User:JPArbiter/Why LAMs in BattleTech don't make sense

(Other titles include "Why do LAMs in BattleTech Suck" and "One person's general bitch-fest about LAMs".)

Why weight saving and capability enhancing materials in Battletech can't work for Land Air Mechs

Most advanced construction equipment and techniques would not work because LAM's change their shape as part of normal operation.

Stealth systems in particular are infuriating because stealth in the real world is HIGHLY dependent on shape of the vehicle, contrary to what some twit who wants to avoid speeding tickets might say, it's not just a coat of paint. Meanwhile, Chameleon and Void Systems are dependent on the user staying still, which is the opposite of what LAMs Want. much like launching a ballistic missile horizontally, "why would you want to?"

Don't even get me started on deploying Partial Wings. LAMs already have that, it is called Air-Mech Mode

Outside of fiction and handwaving justification, it all comes down to gameplay mechanics. The experience of LAMS for the most part has been that there has never been a means for LAMs to be balanced. Battlemech mode goes unused, and Aerospace mode seems to exist for most players as a role playing excuse to insert from Orbit to surface without a Dropship landing or a Drop Pod being deployed.

The Defense Ecominics behind Land-Air-Mech Obselescence

The Real World, practical, gameplay experience on LAM's is that players park those things in Air-Mech mode, ramp up the TMM to levels that make them invincible for all practical purposes, and if not win, then not lose long enough the other player gives up. The rules have never achieved a proper balance. Starting of silly and only really in the end reaching the level where a player putting ONE LAM on the table would not get them punched in the face by somebody.

LAMs are neat. If the player base had any sense of self control, I would love to see Clan Snow Raven deploy a LAM Galaxy spread as "Marines" among its warship fleet (So Galaxy only exists as an administrative body, most ships would get 1-3 Stars, 5-15 Units). But the last time I saw a guy want to deploy a LAM Said machine was a 100% Custom Job with an XXL Engine, Ferro-Lamellar Armor (to protect against LBX Hits), a full list of quirks with no negatives 1/1 pilot, Clan Tech, enhanced imaging, Dual Cockpit (because it was in that book that one time) AND the Phantom Mech Ability. This was before Interstellar Ops, so the "no advance Materials" rule was not available yet.

I wish I was joking about that.

He got to go home early, because nothing should be rocking a +13 To Hit Modifier for merely existing. The fiction explanation for LAM's finally fizzling out, in that the defense economics of LAMs just could not justify the soft factor expense of their mantaince, repair, pilot, and crew training. It neatly ties the question up. and outside of Star League Era games, you don't even have to worry about it. everyone get's thier cake and can eat it too in the right circumstances.