the shape of things to come

Introduced: Circa 2000
A salvage arm is actually a specialized IndustrialMech replacement for
the hand actuator, combining a highly dexterous light manipulator with a
variety of powered tools intended to aid in salvage and repair operations.
SALVAGE ARM
SALVAGE ARM
Far too weak to be of much use in combat, or to carry cargoes greater
than a few hundred kilograms at best, the manipulators are deliberately
incompatible with hand-held weapons, stressing their use as a sophisticated
multi-functional tool rather than a weapon of war.
Tech Base: Inner Sphere and Clan
Unit Restrictions: Only humanoid BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs may mount a salvage arm.
Game Rules: The salvage arm has no eff ect in Total Warfare game play. Its use will be described more fully in Tactical Operations. If an arm
equipped with a salvage arm is used in a physical attack, it counts as a missing hand actuator for to-hit and damage modifi ers.
Construction Rules: Humanoid BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs may mount one salvage arm per arm, but must remove the hand actuator on
the chosen arm to do so. Because the salvage arm replaces the hand actuator, a ‘Mech may not also mount any of the following in the same arm:
bulldozer, backhoe, 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. 143
Introduced: Circa 2320 (Lyran Commonwealth)
Industrial-scale welders have been in use since the latter half of the
twentieth century, but much like the nail and rivet guns discussed earlier,
their utility on a vehicular scale was considered largely questionable until
the advent of eff ective IndustrialMech technology. Since then, a vehicular
adaptation that melds this item with a purpose-built manipulator arm
allows for its installation on other units.
It should be noted, however, that today’s industrial-grade spot welder
is an advanced technology adaptation of its ancient progenitors. Rather
SPOT WELDER
than relying on its own fuel cells, it draws on the carrying unit’s power
supply to achieve the heat needed to melt industrial-grade alloys. These
energy needs—and waste heat generated—are on par with that of a military
grade small laser, and so units that mount this equipment must install
power amplifi ers and heat sinks as necessary to deal with these issues.
According to some reports, the spot welder’s high-heat arc can also
be a potent physical attack weapon in a pinch, but rather than pounding
away armor with a simple punch, the welder’s arc instead infl icts its damage
more like a contact laser.
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 mount a spot welder.
Game Rules: Spot welders mounted in any location other than the arms of a humanoid ‘Mech may not be used to make physical attacks. Spot
welders do not remain active if the unit’s engine shuts down or its pilot/crew is incapable of taking action. Note that Hover and WiGE units may not
use a spot welder 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
must be stationary (spending 0 MP in that turn) to use a spot welder.
Construction Rules: Combat or Support Vehicles (Wheeled, Tracked, Hover, WiGE or Naval only) may mount spot welders in any desired location
(including the turret).
Humanoid BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs may mount spot welders in the arms only, but are limited to one welder per arm and must remove
the hand actuator on the chosen arm to do so. Quad BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs may mount spot welders in the Side Torso locations only,
and are limited to one welder per location.
For units running on non-fusion/non-fi ssion engines, spot welders are considered to a heavy energy weapon and so require heat sinks and power
amplifi ers to operate.
Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Industrial, pp. 344–345) Game Rules: Total Warfare, p. 142
Introduced: Pre-spacefl ight
A fairly common item on police riot-control units, fi re engines, coolant
trucks and the like, the so-called sprayer is simply a high-pressure pumpand-hose
system used to dispense directed bursts of internally stored fl uids
at a given target. Most commonly seen on IndustrialMechs or vehicles
equipped with fl uid reserves, the limited eff ective range and damage yield
for most fl uids makes the sprayer an ineff ective combat weapon. Indeed,
with a typical pumping rate of some 10 kilograms of liquids per second, and
a physical accuracy of only thirty meters or so—beyond which it becomes
a crap shoot—the sprayer hardly counts as a weapon at all. Nevertheless,
SPOT WELDER
SPRAYER/LIGHT FLUID SUCTION SYSTEM
their ability to dispense any desired fl uids with ease—water, insecticides,
paints or coolants—makes the sprayer a favored tool for many civil service
and commercial agencies.
As with the refueling drogue, a reversed version of the standard lightweight
sprayer is the aptly named light fl uid suction system (LFSS). Used
generally by smaller fi refi ghting vehicles and battlefi eld tenders (though a
slightly larger, ‘Mech-based version also exists for RescueMechs), the LFSS
can draw fuels, coolant or other liquid cargo into on-board storage tanks
at a rate of about 10 kilograms per second.
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