I have tried so very hard to like jump jets but I just dont can not find a use for them. Only time was during the one of the last missions in campain where you had to take out some turrets in 12 turns or so that saw the need. Started a career game on friday and while have a Shadowhawk equipped with jump jets i end up with not using. So please is there any use for jump jets?
Jump jets
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Very much so!
They generate a lot of evasion and on water maps this is basically without penalty.
They let you jump right over people for rear shots.
They allow flanking or retreating over normally impassable terrain, it's very easy to find cover if you can simply jump over something and hide behind it.
Personally for light and medium mechs I always have at least 3, simply to deal with terrain that can trap you in tactically poor positions.
They generate a lot of evasion and on water maps this is basically without penalty.
They let you jump right over people for rear shots.
They allow flanking or retreating over normally impassable terrain, it's very easy to find cover if you can simply jump over something and hide behind it.
Personally for light and medium mechs I always have at least 3, simply to deal with terrain that can trap you in tactically poor positions.
Personally I prefer weapons and heat sinks over jump jets but they can be useful for light and medium mechs
I used to be like this, then on several seperate occassions I had individual mechs caught in places where they couldn't follwo the rest of the lance because of the lack of Jump Jets. At that point I decided to always have just enough minimum to get out of spots, once I had them I found I used them frequently, even if it's just to generate LOS and to hit bonuses from height.
They're pretty useful on just about any mech for reasons listed above except for dragons and quickdraws which are at a weird point in the weight breakpoint spot (is bad).
Depending on how the player prefers to battle, one should consider if it's ok to add jump jets to slow moving mechs (Hunchie 4G with the AC/20 as an example, to give it a serious boost in manoeuvrability to backstab). The usual build of the 'Hopper with all Medium Lasers and Machine Guns or Small Lasers is better served with the 4 Jump Jets in order to get into range not only faster but also safest. The Blackjack with the two AC/2 is also better used with the 4 Jump Jets to allow it to reach higher ground and/or flank easily. However, I also usually remove the Jump Jets from my Catapults in order to give them bigger launchers or heatsinks or other equipment, so long as their main use is spitting LRM's.
For the 55 ton mechs, considering how fast they are, it's entirely on how the player wants their loadout to be used, since due to their speed it is easy to move them into whatever range the player wants them at. For me, long range direct fire mechs always take at least 2 Jump Jets to make it easier to position them.
Beyond 85 tons, though, using Jump Jets are seriously debatable due to the sacrifice in weight. Except on the Highlanders, of course!
For the 55 ton mechs, considering how fast they are, it's entirely on how the player wants their loadout to be used, since due to their speed it is easy to move them into whatever range the player wants them at. For me, long range direct fire mechs always take at least 2 Jump Jets to make it easier to position them.
Beyond 85 tons, though, using Jump Jets are seriously debatable due to the sacrifice in weight. Except on the Highlanders, of course!
I don't generally add jump jets to 'Mechs that don't have them stock, and I don't generally strip them off 'Mechs that do have them stock.
I do find that having jump jets adds greater mobility, enables higher evasion (four to six evasion chevrons generally means the AI only fires a single weapon at you), allows you to re-position without worrying about firing arcs (you can choose your facing after a jump), and last but not least, enables the one true desperation move we have: Death from Above.
I do find that having jump jets adds greater mobility, enables higher evasion (four to six evasion chevrons generally means the AI only fires a single weapon at you), allows you to re-position without worrying about firing arcs (you can choose your facing after a jump), and last but not least, enables the one true desperation move we have: Death from Above.
A use? Yes. And for all the reasons listed above.
A necessity? No.
Jump Jets enable what I like to characterize as Cavalry Tactics - High Evasion, High Mobility but at a cost.
Going with extra Heat Sinks and Armor, permits a just as effective set of Infantry Tactics. Base of Fire, Maneuver Elememts, Support by Fire, etc.
It’s all in the manner of BATTLETECH gameplay you find most fun. And HBS has ensured there is more than enough Big and Stompy FUN to go around to go around for us all. : )
I do, but rarely proportionally , take units without them.
JJs are very useful. As explained above. Especially for LOS control and flanking for vulnerable damage facings in addition to excellent evasiveness.
JJs are very useful. As explained above. Especially for LOS control and flanking for vulnerable damage facings in addition to excellent evasiveness.
Jump Jets prove so useful to my tactics in BATTLETECH that I load them up on just about every Mech I own, even my 100-ton Assaults. Being able to quickly and efficiently reach the Side Arcs of my AI or Multiplayer Opponents has won me plenty of matches... and lost me my fair share of matches too, when my Opponent had the Jump Jet Advantage over me.
#JumpJets4Everyone!
IMO Jump jets are far better for heavies and assaults than for light mechs (meds are mid ground), because very fast mechs can compensate hard terrain in part just by superior movement speed. And even if they weight less for them JJs still cost a big percentage of your total available plus you won't have the ability to cool down big jumps properly because (again) lack of available weight.
