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improve the weight savings over basic ferro-fibrous at a significant increase in bulk (heavy ferro-fi brous) or trim down bulk at a cost in weight (light ferro-fi brous). As of this writing, production-grade versions of these armors are appearing on only a few new variants of older battlefi eld unit designs, but dedicated chasses may not be far off . –EB] STEALTH ARMOR Introduced: 3063 (Capellan Confederation) Based on an eff ort to recover the long-lost Star League-era null signature system, the Capellan Confederation’s stealth armor technology is actually a complex system of heat baffl es and layers of radar- and EM-absorbent materials that—while about as bulky as ferro-fi brous armor—provides the same physical protection as standard armor. Limited exclusively to BattleMechs, Introduced: 2598 (Terran Hegemony) Extinct: 2855 (Inner Sphere) Recovered: 3035 (Free Worlds League) In an eff ort to enhance the accuracy and lethality of standard missile racks, the fi rst Star League developed the Artemis IV fi re-control system. Mounted in a dome near the enhanced launcher, the Artemis was in essence an infrared laser designator, target lock mechanism and tightbeam microwave transmitter that—together with specialized missile control systems—helped to focus the spread of all missile volleys so enhanced. Though not as foolproof as the Streak system (as a consequence of design philosophy), the Artemis IV’s constant course-correction data stream rendered standard short- and long-range missile launchers even more lethal in combat with an average increase of roughly 35 percent in the number of missiles per volley that hit the target. ARMOR this system requires the use of a Guardian ECM suite to function, but when activated, the ’Mech becomes virtually invisible to hostile sensors and EW devices. Radical in form and design, stealth armor can undermine even the abilities of active probes, though this system also scrambles its user’s own targeting systems and traps a great deal of waste heat when active. SUPPORT VEHICLE ARMOR Introduced: pre-spacefl ight Extremely varied, based on the form and type of Support Vehicle and the nature of its chassis design, Support Vehicle armor comes in all shapes, sizes and weights, with only the most sophisticated considered on par with standard battlefi eld armor. Rarely intended to stand up to heavy weapons fi re, this armor type is outlined here for completeness. Tech Base: Inner Sphere (Commercial, Industrial, Standard/Heavy Industrial, Ferro-Fibrous/Ferro-Aluminum [Light, Heavy and IS Standard], Stealth, Support Vehicle); Clan (Commercial, Industrial, Standard/Heavy Industrial, Ferro-Fibrous/Ferro-Aluminum [Clan Standard only], ProtoMech and Support Vehicle) Unit Restrictions: See chart Game Rules: Armor is considered structural and cannot be “deactivated” during combat through engine shutdown or pilot/crew injury. Construction Rules: The chart below indicates the availability of the featured armor types to particular unit types, as well as their construction rules page references and main weight (and points) tables. BattleMech armor that occupies critical space may break up the slots and spread them across the overall design to make room for other components; OmniMechs may not move these spaces around once they are determined for the base design. Armor Type Unit Availability Construction Rules Reference Weight Table Commercial IM p. 72 (IM) Master Armor Industrial IM p. 72 (IM) Master Armor Standard/Heavy Industrial BM, IM, CV, CF, AF p. 56 (BM), 72 (IM), 105 (CV), 191 (CF), 191 (AF) Master Armor ProtoMech PM p. 86 (PM) ProtoMech Armor Ferro-Fibrous, Light* BM, CV, CF, AF p. 56 (BM), 105 (CV), 191 (CF), 191 (AF) Master Armor Ferro-Fibrous, Standard* BM, CV, CF, AF p. 56 (BM), 105 (CV), 191 (CF), 191 (AF) Master Armor Ferro-Fibrous, Heavy* BM, CV, CF, AF p. 56 (BM), 105 (CV), 191 (CF), 191 (AF) Master Armor Stealth BM p. 56 (BM) Master Armor DropShip/Small Craft SC, DS p. 191 (SC, DS) Master Armor Support Vehicle (Any) SV p. 134 (SV) Support Vehicle Armor * Includes Ferro-Aluminum (for aerospace units) Key: BM=BattleMechs, IM=IndustrialMechs, PM=ProtoMechs, CV=Combat Vehicles, SV=Support Vehicles, CF=Conventional Fighters, AF=Aerospace Fighters, SC=Small Craft, DS = DropShips Table Reference: See Chart Game Rules: See Above. ARTEMIS IV FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM The Artemis is a jealous electronics system by nature; its compatibility is solely focused on standard LRM and SRM launch systems and their one-shot varieties, and requires that all such systems on a given chassis be similarly equipped. Even then, the launchers receive the targeting benefi ts only when using Artemis-equipped munitions. (The launchers may also fi re standard missiles, but the Artemis has no impact on accuracy.) Other targeting enhancements like the Streak system, Narc beacons or even modern special munitions do not benefi t from the use of Artemis IV, though most may still be fi red by an Artemis-equipped launcher. While this hardware restriction may seem an inconvenience, in practice it can simplify the munitions needs of a given combat unit by encouraging the use of only one type of missile load in the fi eld. [NOTE: The new MML systems can also use Artemis IV . –EB] i
