the shape of things to come

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armed IndustrialMechs are themselves a rarity). On par with standard combat targeting and tracking systems, advanced fi re control enables support units to function with equal effi ciency to combat units, and even allows compatibility with the advanced capabilities of targeting computers and C 3 systems. Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight (Vehicle Flamer), 2025 (Western Alliance, Terra [Standard Flamer]) Flamers are a simple weapon with a long history, designed as much for psychological warfare as for devastation. Most eff ective as anti-infantry weapons, today’s heavy-weapon models of the fl amer come in two basic types: fusion-powered plasma fl amers (often regarded as the standard today), and the fuel-based chemical variety (often dubbed the “vehicle fl amer”). Both are marketed by a number of well-known manufacturers across the Inner Sphere, from Flame Tech of Fletcher in the Free Worlds League to the Hotshot series out of Coventry, or the Zippo available from factories on Furillo and Hesperus II. As anti-’Mech weaponry goes, the fl amer is a poor weapon choice, lacking the range and damage potential of even the typical small laser. Most BattleMech-mounted models are the Standard type, which taps into the reactor to produce heat in the form of a plasma release, but these can deliver fi re in short bursts only. Still devastatingly eff ective against infantry, fl amer fi re may raise an opposing ’Mech’s heat levels as well. Compared to a solid engine hit or two, however, fl amers today can do little to imperil technology now so well protected by innovations like double heat sinks. FLAMER Though IndustrialMech models of this equipment are essentially weightless, swapping out the extant sensor suites with a military-grade version, the less-effi cient Support Vehicle version of advanced fi re control masses twice that of the basic version, coming to ten percent of the weight of all the vehicle’s mounted heavy and medium weapons. FLAMERS Because of their poor range and eff ectiveness against other units in aerospace combat, aerospace units rarely use fl amers. However, their limited range and “spray” eff ect has made the Standard fl amer marginally eff ective as a point-defense weapon. Chemical-based vehicle fl amers, which are functionally useless in space, almost never appear on aerospace units. VEHICLE FLAMER The vehicle flamer is so known because it is favored more by ICEpowered units, such as lower-cost Combat Vehicles and IndustrialMechs. Drawing on a store of chemical fuels—typically petroleum-based—these weapons may be mounted without any need for heat sinks or power amplifi ers. Though technically available to BattleMechs as well (but not to aerospace units), the fact that even these fl amer types can cause internal heat spikes when used—and possess an “ammunition” far less stable than the rounds in a typical machine gun’s magazines—prompts most BattleMech designers to pass on the concept. Tech Base: Inner Sphere and Clan Unit Restrictions: Aerospace units cannot use Vehicle fl amers. Units not powered by fusion or fi ssion engines may not use Standard fl amers. Game Rules: Flamers may not be fi red if the unit is shut down or if its pilot/crew is otherwise prevented from acting, but loaded or partially loaded Vehicular fl amer ammo bins are always live and will explode per standard rules if critically hit during game play. Construction Rules: Units powered by fusion or fi ssion (including aerospace and ProtoMech engine types, non-standard fusion engines and Support Vehicle fusion and fi ssion engines) may install either Standard fl amers or Vehicle fl amers as desired. Units powered by non-fusion/fi ssion engine types may only use Vehicle fl amers. Note that even though they are classifi ed as energy weapons in game play, Vehicle fl amers do not require power amplifi ers when mounted on non-fusion/non-fi ssion units, nor do they require heat sinks. Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Inner Sphere and Clan, pp. 341–343) Game Rules: Total Warfare, p. 98 In all its forms, the Gauss rifl e is one of the most devastating ballistic weapons on the battlefi eld today. Developed by the Terran Hegemony (with prototypes in the fi eld as early as 2587), this weapon system uses a series of magnets, rather than chemicals or powder, to propel an inert nickel-ferrous projectile through its rifl e barrel. Through this process, the weapon achieves incredible muzzle velocities with almost negligible heat. Though it requires a great deal of power, and the charged capacitors represent an explosion hazard if damaged in combat, the raw kinetic damage a Gauss rifl e can infl ict—and the excellent ranges at which it can deliver such damage—easily surpasses these drawbacks. ANTI-PERSONNEL GAUSS RIFLE [Introduced: 3069 (Clan Jade Falcon) In 3069, Clan Jade Falcon began to deploy a new, lightweight Gauss system specifi cally aimed at anti-personnel work. Though fi rst carried by Falcon Elementals in a bid to give themselves a decisive edge against the host of new Spheroid battlesuits they were encountering, the anti-personnel (AP) Gauss soon found its way to ’Mech and vehicle usage. Reliable reports from the Homeworlds suggest that the weapon has since been duplicated across Clan-held space, with the Blood Spirits recently deploying this weapon on some of their newer ProtoMech designs. GAUSS RIFLE Essentially a Gauss-based variation of a needler weapon, the AP Gauss fi res a deadly hail of metal fl echettes at supersonic speeds. Thanks in part to their added acceleration, these fl echettes can scour their way through battlefi eld armor, unlike normal needler shot, which makes this weapon particularly deadly to battle-armored troops and conventional infantry alike. –EB] HEAVY GAUSS RIFLE Introduced: 3061 (Lyran Alliance) Seeking a weapon that would not simply close the Clan-Sphere technology gap, but surpass it in terms of raw power, Lyran engineers at Defi ance Industries developed the immensely powerful heavy Gauss rifl e in 3061. With energy needs so great that only a nuclear engine can keep it charged, the heavy Gauss rifl e actually generates—through sheer kinetic energy—enough recoil to destabilize its fi ring unit. Coupled with the weapon’s extreme bulk, these factors have severely limited its options for vehicle and BattleMech design, as the weapon creates too much structural strain to be mounted in a turret or arm. Worse, despite all the raw power, the weapon is most devastating only at its closest ranges, because the projectile experiences dramatic loss of kinetic energy over longer distances. i
HYPER-ASSAULT GAUSS RIFLE [Introduced: 3068 (Clan Hell’s Horses) Clan Hell’s Horses evidently developed the hyper-assault Gauss rifl e in the midst of a hasty Homeworld re-armament eff ort, suggesting that the weapon was under development for some time beforehand. How they kept the secret so well is unclear, but we do know that the weapon came as a complete surprise to the Wolf Clan forces in the coreward Periphery when the Horses attacked them in 3068. Very soon afterward, this weapon system appeared in Diamond Shark and Coyote arsenals (all but confi rming alliances or deals struck between those two Clans and the Horses). Possibly inspired by reports of the Lyrans’ heavy Gauss, the Horses’ weapon is especially eff ective against vehicles, battle armor and aircraft—but it avoids the design fl aws of Defi ance Industries’ creation in fi ring multiple projectiles of far lighter caliber though a battery of capacitors, making up for the lack of punch with an extremely high rate of fi re—sort of a “rotary Gauss” concept. Varying the amount of capacitors to increase potential damage, the Horses have developed three distinct “HAG” models (now there’s an unfortunate acronym!) that operate on the same principles, with each larger model off ering an increase in heat and mass for a corresponding increase in sheer volume of fi re. –EB] LIGHT GAUSS RIFLE Introduced: 3056 (Free Worlds League) The light Gauss rifle was born as a joint project by Imperator Automatic Weaponry of Atreus and Corean Enterprises of Stewart. Sponsored personally by Captain-General Thomas Marik, their eff orts were aimed at duplicating the lightweight construction of the Clan Gauss rifl e system for use by Free Worlds League Military forces. While the result was a weapon as light as the standard Clan design and even more compact, it could only fi re projectiles half as massive as a standard Star League model, eff ectively halving the damage. Despite a loss of hitting power, the light Gauss can fi re its smaller rounds faster, farther and with greater accuracy than a standard Gauss rifl e—factors that combine for a much-improved eff ective range. STANDARD GAUSS RIFLE Introduced: 2590 (Terran Hegemony) Extinct: 2865 (Inner Sphere) Recovered: 3040 (Free Worlds, Lyran Commonwealth, Draconis Combine) Despite the advent of newer designs, the Star League-era Gauss rifl e—fi rst developed by Norse Technologies and deployed (originally in