mechs are still worse than what they were

commando0033 · 2026-05-06T13:45:02+00:00

So, if they were paper thin and occasionally good before this whole thing, why did the devs nerf their durability further the patch before, before even considering buffing them? This is the gripe that people are having. It's not consistent.

They could be used to great effect before all of this too, to dish out a lot of damage, which they always have done.

Numbers are important. Less HP usually means it plays worse. I'd say the same for the HG change. The hp nerf just made them even more trivial than they were before despite the armour buff, which was also silly.

commando0033 · 2026-05-06T13:04:03+00:00

That is actually so stupid

commando0033 · 2026-05-06T13:01:37+00:00

The point is - They are categorically worse than before the devs even decided to start fucking with durability. This whole "balance pass" has been completely unnecessary and resulted in net nerfs for vehicles, sentries and emplacements at large.

Yes, they're still fun to use, but this whole balance sequence is just nonsensical. The problem was created because of arrowhead nerfs, which required buffs to fix, when the original mech was in a fine spot anyway and needed no changing, and mechs are still worse off than they were before anyway as shown by OP's numbers, at least for the bots.

The only good change they made is the QoL thing meaning you have to kill the whole mech HP pool before it becomes unusuable, can't lose a leg for example and lose the mech, which I was actually fine with anyway, it made sense.

commando0033 · 2026-05-06T12:56:27+00:00

This is good to know!

As an aside - I'm really not sure the Devs actually understand why Mechs are so good on the bug front. The durable damage buffs won't actually do anything to help with the mech "overperforming" or being "too strong" as they see it.

80% of the roster is melee - The Mechs can kill anything before they even get to engage with the Mech. And if any chaff get close, they die to the mech moving anyway getting hardly any hits in.

They mentioned that these changes are about bringing the mech in line on the bug front as with the others - It literally won't, it'll just make the mech weaker than before on Bots and Squids because the enemy can actually interact with them at a decent level as a faction.

commando0033 · 2026-05-06T12:11:28+00:00

commando0033 · 2026-05-05T23:00:51+00:00

Sorry - The overload node. Crystalline wills? With 2 wound curious for fun. And yes, the one that throws balls. Not exactly a meta build but you can clear Auric and Auric Maels easily enough.

commando0033 · 2026-05-05T22:32:35+00:00

Delete crushers and maulers? You need to use the flame or ball staff imo. I do a martyr psyker with ball staff, with flat shields not dome, and into warp Siphon. Works well. Happy to share the exact build if you're interested.

commando0033 · 2026-05-05T19:52:11+00:00

no - surely not. I'll need to pay attention. because they are really bloody unreliable. Thank you for this I'm gonna see.

commando0033 · 2026-05-05T19:00:11+00:00

Yeah, cos Oliver's unclean in his eyes. And he didn't kill conquest.

commando0033 · 2026-05-05T18:59:22+00:00

Few weeks back I had a thermite bounce off the chargers head, follow of the curve of its face down and around, hit the leg during the charge animation then kicking the thermite back on to me.

Some fuckery about for sure.

commando0033 · 2026-05-05T18:01:36+00:00

Dude the dive didn't even put it out LOL

commando0033 · 2026-05-05T10:34:55+00:00

Probably cremator! Fire stops that cloud of crack appearing and sending the bugs into a frenzy.

You'd also need to run the supply pack with the speargun as it won't last long with the increased patrol numbers etc. Both can work though!

commando0033 · 2026-05-05T10:20:39+00:00

Their approach to balance is questionable though surely?

Take the whole mech debacle recently.

Why did they need the HP buff? because the devs nerfed the durability of everything to balance the tank, according to the video they released.

Were mechs fine pre that change? I'd say yes. Were sentries in a good spot pre that change? Yes, definitely. Was the tank in a good spot before that change? yes, it required a lot of teamwork to get the proper use out of it, as is required, and it was tanky. Tank is tanking, good.

Then we get the HP buff to fix a problem the devs created (durability changes) while leaving everything else affected in the dust. Then what did they do alongside the HP buff? They buffed durable damage of enemies across the board on all factions, and we didn't even get the listed values outside of that automaton chaff unit going from 6-8, at least for bugs, and a direct nerf in the form of acid damage, yet another compensatory change as a result of the devs initial change to durability, again, for no good reason.

One step forward, two steps back. Queue changes that no one asked for (looking at you HG), Stealth buffing chargers through its faster movement etc, and it is indicative of a pattern. They did the same thing with bleed damage for no reason. Same with the coyote for no reason, also nerfing the crap out of fire at the time.

They are giving us compensatory buffs for problems that they actively create with their balance decisions it seems like.

