The Blood Claws and their subordinate forces lost too many mechs from a single engagement. Even though the pirates put up a decent fight, the battle shouldn't have been so deadly to their mechs and pilots.
Ordinarily, mechs could soak a lot of damage. Even uncompressed mechs outperformed conventional tanks due to their mobility which allowed them to dodge or mitigate a lot of incoming attacks.
"It's this overcharge nonsense." Kanaan uttered as he saw the devastation in front of him. A field of craters and broken parts had been strewn before the pirate base that his men heaped their vengeance upon right now. "Any battle besides an ambush will result in a pyrrhic victory for whoever's left."
A few of the senior Blood Claws by his side nodded. "Our steeds have become our worst enemies."
"It's too difficult to guard your energy cells in a larger battle."
"We'll be turning our pilots into cowards if we allow them to eject too early."