the shape of things to come

Scott’s Sabutai is an aerospace fighter.
According to the Aerospace Control Systems
Table, this means it will receive a cockpit/
control system weighing 3 tons, regardless
of the fi ghter’s size and features. This leaves
the craft with 59.5 unspent tons (62.5 – 3
tons = 59.5 tons) and a minimum crew of 1
(the pilot).
After consulting the Aerospace Control Systems
Table, Bruce fi nds that the control systems
for his Astrolux will weigh 1.5 tons (200 tons of
craft x 0.0075 = 1.5 tons). The Control Systems
Table also notes that the Astrolux will have a minimum crew of
3 (more if gunners are added). The Astrolux now has 105 tons
remaining (106.5 tons – 1.5 tons = 105 tons).
Chris’ Nekohono’o-class DropShip is a
military DropShip weighing 16,000 tons,
which means it will require 120 tons of
control systems (16,000 tons x 0.0075 =
120 tons) and has a minimum crew of 8 (4
base crew for military DropShip + [16,000
tons ÷ 5,000] = 7.2, rounded up to 8)—though gunners will
add to this count. After subtracting the control tonnage
from the DropShip’s unspent weight, Chris fi nds that the
Nekohono’o has 9,760 tons remaining (9,880 tons – 120
tons = 9,760 tons).
For her Arcadia-class military DropShip,
Dawn determines that 23 tons of control
systems will be required (3,000 tons x 0.0075
= 22.5 tons, rounded up [for DropShips] to
23), along with a minimum crew of 5 (4 base
crew for military DropShip + [3,000 tons ÷
5,000] = 4.6, rounded up to 5)—before any additional gunners.
This leaves the Arcadia with 1,510 unspent tons (1,533
tons – 23 tons = 1,510 tons).
DF DF
A ‘Mechbuster from the Seventeenth Donegal Guard practices a strafi ng run on a Manteuff el.
SPECIAL ENHANCEMENTS
(CONVENTIONAL FIGHTER VSTOL)
Conventional fi ghters can be built as standard aircraft or given
the Very-Short Take-Off and Landing (VSTOL) ability to launch
using shorter runways. If the designer opts to install this option
now, the VSTOL equipment takes up 5 percent of the aerospace
fi ghter’s total tonnage (rounded up to the nearest 0.5 ton).
Aerospace fi ghters and aerodyne Small Craft, by virtue of their
design, already incorporate VSTOL capabilities, and so may not
use this enhancement.
Tech Base: VSTOL equipment is equally available to conventional
fighters constructed using a Clan or Inner Sphere
technology bases.
Space: A conventional fi ghter’s VSTOL equipment does not
aff ect its number of available weapon slots.
As a conventional fighter, Robert’s
’Mechbuster can receive VSTOL equipment,
but as it is a 50-ton fi ghter, such equipment
would take up 2.5 tons’ worth of the fi ghter’s
18 remaining tons (5 percent of 50 tons =
0.05 x 50 tons = 2.5 tons). With bigger plans for the remaining
weight—such as armor and weaponry—Robert decides
to forego a VSTOL enhancement. His ’Mechbuster still has
18 tons remaining.
As an aerospace fi ghter, Scott’s Sabutai
comes with VSTOL landing and liftoff capabilities
automatically. It may not mount the
VSTOL enhancement.
Bruce’s Astrolux, Chris’ Nekohono’o and Dawn’s Arcadia
are likewise incompatible with the conventional fi ghter VSTOL
enhancement and do not require such equipment anyway,
as they all have VSTOL landing and liftoff capabilities.
STEP 3: ADD ARMOR
Armor helps protect the aerospace unit’s structural integrity
and critical components. Depending on the technology base
used and the type of armor selected, armor can vary in tonnage
and critical space.
The maximum amount of armor an aerospace unit may mount
is based on the unit’s type and body shape (conventional fi ghter,
aerospace fighter aerodyne Small Craft/DropShip or spheroid
Small Craft/DropShip) as well as its weight and structural integrity.
This value—applicable for Clan and Inner Sphere aerospace
units—is shown in the Aerospace Unit Maximum Armor Levels
Table below. Regardless of what kind of armor the unit uses, aerospace
units may not exceed their maximum point value (or armor
tonnage for larger units). Note, however, that this value refl ects
the aerospace unit’s maximum total armor; the number of points
assigned per location is left up to the designer’s discretion.
Aerospace unit armor may be mounted in full- or half-ton lots.
The amount of points each armor type provides per ton is shown
in the Aerospace Armor Points Per Ton (Clan/Inner Sphere) Table