Silenced_Sonix
11/26/03 02:09 PM
168.209.97.34
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OK, after playing several games with a Clan 'Mech using an XL engine, and reading on that Dual Engine idea, I thought of something - bear with me if it has been mentioned before.
The Fusion Calibrator takes up one critical in any torso that contains engine criticals, and weighs 0.5 tons for the Clans, 1 ton for the IS. How it works is quite simple:
1 - take the 'Mechs original engine rating (ie weight X walking MP)
2 - divide this value by the number of engine criticals the 'Mech has, and only for engines that occupy more than just the CT. For example - the Madcat has an ER of 375, and ten engine criticals, so each critical effectively generates (375/10) = 37.5 Sectional Engine Points (SEP's)
3 - now choose which side torso you are de-activating - either one or both side torsos can be powered down. A deactivated torso can be reactivated at any time, unless more than three of it's criticals have been hit - that part of the engine is then effectively destroyed, and cannot be reactivated. Once you have decided which torso to deactivate, you may move around that turn and fire weapons, but the shutdown of the specified engine section will be halted if your internal heat (not excess) rises above ten. By the next turn, the heat restriction will be gone, and the 'Mech's heat capabilities will be as normal. Now, count how many engine criticals you still have left and multiply it with the 'Mech's SEP per critical. For example, if you took the Madcat and shut down both side sections, the 'Mech will now have a ER of (37.5 X 6) = 225. Now take this new, smaller value and divide it by the 'Mech's weight to get it's new walking MP, and the running and sprinting MP's too. For the Madcat, this would now be (225/75) = 3 walking MP. For reactivating a section (both can be deactivated in one turn, but can only be brought back online one section at a time), the same heat restrictions apply - internal heat cannot rise above ten, or the reactivation will be aborted, and the player would have to try again the next turn.
(note: the central engine section cannot be shut down)
In conclussion:
The use of the FusCal is very evident to me. If you take engine hits in your side torsos, something that happens quite often with XL and XXL engines, your heat levels tend to spike drastically, and the 'Mech's overall survivabilty goes down quite a bit. Using the FusCal, you can now isolate the side parts of the 'Mech's engine, effectively reducing its power and speed in the progress, but not taking any heat penalties from any damaged engine criticals. If one of the side torso engines take two hits for example, you can use the FusCal to simple disconnect that part of the engine, shutting only that part of it down and essentially getting rid of those heat penalties. Since those criticals are then seen as 'offline', damage to them does not influence the 'Mech, even when the entire torso gets blown off in combat or through ammo explosions. The 'Mech's speed will be severely hampered, but the 'Mech will be able to stand up to much, much more damage than normal.
Anyhow, that's how I see it - anybody got tips or comments?
Evolve or Die
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tgsofgc
11/26/03 02:25 PM
67.4.203.207
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I think for the weight and space it takes up it is broken. It makes xl/xxl engines almost always a better choice than standard engines cause in worse case scenario you are running on an engine approximately the size you would with out the weight saving. I think at bare minimium the weight/space of the thing needs to be proportional to engine rating or mech weight.
I find that 'pinpoint' accuracy during a bombing run increases proportionally with the amount of munitions used.
-Commander Nathaniel Klepper,
Avanti's Angels, 3058
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Silenced_Sonix
11/26/03 02:55 PM
168.209.97.34
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Dunno if I mentioned it above, but that's just the rough outline - your balance issue is a very valid point. As for wieghts and criticals, I just thought of something else: how about making each side torso that carries an engine carry a FusCal, weighing in at one ton per two criticals of engine in that torso, and takes up one critical per two tons of FusCal. That way, if you have an IS XXL engine, a side compartment would have the six engine criticals, plus a FusCal that weights three tonnes and takes up two criticals (rounded up). How's that for a better balance? The Clan variant would obviously be somewhat better.
Evolve or Die
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tgsofgc
11/26/03 06:10 PM
67.4.199.64
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I still think the weight/space needs to relate more to engine size, mainly because the mechs that get the biggest advantage from this are those that use huge xl or xxl engines as appose to those whom use more moderately sized engines and either:
1. Don't save as much tonnage from xl/xxl
2. A few hits and they'd be so slow to basically be imobile anyways.
I definately think your moving in the right direction though 
I find that 'pinpoint' accuracy during a bombing run increases proportionally with the amount of munitions used.
-Commander Nathaniel Klepper,
Avanti's Angels, 3058
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