Let us look at this realistically. I know, dirty words, right?
We have a mech with 6 missile hard points, 3 in each arm. We have 4 basic options:
- LRMs
- SRMs
- Streak SRMs
- A mix of the above.
LRMs are not terribly viable because of ECM and unreliable teamwork. Streaks are just as bad off. SRMs are viable. A mix is often semi-viable.
At this point the big problem is that the only really viable build also happens to be... Good! It's solid, and leaves a lot of tonnage open for armor, heat sinks, bigger engines, and jump jets. Also, it's very easy to use: get close and unload with prejudice.
And you know what? It's the only reliable build for the A1. If you nerf it, no one will use the A1. People want to take away the only reliable build for the thing.
What a lot of people overlook is that the A1 has some pretty glaring weaknesses. First of all, it is useless outside of 270m. Second, even with a maxed out engine and Speed Tweak, it maxes out at 86.4 kph. Any light mech should be able to out maneuver it. Third, all of its firepower is packed into the very easily hit arms, blow one off and you literally half the machine's firepower. Both and all it's good for is caps. Fourth, like all Catapults, the head hit box is very large. Fifth, many of these monsters mount XL engines. I don't care what people have to say about the side torsos being slim. My K2 pult regularly loses one or both of its torso mounted AC5s, while the arm mounted lasers are still good to go. If the side torsos are so impossible to hit than riddle me that one, Batman.
Now, I understand that it's human nature to complain. And as a mediocre player myself, I really hate to bust out "learn to play" as a comeback/solution/whathaveyou. But that really is the answer in this case. Stop whining and start winning. Learn the weaknesses of your opponents and exploit them, instead of playing into their strengths.