TechManual

[Xotl]

This thread is for all issues and problems with TechManual.

Product Link: http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=products&mode=full&id=221

Current errata version is 2.0, and can be found here:
http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=text&page=TechManual

There are two prints of TechManual:
2007 - first printing (FanPro)
2007 - second printing (Catalyst)

Please remember to follow the errata report template when reporting issues.  Thanks.


Developer-Level Errata
In case of any contradiction, developer-level errata takes precedence over the current errata document.

* Special Errata
While we search for all mentions of these items in this book, please use the following ranges for Active Probes and Improved Sensors:

Clan Active Probe = 5
Inner Sphere Active Probe = 4
Clan and Inner Sphere Light Active and Battle Armor Active Probes = 3
Clan and Inner Sphere Improved Sensors = 2

* Battle Armor Weapons (p. 20)
In the second paragraph, second and third lines, delete the phrase "complete with receiving the first bin of ammunition free, ".

* ProtoMech Ammunition Weight Table (p. 88)
At the bottom of the table, insert a new entry that reads:

Plasma Cannon      100

* Power Amplifiers (p. 107)
Change: "power amplifiers round up to the nearest 0.1-ton increment, rather than the nearest 0.5-ton increment."
To: "power amplifiers round up to the nearest 0.5-ton increment."

Note: This will result in a minor errata for four units in Record Sheets 3039, one unit in Record Sheets Operation Klondike, and one unit in TRX Primitives Vol 1.

* Infantry Weapon Classifications Table (p. 148)
After the entry for the Special Feature "N" (Non-penetrating weapon) add three asterisks (***).

* Infantry Weapon Classifications Table (p. 148)
Add a new footnote: "*** Platoon special feature only applies if weapon is used to determine Base Range"

* Infantry and Cargo Transportation (p. 155)
At the end of the second paragraph in the first column, append the following line: "Round all weights up to the nearest half ton."

* Battle Armor Capabilities Table (p. 167)
Replace the entire table with the table attached at the bottom of this post.  This overrides previous errata.

* Structural Integrity Table (p. 187)
Add a cross after the formulas for both Small Craft or DropShip SI Weight entries.

* Structural Integrity Table (p. 187)
Add a new footnote with a cross: "Round up to the nearest whole ton."

* Crew Quarters (p. 195)
Replace the paragraph:
"Fighters—conventional and aerospace—may not incorporate quarters under these rules."

With the following:
"Fighters—conventional and aerospace—may not incorporate quarters under these rules. They have a default life support endurance of 96 hours when operated in hostile environments that require life support (see p. 28, TO).

"External Consumables Pods: Fighters may add life support endurance in lieu of bombs, with each pod providing another 96 hours endurance per fighter occupant. Because of cockpit space and amenities limits, a fighter may only carry 1 pod per 25 tons (round up) of fighter mass, even though the pods only occupy 1 hard point each. Life support from these pods is consumed before any from internal reserves. If a fighter carrying external consumables pods sustains bomb critical damage, determine the damaged bomb randomly, including any external consumables pods. If an external consumables pod is damaged, the life support of that pod is lost.

"External consumables pods may be dropped using the rules for Dumping Bombs (see p. 247, TW) in the case of emergency bomb dumps, or Dumping Ammunition (see p. 104, TW) in non-emergencies. Dumped consumables pods-whether full or empty-do not inflict any damage when they land."

* Armor, Standard (or Heavy Industrial) Armor (p. 205)
Delete "[Standard Military]), 3040 (Federated Commonwealth [Heavy Industrial])"

* Communications Equipment (p. 212)
Insert the following new paragraph after the first paragraph under Construction Rules:

"Advanced units have the following basic communication equipment equivalency: satellites (1 ton), JumpShips (4 tons), WarShips and Space Stations (5 tons); rules for such units are found in Tactical Operations (satellites) and Strategic Operations (JumpShips, WarShips and Space Stations)."