Interestingly enough, the Clan version of the Artemis performs exactly the same as those produced in the Inner Sphere in terms of tonnage, compactness and battlefi eld accuracy. The Artemis IV used For what amounts to one of the most basic combat systems on the modern battlefi eld, autocannons (often abbreviated as ACs) are a broadly varied class of rapid-fi ring, auto-loading, heavy ballistic weaponry—gigantic machine guns, in other words. With calibers ranging from 30 to 90 millimeters at the lighter end, to as much as 203 millimeters or more at the heaviest, most autocannons deliver their damage by fi ring high-speed streams or bursts of high-explosive, armor-defeating shells through one or more barrels. While caliber and fi ring rate can vary greatly, four main classes have emerged over the centuries, setting the standards by which all other ACs are rated, based on their relative ballistic damage. At the lightest end is the AC/2 class, followed by the long-time standard AC/5, then the heavy punch of the AC/10 class, and fi nally the brutal, close-in AC/20. At the dawn of the BattleMech era, only two proven autocannon models existed: the AC/2 and the AC/5. Production model versions of the heavier AC/10 and the ’Mech-killing AC/20 did not appear until after 2460 and 2500, respectively (though the Mackie sported a prototype of the AC/10 as far back as its 2443 battlefi eld debut). In the centuries since, additional autocannon variants have evolved, including the cluster-style LB-X, the high-speed Ultra and the multibarreled, high-cycle rotary. These three autocannon styles—as well as the standard models—are discussed below. [Once again, since the publication of this document, additional autocannon types—light autocannons—have entered production and front-line service. They are described in detail below. –EB] LB-X AUTOCANNON Introduced: 2595 (Terran Hegemony [LB 10-X]); circa 2820 (Clans [LB 2-X, 5-X, 20-X]) Extinct: 2840 (Inner Sphere) Reintroduced: 3035 (Federated Commonwealth [LB 10-X]); 3058 (Federated Suns [LB 2-X, 5-X, 20-X]) An improvement on the common autocannon intended to expand the weapon’s role into anti-vehicle and anti-infantry work, the LB-X makes use of light, heat-dissipating alloys to reduce its weight and thermal buildup. These materials, coupled with a smooth-bore, multi-munition feed mechanism, make the LB more expensive than standard autocannons. However, the slight range increase and the ability to switch between standard-style bursts and explosive cluster munitions—both specially developed for this weapon system—more than mitigate this higher cost. ARTEMIS IV FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM by the Clan-made Series XXXII Multitrack system is identical in all such aspects to, say, the one used with IMB System’s RCA Instatrac XIII. Tech Rating: Inner Sphere and Clan Unit Restrictions: ProtoMechs may not install Artemis IV systems. Construction Rules: The Artemis IV FCS may only be combined with standard long-range missile (LRM) and short-range missile (SRM) launchers and the multi-missile launcher (MML). One Artemis system must be installed on the unit for every applicable launcher—including one-shot launchers, if any. (Streak SRMs, MRMs, rocket launchers and Narc beacons may not use Artemis, and so do not count toward this requirement, even though they can be installed on a unit that uses Artemis-enhanced launchers.) This equipment must also be placed in the same location as each such launcher. If a launcher that must receive an Artemis enhancement is set in a location with no space remaining for the Artemis, then Artemis IV may not be mounted on that unit at all, because one of its launchers cannot receive the required upgrade. For example, an OmniMech with a fi xed SRM mount in the head that leaves no spaces free on its record sheet may not use the Artemis IV FCS. BattleMechs, IndustrialMechs and Support Vehicles must assign critical slots separately to Artemis IV; Combat Vehicles, fi ghters, Small Craft and DropShips treat Artemis as part of the weapon system it enhances, for purposes of tracking weapon slots. Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Inner Sphere and Clan, pp. 341–343) Game Rules: Total Warfare, p. 130 AUTOCANNON Inner Sphere LB-X autocannons—like the Mydron Excel LB-X series, Imperator’s Code Red LB 10-X or Defi ance’s Disintegrator LB 20-X— boast much improved effi ciency over their standard kin. Indeed, even with their recent manufacture and expense, these weapon systems might well have completely outclassed and phased out their standard counterparts (as evidently occurred in the Clan militaries) were it not for the advent of a host of alternative munitions over the past decade. Incompatible with LB-X autocannon, some of these munitions are described later in brief. LIGHT AUTOCANNON [Introduced: 3068 (Federated Suns [LAC/2, LAC/5]) After spending nearly a decade in the prototype stages—long enough to actually