the shape of things to come

cally limited the drill was in combat, they instead learned to employ their
battlesuit drills in the same way as others have: as a tool for constructing
fortifi cations and tunnels.
SALVAGE ARM
Introduced: 2415 (Terran Hegemony)
The salvage arm is a special multi-tool most often seen on industrial
exoskeletons and battlefi eld recovery suits, rather than on true battle
armor designs. A special assembly that includes a cluster of clamp-like manipulators
and cutting equipment—including laser torches and powered
blades—the salvage arm is practically useless in combat, but an invaluable
asset in the fi eld during salvage and recovery operations.
MANIPULATOR ADAPTATIONS
A number of special adaptations exist that can be combined with other
manipulator types to expand their utility or eff ectiveness. By far the most
common of these are the magnetic-claw, mine-clearance and vibro-claw
adaptations, used by the Clans and the Inner Sphere. None of these adaptations
can be combined on the same manipulator—so until engineers
develop, say, a magnetic vibro-claw, you’re unlikely to encounter a battlesuit
featuring the capabilities of both.
Magnetic Claws: Not to be confused with the clamps discussed earlier,
FedCom engineers developed magnetic claws in the mid-3050s as
an enhancement for standard and heavy battle claw manipulators, but
these can also be mounted on the feet of battlesuits to aid in their anti-
’Mech swarming and leg attack potential. To be eff ective, the magnetic
claws must be installed on matching manipulators as well as on the battle
armor’s legs. But once so enhanced, a battlesuit can climb a hostile target
almost as easily as it can walk over land.
MANIPULATOR
Mine Clearance Equipment: Designed to work with standard manipulators
only, mine clearance equipment is mounted in both of a battlesuit’s
arms. Including sensory systems and special electronic and chemical injectors,
these barrel-shaped modifi cations enhance the trooper’s ability to
locate and either disable or clear away hostile mines. The sophistication of
this system requires, however, that one arm eff ectively function as the detector,
while the other is the disabling/clearing system, and the adaptation
requires standard manipulators to handle the inert mines long enough to
assure their safe disposal. Not surprisingly, it was the Capellans who fi rst
began installing battle armor mine clearance equipment in 3057.
Vibro-Claw: Often retractable, to avoid interference in climbing or
handling larger objects, vibro-claws are an adaptation to standard and
heavy battle claw manipulators that adds lethality and damage potential
to close-quarters combat. Experienced troopers can use these powered
vibro-blades to enhance their anti-’Mech damage as well, improving their
chances of disabling or at least badly wounding their target. The Draconis
Combine introduced the fi rst suit-mounted vibro-claws in 3054.
MODULAR EQUIPMENT ADAPTOR
A manipulator adaptation that deserves its own category, the modular
equipment adaptor (MEA) is sort of an Omni-mount that can be used to
allow a suit to rapidly switch between multiple manipulator types. The
Combine-made Kanazuchi armor introduced this feature in 3058, with a
left arm mount that can be quickly adapted as mission needs demand to
swap its standard battle claw with an armored glove for extra dexterity, or
even an industrial drill for construction work in the fi eld. The MEA equipment
weighs only 10 kilograms per modifi ed arm, but can accommodate
any manipulator or adaptation-enhanced manipulator weighing up to
three times as much.
Tech Base: Inner Sphere and Clan
Battle Armor Unit Restrictions: Battlesuits constructed as quadrupeds (quads) may not mount manipulators.
Game Rules: Under Total Warfare game play, a battlesuit’s manipulators remain operational as long as the suit is not destroyed and its trooper
is capable of acting.
Construction Rules: The rules for installing manipulators on a battle armor suit (including exoskeleton and power armor designs) are covered
under Step 3 of the Battle Armor core construction rules (starting on p. 166).
Table Reference: Battle Armor Manipulator Weight, p. 166 Game Rules: Total Warfare, pp. 228–229
Introduced: 3062 (Capellan Confederation)
Mine dispensers are another technology fairly new to battlesuit design.
Developed by our Capellan “neighbors” as another innovation for their Fa
Shih armor, these detachable canisters can drop enough mines to seed an
area roughly 700 square meters in size. On-board computers even map
MINE DISPENSER
these deployed mines for later retrieval or clearance by friendly forces.
The mines deployed by these dispensers may be conventional, command-detonated,
anti-jump “active” mines or even vibro-bombs. They are
typically deployed while jumping, to avoid an accidental detonations and
to maximize the area the trooper can eff ectively “seed” in this fashion.
Tech Base: Inner Sphere only
Battle Armor Unit Restrictions: Battlesuits with no Jumping MPs may not mount a mine dispenser.
Game Rules: This equipment has no impact on Total Warfare standard rules play. Its eff ects will be described in detail in Tactical Operations.
Construction Rules: A battle armor suit (including exoskeleton and power armor designs) may mount more than one mine dispenser, if desired.
Table Reference: Battle Armor Weapons and Equipment (Inner Sphere, pp. 346–348)
MINE DISPENSER
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