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If I had my way with Omnimechs...
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What do you think of these rules?
Way too harsh! This makes Omnimechs useless.
75%
 75%  [ 6 ]
Why even have them? What do they add to the game?
0%
 0%  [ 0 ]
OK, but too complex.
12%
 12%  [ 1 ]
Nice rule! Makes Omnimechs more realistic.
12%
 12%  [ 1 ]
Not harsh enough! Omnimechs are still overpowered!
0%
 0%  [ 0 ]
Total Votes : 8
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Kylo Kruis
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PostPosted: 31-May-2018 07:39    Post subject: If I had my way with Omnimechs... Reply to topic Reply with quote

I have always felt that Omnimechs were a little to powerful and versatile: you basically buy an armoured chassis and then fit (almost) any weapon you want onto it.

If it were up to me to decide Omnimech rules, I would add this to the standard ruleset as I feel it gives Battlemechs more of a chance and also makes Omnimech fitting more realistic:

Omnimechs must set aside tonnage equal to their weight divided by 20 (rounded up to the nearest 0.5 ton) due to their central computers needing to be compatible with any kind of weapon or equipment. This equipment must be mounted in the head and occupies 1 critical slot. This component may be armoured. If this slot is hit, roll 2D6. on a result of 2-3 or 11-12, this slot is destroyed and all weapons and equipment are rendered useless. The 'Mech can still move. On a roll of 4 or 10, roll as if determining a critical hit location but only weapons and equipment may be hit. The decided weapon or equipment is out of action for the remainder of the game. The weapon itself is not destroyed, but the connection from the central computer to the weapon is. If the Omnimech is being repaired, treat the difficulty of repairing this computer the same as repairing a sensor hit.

The cost of the computer is equal to the tonnage of the computer x 50,000.
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Mordel
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PostPosted: 31-May-2018 11:14    Post subject: If I had my way with Omnimechs... Reply to topic Reply with quote

The draw against OmniMechs if the added cost. Things need to be pods, and everything is Fixed in the base config. I don't think they're too overpowered at all. I personally think OmniMechs are perfect just the way they are.
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Sir Henry
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PostPosted: 31-May-2018 11:18    Post subject: If I had my way with Omnimechs... Reply to topic Reply with quote

One would think that the designers would take the connections into consideration. They would have secondary and tertiary connections so that one hit wouldn't disable the whole pod.
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PostPosted: 31-May-2018 17:56    Post subject: If I had my way with Omnimechs... Reply to topic Reply with quote

On a meta level, omnis are less powerful than current standard BattleMechs in that their configurations never vary the base chassis, whereas standard 'Mechs very often do. The suggested extra rules would make them heinously unattractive to the casual gamer.

There is some indication that in the very early days of Omnis, jump jets and CASE may not have been intended to be mounted in pods. That's the only restriction I still wish had been implemented.
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chihawk
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PostPosted: 01-Jun-2018 08:18    Post subject: If I had my way with Omnimechs... Reply to topic Reply with quote

1) Omnimechs are fine because it's not like you can change weapon loads during a battle.

2) There are now too many rules in this game to begin with.
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PostPosted: 01-Jun-2018 16:42    Post subject: If I had my way with Omnimechs... Reply to topic Reply with quote

In an era of space and weight juggling technologies, an Omni is unlikely to be as perfectly tuned as a purpose built standard mech (though it can come close).

Often, to be a good -omni-, the mech has to make choices that further degrade this role. A good omni works at having spare critical volume and tonnage, and most of its configurations wont make perfect use of either.

This applies less strongly to Omnifighters, which really are the bee's knees, primarily due to not having to juggle critical spaces.

Even given the above, Omni's are probably unrealistically good. Perfect modularity of the 'lets rip out a pile of Missile Launchers and slap in a giant honking railgun in the same arm in an afternoon and it will all still work perfectly' would, realistically, carry SOME efficiency cost beyond the 25% or so surcharge. That said, most of the real advantage of an omni is at an operational level, not tactical, and its a tactical game - and balanced as such.

If you want to make the argument that a military procurement office should prefer to pay the premium for omni technology to gain those repair and operational advantages, that is a good argument, and one I'd enjoy taking either side on - but the answer there is to pick the decision and fluff that makes a good game or engaging story for you, as we have seen that CBill's matter as much or as little as the author wants them to at the time and as much or as little as the audience's suspension of disbelief will support.
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