Going rigid would require an extreme amount of energy I would think.  And even if you pumped a ton of electricity into the fibers, I bet they would still give a bit when a mech landed from a jump jet maneuver. 


If you had a second technology similar to car shocks that are a liquid metal but become rock hard when electrified, it might be possible.  But going rigid is a horrible idea when you're moving that kid of weight around.  You would shatter a mech knee or hip joint if you made it go rigid to try to stop from full-throttle.

A ’Mech’s muscles—called myomers—are made up of bundles
of microscopically thin plastic tubes fi lled with a contracting substance.
Each tube, basically made of polyacetylene, is individually
extruded in microscopically thin forms and spun into the bundle.
The contractile fi lling, called acti-strandular fi ber, is crapped out
by vats of genetically engineered bacteria, rather like how alcohol
production occurs. This acti-strandular precursor material,
strained out of the vats, is mixed with specific polymers, and then
squirted into the tubes. The polyacetylene tubes are then electrified
 and the acti-strandular precursor material arranges itself into
intricate, complex nanoscale structures akin to the contractile
protein fi laments in natural muscle (myosin and actin filaments).
When the acti-strandular fibers are stimulated by sufficient
electrical energy, the fibers contract sharply. The process is virtually
identical to the contraction of protein fiaments in natural
muscles, but with an electrical power source, rather than a
chemical one. Also like natural muscle, the contraction is an allor-
nothing process. The level of strength generated by myomer
bundles is regulated by the number of myomer fibers triggered,
rather than the amount of current itself. As myomers are much
more powerful by weight than natural muscle, and can be built
on larger scales, it is their use that makes efficient ’Mechs possible.

 The relatively recent development of the NAIS’s “triple
strength myomers” are quite similar to normal myomers, but
operate more effi ciently when hot due to a simple and reversible
endothermic chemical reaction within the myomers.
Now, I tried to shake some of your misconceptions about
BattleMechs earlier by calling them walking tanks. At this
stage, I want to do the same with myomers, because you can’t
simply think of them as mere plastic muscles. Myomers are
electrical motors, and powerful ones at that. Even the small
bundles in a ’Mech’s fi ngers are multi-kilowatt motors, while
those of the legs are vastly more powerful. But it’s also important
to know that myomers aren’t particularly effi cient electrical
motors due to their high electrical resistance; without
vigorous cooling, they can fry themselves.

And while we’re talking about myomers as electrical motors,
I’d like to take a moment to discount a theory being
kicked around by—was it Lasers and Slugs magazine?—that
an easy way to cripple ’Mechs would be to hit them with riot
control stun bullets. Sorry, no. A little jolt of electricity from a
bullet isn’t going to make a ’Mech’s myomers twitch anymore
than a fl ashlight battery will budge the multi-megawatt motors
of a fusion-electric freight train.

On a related note, there’s the misconception that lightning
and PPCs (which actually are nothing like lightning) should
spasm a ’Mech and rip its myomers apart. ’Mechs protect
themselves from these electrical dangers much like your
home does with lightning rods. ’Mech armor and skeletons
are designed to provide low-resistance routes for stray electricity
to ground out safely without ever going through the
myomers. And once the armor’s gone…well, once the armor’s
gone, you’re shooting PPCs into bundles of plastic. Damage
will be done one way or another.

Source: Battletech - Techmanual

Nice one again It looks like I need to take a look at those books myself. They seem to have some humor added to them so they are not too boring ...

run across an area, then in mid-run make your legs go rigid and see how well you stop.  You'll stop allright, but your face will be in the ground.

Mechs should respond fast to controls, but momentum should still have to be bled off.

Without going into a Physics and Perpetual Motion debate, tell me exactly how a MadCat could "strafe."

I agree.  I felt that the movement of the mechs in mech assault was unrealistic.  I also felt it was too arcadish.   I would hate to see this mod be brought down to the level of mech assault.  No mech has been able to strafe in the previous games I don't see any reason for them to be given the ability now.

Aurora Paradox

4 legged mechs could strafe.