Jade Falcon in 3052. Given the fact that it is a Jade Falcon design, this OmniMech has the potential of being in a MW5: Clans DLC for that Clan. The Prime, C, F and H are good variants, while the T variant can be used for the Supercharger to build other hardpoints on it. This mech is superior to the Locust IIC and not because its an OmniMech, but it has a heavier payload despite both being 25 tonners. To compare: The LCT IIC-6 has 8 Ballistic hardpoints, while the Fire Falcon - F has 10 Ballistic Hardpoints. Then, when you really think about it though...the Fire Falcon is essentially an Omni-version of the Locust IIC in both appearance and gameplay. It also fills in the 25 ton slot for Clan Mechs.

Medium
Grendel (Mongrel) - This is a good Medium Omni. The variants have enough hardpoints and weapons to stay versatile, even with its Omnipods. It is superior to the Ice Ferret given the fact that it has both good speed and jumpjets.

Wolverine IIC/Conjurer (Hellhound)
The Conjurer has 5 good variants PGI could work with. They most of them are jumpers across the board. 1 is your regular fighter, 2 is a fast harasser and 4 is an absolute beast. If PGI wanted to, they could the Conjurer 6 (cannoned as the Mechwarrior 4 Hellhound) as a different model for an addon and the 7 could follow suit. You also have Hero or Legendary ideas with the Hellcat Prototype and the mix-tech Conjurer 8 which has both MASC and JumpJets with an IS RAC/5, this could act as a superior version of the Noble Legendary Mech.

Heavy
Black Python (Viper) - It is a solid mech. The Black Python is a jump-capable Timber Wolf but in BattleMech form. The Black Python 2 has an ECM hardpoint, the 4 variant is all-energy and the 5 could act as a "mini-Nightstar", but faster. Given the fact that Brett Andrews piloted this mech, you could make another Hero Mech based after him.

Assault
Phoenix Hawk IIC - Even though BT lore says that this Mech is like a Clan Charger, it's actually more like a Clan Banshee in gameplay due to the Shield Arms. The PHX IIC - Standard, 2 and 3 have unique torso weapon hardpoints similar to the Rifleman IIC's arms. But unlike the Rifleman, it is a fast Assault Mech for its size, going to 86/kph. It has Jump Jets across all variants. Also, the fact that it was made by Clan Steel Viper gives it potential to be in a MW5: Clans DLC for that clan.

What a fascinating lineup! It's exciting.
As a Japanese person, I'm hoping for the release of the Horned Owl, just because of its similar shape to the MS-06.
I've always wanted clan Locust , so I'm looking forward to their release as well.
And the Phoenix Hawk IIC!!! If there's an arm shield... does that mean... clans will also have mechs with giant shields, like the RED REAPER and ONYX? I want it. I really want it.

[Will9761]

nanashi0110, on 28 September 2025 - 03:45 PM, said:

What a fascinating lineup! It's exciting.
As a Japanese person, I'm hoping for the release of the Horned Owl, just because of its similar shape to the MS-06.
I've always wanted clan Locust , so I'm looking forward to their release as well.
And the Phoenix Hawk IIC!!! If there's an arm shield... does that mean... clans will also have mechs with giant shields, like the RED REAPER and ONYX? I want it. I really want it.

I personally wouldn't mind seeing those mechs as well. If the Horned Owl ever came out, I'd love for PGI make a Legendary variant based on the ZAKU or GOUF because of it's appearance. I'd love it if we had Bolt-ons for the Shoulder pads and head for that Zaku appearance. Of course for me, I'd paint it in the colors of the GOUF or Char's Zaku.

As for the Locust IIC, I don't like to be a party pooper on this because as much as I would love to see it too, it won't be possible. When it comes to the Locust IIC, it's inferior to the Piranha in terms of speed and firepower and to the Fire Falcon, the Locust IIC would be outmatched by it due to the Fire Falcon's heavier payload and the fact it has a Supercharger.

As for the Phoenix Hawk IIC, I'd love to see that too. It is one of the "Victor Musical Industries" Unseen Mechs carried over from the Japanese version of Mechwarrior 1. But when I said shield arms, I mean that as a figurative term, as some players use their arms to shield their torsos to protect their weapons.

