Now whether a game with the 3025-lore correct weight distribution of 'Mechs (30% lights - almost all of them Wasps, Stingers, and Locusts, 40% mediums, 20% heavies, and less than 10% assaults) would be fun, well, that's a subjective opinion. I think I would enjoy it, since I much prefer the pre-heavies part of the game anyway, but your mileage on that will inevitably vary. Some people just want to stomp around in assaults, and who am I to deny them that pleasure?
Just for reference, the above weight distribution would mean an average 'Mech company would consist of
Now of course not all 'Mech companies are average, and what's saying you're not the one with the 12 assaults, right? That's fine, we want to have fun the way we want to have fun and I'm not going to tell anyone how to enjoy their game.
- 4 lights
- 5 mediums
- 2 heavies
- 1 assault
But lore-wise, the game leans way, way too heavily to the heavies and assaults. Almost ridiculously so - The Black Widow Company, perhaps the most famous of all mercenary companies, didn't have a single assault 'Mech in their 3025 line-up:
That's 6 heavies, 2 mediums, and 4 lights - not an average company by any means, but not the 12 assaults we routinely get to in the game either.
- Command Lance: Warhammer, Marauder, Crusader, Griffin
- Fire Lance: Archer, Archer, Wasp, Stinger
- Recon Lance: Rifleman, Phoenix Hawk, Stinger, Stinger
Another example, McKinnon's Raiders:
Again, not a single assault in sight. Four heavies, four mediums, and four lights.
- Command Lance: Marauder, Warhammer, Phoenix Hawk, Stinger
- Medium Lance: Crusader, Phoenix Hawk, Rifleman, Wasp
- Recon Lance: Griffin, Shadowhawk, Wasp, Stinger
Final example, Cranston Snord's Irregulars:
Six heavies, three mediums, three lights. Not a single assault.
- Command Lance: Archer, Warhammer, Thunderbolt, Wolverine
- Attack Lance: Rifleman, Rifleman, Shadow Hawk, Crusader
- Recon Lance: Phoenix Hawk, Wasp, Wasp, Locust
These are the kinds of mercenary companies that exist in 3025 BattleTech (the lance compositions are from the three first publishedflashpointsscenario packs, Tales of the Black Widow, The Fox's Teeth, and Cranston Snord's Irregulars), and are a big part of what made me love the setting (the lore!) in the first place. The BattleTech universe in 3025 is decidedly NOT filled with assault 'Mechs, and that's the way I like it
Dare to dream...
I have the same problem with variety in the physical world.
I'm trying to put together a mech company in 1/72 scale, and man is it frustrating. You'd think it would be easy, since 3025 is all about the Unseen, and every mech you listed from those venerable companies has been released as a model kit, but unfortunately the scales are all completely wrong for Battletech.
The Wasp, Stinger, Valkyrie, Phoenix Hawk, and Crusader are all Battroids (or based on Battroids), so they're all the same size, which is huge. The Rifleman, Longbow, Warhammer, and Archer are all Destroids, so they're also roughly the same size, which is a good deal smaller than the Battroids. The Marauder is a Glaug, which is absolutely enormous. The Griffin, Shadow Hawk, Thunderbolt, Battlemaster, Scorpion, Goliath, and Wolverine are from the Dougram TV show, and all are scaled smaller than the mechs from Robotech/Macross.
So, for instance, in 1/72 scale a Wasp is the same size as a Crusader, and both are much larger than a Warhammer, which is the same size as a Rifleman or a Longbow but much smaller than a Marauder and a good deal larger than a Battlemaster. You can drop the Battroids down to 1/100 scale, but then the Wasp is about the same size as a Griffin or a Shadow Hawk, although it probably looks pretty good next to a Wolverine, which is the same size as a Battlemaster. You could drop all the way down to 1/144 scale for a Wasp or Stinger, but then the heads would be way, way too small to represent cockpits for 1/72 scale figures, and the mechs might even be too small overall. And frequently the only way to know for sure is to buy the kits, many of which are both old and expensive (due to scarcity, not quality).
Sigh...
I'll eventually get there, but I think I'm going to have to accept a company where the only light is a slightly too big Locust and the scales are wonky across the board. I want to see the Unseen in the game, but I want some new, properly scaled Battletech model kits even more. Alas, it's never gonna happen.
