Is headcapping too powerful?

[Kereminde]

Possibly, but the concept is a way to balance the reduction to headshot %, while keeping the Marauder dangerous/lethal as in the lore.
But I guess what is the break point for it not to be abused.

Most here would ignore it anyway because it is no longer headshotting
Lighthearted tongue in cheek, not serious.

Well, what I have of the fluff is just through Sarna. I don't have Technical Readouts, as that's disposable money I just can't justify like I can rulebooks/sourcebooks

The Marauder was first built by General Motors in 2612 for use as an attack and direct fire support BattleMech. The first 'Mech to diverge from the traditional humanoid shape of previous machines, the Marauder was one of the most well-known 'Mechs in existence and originally meant to usher in a new generation of 'Mechs. Unfortunately, with the fall of the Star League, this new generation never quite materialized. On its own merits though, the Marauder was a devastatingly powerful 'Mech, outclassed only by larger machines like the Stalker and BattleMaster.

During the years of the Star League the Marauder was a favorite in the Gunslinger Program thanks to its tremendous firepower, while its advanced electronics endeared it to many battalion and regimental commanders. On the hellish battlefields of the Succession Wars, massed formations of Marauders proved devastating as shock units in breaking through enemy lines. However, the rarity of these 'Mechs (House Liao only fielded several hundred Marauders total in 2828) often meant they had to be paired with other, similar 'Mechs such as the Warhammer and Thunderbolt.

So, yeah, "shock unit" is more accurate than "assassin/headhunter". Where the HBS folks figured out the focus to be lethal and accurate shots is something I can't quite get - unless it's drawing from the "Command 'Mech" quirk.) I would like to hear more on this from them, but frankly I don't think it matters to this discussion. We've already determined the tabletop and lore does not actually matter with regard to this game, at this point in the discussion.

 

[Axterix13]

The Marauder is dangerous in lore because heavies are rare, it is one of the more common ones, and PPCs are good. In tabletop, though, it was another of those mechs that wasn't that great because it was designed around its looks, rather than to be functional, and therefore under-heatsinked. And here, heavies and assaults exist in droves, and what matters most is hard points and free tonnage.

But if using lore to justify it, then I'd say it makes it clear they messed up badly with the Marauder. And that's because in AI hands, it isn't dangerous/lethal. It keeps its bad heat venting ability, and the game compounds that by making PPCs worse, with higher heat. And so it is mostly a minor annoyance because of the 10% damage reduction. Only in the hands of players, who can min/max, who actually benefit from its game-warping mechanic, is it lethal. And there, it outshines other mechs that are supposed to be even more awe-inspiring/lethal.

Really, though, the problem is simple enough: 3.75x and 2.4x, coupled with the rate of inspiration gain. Those first two values, the one for Called Shot Mastery and the Marauder itself, are too high. Just a 1.5x multiplier for the Marauder would still have been a huge boon in terms of making it a called shot choice of mech. The 3.75 just makes called shots crazy in general, Marauder or not. The two combined? Silly. And when you then let the player use that silliness 2x a turn...

 

[Kereminde]

The Marauder is dangerous in lore because heavies are rare, it is one of the more common ones, and PPCs are good. In tabletop, though, it was another of those mechs that wasn't that great because it was designed around its looks, rather than to be functional, and therefore under-heatsinked. And here, heavies and assaults exist in droves, and what matters most is hard points and free tonnage..

That's also reflected in the tabletop, as Heavies and Assaults are only as rare as the table lets them be. Simple skirmish? Pheh, might as well not concern yourself with rarity. Campaign? As likely to turn up and wreck you as it is to be wrecked, depending on when it shows up. (If it does.) I like it, but mostly the MAD-3M variant which trades those PPCs for Large Lasers. Because that simple trade makes it considerably more useful. And sad to say, many of the iconic 'Mechs in 3025 were designed poorly when you step back and evaluate them from an objective viewpoint. But, well, it's 3025 - you use what you can get. Even if it's a Cicada.

All this said - I blame the OpFor coding for how terrible the Marauder turns out as an enemy. It behaves far too recklessly and doesn't seem to plan ahead. Taking it slow and having a plan does let you use the Marauder to a better effect, even without its quirks. And in a Lance with Thunderbolts, my goodness that can turn brutal fast if the Thuds can get out ahead and entangle the enemy.

And it's still dangerous for the same reason Backer Betas got to fear the Urbie. It can sit back and tag people at a pretty long range with its primary weapons Once you graduate into Assault chassis, it might not be as hazardous, but in BT you laugh at a 'Mech at your own peril.

