79 replies to this topic

[ZnSeventeen]

I am wondering if anyone else wants to have industrial mechs as optional chassis. I have a sort of love for mechs not meant to fight being refit to fight effectively. I however can understand if they are not an option as they are generally less effective, and it would mean the devs would have more work to do for what are likely to be rarely used chassis.

Please vote, and give your reasoning.

Edited by ZnSeventeen, 22 December 2011 - 02:27 AM.

[CaveMan]

No way. If you can't afford/produce real BattleMechs, you buy tanks. That's what ground vehicles are for.

The only case where IndustrialMechs should ever be armed is in training scenarios when real training 'Mechs can't be spared. It's one of the many things I want to slap the Dark Age authors for.

They don't belong on a battlefield, period.

[ZnSeventeen]

CaveMan, on 22 December 2011 - 02:31 AM, said:

No way. If you can't afford/produce real BattleMechs, you buy tanks. That's what ground vehicles are for.

The only case where IndustrialMechs should ever be armed is in training scenarios when real training 'Mechs can't be spared. It's one of the many things I want to slap the Dark Age authors for.

They don't belong on a battlefield, period.

I think you are pretty much right, that vehicles fill the role of cheap weapons platform, and that industrial mechs are not really meant for the battlefield, but they were available, so they used them, even before the Dark Age. And since we can't pilot tanks in game, industrial mechs might be the cheap alternative.

And you are probably right, but I can hope.

[Larry Headrick]

No.
My reason is as follows if you ar in say an agro mech, and you put a Medium Lazer on it. It was designed not to have it might over heat on the first pull of the triger. thay wer only used by thoes who couldnt or wouldnt buy the real thing. Usually desperate people like the villagers in the books. Legend of the jade phoenix trilogy.

[Duncan Fisherr]

I think industrial 'Mechs could make for an interesting mechanic - for instance:

Imagine a PVP or PVE Scenario where you have 1 or 2 Industrial 'Mechs who have to complete some kind of objective, like repairing a facility/recon walker/damaged friendly unit - while teammates in battlemechs hold off agressors.

or - You could have 2 opposing groups (each containing 1 or 2 Industrials and an assortment of battlemechs) compete to gather a single resource/data capsule/whatever.

Basically modified "king of the hill" or "capture the flag" scenarios - but I think it could make for some great gameplay.

[Larry Headrick]

Hyuga Tseng, on 22 December 2011 - 03:49 AM, said:

I think industrial 'Mechs could make for an interesting mechanic - for instance:

Imagine a PVP or PVE Scenario where you have 1 or 2 Industrial 'Mechs who have to complete some kind of objective, like repairing a facility/recon walker/damaged friendly unit - while teammates in battlemechs hold off agressors.

or - You could have 2 opposing groups (each containing 1 or 2 Industrials and an assortment of battlemechs) compete to gather a single resource/data capsule/whatever.

Basically modified "king of the hill" or "capture the flag" scenarios - but I think it could make for some great gameplay.

Ok i think you changed my mind This is a very good way for them to play. As long as you dont try to make them line units.

[God of War]

Aggro Mechs as dummy Targets for training = perhaps.
On the Battlefield = No way!!!

no one ever cared for those useless caterpilars till they came up with Mechwarrior: Dark Age.
now it´s 3049! We have "real" mechs with "real guns". Why bring in Aggros to the game?
Who wants to drive a Prius when he can run a Porsche?

[Cepeza]

Piloting Industrial Mechs? You can't be serious. We are Mechwarriors! Not Mechworkers.

[Ghost73]

Cepeza, on 22 December 2011 - 03:57 AM, said:

Piloting Industrial Mechs? You can't be serious. We are Mechwarriors! Not Mechworkers.

Farming battles!

[RJF Grimuar]

Cepeza, on 22 December 2011 - 03:57 AM, said:

Piloting Industrial Mechs? You can't be serious. We are Mechwarriors! Not Mechworkers.

Totally agree, we Mechwarriors not Lumberjacks!

[Schnuffs]

I'd rather go into battle in my underwear with my medieval flail...and yes I do own a medieval flail.

[Woodstock]

Yes but ONLY after all other combat mechs are implemented

[TheBlade]

The only real fighting models were the LRM boats. But using them for scenarios is actually entertaining, and yeah maybe later make them but don't forget there were three different types as well and most were custom refits.

[ZnSeventeen]

woodstock, on 22 December 2011 - 04:43 AM, said:

Yes but ONLY after all other combat mechs are implemented

That would have been a good poll option! And I have to say I agree. We need the meat more than the parsley.

[Xhaleon]

You know, if we ever get PvE content, Indies make great computer enemies for new players still learning the ropes.

[Artgathan]

Larry Headrick, on 22 December 2011 - 03:29 AM, said:

No.
My reason is as follows if you ar in say an agro mech, and you put a Medium Lazer on it. It was designed not to have it might over heat on the first pull of the triger. thay wer only used by thoes who couldnt or wouldnt buy the real thing. Usually desperate people like the villagers in the books. Legend of the jade phoenix trilogy.

I never understood how Industrial Mech's could be retrofitted with any kind of energy weapon; they run off of ICE engines. I didn't think that those generated enough power to meet the demands of an energy weapon?

More to the point, I don't think Industrial mechs should be present. They were sort of neat in the context of Dark Age, but even then I remember opening my first box, getting an Agromech and thinking 'What the hell is this?'. Perhaps using them in the objective based play mentioned above would be interesting, but that's something for the far future.

[Xhaleon]

Artgathan, on 22 December 2011 - 06:24 AM, said:

I never understood how Industrial Mech's could be retrofitted with any kind of energy weapon; they run off of ICE engines. I didn't think that those generated enough power to meet the demands of an energy weapon?

Power amplifiers. Capacitors, basically.

No mercenary company worth hiring uses modified Industrials, but in an alternate game mode? Sure. Solaris sounds like a neat place to put them, and it makes perfect sense if you want to pit a single Battlemech against a bunch of Fusion-based Industrials.

Edited by Xhaleon, 22 December 2011 - 06:41 AM.

[Dihm]

CaveMan, on 22 December 2011 - 02:31 AM, said:

They don't belong on a battlefield, period.

[Atlas3060]

Larry Headrick, on 22 December 2011 - 03:51 AM, said:

Ok i think you changed my mind This is a very good way for them to play. As long as you dont try to make them line units.

Maybe it is the GM nature in me but I'd even allow them as line units.
Now personally I don't care for them too much, best they stay on base or play supporting roles with infantry at the most.
However if someone has enough brass...whatevers to run Industrials out with the big boys then I'll just simply shoot them dead and find a more worthy target.

[VYCanis]

weaponized agromechs are kind of a tool of desperation. Its what you field when you have no time and almost no budget. You are pretty much making killdozers on legs


or rather something like the modified toyotas the lybian rebels used, where they took BMP tank turrets, heavy machine guns, and rocket pods and jury rigged them into the truck bed area. Mainly because it was a robust chassis that could transport a weapon system into position and they were readily available. it wouldn't win a standup fight against an actual modern combat vehicle, but then again, it was never meant to.



However, for the sort of gameplay that we'll likely see in this game, sure they'd be a neat joke option for players to drive em, but not really something that needs to be in the game. However...It might be nice to have either npc controled industrials hanging around to reload your ammo in your home base, or able to initiate spot repairs, or simply be left discarded around construction sites/mining areas/ etc acting as spoof magscan contacts. Or you have to protect them while they makes repairs on something something important vital to the mission

Edited by VYCanis, 22 December 2011 - 10:56 AM.