I think the consensus is that anime style mechs are physically impossible given how fast and nimble they usually are, but if physics were no object would they be a viable solution to any real world problems?

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[–] 6 points 2 days ago (1 child)

I could see it personally. Targeting systems, bigger heavier equipment capabilities, nimbleness over odd terrain. The only obvious oversight is that drones exist now and are a much more valid platform, just in larger numbers. The extra power required for all the bs could be better utilized for drone batteries, the weapons could be mounted on vehicles. Seems a bit unnecessary but for maybe a few niche scenarios

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  • [–] 3 points 2 days ago

    Targeting systems

    Drones

    bigger heavier equipment capabilities

    Bigger Drones

    nimbleness over odd terrain

    Drones

    Under no circumstances is walking better than flying, tactically. Once you introduce airborne combat, a mech loses all tactical benefit. Tanks/mobile artillery? Sure, that you can justify, mostly because it's low profile and easier to hide if necessary. In almost every other circumstance, if you can have an airborne gunship you want an airborne gunship, and you don't even have to alter the laws of physics to make them work.

    The only way you could make the case for mechs is if whatever magic Clarke-Tech you were imagining for moving them was astronomically more efficient than flying for approximately the same tonnage, and you were desperate to conserve as much energy as possible, to the point where flight just isn't an option, and even then, the most efficient machine would look something like a gigantic beetle.

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