CtA is not the worst DLC anymore...

[pRaX]

Dragon's Gambit took that crown.
I actually didn't think this was possible but here we are.

*EDIT*
The free update that came with it also managed to take it's own crown of being the worst one of the free updates.

[Bovril Brigadier]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Cursed Hawkins:

the lore itself resulting in a bunch of Longbows to be destroyed until only two were remaining in the 3030s before their Pheonix variants revitalized the mech's role with a more proper design

I think you mean factories. Only two were producing Longbows by 3039.
There were frankly bucketloads of Longbows around.

[Clever Name]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Cursed Hawkins:

Then you're not using them to fit their intended role, which seems rather appropriate given its current design is likely the one that cause a bunch of confusion in the lore itself resulting in a bunch of Longbows to be destroyed until only two were remaining in the 3030s before their Pheonix variants revitalized the mech's role with a more proper design, I keep them away from combat and behind my combat mechs as the artillery piece I know it is.

I think the real point here is that they had an opportunity to make at least one Longbow variant with a lot of missile slots, so we could do various things with it--and they didn't.

I didn't want copy-paste versions of the same Longbow with inconsequential weapon slot differences (one small laser slot, or not!), which is exactly what we got. I don't care about energy slot differences because missiles are the Longbow's bread and butter, and its missile slot sizes and amounts are all that really matters.

The fact that they arbitrarily expanded the torso missile slots even though all the non-hero mech variants they chose to include only have LRM5s in said locations--proves they can ignore lore when they want.

Therefore, having a variant with 4 large missile slots AND 4 small missile slots is something that should be doable. We could SRM boat, mix LRMs and SRMs, or do the 8xLRM5 thing.

That's the point. Give us options. Without having to use mods.

[pRaX]

Coming of the heels of RoR, I find the DG's mini-campaign pretty underwhelming.
In both presentation and mission design.
The lack of content in total in comparison to previous DLC is also quite apparent.
Many accused CtA of being a lazy cash grab and I'm of that opinion aswell myself but I'd say DG is an even bigger offender and yet they felt like charging more money for it.

I'm almost inclined this is intended to truly test the waters with how much, or rather how little, they can get away with.

[Bovril Brigadier]

Początkowo opublikowane przez pRaX:

Coming of the heels of RoR, I find the DG's mini-campaign pretty underwhelming.
In both presentation and mission design.
The lack of content in total in comparison to previous DLC is also quite apparent.
Many accused CtA of being a lazy cash grab and I'm of that opinion aswell myself but I'd say DG is an even bigger offender and yet they felt like charging more money for it.

I'm almost inclined this is intended to truly test the waters with how much, or rather how little, they can get away with.

PGI couldn't even be bothered to add the PNT-9ALAG, a Panther variant that notably took part extensively in the missions the DLC describes.

[pRaX]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Strayed:

PGI couldn't even be bothered to add the PNT-9ALAG, a Panther variant that notably took part extensively in the missions the DLC describes.

A Panther variant. Yikes. Thats really... disappointing.

*EDIT*

PNT-9ALAG
Prizing speed, the Amphigean Light Assault Groups modify their Panthers for speed, dropping the 9R's jump jets to make room for a larger engine to attain a maximum speed of 86.4 km/h BV (2.0) = 804

Man, no one can tell me that this wouldn't have been a very quick endeavour to add.

[Bovril Brigadier]

Początkowo opublikowane przez pRaX:

Początkowo opublikowane przez Strayed:

PGI couldn't even be bothered to add the PNT-9ALAG, a Panther variant that notably took part extensively in the missions the DLC describes.

A Panther variant. Yikes. Thats really... disappointing.

*EDIT*

PNT-9ALAG
Prizing speed, the Amphigean Light Assault Groups modify their Panthers for speed, dropping the 9R's jump jets to make room for a larger engine to attain a maximum speed of 86.4 km/h BV (2.0) = 804

Man, no one can tell me that this wouldn't have been a very quick endeavour to add.

Don't knock it, decent variant. There's also a few more variants of existing Mechs PGI ignored as well.
On that note:
PGI sets a DLC in War of 3039, a War where Combine shocked the Fed Suns by deploying SLDF 2750 Mechs and only counter they had were certain Merc units that had SLDF 2750 equipment themselves. PGI had literally the 2750 roster of Mechs to choose from quite a number of which would have added something unique and new to the game. Instead they give us the Longbow, a Mech whose function can literally be performed by the Stalker or Battlemaster BLG-1S, and thought that would be the only selling point they needed.

[Clever Name]

Does anybody have the stats of the Otomo mechs on hand?

I'm curious what the Charger's fitting options are.

***Edit: Nevermind, I looked it up. I don't understand the difference between the Charger-3K we already have and the Otomo version. It's a little slower, but the hardpoints look the same.

The Catapult, BattleMaster, and Dragon look okay. I mean their loadout potential, not their visuals. I couldn't care less about the Otomo's cosmetic changes.

[Bovril Brigadier]

Too lazy to update UE4 Editor and look at the game files but essentially they all had unique engine ratings giving them slightly different speeds and playable tonnage.
If I remember vaguely the Otomo Charger was actually a 1A9 Charger mixed with a 3K available earlier than it should be.

[Clever Name]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Strayed:

Too lazy to update UE4 Editor and look at the game files but essentially they all had unique engine ratings giving them slightly different speeds and playable tonnage.
If I remember vaguely the Otomo Charger was actually a 1A9 Charger mixed with a 3K available earlier than it should be.