* Fire Control (p. 217)
1)   Under “Basic Fire Control”, change Introduced from “Circa 2400 (Terran Hegemony)” to “Pre-spaceflight”
2)   Under “Advanced Fire Control”, change Introduced from “Circa 2439 (Terran Hegemony)” to “Circa 2300 (Terran Hegemony)”
3)   Change the title of the box from “Fire Control System” to “Fire Control Systems”
4)   Under “Fire Control System”, change Tech Rating from “(Basic Fire Control—C; Advanced Fire Control–D)” to “(Basic Fire Control—B; Advanced Fire Control—C)”

* Missile box (p. 231)
Under "Unit Restrictions" add "Single-Shot (OS) Missile Launchers" to the list of items ProtoMechs cannot mount.

* Plasma Cannon/Plasma Rifle (p. 235)

• replace the line "Unit Restrictions: ProtoMechs may not carry plasma weapons." with "Unit Restrictions: No restrictions"
• replace "On Combat and Support Vehicles, plasma weapons..." with "On Protomechs, as well as Combat and Support Vehicles, plasma weapons..." (or similar)

* Sword (p. 237)
Under "Construction Rules", change:
"A sword's weight (in tons) is equal to the Mech's tonnage, divided by 20 (rounded up to the nearest whole number)."
to:
"A sword's weight (in tons) is equal to the Mech's tonnage, divided by 20 (rounded up to the nearest half-ton)."

* Transport Bay box (p. 239)
Change Unit Restrictions to the following: "BattleMechs may only carry Standard, Liquid, or Insulated Cargo Bays; IndustrialMechs may only carry Standard, Liquid, Insulated, or Container Cargo Bays; ProtoMechs may not carry Transport Bays of any kind."

* Transport Bay box (p. 239)
On line "Cargo, Container", change "Equipment Slot Space" to read "1 per container (IM or Vehicle)"

* Transport Bay box (p. 239)
On all Infantry Bays and Battle Armor change "Equipment Slot Space" to read "NA ('Mech) / 1 (Vehicle)**"

* Modular Equipment Adaptor (p. 260)
Remove the words "or adaptation-enhanced manipulator weighing up to three times as much" from the end of the last sentence in the overview text.

* Mine Dispenser (p. 260)
The BA Mine Dispenser rules on page 260 are removed from TechManual and moved to Tactical Operations. Its construction data on page 297 and 347 is removed and superseded by Tactical Operations page 412/413.

* Modular/Turret Mounts box (p. 262)
Replace the final paragraph, in its entirety, with the following:

"The weight and weapon slots of any items placed in any modular mount (including ammunition) may be found under their appropriate entries throughout this section. Only standard battle armor weapons may be mounted in standard modular weapon mounts. AP weapon mounts may only accommodate Standard-type conventional infantry weapons (see Weapons, Anti-Personnel, p. 271 and Conventional Infantry Weapons and Equipment Table, pp. 349-351)."

* Modular/Turret Mounts (p. 263)
In the final paragraph, delete the last sentence entirely (that begins "Like the standard MWM...").

* Parafoil (p. 266)
Add the sentence "The parafoil may only be mounted in the Body location."

* Squad Support Weapon, Construction Rules (p. 270)
Change "This percentage is 50 for Inner Sphere squads, 40 for Clan Points." to "This amounts to 50 percent of weapon weight for battle armor with an Inner Sphere technology base, 40 for Clan."

* Weapons, Anti-Personnel box (p. 271)
Replace the entire Construction Rules with the following:

"Construction Rules: Mounting any Standard type conventional infantry weapon requires the use of the anti-personnel weapon mount. Humanoid suits with armored glove manipulators may carry any non-melee conventional infantry weapon with crew requirements of less than 2 (see Conventional Infantry Weapons and Equipment Table, pp. 349-352).
Anti-personnel weapons placed in an AP mount take up no additional weapon slots beyond those of the mount itself (see Modular Weapon Mounts, p. 263)."

* Conventional Infantry Weapons box (p. 273)
Under Construction Rules, replace the second paragraph, in its entirety, with the following:

"Under these construction rules conventional infantry weapon and ammunition weights need not be tracked. These values appear on the Conventional Infantry Weapons and Equipment Table as a means of tracking such weight values for infantry weapons mounted on Small Support Vehicles (see Light Weapons and Heavy Weapons, p. 271)."

* Battle Armor Structural Costs and Availability, Armor (p. 281)
Stealth, Standard - change availability rating from (X-X-E) to (F-X-E).

* Heavy Weapons and Equipment table (p. 292)
Change the "Reintroduced (Affiliation)" year for TAG to "3044 (FS) / NA".

