PeppaPig, on 08 September 2021 - 03:55 AM, said:
For the love of . . . . Go back and review just how much light mechs have been buffed over the last series of updates, including the spreadsheet the Cauldron put out regarding agility changes that in real terms, were far better than any other class in terms of acceleration/deceleration, turn rates etc. Go back far enough and the engine desync benefitted lights far more than heavy/assaults etc., e.g. a light gets 5% bonus on turn rate of 150 = 157.5 against an assault with a turn rate of 90 = 94.5 giving the light a better increase of 3; might not sound much, but it does mean they have a better boost to manoeuvrability (figures for example only)
If you want to look at any changes, then it needs to be in regards to lights being able to scout properly, not just flick through targets at speed to get scouting bonuses, so, holding locks, assisting with missile locked damage, bonuses to capture rates etc., to make them more useful and rewarding as a more niche role.
Any time I see someone argue "I don't want light 'mechs to be able to fight at all, they should all be nothing but passive timid gunless scout b@#$%^es who exist solely to make my assault 'Mech better at assaulting things", I'm going to remind that person that light 'mechs
are still 'Mechs. They are still thirty-ton fusion-driven weapons of war, armed with the same weapons as your oh-so-precious assault 'mech, armored with the same armor, and piloted with the same intent to bring harm to their foes.
The
Panther is not a "scout" 'Mech.
The
Firestarter is not a "scout" 'Mech.
The
Wolfhound is not a "scout" 'Mech.
The blurdy
UrbanMech is not a "scout" 'Mech.
In fact, of the twelve light 'Mechs currently available to the Inner Sphere alone, exactly
three would consider reconnaissance to be part of their primary duties - the
Spider, the
Locust, and arguably the
Osiris - though even then, the Sarna entry indicates the Osiris is typically used more often as a fast-strike raider, a "hit-and-fade offensive platform" rather than A Scout 'Mech.
This myopic, moronic, idiotic, and utterly,
utterly unfounded notion that the entire light 'mech class exists to "Scout" and must therefore be made into passive camera drones for their assault-weight lords and masters needs to die forever. Stop perpetuating it. It's bad for MWO, it's not at all true to BattleTech lore, and it reflects poorly on anyone who says it.
This is MechWarrior Online, a 12v12 team-based arena shooter. Dedicated unarmed recon platforms unable to effectively bring harm to the enemy have no bloody place in this game. Light 'Mechs need to be able to fight just as well as assault 'Mechs do. They simply do so in a different manner.