Battlemech Equipment Survey Round 5

I've posted a few of these, but this is a last call for Round 5. I believe I've got 8 Rounds planned total. And then...well, who knows?

It's a survey asking which BattleTech equipment or class of equipment you generally prefer.

Survey 5-1: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfJPrkwIhGeBuT97nV3r1OF6XXy4gzW-x35FytgTGQ2Y7xaqw/viewform?usp=sf_link

• Standard PPC versus Standard Fusion Engines
• MRMs versus Improved Advanced Tactical Missiles
• Shield versus Anti-Penetrative Ablative Armor

'Mech: "SLAM" Society LAM

 

Survey 5-2: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdX2sX95cIc6jFbGyC60u9EsXldzb9ea4uyITyoNvdL5aemiw/viewform?usp=sf_link

• Pulse Lasers versus ER PPC
• CASE versus basic C3 systems
• Re-Engineered Lasers versus 'Mech turrets

'Mech: Freelancer FLR-11

 

Survey 5-3: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUjn3fWy8c47oL0MyAHPl1DiV4Gs3azMV3ySspkV0lbObaIA/viewform?usp=sf_link

• Artemis V versus Double Heat Sinks
• Supercharger versus RISC Pulse Laser Module
• Bloodhound Probe versus Nova CEWS

 Strange match-ups to be honest, but that happens.

'Mech: Teniente

 

Survey 5-4: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeR71ite0K-HuacWTCQ7RJiTjClaMQHbDJ0sPxOLRfMW01EBw/viewform?usp=sf_link

• Light Fusion Engines versus Gauss Rifles
• Targeting Computers versus ER Pulse Lasers
• Heavy Gauss Rifle versus Reactive Armor 

'Mech: Elite ELITE-1

 

Survey 5-5: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfG1b2c_6VLL5MoNoBv_v5BVkuL7sqTeGi_uxwbXfV1iA5wWg/viewform?usp=sf_link

• TSM versus Hardened Armor
• AC special munitions versus Artillery special munitions
• Angel ECM vs Guardian ECM

These matchups are determined by the results of previous rounds, so these coincidental match-ups are just that.

'Mech: Facehugger FCH-1A

 

Survey 5-6: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEZbFaeI2RwIhEIouOe1apAsCiTw68BblvNWo1oMAFkvvoeA/viewform?usp=sf_link

• Standard versus Streak SRMs
• Heavy Lasers versus iHGR
• Standard ACs versus Plasma Rifles

'Mech: Shinedown SHDN-13

Battlemech Equipment Survey, 505

Hey, it's another equipment poll!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfG1b2c_6VLL5MoNoBv_v5BVkuL7sqTeGi_uxwbXfV1iA5wWg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Round 1
Hardened Armor
TSM

Hardened Armor is interesting. It's a great way to make a moving pillbox around a single PPC. It's got its uses though.

TSM is probably objectively better, although I used it before things like the Plasma Cannon and Plasma Rifle came out to fuck with your heat numbers. 

But it's also a free upgrade. Since no one cares about C-Bills, there's not a lot of reason to add it to just about every design. Especially since you can turn off heat sinks to use it on just about anything. a mechwarrior takes on some tactical restrictions by doing that, but it's worth the payoff.

Probably why there's a Battle Value cost bump, which is a very good reason not to add it to every design.

Hardened Armor though. Battlemech base physical attacks are already too good.

Battlemech Equipment Survey, 504

 Hey, it's another equipment poll!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeR71ite0K-HuacWTCQ7RJiTjClaMQHbDJ0sPxOLRfMW01EBw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Round 1
Light Fusion Engines
Gauss Rifle

That's rough. Making engines lighter without making side torso loss fatal is good. On the other hand, a headcapper with a 22 hex range. Gotta give it to the gauss.

Round 2
Ultra ACs
Armored Components

I gotta call neither/don't know. UACs seem pretty fucking bad. But I don't even get how armored components are good. Imagine declaring called shots on your own crits. There's no way to protect everything important. My books are all packed so I don't even know if they protect components when a section is destroyed. 