* Industrial Equipment (p. 292)
Ejection Seat (IndustrialMech): change Availability from "D-E-F" to "D-E-E"

* Industrial Equipment table (p. 293)
Change the "Introduced (Affiliation)" year for Salvage Arm to "2415 (TH) / —".

* Heavy Weapon Ammunition, Autocannon/2 (p. 294)
Change the Cost from “1000/25” to “1000/22”

* Heavy Weapon Ammunition table (p. 295)
Change the "Introduced (Affiliation)" years for all LRM ammunition entries (LRM 5, 10, 15, 20 and MML 3, 5, 7, 9) to "2300 (TH) / —".

* Additional Battle Armor Weapons and Equipment (Cont) (p. 297)
1)   Under “Small Laser”, change Introduced (Affiliation) from “2400 (TH) / —“ to "2300 (TH) / —"
2)   Under “Medium Laser”, change Introduced (Affiliation) from “2400 (TH) / —“ to "2300 (TH) / —"
3)   Under “Medium Laser”, change Extinction from “— / 2820“ to "— / —"
4)   Under “Cutting Torch”, change Availability from “(B-B-E)“ to "(B-B-B)"

* Additional Battle Armor Weapons and Equipment (Cont) (p. 297)
Cutting Torch: change Availability from "B-B-E" to "B-B-B"

* Conventional Infantry Weapons table (p. 298)
Under "Introduced (Affiliation)" for the Vibro-Axe, change "LA" to "LC".

* Step 1: Calculate Defensive Battle Rating (p. 306)
Under Total BV of all Defensive Equipment, add the following between the two existing sentences: "Other Defensive Equipment are identified on the Weapon and Equipment Battle Value Tables by a dagger footnote (†)."

* Step 2: Calculate Offensive Battle Rating (p. 308)
Under “Multiply the Weapon Battle Rating by the Vehicle’s Speed Factor”, second sentence

“Use the Flanking MP rating and consult the Speed Factor Table.”
Change to:
“Use the Flanking MP rating for all vehicles except unmotorized trailers (assume their Flanking MP is 1) and consult the Speed Factor Table.”

* Calculate Base Weapon Battle Rating (p. 312)
Replace the fifth bullet point item with the following, rephrased for clarity: "If the running total is less than the unit's Heat Efficiency, repeat steps 3-4. Otherwise, continue to the next step. If Heat Efficiency is surpassed by this weapon, then the weapon is calculated at its full BV."

* BV Skill Multiplier Table (p. 314)
Completely replace this table with the following:


Please note that this overrides all other errata regarding this table, including what is currently posted in the TechManual official errata on the CBT website.

* Clan Weapons and Heavy Equipment Table (p. 343)
ProtoMechs may now mount Plasma Cannons

* Industrial Equipment Table (p. 344)
Change the Heat rating for the Lifeboat (Atmospheric) from "NA (0)" to "0 (NA)"; change its SC and DS ratings from 0 to NA.

* Industrial Equipment Table (p. 344)
Change the Heat rating for the Lifeboat (Maritime) from "NA (0)" to "0 (NA)".

* Industrial Equipment Table (p. 344)
Change the M and CV ratings for the Arresting Hoist to NA.

* Inner Sphere Battle Armor Equipment Table (p. 346)
Change the Weight (Item) rating for the Heavy Recoilless Rifle from 375 to 325 kg.

* Inner Sphere Battle Armor Equipment Table (Cont) (p. 347) and
* Clan Battle Armor Equipment Table (p. 348)
Add an asterisk * next to the "Space Slots" requirement of the parafoil. ie change "1" to "1*"

* Clan Battle Armor Equipment Table (p. 348)
Change the Weight (Item) rating for the Heavy Recoilless Rifle from 375 to 325 kg.

[Xotl]

PDF, second print, page 315:

The v2.0 errata contains an amended footnote to pg. 315's Defensive Factors Table, which reads:

"*Including bonuses for jump capability, enhanced movement capability from MASC or triple-strength Myomer, VTOL movement modifier and the maximum effects of stealth armor, such as the modifier for long range."

Right below this is the Defensive Factor Table, where it tells you to also add a defensive factor modifier for having stealth armour.