prototype form) on NETC’s Alacorn main battle tank—remains the standard by which all others are measured. Powerful enough to tear an enemy ’Mech’s head clean off at more than half a kilometer, even Clan designers found little to improve upon in the three hundred years they had to further develop it. The Clan standard model is only about 20 percent lighter and more compact than the Zeus Slingshot or Poland Main Model A—both of which match the specs of original SLDF models—all for the exact same range and damage profi le. Tech Base: Inner Sphere (Standard, Light and Heavy only) and Clan (AP, Standard and Hyper-Assault only) Prohibited Units: Heavy Gauss rifl es may not be carried by any unit that does not mount a fusion or fi ssion engine. Game Rules: Gauss rifl e capacitors remain charged (and thus explosive) throughout Total Warfare game play, even if the unit is shut down or its crew/pilot is unable to act. Construction Rules: AP, Light, Standard (Inner Sphere and Clan) and Hyper-Assault Gauss rifl es may be mounted on any unit per lower arm and standard weapon and equipment rules. Humanoid OmniMechs that choose to mount a Gauss rifl e in the arm must remove that arm’s hand actuator before doing so. Heavy Gauss rifl es may only be mounted by units powered by fusion or fi ssion engines (including BattleMechs, IndustrialMechs, aerospace units, Combat Vehicles and Support Vehicles). On BattleMechs or IndustrialMechs, Heavy Gauss rifl es may only be mounted in Torso locations, and their critical slots may be divided (but only among two adjacent Torso locations, side-to-center). Heavy Gauss rifl es mounted on vehicles (Combat or Support) may only be installed in the Front or Rear sections, never in the sides or the turret. Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Inner Sphere and Clan, pp. 341–343) Game Rules: Total Warfare, p. 98 The gyroscope system of a BattleMech or IndustrialMech is one of the most critical components in the design of such units, on par with the engine systems and cockpit controls. Without this sophisticated equipment, ’Mechs would be far clumsier than today, scarcely able to maintain stability under even the simplest of actions, let alone the punishment of enemy weapons fi re. The stabilizing infl uence of the gyro makes the BattleMech an eff ective war machine, and the IndustrialMech a versatile tool. The standard ’Mech’s gyro today is a refi ned form of the types used in the early myomer-based IndustrialMechs of the mid-24th century. By the time of the Mackie’s development in 2439, gyro-stabilizers were a proven technology, only slightly bulkier than their modern counterparts. COMPACT GYRO [Introduced: 3068 (Federated Suns and Lyran Alliance) Military gyro technologies were apparently about to surge ahead even as Habeas published this document. In late 3067, even as two other new gyro types hit the fi eld elsewhere, Lyran producers GAUSS RIFLE GYROS were on the verge of releasing their new compact gyro at TharHes Industries on Tharkad and Coventry Metal Works on Coventry. The onset of the Jihad delayed deployment of these systems until 3068, long enough for the FedSuns—working from Civil War-era plans—to begin producing their own models, which a few Davion mercs helped to test. Sadly, some of these mercenaries defected to Blakist command soon afterward, and the technology has spread to other Inner Sphere powers since. Built along the same premise as the compact fusion engine, the compact gyro increases its mass by fifty percent, in exchange for reducing its physical size by half. This makes it harder to hit a gyro through internal damage, and enables ’Mechs so equipped to pack larger weapons in the central torso area. –EB] HEAVY-DUTY GYRO [Introduced: 3067 (Draconis Combine) The Draconis Combine unveiled the heavy-duty gyro sometime in mid-3067 and shared it with the Free Worlds League as part of a secret technologies exchange. Since the start of the Jihad, this technology 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 219
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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
Page 29 and 30:
BATTLE ARMOR RECORD SHEET Each Batt
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AIRSHIP DATA Type: Name: Tonnage: T
Page 33 and 34:
Distinguished members of the media,
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sible. The relatively recent develo
Page 37 and 38:
cancels the gyroscopic problems. On
Page 39 and 40:
vert a standard into an XL—such a
Page 41 and 42:
orbit. But even when working for sh
