Finished rules for Wheeled Battlearmor and Battlearmor trailers (Final)

[Red Pins]

So, starting a new project, and decided to include the Wheeled Battlearmor I was musing over.  Of course, I had to finish their rules and figure out how the trailers would work.  I've used them to create two designs; a Light designed for scouting, and an Assault designed to tow a trailer for added firepower.  I'm still working on a data block for the Battlearmor section; I really don't like the ones I've been finding on Megamek Lab and online.  I'll post the two of them when its done.

*Edit - A couple final changes have been made, and a couple trailer-oriented ones added.

Wheeled BA construction rules

1.   Design the chassis
Choose tech base
  This can be IS, Clan, or Mixed.

Choose weight
  Wheeled Battle armor must be classed Light to Assault.

Allocate weight for Internal Structure
  Wheeled Battlearmor chooses the chassis weight for the appropriate weight class.

Battlearmor Structure Weights Table
Weight
Class            Total Mass (kg)       Chassis Weight (kg)    Available
                                                Clan            IS           Slots
Light            401-750                 150           100            8
Medium      751-1000               250           175           10
Heavy    1001-1500               400           300           12
Assault    1501-2000               700           550           14

2.   Install motive system
Determine ground movement
  No option exists for ‘Wheeled’, simply chose a quad setup and the amount of ground speed you require from the table below.  For each additional MP over the minimum, add the weight in the final column.
 
                                                       Battlearmor Ground Movement Table
Weight
Class                    Minimum (Free) Ground    Maximum Ground Movement   Mass per Additional
                           Movement (Wheeled)                (Wheeled)                        Movement Point(kg)
Light                                3                                             8                                      20
Medium                          2                                             7                                      40
Heavy                            2                                             6                                      60
Assault                          2                                              6                                      80

Determine Special Movement
  Jump Jets
    Wheeled Battlearmor can use Jump Jets, but they do not operate in the standard way; instead, it acts as a bonus to ground speed.  Select the number of Jump Jets up to the maximum for its weight class and calculate the mass required    For each point of Jump movement, the Wheeled Battlearmor gains one MP in ground speed for that Turn.  WBA with a trailer may not use Jump Jets until the trailer has been detached.  Wheeled Battlearmor may not use Jump Boosters.

  Wheeled Battlearmor Jump Jets
Weight        Jump Jets (Clan & IS)
Class            Max Jump MP  Weight/MP
Light                    3              25
Medium              3              50
Heavy                2             125
Assault              2              250

   Underwater Maneuvering Units
  UMUs are not available to Wheeled Battlearmor.

Special Physical Enhancements

     Partial Wing
    Available to all Battlearmor a partial wing allows Wheeled Battlearmor to achieve limited, straight-line flight when at top speed.
    To achieve this, any Wheeled Battlearmor must have the Partial Wing physical enhancement and Jump Jets, using both to move its maximum in a straight line.  When deployed the Partial Wing allows it to utilize ground effect to avoid the effect of a single hex of Rough terrain, Water, or other difficult or impassible (but not Woods) terrain up to a maximum of the number of Jump Jets on the WBA.
    This effect cannot be achieved while towing a trailer and the Wheeled Battlearmor remains at level 1 for calculating   LOS.
    A partial wing weighs 200 kg and occupies 2 slots in the Body to accommodate it.

3.   Add manipulators
  Designers may choose to utilize a design with four wheels or equip it with manipulators.  Due to the difficulty of using them with Wheeled Battlearmor, they are limited to Basic Manipulators, at no cost in mass.

4.   Add Armor
  Wheeled Battlearmors add armor as normal, following the standard construction rules in TM.  Note they can carry slightly more armor than conventional legged units.

Maximum Wheeled
Battlearmor Armor Chart
Light            7
Medium     12
Heavy       16
Assault     20

                                            Wheeled Battlearmor Armor types
Armor Type                 kgs/AP           
                                   Clan     IS      Slots                Special Benefits
Standard (Prototype)        0     100       4
Standard                        25     50        0   
Standard (Advanced)        0     40        5

Stealth (Prototype)           0    100       4         Range Modifiers (0/+1/+2), Invisible to AP
Stealth (Basic)                30     55       3         Range Modifiers (0/+1/+2), Invisible to AP
Stealth (Standard)          35     60       4         Range Modifiers (+1/+1`/+2), Invisible to AP
Stealth (Improved)          35    60   5         Range Modifiers (+1/+2/+3), Invisible to AP

