the shape of things to come

CHOOSE WEIGHT
Depending on the aerospace unit’s desired type, its maximum
weight may vary greatly (see p. 184).
For conventional fi ghters, designers may choose any weight
from 5 tons to 50 tons, in 5-ton increments.
Aerospace fi ghters may weigh anywhere from 5 to 100 tons, in
5-ton increments.
Small Craft may weigh anywhere from 100 to 200 tons, in 5-ton
increments.
Aerodyne DropShips may weigh anywhere from 200 to 35,000
tons, in 100-ton increments.
Spheroid DropShips may weigh anywhere from 200 to 100,000
tons, in 100-ton increments.
Regardless of the aerospace unit type being constructed, the
total weight of its engine, weapons, armor and other components
may not exceed this amount. Any unspent tonnage left after the
creation process is considered cargo, if the aerospace unit has
internal space to spare, or wasted tonnage if it does not.
Robert wants his ’Mechbuster to be a
true terror of the conventional fi ghter class,
and so he chooses a weight of 50 tons for
this unit—the maximum weight limit for
conventional fi ghters.
Scott chooses a heavy 75-ton weight for
his Sabutai OmniFighter, hoping to make a
powerful craft suitable to dogfi ghting and
DropShip support.
Because he intends to cram his vessel with
luxury accommodations, Bruce decides his
Astrolux needs to be as big as possible for a
Small Craft. He chooses a weight of 200 tons for his unit.
For his Nekohono’o-class DropShip, Chris
chooses a fairly hefty 16,000-ton weight.
As her Arcadia shouldn’t require much
weight to carry its cargo, Dawn chooses a
weight of 3,000 tons for her DropShip.
DF DF
SL-17 Shilone, First Alliance Air Wing (Outworlds Alliance)
STEP 2: INSTALL ENGINES AND
CONTROL SYSTEMS
The second step in aerospace unit design is the installation of
the unit’s engines and control systems. This step establishes the
key factors in the aerospace unit’s mobility, including the size and
performance of its engine, the weight of the control systems its
pilot or crew uses during battle, and the strength (and weight,
where applicable) of its structural integrity. This step also determines
the craft’s fuel supply, as well as its maximum possible
armor level.
INSTALL ENGINE
Each aerospace unit constructed under these rules carries one
engine and power plant for its movement, weapon systems and
other integral components. For fi ghters, the relative output of
this engine is expressed as an Engine Rating, which is directly
determined by the craft’s total weight and its desired Safe Thrust.
Small Craft and DropShips, which require a much larger combined
engine and power plant for long-range fl ight and life support, use
a more direct formula to determine engine size.
For fi ghters (aerospace and conventional), their Engine Rating
is determined fi rst, based on their tonnage and Safe Thrust. The
designer then uses this rating to select the listed engine type from
the Master Engine Table (p. 49). Under these rules, no fi ghter may
be constructed with an Engine Rating below 10 or above 400.
Small Craft and DropShips—which determine their engine
weight more directly from the vessel’s total mass and its Desired
Safe Thrust—do not use engines from the Master Engine Table.
Instead, the designer determines a Base Movement Factor based
on their weight and Safe Thrust, applies a tech base multiplier
to the result, and then multiplies the fi nal result by the vessel’s
total weight.
Engine types and weight formulas for the various aerospace
units are illustrated fully in the Aerospace Unit Engine Table (see
p. 185).
Tech Base: Standard fusion engines are equally available to
fi ghters of Clan or Inner Sphere tech bases, as are standard turbine
engines (ICEs) for conventional fi ghters built by the Clans and the
Inner Sphere. Compact, Light and Inner Sphere XL fusion engines
are available only to aerospace fi ghters with an Inner Sphere Tech
Base. Clan XL engines are available only to aerospace fi ghters with
a Clan Tech Base.
Small Craft and DropShips created with a Clan Tech Base may
only use Clan engines. Those built with an Inner Sphere Tech Base
may only use Inner Sphere engines.
Space: None of the engine types that may be chosen for fi ghters,
Small Craft or DropShips under these rules have any impact
on the number of weapon items such units may mount per arc.
OmniFighters: Engine type, rating and Thrust Points must be
established when designing an OmniFighter’s base confi guration,
and may not be altered in that OmniFighter’s completed Primary
or Alternate confi gurations.