Page 43 and 44:
neurohelmets typical of the Success
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on blind, crushing feet to create g
Page 47 and 48:
WEIGHT BattleMechs use the tonnage
Page 49 and 50:
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
Page 55 and 56:
The placement of these critical slo
Page 57 and 58:
the Base Armor Multipliers shown fo
Page 59 and 60:
Chas distributes his armor points a
Page 61 and 62:
ight side torso and the adjacent ce
Page 63 and 64:
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
Page 69 and 70:
structure circles in that location,
Page 71 and 72:
ADD GYROSCOPE Like BattleMechs, Ind
Page 73 and 74:
STEP 3: ADD HEAT SINKS Though not a
Page 75 and 76:
Edward sees no great need to spend
Page 77 and 78:
power amplifi ers to supply the nee
Page 79 and 80:
MEETING AGENDA Project Details Proj
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loads. The lower- to medium-size Pr
Page 83 and 84:
Light ProtoMechs weigh 3 tons (3,00
Page 85 and 86:
John’s Siren-4 weighs 3 tons (3,0
Page 87 and 88:
do not record internal space the sa
Page 89 and 90:
At 6 tons (6,000 kilograms), Kevin
Page 91 and 92:
With only 25 kilograms left (275 kg
Page 93 and 94:
derstand the technologies employed
Page 95 and 96:
able, accurate weapon. Given the Ch
Page 97 and 98:
terrain other than heavy woods and
Page 99 and 100:
Michael wants to design a fast and
Page 101 and 102:
Units built as Trailers do not requ
Page 103 and 104:
ing required, or consider the engin
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DETERMINE JUMP CAPABILITY Combat Ve
Page 107 and 108:
STEP 4: ADD ARMOR Armor helps prote
Page 109 and 110:
STEP 5: ADD WEAPONS, AMMUNITION AND
Page 111 and 112:
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
Page 121 and 122:
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
Page 127 and 128:
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
Page 133 and 134:
Christine’s Dixon is a 300-ton Ai
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total crew/passenger seat weight to
Page 137 and 138:
chassis modifi cation, which enable
Page 139 and 140:
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
Page 155 and 156:
Oversized Platoons Even though over
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Motive Type CONVENTIONAL INFANTRY W
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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
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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 and 208: Clan Wolf-in-Exile finally succeede
Page 209 and 210: Interestingly enough, the Clan vers
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: Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight Seen a
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
Page 261 and 262: Introduced: 3062 (Capellan Confeder
Page 263 and 264: The “big gun” of most battle ar
Page 265 and 266: the standard modular weapon mount,
Page 267 and 268: • SINGLE-SHOT SRM LAUNCHER • [P
Page 269 and 270: 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
Page 291 and 292:
Michael determines that his Hephaes
Page 293 and 294:
HEAVY WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT (CONT)
Page 295 and 296:
Weapon / Item Cost Availability IND
Page 297 and 298:
Weapon / Item Cost Availability HEA
Page 299 and 300:
ADDITIONAL BATTLE ARMOR WEAPONS AND
Page 301 and 302:
Weapon / Item Cost CONVENTIONAL INF
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Weapon / Item Cost CONVENTIONAL INF
Page 305 and 306:
15 points per critical space of exp
Page 307 and 308:
CALCULATING THE BV OF: A TOYAMA TYM
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Add 1 to the result if the ProtoMec
Page 311 and 312:
CALCULATING THE BV OF: A HEPHAESTUS
Page 313 and 314:
Squad Support Weapon: The BV of a S
Page 315 and 316:
CALCULATING THE BV OF: A MECHBUSTER
Page 317 and 318:
DEFENSIVE FACTORS TABLE Target Modi
Page 319 and 320:
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
Page 333 and 334:
LARGE GROUND SUPPORT VEHICLE RECORD
Page 335 and 336:
CLASSiC CONVENTIONAL INFANTRY: PLAT
Page 337 and 338:
CLASSiC FIGHTER DATA Type: Cost: NO
Page 339 and 340:
CLASSiC CRAFT DATA Type: Thrust: Sa
Page 341 and 342:
CLASSiC DROPSHIP DATA Type: NOTES A
Page 343 and 344:
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
Page 349 and 350:
Weapon / Item Damage Range Min/sht/
Page 351 and 352:
CONVENTIONAL INFANTRY WEAPONS Weapo
Page 353 and 354:
CONVENTIONAL INFANTRY WEAPONS (CONT
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