Fire Resistant                 30      0        5         No damage from heat-causing weapons.
Mimetic                          0       50      7         Movement Modifiers
                                                                     0 MP      +3
                                                                     1 MP      +2
                                                                     2 MP      +1
                                                                  >= 3 MP     0
 
5.   Add weapons, ammunition, and other equipment
  Wheeled BA follows the established rules for standard Battlearmor, but can use turrets with the standard 10% (rounded to the nearest kg) of the mass for the weapons and equipment mounted in the turret.  Wheeled BA with weapons in a turret have a 360’ arc for all weapons in the turret, except for WBA pulling a trailer.  A trailer blocks the LOS needed to fire to the rear.
  Wheeled BA with sponson turrets have the same 180’ arcs for weapons in these turrets as vehicles.
  Wheeled BA may use Detachable Weapon Mounts with the same rules as standard Battlearmor.
  Wheeled BA with the Quirk ‘Low Silhouette’, allow weapons mounted on a trailer (fixed or turret) behind it to fire over the Wheeled BA into the front arc.


Special Rules for Wheeled Battlearmor

1.   Arcs
  Unlike standard Battlearmor, Wheeled Battlearmor requires designers to use formal weapon arcs or a turret (standard, modular, or sponson turrets) rather than considering them capable of 360’ arcs.  Turrets or Sponson turrets require 10% of all weapon and equipment tonnage mounted in the turret to be assigned as the mass of the turret assembly according to the standard rules.  Wheeled Battlearmor may also use modular turrets as Quad Battlearmor.

2.   Trailers
  See the trailer rules for more information.

3.   Terrain restrictions
  Wheeled Battlearmor is barred from entering Heavy Woods, Rubble, and buildings of any strength.
  Wheeled Battlearmor is able to cross shallow water in the same manner as a displacement hull vessel, using standard road wheels or substituting paddles.  If standard road wheels are used, they are able to travel a single hex per Turn in water up to Depth 0.  If Paddles are used, the Wheeled Battlearmor may not travel on land and earns Movement Points at a ratio of 1:3, rounding down.  They are limited to Depth 0-1 water.

4.   Motive restrictions
  Wheeled Battlearmor moves as a vehicle, moving into clear hexes for 1 MP and pays elevation changes normally.  As Infantry, BA does not pay Movement Points to change facing.
  Wheeled Battlearmor is unable to be carried by Battlemechs, although it can be carried by other vehicles with sufficient space allocated to a dedicated Wheeled Battle Armor Bay or Compartment.
  Wheeled Battlearmor with trailers follow the existing rules for tow vehicles with trailers regarding the number of MP available without a ‘Mule’ to tow the trailer independent of the Wheeled Battlearmor.  See the trailer rules for more information.

5.   Hit locations
  Wheeled Battlearmor does not have separate hit locations, similar to normal Battlearmor.

6.   Physical attacks
  Wheeled Battlearmor is limited to Charge attacks only.
  Due to their size and height, they may be Kicked by ‘Mechs.

7.   Wheeled Battlearmor trailers
Wheeled Battlearmor may pull trailers, up to the limits for vehicles and follow the same rules as vehicles.  Trailers for Battlearmor follow the standard rules for trailer design with several modifications listed below;
- Battlearmor trailers may use the Industrial Equipment, Heavy Weapons and Equipment, and Battlearmor Equipment charts of their tech base, declared in Step 1 of their construction rules.
  - Battlearmor trailers must use standard vehicle arcs or mount weapons and equipment in standard, modular, or sponson turrets.
  - Trailers are able to fire over Wheeled Battlearmor with the Quirk, ‘Low Silhouette’, into the forward arc.
  - Battlearmor trailers assign Slots for Battlearmor weapons and equipment as vehicles.
  - Battlearmor trailers gain a cumulative additional Space per 1,000 kg.  Thus, Medium (1,000 kg) trailers gain +1 Critical Space and Assault (2,000 kg) trailers gain +2 Critical spacesWeight Class.

[Red Pins]

So, first draft of a couple Wheeled BAs.  The trailers for the Assault WBA are in the next post. No, they aren't finished.  But its a beginning, finally!  Once the Infantry is done, I can do it on Megameklab, which will speed it up.

*Edit - Some changes to the originals have been made, so the WBA samples have been updated.

