• AMS: Fixed an issue where certain angles of incoming fire could cause AMS not to react correctly.

• Conquest: Fixed an issue where Conquest matches wouldn't resolve in an auto-win under an extremely rare circumstance, wherein all members of both teams had been destroyed, but only one Team had captured any resource points.

• Escort (River City): Fixed an issue where the VIP could get stuck in G7/G8.

• Faction Play: Fixed an issue where the First Victory XP Bonus would be removed from all 'Mechs in the Drop Deck even if they hadn't been used in that match.

• Gauss: Fixed an issue where Gauss strikes could fail to register if the firing 'Mech overheated immediately upon firing.

• MASC: Fixed an issue where the MASC meter could appear to be 100% upon dropping into a map, while MASC itself was actually operating at 0%.

• OmniPods: Fixed an issue where bonuses received from Quirks tied to OmniPods would remain in effect after a destruction of that OmniPod. This item was a miscommunication. OmniPod Quirks are not lost in the event of OmniPod destruction.

• Targeting Computer: Fixed an issue where bonuses received from Targeting Computers would remain in effect after a destruction of the parent component.

• Turrets: Fixed an issue where Turrets would fire at Enemy UAVs. Turrets should only have been targeting Enemy 'Mechs.

Clan XL Engines

• The Cooling Efficiency Penalty from Side Torso destruction has been increased to 40% (from 20%).

Clan XL Design Notes: The balance dynamic between the Inner Sphere and Clan Factions is something under heavy evaluation, particularly as we approach a timeline advancement this summer. This adjustment to Clan XL cooling efficiency is a step in that process, making the loss of a Side Torso more impactful on the performance of Clan ‘Mechs.

There's been much discussion about this change since its original announcement in the January Roadmap, and we'd like to expand the explanation originally provided for this change.

First, it's critical to note that the penalty for Side Torso destruction only applies to the base Engine Heat Sinks and any Engine-mounted Heat Sinks. External Heat Sinks will continue operating normally in the event of a Side Torso destruction until either their component in which they are mounted is destroyed, or the Heat Sink itself is destroyed from a critical hit.

Second, we want to stress that we are not solely looking at Engine balance as only being a matter of IS XL versus Clan XL, but between all Engine options available to the player. This includes Standard Engines and smaller Engine sizes of both types. There's been much discussion about the option of IS XL Engines being provided the same benefits as Clan XL Engines, but in light of the other benefits provided by larger Engine sizes and the massive offensive boost XL Engines can facilitate, such a change is not currently conducive to appropriate XL versus Standard Engine balance.

We look forward to your feedback on these changes, but we encourage you to keep in mind that this should not be evaluated strictly as an XL Engine issue, but an overall balance question between Engines of all types.





Inner Sphere





Dragon

• DRG-1C

• DRG-1N

• DRG-5N / DRG-5N [C]

• DRG-FANG

• DRG-FLAME





Dragon Design Notes: Continuing the work started last month, the Dragon is seeing its existing Structure Quirks converted into Armor Quirks. We've also provided the chassis with a slight mobility boost. Our intent here is to reinforce the high-durability/high mobility role that the Dragon is known for in lore.





Cataphract

• CTF-0XP

• CTF-1X

• CTF-2X

• CTF-3D / CTF-3D [C]

• CTF-3L

• CTF-4X

• CTF-IM





Cataphract Design Notes: Continuing from last month, the Cataphract is also seeing its Structure Quirks shifted into Armor Quirks.





Warhammer

• WHM-6R / WHM-6R [S]

• WHM-6D

• WHM-7S

• WHM-BW





Warhammer Design Notes: The Warhammer consistently performs beyond other 'Mechs within its weight class, on both the Clan and IS side. It was too generously quirked with both offensive and defensive Quirks that were comparable to 'Mechs with greater inherent drawbacks. In this pass we are reducing its defensive Quirks to better distinguish the Warhammer as a well-rounded weapons platform, and to reduce its 'tank'-like characteristics when compared to other 'Mechs more befitting that role.





Orion

• ON1-K / ON1-K [C]

• ON1-M

• ON1-P

• ON1-V

• ON1-VA





Orion Design Notes: Continuing from last month, the Orion is seeing its Structure Quirks shifted into Armor Quirks.





Zeus

• ZEU-5S

• ZEU-6S / ZEU-6S [R]

• ZEU-6T / ZEU-6T [C]

• ZEU-9S

• ZEU-9S2





Zeus Design Notes: The Zeus is receiving a slight boost to its offensive and mobility capabilities to better augment its inherent role as a ranged weapon platform.