Especially Cicadas. Can't wait if they ever solve being able to make Charge attacks

 

[Jolly Joker]

I fully agree with Axterix13.

 

[Orbitone]

The Marauder is dangerous in lore because heavies are rare, it is one of the more common ones, and PPCs are good. In tabletop, though, it was another of those mechs that wasn't that great because it was designed around its looks, rather than to be functional, and therefore under-heatsinked. And here, heavies and assaults exist in droves, and what matters most is hard points and free tonnage.

But if using lore to justify it, then I'd say it makes it clear they messed up badly with the Marauder. And that's because in AI hands, it isn't dangerous/lethal. It keeps its bad heat venting ability, and the game compounds that by making PPCs worse, with higher heat. And so it is mostly a minor annoyance because of the 10% damage reduction. Only in the hands of players, who can min/max, who actually benefit from its game-warping mechanic, is it lethal. And there, it outshines other mechs that are supposed to be even more awe-inspiring/lethal.

Really, though, the problem is simple enough: 3.75x and 2.4x, coupled with the rate of inspiration gain. Those first two values, the one for Called Shot Mastery and the Marauder itself, are too high. Just a 1.5x multiplier for the Marauder would still have been a huge boon in terms of making it a called shot choice of mech. The 3.75 just makes called shots crazy in general, Marauder or not. The two combined? Silly. And when you then let the player use that silliness 2x a turn...

It was dangerous in lore because of the unique arm-limb-gauntlet system and the torso design that makes it quite defensive, it was always one of the rarer heavy direct assault mechs because many were destroyed in the succession wars because of their frontline abilities against other mechs.
Yep PPCs are too weak in this game, in fact I make the stock ones more like PPC+ give them +5 heat damage on hit while for all lower the heat somewhere between 25 stock -30 (not stock) so the enemy AI is much more threatening with them like they should be.
But that PPC change does not help the Marauder when compared to the other mechs (including Warhammer where it is a flat 20% damage boost using energy weapons or Archers mass LRM clustering quirk combined with a scout using NARC+/++), and there is a breakpoint you do not take the Marauder over any of the other good heavies, especially when it comes to balance of headshot vs alphastrike high damage that also cores.

Part of the problem is the game engine is probably not complex enough to finesse several other options.
If the Marauder was forced to equip either 2xLL (can be lostech) or 2xPPC (again can be lostech) to enable the 35% bonus we would not be having this discussion as it would then mean you could only mount 1 type of AC to be effective generally in combat, its % lethal kill would be one of if not the lowest in the charts by Doctor Machete especially at 30% while also having heat generation considerations.

No-one has said at what % point they would switch from using their Marauder as headshot and wasting 30 resolve points to a stronger mech that has very high alpha damage and core at worst in 2 rounds, while also probably also being good against tanks/turrets/etc.

Edit:
But then the Battlemaster is not comparable to how it should be in lore or even compared to MWO due to how environment/objects do not work with firing angles/height relative to mech model in Battletech.
Marauder would also be much more effective in MWO if it is changed too much, but it is a different game although gives some insights.
But this is one of the more iconic unseen mechs late to the game, so should be celebrated in some way like the Warhammer.

 

[Jolly Joker]

At the current setup, if I wouldn't want to put on the new stuff for any reason, and I didn't have the ++stuff necessary for an ML/AC2 build I'd probably try the effect of 2 AC20s ONLY, both ++ versions, not necessarily with damage (stab damage is fine as well), if possible, and nothing else. Managable heat (48), kind of thinly armored, but also kind of very deadly. Headcap prob at the current rate and 95% hit prob, something around 55%, cover and bulwark no factor. That head kills with every second salvo - but if it doesn't headkill, the damage will be pretty serious.
That's the brutal version.

Then there is the ranged version. This would have the advantage of being able to try things AT RANGE. 2 LL and 2 AC/5, prefarably with with ++ damage, nothing else. Again, cover and bulwark no factor, well armored, 52 Heat, also managable. Headcap chance. At the current rate this gives a headcapping prob of roundabout 40%. However, the Mech will also deal 200 damage from range and targets quite precisely, so this would be a sniper. I don't think that this Mech should have a better probability than 25%, because it's such a solid thing - not spectacular, but SOLID, Weapon weight is 28 tons with 1 ammo for each AC/5, which means that you have great armor AND a fine shooting range.