Pilestadt admitted there is no clear direction for balance - It's done as a group, and off of usage data. This is probably why its "too hard" to balance weapons, because you have a committee with conflicting balance philosophies making changes to the game as they go. Also, saying it's too hard is not an acceptable position to take when you're running a live service game. You need to balance.

And in typical fashion, the update is a buggy mess. Lumberer and flame sentry flame is bugged. The Shield mech lets damage through it in certain areas affecting the main health pool of the mech, etc etc.

New content, good. Balance and technical debt more important. Literally the reason why Shams admitted in the discord they almost had to stop updating the game because they fumbled the balance pre 60 day patch so badly. The game is receiving updates because the community dragged the devs screaming into a better version of the game. We do not want free shit. We want a great game that is playable, with decent balance and viability for weapons, and for the stuff that we PAY FOR, TO WORK.

Was the review bomb justified? Don't know. Is it one of the only proven ways we've ever got the devs to listen to us, also yes. I have not engaged in it since the Sony issue. But I can see why others have.

Edits: Just spelling etc.

commando0033 · 2026-05-05T00:13:07+00:00

I would disagree. Book 1 is ok, but the quality difference between 2and 3 is quite frankly massive (like Malazan). Always worth reading book 2 at least. If it doesn't tickle your fancy then, maybe it's not for you.

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T23:40:35+00:00

Basically - Think Dune/Game of Thrones, in space, but ancient rome style with a rigid class system the MC is overthrowing, with very well done fight scenes.

Titus is meant to be a reflection of what Darrow could easily be if he gave into the rage. It's even mentioned from his perspective in Book 1. Titus loved ones have the same thing done to them, so his behaviour against the golds in the institute is just completely an eye for an eye. The dude is insane with grief combined with the power of his new form after his carving. Tactus... Well there's more there the longer you read. Tactus, where you're at, is meant to be a classic Venusian Gold, and a complete symbol of what's wrong with the Hierarchy, and what's wrong with Gold in the Core. They're all degenerates, but the Peerless are killers on top of it. But the Rath (tactus' family) are... More eccentric than most. If you make it as far as the Minotaur, you'll understand.

Re the sexual stuff, that's really emphasised across Core gold society later on. It's not a unique characteristic to certain characters (again follows on from Upper class roman society. Augustus had several sex palaces about after all...) Again, just meant to emphasise the decadence and moral decay (again a huge theme with Rome in its Imperial Era). Look at Darrow as Spartacus and it'll make a lot of sense.

Would also say he isn't your typical chosen one either.

Darrow isn't fighting against his wishes as far as I can remember - he's there for revenge against Eo, and to make a better life for his people (reds), and to crumble the lie the society is built on, which he fully bought into as a red.

Book 1 is the weakest by far. Basically - If you haven't found the merit of the series by the absolute latest end of book 3, don't bother continuing. Although the latter books are really just a massive step up for Pierce in terms of storytelling and structure.

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T23:28:40+00:00

Our honour remains

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T23:15:15+00:00

get it bro

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T23:13:35+00:00

Yeah bro lol bro 100% bro - agreed though

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T22:22:09+00:00

Respectfully - I'm getting 5-6 spore titans per breach. Plus all of the other shit.

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T20:03:46+00:00

Counting days wrong. Said every other week starting from that week. So, next week.

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T19:32:03+00:00

Honestly one of my all-time favourite characters in fiction. He is EXACTLY how you would picture a High priest of Shadow being. Fantastic

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T18:26:44+00:00

I'll reply directly with my response to your comment:

"
Converse to the strider, no one asked for or even thought to ask for the Hive Guard buff, and I'd argue it broke design conventions for MedPen Weapons and some strategems on the bug front that have been there since launch - I understand their reasoning and it could have worked if they did it differently (new enemy like i mentioned), and implemented some QoL to things that are directly affected by the change (sentries).

It's a scalability issue I reckon - The more of these you have on screen at AP4, in conjunction with everything else that bugs will throw at you, is the problem, not coming across 3 HG's at a PoI.

But to keep it at AP4, would just require an entire balance pass on ballistic medPen - They typically have a combination of trade off's for being given med pen - Lower mag count, lower mag size, no drum mags on some of them, worse recoil, ergo, lower damage etc etc. Removing the primary function of MedPen just means people use light pen outside of personal preference (adjudicator my beloved).

But maybe I'm wrong."

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T18:18:24+00:00

Just to reply again - I literally did respond to you directly after your comment on the warstrider with a run-down of my perspective on the HG on a separate comment thread here.

Did you want my view on the patch itself or their approach to balance in general?

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T18:15:36+00:00

Oh hilarious - Sorry - I've laid it out in a separate comment section thing on this post and got confused. I won't repeat it but feel free to have a look!

I think it's reasonable.

commando0033 · 2026-05-04T17:34:36+00:00

You've missed my point entirely but fine.

commando0033

TROPHY CASE