Well it seems the Devs have heard us and released a whole new set of equipment with zero that's right ...zero drawbacks/defects. Gone are the kick backs, weapon vulnerabilities, and speed penalties in these newer designs.
Granted they don't have the ohhmph of the other equipment pieces in the same tonnage range, but they also won't help you blow up all the quicker either like the other pieces. Granted we're talking about 100 ton mechas here. That is no small deal, these are big machines. They have a lot of mass to move and in a fight, well let's be honest they aren't going to get out of the way of too many shots. So it seems they are more about taking fire and dishing it out.
While the new equipment pieces may not have as many points as the old "defective" models they do allow for offensive options. Bonuses to weapon type, Fork, Shielding, limited Auto Repair, and modifiers for x2, and Freeze damage. All in all when taken into account these are much more forward pieces that serve to solely augment the capabilities of a mecha not just boost one part at the expense of multiple others.
In the end it all comes down to player style, and what a pilot prefers to augment his or her mecha with. But at least now we have multiple methods of play. Go for the seemingly "defective" pieces, and get more bang out of your equipment until it makes you go bang, or go with the no fuss no muss straight forward pieces that do what they are supposed to without any drawbacks . So go simple, or gamble is what it breaks down to. Which do you prefer, and which would you rather equip?
Submitted by Pat Willis#224534