What if: Ballista?

[HeavyArmorMecha]

Speaking of "new technology" development for BattleTech, here's an idea of weaponized Myomers.


Ballista

Scientist have finally manage to weaponized the Myomers used in Battlemech actuators in form of a Giant Torsion Crossbow, with predictable results.

Type: Ballistic (Direct Fire)
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Year Available: 3155 (Advance)
Tech Rating: X/X-X-X-D

Game Rules

• Heat: 1
• Damage: Tonnage of Battlemech dived by 7, rounded up to the nearest whole number.
• Range:
• Battlemech has an Engine Rating of 0~100: 2/4/6
• Battlemech has an Engine Rating of 101~200: 3/6/9
• Battlemech has an Engine Rating of 201~300: 4/8/12
• Battlemech has an Engine Rating of 301 and above: 5/10/15
• Ammo per ton: 12
• When the ammunition or weapon was hit by crit, it does not explode, the ammo or weapon that was hit by crit merely stops function.
• Ballista is compatible with the installation of Triple-Strength Myomers on the Battlemech, which weapon doubles the damage dealt upon TSM's activation.
• Ballista is compatible with Targeting Computers.
• Ballista is compatible with Actuator Enhancement Systems.
• Ballista may use Standard Ballista Bolts, Boosted Ballista Bolts and Inferno Ballista Bolts.

Construction Rules

• Ballista takes 1 Crit for every 20 tons of the Battlemech mounting such weapon, rounded up to the nearest whole number.
• Ballista weighs 1 ton for every 20 tons of the Battlemech mounting such weapon, rounded up to the nearest whole number.
• Ballista can only be mounted on a Battlemech's Arm. And only 1 Ballista mounted per arm.
• Ballista cannot be mounted as an Omnipod.
• When an Arm equips the Ballista, said Arm cannot be equip with Hand Actuators and Lower Arm Actuators.

Ammunition Special Rules:

• Boosted Ballista Bolts - Basically a Standard Bolt retrofitted with experimental high-velocity rocket motors. Reduces the ammo per ton by half (to 6 per ton), ammo is affected by ammo explosion rule. Adds 3 hex to all the Ballista's range profile accordingly (2/4/6 became 5/7/9, 3/6/9 became 6/9/12, 4/8/12 became 7/11/15, 5/10/15 became 8/13/18). +1 to the Ballista's range to-hit penalty (+1 to-hit in close range, +3 to-hit in medium range, +5 to hit in long range)
• Inferno Ballista Bolts - Instead of a solid shot, this ammunition is a container of highly flammable chemicals that burst into flame when the container is ruptured. Reduces the ammo per ton by half (to 6 per ton), ammo is affected by inferno ammo explosion rule. Instead of normal damage, the Inferno Ballista Bolt deals 2d6 points of heat to the targeted unit and d6 points of heat to any unit in the same hex and elevation as the targeted unit. For non-heat-tracking units, this deals 3d6 damage in 5 point clusters for the targeted unit, and 2d6 damage in 5 point clusters to any unit in the same hex and elevation as the targeted unit.

[garhkal]

So its a ranged hatchet with ammo

[HeavyArmorMecha]

Yes, more like a flying Claw.

[DevianID]

Some notes... I think the concept is good but as stated it seems to be a melee weapon but torsion crossbows dont use the wielders strength to fire but to load.  This looks more like a sling weapon which uses the wielders strength and engine to sling a bullet at range more like a trebuchet.

A crossbow would look more like a vibroblade which has a fixed damage when "on" or in this case "pre loaded".  I also think since we have uprooting tree rules a crossbow should be able to yeet a tree if we are going full silly mode.

I do like the idea of a ranged melee weapon though.  The base rules for throwing a purpose built 1 ton javelin weighing 1 ton is 1 damage x hexes thrown.  The base to hit another unit is like a charge with an additional +1 per hex thrown (so more hexes = more damage but also harder to hit).  A 20 ton mech can 2 hand throw this javelin 3 hexes and a 40-95 ton mech can 1 hand throw it 6 hexes.  A 100 ton mech could throw it 9 hexes.  So a 1 ton javelin thrown 3 hexes would do 3 damage.  Thus your crossbow which does 3 damage on a 40 ton mech but with better range to-hit mods feels fair and is 2t + 1t of ammo.