BattleMechs and Industrial Mechs as infantry carriers

[kaliban]

Is it possible to use cargo space in BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs to carry conventional infantry and Battle Armor?

I understand it is possible to have cargo space and IndustrialMechs are clearly mentioned but the rules does not mention how to load/unload infantry

[Xotl]

Bumping as I moved this.

[Weirdo]

It is very strictly illegal. Infantry can be carried on the outside as external cargo(at extreme risk), but NEVER inside.

[RifleMech]

Is it possible to use cargo space in BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs to carry conventional infantry and Battle Armor?

I understand it is possible to have cargo space and IndustrialMechs are clearly mentioned but the rules does not mention how to load/unload infantry

There aren't any legal rules but there is fluff about it happening. The Firemoth/Dasher was originally designed to carry infantry on the underside of it's arms but the idea was abandoned after it was insulted. Also the Daedalus's fluff said it carried live cargo. That could be animals, plants, or people.

The Harvester Tripod from War of the Tripods carried battle armor and deployed them with lift hoists. I think they're more canon rumor than canon. Nebula California also gives rules allowing the Star Empire to put infantry bays on Mechs but it's not canon.

As to how they would load and unload, boarding ladders or tubes. Like at the airport. Folding stairs, ladders or just climbing ropes/ziplines, and the lift hoist as used by the Harvester Tripod. I suppose the mech could also go hull down and allow troopers to just climb in. They could also be carried in a cargo container. That'd probably be easiest for motorized/Mechanized infantry. I would think you'd need a bigger mech with lift hoists for that though or risk injury. If the infantry/BA can jump of use VTOL movement I'd just they could just jump out.

All the above would be illegal outside Nebula California, War of the Tripods, and your table (and mine  :thumbsup:) so don't forget to give those mechs the Illegal Quirk if the GM allows them.

 

[Daryk]

The Illegal Quirk covereth a multitude of sins... 

[RifleMech]

   It does indeed.  :thumbsup:

[DevianID]

So the thread got moved.  Yes you can carry infantry as unprotected cargo using the senario rules in btech.  It takes a few turns to get the cargo strapped onto the mech (you cant pick up an infantry unit with hands as you must use the cargo rules not carrying rules, though having hands means you dont need a second infantry unit to load the mech as the mech can do it slowly himself).  Dropping the cargo/infantry in an emergency has a 50/50 chance of killing them all so combat drops are risky to say the least.  Each point of damage the mech receives kills 1 member of infantry per the infantry shooting infantry rules for unprotected cargo, as well as normal damage to the mech.

The rule is good for loading a VIP and running away in scenario situations, where you must avoid all incoming fire or you lose the VIP you are carrying--it is not a good way to ferry a combat platoon into battle, as dropping them kills the platoon half the time and you have no other way to let cargo go during a mission other than emergency drop.

[Kit deSummersville]

The Illegal Quirk covereth a multitude of sins... 

Whoever thought that up was a genius.

It is very strictly illegal. Infantry can be carried on the outside as external cargo(at extreme risk), but NEVER inside.

You could get a squad inside 7 BattleMechs and have ejection deployment.

[nckestrel]

Whoever thought that up was a genius.

Not because of that quirk though

[RifleMech]

That quirk is a genius idea though. 

[kaliban]

It is very strictly illegal. Infantry can be carried on the outside as external cargo(at extreme risk), but NEVER inside.

Interesting. Many interesting designs could be done otherwise (well, they still can be done, but requires that players accept the non-official rules for that)

Thanks for the clarification

[dgorsman]

Sometimes you have to be a little clever and/or insane.  For example, using rules for Mechs dragging things to pull a wheeled trailer with an infantry compartment.  Or a large slab off a DropShip and a *lot* of alcohol.  And seatbelts. (if you've ever seen someone being dragged behind a horse or truck while strapped to a car door, you know what I'm talking about).

[Col Toda]

Need quirk illegal and quirk extra cockpit seating torso .

Standard cockpits with command console.  Torso cockpit primary control goes prone the 2 people in each  the normal cockpit and command console come out squad of 4 infantry .

Tracked environmentally sealed combat Vehicle is so much better in doing this .

[RifleMech]

Need quirk illegal and quirk extra cockpit seating torso .

Standard cockpits with command console.  Torso cockpit primary control goes prone the 2 people in each  the normal cockpit and command console come out squad of 4 infantry .

Tracked environmentally sealed combat Vehicle is so much better in doing this .

So they abandon the mech?    Why not just an infantry compartment with fold down seats for the troops? They can zipline down or go down a folding stair way or ladder or elevator/lift hoist.

Sure but they can't go everywhere that a mech can.

[mbear]

So they abandon the mech?    Why not just an infantry compartment with fold down seats for the troops? They can zipline down or go down a folding stair way or ladder or elevator/lift hoist.

See, applying logic to BattleTech is a sucker's game. Don't do it. You'll drive yourself nuts.

