OK, we've seen the preview, and there has been a LOT of speculation of the Longbow's relative worth. I haven't spoken up too much in individual threads, so I'm putting forth my thoughts here.

First of all: Thank you WizKids for bringing in the Longbow. I know a lot of folks have been calling for this sculpt.

Second: OK Highlanders, take a good hard look at all of our Us and LEs. Are many of them unusuale? No, most are at least decent. Ok, take a look at some of the other factions. I'll wait. Most of them have a much higher percentage of Us and LEs that aren't feasible in current competion, a much higher percentage than ours. So, the U we've seen as a preview maybe isn't the uber combat moster we have our hearts set on, so what?

Third: We have no way of knowing what other changes (if any) WK is considering, can we pleae wait and see before condemning a piece that isn't even out yet?

Fourth: I hear a lot of moaning about needing the escort the Longbow . .have a lot of assault mechs that don't need escorts do you? I'd love to see one . .. . .most assault mechs are big and slow- vulnerable to charge and capture. Bring infantry screens.

Fifth: The 20 def does seem a little low for a HL mech, granted, but let's wait to see the whole product before dismissing it out of hand. Sure, it may not see competitive play (what Assault mechs do?), but boy, it could be a lot of FUN to play!

Sixth: We don't know what else we're getting. Let's see if we get some elite non mechs before we go completely ape....OK?

OK, rant off . . .

I'm with you 110%, Cedric! Well stated! :) Hell, I'm EXCITED about
this new unique! I was one of the first to praise it (and one of the
first to get roundly criticized for it).

Can't wait to surround that beast with a Highlander Peasant escort and march across the field :)

And hot drop some :^^^: Purifiers to neutralize their arty!
:devious:

I admit, at first, when I saw that 20 defense, I was a bit upset. But the more I think about it, the more I think that it could potentially be a pretty good unit. I'm still withholding final judgement until I see all the stats on the unit, but I'm starting to think there is promise in there. We just need a really fast harasser unit that's cheap to go with it (ideally, something that can move as fast as Arnis, so we can base him before he can charge) :)

Tara Bishop and Joel Brane spring to mind! ;)

I like it a mech to really chew up inf at long range.

You are a well spoken gentleman who anyalst of this mech and on CA make a lot of sense. I hope you are right on your #6 because if the HLERs get screwed in just one more set I am going to flame up this forum so bad that it would be consider a 3 alarm fire.

*Hopes the heat sinks on his Wolfhound IIC are up to it*

I wonder if anybody has a spare suit of Salamander Battle Armor lying around...

Well, based on the 5th click stats given in Draddog's Q&A thread, after an Arnis charge, the LBs needs a 13 to hit Arnis with it's "weak" laser. Even if it is only 2 damage, that click of heat will push Arni into a shutdown roll and the player will have to vent or face a critical heat sink overload. Another hit will take away his Evade.

Problem there is that Arnis has more support than the LB, so he doesn't necessarily need to win a battle with the LB, just weaken it enough that the rest of the army can clean it up.

WHAT IF it doesn't have a repair marker until it loses all armor? Or until it loses AP? That would be . . . SWEET! >>>Thinking of a J-37/SRM near the Longbow.<<<<

Yeah, it seems like everybody but Warflail is, at least, semi-excited about about it. I am, for sure.

Although, that 20 defense is the lowest on ANY 'Mech-only paralleled by the turd-bucket that is our Blade-let alone an Assault 'Mech. Who'd a thunk that the least-defended Assault 'Mech in the game would belong to the Highlanders, of all factions. You'd think that it would be a DF 'Mech.

Unless they fix chargemonkeytude, there is no reason to use Tetro. Pay 30 points more for the Atlas or 70 points less for Caden, either of which is more cost efficient. We absolutely did not need ANOTHER fatty, particularly a fatty with a 20 defense. Yes, its pretty. No, it wont win games. True we havent seen its full stats, but why pay 261 points for a unit with 9 attack, 19 defense after Arnis inevitibly charges it?

You wanna know what's even worse?

One of the LE Kodiacs is gonna be in the tan-and-green.

WHY THE HELL DO WE NEED 5 FATTIES?!

We got, in this order:
Domonic
Eriabee
Leala
Melicien
LE Kodiac-unknown.

And I want to know why. At least one of them-Eriabee-is really good. Combine that with 3 Semi-Fatties-Joel, Caden and Melva-we have a monoply on big 'Mechs. Nothing else, though.

I beg to differ, here's a list of the Liao units 250+

Jaqueline Pejiko
Clara Parks
Tolin Men
The Vede
Dmitry Voskavich

plus+++++

Hao Phiri (yet to be released/Tian Zong)
(yet to be released/Hellstar)
(yet to be released/Shen Yi)
And Catalina Truhillo is 246

Liao is thje new fatty faction. Sorry.