DHS in battletech were 1 ton, dissipates 2 heat, and used 3 crit slots.
Singles are 1 ton, 1 heat, 1 crit slot.
If you can see right away, that DHS already heavily favor light mechs. Crit space doesnt really change, so a mech mounting 4 medium lasers (4 crits) has plenty of space to use DHS. A mech with an AC20 alone using 10 crit slots suddenly has a lot less space. This was still overall built into battletech's balance, which though not perfect, was far better than MWOs (see threads about heat sinks and tripled ROF).
SO, if DHS are now 1.4 heat per second.... well, 1 dissipation to 2 is a 100% increase, with 200% increase in crit space to 3 (in other words, 200% dissipation for 300% space).
1 to 1.4 is a 40% increase. An 80% increase for the crit space would put it at 1.8, double the increase in heat dissipating power. From the other direction, 3 crit space * .7 = 2.1 crit space. 2 heat dissipation times .7 = 1.4 heat dissipation. Meaning, DHS was only .7 efficient with space but 200% with tonnage. We lost that balance.
Whether looking at it from 1.8 or 2.1 tons for 1.4 heat dissipation, both proportional increases land you at roughly 2 crit slots for 1.4 heat dissipation.
Edited by Abrahms, 04 November 2012 - 09:28 AM.