Correct me if I am wrong ... but shouldn't a firestarter mech loaded with flamers be able to cook the pilot and salvage a mech intact?
Firestarter Mech
- Thread starter sbrengard
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Heat does not directly deal pilot damage in this game.
Besides, a 35 ton mech that can effectively 1v1 any other mech would not be good for game balance.
Besides, a 35 ton mech that can effectively 1v1 any other mech would not be good for game balance.
Firestarter was never supposed to fight toe-to-toe with heavier mechs anyway.
It was primarily a war-crime specialist.
...
Uhh... I mean 'anti-infantry' specialist.
It was primarily a war-crime specialist.
...
Uhh... I mean 'anti-infantry' specialist.
Except it can for 3 turns if you double strike with 6 flamers and just overheat stun a mech
This is why flamers have ammo in this game
Intact is a relative here I'd think. The shell might be intact, but all the wiring and non-metal parts is probably burned to slag. Softer metals will be bend or melted as well. It isn't your normal standard flamethrower, when it can heat that amount of metal a mech is made of, in short time. And if the target mech carries ammo, the chance for a cook-off is pretty high as well.
The flamers won't raise the temperature of the cockpit more than the target mech itself has the potential to do anyway (if that makes sense) and why the mechwarrior wears a cooling vest/suit.
The amount of time it would take to heat the cockpit high enough to kill the mechwarrior inside is more than enough for the target mech to either move away from the Firestarter or open fire on it.
The main aspect of flamers when fighting other mechs is to raise the external temperature (the air surrounding the target mech) enough that it inhibits the target's heat sinks from dispersing the heat generated by the target's weapons and reactor etc.
The amount of time it would take to heat the cockpit high enough to kill the mechwarrior inside is more than enough for the target mech to either move away from the Firestarter or open fire on it.
The main aspect of flamers when fighting other mechs is to raise the external temperature (the air surrounding the target mech) enough that it inhibits the target's heat sinks from dispersing the heat generated by the target's weapons and reactor etc.
Grasshopper or Banshee with 6 flamers. Punch hole in mech. Insert flamers. Cook until well done.
The FS seems like it's best used against the most powerful enemy target, regardless of armor. You overheat the enemy, and then it can't effectively use its firepower while the rest of your lance deals actual damage against the thinner skinned targets. By the time it can shoot again after 6 turns of slow roasting, it's friends are all dead and it's badly outnumbered, and probably damaged as well. A 35T FS could effectively put a 75T Heavy or 85T Assault 'Mech out of the fight for half the battle.
From the stats released so far, it looks like the GHR and BNC can match it for Support Hardpoints. The BNC-3M can apparently be used as a "BIC Lighter", if you modify it.
From the stats released so far, it looks like the GHR and BNC can match it for Support Hardpoints. The BNC-3M can apparently be used as a "BIC Lighter", if you modify it.
Cook an ammo carrying mech, and it can kill it outright from just ammo cook-off's. In late game, I could see it being really useful flanking wide and going for their LRM boats
Actually I saw one pre-release video where a Firestarter got Head Hit Pilot Injured, twice in the same game. However the Firestarter had to get in a real vulnerable position to even get off a shot so it got concentrated fire very easily.
Not very efficiently though - not at least in the TT game. IIRC flamer creates more heat to the shooting mech than to the one it is targeting... They are great at barbecuing infantry though.
In this game they produce zero heat on the user, so they are very efficient, if you can live long enough to get in close, stay in close, and use them.
It will be interesting to see how Ace Pilot works in release.
If you can still reserve to last, run up, flame, then go first, flame, run away, flamers will be very useful.
If you can still reserve to last, run up, flame, then go first, flame, run away, flamers will be very useful.
That would be due to a weapon rolling a hit on the head, not because of the heat. The stock Firestarter has machine guns, so they're good at fishing for head hits, but you can't just rely on heat to take out a mech by itself.