the shape of things to come

during the mid-3040s. Even thicker than the Confederation’s refi ned
military-grade version, this enhanced industrial myomer is “active”
at start-up, requiring no internal heat levels to engage. Thus, a
IndustrialMech equipped with Industrial TSM (occasionally referred
to as I-TSM) operates with double the eff ective lifting and physical
Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight
Like the pintle mount, the turret mount allows weapons and equipment
a broader arc of operation than a simple fi xed-location mount.
Unlike the pintle, the turret mount is designed and available for heavy
weapons as well as lighter weapon types and other equipment.
TURRET MOUNT
combat capability of any non-enhanced ’Mech in the same tonnage.
However, I-TSM improves only raw physical strength, not speed.
Indeed, the enhanced capabilities of I-TSM can actually produce spastic
motions as the myomers contract more violently than standard,
resulting in clumsier motion overall for IndustrialMechs equipped
TURRET MOUNT
Favored on Combat Vehicles for their full-fi eld fi ring range, the turret
mount has completely replaced the pintle mount in modern engineering
for all heavy weapons, and even many more lightly equipped
Support Vehicles sport full turret mounts to maximize their fl exibility.
Tech Base: Inner Sphere and Clan
Unit Restrictions: Turret mounts may only be used by ground-based and naval Combat and Support Vehicles (those using a Wheeled,
Tracked, Hover, WiGE or Naval motive system).
Construction Rules: Turrets are mounted on Combat and Support Vehicles in accordance with their standard core construction rules
(beginning on pp. 94 and 116, respectively). Under these rules, Combat and Support Vehicles may mount no more than 1 turret per
unit. Turrets weigh 10 percent as much as all equipment mounted within the turret, except for armor, ammunition, heat sinks and power
amplifi ers (rounded up to the nearest kilograms for Small Support Vehicles, or to the nearest half-ton for vehicles weighing 5 tons and up).
Turrets occupy no equipment slots and are treated as a location on the vehicle design, which receives internal structure values and may
also receive armor.
Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Industrial, pp. 344–345) Game Rules: Total Warfare, p. 99
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT
A category that is literally endless, entire encyclopedia sets could be devoted to what falls within the category of “construction equipment.”
For the purposes of this primer, however, the salient points cover such equipment most commonly found on IndustrialMechs
and Support Vehicles (though such equipment can be found on combat vehicles, albeit such is extremely rare). Finally, while some
of the equipment within this category wouldn’t normally fall under a defi nition of “construction,” due to their usual employment with
IndustrialMechs and Support Vehicles that fall within a “construction” defi nition, they are included here.
Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight
The backhoe is a common commercial and industrial tool, designed
primarily for excavating soil. It is a frequent sight on Support Vehicles
and IndustrialMechs, but almost never appears on BattleMechs or
battlefi eld units. Typically forged from thick industrial steel, the bucket
BACKHOE
BACKHOE
of a backhoe—while large and ungainly—can pack quite a wallop as
an improvised physical combat weapon for an IndustrialMech, but it
is functionally useless in combat otherwise.
The Clans’ relative disdain of IndustrialMechs means that Clanmade
backhoes only ever turn up on their Support Vehicles.
Tech Base: Inner Sphere and Clan
Unit Restrictions: Only BattleMechs, IndustrialMechs, ground-based Combat and Support Vehicles (those with Wheeled, Tracked, Hover
and WiGE motive systems) and Naval Combat and Support Vehicles (including submersibles and hydrofoils) may use a backhoe.
Game Rules: Note that Hover and WiGE units may not use a Backhoe unless they have fi rst landed (stopped in the previous turn and
spent 0 MP in that turn) and are adjacent to the target. Naval units equipped with Backhoes may only use them while stationary (spending
0 MP in that turn) and directly adjacent to a target.
Construction Rules: Combat and Support Vehicles may mount only one backhoe each in the Front, Back or Turret locations, but only if the
location(s) selected does not also include a bulldozer, chainsaw, combine, dual saw, heavy-duty pile driver, mining drill, rock cutter or wrecking ball.
Humanoid BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs may mount backhoes in the arms only, but are limited to one backhoe per arm and must
remove the hand actuator on the chosen arm to do so. Quad BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs may mount backhoes in the Side Torso
locations only, and are limited to one backhoe per location. As with vehicles, ‘Mechs of any type may not place a backhoe in any location
that also includes a chainsaw, combine, dual saw, heavy-duty pile driver, mining drill, rock cutter or wrecking ball.
Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Industrial, pp. 344–345) Game Rules: Total Warfare, p. 130
i
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
241