One thing that's been pretty common in most mechwarrior games is that the side torsos are generally viewed as "free armor" to be used to shield more important areas such as the center torso. While this does not fully represent how it's handled in CBT, and we don't have the major downsides of the XL engine you would have there, I am wondering if a penalty for taking too much damage to a side torso - similar to how the engine hit system works on the rear armor - would be a neat effect?
Namely I am thinking of torso twist damage, which either lowers the ability to twist too far in the damaged direction, or simply reduces the torso twisting speed in the direction of the damage instead? I think it'd go a long ways towards adding more of the "beat to hell" feel when critically damaged, even if classically, you only see this effect in CBT tanks rather than 'mechs. Tactically it'd add another element as well, as if a 'mech has an critical side torso, the direction in which you're dodging around it could severely impact the outcome of the fight.
Anyway, just a thought I figured I'd throw out there since I was talking about the lack of internal damage effects earlier and it sprang to mind.
