the shape of things to come

FL
Part of the deception engineered by the DMI to hide Corean’s activities, logging never stopped in Acheron Forest in the fi rst years of the Jihad.
IndustrialMechs (also known as UtilityMechs or WorkMechs)
are similar in many ways to the BattleMechs in Classic BattleTech,
but are removed from their battlefi eld cousins by their very nature.
Representing a versatile—yet often overlooked—part of thirtyfi
rst century productivity, IndustrialMechs vary so wildly that they
employ a range of generic names based on their functions (such
as CargoMechs, ConstructionMechs, ForestryMechs, MiningMechs,
and so forth). Even though they remain decidedly inferior to BattleMechs,
every now and then these civilian-oriented ’Mechs fi nd
their way into the crossfi re, and a few armed variations have even
operated as light security for corporate forces and police agencies
across the Inner Sphere.
The following system enables players to construct Unique
IndustrialMechs for Classic BattleTech games that conform to the
standard rules presented in Total Warfare. As these rules can be
fairly math-intensive, IndustrialMech designers are encouraged
to do all work on scratch paper before committing the resulting
design’s fi nal specifi cations to an appropriate blank record sheet.
INDUSTRIALMECH BASICS
As with BattleMechs, IndustrialMech construction relies on
three primary factors: technology base, weight and space. These
factors were broadly overviewed in the Construction Basics section
(see p. 18). The notes below expand on these factors.
TECHNOLOGY BASE
In Total Warfare standard play, IndustrialMechs fall into one
of two available technology bases: Inner Sphere or Clan. Inner
Sphere IndustrialMechs may only use Inner Sphere equipment,
while Clan IndustrialMechs (which are extremely rare) may only
use Clan equipment. The standard forms of internal structure,
armor, cockpits, engines, gyros, heat sinks and jump jets are considered
Universal, and so are available to Clan and Inner Sphere
technology bases.
Technology Rating
In the Weapons and Equipment Tables used for creating
IndustrialMechs (and other units in this book), all items receive
a Technology Rating in addition to a technology base. This rating,
expressed as a series of letter grades that defi ne the level of
technology and its availability through the major eras of Classic
BattleTech history, helps to defi ne the item’s level of sophistication
and may be used to help standardize the unit’s level of advancement
for era-based campaigning. Beyond this, however, an item’s
Technology Rating has no direct bearing on IndustrialMech design.
See Costs and Availability (p. 274) for more on Tech Rating.
OmniMechs
Regardless of the technology base chosen, IndustrialMechs
may not be constructed as OmniMechs.
WEIGHT
IndustrialMechs use the tonnage standard, with all units legal
for Total Warfare standard play weighing 10 to 100 tons (increasing
in increments of 5 tons).
Weight Classes
IndustrialMechs fall into four main weight classes, determined
by their tonnage. Most designs in these classes share similar features,
though a IndustrialMech’s intended role can lead to more
specialized or unusual capabilities for its class.