But yeah, I'd love to see a majority of these mechs come into MWO.

[Will9761]

I can't see the Pouncer being in MechWarrior Online that much, unless you want a faster Nova. To compare, the Pouncer's speed on it is 97/kph as opposed to the Nova's 86/kph. But here are some good variants that could be done.

Pouncer
Pouncer Prime
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJets
RT - 2x JumpJets
LT - ER Small Laser, 2x JumpJets
LA - ER PPC
RA - ER PPC
240 XL = 97/Kph

Pouncer A
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJet
RT - 2x ER Medium Lasers, ER Small Laser, 2x JumpJets
LT - 2x ER Medium Lasers, 2x JumpJets
LA - LRM 15
RA - LRM 15
240 XL = 97/Kph

Pouncer B
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJet
RT - LRM 10, 2x JumpJets
LT - 2x JumpJets
LA - ER Large Laser, SRM 4
RA - ER Large Laser, SRM 4
240 XL = 97/Kph

Pouncer C
HD -
CT - JumpJet
RT - ER Small Laser, 2x JumpJets
LT - ER Small Laser, 2x JumpJets
LA - 2x ER Medium Lasers, ER Small Laser
RA - UAC/10
240 XL = 97/Kph

Pouncer D
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJet
RT - Streak SRM 6, 2x JumpJets
LT - ER Small Laser, Streak SRM 6, 2x JumpJets
LA - 3x ER Medium Lasers
RA - 3x ER Medium Lasers
240 XL = 97/Kph

Pouncer G
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJet
RT - 3x Medium Pulse Laser, 2x JumpJets
LT - 2x JumpJets
LA - 4x SRM 4
RA - 3x Heavy Medium Lasers*
240 XL = 97/Kph
* In lore the Heavy Medium Laser were Improved Heavy Medium Lasers, but given how PGI's Heavy Lasers work, the Improved version could be replaced by the regular heavy ones.

The A and D variants of the Pouncer gives the combined together gives you, 11 energy hardpoints compared to the 12 hardpoints of the Prime. I guess you can say it sacrifices one energy hardpoint for the speed as a fair trade-off. However, when it comes to missile boats, you could combine the Pouncer G's Left Arm hardpoints, the A's Right Arm hardpoint and the D's torsos for a combined 6 missile hardpoints. So you could make either a fast splat Pouncer, long-range missile Pouncer or an ATM Pouncer. I also have to mention that their is Oren's Pouncer that has MASC, but because there's no proper configuration for it, I couldn't add it to the variants as a hero or legendary variant. But it would be nice to see what PGI would do with Oren's Pouncer. It's not a bad mech, but given the fact it acts as a faster Nova, I can't see much use for it, unless you add Oren's MASC version as a Hero Mech.

[KursedVixen]

Will9761, on 28 September 2025 - 10:14 PM, said:

I can't see the Pouncer being in MechWarrior Online that much, unless you want a faster Nova. To compare, the Pouncer's speed on it is 97/kph as opposed to the Nova's 86/kph. But here are some good variants that could be done.

Pouncer
Pouncer Prime
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJets
RT - 2x JumpJets
LT - ER Small Laser, 2x JumpJets
LA - ER PPC
RA - ER PPC
240 XL = 97/Kph

Pouncer A
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJet
RT - 2x ER Medium Lasers, ER Small Laser, 2x JumpJets
LT - 2x ER Medium Lasers, 2x JumpJets
LA - LRM 15
RA - LRM 15
240 XL = 97/Kph

Pouncer B
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJet
RT - LRM 10, 2x JumpJets
LT - 2x JumpJets
LA - ER Large Laser, SRM 4
RA - ER Large Laser, SRM 4
240 XL = 97/Kph

Pouncer C
HD -
CT - JumpJet
RT - ER Small Laser, 2x JumpJets
LT - ER Small Laser, 2x JumpJets
LA - 2x ER Medium Lasers, ER Small Laser
RA - UAC/10
240 XL = 97/Kph