The Grenadier BV build example in the v 2.0 errata adds the 0.2 Defensive Factor Modifier for standard stealth but not the +2 target modifier.  Between that and the fact that it just seems silly to add a defense bonus twice I'm sure it's the footnote at fault.  The Defensive Factors Table footnote should probably read something like:

"*Including bonuses for jump capability, enhanced movement capability from MASC or triple-strength Myomer, and any VTOL movement modifier.  Also add the maximum effects of stealth armor, such as the modifier for long range, unless the unit is battle armour, in which case apply the appropriate modifier from the Defensive Factor Modifier Table instead."

[Xotl]

PDF, second print, page 310:

Under STEP 1: CALCULATE DEFENSIVE BATTLE RATING, it reads:

"Next, MULTIPLY the current value by the battle armor unit’s Defensive Movement Factor. A battle armor unit’s Defensive Movement Factor is based on its highest potential target movement modifier (including bonuses for jump capability and enhanced movement; for units with stealth systems, also add the modifier from the Stealth Modifier Table), as shown on the Defensive Movement Factors Table and Defensive Factor Modifier Table."

There is no Stealth Modifier Table in either TechManual or Total Warfare, and in any case, it would appear that you're not supposed to be adding the stealth targeting modifiers at all (only its Defensive Factor Modifier), so having stealth referenced as it is there is just confusing.  In addition, the "Defensive Movement Factors Table" referred to in the text doesn't exist - it's actually called the "Defensive Movement Table".

Since the main table is just called the "Defensive Factor Table" and you're deriving your final modifier from more than just movement, the name "Defensive Movement Factor" is inaccurate and potentially confusing - "Defensive Factor" would work better.

As a result of all this, the paragraph should read something like:

"Next, MULTIPLY the current value by the battle armor unit’s Defensive Factor. A battle armor unit’s Defensive Factor is based on its highest potential target movement modifier (including bonuses for jump capability and enhanced movement), as shown on the Defensive Factors Table.  In addition, add any appropriate modifiers from the Defensive Factor Modifier Table."

[jymset]

Developer-Level Addendum*

All Battle Armor equipment in TM, pp. 346-348 not noted below may freely be mounted in Modular Weapon Mounts, any Turrets, and as Squad Support Weapon, per the usual construction rules.

The following items are not allowed in a Modular Weapon Mount, Turret mount, or as a Squad Support Weapon.

Camo System
Extended Life Support
Jump Booster
Magnetic Clamps
Mission Equipment
Weapon Mounts, including MWM, Turrets, SSW, and AP Weapon Mount
Space Operations Adaptions
Harjel


* reposted per dev answer here. However, as this is an addendum, I am not entirely sure where it is to be inserted (possibly somewhere on pp. 262-63).

[Moonsword]

PDF (FanPro Livery; yes, I know, DTRPG still hasn't updated their version), page 137

Per the developer errata above for page 107, this needs to be repeated in the power amplifier section on page 137.  From commentary on units affected, this is the intention but assuming my version of the PDF is still accurate on the statements, the support vehicle construction rules don't refer to the combat vehicle rules and need to be edited separately.

[Goose]

Chassis Modification Descriptions table on pp.123TM say, in a roundabout way, a prop-driven Fixed-Wing (only listed as "Prop" on the table) is restricted to the ground hexrow. This is wrong: Errata for TW's Aerospace Movement section says a prop-driven Fixed-Wing SuV could climb as high as hexrow #1, and, incidentally, only move one hex at a time on the High Altitude Map.

The table on pp.123TM need to at lest change to say "36,000-meter", or a more directly useful "Atmospheric Row #1", if not address the maximum of one hex.

The line about "Out of Control at Velocity 8+" I have no information on.

[jymset]

Developer-Level Errata

Availability Tables

Industrial Equipment, p. 292 - Ejection Seat (IndustrialMech)
change rating from "D-E-F" to "D-E-E"

Additional Battle Armor Weapons and Equipment, p. 297 - Cutting Torch
change rating from "B-B-E" to "B-B-B"

[Goose]

Possible errata: pp. 291 version 1.2 .pdf

The Large Laser is given an extinction date; If the medium laser doesn't have one, then it stands to reason nether does the large.

