the shape of things to come

DropShip and not a fi ghter, it loses no weapon slots to
the use of ferro-fi brous armor.
The Nekohono’o now has 9,703 tons remaining (9,760
tons – 57 tons = 9,703 tons).
For her 3,000-ton Arcadia-class
aerodyne DropShip with its Structural
Integrity of 11, Dawn finds the maximum
armor capacity is 49.5 tons (SI
11 x 4.5 = 49.5). Deciding to install the
maximum tonnage of standard armor,
she fi nds that her craft will receive 990 points (49.5 tons
of armor x 20 points per ton of Clan standard armor at
3,000-ton aerodyne DropShip weight = 990 points), plus
an extra 44 from its Structural Integrity value (SI 11 x 4
armor facings = 44). With a total of 1,034 armor points
to allocate (990 + 44 = 1,034), Dawn places 351 in the
Arcadia’s nose, 211 on each wing and 261 in the aft.
The Arcadia now has up to 1,460.5 tons left to spend on
other components (1,510 tons – 49.5 tons = 1,460.5 tons).
STEP 4: ADD HEAT SINKS
Most aerospace units require heat sinks to dissipate the
waste heat generated by their weapons, engines and other
equipment. Aerospace fighters can push these heat sinks
beyond tolerances, but conventional fi ghters, Small Craft and
DropShips operate on a “zero-heat principle,” which means
that these units have no Heat Scale during combat and cannot
generate any heat in excess of their heat sink capacity.
Depending on unit and engine type, aerospace units not
only have diff erent heat sink requirements, but also receive a
varying number of “weight-free” heat sinks provided with their
engines. The Aerospace Heat Sink Table below defi nes the
minimum number of heat sinks needed by each aerospace
unit type covered under these rules, as well as the bonus heat
sink allotment each unit receives with its engine. Because
most heat sink needs depend on knowing the unit’s weapon
AEROSPACE UNIT HEAT SINKS TABLE
load, designers may opt to establish the unit’s heat sinks after
determining what weapons (if any) the unit will carry and how
much heat these weapons will generate.
Conventional fi ghters may only use single (standard) heat
sinks. Aerospace fi ghters, Small Craft and DropShips may use
standard (single) or double heat sinks.
Aerospace units constructed under these rules may not
combine heat sinks of diff erent types. If the designer chooses
standard (single) heat sinks for a unit, the unit’s bonus “weightfree”
sinks are automatically considered standard heat sinks; if
double heat sinks are chosen, the bonus sinks are considered
double heat sinks.
Tech Base: Standard (single) heat sinks are equally available
to aerospace units of Clan or Inner Sphere tech bases, and are
the only type available to conventional fi ghters of any tech
base. Aerospace units built with an Inner Sphere tech base
may use Inner Sphere double heat sinks as well. Clan-made
aerospace units may use Clan double heat sinks.
Space: An aerospace unit’s heat sinks do not affect the
amount of weapon slots available to the unit, even if mounted
as OmniFighter pods.
OmniFighters: The type of heat sinks established for an
OmniFighter’s base confi guration may not be altered in its
completed Primary or Alternate confi gurations, nor may the
number of said heat sinks be reduced below the number
established for the base confi guration. However, heat sinks of
the same type may be added as pods on later confi gurations
if an Alternate confi guration requires them.
Robert’s ’Mechbuster is a conventional
fighter powered by a turbine
(internal combustion) engine, and thus
receives no free heat sinks, nor does
it require heat sinks for non-energy
weapons. As Robert plans on installing
energy weapons, he must add enough sinks to cover
the heat of all energy weapons fired in unison, and
thus chooses to add 9 single heat sinks—the only type
available—to his Buster. This leaves the fi ghter with 5.5
remaining tons (14.5 tons – 9 tons = 5.5 tons).
Aerospace Unit Type Min. Heat Sink Requirement Weight-Free Heat Sinks
Conventional Fighter (ICE) Total of all Energy Weapon Heat 0
Conventional Fighter (Fusion) Total of all Energy Weapon Heat 10
Aerospace Fighter 10 10
Aerodyne Small Craft or DropShip (Civilian) None Engine Tonnage ÷ 60*
Aerodyne DropShip (Military) None Engine Tonnage ÷ 20*
Spheroid Small Craft or DropShip (Civilian) None √ (Engine Tonnage x 1.6)*
Spheroid DropShip (Military) None √ (Engine Tonnage x 6.8)*
*Round down
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
193