the shape of things to come

IndustrialMechs, like BattleMechs, come
in light, medium, heavy and assault weight
classes—the lattermost an obvious usurpation
of the BattleMech classifi cation—but they are
rarely employed in battle and some can be as
light as 10 tons in mass (half the weight of the
lightest BattleMechs). IndustrialMechs may
appear in bipedal or quad body types, but they
do not incorporate modular Omni technology.
ProtoMechs
ProtoMechs—a strictly Clan invention—stand
four to six meters tall and mass from two to
nine tons. Larger than a battle armor suit but
smaller than a BattleMech, these “mini-’Mechs”
have abilities in common with both unit types.
Their small stature means they can hide where
BattleMechs cannot, and they can even move
through buildings without causing excessive
collateral damage.
Though tiny compared to even the smallest
BattleMech, ProtoMechs can carry an impressive
arsenal of weapons, and because they operate in
Points of fi ve, their coordinated fi re compensates
for each Proto’s individual shortcomings.
ProtoMechs are also extremely durable. Though
they carry little armor compared to BattleMechs,
they can survive the loss of limbs and even the
head and remain eff ective.
Combat Vehicles
Most armies choose to use their BattleMech
resources sparingly when they can, and so
maintain forces of conventional Combat
Vehicles to serve in low-intensity confl icts and
as auxiliaries to BattleMech units. Classified
not only by weight class the way BattleMechs
are, but also by their locomotion (motive type),
Combat Vehicles can be constructed as standard
units or as modular OmniVehicles.
Light vehicles have a maximum weight of
35 tons, often built for speed and favored for
reconnaissance. Though tracked and wheeled
light vehicles exist on the battlefi eld, hovercraft—
with their greater speeds—dominate this
weight class.
Medium vehicles weigh from 40 to 55 tons
and are favored as skirmishers. Medium vehicles
are commonly fielded by the various House
militaries to harass and pin down enemy forces
until heavier units can be brought to bear.
Heavy vehicles range in weight from 60 to
75 tons. Mirroring the medium ’Mech weight
class, heavy vehicles are the workhorses of
all Successor State armies, and pack a serious
punch with the armor to match. Commonly
seen in tracked form, a heavy vehicle can stay in
the fi ght longer than some light ’Mechs and can
handle most diffi cult terrain.
Assault vehicles weigh from 80 to 100 tons.
Though they lack the mobility of their ’Mech
counterparts, the sheer volume of firepower
an assault vehicle carries can bring down even
heavy ’Mechs under the right conditions.
Tracked Vehicles: With a maximum weight
of 100 tons and a motive system based on
continuous caterpillar treads, tracked vehicles
can negotiate some of the most diffi cult terrain.
Typically mounting the bulk of their heavy
weapons in turrets for a full 360 degrees of fi re,
tracked vehicles in the larger weight classes can
often infl ict a great deal of damage, even against
BattleMechs.
Wheeled Vehicles: With a maximum weight of
80 tons, wheeled vehicles tend to be lighter than
tracked vehicles but also typically move faster
while still mounting eff ective weaponry. Their
wheel-based locomotion is more restricted than
tracks, however, so commanders usually assign
wheeled vehicles to relatively open terrain and
cities to serve as convoy escorts and fi re-support
for dismounted infantry.
Hovercraft: Much lighter on average than
tracked or wheeled Combat Vehicle types,
battlefi eld hovercraft have a maximum weight of
50 tons, and are built mostly for speed to make
up for their comparatively light armor and fragile
lift-fan-and-airskirt design. More advanced than
tracked and wheeled vehicles, hovercraft are
generally more costly as well, but their ability to
rapidly close with an enemy and just as rapidly
break contact makes them highly valued for
reconnaissance and screening missions.
Wing-in-Ground Effect (WiGE) Vehicles: A
true rarity in Combat Vehicles, often relegated to
transport duties, Wing-in-Ground Eff ect (WiGE)
vehicles are a cross between hovercraft and fi xedwing
aircraft, eff ectively creating a unit type that
can fly at an average of six meters above the
prevailing terrain. Fast, and with an upper weight
limit of 80 tons, these vehicles make excellent
transports, but are forced to maintain constant
movement to avoid stalls.
Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL)
Vehicles: VTOL Combat Vehicles have a
maximum weight of 30 tons, making them
the lightest of all Combat Vehicle types, but
they are also one of the fastest. VTOLs include
conventional rotary-wing craft (helicopters)
and tilt-rotor aircraft whose engine mountings
rotate in a 90-degree arc. Though VTOLs are
highly vulnerable to damage due to their light
armor and fragile rotor assemblies, their high
maneuverability and ability to bypass diffi cult
terrain makes them ideal for reconnaissance and
light infantry transport duties.
BattleMech
IndustrialMech
ProtoMech
Tracked Vehicle
Wheeled Vehicle
Hovercraft
Wing in Ground Eff ect
(WIGE)