If you wanted to make the Marauder lore-compatible, the quirk would have to be the opposite of what it is: Called shot bonus AGAINST it is halved or something like that. Of course, since you want your mechs not sitting on their behinds or being shut down, it would be a crappy quirk.

 

[Orbitone]

You will find it impossible to mount 2xAC20s while having the armour to close in/survive combat and the heatsinks to use it.
Like I said earlier in reality the only option like that is the UAC20+/++, which while cool is still situational when it is the most optimal relative to a vanilla build.

Actually the defensive trait as suggested would fit the Annihilator, because that is a defensive last line unit that should move incredibly slowly (changed for the game).
The Marauder is about the arms-gauntlet and the extra combat effectiveness they bring, while also the torso would spread damage due to its design and mech warrior shifting its angle rather than actual damage reduction.

Is 40% lethal alpha strike really a viable option for a headshot/build and using those 30 resolve points instead of using a strong mech doing high alpha damage and coring at worst in 2 rounds, if the initial headshot attack fails to be lethal then the 2 strike high alpha damage coring mech is actually notably better in terms of incapacitated success chance at this % level.

Edit:
It might be feasible if the Marauder was given a notably higher and worthwile flat cap % location for targeting anywhere else with Precision Strike/Called Shot Mastery compared to other mechs.

 

[Jolly Joker]

Look, you can't just jum from one assumption to the next. My last post was based on the assumption that there are no HM weapons allowed for whatever reasons, which is rather silly in the first place, but for the sake of the argument, IF NO HM weapons are allowed - so no UACs -, then going with 2 AC20s would be an option. I wouldn't go with heat sinks - 48 heat is no heat that neads heat sinks - it's basically 4 MLs. Sure, wouldn't be great, but ok - 2 AC20s are pretty massive. I would have no problems going with that, and decap or not, it's devastating.

The second build isn't a headshot build at all - it's a RANGED build, with AC5s and LLs, it's only 52 heat (that you can decrease, if you want), a very reasonable build exclusively without HM weapons, and it gives you a 40% headcapping chance as an added bonus (but the Marauder ability will make a called shot on every other location pretty much fully on target).

You shouldn't be able to make build with a certain characteristic in mind and get a 40% headcapping probability as a BYPRODUCT.

Lastly, you somehow didn't understand the quirk right. Called Shot Bonus halved is no DAMAGE reduction, but instead a FOCUS FIRE reduction, that is, even with Called Shot Mastery you couldn't get a 90% on CT Called Shot, bot only, say, 70. That would EXACTLY be about what the mech is supposed to be able to, but as I said, crappy quirk, with the AI not getting many called shot chances, and I also doubt that many people would even field a Marauder with that quirk.

 

[Orbitone]

Just looking back at the dev diaries to see their thoughts on the process and this was their approach to the mechs recently added including context for Marauder:
Important to note this is not all of them (not complete) just a synopsis at a higher-broad level.

The first Technical Readout I ever read formed the core of my love for BattleTech over the years. The tales of unit deployments and the capabilities of their ‘Mechs; where they excelled, and what their oddities were; ill-fated missions and triumphant victories. It was all fantastic world-building, and I felt that if we could tap into that in Heavy Metal, we’d be giving our players something special. Using the lore as reference, we brainstormed ideas for what each ‘Mech’s “special sauce” would be — something drawn from BattleTech history that spoke to the ‘Mech’s strengths on the battlefield. These would end up manifesting as special, fixed equipment on each ‘Mech that would change its gameplay.
........

Warhammer & Marauder
These are our special ‘Mech kids for a variety of reasons, and they share a similar stock loadout. Because of this I’ve decided to talk about them together. The Warhammer and Marauder are iconic in their design, and are equally notable in BattleTech lore — these ‘Mechs, and the MechWarriors who pilot them, have played an important role in nearly every major engagement in early BT history. It’s also no secret that we wanted to launch with these in 1.0 but couldn’t, so having them as part of the free update just made sense.

“Free” doesn’t mean that we wanted to invest less in making these ‘Mechs cool, however. To be frank, neither the Warhammer nor the Marauder are particularly exceptional in terms of stock weaponry and performance. There was a lot of personal desire to make sure that these ‘Mechs lived up to their canonical reputations, and that they each brought something to the table that no other BattleMech does.

In terms of the Warhammer: we decided to double down on the ‘Mech’s long-barrel PPC persona by giving it Optimized Capacitors that substantially boost the damage output of its Energy weapons. This helps to make up for its relatively low armor values, and goes a long way toward justifying its reputation as a vicious brawler.