Highlander

• HGN-732

• HGN-432B

• HGN-733

• HGN-733C / HGN-733C [C]

• HGN-733P

• HGN-HM





Highlander Design Notes: Continuing from last month, the Highlander is seeing its Structure Quirks shifted into Armor Quirks.





Atlas

• AS7-D / AS7-D [F]

• AS7-K

• AS7-RS





Atlas Design Notes: While the Atlas is a posterchild for 'unstoppable juggernaut' 'Mech designs in the lore, and a seemingly natural fit for shifting Structure Quirks into Armor Quirks, the data indicates that a number of Atlas variants are currently performing on-target with their current Quirk layout. For now, we are only implementing Structure-to-Armor Quirk adjustments for three Atlas variants we've found to under-perform in that context. As usual we'll monitor the impact of these changes on the data and your feedback, and evaluate from there.





Clans





Kit Fox

• KFX-C





Kit Fox Design Notes: While we kept a series of Machine Gun Rate of Fire Quirks in place after the improvements to the weapon seen in the December patch, after a month of review we feel it's safe to conclude that a number of those remaining RoF Quirks are now more significant than desired. For this patch, we are selectively removing or reducing Rate of Fire Quirks for a handful of OmniPod/Set of 8 Quirks to provide a bit more give and take with RoF Quirks gained through the OmniPod system.





Viper

• VPR-C





Viper Design Notes: Same as above.





Shadow Cat

• SHC-PRIME / SHC-PRIME [I] / SHC-PRIME [C]

• SHC-A

• SHC-B

• SHC-P





Shadow Cat Design Notes: The Shadow Cat is the latest Clan 'Mech to undergo a full Quirk review, and the data has shown that the Cat is currently over-performing relative to the Medium line. In addition to new Set of 8 Quirks, with this patch we are removing its various durability and Machine Gun Quirks in an effort to bring it closer in line with similar 'Mechs within its weight bracket.





Hunchback IIC

• HBK-IIC / HBK-IIC [O] / HBK-IIC [C]

• HBK-IIC-A

• HBK-IIC-C





Hunchback IIC Design Notes: Jump-sniping, particularly among the Clan forces, has seen a bit of a resurgence lately. While we're not touching the offensive capabilities of these HBK-IIC variants, we do feel that jump-sniping with cockpit-level mounts needs to come with a bit more opportunity for counterplay than they currently do. To that end, we're reducing Torso Yaw for the listed HBK-IIC variants to make them more vulnerable to mobile threats.





Huntsman

• HMN-PRIME / HMN-PRIME [S]

• HMN-A

• HMN-B

• HMN-C

• HMN-P

• HMN-PA





Huntsman Design Notes: While the Huntsman is not as prominent a jump-snipe chassis as the HKB-IIC, with its overall profile and hardpoint layout we nonetheless wanted to ensure that addressing the Torso Yaw balance point was impartial, and not leading to similar jump-sniping capabilities being locked behind a pre-order barrier. Flexibility is still provided through OmniPod arrangements, however.

In addition to this, we've determined that the Set of 8 Laser Quirk on the Prime variant was enhancing an already optimal Loadout for the 'Mech, contrary to the intent behind Set of 8 Quirks. We have therefore replaced that Set of 8 Quirk with a Missile Heat Gen Quirk.





Summoner

• SMN-PRIME / SMN-PRIME [I]

• SMN-B

• SMN-C

• SMN-D

• SMN-F

• SMN-M

• SMN-PD





Summoner Design Notes: As indicated in the November Patch Design Notes, our data shows the Summoner continues to perform much better than its perceived popularity may suggest, even prior to the release of the Loyalty variants; its performance only increased with the introduction of those Loyalty variant OmniPods. Considering the subsequent data, along with the context of other Quirk changes for other Clan 'Mechs in this pass, we are doing another pass on the Summoner to reduce the Quirks a bit further. While we do not want to outright remove many of its Quirks, we are shifting a number of them to certain Torso mounts, along with removing some of its base Torso Yaw and the Heat Gen Quirk from the CT. The Summoner variants still limited by hardpoint counts and layout should still see most of their existing Quirks retained.





Orion IIC

• ON1-IIC / ON1-IIC [O]

• ON1-IIC-A / ON1-IIC-A [C]

• ON1-IIC-B

• ON1-IIC-C





Orion IIC Design Notes: Continuing from last month, the Orion IIC is seeing its Structure Quirks shifted into Armor Quirks.











