It takes an XL engine, but it is more mobile than the stalker PPC boat, and it has better aim/twist and the same number of heat sinks.
The nice thing about the Stalker over this is that the PPCs are much higher (especially on the arms) making it easier to peek-and-shoot. I would personally do ER PPCs on the arm and regular PPCs on the torso. More heat efficient, and at 90-540m you can just use the quad PPC for some decent DPS.
Funny, I actually started running this with the ER arm and regular torso PPC's the way you mentioned about a week ago. It was pointed out to me this morning that regular PPC's actually do 5 damage all the way down to 45m, and then they go to 1 damage for the rest. That makes it seem like it would be best to use 6x regular PPC because the arm can still do damage down to 45m. It would be nice to find out the truth behind PPC damage dropoff. The Stalker PPC builds that I have seen only seem to get 16 DHS (1 more than this) if they take an XL engine or take a really slow standard engine. The Stalker is probably superior overall. The 8Q lets you make take more accurate potshots at lights with the arm (especially since the ballistic rewind has been implemented). It also has better torso twist and slightly higher speed, helping a little with the fragility of the XL. Currently, I'm experimenting with something like this: Going down to 4x PPC allows a non-suicidal engine, and several more heatsinks.. Still not sure a Stalker wouldn't be better.
I'm working on a chart (will be a while before I finish) that will compare the speed vs. free-tonnage available at each maximum mech weight. It's going to show pretty much what I've been thinking - that most Awesomes and Centurions, and all Hunchbacks, Spiders, and Commandos (and maybe a few more along the way) are incapable of getting an engine powerful enough to give them a better combination of speed+spare tonnage compared with a heavier mech. If this was too convoluted, it will make more sense once I can post the finished work. My understanding was that PPCs did incrementally less damage below 90m, so at 81m it would do 9 damage, at 72m it would do 8, and so forth. It wouldn't surprise me if PGI just did what you suggested, though. Even so, if I were in a light mech, I would be all over your 6 regular PPC boat in a heartbeat.
I am beginning to believe that the "perfect mech" is a 75 ton heavy with jump jets, a fast enough engine to justify XL, and a lot of hardpoints. I'm also curious just how big the ears on a Mad Cat are going to be: technically those are side torso slots. If they're too big, then an XL will be suicidal.
I'm actually running a nearly identical load with two PPC, 4ER/PPC in my A-8Q. Two PPC give me slightly better heat efficiency if I get up close and personal with another assault/heavy. Love the build though. For us rare Awesome pilots, a 60 damage alpha mech running just over 60kps is pretty epic to run on.
Hammerhands (http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Hammerhands) or a Warhammer? They aren't going to be side torsos. I once saw a picture on the forums which showed a bugged out HUD with missile pods on top of arms in the mech armor status window, so it's already somewhat implemented.
Praselek, I'm going to assume a 300 XL or 325 XL (maybe 340) with what you just said. You are right, though. Within the expected speed range for a certain weight class, the heaviest in the weight class seem to do it best. This is about 150 for lights (35s do it best, even better than 40s), about 90-110 for mediums (ruled by the 50-tonners), maybe 70-80 for heavies (go go 75-tonners) and around 50-60 for Assaults (hello, Atlas). Although there are disadvantages for the X5-ton mechs, I think you're probably right. CPT, are you saying "up close" as in 200m or 40m? Because at ranges I'd consider up close, (90m and under), the regular PPCs will do less damage. Names, they were considered side torsos in the other Mech games I've played. Pretty sure they would be here, too. Although I think they're their own component altogether, something like a 4-armed mech. They just don't have the rules for that kind of balance built in. I'm still undecided as to 6xLL or 6xPPC when I get my 8R, but this is definitely one of the contenders.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Clan XLs only occupy 2 crit slots in each side torso (3 engine crits = death), so they aren't as much of a liability as IS XLs. Lose one side torso and you're only mostly dead...