The Marauder was a bit more of a challenge. Originally we wanted to lean into the concept of targeting refinement by having it do more damage against targets that it had already attacked. This wound up proving difficult because we didn’t have the capability to create relationships between units on the field, and adding that capability would’ve required a staggering rewrite to our combat system, savegame data, testing plans, etc. Instead, we decided to take another route and build on the Marauder’s noteworthiness as a command ‘Mech that often leads heavier units. This led us to the Lance Command Module, a specialized computer system that improves its lance’s reaction to incoming fire.

So the Precision Strike bonus is in place of the additional damage to previously targeted mech that required too much of an game engine rewrite.
I do like the idea and shame it could not had been done.
Still think they could move the team dmg reduction to the Battlemaster though.
Anyway please note this is not a complete detail of what went on, decision process-changes along the way,etc.

 

[Orbitone]

Look, you can't just jum from one assumption to the next. My last post was based on the assumption that there are no HM weapons allowed for whatever reasons, which is rather silly in the first place, but for the sake of the argument, IF NO HM weapons are allowed - so no UACs -, then going with 2 AC20s would be an option. I wouldn't go with heat sinks - 48 heat is no heat that neads heat sinks - it's basically 4 MLs. Sure, wouldn't be great, but ok - 2 AC20s are pretty massive. I would have no problems going with that, and decap or not, it's devastating.

The second build isn't a headshot build at all - it's a RANGED build, with AC5s and LLs, it's only 52 heat (that you can decrease, if you want), a very reasonable build exclusively without HM weapons, and it gives you a 40% headcapping chance as an added bonus (but the Marauder ability will make a called shot on every other location pretty much fully on target).

You shouldn't be able to make build with a certain characteristic in mind and get a 40% headcapping probability as a BYPRODUCT.

Lastly, you somehow didn't understand the quirk right. Called Shot Bonus halved is no DAMAGE reduction, but instead a FOCUS FIRE reduction, that is, even with Called Shot Mastery you couldn't get a 90% on CT Called Shot, bot only, say, 70. That would EXACTLY be about what the mech is supposed to be able to, but as I said, crappy quirk, with the AI not getting many called shot chances, and I also doubt that many people would even field a Marauder with that quirk.

I am making no assumptions at all just pointing out builds reality.
I quite clearly early on gave the figures/case (using the cool charts by Doctor Machete) on the vanilla builds and something that myself and Doctor Machete talked about including the ideal one.
If you notice I differentiate clearly my views on Lostech/UAC and vanilla, but your post seemed to be about enthusiasm of types of build because the ideal vanilla builds and their viability has already been covered in depth and shown in the charts with what are the ideal ones, anything else is more of a concept.
The AC20 build just does not work (especially as 2xAC20) and if you really want to go that concept route it has to be UAC20+, which I also pointed out is only better in the strongest DR situations relative to the ideal vanilla build, but it seems a fun concept build to play and makes use of the UAC20+/++.
The ideal vanilla builds can be seen discussed or in the charts earlier.

You mention the 2xLL and 2xAC5 in context of 40% headshot, so I am right to think this is your context.
You also do not suggest what that drops to if the enemy mech is braced or firing in cover.
And honestly again why would I waste 30 resolve points that if it fails lethal 1st strike is actually worst than a 2 strike strong mech with high alpha damage in terms of lethal success chance, it still has a notable chance to fail on the 2nd strike when the coring built mech is nearly guaranteed on its 2nd at these values.
It is not the best alpha strike type build going with the other good 75t mechs out there, nor is the 40% a great chance (still can fail 2nd strike as it will be under 80% lethality chance calculated using 2 attempts and that is ignoring how DR drops it) instead of a 2-strike coring build that will be high 90s, it is just being used as a case to weaken the Marauder and ends up being good at neither like this.

Edit:
Acknowledged charts by Doctor Machete.

 

[Axterix13]

Look, you can't just jum from one assumption to the next. My last post was based on the assumption that there are no HM weapons allowed for whatever reasons, which is rather silly in the first place, but for the sake of the argument, IF NO HM weapons are allowed - so no UACs -, then going with 2 AC20s would be an option. I wouldn't go with heat sinks - 48 heat is no heat that neads heat sinks - it's basically 4 MLs. Sure, wouldn't be great, but ok - 2 AC20s are pretty massive. I would have no problems going with that, and decap or not, it's devastating.

The No-HM weapons thing isn't silly at all. The Marauder is available to anyone with the base game, but HM weapons only to those with the expansion. So plenty of people who can have Marauders but no ultras.

