12 replies to this topic

[mytilus edulis]

Grimmechs isn't representative of everyone's builds, but in case you were wondering, here's the engines used in their database. This excludes omnis but doesn't account for the same engine being used twice on the same chassis for two different builds.

https://i.ibb.co/6r9ydz4/image.png

Edited by mytilus edulis, 31 January 2022 - 05:52 PM.

[LordNothing]

this image is a really low quality, its practically unreadable.

[ScrapIron Prime]

The only surprise in that thing is the high bar for the IS XL 295. That just tells you that the Wolfhound and the Firestarter are common in comp and high tier play.

[mytilus edulis]

LordNothing, on 31 January 2022 - 05:37 PM, said:

this image is a really low quality, its practically unreadable.

grabbed the thumbnail url by accident

[LordNothing]

mytilus edulis, on 31 January 2022 - 05:53 PM, said:

grabbed the thumbnail url by accident

thats much better, thanks.

[Heavy Money]

Interesting data. I assume a lot of the IS XL engine use is lights or mediums. Would be interested to see XL engine use only for heavies and assaults.

[Extra Guac]

It's all about efficiency. I'm very surprised to see LFE305's on there (barf).

There's not much loss of efficiency as you move up between XL325 to XL350. XL330 - XL345 are fine engines for any 75-90 ton clan battlemech, imo.

IS XL295 is a great engine, even for meds & heavies.

[ScrapIron Prime]

The 305 is on the list when there is weight left and absolutely no spaces or other things to spend tonnage on, the 295 is there because it’s the max engine size for the firestarter and the wolfhound.

[Extra Guac]

ScrapIron Prime, on 31 January 2022 - 08:16 PM, said:

The 305 is on the list when there is weight left and absolutely no spaces or other things to spend tonnage on, the 295 is there because it’s the max engine size for the firestarter and the wolfhound.

305 is pretty bad - it's rare that you can't find a way to free up more slots, or use more tonnage in the same # of slots, or just add more armor.

295 is simply a great engine, regardless of max engine sizes. Same exact tonnage as a 290, and a full ton less than a 300? Sign me up!

[mytilus edulis]

Heavy Money, on 31 January 2022 - 06:59 PM, said:

Interesting data. I assume a lot of the IS XL engine use is lights or mediums. Would be interested to see XL engine use only for heavies and assaults.

easy, just copy and paste the database table on grimmechs into a spreadsheet and filter what you want before making the graphs

[caravann]

odd to see that there's higher amount of light engines used

mainly because in a competition your performance is close to gone when a side torso is destroyed that only mechs who are heat neutral are able to survive. This means that many mechs, or even the majority of all mechs uses gauss and machineguns.

[Gagis]

ScrapIron Prime, on 31 January 2022 - 05:43 PM, said:

The only surprise in that thing is the high bar for the IS XL 295. That just tells you that the Wolfhound and the Firestarter are common in comp and high tier play.

Wolfhound and Firestarter are just singular entries in the database, and many loadouts use smaller than maximum engine.

The trick is that if you do not need the extra internal heat sink slot, XL295 saves you one ton of mass in exchange for barely any loss of speed.

[panzer1b]

caravann, on 05 February 2022 - 01:36 AM, said:

odd to see that there's higher amount of light engines used

mainly because in a competition your performance is close to gone when a side torso is destroyed that only mechs who are heat neutral are able to survive. This means that many mechs, or even the majority of all mechs uses gauss and machineguns.

I think the reason XLs are so rare on heavys/assaults in QP at least is that a single well placed alpha strike from some clam mechs and you are instantly cored out or even dead while the LFE at least gives you a chance to still do some damage and at least act as a sponge for the team. I mean when clam mechs which arent even cheese builds but are full blown meta do high 60s to low 80s in laser or gauss vom alpha strike, a single bad exposure can essentially core a ST and leave you unable to essentially take much fire or risk exploding for the entire rest of the game.

Now i fully understand that XLs are great for offensive capability, but in general on IS side they are just too big a risk unless the chassis happens to be very easy to CT core and is difficult to take off the torsos. That and in many cases the performance loss with LFE or clam XL isnt exatly rendering your mech useless. There were many many games where i got unlucky (or just exposed too much early game) and lost a ST in a hunch2c or hellbringer and still ended up contributing and getting 2-3 more kills despite only being a side torso and some ERML in the CT or head. The heat efficiency loss sucks, but its far from rendering your mech worthless (and you can still take some fire by shielding with the destroyed side).

Really the only time i use XLs on IS side is for most lights (they simply need every ton into speed and offense), a couple rather XL safe meds, and on a very very few heavys and assaults that either absolutely need the speed/weight and can actually twist well, or things that are extremely likely to drop to CT coring regardless of how you shield with it making the XL risk rather negligible when you dont loose said STs. Ofc it is risky nomatter what to bring the XL, but its just not very meta due to inherent risks outside of a few mechs that simply need the XL to bring their armarment to the field and not become turrets (well that and like every light mech i can think of).