Blake Threat File

Wheeled Battlearmors

Wild Weasel

Produced By: New Clans
     Primary Factory: Totem
Introduced: 3100
Class: Light (750 kg)
Chassis: Wheeled
Armor type: Clan Standard
Tech Base: LC
Maximum Speed: 80 kph          Boost: 90 m
Swarm/Leg Attack/Mechanized/AP: N/N/N/N
 
Type: Wild Weasel
Equipment                                Slots     Mass
Chassis:                                                  100 kg
Mobility:            8 MP/3 Boost            175 kg
Armor:                      5+1                       100 kg

Manipulators:
  Left Arm: Basic Manipulator
  Right Arm: Basic Manipulator

W & E                             Loc     Slots     Mass
Trailer Hitch                                1
L-Machine Gun              F           1          75 kg
L-TAG                               T          1           35 kg
Laser Micro-                   T          1             5 kg
  Phone
Searchlight                     T           1             5 kg
Turret                                                       4.5 kg
Active Probe                  B           2         250 kg
*0.5 kg Remaining



Grizzly

Produced By: New Clans
     Primary Factory: Totem
Introduced: 3085
Class: Assault (2000 kg)
Chassis: Wheeled
Armor type: Clan Standard
Tech Base: LC
Maximum Speed:      30.6 kph  Boost: 0 m
Swarm/Leg Attack/Mechanized/AP: N/N/N/N
 
Type: Grizzly
Equipment                                Slots     Mass
Chassis:                                                  550 kg
Mobility:            3 MP/0 Boost              80 kg
Armor:                     12+1                      300 kg

Manipulators:
  Left Arm: Basic Manipulator
  Right Arm: Basic Manipulator

W & E                             Loc     Slots     Mass
Trailer Hitch                                1
Medium Pulse Laser      T          2        800 kg
Turret                               B         1           80 kg
2 MG                             S(L,R)     2        150 kg


Sponsons                        L,R        2          15 kg
Power Pack                      B         1          25 kg

[Red Pins]

The Space requirements for the trailers is going to be a mess; it looks like I'm going to have to punt and allow them to use slots as vehicles, not BA.  Still MORE to look into and fix.  Its going to be even harder without a playtester, I haven't had one of those in almost a decade.

*Edit - Tables finalized and calculated.  I had to change their rules regarding critical spaces in their rules, there just wasn't enough space with the trailer hitch and a turret taking up space.

BA trailer rules
Wheeled Battlearmor may pull trailers, up to the limits for vehicles and follow the same rules as vehicles.  Trailers for Battlearmor follow the standard rules for trailer design with several modifications listed below;
- Battlearmor trailers may use the Industrial Equipment, Heavy Weapons and Equipment, and Battlearmor Equipment charts of their tech base, declared in Step 1 of their construction rules.
  - Battlearmor trailers must use standard vehicle arcs or mount weapons and equipment in standard, modular, or sponson turrets.
  - Trailers are able to fire over Wheeled Battlearmor with the Quirk, ‘Low Silhouette’, into the forward arc.
  - Battlearmor trailers gain a cumulative additional Space per 1,000 kg.  Thus, Medium (1,000 kg) trailers gain +1 Critical Space and Assault (2,000 kg) trailers gain +2 Critical spaces.

Assault WBA Trailers

Produced By: New Clans
     Primary Factory: Totem
Introduced: 2905
Class: Assault (2000 kg)
  Slots: 5+2
Chassis: Wheeled
Armor type: Clan Standard
Tech Base: LC

Type: Assault WBA Trailer
Equipment                                Slots     Mass
Chassis:                                                   75kg
Armor:                     2 AP                       50 kg

W & E                             Loc     Slots     Mass
Trailer Hitch                                1
3xLRM-5                           F         3      900 kg
Turret                               B         1         90 kg
Ammo (LRM) 21             B         1       871 kg

Weapons and Equipment A
Trailer Hitch                                1
2xHeavy Recoilless        T          2       750 kg
  Rifle
Turret                               B         1         75 kg
Ammo (48)                      B         1       192 kg

Weapons and Equipment B
Trailer Hitch                                1
3xSRM-6                          T          3    1080 kg
Turret                               B         1       108 kg
Ammo (11)                      B         1       666 kg

[Daryk]

Code tags should help the readability of those tables.

It's interesting to have BA able to move 11!  If they get the road bonus, they're keeping up with (non-sprinting) Locusts!

I'm thinking Lights at least should be able to enter buildings.  Heck, Motorized infantry does!

[Red Pins]

Meh, had to come up with some reason to differentiate them.  Really surprised, though, I skipped the IS on the Weasel for some reason.  I wasn't going to try and fix it right then and there.

