Author Topic: (Answered) Handheld Weapons clarifications  (Read 2074 times)

Vanadius

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(Answered) Handheld Weapons clarifications
« on: 03 January 2013, 16:11:22 »
A few clarifications, please?
  • Per page 316, handheld weapons use the Mech Lifting Capabilities rules.  Following that, one goes to TW pg.  261 and sees that, as a Cargo Carrier, the mech receives a -3 walking MP penalty, or half of it's walking MP, whichever is less.  Is this correct?
  • Handhelds must always use both hands, regardless of tonnage, correct?
  • Merely carrying the handheld prevents the use of torso mounted weapons, correct?  That is, that restriction is not tied to the act of firing a handheld, but simply holding it?
  • Consider a hypothetical please.  I have built a handheld design that incorporates a cutting torch meant Spot Welder. (with space for power adaptors if needed), a heavy rifle, and 1 ton of armor.

     A handheld holding a melee weapon may NOT mount any other weaponry per tac Ops pg. 315 if I am reading it right.  So, spot-welder-bayonette rifles are right out, correct?
    Quote
    Handheld Weapon may be constructed with a maximum of six heavy (vehicular-class) weapons or a single BattleMech
    Melee weapon

    If they are NOT right out, then would successfully using the cutting torch destroy the rifle per Tac Ops pg. 316 
    Quote
    Fixed-damage melee weapons (such
    as Chainsaws) deliver damage as normal, but maintain the Handheld Weapons’ restriction that both hands are required for use. Any other, non-melee items mounted in a Handheld
    mount used in a melee attack are destroyed on a successful physical attack using the Handheld Weapon, though the mount itself may be used for subsequent physical attacks.
  • Lastly -- are handheld weapons consisting solely of armor legal?  This would be a battlemech caber really, that can be used as a club AND occasionally get in the way of damage, at the expense of walking mp and use of all forward facing arm/torso weaponry if I am reading correctly.

I believe all of these are dealt with by the rules, but I wanted to be certain.  Thank you for your time.
« Last Edit: 27 January 2013, 17:34:57 by Xotl »

Vanadius

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Re: (Research) Handheld Weapons clarifications
« Reply #1 on: 04 January 2013, 11:11:50 »
Addendum --

Per this post,  pg. 261 of TW may or may not be missing this line: 

Quote
Note that ‘Mechs suffer no movement penalties provided that they are carrying no more than 10% of their constructed weight (20% with active Triple-Strength Myomer).
.

My copy of the PDF does not include it, an older one does, and there is no mention of this in the Errata.

May I ask for a definitive ruling on that?

Xotl

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Re: (Research) Handheld Weapons clarifications
« Reply #2 on: 04 January 2013, 11:56:35 »
That note is not in the first or second printings, but was added to the third printing, released 2010.  So, if you bought the PDF last week then whoever sold it to you is not serving the latest edition.

Coincidentally I discovered last night while updating TW errata that this change had been made, but was not recorded in the errata.  It is in the errata thread however, and I've now added it to the internal TW errata document.
3028-3057 Random Assignment Tables -
Also contains faction deployment & rarity info.

http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=1219.0

Vanadius

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Re: (Research) Handheld Weapons clarifications
« Reply #3 on: 04 January 2013, 12:03:06 »
That note is not in the first or second printings, but was added to the third printing, released 2010.  So, if you bought the PDF last week then whoever sold it to you is not serving the latest edition.

Coincidentally I discovered last night while updating TW errata that this change had been made, but was not recorded in the errata.  It is in the errata thread however, and I've now added it to the internal TW errata document.

Thank you Xotl.  I did buy it last week, but it also says (I say Last week, but it was at some point in late december.  Don't remember the exact date).

Quote
Corrected Third Printing.
Second Printing by Catalyst Game Labs. Printed in Thailand.

I purchased it last week from DriveThruRPG.  I know it does not pertain to this thread, but to whom should I go to deal with this?  It appears DriveThru is sending out malfed up PDFs.

2nd edit:

I just noticed that I ALSO have a 2nd pdf titled "CAT35001TWBattleCorps.pdf".  That DOES have the line, and states
Quote
"Corrected Third Printing.
Second Printing by Catalyst Game Labs."

leaving out  the Thailand part.


At least I know I have an updated copy.
« Last Edit: 04 January 2013, 12:07:53 by anusol »

Xotl

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Re: (Research) Handheld Weapons clarifications
« Reply #4 on: 04 January 2013, 12:07:06 »
Best approach DriveThru - they've made this mistake before (with TechManual.  IIRC, they were serving the first print of that for a few years after the second had come out).  I'm sure they'd appreciate a note, since it helps them as well to have the latest.
3028-3057 Random Assignment Tables -
Also contains faction deployment & rarity info.

http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=1219.0

Xotl

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Re: (Research) Handheld Weapons clarifications
« Reply #5 on: 27 January 2013, 17:34:34 »
1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
4. Correct, melee vs. ranged weaponry is an exclusive "either... or..." situation.  However, please note that cutting torches cannot be equipped as hand-held weapons for the following reasons: 1. They're technically "Other Equipment".  2. They're not vehicle-grade equipment and cannot be legally equipped to a BattleMech to begin with.  You may be thinking of the spot welder, for which see reason #1.
5. Yes, it's allowed.
3028-3057 Random Assignment Tables -
Also contains faction deployment & rarity info.

http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=1219.0