Armored components sound good on paper. So do UACs. I've got the experience to back up UACs being bad, but not so much Armored Components.

Battletech Equipment Survey 503

I fell off keeping these up to date the last few months. I don't know if I've been in a funk, but I haven't been in a "fully operating."

Here's the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUjn3fWy8c47oL0MyAHPl1DiV4Gs3azMV3ySspkV0lbObaIA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Round 1
LB/X ACs
Anti-Missile System

I think the LB/X 10 takes it. Maybe if the AMS could engage multiple systems per turn. The LB/X 20 is a logistical nightmare, but I gotta give it to the whole class of slug/cluster weapons.

Round 2
Arrow IV Artillery
HAG [Clan]

I've never been a fan of HAGs. They're heavy, relatively hot-running, short on ammo, and they have cluster maluses at long range, which is the point of having a weapon with that kind of range. I don't love them.

Say what you will about Arrow IV scattering, but fuck it: That shit is funny.

Battlemech Equipment Survey: Round 4

The Battlemech Equipment Survey is an ongoing, swiss-style tournament which pits equipment for Battlemechs against one another. I like brackets and tournaments and I don't know a lot of the new Battletech equipment so it's a great opportunity to get familiar with a lot of it.

Surveys below. The listed matchups aren't the only ones in the survey; just the most eye-catching ones. I've also included the 'mechs I've made which use the included technologies. Surveys close Friday evening. 

The swiss bracket is doing its job. It's separating good equipment and bad into tight matchups. I might just be in a funk, but that last round of tight matchups between equally irrelevant equipment failed to inspire. As of right now it's sitting at 8 votes and I don't blame anyone.

I like a lot of the write-ups I've done here. I think Mother & Monitors is a bit 'bleh.' The rest are written to as to have been lost to history, which makes them feel a bit one-note. 3087 it's not.

Round 4, Survey 1 - Gauss Rifles versus Omnimech Technology, feat the Risccing, a RISC test platform omnimech carrying a variety of gauss weapons.

Round 4, Survey 2 - Streak SRMs versus all other special missile munitions, feat the Superchoad, a rebuild of Round 2's Maquess after it was fielded, defeated, and salvaged.

Round 4, Survey 3 - Cruise Missiles versus the Light Probe, feat the Paradigm, or at least a recreation of the allegedly groundbreaking 'mech whose original model and inventor were destroyed in the opening salvos of The Jihad. It was simply a few advanced technologies and a set of two completely unique 'mechs created by a talented Periphery engineer with pirate connections. No mystery at all.

Round 4, Survey 4 - Nuclear Weapons versus Triple Strength Myomer, feat Mother and Monitors, a control 'mech and two drones which patrol a vacuum world occasionally torn by storms.

Round 4, Survey 5 - ATMs vs MMLs, feat Neuron, a Raven variant commissioned by The Society around the same time as the Capellans' own RVN-4LC. Not pictured are variants with the MML 7 swapped for iATM9 or the Streak LRM 10 and the NARC Beacon swapped for an iATM3 or Streak LRM 5.

Round 4, Survey 6 -Single Heat Sinks versus...Rifles?, feat Bubblewrap, an undocumented, unnamed, jury-rigged ultralight outfitted with Rocket Launchers that saw one battle against oppressors on a Periphery world.

Still working on the nation interaction game and the Mercury System and the Battlemech Engineer's Handbook.

And the Bookclub on the Edge of Forever. And a vacation next week. And doing something for the patreons and Morning Perfect Base and The Based Report.

And playing Alpha Strike and hammering out a simple Alpha Strike campaign system and doing dishes and doing laundry--oh crap I didn't do laundry.

Battlemech Equipment Survey: Round 3

It's weird I've stuck with this for so long. The Battlemech Equipment Survey is an ongoing, swiss-style tournament which pits equipment for BattleMechs against one another. 

I like brackets and tournaments and I don't know a lot of the new BattleTech equipment so it's a great opportunity to get familiar with a lot of it.

