Industrial Equipment which should exist (in BattleTech), but doesn't

[Lycanphoenix]

Twin gyros is actually kind of amusing. I might steal that.
Your feedback is noted on the mining laser. I'll make the necessary adjustments, pending playtesting.

[DOC_Agren]

some interesting equipment here that could be used in a campaign.

[Lycanphoenix]

Fishing Equipment, both Recreational and Industrial varieties. Would that be covered by Lift Hoist?

[Kerfuffin(925)]

Fishing Equipment, both Recreational and Industrial varieties. Would that be covered by Lift Hoist?

I imagine most fishing done by Mech’s would be via nets or pots, so lift hoist should take care of it.

And with slight modification a lift hoist would cover mega-fauna fishing as well

[DOC_Agren]

Fishing Equipment, both Recreational and Industrial varieties. Would that be covered by Lift Hoist?

I'm not sure I want to know what your are fishing for that you would need a Lift Hoist.. 

Only that

[Kerfuffin(925)]

Maybe can repurpose the Harpoon srm ammo for it as well

[Daryk]

When you need a bigger boat, a Lift Hoist should be your first answer...  ^-^

[Lycanphoenix]

If you go fishing in a mech, make sure you don't fail your PSR.

[RifleMech]

Mining Laser  -  I like the idea. I don't really like odd tonnage though. Unless you use fractional accounting it'll need to be rounded up. I would also be more inclined to make it a laser version of the nail/rivet gun. There could even be two versions like standard laser and chemical laser.

The civilian gyro  - I can't say I'm impressed. Again the odd weight would be a problem. It does take fewer crits but I don't think civilian mechs would be worrying about crit space much.

Windblower - I want to like it. Besides the weight problem for the ultra light, it also it makes the flame thrower obsolete. It even has a jump jet attack feel but it's really just a mech sized industrial strength hair dryer.  I would probably just repurpose the fluid suction system into a blower. Heat could be added by dumping heat from the heat sinks into it but heat damage would depend on how much heat had been generated. If I really wanted a heat gun, I think I'd probably just mount a jump in the arm and allow a jump jet  attack style "punch".



As for other equipment, idea weenie did list a lot of equipment and how it could be fluffed/used as other things. We do need rules for reach though. A mech's arms will only go so far. A crain can go a lot higher or lower. Its use could also be changed by the number of legs the mech has. A quad could lift more than a biped without stabilizing jacks (which would be useful). A tripod would be in between.

Herb mentioned that there had been a lot of industrial equipment created like a street sweeper, but were never included but didn't have stats. I suppose we could use a harvester with a built in vacuum/suction system. It'd need a cargo bay to work properly.  And the mine sweeper should be able to be used by mechs. Same with the bulldozer blade.

We don't have steam rollers. I think that would be a wheeled chassis mod. Maybe use the snowmobile chassis to start and limit terrain to roads.

We could also repurpose Active Probes and Imagers as metal detectors and ground penetrating radar etc. They can find minerals, water, voids and stuff better than Active Probes but aren't good enough for combat because or range or slower processor speeds or something.

[Lycanphoenix]

Mining Laser  -  I like the idea. I don't really like odd tonnage though. Unless you use fractional accounting it'll need to be rounded up.

ER Micro Lasers, Clan MGs, and paramedic equipment are 0.25 tons. Plus, I kind of want to encourage fractional accounting (and even if you don't use it, an amplifier for this thing will still round the total tonnage up to 1 ton.)

I would also be more inclined to make it a laser version of the nail/rivet gun. There could even be two versions like standard laser and chemical laser.

Yeah, the mining laser was actually the first thing I designed, so I didn't really think of that.

The civilian gyro  - I can't say I'm impressed. Again the odd weight would be a problem. It does take fewer crits but I don't think civilian mechs would be worrying about crit space much.

Could always round to the half-ton instead of the quarter-ton. The way I see it though, a military-spec gyro is just two civilian gyros stuck together, albeit built a little better.

Windblower - I want to like it. Besides the weight problem for the ultra light, it also it makes the flame thrower obsolete. It even has a jump jet attack feel but it's really just a mech sized industrial strength hair dryer.  I would probably just repurpose the fluid suction system into a blower. Heat could be added by dumping heat from the heat sinks into it but heat damage would depend on how much heat had been generated. If I really wanted a heat gun, I think I'd probably just mount a jump in the arm and allow a jump jet  attack style "punch".

In my defense, I'm not the person who gave the Windblower its stats. Though I originally wanted the "damage output" to just be "refer to TacOps for the rules on strong winds".

As for other equipment, idea weenie did list a lot of equipment and how it could be fluffed/used as other things. We do need rules for reach though. A mech's arms will only go so far. A crain can go a lot higher or lower. Its use could also be changed by the number of legs the mech has. A quad could lift more than a biped without stabilizing jacks (which would be useful). A tripod would be in between.

Herb mentioned that there had been a lot of industrial equipment created like a street sweeper, but were never included but didn't have stats. I suppose we could use a harvester with a built in vacuum/suction system. It'd need a cargo bay to work properly.  And the mine sweeper should be able to be used by mechs. Same with the bulldozer blade.