 

[Jolly Joker]

I seem to be speaking Chinese.

These builds are not about headcapping at all. The Marauder isn't a very good mech, imo, when it comes to hardpoints, and no matter how you equip it, it will never be optimal, but always be no good alpha and or too much heat. You can make it a dedicated headcapper, if you want to, and there is nothing wrong with that notion, but headcapping as such shouldn't have that goos probabilities.

Now, you go out of your way to come up with conditions. No Heavy Metal Tech; what about cover, bulwark... In other words, you try and make the WORST CASE scenario and then point to the probs that are now not exorbitantly high, as if that was the naked reality.
Then I tried to point out that you can bypass cover and bulwark - and that has the aided plus that even if you don't decapitate every time (say, only every 2nd), that the damage will still be devastating (and conversely, if you do NOT call a shot, the damage will STILL be devastating). That's 2 AC20s for you, and, yes, the build works. It allows still decent armor - and someone who#d willingly drop the HM stuff might even be inclined to go for that. Double AC20 has something satisfyingly primitive. Of course, it works. Keep in mind that those AC20s shut down mechs.

The other build is a build - I repeat it - that is made with even more restriction on HM and with the focus on having a mech dealing punctual damage over some range - no LRM boat, but a clubber from afar. You should get 200 damage with 2 LLs and 2 AC5s. Of course you CAN add 2 ML++, if you want to, but I wouldn't with such a build. Too much heat, when the MLs fire, and only effective at closer range, just too much of the wrong kind of temptation to do something wrong. Note that this has a comparable alpha than the 4ML,2AC2 build, however at greatly increased range and better overall utility. STILL, you get 40%, want it or not. If you add the 2 MLs, you are at the same probs as the other, massively more heat, but a lot more alpha and better chances to do away with mechs in cover.

Now. What you don't seem to realize is, that 40% FROM LONG RANGE isn't bad - if it doesn't work, you still deal sizable chunks of damage to other points. The chances to hit the head ONCE are greatly increased, at EIGHTY percent, actually, and that will not only injure the pilot, but also lay the groundwork that the next hit by even a regular ML to the head will and the mech. And you do that from big range.

Now. That's WORST CASE, remember? No HM weapons. Player is concerned about AI hugging too much cover or has too many bulwark pilots. It's no dedicated headcapping builds.

But still you have the option to fire one off, when you are so inclined - and have good chances to succeed, that's the point.

 

[Orbitone]

It has been covered in depth already and you took exception to me pointing out how situational it is to rely purely on 0% DR and need to factor in 1st strike against a braced mechs and also firing in cover (which Doctor Machete's charts do show), I also mentioned back then we can simplify the scenario ignoring Bulwark mech warriors as they should not be a high proportion spawned while they would also over complicate things.
You keep coming back to HM, I was the first to raise this in regards to vanilla build relative to lostech relative to UAC......
I also provided the figures using Doctor Machete's chart with that context, while also suggesting many players will start with pure vanilla weapons and gradually migrate to Lostech and possibly UACs (if at all) but with a heavy/critical consideration to how the new store option could impact this and players deciding to use it.
Pages 23 onwards covered this, a lot over the pages up to page 26.

40% in the context and meta I provided IS bad, you have a reasonably good chance not lethal shot 1st strike, and when factoring a 2nd strike would be UNDER 80% chance using such a figure, it is so much weaker than a 2-strike high damage coring mech build.
Under 80% chance to lethal headshot in 2 attempts compared to around 97-98% coring in 2 attempts with the right mech and vanilla++ weapons that does enough damage to be good at other things as well; I know where my 60 resolve points will be going.
The build presented with the 40% is unfortunately good at neither.

Edit:
To put to bed the 2xAC20 feasibility that keeps coming up.
To fit 2xAC20 with 3 tons of ammo means (cannot be less otherwise reduced to just 8 shots in the whole mission).
No heatsinks, no other weapons, no JJs, and an armour of 920, which is bad on a heavy for medium range combat facing heavies let alone some of the good assaults.

Hence why it is really only viable with UAC20+/++.

 

[Jolly Joker]

I disagree with you.
I also don't know on what grounds you are arguing - you don't use headshots, you don't use focussed long range weapons and you need your mechs to be armored to the max. Why argue against changes for things that have no meaning for you?

 

[KDubya]

I think that the solution is to change Morale. Instead of allowing Precision Shot twice per turn, restrict it to once every few turns. It should be a meaningful tactical decision when to use this powerful ability that the OPFOR does not get rather than a spammable twice a round default attack.

