BattleTech - The Board Game of Armored Combat

BattleTech Player Boards => Fan Designs and Rules => ProtoMechs => Topic started by: GnomesofZurich on 04 December 2013, 21:51:10

Title: Protomech with Gauss Rifle?!
Post by: GnomesofZurich on 04 December 2013, 21:51:10
I was looking at the errata from TechManual, and see that Protomechs can now (in theory) mount a Gauss Rifle. However, a Gauss Rifle weighs 12,000 kg, so what kind of machine could actually mount this beast?

Here is the closest I can come up with:

Gausszilla Junior

Mass: 15 tons
Chassis: ProtoMech Quad
Power Plant: 15 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 21.0 kph
Maximum Speed: 32.0 kph
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: None
Armor: None(!)
Armament:
1 Gauss Rifle

Equipment                  Mass (kg)

Internals:   Adv. Composite    1500
Engine:           15 Fusion           375
   Walk MP:   2
   Run MP:     3
   Jump MP:   0
Gyro:      n/a                         0         
Control Sys:   Clan Heavy         750
Armor Factor:   0 pts Standard       0

     Internal           Armor
     Structure        Value
Head            4       0
Torso          15      0
Main Gun      2       0      
Legs           16       0

Equipment   Location   Mass (kg)
Gauss Rifle         MG          12000
Ammo (3)            T                375

The Quad chassis allows it to get away with the lightest engine possible, although it is slow. Between the Gauss Rifle, which takes up 80% of the weight, the internal structure, cockpit and engine, only 375 kg is left over for ammo (or in theory, armour, but as is it only has 3 shots). By my calculations, this beast has a BV of 325. It also would, presumably, die if anyone sneezes at it.

Similar, but less ridiculous builds, could be put together for the various 10 tonne weapons available (Ultra AC/10, LB 10-X AC, HAG20) and the ERPPC (with HS, 9.75 tonnes). An extra 2,000 kg goes a long way towards armouring these massive weapons-with-legs up!

Thoughts welcome, and mistakes are very possible, I'm new to the game.
Title: Re: Protomech with Gauss Rifle?!
Post by: CloaknDagger on 04 December 2013, 23:07:00
You can reload the gauss by using the reloading rules.

As for the ERPPC though...

Noisy Cricket
Proto Quad 3/5/0
Structure: 1.5
Engine: 1.0 (Rating:45)
Control: 0.75
Armour: 2.0
CERPPC (Main Gun): 9.75
Title: Proof of Concept: Arrow IV
Post by: Wolf72 on 16 February 2015, 21:49:57
(aside: I like the warning that this topic hasn't been active for 90 days ... I mean if the topic is still on the front page of a design board, it's still good  O0)

Anyway ... as a proof of concept design we can actually get an Arrow IV on a protomech quad (b/c a 2/3 movement profile is much nicer than a 1/2).

you can have 6 points of armor (1 head, 2 torso, 2 legs, 1 main gun)

The Launcher only has 1 shot, so a cargo Veh. with 2-3 tons of cargo and 1.5 tons of PA(L) compartment (using advanced BA transport tonnage) would be super helpful.  The PA(L) would be tasked as loader units, possibly with some Anti-infantry weapons.

3 of those to a point, with the other two units being the Gauss variant being the bodyguard

(go with 2 shots of ammo=.25t, and a whopping 2 points of armor!!!  with .025t left over you could add the small BA sized searchlights.  2 would fit in the torso leaving .015t left over ... that's an extra 30 lbs or so for personal affects)

Or make a HAG-20 version w/10 shots and you can get 14 points of armor, that's a nice bodyguard.