We don't have steam rollers. I think that would be a wheeled chassis mod. Maybe use the snowmobile chassis to start and limit terrain to roads.

We could also repurpose Active Probes and Imagers as metal detectors and ground penetrating radar etc. They can find minerals, water, voids and stuff better than Active Probes but aren't good enough for combat because or range or slower processor speeds or something.

You make a good point on all of these.

[Daryk]

*snip*
Plus, I kind of want to encourage fractional accounting (and even if you don't use it, an amplifier for this thing will still round the total tonnage up to 1 ton.)
*snip*

I like the cut of your jib...  ^-^

[Argus1348]

I think we need a Tech Level A turret, maybe called "Turret, primitive".

This is not because of weapons (TechManual completly lacks useful Tech Level A weapons for vehicles) but for a wrecking ball instead. Because according to Tech Manual (see entry "Wrecking Ball") ist needs to be installed in a turret. And Tech Level A (19th to early 20th century) sure had simple turrets.

And i also miss what in english is called "aerial working plattform" or "aerial device" or "elevating work plattform" or "cherry picker" or "bucket truck" or "mobile elevating work plattform". I don't know what is the most common word and picket that list of words from Wikipedia.

Why? You can install it on vehicles and trailers and then lift infantry (if the plattform is large enough or if its just a squad) to levels they normally could'nt reach. Also possible to install equipment (or weapons) that then could operate at that height (for example to hide the vehicle behind a 2 level wall).

[Kerfuffin(925)]

I think what you are looking for is a man lift (either a boom lift or a scissor lift).

A lot of that is covered by lift hoists, just have it lifting a man basket. People irl do that from cranes even.

Ooh no I know what you mean now, a cherry picker boom.
Some fire trucks have ladders with hose nozzle attachments up there too. That’s a good call.

[idea weenie]

I think we need a Tech Level A turret, maybe called "Turret, primitive".

This is not because of weapons (TechManual completly lacks useful Tech Level A weapons for vehicles) but for a wrecking ball instead. Because according to Tech Manual (see entry "Wrecking Ball") ist needs to be installed in a turret. And Tech Level A (19th to early 20th century) sure had simple turrets.

And i also miss what in english is called "aerial working plattform" or "aerial device" or "elevating work plattform" or "cherry picker" or "bucket truck" or "mobile elevating work plattform". I don't know what is the most common word and picket that list of words from Wikipedia.

Why? You can install it on vehicles and trailers and then lift infantry (if the plattform is large enough or if its just a squad) to levels they normally could'nt reach. Also possible to install equipment (or weapons) that then could operate at that height (for example to hide the vehicle behind a 2 level wall).

If you are lifting weapons up high like that, I'd want to make sure that they had low or zero recoil.  So energy weapons, recoilles rifles, TAG, Recon Cameras, etc.


For low-tech items that are not present, I'd simplify it as doubling the heat, mass, and crits of the item for each TL below its availability.

So if you wanted a TL D Gauss Rifle and the only version is the Star League TL E Gauss Rifle, then your TL D version would be 2 Heat, 30 tons, and 14 crit slots.  In exchange you get a weapon doing 15 pts of damage at ranges of (2) 7/15/22.  TL C Gauss Rifle would be Heat 4, 60 tons, and 28 crits.

[Lycanphoenix]

Anybody notice how you can’t put lift hoists on turrets?

[RifleMech]

ER Micro Lasers, Clan MGs, and paramedic equipment are 0.25 tons. Plus, I kind of want to encourage fractional accounting (and even if you don't use it, an amplifier for this thing will still round the total tonnage up to 1 ton.)

I do use fractional accounting but many don't. When I do, outside the above equipment, those units get the non-standard parts quirk because they're not standard. Those items above usually end up being mounted in pair or with .25 tons of cargo space.

Yeah, the mining laser was actually the first thing I designed, so I didn't really think of that.

:)

Could always round to the half-ton instead of the quarter-ton. The way I see it though, a military-spec gyro is just two civilian gyros stuck together, albeit built a little better.

I figured since Industrial Mech's came first, the gyro was good enough for military use.

In my defense, I'm not the person who gave the Windblower its stats. Though I originally wanted the "damage output" to just be "refer to TacOps for the rules on strong winds".

No worries. I do want to like it it has issues. I'd have to look up TacOps wind rules but I imagine they'd work for this. I think the market would be pretty limited though. I can see Police using it as a non-lethal means to break up riots maybe annoying enemy infantry. Maybe a support mech trying to create a dust or snow cloud to block line of sight or make fires hotter. If it were just marketed as a leaf blower, I'd be worried about liabilities from broken windows.

You make a good point on all of these.

Thanks. It just occurred to me, we don't have a snow blower but I suppose the harvest would work for that. 

Anybody notice how you can’t put lift hoists on turrets?

I hadn't. I would have thought they could be since cranes are often on turrets.

[Daryk]

Anybody notice how you can’t put lift hoists on turrets?

Page reference, please? ???

[Lycanphoenix]

SSW and MegaMekLab.