[Red Pins]

Gah!  Its like these units are cursed.  Below are the corrected, final TRO Charts.  The trailers - those are still screwed up.

Wild Weasel

Produced By: New Clans
     Primary Factory: Totem
Introduced: 3100
Class: Light (750 kg)
Chassis: Wheeled
Armor type: Clan Standard
Tech Base: LC
Maximum Speed: 80 kph             Boost: 90 m
Swarm/Leg Attack/Mechanized/AP: N/N/N/N
 
Type: Wild Weasel
Equipment                                Slots     Mass
Chassis:                                                  100 kg
Mobility:            8 MP/3 Boost            175 kg
Armor:                      5+1                       100 kg

Manipulators:
  Left Arm: Basic Manipulator
  Right Arm: Basic Manipulator

W & E                             Loc     Slots     Mass
Trailer Hitch                                1
L-Machine Gun              F           1          75 kg
L-TAG                               T          1           35 kg
Laser Micro-                   T          1             5 kg
  Phone
Searchlight                     T           1             5 kg
Turret                                                       4.5 kg
Active Probe                  B           2         250 kg
Remaining .5 kg



Grizzly

Produced By: New Clans
     Primary Factory: Totem
Introduced: 3085
Class: Assault (2000 kg)
Chassis: Wheeled
Armor type: Clan Standard
Tech Base: LC
Maximum Speed:      30.6 kph    Jump: 0 m
Swarm/Leg Attack/Mechanized/AP: N/N/N/N
 
Type: Grizzly
Equipment                                Slots     Mass
Chassis:                                                  550 kg
Mobility:            3 MP/0 Jump               80 kg
Armor:                     12+1                      300 kg

Manipulators:
  Left Arm: Basic Manipulator
  Right Arm: Basic Manipulator

W & E                             Loc     Slots     Mass
Trailer Hitch                         1
Medium Pulse     T              2        800 kg
  Laser
Turret                                                80 kg
2 MG                 S(L,R)          2        150 kg
Sponsons                                          15 kg
Power Pack         B               1          25 kg

[namar13766]

Are the transport rules concerning WBA the same for regular BA or do they require specialized transport bays?

Also, what’s the standard/average squad size for WBA in the New Clans, WOB, and Civil Government?

[Red Pins]

Are the transport rules concerning WBA the same for regular BA or do they require specialized transport bays?

Also, what’s the standard/average squad size for WBA in the New Clans, WOB, and Civil Government?

Nope, standard rules for transport in standard bays - the Tortoise II (My image) didn't need one, so neither do these.  The Trailers themselves are carried as cargo.

The 'New Clans' use standard Clan organization.  (They didn't want to be overwhelmed when fighting for their lives if the Annihilation comes for them.)

Are the transport rules concerning WBA the same for regular BA or do they require specialized transport bays?

Also, what’s the standard/average squad size for WBA in the New Clans, WOB, and Civil Government?

[Zematus737]

These are hilarious and amazing.  I'd bring it in with the condition it receives the Inaccurate Weapon negative quirk.  I don't know how it could hit anything while it's moving.

[Red Pins]

These are hilarious and amazing.  I'd bring it in with the condition it receives the Inaccurate Weapon negative quirk.  I don't know how it could hit anything while it's moving.

Well..  When you think about it, a Mech depends on the same number of joints (theoretically) as a person, without the instinctive ability to 'point and click' seen in nature, which is why tanks and armored vehicles provide improved stability and accuracy IRL.

Anyway, its a game, right?  Have a 'Whine and Cheez' game night, let people make their own bits and everyone draws randomly from the pile.  Or, I'm still trying to come up with something that isn't completely broken for an IS-tech Proto, but you could pair these up with tanks and the BA Missile Cassette trailers for a completely broken and fun time against another infantry and tank force.

And do give me a battle report.  Its been ages since I was able to playtest these.

*Plus, the sheer glee of seeing an opponent pale at a 30-missile SRM cassette launching at short range is just hilarious.  My playtester reported it made him feel like he had just rolled '12's for a Ultra/20.

[idea weenie]

Anyway, its a game, right?  Have a 'Whine and Cheez' game night, let people make their own bits and everyone draws randomly from the pile.  Or, I'm still trying to come up with something that isn't completely broken for an IS-tech Proto, but you could pair these up with tanks and the BA Missile Cassette trailers for a completely broken and fun time against another infantry and tank force.

