dario03, on 01 April 2021 - 09:28 PM, said:
The larger engine in the omni mechs gives a benefit of higher top speed and dhs slots. It also is only an issue in some cases, in other cases like a Blood Asp its really only slightly bigger than what might be the typical build. Blood Asp without locked engines would probably end up typically having a 330-340 engine which would save them about 3 or 4 tons, even a xl300 would only save it 8 tons. However if you look at some typical weapons that go on that mech like uac5 and uac10 those are 2 and 3 tons lighter per weapon compared to their IS versions. So you have to dedicate 3-4 tons over optimal on the engine but you save 9+ tons on typical weapon loadout, plus you save on slots.
Or you could just take a Mad Cat Mkii and run whatever engine you want and still get the lighter weapons since Clan battlemechs have the same engine/hs/armor/structure rules as IS battlemechs.
Yes LRMs are better at long range, but ATM is better at close range, thats the trade off. It isn't optimal to use ATM at long range but if thats your only option that has been buffed. Also close range has been buffed when AMS is around, they do more damage and are harder to completely shut down.
But at this point ATMs are almost just more compact, longer-range SRM launchers. SRM6 - 12 damage per launcher, ATM 6 is going to only be 15, 3 less than the old value of 18.. With the risk of completely wasting your shot if you miscalculate. This is objectively worse, as ATMs have a worse HSL value and much higher heat, not to mention tonnage. They really are just "long range SRMs" now, with how they fare vs. AMS... I'd rather just take an SRM boat like a Pakhet at this point, rather than keep playing my already risky-as-balls Nova Cat.
As for engine sizes, the BASP also has mandatory ferro and endo, which severely limits it's critical capacity. It might be 'cold' and 'fast', but you really don't have the options you might think you have. Making one weapon system better on mechs that can already boat them just because the counterpart weighs one or two tons less or takes up one or two crits less is a bad argument to make, especially when all of the other differences between Clan and IS are taken into account. Example, the Orion and Orion IIC. Both are BattleMechs. But the Orion has far better base armor quirks, and arguably better layout. The Orion IIC can mount maybe an extra ton or two of ammo, or an extra launcher, but is far less durable as a tradeoff because of PGI's quirk system.
Rifleman and Rifleman IIC have the same issue. Amusingly, the Hunchback doesn't, to my knowledge. But I don't see them often enough to tell, and I'm not buying an IS Hunchie to compare to my meme-tier IIC just yet.
As I said in my original post, I'm not accusing PGI of anything. Not intentionally, and not blatantly, anyway. But it is *incredibly* difficult to not feel like I picked the wrong faction. Clan weapons burn longer for mediocre damage improvements because "they weigh less" and "have more range". Some of that is being addressed, yes. But ever wonder why you don't see many Clan Lights around? Who wants to pilot a 25-armor Mist Lynx when you could have a heavy-armored Wolfhound with 6 MPL? Why take an Incubus when you can take a Flea? Why take a Kit Fox when you could take an Urbanmech? (Okay, that one's more of a joke, but my point stands.) Hell, my Romeo 5K is a better backstabber than my Pirahna Cipher.
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