the shape of things to come

BATTLE ARMOR
Battle armor (battlesuits) must consider a specifi c weight
range limit per body location when adding weapons and
equipment to their inventories. In addition, battle armor uses
a weapon slots system that parallels the one used by BattleMechs
and IndustrialMechs, and so each item mountable
on a battlesuit occupies a certain amount of internal space.
Some (but not all) ammunition mounted on battle armor also
consumes space.
COMBAT VEHICLES AND AEROSPACE UNITS
Using a more open construction system, Combat Vehicles
and aerospace fi ghters track only their non-structural parts
(weapons and equipment) in the form of a straight inventory
of items. Combat Vehicles receive a fl at number of such
weapon slots based on their weight, while aerospace and
conventional fi ghters have a static number regardless of size,
and Small Craft/DropShips may expand their slot limits by
expanding their targeting systems. In all of these unit types,
weapons and other non-structural equipment (unless specifi -
cally stated otherwise) occupy a single “weapon slot” on the
unit’s inventory, regardless of their bulk, and ammunition
(unless otherwise specifi ed) is considered free.
CONVENTIONAL INFANTRY
Conventional infantry units do not track internal space.
PROTOMECHS
Like Combat Vehicles and aerospace units, core structural
components (including heat sinks and jump jets) are not
counted toward the unit’s equipment space. This leaves
only weapons and other optional items to be tracked by a
weapons inventory similar to that of Combat Vehicles and
aerospace units, where each item—regardless of bulk—occupies
one weapon slot. However, because of their small size,
ProtoMechs must bear in mind the weight of their weapons
when installing them, as each body location has a specifi c
weight range limit.
SUPPORT VEHICLES
Though built along the same lines as Combat Vehicles
and aerospace units, Support Vehicles handle internal space
somewhat differently. Because Support Vehicles are not
built for military use, heavy weapons mounted on such units
take up multiple item slots, and ammunition also consumes
internal space.
TECHNOLOGY BASE
The technology base (tech base) of a given unit determines
its access to components and its general level of sophistication.
Most units in standard rules (as presented in Total
Warfare) game play fall into two broad technological categories:
Clan and Inner Sphere. Clan technology is more advanced,
lighter, more powerful and generally more compact than
Inner Sphere technology. The broader industrial capacity of
the Inner Sphere and Periphery, however, means that such
equipment is generally more varied, less expensive and easier
to obtain and maintain.
Equipment and components are generally assigned a Clan
or Inner Sphere technology base in the core construction rules,
as well as in the Equipment section (starting on p. 200) and the
Equipment Tables (starting on p. 341). Units built with a Clan
Technology Base may only use equipment and components
available to the Clans, while units built with an Inner Sphere
Technology Base may only use equipment and components
available to the Inner Sphere.
SHARED TECHNOLOGY
In some cases, a given component or item may be available
to both Clan and Inner Sphere technology bases, but will have
diff ering statistics for each (such as ER large lasers or double
heat sinks). In such cases, designers must use the statistics
appropriate to the unit’s chosen technology base.
Other items and components may be available to both
tech bases with no statistical diff erences (such as single heat
sinks or standard ’Mech armor). These items are considered
universal components, and may be used equally well by units
designed under both tech bases.
PROTOMECHS
ProtoMechs may only be constructed using a Clan Technology
Base.
SUPPORT VEHICLES
Support Vehicles must also be assigned to a Clan or Inner
Sphere technology base at the start of construction, the same
as all other unit types. However, in addition to assigning and
adhering to a technology base, these units also have a Technology
Rating (Tech Rating) that refl ects the wider range of
sophistication inherent to their design.
The Support Vehicle’s Tech Rating is expressed as a letter
code, A through F, which indicates the relative level of sophistication
from lowest to highest (respectively). Unlike items
of diff ering tech bases, a Support Vehicle may mix items of
diff ering Tech Ratings on a component-by-component basis,
but the fi nal Tech Rating of the Support Vehicle is presumed
to be that of its most advanced component for purposes of
determining availability and cost multipliers.
OTHER UNITS
All other Classic BattleTech units covered in this book—aerospace
units, BattleMechs, battle armor, Combat Vehicles,
conventional infantry and IndustrialMechs—may be constructed
using either Clan or Inner Sphere tech bases. A
number of these unit types may incorporate universal components,
but must otherwise maintain the same technology
base throughout the design process.
OMNI TECHNOLOGY
Certain units may be constructed using modular technologies
fi rst developed by the Clans. In most cases, these units
are diff erentiated from their non-modular versions with the
prefi x “Omni-” and may be broadly referred to as Omni units
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
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