[Daryk]

Neither is 100% rules compliant, so I'm still looking for an actual rule reference there...  8)

[Lycanphoenix]

If I can’t do something I want in any known software, then I just automatically assume I can’t do it on tabletop either.

[Daryk]

Fair, but you have to acknowledge the software guys are volunteers at this point, and not slavishly keeping up to date (not that they ever achieved 100% rules compliance in the past).

[Lycanphoenix]

Okay, so Lift Hoists *can* be placed in turrets! Yes!

[Daryk]

Exactly my point!  I've done it myself in designs here... :)

[assaultdoor]

SSW and MegaMekLab.

Which version of MegaMekLab? Lift hoists in turrets used to work just fine.

[Lycanphoenix]

I'll double check when I get home from work.

[Grand_dm]

RE: Mining Lasers.

I would make them the same as a Medium Laser with the following caveats:

+2 to hit penalty when used in combat.

+2 bonus for Determining Critical Hits Table when used against immobile targets.

Edit: I also imagine some models would have a variable setting too. Like you can make it do Small Laser heat and damage for finer work.

[Vehrec]

Let's steal some design concepts from the classes of Deep Rock Galactic. 

From the gunner, we can steal the Anchor Line Deployment System, a rather nasty harpoon gun and tough cable that can be used either to tie the enemy down, or to create a mech-scale zipline.  Attach several to a landed dropship to create Fun on liftoff.  Gunner has guns, what do you expect?

From the Scout, let's steal the Phereomone Canister, for getting the wildlife to do your fighting for you, and the flare gun, because we sure can't steal the grapling hook that lets you attach and zip around like a gremlin.  Scout's not good for ideas either.  Maybe turn the Inhibitor Field generator into a 'annoy PPC users' weapon that treats any target within the field as at minimum range?

Driller, on the other hand can give us several things.  Mech-sized satchel charges for demolitions?  Now you can cause machine gun ammo explosions on anyone you can attach this to, even if they don't have machine gun ammo-just be careful, it has literally 0 armor and any damage can cause an ammo detonation.  The Sludge Pump, for when you want to spray thick sticky acidic goo all over your enemy.  The Colette Wave Cooker, a long-range microwave-based flamer, which...doesn't cause heating to armored units, heats up itself way faster than you are comfortable with, and might be a minor warcrime if used on civilians.  Just use it for defoliating, please!

Finally, we have the Engineer.  Say hello to Star-League era polycrete foam projectors.  Do you want to build UP the terrain, instead of knocking it down?  Do you want to build a shelf a mech can stand on?  Spray fast-setting Polycrete and stand back for 12 seconds as it sets as hard as rock, but is still as light as pumice!  Use it to seal wall breaches, to block passes, or to simply create platforms on flat ground to stand upon.  And with our new shock-absorbing compound, it can even reduce damage caused by falling onto it!  Or mix in xenofauna repellents to funnel native animals away from your construction sites.  Or just...overclock the inertia inhibitors and spray rapidly hardening construction materials onto your foes, you might actually disable them in this way. And moving on, we have other options.  Use a starship-disassembling breach cutter to slice off limbs, if you can get the unweildy monster on-target.  Use a swarm of flying wiring robots to attack your foes!  Deploy ECM lure that generate ghost targets!

[Hazard Pay]

Let's steal some design concepts from the classes of Deep Rock Galactic. 

I actually had plans for a Grappling Hook, mainly for PA(L) and Light Battle Armor. Medium BA could possibly use it, but not with 1 or more DWP as they're technically overweight when using them. Could be fluffed as another for of Jumpjet for them.

An advantage for them would be they're stealthier compared to normal JJs, and can be sued to pull things closer if need be, possibly even able to deal damage if need be (like 1-damage at best). Gunnery to land the hook, and Piloting rolls for operating it while ascending/descending.

The Zipline isn't far from the Grappling Hook rules, different weight limits for different models of course. Maximum weights would end at Light 'mech grade (20-30 tons) and would mainly be seen with BA and Protos.

Satchels remind me of Roguetech's 'Mech-scale hand-thrown "Grenades", which are fun in of themselves.

The Sludge Pump sounds like a BA/Proto-scale Sprayer.

[Lycanphoenix]

Pheromone canister and colette wave cooker? Hard pass. I'll comment on the others later.

[Daemion]

This thread is making me think of a couple things:

Mech-towable disc attachment.  For when you need to make the land arable, but it's on too steep a slope for regular tractor types, and the soil's too shallow for easy terracing.  Think about a world where the only land you have is mountainous, like maybe nothing more than island chains, with very few flat valleys.

On the flip side, say hello to the tractor Mech.  it takes the torso of a mech, (arms not necessary, but can have some function) and saddle it on a vehicle body.  (Think the G-Tank from Gundam)  The purpose for this design is that the turret-like torso can be tilted on sloped angles to keep the 'operator' relatively comfortable and keep the center of gravity relatively centered for operation in sloped environments.

Finally, the mining drill laser might have a high-pressure liquid (water) drill version.  Thought of this a while ago for the guys in the attached image.