Pouncer D
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJet
RT - Streak SRM 6, 2x JumpJets
LT - ER Small Laser, Streak SRM 6, 2x JumpJets
LA - 3x ER Medium Lasers
RA - 3x ER Medium Lasers
240 XL = 97/Kph

Pouncer G
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJet
RT - 3x Medium Pulse Laser, 2x JumpJets
LT - 2x JumpJets
LA - 4x SRM 4
RA - 3x Heavy Medium Lasers*
240 XL = 97/Kph
* In lore the Heavy Medium Laser were Improved Heavy Medium Lasers, but given how PGI's Heavy Lasers work, the Improved version could be replaced by the regular heavy ones.

The A and D variants of the Pouncer gives the combined together gives you, 11 energy hardpoints compared to the 12 hardpoints of the Prime. I guess you can say it sacrifices one energy hardpoint for the speed as a fair trade-off. However, when it comes to missile boats, you could combine the Pouncer G's Left Arm hardpoints, the A's Right Arm hardpoint and the D's torsos for a combined 6 missile hardpoints. So you could make either a fast splat Pouncer, long-range missile Pouncer or an ATM Pouncer. I also have to mention that their is Oren's Pouncer that has MASC, but because there's no proper configuration for it, I couldn't add it to the variants as a hero or legendary variant. But it would be nice to see what PGI would do with Oren's Pouncer. It's not a bad mech, but given the fact it acts as a faster Nova, I can't see much use for it, unless you add Oren's MASC version as a Hero Mech.

i'd love to have the pouncer ,i've suggested it before but i was focusing on IIC models PGi can easily make by modifying existing models. The pouncer is more of a heavier Puma/Adder than a Nova.

Edited by KursedVixen, 29 September 2025 - 06:06 AM.

[Will9761]

Fair enough, I can see this thing being a heavier Adder since the Pouncer was based on it. The advantage of speed over the Nova is good as well, especially if you add Oren's MASC hero to the mix.

[BlueDevilspawn]

Keep in mind that modifications of existing chassis like the Grand Summoner, Black Hawk, etc. are considered booster packs or Legends depending on how they are packaged.

When PGI put the effort into a brand new chassis like Fire Moth and Shadow Hawk IIC, only then is it considered a mech pack.

[KursedVixen]

Will9761, on 29 September 2025 - 09:53 AM, said:

Fair enough, I can see this thing being a heavier Adder since the Pouncer was based on it. The advantage of speed over the Nova is good as well, especially if you add Oren's MASC hero to the mix.

the prime config of the pouncer is a adder with jump jet's pretty much.

i just hope if we were to get the pouncer it wouldn't look like

https://cfw.sarna.ne...?20110119175638

and instead
https://cfw.sarna.ne...?20221230163139

because the former'S cockpit design is... disturbing.

another good mech to consider is
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Wendigo

Edited by KursedVixen, 29 September 2025 - 01:08 PM.

[Will9761]

KursedVixen, on 28 September 2025 - 12:08 PM, said:

IIC pack including: Locust IIC, Wolverine IIC (Aka hellhound/Conjurer) Battlemaster IIC/Thunderbolt IIC?

I agree with you 100%, but here are some problems with some of those mechs, especially given what PGI are trying to find when it comes to unique mechs and due to hit from the layoffs:

Locust IIC - I'd love to see this mech as well, unfortunately though, the Locust IIC has been sandwiched into inferiority between the Piranha and the Fire Falcon in terms of gameplay style. For comparison: with the former, the Piranha 2 has 15 Energy hardpoints and can run at 151/kph, as opposed to the Locust IIC - 1's, 9 energy hardpoints and 129.6/kph. With the latter comparison, the Fire Falcon has a heavier payload, despite having speed less than or equal to the Locust IIC and sharing the same 25 tons. Also, if I combined the C variant with the Prime, I and H, then I get a total of 10 Energy Hardpoints. But if I were to combine the T variant with them instead of the C then I would get a Supercharged speed demon out of it.

