Karl Streiger, on 22 July 2012 - 11:27 PM, said:
And this one is still arguing that the availability of the 2S...those Prototype build on technology available since '48 is still a question mark.
Nothing is said when the 2S arrived at the front line for the first time. Same is with the Defiance. Or take for example the BattleAxe.
Yes there are no known Mechs before the raging of the Jiihad, but Archon Steiner used one in 2591...
Not everything written in source books, novels or TRO is black or white... there is still some room for interpretation.
So for example the Uziel 2S would be a great limited premium Mech (maybe only 1 per 1.000 players) and everybody should know that the Uziel 2S isn't really a superior mech...you have thin armor and problems with heat -only advantage is its ability to hunt and kill Scouts
"The prototype of the
BattleAxe originally appeared in
2475, and relied on the standard armament of the time: lasers and missiles......"
And was later supplanted by the Hammerhands, which eventually led to the Warhammer.
So, actually, the mech was well known long before the Jihad, as it was an age of War era primitive mech. Archon Steiner piloted one because they were still in production 500 years ago. There is literally no connection to your Battleaxe/Uziel comparo. Is it possible that a 2S prototype was on the proving grounds as of 3049? (And most recovered lostech was not commonly available even in experimental form as of 3048. Some drabs of it were, and one could certainly pick and choose which, since no firm timeline of star league tech resurgence was ever posted, but for an entire new chassis, featuring endo, xl and double heatsinks to be up and running as of 3049 is a little tough to buy in to. Even the Mauler was still an experimental prototype as of 3052, and the Kuritans had much more working examples of Lostech to work with thanks to the deal with Comstar (and some shoddy attempts to remove the tech).
Any Uziel "prototype" at this point in history would likely be as fraught with issues as the Maulers progenitor, the Daboku was. So sure, if they want to put a version like that in, I guess I could stomach it, but I would rather see focus on mechs that were widely available, and not prone to becoming "Mr Self-Destruct" than an Uziel just for the sake of.
If someone is desperate for an Uziel, they should pilot a Catapult-K. Armament is not dissimilar to the Uziel, it's a little slower, but has better armor. If this game lasts up thru the Twilight of the Clans and beyond, then I would be all for the Uziel and such to make an appearance. (because I actually love that chassis!)