With that change you can leave the Marauder as is or tweak it if needed. Knock a mech down or heat shut down and you get headshots, you just need to work for it which seems like having and implementing a tactical plan to set up a devastating head shot would be a good thing in a tactical game.

Remember that before Heavy Metal and the Marauder's x2 Precision Shot you still used it twice a round to center core two mechs at a time. You killed as fast but got a lot less salvage. The new changes let you kill fast and get salvage which further breaks the game.

As long as the Marauder has better than the normal 18% it will be an auto pick. Make it so I can't shoot the head and I'll leg everything. The power is in picking the location for focus firing. Without that you need to employ better tactics and get flank or rear shots.

 

[Kereminde]

I seem to be speaking Chinese.

These builds are not about headcapping at all. The Marauder isn't a very good mech, imo, when it comes to hardpoints, and no matter how you equip it, it will never be optimal, but always be no good alpha and or too much heat.

The MAD-3M stock variant is pretty solid, though. It's not a Thunderbolt, but then again that beast is something else entirely. I've found good places to use it at the table, and in HBS' game the modification of "replace the PPCs with L Lasers and more heat sinks" does actually work out.

 

[Orbitone]

The MAD-3M stock variant is pretty solid, though. It's not a Thunderbolt, but then again that beast is something else entirely. I've found good places to use it at the table, and in HBS' game the modification of "replace the PPCs with L Lasers and more heat sinks" does actually work out.

Yeah,
but even you have commented much of this thread discussing the viability of the Marauder involved a min/max end-game meta to prove its lethality, meaning truly optimal builds otherwise might as well core, which tbh is also a min/max meta approach by many using the ideal mechs.
With that said 35% still would need tweaking to the 2x multiplier minimum, even then it is impossible for it to be truly balanced between the end-game optimal builds and what one starts with, along with the diversity of player freedom on deciding whether to use the new store option when it comes in, those without Heavy Metal,etc.

Kind of ironic the PPC in lore is scary for pilots to face but here it is meh, ok scary in lore until Clans lol.
Still a shame the Battletech game engine needed so much work to implement their original intent for the Marauder.

 

[Havamal]

Greetings Mechwarriors,

Please as community participants do not attempt to self moderate other community members on this forum, hijack threads, or attempt to dictate the terms of discussion, or comment at others personally rather than on points of discussion as these are inappropriate for this forum. Rather If anyone thinks something is wrong in a thread they are encouraged to use the report feature and let forum staff look into it.

I'm unfortunately getting deja vu from the repetition of some of the exact same mechwarriors and the exact same redundant back and forth posting between them as has been shared with little deviation across this thread.
A handful of thread participants have reached 50 posts in this thread through repetition.

Please consider: Community members are welcome and encouraged to express respectfully phrased criticism and negative opinions, but not to make it personal or wage a campaign in doing so.

Expressing one's criticism or opinion in a respectful manner is appreciated as it helps inform the entities of community interests as they make decisions going forward, even when the respectfully phrased criticism or opinion reflects an unhappy feeling.

However, it's not the same behavior as consistently posting the same negativity repeatedly in the same thread or especially across threads. Thats what would lead to such being either opinion spamming, or trolling others depending on civility.

Please, if you've already stated your personal thoughts minus further repetition, posturing attempts at bandwagoning, monopolizing discussion, or representing opinions as facts- then your position is noted on record: kindly move on and allow others to have their turn.
And I assure you, those who have cracked the 30-80 replies range in this thread have indeed already noted their opinion on record multiple times.

Thank you.

 

[Apocal]

The Marauder is dangerous in lore because heavies are rare, it is one of the more common ones, and PPCs are good.

Heavies are not rare in the lore. Assaults are, arguably, but taken together the two weightier classes equal the number of lights fielded in 3025. A typical Mech company could have four lights, five mediums and three heavies without being any kind of specialized, well-equipped or elite formation.

Spoiler

 

[Shrike]

Better try and get as much fun out of it, even it clearly makes getting salvage too easy, before the inevitable nerf to 25% in 1.9.

The problem with 18% called shot mastery making it too easy too take out CT's however might need a little work on. Especially with the abundance of moral later in the career.

I would imagine that the devs want the game to be fun as well as challenging, and for people who aren't very experienced in the game or simply want to collect as many mechs as possible called shot mastery must be a godsend (it was for me when I first started).

Maybe just a tweak in the difficulty section lowering the called shot accuracy if you so desire?