Surveys below. The listed matchups aren't the only ones in the survey; just the best ones. I've also included the 'mechs I've made which use the included technologies.

Surveys close Friday evening.

Round 3, Survey 1 - Thunderbolt Launchers versus Light Gauss Rifle, feat the Armstalker, an absolutely mad FrankenMech.

Round 3, Survey 2 - Targeting Computers versus Superchargers, feat Cobra IIC 3 and some stuff about how Jade Falcons are mysteriously upgrading salvaged Cobras.

Round 3, Survey 3 - Chain Whip versus Flail, feat Bear Mace, a refit of an Ebony designed as part of Republic of Sphere psyops. as part of ongoing fanon 'mech design company, Vard Modeling

Round 3, Survey 4 - Land-Air Mechs versus Composite Structure, feat Plug, which, looking back, makes me realize I should occasionally bite the bullet and just make a 'mech 100 tons instead of hitting 95 and telling myself I'm exercising restraint. A FrankenMech pressed into service by Vard Modeling.

Round 3, Survey 5 - Direct Neural Interfaces versus Re-Engineered Lasers, feat Manicouagan, hardened-armored, quad, assault-class vaporware presented in my best approximation of monorail salesman Lyle Lanley to the citizens of the Inner Sphere in the wake of The Republic's collapse.

Round 3, Survey 6 -AP Gauss [Clan] versus Rocket Launchers, feat Fearful Intarsia, which is what would happen if an alcoholic Clan commander gets tired of an insurgency and rings a tech up at 11PM to fix it.

BattleMech Equipment Survey: Round 2

As you know, I've been doing surveys about Battletech equipment for BattleMechs. I finished Round 1 a while back and now we're in the home stretch of Round 2. 

Looking at the numbers, I plan about eight rounds. That's, frankly, an exhausting amount of work to know that Double Heat Sinks are great and Flails are ridiculous. I do not do this because it is easy or reasonable, I do this because I like to make numbers do things.

As always, I'll leave these up until some time on Friday. Any votes from any sample size are welcome. Comments are always welcome. I thought I understood some of this equipment until some folks started talking about them, and just reading what equipment does doesn't always say how it works on the battlefield.

Just a few notes (survey links at the bottom):

The BattleMech Equipment Survey: Round 1

Some pieces of Battletech equipment are better than others. Sure, you've got good all-rounders and solid niche equipment, but some stuff just doesn't cut the mustard.

Sure, it's subjective, but I trust the wisdom of the masses on shit like this. I'm always of the opinion that everyone with less [FANDOM] knowledge than I have is a scrub and everyone with more [FANDOM] knowledge is just waaay too into it, but I know I'm full of shit.

So I've prepared a series of polls which ask you, your friends, and anyone else who has a subjective opinion--"In your subjective opinion, which one piece of equipment out of two is better?" I set up a Swiss-Style Tournament and have randomly generated pairings. I considered seeding, but I'm not familiar with a lot of newer equipment. Randomness would be better than a poor seeding.

A few notes:

• All equipment is Inner Sphere, except for Clan-only equipment which is listed as [Clan].
• Groups of equipment are listed as plural while individual equipment is singular. For example, "standard autocannons" includes AC/2's, AC/5's, AC/10's, and AC/20's, while "Heavy Gauss Rifle" includes just the Heavy Gauss Rifle and not the Improved Heavy Gauss Rifle, which is listed separately. There are some exceptions for equipment like Spikes.
• I've included some standard equipment (standard fusion engines, standard heat sinks). On reflection, I think that was a bad idea, but I expect them to land somewhere at the top. There are enough pieces of equipment (about 200) that I don't feel they will either sully the responses or require the addition of other standard equipment (cockpits, gyros). 
• Initial polls were 10 questions long and shared via Reddit. Response was negative so I cut them back to fewer polls of 20 questions to mollify folks who felt negatively about it. That seems to have worked and subsequent posts have been met with more positivity.
  

Polls are below.