give rise to the rotary AC—light autocannons (abbreviated as LACs) only hit full-scale production with the unveiling of Yeff ters Weapons’ Mydron Flyswatter and Mydron Snakekiller models in 3068. Ironically, what spurred this production was the destruction of the NAIS, where these weapons were fi rst developed. It may be a bit of poetic justice that the fi rst models were rushed to the battlefi elds of New Avalon to help drive back the Blakists’ fi rst assault against the planet. Since then, however, Imperator Automatic Weaponry has begun producing its own versions for the Free Worlds League and their Robe allies. Built smaller and with shorter ranges, light ACs exist only in the lower calibers (LAC/2 and LAC/5), but benefi t from the ability to use the advanced munitions that LB-X, rotary and Ultra ACs cannot. The Clans, who have not seen much use for specialized ammunition and who still possess autocannons superior to even these versions, have shown little interest in duplicating this innovation, though the same cannot be said of the other Inner Sphere states. –EB] ROTARY AUTOCANNON Introduced: 3062 (Federated Suns) Another product of our own New Avalon Institute of Science, the rotary autocannon (RAC for short) is, at its heart, an eff ort to obtain an even higher rate of fi re than the Ultra-class autocannon outlined below. Using multiple barrels to attain up to three times the volume of an Ultra burst, this weapon is much heavier and bulkier than its standard-model cousins, and lacks the eff ective reach of even the Ultra AC series. Its inability to make use of most specialized munitions, coupled with its sheer expense, have prevented the rotary concept from entering the heavier-caliber brackets at this time. Balancing this, however, is the ability to clear weapon jams in the fi eld—a feature lacking in i 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 207
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35103
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CLASSIC BATTLETECH BATTLETECHTM TEC
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Choose Technology Base 46 Choose We
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Nail/Rivet Gun 246 Refueling Drogue
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To David Stansel-Garner for being t
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The one exception is the Equipment
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Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL)
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Battle Armor Aerospace Fighter Conv
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CLAN JADE FALCON OCCUPATION ZONE EC
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FREE RASALHAGUE REPUBLIC ECONOMY Ca
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BATTLE ARMOR Battle armor (battlesu
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each full four missiles (regardless
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ange brackets, and so instead of li
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on the ’Mech, including the rear
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BATTLE ARMOR RECORD SHEET Each Batt
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AIRSHIP DATA Type: Name: Tonnage: T
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Distinguished members of the media,
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sible. The relatively recent develo
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cancels the gyroscopic problems. On
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vert a standard into an XL—such a
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orbit. But even when working for sh
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neurohelmets typical of the Success
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on blind, crushing feet to create g
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WEIGHT BattleMechs use the tonnage
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Total ’Mech Tonnage BATTLEMECH IN
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Non-Fusion Engines Fusion Engines E
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Andrew has chosen a standard gyro f
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The placement of these critical slo
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the Base Armor Multipliers shown fo
Page 59 and 60:
Chas distributes his armor points a
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ight side torso and the adjacent ce
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In light of these events, this grou
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preliminary phases, we will still n
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Light IndustrialMechs weigh 35 tons
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structure circles in that location,
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ADD GYROSCOPE Like BattleMechs, Ind
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STEP 3: ADD HEAT SINKS Though not a
