Ovion, on 07 January 2018 - 03:56 AM, said:
No flea.
(And honestly, having the second IS 20T mech as 'just more locust variants' would be really disappointing. Give us the Thorn or Wasp/Stinger)
I like them too, but the Flea isn't a Locust copy. Sure its energy only and we lose its real flavor (rear mounted weaponry and its actually supposed to have torso twist unlike the Locust, and unlike the Locust its meant to mount at least one heavy weapon so if sized hardpoints were a thing it'd be really unique from the Locust), but its stock speed is 97 kph. PGI will probably give it a huge engine cap. But in comparison, the Flea had better weaponry and better armor than the Locust, as well as more stock hardpoints in most cases at the sacrifice of speed.
I keep hearing of a MASC version and yes the primary variant has it. But honestly PGI upped the speed of the Commando's engine capacity and only the 2D has the original engine limit, bumping it to a speed of 136.1 kph without speed tweak. Being 97 kph as well, PGI can give the Flea the same limit. According to the stats of MASC for a 20 ton mech...
Inner Sphere
MASC MK I
- Slots/Tons: 1 slot, 1 ton
- 'Mech Tonnage Range: 20 tons
- Speed bonus: +10%
- Random damage range: 0.72 – 0.88
As such 136.1 + 10% = 149.71 kph.
Even if it went as fast as a Locust at 153.9 kph + 10% = 169.29 kph. Sure with speed tweak that'd push that 200 kph limit by being 190+. But short of the Commandos, boosted for their issues, no other 97 kph mech can go nearly that fast so why should the Flea?
After all with PGI's hardpoint inflation, the Flea's likely to have a many hardpoints. Certainly minimum of 5 hardpoints (without inflation). (Flea 4 has 4 weapons, but PGI is well known for inflating anything that has a large laser into two hardpoints when a mech is lacking.) 7 seems to be the uninflated cap (so imagine it with some inflation; maybe 4 ballistic slots on that specific variant alongside 5 energy hardpoints...) And then there's the inherently fast variant which is apparently fast without MASC, mounting a 180 engine at stock. But each of the variants have strikingly different limitations, unlike the Locusts in which all variants are universally the same.
Unlike the Locust, aside from a single Flea variant, the Flea is likely to be more of a heavy weapons specialist.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Thorn and the thought of actually having the Modular Right Arm, which similar to the Mercury's full modular setup, was a precursor to Omnitech... is quite thrilling. (I typically mount a Light AC or Mech Rifle or Mech Mortar on my Thorn's right arm).
Wasp and Stinger would be great to see, but probably won't be here until after judgement in favor of PGI is done in the court case. Would love to see them in action... But PGI would have to over inflate their hardpoints to the point that we wouldn't even recognize them because lets face it, a single medium laser isn't gonna cut it in PGI's alpha strike warrior online.
Wasp and Stinger, too, would be more likely to play out as heavy weapons users due to low hardpoints, and even if inflated likely won't go beyond that role.
Though none of these mechs would be able to play that role as well as the Thorn. More heavily armored than any 20 ton mech ever dreamed of. The Thorn with PGI's quirkening is clearly the lore-bound candidate for tankiest 20 ton mech.
(Also fun: The WASP didn't even achieve 97 kph... It made it to 95 kph. Poor thing had inferior armor to a Locust on its base variant; but jumping ability on a 20 tonner and the Jump Kick would be great if knockdowns ever did a return. I did this in MWO closed beta to great effectiveness as a Raven; jump and ram an enemy Atlas near the head to knock him over, turn around and use my Raven 4X's AC/20 to blast the cockpit, repeat as necessary. Interesting possibility with other variants though.)
(Stinger: More my style, limited variant availability though means PGI will make some **** up. This said: in both cases I hope they maintain the "Gun in hand" look.)
Edited by Koniving, 07 January 2018 - 06:41 AM.