the shape of things to come

Base Engine Rating and Movement Formulae:
Robert decides to give his ’Mechbuster
decent mobility in the air, with a
Safe Thrust of 5. This gives the conventional
fi ghter a Max Thrust of 8 (5 Safe
Thrust x 1.5 = 7.5, rounded up to 8 Max
Thrust), with an Engine Rating of 250
(50 tons x (5 Safe Thrust Points) = 250
Conventional Fighter Engine Rating).
As a conventional fi ghter, Robert’s ’Mechbuster may
use a standard fusion engine or an ICE (turbine). Robert
chooses the turbine, and consults the Master Engine
Table to fi nd that the weight of the ICE comes to 25 tons.
The Buster now has 25 unspent tons remaining (50 tons –
25 tons = 25 tons).
As his Sabutai is an aerospace Omni-
Fighter, Scott must choose a fusion
engine for the craft. He decides on a
solid 6 Safe Thrust Points (for a Max
Thrust of 9; 6 Safe Thrust x 1.5 = 9 Max
Thrust), and uses the Aerospace Fighter
Formula to fi nd its Engine Rating.
AEROSPACE UNIT ENGINE TABLE
Fighters
(Aerospace Fighter) Base Engine Rating = Fighter Tonnage x (Desired Safe Thrust Points – 2)
(Conventional Fighter) Base Engine Rating = Fighter Tonnage x (Desired Safe Thrust Points)
Small Craft and DropShips
Base Movement Factor = Unit Tonnage x Desired Safe Thrust
All Aerospace Units
Max Thrust = Desired Safe Thrust x 1.5 (round up)
Aerospace Unit Engine Weights:
Aerospace Unit Type Engine Weight Engine Types Permitted
Conventional Fighter (Clan or I.S.) Consult Master Engine Table (p. 49)* ICE, Fusion (Std) only
Aerospace Fighter (Clan) Consult Master Engine Table (p. 49)* Fusion (Std, XL) only
Aerospace Fighter (Inner Sphere) Consult Master Engine Table (p. 49)* Fusion (Std, Light, XL, Compact) only
Small Craft or DropShip (Clan) Base Movement Factor x 0.061** Fusion only
Small Craft or DropShip (Inner Sphere) Base Movement Factor x 0.065** Fusion only
*Find tonnage for these engines by cross-referencing the unit’s Base Engine Rating with the desired engine type (note engine types permitted); Conventional fi ghters
multiply fusion engine weights by 1.5 (round up to the nearest 0.5 ton).
**Round all weights up to the nearest 0.5-ton.
Calculating an Engine Rating of 300 (75 tons x [6 Safe
Thrust – 2] = 300), he consults the Master Engine Table
for his options. With only standard and XL fusion
engines available to Clan-made aerospace fighters,
Scott picks an XL engine for his Sabutai, which weighs
9.5 tons. This leaves the fi ghter with 65.5 unspent tons
(75 tons – 9.5 tons = 65.5 tons).
Bruce decides that a good “space
cruise” acceleration of 5 Safe Thrust
will do for his Astrolux, providing a
Max Thrust of 8 (5 Safe Thrust x 1.5 =
7.5, rounded up to 8 Max Thrust). However, as his unit is
a Small Craft, it may not use the fi ghter Engine Rating
formulas, but instead must compute its engine weight
directly, like a DropShip. To do this, Bruce must first
compute his Astrolux’s Base Movement Factor, which
comes to 1,000 for its size and desired acceleration (200
tons x 5 Safe Thrust = 1,000).
Because the Astrolux is an Inner Sphere design, its
engine weight comes to 65 tons (1,000 Base Movement
Factor x 0.065 for Inner Sphere DropShips and Small
Craft = 65 tons). The Astrolux has 135 tons left over (200
tons – 65 tons = 135 tons).
INTRODUCTION
CONSTRUCTION
BASICS
BATTLEMECH
CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRIALMECH
CONSTRUCTION
PROTOMECH
CONSTRUCTION
COMBAT VEHICLE
CONSTRUCTION
SUPPORT VEHICLE
CONSTRUCTION
CONV. INFANTRY
CONSTRUCTION
BATTLE ARMOR
CONSTRUCTION
AEROSPACE UNIT
CONSTRUCTION
WEAPONS AND
HEAVY EQUIPMENT
INFANTRY WEAPONS
AND EQUIPMENT
COSTS AND
AVAILABILITY
BATTLE VALUE
INDEX
RECORD SHEETS
185