Assault JJs weight more but you still can afford it and you also can much more easily afford the extra heat they generate. Assaults will be crippled by slow/impassable terrain, JJs allow them to circumvent that plus you can change your facing at no extra cost for optimal firing or taken damage. They're superb for maintaining the desired range, for stablishing or breaking weapon/vision/sensor range, so superb for hit & run, for jump + alpha -> alpha, for jump + alpha -> alpha + jump (Ace Pilot hit & run), for alpha + jump -> alpha + jump (Ace Pilot jumpy LRM boat, untouchable). They're excellent for offensive purposes, you arrive before where you need to (and with optimal facing), and even better for defense (breaking LoS). You can very easily exploit the AI having JJs in all your heavy/assault non pure LRM boat mechs and cheese most missions. Oh, and as a bonus you get a bit of extra evasion.
With JJs you can cheese many five skull missions with just one assault, and hard but doable with one heavy. That wouldn't be possible without them, at least for me, even if you add some extra firepower. To a large extent they allow you to dictate when and how is the engagement going to happen. And the fact the AI don't have them in all their mechs but you can if you want is a HUGE advantage.
I started going with a house rule of "No adding jump jets to non-stock mechs" because I put jump jets on everything.
A max armor, medium laser SRM6 Stalker is great but max out some jump jets on it and you have a rear arc slaying unholy terror. Everything, well except the 60 ton mechs due to game mechanics, are better with jump jets. Assault mechs are especially good due to the massive increase in mobility they gain. 3/5 speed hindered by terrain is nigh painful to move into position, but with three jump jets you float like a butterfly and hit like a truck.
The extra evasion gained is also a huge boon. Add in 'Sure Footing' and level 10 piloting and you can make a 4/6/4 Battlemaster a nimble ninja who dodges missiles like Neo.
A max armor, medium laser SRM6 Stalker is great but max out some jump jets on it and you have a rear arc slaying unholy terror. Everything, well except the 60 ton mechs due to game mechanics, are better with jump jets. Assault mechs are especially good due to the massive increase in mobility they gain. 3/5 speed hindered by terrain is nigh painful to move into position, but with three jump jets you float like a butterfly and hit like a truck.
The extra evasion gained is also a huge boon. Add in 'Sure Footing' and level 10 piloting and you can make a 4/6/4 Battlemaster a nimble ninja who dodges missiles like Neo.
I too am a Jump Jet Addict. I can see it now...
Walking into a Jump Jet Anonymous Meeting and saying, “My name is PH, and I am a Jump Jet addict. May Kiva grant me the Serenity to accept Stock-only Jump Jets, the Courage not to embrace customized Jump Jets, and the Sarna-Wisdom to know the difference.”
Just note mates the sweet spot for JJ number is 3, which allows you to jump ~5 hexes away for 20 heat cost. 4th and 5th JJ adds only 1 hex to jump distance, heat increases to 24-28.
Next sweet spot is from 6 to 7 JJ, which adds +2 hexes distance (~8 -> ~10), but if I'm correct that's available only for Spider, Locust and Jenner.
Single JJ allows to jump up to ~2 hexes which should be enough to jump off a cliff.
Next sweet spot is from 6 to 7 JJ, which adds +2 hexes distance (~8 -> ~10), but if I'm correct that's available only for Spider, Locust and Jenner.
Single JJ allows to jump up to ~2 hexes which should be enough to jump off a cliff.
Well, the grognard in me does prefer to wait for a mech to need repair before doing big changes. But that's off-topic.
There is nothing wrong with a conventional movement strategy, it's also effective, as are jump jets.
I prefer the added mobility when I have the option.
So in short it is better to use on the Assault mechs and your playstyle. No surrender no retreat i mean why need JJ to retreat then? Use it to jump behind enemies to perform strikes? I am no ninja. But can see the need yesterday when tried on a 3 skull mission and ended up with commander and one other pilot in sick bay for 94 days. Back to 2,5 now until can get my hands on a second heavy. Thank you will try out.
I generally could take them or leave them when configuring my lance, however I will say that they do come in handy from time to time.
In my current play through, I have an Urbanmech. The JJs are the ONLY way to gain evasion without sprinting with green MechWarrior. If I move I get nothing, but if I jump, I at least generate two chevron.
Also, if it is a mission like Ambush Convoy, there are some instances where jumping covers a lot of ground and still allow you to shoot the convoy in pursuit.
Of course there is DFA too which is always a crowd pleaser
Overall, I do like it for evasion or the occasional positioning. In the prison mission in the capaign for example, it allows things like addressing turret generators early.
Do I need JJs, not really. I have been known to remove them for armor or cooling before. Still, I do tend to find occasions they come in handy. Overall, its a give or take for me.
In my current play through, I have an Urbanmech. The JJs are the ONLY way to gain evasion without sprinting with green MechWarrior. If I move I get nothing, but if I jump, I at least generate two chevron.
Also, if it is a mission like Ambush Convoy, there are some instances where jumping covers a lot of ground and still allow you to shoot the convoy in pursuit.
Of course there is DFA too which is always a crowd pleaser
Overall, I do like it for evasion or the occasional positioning. In the prison mission in the capaign for example, it allows things like addressing turret generators early.
Do I need JJs, not really. I have been known to remove them for armor or cooling before. Still, I do tend to find occasions they come in handy. Overall, its a give or take for me.
Which is why I said that it's debatable. I agree with you on everything but, ultimately, it's about how a player prefers to. Personally, above 85 tons I only have Highlanders with their three stock Jump Jets, for every other mech I prefer to have more/bigger whatever else.