For Inner Sphere Proto, I'd just treat them as an up-sized Battlearmor and go with battery power.  Several Quad Assault Battlearmor have the operator in the main torso and the limbs are all robotic, so the Inner Sphere Protomech is just up-scaling that design.

Advantage: no need fit the user around the central fusion reactor and no need to make sure the wearer can stretch into the limbs means anyone can fit into a Battery-Proto.

Disadvantage: you need Power Amplifiers for all energy weapons, and you will need to recharge after the battle.  So all energy weapons would have an ammunition limit, but if the Battery-Proto can climb on an OmniMech or OmniVehicle during combat it will be recharged.  For after-battle as long as there is at least one ICE or fusion-powered vehicle present on your side afterwards, your Battery-Protos can be recovered/recharged (after-battle recharging is a lot easier than in-battle recharging).


Fluff-wise, Clan Protomechs were merely a shrunk Mech while Inner Sphere Protomechs would be up-sized Battlearmor.

[ImperialistDog]

battery vs reactor shouldn't really matter because if the operator is in the torso with fully robotic limbs than the operator doesn't have to be in the center of the torso.  In fact it would probably be more useful to have the operator at the rear of the torso.  Have a rear hatch, the operator pulls themselves up into something like a motorcycle seat with footpegs.

[idea weenie]

battery vs reactor shouldn't really matter because if the operator is in the torso with fully robotic limbs than the operator doesn't have to be in the center of the torso.  In fact it would probably be more useful to have the operator at the rear of the torso.  Have a rear hatch, the operator pulls themselves up into something like a motorcycle seat with footpegs.

The fluff for Protomechs has Smoke Jaguar needing a smaller than normal pilot to fit inside the Protomech's torso.  Also, a reactor is a single large and bulky item, while Batteries can be split into smaller items and scattered wherever there is room.  (I'm getting the mental image of a Protomech pilot having to nearly do a split in order to fit their legs around the fusion reactor)

Think of it like trying to fit a single 4-crit-slot LRM-20 into a Mech vs four 1-crit-slot LRM-5 launchers.  Both take up the same room, but the four LRM-5 launchers can be placed in more locations than a single LRM-20.

[Red Pins]

battery vs reactor shouldn't really matter because if the operator is in the torso with fully robotic limbs than the operator doesn't have to be in the center of the torso.  In fact it would probably be more useful to have the operator at the rear of the torso.  Have a rear hatch, the operator pulls themselves up into something like a motorcycle seat with footpegs.

Actually, written fluff and headcannon say these use a motorcycle-style seating and control arrangement, with significant computer-assisted 'look/fire' retinal target/tracking.

[namar13766]

Actually, written fluff and headcannon say these use a motorcycle-style seating and control arrangement, with significant computer-assisted 'look/fire' retinal target/tracking.

The way you're describing that makes me imagine the Wheeled Battle Armor turning into Bipedal or Quad Battle Armor like the Cyclones from Robotech.

[Red Pins]

Ick.  Macross was never my thing.

[Charistoph]

The Motorcycle ride sounds like some of the Fakes from Gasaraki.  One of the better little Mecha anime.  They are about the size of some Protomechs, and are also a little like Heavy Gears in that they have an AI assistant in processing ground travel.

[Red Pins]

Really, I wanted my Protos to be more dynamic - with the homebrew tech, there were some startling options like the 5 ton Cassette missile carrier (sort of a legged 1-shot LRM/SRM/WHATEVER carrier) to the duplicates of the Hunchback (somebody came up with the idea for a Heavy Rifle in a RAC).  Then there was the Permanent AirMech (OK, it looked like a Veritech, so sue me) and the Ox, an 'armed wagon train'.

But to save tonnage for the head, they all used a 'Open cockpit'.  You had to buy Industrial Sealing if water or Infernos were going to be u6sed against them.  Although, there were going to be evil, Blakist Drone Protos, too.

[Daryk]

Permanent Airmech makes sense... I kind of wonder why we never got a canon version, but then I remember all the hate for LAMs.

[idea weenie]

Permanent Airmech makes sense... I kind of wonder why we never got a canon version, but then I remember all the hate for LAMs.

Permanent Airmech sounds like a WIGE but with two turrets on it that have their own armor values and hit locations (representing the two arms)

[Charistoph]

That, and Mechs take a lot more Damage to take out a section, and can keep going with certain section losses.

[Daryk]

Which is exactly why a permanent Airmech would be better.