Pvt Dancer, on 18 May 2012 - 11:52 PM, said:
I went WH, because the WH can start walking backwards to keep the TB at range, once they get in PPC range. The T-Bolt can slowly whittle it down by running forward, but it will make it harder for either to hit with any consistancy. The only difference is the TB can run (2 heat), fire the LL (8 heat) and LRM 15 (5 heat) and not gain any heat, while the hammer need to fire a single PPC every other turn, as he can't afford the movement penalty at +4 heat.
The average roll on the LRM 15, if it hits, is 9pts of damage (on a roll of 5-8, 12pts on a 9 or 10, and 15pts on a 11 or 12). The T-Bolt is really doing as much damage at range as the War Hammer (17pts vs 20pts). The biggest advantage the Hammer has /is/ that little extra range the PPCs have on the LL, where his PPC shots will be medium and the LL will be long, but that will only last a turn.
I guess I was wrong, I would have to give it to the T-Bolt if the pilot has some discipline and resists alpha striking with everything at the 5-6 hex range, over heating his mech (+8 heat if the LRM, SRM, 3 MLs and LL are fired for a potential 42pts of damage). The WH has the same problem, as a single PPC and two MLs and the 6 pack is 20 heat, but possibly 32pts of damage.
The TB could over-come his heat problem by being careful of what he fires till he gets back down to +7 to +3 heat in a few turns, but it means not firing everything. Same thing for the Hammer... fire 1 PPC, 1 ML and the 6 pack and he is at 17 heat and still doing a possible 27pts of damage at medium range.
Bear in mind you have a +4 penalty to-hit at long range, a +2 at medium range, and a +1 to-hit inside minimum range, +1 additional for every 30m inside minimum range. Unless you have a pilot with very good gunnery skills, hitting at long range is pretty iffy.
Looking at all three weapons:
LRM 15: long 21, medium 14, short 7, minimum 6
PPC: long 18, medium 12, short 6, minimum 3
Large Laser: long 15, medium 10, short 5
The LRM has a tough combination of to-hit penalties, really being at its most effective somewhere between 420m-150m. The Large Laser isn't much good until 300m, and from there on in its gravy.
The PPC, by contrast, is pretty accurate between 360m and 60m, and concentrates damage much better than an LRM launcher. The "9 average" damage is more likely to be 5, 3, and 1 damage, plus the concentrated 8 from the large laser, once that comes into range, as opposed to 10 damage in two places from the PPCs. In a ranged engagement, the Thunderbolt is going to need some lucky roles, or TACs with those LRMs to win. In close, I definitely see it having an edge in durability once the to-hit penalties are relatively small, but staying at range isn't likely to be a good strategy.