Thunderbolt IIC - It doesn't have enough variants to support it being in the game and it's way out of the timeline as PGI are still working on Mechwarrior 5: Clans, as it is focused on the Invasion era. Also the Mech has weapons we don't have yet: Streak SRM 15s, Improved Heavy Lasers and ER Pulse Lasers.

BattleMaster IIC - As I have said before, outside of Mechwarrior 2, the BattleMaster IIC doesn't exist, (unless you count the MekTek version of Mechwarrior 4 Mercenaries). But it's non-cannon. The only way we will see a BattleMaster IIC is if PGI decides to make one as a Legendary. But the closest you will ever get to that is the BattleMaster Red Corsair or the BattleMaster C.

The only good one is the Conjurer (Hellhound). The 1,2 and 4 variants are good to work off of and the 5, 6 and 7 variants could work for an Add-On pack. While the 8 could work as a Legendary Mech similar to the Noble due to it's mix-tech nature. I also gotta bring this up, but the Mechwarrior 4 version of the Conjurer has been canonized as both the 6 variant and the Hellcat (Hellhound II). So there is a bit of uniqueness that PGI or Tiy0s could add if they choose to do so. So here are two good options that PGI could do for it: Option 1 - make a Conjurer mech pack with the 5, 6 and 7 as add-ons, Option 2 - make the Conjurer 6/Hellcat model as a Loyalty mech for anyone who has purchased the Conjurer Mech Pack as the Hellcat-1.

[Battlemaster56]

Hellcat P is the only variant to be added as the prime is locked in a 300 XXL unless we get new tech added.

[Hawk819]

Battlemaster56, on 30 September 2025 - 10:51 AM, said:

Hellcat P is the only variant to be added as the prime is locked in a 300 XXL unless we get new tech added.

Fat chance of that happening.

[KursedVixen]

Will9761, on 30 September 2025 - 10:06 AM, said:

I agree with you 100%, but here are some problems with some of those mechs, especially given what PGI are trying to find when it comes to unique mechs and due to hit from the layoffs:

Locust IIC - I'd love to see this mech as well, unfortunately though, the Locust IIC has been sandwiched into inferiority between the Piranha and the Fire Falcon in terms of gameplay style. For comparison: with the former, the Piranha 2 has 15 Energy hardpoints and can run at 151/kph, as opposed to the Locust IIC - 1's, 9 energy hardpoints and 129.6/kph. With the latter comparison, the Fire Falcon has a heavier payload, despite having speed less than or equal to the Locust IIC and sharing the same 25 tons. Also, if I combined the C variant with the Prime, I and H, then I get a total of 10 Energy Hardpoints. But if I were to combine the T variant with them instead of the C then I would get a Supercharged speed demon out of it.

Thunderbolt IIC - It doesn't have enough variants to support it being in the game and it's way out of the timeline as PGI are still working on Mechwarrior 5: Clans, as it is focused on the Invasion era. Also the Mech has weapons we don't have yet: Streak SRM 15s, Improved Heavy Lasers and ER Pulse Lasers.

BattleMaster IIC - As I have said before, outside of Mechwarrior 2, the BattleMaster IIC doesn't exist, (unless you count the MekTek version of Mechwarrior 4 Mercenaries). But it's non-cannon. The only way we will see a BattleMaster IIC is if PGI decides to make one as a Legendary. But the closest you will ever get to that is the BattleMaster Red Corsair or the BattleMaster C.

The only good one is the Conjurer (Hellhound). The 1,2 and 4 variants are good to work off of and the 5, 6 and 7 variants could work for an Add-On pack. While the 8 could work as a Legendary Mech similar to the Noble due to it's mix-tech nature. I also gotta bring this up, but the Mechwarrior 4 version of the Conjurer has been canonized as both the 6 variant and the Hellcat (Hellhound II). So there is a bit of uniqueness that PGI or Tiy0s could add if they choose to do so. So here are two good options that PGI could do for it: Option 1 - make a Conjurer mech pack with the 5, 6 and 7 as add-ons, Option 2 - make the Conjurer 6/Hellcat model as a Loyalty mech for anyone who has purchased the Conjurer Mech Pack as the Hellcat-1.

doesn't one of the locust IIcs have improved jump jets?

