Does a Mech's Height Play a Part in Determining LoS?

[MeiSooHaityu]

I noticed when playing today that my Orion V (and I think my Black Knight too) could see an enemy Striker from a certain dot on the map, where as my Catapult K2 could not. Both mechs are of course Heavies and my K2 actually had the better pilot (better in 3 of 4 skills and tied in the other). None of the mechs had a Range mod in the head.

Is this because the Orion (and again probably the Black Knight) are taller than the Catapult K2, and they could see over terrain that the Catapult couldn't?

I feel like I should know this, but I guess I just haven't noticed or gave much thought till now lol.

'Ready' was in the Orion, 'Vodka' in the Catapult

 

[Timaeus]

I'm pretty sure the answer is yes, but not typically. Usually it's not a big deal since the 'mechs are so tall, but occasionally — eg a Orion vs a locust (or striker in this case) — some terrain can block a short or tall 'mech los one direction but not the other. I think The Stacks(?; the one with the big lake I think) is a skirmish map that can show this off with some terrain outcroppings.

 

[ronhatch]

Every chassis definition file has a list of "LOSSourcePositions" and "LOSTargetPositions", so the answer is *definitely* yes. Though as Timaeus says, it doesn't vary enough to make a difference most of the time.

Edit: Oh, and the Y values of the sources are 15 and 16 for the Orion, 16 and 18 for the Black Knight, and 12s for the Catapult... so that is direct confirmation that the Catapult is shorter.

 

[smurfopax]

I exploit this quite often, my Brawlers that i send in first are always the smallest Mech chassis of my lance. Quite helpful when you can hide the damaged sides behind a taller mech. Contrary to that whatever you place behind a Locust, it won't be hidden.

 

[MeiSooHaityu]

Thank you everyone for the info. I kind of thought that was the case since both mechs were heavies piloted with similar skilled MechWarriors. The Catapults are rather short mechs since they have a more aircraft fuselage shaped torso (compared to the more upright humanoid designs).

Thank you for confirming it.

I guess after 500 hours of gameplay, I just never noticed it before.

 

[Brother Diogenes]

So taller mechs (or at least ones with higher-mounted cockpits) make better spotters?

Wow. That's a level of detail I honestly wasn't expecting from the game. But seeing as HBS originally wanted to make a hex-less map, it makes sense that something of the sort would have been part of the original design.

 

[MeiSooHaityu]

Sadly, Vodka is no more .

Just like he couldn't see over that ridge in the pic up top, he also couldn't see an Orion's right hook to his cockpit either. You will be missed Vodka.