the shape of things to come

With only 25 kilograms left (275 kg – 250 kg = 25 kg),
John fi nds that he can install no other equipment of
use to his ProtoMech at this stage. Though he may
decide to go back a few steps and revise the design to
use up every kilogram of weight (such as deleting the
Myomer Boosters and spending the resulting total of
freed-up weight on a couple more points of armor),
John decides to accept the fact that his Siren-4 is completed
with 25 kilograms’ worth of “wasted” weight.
Kevin decides to center his Hydra’s
firepower on an ammo-efficient
Streak-SRM system, and spends 1,500
kilograms on a 3-tube Streak launcher
(3 tubes x 500 kg per Streak SRM tube
= 1,500 kg). While he may mount the
weapon in either the torso or the main
gun mount, Kevin feels the Main Gun
location—which has the most flexible
firing arc—is more appropriate, and notes the
Streak SRM 3’s statistics (type, damage per missile
and ranges) on the Main Gun line of this ProtoMech’s
Weapons Inventory. For ammunition, Kevin installs 10
shots for the launcher, which come to 300 kilograms
in weight (10 kg per missile x 3 missiles per shot/volley
x 10 shots = 300 kg). Kevin notes this ammunition on
the Ammo line of the ProtoMech’s Inventory by writing
“Streak SRM-3 (10).”
To back up his missiles, Kevin decides to add a small
but potent micro pulse laser, which weighs in at 500
kilograms. While this weapon is light enough to be
mounted in the torso or the arms now (the main gun
is no longer an option, as it carries the Streak-3), Kevin
places the weapon in the well-armored Torso location.
With a total of 2,300 kilograms now spent on weapons,
Kevin’s Hydra is eff ectively completed.
Lara has 2,600 kilograms to burn on
weapons for her Delphyne-2, and plans
to make the most of it. Having already
installed 2 heat sinks in advance, she
begins with 2 ER micro lasers at 250
kilograms apiece, placing one in each
of the ProtoMech’s arms.
To give her ProtoMech more reach,
Lara decides to back these lasers up with
standard SRMs, and creates two 3-rack SRM launchers
at 750 kilograms apiece (250 kg per SRM tube x 3 tubes
per launcher = 750 kg), which she mounts in the torso
slots. (While Lara could have combined the SRM tubes
into a single 6-rack launcher, her decision to separate
them will allow the Delphyne an additional attack in
the event of a miss, and may retain at least some of
its missile capability in the event of any internal dam-
age.) For ammo, Lara devotes 10 shots to each SRM-3
launcher, for a combined weight of 600 kilograms (10
kg per missile x 3 missiles per shot/volley x 10 shots per
launcher = 300 kg per SRM-3 launcher x 2 launchers =
600 kg). She notes this ammunition on the Ammo line
for her ProtoMech’s Inventory by writing “SRM-3 (20).”
Summing up the kilograms spent on her Delphyne’s
weapons, Lara confi rms that she has used all 2,600
kilograms remaining (250 + 250 + 750 + 750 + 600 =
2,600), eff ectively completing her ProtoMech.
STEP 6: COMPLETE THE
RECORD SHEET
By the time the designer has chosen all structure, engine
and components for the ProtoMech and added armor, weapons
and equipment, all items must be allocated to their proper
places on the Blank ProtoMech Record Sheet. On a competed
record sheet, the designer must be sure to have fi lled in all
data for the ProtoMech’s Data block (including name, tonnage
and MPs). All weapons and equipment must be allocated on
the Weapon Inventory (including weapon ranges, damage
and ammunition in shots per weapon). All extraneous armor
and internal structure points must be blacked out on the
Armor Diagram.
Once all of the above is completed, the ProtoMech is ready
for Total Warfare game play (though in the case of ProtoMechs,
it is generally best to fi ll in all fi ve ProtoMech blocks to have a
fully functional Point ready for action).
John verifi es that all of the valid data
blocks are completed for his Siren-4,
including noting the ProtoMech’s full
name, “Siren 4,” in the ProtoMech’s Type;
its Tonnage (“3”); and its Walking MP
of 10, Running MP (listed as “15 (20)” to
indicate standard and boosted MPs) and
Jumping MP of 0. He also lists the weapons
properly on the Inventory, noting “ER micro laser”
under the Type column on the Torso A line, “2” under
Damage, “1” under Short Range, “2” under Medium
Range and “3-4” under Long Range. After making sure
that no extraneous white or gray circles appear on the
Armor Diagram beyond those already assigned to the
ProtoMech, John is ready to compute the Battle Value
and Cost for his Siren-4 and bring it to play.
Repeating the same steps as John, Kevin and Lara complete
their ProtoMech Record Sheets as well.
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
89