30 replies to this topic

[Mel Mad Dog Winters]

A lot depends on the mech and what you want it to do. If you want a scout mech, a fast strike mech, or fast medium (or Dragon) flanker/skirmisher, then an XL can be a good choice. For a slower brawler that will receive a lot of well-aimed torso shots, well, I don't know.

The engine weight is a primary factor. Are the extra tons gained from the XL choice worth the loss of 'durability' for having two more locations on your mech where you can be engine cored. Reducing the weight of a gigantic engine by 50% and giving more speed and firepower as a result could be worth it, maybe, depending... Doing the same with a much smaller engine isn't as big of a deal.

This is something I put together for the board game back when I was playing it. The numbers may be different, but they seem to more or less match (in MWO, for example, the cockpit and engine weight seem to be added together with the engine instead of being counted separately):

https://docs.google....ZiUnhoQVE#gid=6

Explanation:
- The chart has a breakdown on each tab with standard engines and standard internal structure on the top, and Excel Engines and Endo Steel being used on the bottom.
- The tabs are based on the board game speeds. It doesn't match up perfectly, but if you were to multiply the max speed of a tab by 10 and add the words "or more" you get a rough approximation of the MWO speeds. For example, the standard Atlas speed is 3/5, the standard default speed for most heavies and most of the current selection of slower mediums is 4/6, and the default speed for a Jenner is 7/11 (11 x 10 ---> 110 kmph "or more").

The Point:
- Although there is much more to a 'good mech' than just the amount of tons to work with for armor and weapons, the chart focuses on these sorts of 'bang-for-your-buck' returns.
- In Battletech, and it seems Mechwarrior Online, there seems to be a 'bell curve' of optimum tonnage for choosing to move at 'this speed' or 'that speed' directly connected to engine size and what you have left over as a result to work with.



So, for example, if you wanted to play a Dragon * and * you wanted it to move fast (perhaps at that mechs' maximum MWO speed of 90-97 kmph before speed tweak), have an Excel engine and Endo Steel, then I would recommend a 360 XL engine for that mech. It will have more tons for armor, weapons and other equipment for a mech meeting all those criteria (moving at that speed with an Excel and Endo Steel) than almost anything else out there attempting to have the same thing. Not a staggering amount of firepower, to be sure, but one of the best for moving at that speed with that tech.
If you wanted a Dragon to be more of a head-on hold-the-line brawler and were OK with a top base speed of 80-something, then I would recommend a 300 standard engine for the same mech.

Yeah, so my choice of engine would depend entirely on various factors:
1. The tonnage of the mech
2. The range of speeds I want it to move at
3. What role I want the mech to focus on
4. Whether or not that engine is actually allowed by MWO for that mech (the board game was a bit more generous in what it would allow)

Usually, my engine choice options will present themselves as a result of asking myself these questions. When I try to figure out what I want the mech to do, there are usually a only a few viable options left as a result.

Edited by Mel Mad Dog Winters, 19 January 2013 - 07:11 AM.

[Taizan]

As this is directly related to different Battlemech variants and builds, I've moved this topic to the "Battlemechs" sub forum, where it is more appropriate.

[Stingz]

One Medic Army, on 19 January 2013 - 12:40 AM, said:

The only XL you should ever put in a Dragon or Cent 9-D (Or in a Trebuchet next month) is an XL 350 (or 360).

SPEED IS LIFE
SPEED IS FIREPOWER
SPEED IS FUN

325 is the max for most Trenchbuckets, though the TBT-3C probably can fit a 350(XL300 stock)

[One Medic Army]

Stingz, on 19 January 2013 - 08:52 AM, said:

325 is the max for most Trenchbuckets, though the TBT-3C probably can fit a 350(XL300 stock)

Shame, well at least is better than a 260.

[RedrumnCoke]

I swap an xl300 between my Cicada and Dragon and find it works perfectly for both.

[NRP]

I just bought an XL385 to try in my AWS-9M, but I like the XL380 better for my prefered weapon config (I can run more armor). Is it wrong two buy another 9M just to use the XL385? If I do this, will all my previously-unlocked 9M efficiencies also be unlocked for the new one?

[Pan Damonium]

Obviously like everyone says, it would really depend on the mech you want it to go into.

I pretty much had to buy the Centurion 9-D to unlock elite whatnots, and it came with an XL300 now is pretty much the only engine I use (technically, I sold all of the others so yeah, its the only one CAN I use). I moved on to Catapults and loved having an XL300 in all of them.

Maybe it would be worth buying a mech with an XL if you can get some efficiencies unlocked while you're at it, and keep shuffling that engine around if its versatile enough...*shrug

[Stingz]

Pan Damonium, on 19 January 2013 - 05:36 PM, said:

Maybe it would be worth buying a mech with an XL if you can get some efficiencies unlocked while you're at it, and keep shuffling that engine around if its versatile enough...*shrug

The best XL engines come stock, for use in another mech that would be able to use it better. I bought a Stalker-5S for elite, and swapped the XL255 for the Spider line.

Edited by Stingz, 20 January 2013 - 05:26 AM.

[ICEFANG13]

Depends, as all say, going for overall best, I say XL300.

[I Just Ate Your Grapes Bro]

As many have said here, go for the 300, it's versatile which is the main thing you are after, decent speeds and it can fit in almost every mech. Best first XL to have, I actually own 2 of them, because I hate swapping out equipment when I want to change mechs.

[Lege]

If they got rid of engine limits I'd use an XL 325 in just about every mech. (I don't run mechs smaller than 35 tons)
With the engine limits I try to use an XL 300 wherever I can with the XL 255 in the smaller/slower mechs.
I do like the XL 350 for assault mechs, but isn't a must unless your going heavy energy and need the space for double heat sinks in the engine.