[BeeRockxs]

TM version 1.2 page 347, Heat sensor is listed with a long range of 34, and no short or medium ranges.
TO second printing (copyright date 2010) page 222 has the Heat Sensor with a short range of 1-9, medium range of 10-18, and long range of 19-27

adjust table in TM to the ranges from TO.

[Moonsword]

PDF Version 1.2, Page 343

The Ultra/5 Autocannon WT (Tons) is listed as 8 tons.  It should be 7 tons per BMRr page 184, TRO3050U entries on the Puma D (121), Black Hawk B (127), Daishi Prime (144), TRO3060 entries on the Huitzilopochtli (67) or Nova Cat C (175), TRO3075 entry on the Jupiter (151), etc.

[jymset]

Developer-Level Errata


ProtoMech Ammunition Table, p. 88

• add the line "Plasma Cannon - 100"

Plasma Cannon/Plasma Rifle, p. 235

• replace the line "Unit Restrictions: ProtoMechs may not carry plasma weapons." with "Unit Restrictions: No restrictions"
• replace "On Combat and Support Vehicles, plasma weapons..." with "On Protomechs, as well as Combat and Support Vehicles, plasma weapons..." (or similar)

TM Errata 2.0, Tables Clan Weapons and Heavy Equipment Table (p. 343)

• remove the line "Under Plasma Cannon, Space P (ProtoMech), change "1" to "N/A""

[Neufeld]

Since I can not find the errata for this, I post it here so it hopefully gets compiled next time:

Yes, there has been errata (you will probably have to search the archives for it). Swords have always been half ton weapons, the text in TM was an error.

PDF version 1.2, Page 237, sword construction rules:
"A sword’s weight (in tons) is equal to the ‘Mech’s tonnage, divided by 20 (rounded up to the nearest whole number)."
As I was told, this is incorrect, swords increases weights by half-tons.

Suggested fix:
"A sword’s weight (in tons) is equal to the ‘Mech’s tonnage, divided by 20 (rounded up to the nearest half ton)."


Errata Coordinator: this is confirmed errata by Herb, so I'll add it to the Developer Errata list.  Thanks.

[cray]

Errata for Tech Manual, pg211:

’MECH COCKPIT
Introduced: circa 2300 (Terran Hegemony)
 
Born at the same time as the concept of the ’Mech—including the
IndustrialMech progenitors that were outclassed in the 2350s by the
advent of myomer technology—’Mech cockpits today vary slightly
from design to design, and a bit more so from IndustrialMech to
BattleMech, but their ability to control and balance walking machines
weighing up to 100 tons at the whims of a single pilot makes them
one of the most sophisticated command centers ever made

However, House Kurita SB (pg12ish) indicates that myomers were developed by the Western Alliance "in the first 90 years after its foundation" (2014-2114AD) but didn't initially find much use. The Star League SB, pg22-23, indicates that Dr. Atlas refined myomers significantly and introduced some of the first WorkMechs c2350.

The simplest fix is to replace "advent" with either "Dr. Atlas's advancement" or "Dr. Atlas's improvement".

A little more drastic, but more likely to avoid continuity issues, would be to delete the underlined text.

[mikewoo]

PDF version 1.2, p.346, Inner Sphere Battle Armor Equipment Table

The David and the King David (first two items in the table) both display the ammo requirements as '0.75 kg (15)' which works out to 11.25 kg/clip. However, the Battle Armor design system is intended to operate in multiples of 5 kg, and these two ammo clips are literally the only BA-scale items in the entire framework which are NOT multiples of 5 kg to start with.

The obvious solution is to round the clip mass up to 15 kg. Given the nature of ammo clips, doing this means that either the kg/shot or the shots/clip (or possibly both) must be changed to match the new mass. Personally I think '0.75 kg (20)' is the way to go, since this matches the original data for the weapons as introduced in Combat Equipment. However, there may be game balance reasons for changing the shots/clip I am not aware of, so using '1.0 kg (15)' also works very well.

Suggested fix:
Change the ammo requirements to either '0.75 kg (20)' or '1.0 kg (15)' for both the David and the King David Light Gauss Rifles.

[DarkISI]

Developer Level Errata:

Page 308:

Change:
"Use the Flanking MP rating and consult the Speed Factor Table."

To:
"Use the Flanking MP rating for all vehicles except unmotorized trailers, assume their Flanking MP as 1, and consult the Speed Factor Table."