Using my own calculations, the listed speed (on the MW5 site) of 76.95kph for the Otomo Charger would give it an engine rating of 380. Those weigh 41 tons versus the 400 rated engine's 52.5. Cut those numbers in half for an XL engine and we get 20.5 versus 26.25. Round the latter up to the nearest half ton.

That means the Otomo version saves 6 full tons versus the -3K. So where's all that free weight? Unless it doesn't use an XL engine at all....

Swapping out ferro for endo and reducing a regular engine from 400 to 380 will just about replicate the -3K. Slightly inferior armor protection and the minor loss in speed, but otherwise an identical mech. That must be it.

Dammit. I was hoping the Otomo Charger-3K would be a more radical change. It's not really an improvement unless you lose a side torso and then you'd save on repair bills.

[Clever Name]

Looking at all the Otomo variants, the BattleMaster stands out as the clear winner to me. It's like a standard BM, but with an LB10X. I consider the latter much more valuable than a PPC, so I would ditch the PPC and the SRM, upgrade each medium laser to pulse, and maybe add another med pulse where the PPC used to be. Use the remaining couple of free tons for sinks or armor. The result would be an extremely vicious brawler.

Second best is the Dragon. Not a riveting redesign, but having 2 missile slots in the CT is always welcome.

The Catapult with twin PPCs and twin AC/2s is a novel combination. So, I'll give it honorary mention here even if it's not a mech I'd personally like to use.

The Hatamoto is nothing special beyond having the heat sinking it always should've had. It is slightly faster than a regular Hatamoto, so I guess that's enough to justify using it.

The Charger and Mauler both leave me cold.

[Rotiart]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Clever Name:

Looking at all the Otomo variants, the BattleMaster stands out as the clear winner to me. It's like a standard BM, but with an LB10X. I consider the latter much more valuable than a PPC, so I would ditch the PPC and the SRM, upgrade each medium laser to pulse, and maybe add another med pulse where the PPC used to be. Use the remaining couple of free tons for sinks or armor. The result would be an extremely vicious brawler.

Second best is the Dragon. Not a riveting redesign, but having 2 missile slots in the CT is always welcome.

The Catapult with twin PPCs and twin AC/2s is a novel combination. So, I'll give it honorary mention here even if it's not a mech I'd personally like to use.

The Hatamoto is nothing special beyond having the heat sinking it always should've had. It is slightly faster than a regular Hatamoto, so I guess that's enough to justify using it.

The Charger and Mauler both leave me cold.

Really? You don't like the Mauler? It was by far my favourite Otomo. Very lethal brawler, more lethal than even the Battlemaster imo

[Mesond]

The problem is it's forcing the missions back to back. If you don't have a stocked up mech bay then you're going to struggle. It's "on the rails missions". And only the last one puts up a good fight. The rest are filler.

There was more tension in the last DLC. Family getting executed and that tough mission with the person that did for example. There was more suspense and at least 2 good fights.

Dragons Gambit comes across as a downgrade in that light. It keeps the missions going but the tension isn't there. It's just another day in the office. And we can't even side with the Davian. A merc is supposed to choose their side. It takes away the control from the player.

[Bovril Brigadier]

Bother to check the Otomos now and see what their internals are like:

BLR-1G-S
Engine - 330 XL
Structure - Standard
Armour - Standard
Heatsinks - Double

CPLT-K2-S
Engine - 245 XL
Structure - Endo
Armour - Standard
Heatsinks - Double

CGR-3K-S
Engine - 380 XL
Structure - Standard
Armour - Ferro
Heatsinks - Double

DRG-1G-S
Engine - 300 XL
Structure - Standard
Armour - Standard
Heatsinks - Double

HTM-26T-S
Engine - 350 XL
Structure - Standard
Armour - Standard
Heatsinks - Double

MAL-MX90-S
Engine - 310 XL
Structure - Standard
Armour - Standard
Heatsinks - Double

and as a bonus

LGB-HS
Engine - 340 XL
Structure - Standard
Armour - Standard
Heatsinks - Double

[Clever Name]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Rotiart:

Really? You don't like the Mauler? It was by far my favourite Otomo. Very lethal brawler, more lethal than even the Battlemaster imo

Just going by what I can see on the MW5 site, by default it has two LRM10s, 6 machine guns, and two large lasers in the arms.

That means 2 medium or large missile slots, 6 small ballistic slots, and 2 large energy slots. None of that says 'brawler' to me, aside from the obvious machine guns. But I've never really been into machine guns. Not outside of MWO, anyway.

A true brawler, by my definition, would have at least 4 med lasers, 4 SRM6s, and the 6 machine guns on top of all that.

[Clever Name]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Strayed:

Bother to check the Otomos now and see what their internals are like:

CGR-3K-S
Engine - 380 XL
Structure - Standard
Armour - Ferro
Heatsinks - Double

Thanks for all that.

Going back to the Charger though, once again I'm confused. It does have an XL, so why did they bother with the downgrade from the original -3K's 400 engine?

It saves 6 tons. If, because the walking speed isn't quite 5 anymore, the jump jet maximum is reduced from 5 to 4 (I'm not sure if they do this, just supposition), then that's another ton.

So what does the Otomo Charger do with 7 extra tons and the same loadout as the standard Charger-3K? Even if you max armor, that only accounts for 4 tons, still leaving 2 or 3 extra, depending on how many jets it has by default.

Is it just extra double sinks? So full armor and extra sinks are the main difference between the Otomo Charger and the regular -3K?

I really hate that single large missile slot. Wish it could've been different in the Otomo.