[RifleMech]

See, applying logic to BattleTech is a sucker's game. Don't do it. You'll drive yourself nuts.

  That was logic?  :yikes:  I'm ill!

[kaliban]

Sometimes you have to be a little clever and/or insane.  For example, using rules for Mechs dragging things to pull a wheeled trailer with an infantry compartment.  Or a large slab off a DropShip and a *lot* of alcohol.  And seatbelts. (if you've ever seen someone being dragged behind a horse or truck while strapped to a car door, you know what I'm talking about).

so a 50ton mech carries a 5 ton wheeled trailer with a 3 ton cargo compartment, and inside the cargo compartment you carry a infantry platoon ... a Hunchback can do that

[AlphaMirage]

Only in the periphery do you have an hunchback driving a conestoga wagon filled with riflemen

[Wrangler]

Industrial I could see.  If the space meet the cargo size to carry say squad like Battle armor, 4 tons.  I think extra ton would need to be added for light support which i think is thing.

Take Industrial / MilitiaMech Uni.  Big open bay on the back, Infantry could be put there, which includes everything except for doors for them to exit;

All Infantry Bays and Compartments takes up either one space slot on vehicles or one slot per ton on 'Mechs. Each Bay has a capacity of 28 troopers except for Mechanized Infantry (which carries 5 troopers) and Battle Armor (which carries 1). Foot Infantry Bays weigh 5/3 tons; Jump Infantry Bays weigh 6/4 tons; Motorized Infantry Bays weigh 7/6 tons; Mechanized Infantry Bays weigh 8/5 tons; Battle Armor Bays weigh 2/1 tons. All Infantry Bays can be combined into a single, unified infantry bay slot, regardless of tonnage or number of troopers, when used on combat or support vehicles. Infantry compartments can be of any size, fitting within 1 space, holding 1 troop for each ton.

Under the Advanced Rules for Battle Armor four PA(L) troopers or two Light Battle Armor troopers can be accommodated in a 1 ton Battle Armor Bay. Medium suits use the standard rules, while Heavy and Assault suits require 1.5 tons and 2 tons of space respectively.

[S2pidiT]

Only in the periphery do you have an hunchback driving a conestoga wagon filled with riflemen

We need to check which Riflemen they are. You can't fit as many Riflemen II or IIC.

[Giovanni Blasini]

Y'now, it's worth noting that aerospace fighters now permit internal carriage of battlearmored infantry (just look at the Y-2 Yùn or the CMT-6T Troika.  There's no reason you couldn't do the same with 'Mechs, given both ASFs and 'Mechs are going to have a pesky reactor in proximity.

[Weirdo]

Y'now, it's worth noting that aerospace fighters now permit internal carriage of battlearmored infantry (just look at the Y-2 Yùn or the CMT-6T Troika.  There's no reason you couldn't do the same with 'Mechs, given both ASFs and 'Mechs are going to have a pesky reactor in proximity.

No reason aside from Total War, page 223, sadly. Aerospace fighters qualify as non-Mech units, but Battlemechs and IndyMechs do not.

[Giovanni Blasini]

No reason aside from Total War, page 223, sadly. Aerospace fighters qualify as non-Mech units, but Battlemechs and IndyMechs do not.

Well, yeah, but I meant as a future rules change, enhancement or quirk.  Make it something Quad 'Mechs could do, for instance.

[RifleMech]

Industrial I could see.  If the space meet the cargo size to carry say squad like Battle armor, 4 tons.  I think extra ton would need to be added for light support which i think is thing.

Take Industrial / MilitiaMech Uni.  Big open bay on the back, Infantry could be put there, which includes everything except for doors for them to exit;

Well, yeah, but I meant as a future rules change, enhancement or quirk.  Make it something Quad 'Mechs could do, for instance.

I always thought that the Uni and the Daedalus GTX2, would be great as mech APCs. And a lot of other things that aren't currently legal. It'd be nice if the prohibition against mechs carrying infantry were lifted.

[Kit deSummersville]

Well, yeah, but I meant as a future rules change, enhancement or quirk.

Yes, I could foresee a rule change to make 'Mechs a non-Mech unit.

[Weirdo]

If that's what it takes to encourage more combined arms play, then so be it!

[Giovanni Blasini]

Yes, I could foresee a rule change to make 'Mechs a non-Mech unit.

So, Quad-Vees, then?

[RifleMech]

Yes, I could foresee a rule change to make 'Mechs a non-Mech unit.

 


Like replacing a tank's cockpit with a Mech's torso, head, and arms?

[CloaknDagger]

I'm pretty sure mechs can carry livestock cargo, so I don't see any issue with them being held and then deployed as livestock.

They'll complain about the bumpy ride of course, but that seems fixable. The Scorpion had similar issues that were later fixed. I don't see any reason a Goliath couldn't be converted into an AT-AT.

Yes, I could foresee a rule change to make 'Mechs a non-Mech unit.

The ban on Mechs carrying infantry was errata AFAIK. It was originally allowed, so yes, it could be removed just as easily.