Why is the Crusader the most paper thin mech?

[Argonisgema]

i swear this new mech added with the rise of rasalhague dlc is made out of paper mache.
Every mission i have taken this mech out on even on lower level missions it comes back with both an arm or two broken and its internals ready to break apart the seams.

[phfor]

Try taking a Jagermech out for a spin.

[pete]

too many Heavy missile systems

[Argonisgema]

This is a consistent thing too. Like this is a heavy mech right? it suppose to have some kick to it, have armor, be able to take a punch. It looks like a mech i can have charge right in a clobber someone right out but nope.

[phfor]

"Heavy" is just a designation of weight class - specifically a mech of 60-75 ton. Some mech will be armour plated to the days (Cataphracts ughhhh), but others are fire support mechs with basically non-existant armour (Catapults, Jagermechs being the reallly notable ones). What they don't have in armour, they'll have traded into engine and/or firepower.

[pRaX]

It actually has pretty broken hitboxes in the editor and there is something else going on that it attracts more aggro than it should.
Someone was very hasty or lazy. Or both.
I mean, even the Crusader Hero Crael doesn't spawn in the shops without using a mod fix.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2928742463 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2928742500 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2928744724
Source of images: Rumia (Piratetech Author)

[Rotiart]

It's actually quite simple. It's too efficient for it's own good. Slap 4 SRMs on that thing in the early game and you suddenly have the most terrifying mech on the field, it will knock every other mech in your lance out of the park in terms of damage. Hence, it attracts more fire.

[Sedmeister]

I run it with 4xSRM6, two medium lasers and two machine guns.

However, whilst it hits like an angry bull, and whilst I regularly use my three lance mates to tank whilst I close, I rarely come back without a machine gun or laser damaged, if not destroyed, if not the whole arm blown off. There is serious AI seem focus on the Crusader.

[pRaX]

Originally posted by Sedmeister:

I run it with 4xSRM6, two medium lasers and two machine guns.

However, whilst it hits like an angry bull, and whilst I regularly use my three lance mates to tank whilst I close, I rarely come back without a machine gun or laser damaged, if not destroyed, if not the whole arm blown off. There is serious AI seem focus on the Crusader.

Yeah, it's why I said there is something else going on and I'm far from alone with this. Especially around modders.
Rotiart's suggestion would normally make sense but there is also the Kintaro for example.
People did some testing with basicly including KIntaros with the same loadouts into a Lance and yet the Crusaders get still focused.

But the whole "paper thin armor" thing is a hitbox issue as I posted above with visual aid.

[Argonisgema]

We;; i'm using Yaml so i'm wondering if i should try to make the mech more tankier by putting armor modules on it and forgoing some weapons.
That or just give up on it and stick with soemthing better like a kintaro.

[Sedmeister]

Originally posted by Argonisgema:

We;; i'm using Yaml so i'm wondering if i should try to make the mech more tankier by putting armor modules on it and forgoing some weapons.
That or just give up on it and stick with soemthing better like a kintaro.

I love the Kintaro, but I have to run it with SRM4's otherwise it runs too hot. The Crusader, because it has an extra 10 tons over the Kintaro let's me do SRM6's but there's enough weight for heat sinks to also manage heat well. So it hits harder than the Kintaro.

But yeah, armour and AI magnet. Especially the arms.

[Argonisgema]

also another funny thing. i got the mech just out of nowhere. like it was just given to me cause i bought the DLC and i haven't seen any other one or different variants at all.
I was reading the wiki and it says that these mechs are actually very common so i'm guessing i just have terrible lock getting more then one.

[Grubfist]

AI like to focus-fire one piece at a time if they notice it's getting damaged. If you knock an enemy arm into structure, stop firing and notice how your lancemates will usually be firing specifically at that arm.

Now combine that with the fact the Crusader's arms, while decently armored for its weight category, are HUGE. They are MASSIVE targets. They will eat all fire aimed at the mech because they are just ♥♥♥♥♥♥' gigantic.

I've used the Crusader 3R well as a close-range fighter, but I gotta use cover to approach and wait til I'm close before firing all the weapons (and then punching the ♥♥♥♥ out of them with the arena fists).

[Eagle_of_Fire]

This is pretty much a problem for every single mech which has weapons in its arms. And this one has the highest DPS weapons of the game (SRMs) available in its arms.

Personally... I don't even consider running this mech worthwhile in my lance. Its tonnage is not high enough to warrant this amount of firepower on a facetank basis. And I'm certainly not a fan at risking losing weapon systems on a dice roll every mission.

[Sedmeister]

Originally posted by Eagle_of_Fire:

This is pretty much a problem for every single mech which has weapons in its arms. And this one has the highest DPS weapons of the game (SRMs) available in its arms.

Personally... I don't even consider running this mech worthwhile in my lance. Its tonnage is not high enough to warrant this amount of firepower on a facetank basis. And I'm certainly not a fan at risking losing weapon systems on a dice roll every mission.

Yeah but I love it! That's why, ever since the update, I but medium lasers, machine guns and SRM6 launchers every time I hit an industrial hub!

[Rotiart]

Originally posted by Sedmeister:

Originally posted by Eagle_of_Fire:

This is pretty much a problem for every single mech which has weapons in its arms. And this one has the highest DPS weapons of the game (SRMs) available in its arms.

Personally... I don't even consider running this mech worthwhile in my lance. Its tonnage is not high enough to warrant this amount of firepower on a facetank basis. And I'm certainly not a fan at risking losing weapon systems on a dice roll every mission.

Yeah but I love it! That's why, ever since the update, I but medium lasers, machine guns and SRM6 launchers every time I hit an industrial hub!

I find it works better and more simply with flamers, mgs, and srms. Two of those are basically the same and serve as backup weapons to help conserve your SRMs. Don't have to worry about mismatched flamer/mg tiers either if your arms do fall off.