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Edward sees no great need to spend
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power amplifi ers to supply the nee
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MEETING AGENDA Project Details Proj
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loads. The lower- to medium-size Pr
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Light ProtoMechs weigh 3 tons (3,00
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John’s Siren-4 weighs 3 tons (3,0
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do not record internal space the sa
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At 6 tons (6,000 kilograms), Kevin
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With only 25 kilograms left (275 kg
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derstand the technologies employed
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able, accurate weapon. Given the Ch
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terrain other than heavy woods and
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Michael wants to design a fast and
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Units built as Trailers do not requ
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ing required, or consider the engin
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DETERMINE JUMP CAPABILITY Combat Ve
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STEP 4: ADD ARMOR Armor helps prote
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STEP 5: ADD WEAPONS, AMMUNITION AND
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the 23.5 tons he had after armoring
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PTI’S HOT PRODUCTS: 3067 (SUPPORT
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HOVERCRAFT Units in this category m
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WHEELED VEHICLE The wheeled support
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VTOL: VTOLs are one of the lightest
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Motive Type design like Simon’s.
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Base Chassis/Engine Values In addit
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Choose Chassis Modifi cations For m
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MD Sheet, Simon blacks out all of t
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SUPPORT VEHICLE ENGINE TABLE SUPPOR
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half-ton (32 tons [engine weight] x
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Christine’s Dixon is a 300-ton Ai
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total crew/passenger seat weight to
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chassis modifi cation, which enable
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tion is devoted to one or more of t
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Because these minimum crew needs ar
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13 August 3068 This is my diary. I
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the forming clouds. The recruits on
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Hovercraft-based mechanized infantr
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CONVENTIONAL INFANTRY FORMATIONS (B
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energy, “M” for Missile and “
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Secondary Weapon Limits The use of
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Oversized Platoons Even though over
Page 157 and 158: Motive Type CONVENTIONAL INFANTRY W
Page 159 and 160: ZM: Good morning, campers! They cal
Page 161 and 162: Weapons break down into your usual
Page 163 and 164: WEIGHT Battle armor, power armor an
Page 165 and 166: BATTLE ARMOR STRUCTURE WEIGHTS TABL
Page 167 and 168: BATTLE ARMOR NON-GROUND MOTIVE SYST
Page 169 and 170: must adhere to their basic rules wh
Page 171 and 172: Keith decides to provide his Tunnel
Page 173 and 174: The weight for these extra magazine
Page 175 and 176: MODULAR TECHNOLOGY When completing
Page 177 and 178: a squad of meat bags in the back, a
Page 179 and 180: laser-guided targeting system. All
Page 181 and 182: secondary control stick instead. On
Page 183 and 184: TECHNOLOGY BASE In Total Warfare st
Page 185 and 186: Unit Types The following unit types
Page 187 and 188: Base Engine Rating and Movement For
Page 189 and 190: True to Clan style, Scott sees his
Page 191 and 192: ays, ’Mech bays and so forth—ne
Page 193 and 194: (see p. 192). To determine the armo
Page 195 and 196: DropShip and not a fi ghter, it los
Page 197 and 198: combat. Unlike fi ghters, however,
Page 199 and 200: As neither quarters nor cargo bays
Page 201 and 202: fi ghter, aerodyne Small Craft, sph
Page 203 and 204: WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT The modern ba
Page 205 and 206: • SMALL PULSE LASER • [PAGE 226
Page 207: Clan Wolf-in-Exile finally succeede
Page 211 and 212: Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight Bay do
Page 213 and 214: ’MECH COCKPIT Introduced: circa 2
