Battletech: Flashpoint....

I'm enjoying the overall improvements to the game that come with the expansion.

While not specifically listed there does seem to be big improvements in the games graphics. There seems to be more aura effects. All for the better. It's a good thing.

The mini story-lines are a great way to enhance long-term play. But it's not perfect.
One flashpoint choice allowed me to destroy a small faction. I then met a member of that faction on a planetary encounter/event (bumping into a stranger in a market). The conversation with the stranger was all talk about how I saved the faction, and how thankful he was....
I'm somewhat of a semi role play kind of gamer but not even this discrepancy can make me dis the game. The game is good and I can live with it.

As for the three new mech's in the game. The Hatchetman and The Crab are useless to me. Neither mech do it for me. I get that the hatchet can be fast, has a melee bonus and that both crab and hatchet bring death as up close killers. But it's that very nature of getting close and/or fast melee that's very far away from my comfort zone. This may change as I experiment with gameplay. I'd rather go for The Crab as a flamer before the hatchetman's melee. But there are other mechs in the game to choose before it. These new mech's are niche, all down to play-styles and tastes.
The third, the Cyclopes is somewhat interesting. Better weapons for it's class make it another niche mech that could grow on me. But not in my end game. Maybe on a replay of the mid campaign....

The reputation system is now truer to the word in practice, favour one side over another and stats go up and down. Ally with a faction and then you really will be in the weeds. For my play-through I've been straddling the mid line. Setting my sights on smaller annoyances. So working for larger factions against smaller organisations, mercs, pirates and planetary governments etc. In that role the free worlds league seems to be the best area of operations.

Most missions/flashpoints decrease your rep by -12 (it varies) for the force you face.

I've read that the best faction to ally with would be the Capellan's due to the larger number of both planets and therefore stores in their space. I've got the rep to ally with a few factions but I'll walk the line for now. Siding with the Capellan house Liao will make me an enemy of everyone else etc. etc.

I'm not that impressed with the Blackmarket stores. Nothing I couldn't have salvaged or bought at a lower price elsewhere.

Some flashpoints are worth the faction crossover. For story if nothing else.

I may not want a pilot in The Claw, or even pilot it myself but I want it in storage, just because.
I'm a collector.

Other flashpoints I've completed which say they have lost tech rewards, have no lost tech rewards at all. Which is a disappointment. Lost tech to me is a shiny weapon or mech variant, not a computer guidance system.

I needs me my destroyed double heat sinks back..... I so miss them. I'd pay quiet a lot for them!!!
My Atlas doesn't feel the same without them.....

New achievements mean I might do a restart of a campaign sooner rather than later.....