the shape of things to come

AEROSPACE/AIRSHIP RECORD SHEETS
Similar to BattleMechs, but much more varied in design and
function, Airship and Aerospace Unit record sheets account for
seven of the record sheets included with this book. Based on
unit type, these sheets have a diff erent appearance, but use the
same overall layout and core components. These record sheets
are: Airship (for Small/Medium Airship Support Vehicles), Conventional
Fighter (for conventional fi ghters and Fixed-Wing Support
Vehicles of any size), Aerospace Fighter (for aerospace fighter
units), Small Craft (one each for aerodyne and spheroid-shaped
craft) and DropShip (one each for aerodyne and spheroid-shaped
DropShips). Where applicable (Airships and fi ghters) these sheets
may be used to represent regular units and their Omni equivalents.
Designers should be sure, however, to use the sheet associated
with the correct unit type before proceeding.
Unit Data: The Unit Data block for aerospace and Airship units
varies by name with the unit type (Airship Data for Airships, Fighter
Data for aerospace and conventional fi ghters, DropShip Data for
DropShips and so forth). Located in the upper left corner, this section
of the record sheet lists the unit’s most important statistics,
including its model (Type), weight (Tonnage), Thrust Points (Safe
and Max), Weapons Inventory, Cost and Battle Value. Conventional
fi ghters and Fixed-Wing Support Vehicles, meanwhile, can
also check off boxes to indicate whether they have VSTOL or STOL
capabilities. DropShips, which can possess fi ghter and other unit
bays, may note their complement of such units, followed by the
number of functioning doors on the vessel capable of releasing
these units during game play.
In the Weapons Inventory, weapons of identical types and location
may be combined on a single line to conserve space. Unlike
’Mechs and vehicles, however, multiple weapons in the same fi ring
arc (or the same bay, for DropShips) must note their total combined
heat and Damage Values at each range bracket, as these
units generally fi re their weapons by arc or bay. Unlike other units,
aerospace units do not list weapon ranges in hexes, but rather
list the damage their weapons can deliver at each range bracket
(with a value of 0 or simply a dash for any bracket beyond the
weapon’s range). Ammunition should be listed on the same line
as any ammo-dependent weapons (DropShips receive a separate
line devoted to ammo); designers can track such munitions there
or in the Notes block.
DropShips, which have access to capital missile weapons,
should list damage in Standard and Capital scale. To translate
Standard-scale damage into Capital-scale damage, divide the
Damage Value for the weapon in Standard scale by 10 and
round normally. When listing Damage Values for DropShips, the
appropriate format is to list the capital value fi rst, followed by the
standard damage in parentheses.
Pilot/Crew Data
This block lists the name, skills and condition of the unit’s pilot
or crew.
Critical Damage
All aerospace units and DropShips include a block for tracking
possible eff ects of critical damage; the equivalent of a Critical Hits
Table, this section is pre-generated, and varies only slightly by
unit type.
Armor Diagram
The Armor Diagrams for aerospace units and Airships fi lls most
of the right-hand side of the unit’s record sheet. It outlines each of
the main body locations found on the unit, and surrounds a single
area shaded in gray that represents the unit’s structural integrity.
When fi nalizing the design of an aerospace unit, the designer
must black out all excess armor and structural integrity circles
by location. Airships and Fixed-Wing Support Vehicles—like their
ground-based equivalents—may possess armor of a different
BAR than the normal combat-grade armor used by fi ghters, Small
Craft and DropShips. A line to note this BAR appears in the Armor
Diagram block.
External Stores Blocks (Fighters and Fixed-Wing Support Vehicles)
In the upper-right corner of the Armor Diagram for fi ghters are
up to 20 blocks representing external stores that may be used for
bombs, spare fuel tanks and even spotting gear. As the number of
these available to such craft depends heavily on the unit’s weight,
any excess stores blocks must be blacked out when fi nalizing the
design.
Fixed-Wing Support Vehicles can only carry external stores
when equipped with external stores hardpoints.
Heat Scale
Heat Scale blocks appear only on record sheets for aerospace
fi ghters, Small Craft and DropShips. Airships, conventional fi ghters
and Fixed-Wing Support Vehicles do not need to track heat in
the same fashion as those units.
On fi ghters and Small Craft, the Heat Scale provides a place to
note the number of heat sinks on the design, as well as their type
(single or double) and total heat-absorption capacity. This block
uses circles in the same way as the Armor Diagram; any extra sinks
must be blacked out when fi nalizing the unit’s design.
DropShips, which operate on a “zero-net-heat” principle, do
not use a Heat Scale, nor do they track the number of sinks on
the ship using circles. Instead, these units list the number of heat
sinks, check off their type (single or double) and their heat capacity
in parentheses. These units also must note the total number of
heat points for each arc’s worth of weapons fi re. Remember that
DropShips may not fi re an arc if doing so would exceed the unit’s
heat sink capacity.
Velocity Record
This block, featured on all record sheets for aerospace units,
provides space to record the unit’s current velocity and altitude
during game play.