7 replies to this topic

[Voidsinger]

I am seeing a great many topics which question whether or not mediums are worth it in the game. Indeed, in 8 vs 8, they are an endangered species, due to those desiring the win over all else having forgone the medium mech, in favour of more FOTM mechs.

Which brings me to my point. The flavour of the month mechs tend to be transient, specialised, and ultimately broken when the next patches roll around. Streaks nerfed (eventually), UAC5 nerfed, Gauss nerfed, LRMs massively reduced in game by ECM

If you look at loadouts, the most stable loadouts throughout closed beta and through open beta have been those on mediums. When tweaks happen, they are more minor, and less radical than those affecting other weight classes.

Let's just list a few of the highs and lows of mediums:

Highs
Least affected by changes in technology
Most cost efficient to run
Most balanced for most situation
Most stable in terrms of build.

Lows
Streaks: Now that the Streakcat is endangered, any clues on how to deal with the Raven Carrion plague (Raven 3L: 3ML, 2SSRM, GECM).
ECM: Only given to the single most specialised medium in the game.
Vulnerability to high DPS FOTM builds.

For those who desire the win above all else, they'll continue with FOTM mechs. Especially the 8 v 8. Totally unrealistic, since while specialisation has a place, no military can afford to run large numbers of situation specialised mechs, and the reason mediums dominated militaries in tabletop. They made sense.

The medium is a survivor. It doesn't require massive tweaks to maintain efficiency (as long as it has access, ECM I'm looking at you). When ECM is inevitably nerfed, mediums will carry on as usual, just getting the job done, maybe adding ECM when it is available.

When all is said and done, powerful lights, heavies and assaults come and go. The medium carries on, getting the job done as best it can.

Criticise the medium, but it will still be here when the Streakcats, Gaussapults, Streak Ravens and other popular builds are gone. It is the environmentally resistant answer. Things evolve, and mediums evolve, but not at the drastic pace of other classes.

Comments?

[The Cheese]

Mediums have FOTM builds too, you know.

[Drenzul]

Errr wow, so you managed to take that many words to say absolutely nothing.

I am impressed!

[Wolfcp]

Or, you know, just run balanced builds on every weight class instead of cheese builds. Mediums aren't the only effective weight class without FOTM builds.

[E_Crow]

I run a HBK-4G with nothing but Gauss, 2 MPL's and some ammo, and I can usually get 2-3 kills per match and still survive. Mediums are not dying out, merely being ignored for the time being. I like what you are saying, even if it is flawed.

[Kobold]

OP clearly has never driven a HBK-4P with 350 XL engine and 9 small lasers.

[Khobai]

If there was a 500 ton drop limit for 8v8 games, mediums would make a huge comeback.

[Red squirrel]

Kobold, on 07 December 2012 - 04:08 PM, said:

OP clearly has never driven a HBK-4P with 350 XL engine and 9 small lasers.

Oh how I loved my Henner it actually had a 375XL Engine