This is one thing I cannot come to a conclusion no matter how much I test: what is the optimal distribution of armor across front/back torsos? Just tossing some of my random ideas: That probably depends on the role of the Mech. Lighter guys probably get shot on the back a lot (when running away from enemies) as do slow assaults (since the lights/mediums go there). So these guys should have a pretty balanced distribution. So 70/30? (front/back in percentage of total location armor) Or 60/40? 50/50!?!?! On the other side, long range support can probably skimp on back armor, since by the time people actually get close enough to be behind you it´s over anyway... How do you guys decide this?
Typically I set my back armor from 15-20. I'm pretty good at keeping the bad guy in front of me, even with lights dancing around me. I've only been assassin shot in the back one time.
I agree with fuzzy... I usually go 15/20/15 (rear armor) on my larger mechs and 10/12/10 (rear armor) on my smaller mechs
My back Armor usually ranges between 15-20 for all but my lightest 'Mechs. I never run my lights with anything less than 12 in each location. I am also not one to let people get behind me. Myth.
I see... for lights something like 10 or 12 would mean about 40% to 25% of armor in the back, but most here seem to use a lot less for the heavier guys. Interesting
Keep in mind that there's no point (other than more = better) in having RCT > RST armour if you have an XL. If you really want to dig in to it you'd allocate rear armour with an XL based on hitbox sizes...
That reminds me!!! Does anyone even have any images of the mech hitboxes approximate size in a graphical representation? That would actually be quite useful for min/maxing a mech due to the armor distribution methods mentioned above.
Yeah, good point. In many Mechs (Awesome? Stalker?) it might even be more interesting to have more armor on the sides...
Found this a while back on the UNofficial forums: http://www.mechspecs.com/showthread...Values-and-Understanding-Hit-Box-Localization
After reviewing this thread I am finding that I run a little bit light on rear armor. I judge it more on how hard of a hit do I want my back armor to be able to stop. I don't think about it over a course of time rather if someone oooga booga'd right out behind me with a big gun how big of a bullet do I want to absorb.I find on my lights I run about 10 in the rear, primarily thanks to XL. Speed is total evasion, the best armor. My mediums I generally armor the rear intending to be facing my foe the whole time. I don't think I have a single medium mech running more than maybe 12-14 in any part of the rear and it generally isn't an issue. As previously stated I try to go in with the mindset of always facing my foe. My very few assaults have 20 in the rear. At that point I begin to feel like I am thinning out too much on the front. I have seen too much back armor in action on an Awesome in a match. My 6 md las Cicada 2A gives him a precise alpha dead to the ctr and whats this? Armor left?! Wasn't too much longer till he was cored from the front lol. Ultimately it did the job he wanted I suppose. I didn't core him from the rear...
Spot on If armour allocation was more limited then this would be a harder choice, but as it stands the only decision is the front/rear balance. Your CT allocation doesn't affect your ST allocations at all (aside from duh, weight.). That said, based on the Stalker hitboxes from this glorious thread, the Stalker is one mech I'd strongly consider a comparatively rear-biased CT (though standard allocations on ST). I tend to run my lights with almost even front/rear, simply because if you're zipping through fights, you're spending almost even time with people in front compared to behind. Coupled with erratic torsotwisting you just really don't know where shots are going to land (if they even do).
One of my unit members suggested 4:1 ratio, another 2:1, so for right now I'm running 3:1 for simplicity sake. I'm considering a more complex formula based on minimum numbers, role, weight class and such, just need to sit down and figure it out.
