(Answered) Pilot trapped under water

[Sacamano]

Hey guys, I have a question...While standing in the Water hex (depth -1) a Mech suffers 2nd Critical Hit to Gyro and plummets into the water, also is unable to stand up for the rest of the game but is able to move torso and shoot its weapons. According to the rules, a fallen's Mech's height level is measuring at 1 and the Water hex is -1,  completely submerging a fallen Mech along with its pilot, who will then eventually run out of air and be killed? Also, can the pilot be ejected? Thanks!

[worktroll]

Sacamano,

1) The pilot of a 'Mech fallen in L1+ water cannot eject (TO p197), unless the 'Mech has an unbreached full-head ejection system (TO, p310).
2) If the submerged 'Mech has a destroyed Life Support critical hit, the 'Mechwarrior takes one point of damage per turn (TW, p127)
3) If the submerged 'Mech has a working life support, the pilot remains alive until the end of the scenario. What happens then is not covered in the rules.

Given TW play involves 10-second turns, there's no mechanism for resolving the situation during gameplay. After the battle, though, there's plenty of time. Viable suggestions for house-ruling the situation could:

a) The pilot can be rescued by whichever side wins the game.
b) The pilot can take his/her time to try and non-explosively escape from underwater via hatches. Make a PSR, with a +1 target modifier per depth level involved; if successful, the pilot survives.

Example: Jason's Banshee is rammed by a WiGE, and falls from a cliff into depth 3 water. The 'Mech's head is undamaged. As a standard IS pilot, Jason's piloting skill is 5; he must roll 8 (5+3) or better to survive escaping from the depths.

[Sacamano]

Thank you very much for your answer!