There's a lot of electronics systems that get used in Battletech, and while they're usually broken apart for mix-and-match construction, it makes sense that comprehensive electronics suites would also be developed. So, here's some ideas. (All of these are Inner Sphere, at least for the time being.)
Combined Electronics System - Small
- 3.0 tons, 4 slots, 750,000 C-Bills, 71 BV(+C3 value).
Combines the functions of a Guardian ECM, a Beagle Active Probe, and a C3 Slave.
Combined Electronics System - Medium
- 5.0 tons, 6 slots, 2,000,000 C-Bills, 125 BV(+C3/TAG value).
Combines the functions of an Angel ECM, a Bloodhound Active Probe, a C3 Boosted Slave, and a TAG.
Combined Electronics System - Large
- 10.0 tons, 12 slots(can be split), 4,000,000 C-Bills, 175 BV(+C3/TAG value).
Combines the functions of an Angel ECM, a Bloodhound Active Probe, a C3 Boosted Master, and 3 tons of communications equipment. Unit may make two sensor rolls per turn when using double-blind rules. Unit may gain the effect of a Targeting Computer on any one weapon per turn.
In addition to the CES systems intended for front-line use, there are also CCES units, intended for coodination of large groups in combat situations. All CCES units require an additional pilot to operate, which means that they can only be mounted in a vehicle or a Command Console-equipped Mech.
Combined Command Electronics System - Small
- 7.0 tons, 8 slots, 4,000,000 C-Bills, BV equal to double the usual C3 cost.
Acts as a C3 Boosted Master.
Allows all units within this unit's C3 network to share targeting data to a greater degree than is normally possible. As long as one CES/CCES-equipped unit in the C3 network has an unobstructed line of sight with a target, LRMs may make indirect fire rolls as if they were direct fire, and all penalties for firing through woods or smoke are reduced by 1. This may allow units to fire against units that would normally be out of their line of sight(e.g.,a direct-fire weapon firing through 3 light woods hexes is now a +2 penalty, instead of being impossible).
Combined Command Electronics System - Medium
- 12.0 tons, 15 slots(can be split), 8,000,000 C-Bills, BV equal to double the usual C3 cost(for all linked C3 networks).
Acts as a C3 Boosted Master and 4 tons of communications equipment.
Allows up to 3 CCES-equipped C3 networks to share targeting data in the same way as a Small CCES. (This does not grant them the usual C3 network effect of ignoring range penalties based on each other's locations, only the effects of the CCES system itself)
Combined Command Electronics System - Large
- 20.0 tons, 24 slots(can be split between all locations in the unit), 20,000,000 C-Bills, BV equal to triple the usual C3 cost(for all linked C3 networks).
Acts as a C3 Boosted Master and 10 tons of communications equipment.
In addition to the effects of a Medium CCES, all linked units get +1 on all sensor rolls when using double-blind rules, any artillery within the network may use the Adjusting Fire to-hit bonus for any shot made at the same map instead of merely at the same hex, and CES/CCES-equipped units may drop out of or join C3 networks if desired(though they cannot do both in the same turn, so they must spend at least one turn without any C3/CCES benefits whatsoever). For the purposes of determining BV for a force that has a Large CCES, all C3-equipped units must be added to a C3 system if possible.
The Large CCES may also be connected to a Naval C3 network for the purposes of giving the same Adjusting Fire bonus to orbital bombardment rolls as it gives to artillery units. In order to do this, the Naval C3 network must have an available slot. This does not grant any other bonuses to the units in the Naval C3 network.
Any thoughts or comments would be welcome.
