28 replies to this topic

[Insidious Johnson]

Yeach, on 16 April 2012 - 05:51 PM, said:

This may be moved to the proper forum but
How come when constructing the Mech in BattleTech do legs only have 6 critical space?
I can understand for the head for only having 6 critical space.

If critical space represents the size of the mech part and you reference compared to a human person; then legs should be the second largest part of the mech after the torso.
Also it should be noted that legs tend to have the second most armor (again second only to the torso).
It should have 12 critical spots like every other mech part (except for head).

I wanna see a booty mech designed by Sir Mix-A-Lot. "Its not the pants that make you look fat, it is the CASE"

[JadeTimberwolf]

Thorolf Kylesson, on 16 April 2012 - 07:35 PM, said:

Unless you are trying to flank you enemy or your walking parallel to them.

Even walking parallel your legs are facing the enemy, the difference to you having your legs to one side or the other to an enemy as opposed to head on or from behind is it will be harder to hit the leg on the opposite side of your mech from their position but it is still possible.

[Ramrod]

JadeTimberwolf, on 16 April 2012 - 07:48 PM, said:

Even walking parallel your legs are facing the enemy, the difference to you having your legs to one side or the other to an enemy as opposed to head on or from behind is it will be harder to hit the leg on the opposite side of your mech from their position but it is still possible.

I know you're trying to say something, but your run-on sentence is nigh on impenetrable. Mind trying again, please?

[Volthorne]

UncleKulikov, on 16 April 2012 - 07:36 PM, said:

Because the legs are responsible for carrying the mech as well as moving it. There won't be room for much else. It would be like storing extra equipment on your car axles.

^ This.

[JadeTimberwolf]

Ramrod, on 16 April 2012 - 11:20 PM, said:

I know you're trying to say something, but your run-on sentence is nigh on impenetrable. Mind trying again, please?

I know that I may mess up with puncunation, I know I am dyslexic (so just point any mistakes in spelling or grammar out to me freely and openly if you need/want) but it shouldn't be that bad, but I will try again.

No matter what facing your are showing to your enemy, your oppoent can hit both legs, it is just that a side shot has a greater chance of hitting the closer leg, and a lower chance to hit the further leg.

[RedDragon]

It just doesn't make sense to put weapons in the legs. They can't fire while in partial cover or under water and no, they are not always facing the enemy. They only fire into the frontal arc as do torso mounted weapons, but you can turn your torso.
Further the legs are under heavy strain while walking and need to be built sturdy, so it seems logical that there won't be much place for heavy equipment for it needs to be specially shielded against the constant impacts of walking. Maybe it would even unbalance the mech if one leg had to carry more weight than the other.
It is not neccessary to put more room into the legs, both from a logical and tactical/game balancing point of view

Edited by RedDragon, 17 April 2012 - 02:09 AM.

[Ramrod]

JadeTimberwolf, on 16 April 2012 - 11:44 PM, said:

No matter what facing your are showing to your enemy, your oppoent can hit both legs, it is just that a side shot has a greater chance of hitting the closer leg, and a lower chance to hit the further leg.

Thank you for rephrasing, I can understand your idea perfectly well now, and you are totally correct.

Except with your use of the term "facing." Your legs are always exposed unless you hide behind cover, this is correct. However, the root of the word "facing" is "face", which is at the front. When one speaks of legs facing in a certain direction, we are referring to the front of the legs, and no other side.

Only when a Mech's legs are pointed directly forwards towards an enemy will the front be facing the enemy. Parallel movement will expose the sides to the enemy, and moving away will expose the rear. In this way the legs are said to not be facing the enemy.

Edited by Ramrod, 17 April 2012 - 04:32 AM.

[RedHairDave]

its because the legs are filled with super structure.

like giant steel I beams. you cant critical those. so the squishy parts are the ones that you can critical. its like the first 6 are filled with ferro, you just reroll anyway, so why bother rolling in the first place

Edited by RedHairDave, 17 April 2012 - 05:48 AM.

[jack stryker]

Yeach, on 16 April 2012 - 07:28 PM, said:

Well you could restrict legs from not being able to mount much weaponry by devoting more criticals to actuators like the center torso.
Or make the criticals only be able to take equipment.
Better yet make aiming difficult for weapons in the legs while moving.

Think of it this way; when you're hiking, where do you put stuff? in a backpack, or a bag of some sort. you may have a couple things strapped to your legs, but you have far more stuff on your arms and shoulders. You don't burden your legs because they already hold up your entire body.