Laser Inhibitor A defensive Idea

[Coldstone]

Well. This Idea is based on the Laser Inihibiting Arrow IV Submunition. Instead of delivering the inhibiting gas via a Missile, why not build gasexhausts inside a mech and use the gas as ammo?

I would go with a weight of 4 tons (half a ton for each location) and 1 Crit slot per location for a total of 8. Gas Ammo, similar to the Laser Inhibitimng Arrow I would set at 5 per ton. The pressurized gas can explode with a damage value equal to the remaining "shots".

For the use: A Mechwarrior must decide at end of Movement Phase of a turn to use the system. If he do so, the gas is released and the inhibiting cloud is in effect. Treat this as if an inhibting arrow hit the hex the Mech occupies. Meaning the +2 hit penalty for Lasers is in effect as well as the smoke effect. This goes for own units as well as the enemy.

The idea behind this is to have a system similar to the Blueshield against Lasers. Instead of halfing the damage, the chance to get hit by Lasers is less.

Thoughts?

[AlphaMirage]

I would have gone with the vehicular grenade launchers, a one shot fairly light item that lasts a few rounds

[Charistoph]

I would have gone with the vehicular grenade launchers, a one shot fairly light item that lasts a few rounds

It could probably work as both, with the one-shots being Advanced, with the ammo-based one being Experimental, or shift it one shot down so that the ammo-based is Advanced, with the one-shots being Standard.

[DevianID]

Laser-inhibiting light smoke reduces damage from lasers by 2 points, and lasts 1 turn instead of 3.  Would your smoke change that to +2 to hit?

[Atlan]

The problem is that Battlemechs are fast-moving, unlike artillery strikes which stay put. Pretty much any battlemech is gonna outrun its own smoke, leaving no protection and a pretty trail behind it. The only way I see this working is if the mech stays still.

[CVB]

Or some fast light units lay successive walls of smoke for the slower moving main line...

[Col Toda]

The best mechanic is like the Chaff Pod that you can activate during the movement phase . Cost 1 ton per pod . Produces light smoke in the unit hex and reduces laser damage by 2 . While Chaff produces light smoke and acts as ECM and an anti missile system with a -4 to the cluster table.

[CVB]

Then you could also go the VGL way: a one ton pod launcher that could use either a chaff or anti-laser load  (determined before the start of the scenario), or even some other payload you can yet think of, like something working against PPCs (insert techno-babble here).

[PuppyLikesLaserPointers]

The best mechanic is like the Chaff Pod that you can activate during the movement phase . Cost 1 ton per pod . Produces light smoke in the unit hex and reduces laser damage by 2 . While Chaff produces light smoke and acts as ECM and an anti missile system with a -4 to the cluster table.

This makes the difference between the other smokes. Only chaff reacts immediately and thus useful unless you have enough time to place the smoke before your actual move - while your opponent is watching. That's why I don't think that smoke/chaff grenades are worth even a penny.

Perhaps already deployed trailers that intended to be fight without its tractor(say, gun trailers) may think otherwise, especially for C3 network? For they are not able to move at all, and chaff cuts out your own C3 network immediately as well.