Technical readout 2866 Rise of the Scavengers

generating electrical current. Critical damage to this sub-system results in a significant, but not complete, loss of power. The regenerative cooling system, while far less efficient and much
smaller, also generates electrical power along with limited lithium-based battery backup. The loss of power reduces the speed of the BattleMech in half and causes all energy-based
weaponry to deal only half damage.
Regenerative Cooling System – While the MHD generator can approach an astounding 90%
efficiency, there is still a great deal of waste heat created. A secondary power generation system
reclaims energy from this waste heat using a much more traditional and well-understood method,
a closed cycle gas turbine. The waste heat is used to heat gas, such as nitrogen or helium,
which flows through a rotary turbine that in turn generates electricity. Not only does this provide
additional electrical power to the BattleMech, but it also in effect dissipates a significant amount
of waste heat by converting it into useful energy. In fact, for just this reason the regenerative
cooling systems is often thought of as heat sinks “hidden” in the engine.
When this system is damaged, it is not the loss of electrical power that impairs the BattleMech,
but the loss of the additional cooling capacity. The exact amount of additional heat generated
depends on the engine’s rating, which in turn determined how many heat sinks were “hidden” in
the engine. One heat sink is “hidden” for each full 25 points of the engine rating. For example, a
Vox 280 whose regenerative cooling system has taken a critical hit, would generate 11 points of
additional heat per round, unless the BattleMech only had a total of 10 heat sinks, in which case
the number would be reduced to 10. An Omni 150 with damage to the regenerative cooling
system would generate an additional 6 points of heat.
A JR7-D Jenner takes a critical hit to the leg from an enemy AS7-D Atlas.
Engine Shielding – The heavy tungsten carbide shielding that blocks radiation and, to a lesser
extent, heat from the fusion core easily accounts for the majority of the engine’s mass. Designed
to protect the core, as well as radiation from the pilot, the shielding can actually absorb a
considerable amount of damage before completely failing. For each engine shielding critical hit
the engine generates an additional 5 points of heat. If all of three locations representing the
engine shielding are destroyed the reactor is immediately shutdown to prevent both life
threatening radiation leakages and catastrophic overheating.
Reaction Wheels – The gyroscope of a non jump-capable BattleMech contains three sets of counter rotating wheels that are fixed directly to the internal structure. The three sets of wheels
are set at 90-degree angles from each other, one set tasked to the z-axis, one to the y-axis, and one to the z-axis. When both the BattleMech’s balance sensors and the MechWarrior’s
neurohelmet agree the ‘Mech is off balance, the gyro pushes or pulls against the spin of the appropriate ring and uses the resulting angular momentum to stabilize itself.
Jump capable ‘Mechs are considerably more sensitive to unwanted gyroscopic effects. To help minimize this, their Gyroscopes are housed in a series of three freely moving concentric
spheres. The rings are located inside of these spheres. Depending on the angular momentum need to stabilize the off balance ‘Mech, one or more of these spinning spheres is temporarily
immobilized and the resulting torque used to rectify the balance.
When one of these rings is destroyed, the MechWarrior must make an immediate piloting check with a +3 penalty or fall. During subsequent turns, if the ‘Mech runs or jumps, at the end of
the move it must also make a piloting check with the same +3 penalty or fall. All other piloting checks apply the +3 penalty.
If a second set of rings takes a critical hit, the gyro is effectively destroyed and the BattleMech automatically falls. The MechWarrior must make a piloting check with a +6 penalty to avoid the
damage from this fall. At this point the BattleMech may still change facing given it has enough movement points and may also fire weapons following the standard Firing When Down rules.
While it is unable to stand, it is not considered an immobile target.
Gyro Housing – When the Gyro Housing is damaged, there is a chance one of the rings is damaged as well. When the Gyro Housing takes a critical hit, a second critical roll is made
immediately after. If this second critical roll is successful, one of the Reaction Wheels was also damaged by the hit. In this case, where both the Gyro Housing and at least one set of the
Reaction Wheels were damaged, the gyro is effectively destroyed and the ‘Mech automatically falls. In all other aspects, treat a Gyro Housing critical hit in the same way as a Reaction
Wheel critical hit.
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