the shape of things to come

STANDARD LASERS
Introduced: circa 2400 (Terran Hegemony [medium and small]), 2430
(Terran Hegemony [large])
Extinct: circa 2820 (Clans only)
Compact and straightforward, standard laser weaponry managed
to survive the depredations of the Succession Wars while their
extended-range and pulse-style cousins were lost. Indeed, by the
end of the Fourth Succession War, there remained almost fi fty distinct
standard laser models still in active production, with Martell’s
medium laser line—considered by far the most effi cient for the tonnage—manufactured
on as many as six worlds.
As with their view on standard autocannon, the Clans apparently
phased out standard laser production in favor of their more eff ective
Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight (maritime [and atmospheric]), circa 2000
(aerospace)
Lifeboats, like escape pods, are an emergency evacuation system
for larger crewed vessels, both seafaring and spaceborne. But while
they serve the same function at heart, and support the survival of
the same number of people, lifeboats diff er from escape pods in their
approach to the mission at hand, with lifeboats being a less energyintensive
version of the escape pod.
Where aerospace escape pods are powered, for instance, their
equivalent lifeboats lack anything more than the most basic life support
and food stores. These craft are thus forced to drift in space until
friendly craft can pick them up, unable to adjust their vectors or even
manage an unpowered atmospheric re-entry. On the other hand, the
use of energy collection sails enables aerospace lifeboats to send distress
signals indefi nitely, while its six to seven passengers can survive
for 24 to 30 days on the craft’s internal oxygen supply.
versions of the ER and pulse laser lines, but with so many aging models
left in Clan stores, these “archaic” weapons—every bit as effi cient
as their Spheroid varieties—may still be found on vintage Clan-owned
Star League units once in a while.
[Once more, as with the standard autocannon, Habeas is essentially
correct. The advent of more effi cient ER and pulse laser grades for the
small, medium and large sizes made the standard models almost
superfl uous, but it should be noted that a few models remained in
production as late as 2900, built to more refi ned standards that made
them somewhat more compact before they truly faded into obsolescence.
Most of these weapons were either refurbished to upgraded
Clan specs or replaced entirely by the turn of the century. –EB]
LIFEBOAT
Maritime lifeboats are likewise simplified (but much lighter),
with most amounting to rafts or rigid-hull boats not designed for an
underwater launch and possessing—at best—a basic outboard motor
(though many use a collapsible wind sail instead), and a food/supplies
store typically stocked enough to sustain up to ten persons for a week.
It is not uncommon for a given vessel—aerospace or maritime—to
employ escape pods and lifeboats at the same time. For spacecraft, this
redundancy allows the crew more exit points in the event of an emergency,
as well as a means to jettison under any power crises. For maritime
vessels, lifeboats are often a legal requirement and a low-cost answer to
escape pods—usable by any vessel as long as it remains on the surface.
[Habeas has apparently forgotten that a simpler, atmospheric-only
version of these lifeboats exists—such as those used by airships. These
boats weigh as much as a typical maritime lifeboat, but function instead
as gliders or on chutes, drifting slowly to the ground once jettisoned,
and feature fl otation devices in the event of a water landing. –EB]
Tech Base: Clan and Inner Sphere
Unit Restrictions: Only Naval Combat and Support Vehicles, as well as Support Vehicles with the Amphibious Chassis Modifi cation may
install maritime lifeboats; only Airship and Fixed-Wing Support Vehicles may install atmospheric lifeboats. Only Small Craft and DropShips
may install aerospace lifeboats.
Game Rules: Escape systems are not covered in Total Warfare game play. These systems will be covered more fully in Tactical Operations.
Lifeboats are never considered disabled by engine shutdown or crew injury.
Construction Rules: All applicable units that can carry lifeboats may carry as many lifeboats as desired, with each lifeboat weighing as
much as shown under the Industrial Weapon and Equipment Table (1 ton each for maritime and atmospheric; 7 tons each for aerospace).
Lifeboats occupy no weapon or equipment slots.
Note: Maritime lifeboats have a capacity of 10 people; atmospheric and aerospace lifeboats may support up to 7.
Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Industrial, pp. 344–345).
Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight
Look-down radar is specialized form of sensor equipment typically
employed by surveillance aircraft to accurately map local topography
and monitor troop movements. Unaff ected by ground clutter, but
susceptible to modern ECM systems, look-down radar is a useful piece
of equipment, but often not deployed thanks to the preponderance of
LIFEBOAT
LOOK-DOWN RADAR
EW suites today, and because its best use requires aerial supremacy.
Nevertheless, some units have appeared even in Clan arsenals with
such equipment installed, such as the Clan Spectre-class surveillance
planes that reportedly overfl ew the battlefi elds on Tukayyid in 3052.
Tech Base: Clan and Inner Sphere
Unit Restrictions: BattleMechs, IndustrialMechs, ProtoMechs and ground-based Combat and Support Vehicles (those with Wheeled,
Tracked, Hover and WiGE motive systems) may not mount a look-down radar system.
Game Rules: Look-down radar is not covered in Total Warfare game play. This system will be covered more fully in Tactical Operations.
Construction Rules: Applicable units may carry only one look-down radar system, which must be placed in the unit’s Nose (or Front) location.
Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Industrial, pp. 344–345).
LOOK-DOWN RADAR
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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
227