(Answered) Searchlight Quirk

[Hammer]

Hi

Have a queston about the searchlight quirk.
Page 196 Corrected Second Printing of SO talks about
"Units such as the Warhammer, Loki, Guillotine, Defiance and Rifleman are equipped with high-power searchlights (see p. 57, TO). Each time a searchlight-equipped unit takes a hit in any torso location (Front or Rear), the player must roll 2D6 to determine if the searchlight is destroyed. A result of 7+ means the searchlight is destroyed, in addition to the normal effects of the attack."

So I'm assuming if I take this quirk means that the mech has a search light.

But TM PG 237 says
"BattleMechs and Combat Vehicles may instead mount one mounted
searchlight at the designer’s option, at no cost in weight, slots, or C-bills. Over and above these “free” lights, additional searchlights may be mounted on all units in accordance with standard core construction rules."

Since the quirk doesn't appear to change the rules from pg 57 of TO, my question is what is the purpose of the quirk?

[Xotl]

It's an option if you don't want every mech to have a searchlight and aren't going by "whichever ones you think should have a searchlight".  In such cases you can use the quirk to state which ones have it, without reference to the actual record sheet.

[Hammer]

Thanks for the clarification