Page 215 and 216: Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight While
Page 217 and 218: AEROSPACE ENGINES (FUSION/TURBINE)
Page 219 and 220: Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight Seen a
Page 221 and 222: HYPER-ASSAULT GAUSS RIFLE [Introduc
Page 223 and 224: DOUBLE HEAT SINKS Introduced: 2567
Page 225 and 226: • AUTOCANNON • [PAGE 208] • U
Page 227 and 228: PROTOMECH STRUCTURE Introduced: 306
Page 229 and 230: STANDARD LASERS Introduced: circa 2
Page 231 and 232: Today’s vehicular-scale missile l
Page 233 and 234: Inferno SRMs: An enhancement of an
Page 235 and 236: and communications. This impairs th
Page 237 and 238: Capellan engineers soon realized, h
Page 239 and 240: Tech Base: Inner Sphere and Clan Un
Page 241 and 242: Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight Even b
Page 243 and 244: during the mid-3040s. Even thicker
Page 245 and 246: Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight Combin
Page 247 and 248: Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight Extend
Page 249 and 250: Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight Mid-ai
Page 251 and 252: Tech Base: Inner Sphere and Clan Un
Page 253 and 254: • MICRO GRENADE LAUNCHER • [PAG
Page 255 and 256: FIRE RESISTANT Introduced: 3058 (Cl
Page 257 and 258: Tech Base: Inner Sphere and Clan Ba
Page 259 and 260:
Introduced: Circa 2890 (Clans), 305
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Introduced: 3062 (Capellan Confeder
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The “big gun” of most battle ar
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the standard modular weapon mount,
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• SINGLE-SHOT SRM LAUNCHER • [P
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Introduced: 2436 (Draconis Combine)
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Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight Battle
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Introduced: 3060 (Clan Cloud Cobra)
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hunters, or as a desperate “backu
Page 277 and 278:
Conventional Infantry Conventional
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Robert wants to fi nd the costs for
Page 281 and 282:
PROTOMECH STRUCTURAL COSTS AND AVAI
Page 283 and 284:
BATTLE ARMOR STRUCTURAL COSTS AND A
Page 285 and 286:
AEROSPACE UNIT STRUCTURAL COSTS AND
Page 287 and 288:
The combined structural and weapons
Page 289 and 290:
AVAILABILITY CODES TABLE Code Avail
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Michael determines that his Hephaes
Page 293 and 294:
HEAVY WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT (CONT)
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Weapon / Item Cost Availability IND
Page 297 and 298:
Weapon / Item Cost Availability HEA
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ADDITIONAL BATTLE ARMOR WEAPONS AND
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Weapon / Item Cost CONVENTIONAL INF
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Weapon / Item Cost CONVENTIONAL INF
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15 points per critical space of exp
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CALCULATING THE BV OF: A TOYAMA TYM
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Add 1 to the result if the ProtoMec
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CALCULATING THE BV OF: A HEPHAESTUS
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Squad Support Weapon: The BV of a S
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CALCULATING THE BV OF: A MECHBUSTER
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DEFENSIVE FACTORS TABLE Target Modi
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WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT BATTLE VALUE
Page 321 and 322:
Weapon BV Archaic Weapons* Bow (Com
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DropShips, 175-76 fi ghters, 178-79
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Quarters, 236 • R • Range base,
Page 327 and 328:
CLASSiC FOUR-LEGGED ’MECH RECORD
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CLASSiC VEHICLE DATA Type: Movement
Page 331 and 332:
CLASSiC VEHICLE DATA Type: Movement
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LARGE GROUND SUPPORT VEHICLE RECORD
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CLASSiC CONVENTIONAL INFANTRY: PLAT
Page 337 and 338:
CLASSiC FIGHTER DATA Type: Cost: NO
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CLASSiC CRAFT DATA Type: Thrust: Sa
Page 341 and 342:
CLASSiC DROPSHIP DATA Type: NOTES A
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Space Column Unit Type M BattleMech
Page 345 and 346:
clan HEaVY WEaPOnS anD EQUIPMEnT Ta
Page 347 and 348:
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT TABLE (CONT) H
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Weapon / Item Damage Range Min/sht/
Page 351 and 352:
CONVENTIONAL INFANTRY WEAPONS Weapo
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CONVENTIONAL INFANTRY WEAPONS (CONT
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