the shape of things to come

the number of specifi ed items by the value of X and round down
to the nearest whole to fi nd the value of Y.]
Rounding normally means that when the value to be rounded
falls closer to a lower target number than a higher one, the designer
must round down. Conversely, values from the midpoint between
two possible target numbers and up to the higher number must
be rounded up. For example, a value of 3.4 that the designer must
“round normally to the nearest half” becomes 3.5, because 3.5 is
closer to 3.4; but a value of less than 3.25 (the midpoint between
3.0 and 3.5) would be rounded down to 3.
ROUNDING AND WEIGHT
Most units that may be constructed in this TechManual measure
their weight by the Tonnage Standard. Small Support Vehicles,
ProtoMechs and battlesuits use a kilogram standard instead (1,000
kilograms = 1 ton). When rounding weight values for units using
the tonnage standard, a designer should round up all weight
values to the nearest half-ton unless the unit’s construction rules
specifi cally state otherwise. Kilogram-standard units round weight
up to the nearest full kilogram.
ROUNDING AND SPACE
Though rounding rarely comes up in terms of assigning space to
multi-slot items during construction, item space fractions during
construction are always rounded up to the nearest whole number.
ROUNDING AND ARMOR/INTERNAL STRUCTURE
Many armor types exist for various units that can result in fractional
armor points during design. Unless stated otherwise under
the unit’s construction rules, when rounding fractional armor points,
always round down to the nearest whole number. Conversely, if a
designer is trying to fi nd the weight of an amount of armor based
on the number of points and comes up with a fraction, that fraction
should be rounded up to the nearest half-ton (for tonnage-standard
units), or to the nearest kilogram (for kilogram-standard units).
Internal structure usually appears in a fractional format only
when creating Combat Vehicles and Support Vehicles, which
derive their internal structure values from formulas rather than
tables. Unless stated otherwise, whenever the designer encounters
fractional values for internal structure points, these values are
always rounded up.
ROUNDING AND COSTS/BATTLE VALUE
At the end of the cost computations for any unit, all C-bill cost
values must be rounded up to the nearest 0.01 C-bill. At the end of
the Battle Value computations for any unit, any fractional values
must be rounded normally to the nearest whole number.
PERCENTAGES
Sometimes, the rules require a value in terms of percentages.
Designers should note that a percentage value may be expressed
as a straight multiplier by moving the decimal point two numbers
to the left (or dividing by 100, without rounding). Multiplying this
value by the value in question attains the desired percentage of
that value. For example, if a rule requests the designer to fi nd “30
percent of the unit’s tonnage” and the unit’s target weight (tonnage)
is 65, the designer should multiply 65 (the unit’s tonnage)
by 0.30 (30 percent = 30 ÷ 100 = 0.30) to fi nd the desired value.
The rounding rules applied when computing a percentage may
vary by situation.
RECORD SHEETS
In Total Warfare, game play is resolved for all units via record
sheets that track the unit’s relative level of damage, heat (where
applicable) and a number of other statistics. At the end of the
design process, each designer must translate his or her unit from
its raw statistics to an appropriate record sheet in order to use it
properly in a game of Classic BattleTech.
Blank Record Sheets are provided at the back of this rulebook
for all unit types. How they work, and which record sheets should
be used for each unit type featured in this book, are outlined
below.
Note: As with the Components section (see p. 9), players that
own Total Warfare will notice some similarities between this section
and the Record Sheets section of Total Warfare (see p. 26, TW).
However, this section, while conveying much of the same information,
focuses on the record sheet in terms of construction.
RECORD SHEET TYPES
TechManual provides 17 distinct record sheets for use in
designing and using units in Total Warfare game play. The record
sheets—and their appropriate unit types—are shown in the
Record Sheets Table below. When designing a unit, it is important
to use the appropriate Blank Record Sheet to track its capabilities
and statistics, as well as for at-a-glance recognition of a given
unit’s type.
Note: The visual outline of the Armor Diagram for some pregenerated
record sheets may appear slightly diff erent than the
standard Blank Record Sheet. For example, a pre-generated
Tracked Vehicle Record Sheet includes graphics showing tracks,
while one for a wheeled vehicle includes wheel graphics as part
of the Armor Diagram. This is done to enhance the visual aesthetic
of playing the game, but has no impact on the record sheet or
game play.
RECORD SHEET BASICS
All of the Classic BattleTech Record Sheets designed for use in
Total Warfare standard rules play arrange their vital information
and game statistics in blocks of data based on their form and
function. Throughout the various record sheets, a number of
common blocks appear that perform roughly the same functions
regardless of the unit’s type.
Unit Data
The title of the Unit Data block diff ers by unit type (’Mech Record
Sheets call this the ’Mech Data block, aerospace and conventional
fi ghters call this the Fighter Data block and so on), but the function
of this block remains the same: It provides a direct overview
of the make, model, base performance and weapons load of the
unit in question.
The Unit Data block begins with the name of the unit, its model
number (if any), its weight (Tonnage), Movement Points (Walking/
Running/Jumping, or Cruising/Flank for vehicles) or Thrust Points
(Safe/Max) for aerospace units, and Technology Base (Clan or Inner
Sphere). The Weapons Inventory follows, listing the quantity, type,
location on the unit’s body, heat (where applicable), damage and
ranges of all the unit’s weapons. On some units, this inventory
also lists the ammunition for a weapon beside its entry and may
be used to track ammunition expenditure. (Aerospace units use