Hi
Vehicles with heat related quirks is primarily an issue of game balance. This game is first and foremost about BattleMechs, so other units have to be balanced to keep the Mech as "King". This is why vehicles cannot mount double heat sinks and why any of the quirks for heat are not allowed. We could come up with in universe reasons, but those would just be to support game balance.
Okay. I can see that but vehicles do have some advantages over mechs when it comes to heat. No heat for movement and some weapons generating now heat. However energy weapons almost demand a fusion engine just for the heat sinks and in most cases they still have to sacrifice a lot of weight to heat sinks. Since they can't use double heat sinks, I wondered why they wouldn't use other means to control their heat. I can see one reason Combat Computer might not be allowed but VDNI controlled vehicles would counter that, for at least them. But I cant think of a reason why Improved Cooling Jackets aren't allowed when Laser Insulators are. They're pretty much the same thing. The latter just seems like it would be a lower cost/tech version of t he former. I would think some would think the added cost of the weapon would be worth it to free up an extra tonnage.
A Shrek PPC Carrier with the Improved Cooling Jacket Quirk would allow it to free up three tons of heat sink weight for close defense weapons or something.
Conversely I wonder why the no cooling jacket and poor cooling jacket quirks can't be used when vehicles aren't worried about heat. A Savanna Master isn't going to be worried about heat even if it's medium laser doesn't have a cooling jacket since it has heat sinks to spare, so the owner might find that a cheaper option.
Wondering why certain quirks can't be used for vehicles isn't just a matter of heat control and cost though. I also wonder;'
why the Atmospheric Flyer and Unstreamlined Quirks can't be applied to VTOLs. Some are streamlined others are flying bricks.
Why the internal Bomb bay Quirk can't be applied to VTOLs. They can carry cargo and there are rules for VTOLs dropping bombs.
why the Easy to pilot quirk can't apply to all vehicles. The hard to pilot quirk does.
why isn't there a Command Vehicle Quirk.
Why Multi-Track isn't allowed. The Partisan AA Tank can track 200 targets. I would think it would apply.
Why there isn't a protected motive system quirk. Some tanks do have armored "skirts"
Why vehicles can't mount Variable Range Targeting, some are armed with long and short ranged weapons only. I would think a system like that would be desirable.
Does the Fighter/Small Craft column also apply to Fixed wing and airships?
I'll need more info, like page number and an example, to help on the blind quirk.
Page 195 of Strategic Operations there's an Improved Sensor Quirk. By itself it's equal to an active probe and that if the unit has an active probe it adds 2 hexes to the probes range.
Does which probe the Improved Sensors equal change with the era and with who's using them? Like would early clan mechs with improved sensors use the range for the Beagle and later clan mechs use the range for the Active Probe? Or do they just use the range for the Beagle period? Or does it use the ranged for the EW System?
When it's combined with a Probe what is the Blind Sensor range? Page 223 of Tactical Operations lists the blind sensor ranges of various sensors but not the ranges of combined Improved Sensors and Probes. Like the Beagle has a long range of 36. How much further would the range be with Improved Sensors? How about for the other probes?
Is there any word on if Quirks will have costs compared to standard equipment. Improved Sensors over Standard Sensors, for example?
Rumble seat- No additional in game benefits. RPG benefits would be at the discretion of the Game Master.
Okay but don't RPG benefits translate into in game benefits?
