Author Topic: (Answered) Detachable Weapons - How many can I mount on a single unit?  (Read 1355 times)

GoldBishop

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Sources:
Battle Armor Construction Rules - Tech Manual p. 160-172
Battle Armor Detachable Weapon Pack (rules) - TacOps p.286-287
Battle Armor Tube Artillery (construction rules) - TacOps p.284
Equipment Tables (Battle Armor) - TacOps p.412-413
Tac Ops Errata 3.6 p.20 "Battle Armor Detachable Weapon Pack (DWP)


Based on the current errata in TacOps, the following is understood:
- a single DWP may equip only a single weapon (with appropriate ammo/clip)
- a DWP may be mounted in each arm and body location
- a DWP occupies 1 Anti-Mech Weapon slot available in a given location, and (paraphrased) bypasses the normal restrictions for mounting limits (a 4 slot item may now mount as 1 slot item)

Which bears the questions:
Is there a limit to the number of DWP a given battle armor unit can mount? 
Can a 4-legged battle armor mount 3 different DWP in its body location or a combination of DWP and DMP (detachable missiles)?
« Last Edit: 02 November 2017, 12:28:48 by Xotl »
"Watch the man-made-lightning fly!"  -RaiderRed

GoldBishop

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Re: Detachable Weapons - How many can I mount on a single unit?
« Reply #1 on: 22 October 2017, 21:35:19 »
**bump**
"Watch the man-made-lightning fly!"  -RaiderRed

Xotl

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Re: Detachable Weapons - How many can I mount on a single unit?
« Reply #2 on: 02 November 2017, 12:28:42 »
Provided the suit has enough MP to counteract the MP penalty sufficiently, your only remaining limit is the number of slots available to the frame.
3028-3057 Random Assignment Tables -
Also contains faction deployment & rarity info.

http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=1219.0

GoldBishop

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The MP limit (paraphrasing) is based on the presence of the DWP/DMP, not the quantity.  If I had one in each arm and the torso (as is the current limit for bipedal units), its only -3 MP (Medium) or -2 MP (Heavy/Assault), with exactly 0 converting to 1 MP; it is known that MPs cannot be reduced below Zero in this manner, but there is no cumulative penalty for mounting multiple DWPs...

The reason I bring up DWP limits is this: a player has asked if they could put three (3) Battle Armor Tube Artillery (TacOps p.284) on a single assault-class quad.  The claim is that, despite the weight reduction and cutting back drastically on ammo and armor, the construction/build is "legal" because the slot limit has also been satisfied based on the current wording (normally 4 slots reduced to 1 as a DWP; x3 = 3) (TacOps p412-413).

As the GM, I have currently blocked my players BA units from carrying more than 1 BA Tube Artillery per suit  Right now, the justification is based on the for BA Tube Artillery having an equipment slot restriction (Body only).  ...While it is admittedly not a strong argument, we have agreed to the "head canon" that perhaps the BA Tube Artillery is too bulky of a piece of equipment and [specifically] cannot be mounted in multiples.

We are concerned that someone else will eventually exploit this loophole, and my players agree with me that the current "limitless" approach may be against the spirit of the game.

"Watch the man-made-lightning fly!"  -RaiderRed