The battlemaster IIC being non-cannon is perfect for PGI to use examples

Sun Spider
Roughneck

Because the Battlemaster IIC is non-cannon it gives PGI freedom to customize variants.

Edited by KursedVixen, 30 September 2025 - 11:47 AM.

[Will9761]

There's no Locust IIC variant that has Jump Jets that I recall. They all lack jump capability.

I wouldn't rule out a BattleMaster IIC, however given PGI's limited manpower, it would be likely that would choose to opt for a BattleMaster C as a Legendary instead of making a new one. I could be wrong though.

[Will9761]

Battlemaster56, on 30 September 2025 - 10:51 AM, said:

Hellcat P is the only variant to be added as the prime is locked in a 300 XXL unless we get new tech added.

You are right about that. However, seeing how the Conjurer 6 was created during 3063, it could make for a good loyalty mech with a new model since the MW4 Hellhound was canonized as the Conjurer 6.

[KursedVixen]

Will9761, on 30 September 2025 - 12:06 PM, said:

There's no Locust IIC variant that has Jump Jets that I recall. They all lack jump capability.

I wouldn't rule out a BattleMaster IIC, however given PGI's limited manpower, it would be likely that would choose to opt for a BattleMaster C as a Legendary instead of making a new one. I could be wrong though.

https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Locust_IIC

yet at the bottom of the page under related mechs it says the original locust lacks jump capabilities. as if some variants do carry jump jets.

Edited by KursedVixen, 30 September 2025 - 04:24 PM.

[Will9761]

KursedVixen, on 30 September 2025 - 04:23 PM, said:

https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Locust_IIC

yet at the bottom of the page under related mechs it says the original locust lacks jump capabilities. as if some variants do carry jump jets.

Yet no indications of Locust IIC variants having jumpjets exist. I check the spreadsheets and MegaMek myself. The same goes for the IS Locust, Sarna stating, " Within its weight-class though, the Locust was considered an excellent 'Mech overshadowed as a scout only by designs which mounted jump jets." You probably might have misread that as the Locust having them. The article meant that the design was overshadowed by other mech designs that mounted Jump Jets.

Edited by Will9761, 02 October 2025 - 12:34 PM.

[Will9761]

I stand corrected when it comes to the Pouncer. I forgot to take into account the Pouncer F variant which has 5 Laser hardpoints. So while in the TT it originally has ER Flamers and Heavy Flamers, PGI could make their own variant based after it just like they did to the Gauntlet, giving it LRMs in place in of MMLs. But going back on the Pouncer F, if you swap the LA hardpoint (5E) of the F, with the RA Hardpoint of the D (3E), LT and RT of the A (5E together), then you can get 13 Energy Hardpoints out of it.

So this is what you would get out of the Pouncer F if PGI modified it for MWO:
Pouncer F
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJet
RT - ER Medium Laser, 2x JumpJets
LT - 2x JumpJets
LA - 5x Flamers *
RA - Plasma Cannon
240 XL = 97/Kph
* Substitutes the Heavy and ER Flamers for regular Flamers

Update: I also found the Pouncer X, which if you use the LA Hardpoints instead of the F, then you got 15 Laser hardpoints in total and a Supercharger. So not only that, you got a Faster, Jumping Nova with a Super Charger.
Pouncer X
HD - N/A
CT - JumpJet
RT - Laser AMS, 2x JumpJets
LT - Plasma Cannon, Supercharger, 2x JumpJets
LA - 7x Heavy Small Lasers *
RA - *Lance
240 XL = 97/Kph
* Substitutes the Improved Heavy Lasers for Heavy Small Lasers, unfortunately it also has a Lance so it will need something to compensate for the lack of melee.

If PGI decided to do these, The F and/or X could either serve as Add-Ons for a Pouncer Mechpack or Loyalty Mech variants.

Edited by Will9761, 03 October 2025 - 04:00 PM.

[Battlemaster56]

Pouncer would be a solid Omni choice for the 40 ton bracket for the clans.And fills a role as a laser boat quite fine since the Arctic Wolf fills in the missile role and the Viper as a skrimisher.