the shape of things to come

Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight
Mid-air refueling may be an unconventional method for supplying
the needs of airborne units such as aerospace fi ghters and airships, but
it is a common enough procedure in today’s universe. The standard
refueling drogue, which makes this possible, is a long pump that can
mate with the integral fueling port of another airborne unit in midair.
So long as both craft are capable of maintaining steady and level
fl ight, at matched speeds and vectors, this pump system can transfer
up to 100 kilograms of fuel per second. Though fully refi lling the tanks
of typical aerospace fi ghter running on fumes can take an airborne
tanker close to a minute, this ability has helped maintain the readiness
of many aerospace forces—commercial and military—for centuries.
Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight
The typical rock-cutter—used in mining and dense urban area
construction/demolitions—consists of a chain of tempered alloy links
studded with diamond-hard cutting heads. Looking for all the worlds
like a nasty older brother to the typical ForestryMech’s chainsaw, this
clumsy device is meant to cut through solid rock and ferrocrete. It is
also one of the few items of heavy industrial equipment that actually
REFUELING DROGUE/FLUID SUCTION SYSTEM
ROCK CUTTER
The fl uid suction system (FSS) works on the same principles as the
drogue, only in reverse (and with a much safer margin of operation, as
it is typically reserved for ground-based operations). Designed instead
to draw fuels, coolants or other fl uids from another unit, the standard
suction system can drain roughly 100 kilograms per second. Though
impossible to use as a weapon system—it generally requires a crew
or a real steady hand to make the necessary connections—the FSS
enables a typical SalvageMech so equipped to drain off any vital liquid
chemicals from a downed BattleMech or crippled tank in less than a
minute. Heavy fi refi ghting vehicles use similar equipment to rapidly
fi ll their on-board water tanks from open bodies of water like rivers
and lakes as well.
Tech Base: Inner Sphere and Clan
Unit Restrictions: Only fi ghters, Airship and Fixed-Wing Support Vehicles, VTOL Combat and Support Vehicles, and Small Craft may
install a refueling drogue. BattleMechs and ProtoMechs may not mount a fl uid suction system.
Game Rules: Refueling drogues and fl uid suction systems have no impact in Total Warfare; their use will be covered in Tactical Operations. Fluid
suction systems aren’t necessary for refueling operations; only units designated as tankers for mid-air refueling require a refueling drogue.
Construction Rules: Refueling drogues may only be mounted in the Aft/Rear section of a fi ghter, Airship, Fixed-Wing Support Vehicle
or VTOL. Fuel-using ground-based vehicles, ‘Mechs and DropShips must dock to take on fuel. Drogues may be mounted in multiples, but
each counts as a separate item.
Fluid suction systems may be mounted in any location on an applicable unit (except for VTOL rotors). Suctions may be mounted in
multiples, but each counts as a separate item.
Units mounting a refueling drogue must also possess a liquid or refrigerated cargo storage bay from which the fuel is to be transferred.
Units mounting a fl uid suction system must also possess a liquid or refrigerated cargo storage bay into which the fl uids are drawn. See
Transport Bays, p. 239, for details on these bays.
Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Industrial, pp. 344–345)
REFUELING DROGUE/FLUID SUCTION SYSTEM
ROCK CUTTER
builds up heat thanks to its high-speed motors and cutting mechanisms.
Unsurprisingly, the rock cutter can defi nitely harm armored
units like BattleMechs, but its sheer size makes it supremely diffi cult to
wield as a weapon, even by an IndustrialMech. This tool rarely appears
in combat outside the Solaris circuits.
Tech Base: Inner Sphere and Clan
Unit Restrictions: Only BattleMechs, IndustrialMechs and ground or naval Combat and Support Vehicles (those with a Wheeled, Tracked,
Hover, WiGE or Naval motive system) may carry a rock cutter.
Game Rules: Note that Hover and WiGE units may not use a Rock-Cutter 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 Rock-Cutters must be adjacent to a target and stationary
(spending 0 MP in that turn) to use one.
Construction Rules: Combat and Support Vehicles may mount only one rock cutter each in the Front, Back or Turret locations, but only
if the location(s) selected does not also include a bulldozer, backhoe, chainsaw, combine, dual saw, heavy-duty pile driver, mining drill or
wrecking ball.
Humanoid BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs may mount rock cutters in the arms, but are limited to one cutter per arm and must remove
the hand actuator on the chosen arm to do so. Quad BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs may mount rock cutters in the Side Torso locations
only, and are limited to one cutter per location. As with vehicles, ‘Mechs of any type may not place a rock cutter in any location that also
includes a bulldozer, backhoe, chainsaw, combine, dual saw, heavy-duty pile driver, mining drill or wrecking ball.
Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Industrial, pp. 344–345) Game Rules: Total Warfare, p. 140
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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
247