The general idea of choosing a chassis is that light mechs go faster and big mechs hold more firepower. However, sometimes, with a similar build, the bigger mechs can go faster with more firepower. This can be evidenced by the following two builds: my FlameC20 and TruePoindexter’s Cataphract 1X. http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=56&l=9c34742cc5999a17eaf14320f5d14382bca19d79 http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=41&l=fbcd230361f1ab02879943cb84d3d5421bb71ee8 His mech is faster, has more armor, has one more ML, and when you compare 10 tons devoted to DHS+ammo vs. the 8.5 tons on my Flame (including AMS), you’ll see that the Cataphract 1X can easily be tweaked to be superior in every way. While the extra firepower is expected out of a 70-ton mech, maintaining that at a greater speed than the 60-ton mech is what got me thinking about optimal speeds. Below, I am linking 7 charts, and then I’ll talk a bit about them. If you want the Excel sheet with the raw data, please send me a PM and I’d be happy to email it to you (or, Michael, if there’s a way to host it on the site, let me know). The first six charts detail for each factor I considered (engine type and upgrades). The seventh chart is the optimum speed chart for each of these factors. Optimum speed is defined as the speed at which this mech has more speed AND free weight available than any other mech. I figured this out by going to Smurfy, maxing the armor (and then shaving down to the nearest half ton) and then plugging each engine in to see what the maximum speed (with tweak) and remaining weight is. I made sure to include enough heat sinks for the minimum 10 on engines under 250. Now for the charts: I'm sorry the images are so small on this site. If you want to see these in greater detail, right-click them and select View Image. You will have to hit the back button to get back to this page. As you can see, some weight classes don’t have an optimum speed, especially in normal configurations. I’m surprised to see Stalkers and 65-ton Mechs on the list, but not surprised that Spiders and Commandos are underwhelming. The big reason why a Mech is underpowered is that they simply are not allowed to put in an engine that will get them above the Mech above them. Using these Charts There are three ways you can use these charts. First, you can take the weight of a build and see if you can’t go faster in another mech (by finding that available weight and then seeing if any other chassis are higher on the Y-axis). Second, you can take the speed you want to go and find the most firepower you can fit (by seeing which line is farthest to the right at the given weight). Third, you can take a specific mech and figure out the optimum speed/weight ratio, so you know nothing else in the game can keep up. Keep in mind, as noted in the Optimum Speed Chart, that this isn’t perfect. Because of how engines randomly spike in weight as they get bigger, sometimes you have a little peak where one might jump back up for a ton or two. Assault mechs are so close that there is a lot of overlap where they are basically the same. One thing I noticed is that with XL engines, it mostly centered on the 300 XL. With the exception of the 70- and 90-tonners, everything that has an optimum weight has the 300 XL within that range. For standard engines, the optimum engines get bigger as the mechs get bigger. Use Them Responsibly Please don’t use this chart as the be-all-end-all for making your Mech. Remember to factor in the torso and arm characteristics and hardpoint slots as well. For example, the Stalker can fit 6 PPCs or 6 LLs with more DHS than anything else, despite not having an optimum speed/weight ratio. However, I hope this chart will be very useful for people who look at a build that can be done on many mechs (such as LBX-10 and 4 MLs) to find what chassis would fit their build best. In my next guide, I will take the information here and the factors I just mentioned and combine them up into the optimal use for each chassis. While the information here is pretty much fact (as it is simple math), I do expect a lot of debate in the next installment.
Wow I'll need to read this when I'm at home at my desktop. EDIT: I'm back at home now. Some of these numbers aren't surprising but there are a couple of that I'm actually rather surprised about. You really can see how they choked a few mechs though to prevent them from going insane speeds.
The free weight gaps on some of the engine based upon tonnage of the mech utilizing an XL. Some of them are rather significant
You've included STD+ES+FF twice and no 'STD without upgrades', just a headsup. for the rest, great job!
I only have the STD Engine + All once, and STD Engines is up there. I don't know what you're talking about. Pay no attention to the edit behind the curtain... @Michael, it surprised me too, especially the 65 and 85 ton mechs. I expected the _5s to have problems with endo-steel, but their woes started before that. I will also point out that with the exception of CN9-D and YLW, Centurions and Hunchbacks will never be optimal with an XL engine. I'll address why you would still want them in my next guide, which will probably be written my next slow day at work. Atlai are pretty much beast if you're going 60 or under.
This basically show that Highlander´s suck if you dare removing the jump jets. They´ll have less speed, weapons and armor than the Atlas (bar some very specific hardpoint needs, but I can think of none). Of course the jump-sniping thing changes a bit of that (but I dunno how much)
They are good within the 325-330 XL or 300-325 STD range even sans jump jets, but I agree, for Assaults pretty much the king (according to these charts) is the Atlas, if for no other reason than if you want slow-and-powerful, nothing has more tonnage to devote to firepower than the Atlas. The Highlander does have the ballistic in the arm instead of torso, which does make it easier to use. Unfortunately, I think the Atlas has the better placement of hardpoints (zombie prevention, same type of weapons on arms or torsos) with the exception of the Heavy Metal. Overall, it is the jets that make the highlander.
I'm actually thinking about posting a link to this on the oboards and suggesting they increase the maximum engine size for some of the mechs. Raven 2X and 4X should be 295-300 (and if 300, 3L should be as well). Hunchbacks and non-D Centurions should be 300, and I think that mechs in the 65-90 ton area could use a 340. I understand the lore issues, but if you look at the maximum engine sizes (not speeds, but sizes), the Dragon, Cataphract, and Awesome 9M/PB have a lot more available than the 65-ton, 85-ton, and 90-ton mechs. I also think the Spider and Commando should be allowed a faster engine, but I understand the netcode limitations. I do think they should lower the amount of heat sinks required on lights to allow for a bit of flexibility in Commando builds. When I get home I'll make a thread...this game is nothing but work /sigh...
Does this mean that XL 300 is a perfect choice for the first engine to save up a bunch of cbills and buy (for new players)? I have bought a few engines, but I am trying to avoid buying too many since they are so damn expensive.
I am going to do an engine guide this weekend; but the 280, 300, and 325 XLs are my most used engines.
Basically, yes. I have one XL300 engine, and its been in almost every mech I own at some point. For 'mechs with engine caps below 300, my single XL255 has been in all of those.
Could someone please explain how to read these charts? I'm not really following how to read the charts to find optimum targets.
Part of the issue is that these charts are just so dang big. I'm covering 12 weights with probably 40 engine speeds per weight. Essentially, if the line is the top line in that column, or if it is the farthest-right line in that row, you are at the optimal speed for that mech.
