This has been a problem since all mechs got a buff to their max power. New items are making it more problematic though. 6 power weapons could before occupy both weapons slots of a light mech and 10 power weapons were compatible with 8 power weapons for hybrid builds except in the case of longarms. After change 8 power weapons become used for light mech builds and 6 and 10 power weapons become used in hybrid builds except in case of arc torrent.

So what's the problem here? Same problem as 8 and 10 energy weapons before, right? Well, not exactly. The energy and therefore damage difference between the weapons on each side of the mech is much greater. No problem, I'll just use the weapons in a hybrid build. Well arc torrent 10 and 6 are now most useful used together. Longarm 10 is no longer synchronous with longarm 8, missile rack 6 isn't really ideal for hybrid builds.

Now we have this 10 and 6 power weapon of the same type that's most ideal when used with each other. Since one side is dealing 60% of the damage the other is dealing, cover-shooting becomes a much less viable strategy for this weapon type. I mean you could just use the 10 power weapon twice on a 24 energy build. But then there is 4 energy you could be using but aren't. Not a big deal for the arc torrent because of how absurdly powerful they are. Same goes for the 10 and 6 build though. Well not a bad deal if you choose to upgrade those weapons. But why wouldn't you? These weapons are META. At the very least you'll be upgrading the arc torrent 10.

I don't think that will be the case with gauss rifle. I highly doubt this weapon will compete at the top, especially because of the drawback of having 1 side significantly stronger than the other. For many people that is reason not to upgrade. And for when you're not upgrading it's just 2 weapons you don't want diluting the blueprints pool.

Okay but there are still hybrid builds that work, yeah? Actually gauss rifle 10 can be used with missile rack 6, if you're lucky enoug to get it. Except wait, this is post pilots. Hybrid builds are no longer ideal because of pilots.  Pilots enhance the damage of a certain weapon type and implants enhance specific weapons. And many otherwise would be viable hybrid builds have asynchronous weapon categories, so they lose out on not just bonus damage from implants but from innate skills too.

So what can you do about it? First of all I would say stop adding weapons that are most ideally used with inferior versions of themselves, come on. Second is add pilots that boost the HP of mechs based on class, and do the same for speed. What does this do? Well first of all tankier tanks to soak up all the extra damage we're seeing on the field. The second is faster speedsters to avoid damage better rather than absorbing it. The third is it makes asynchronous hybrid builds more useful as your mechs are gaining even more HP or gaining speed and you don't have a bias against different weapon types.