(Answered) External Consumables Pods

[FedComGirl]

Hi,

Please forgive me if this is in the wrong spot. It could have gone in several but as this answer http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,739.msg22264.html#msg22264 was here I thought it'd be a good place to ask.

Does the ruling above also apply to vehicles with environmental sealing? And can vehicles and Mechs can carry and use External Consumables Pods in cargo bays like they can external fuel tanks?

edit:
Can VTOLs mount External Consumables Pods on their External Stores Hardpoints? Extended Fuel Tanks too?

How does the above answer apply to the Improved and Poor Life Support Quirks? If vehicles have life support systems that can be extended can't they also have Positive and Negative Life Support Quirks? Same with the external versions to reflect that not all are made to the same standard of quality?

Thank you.

[Paul]

What's the page reference for external consumable pods?

[FedComGirl]

Hi

What's the page reference for external consumable pods?

TechManual PDF page 195.

[Xotl]

Please forgive me if this is in the wrong spot. It could have gone in several but as this answer http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,739.msg22264.html#msg22264 was here I thought it'd be a good place to ask.

Does the ruling above also apply to vehicles with environmental sealing?

Sure.

And can vehicles and Mechs can carry and use External Consumables Pods in cargo bays like they can external fuel tanks?

No.  "External Consumables Pod" does not exist; it clearly states that External Stores are Fighter only.

You're welcome to create house rules as you see fit to enable the functionality of course.

Can VTOLs mount External Consumables Pods on their External Stores Hardpoints? Extended Fuel Tanks too?

No.  Those items are not listed on p. 245 of TW.

How does the above answer apply to the Improved and Poor Life Support Quirks?

Can you expand?  It's unclear what you're asking.

If vehicles have life support systems that can be extended can't they also have Positive and Negative Life Support Quirks?

See the table on p. 194 of SO.

Same with the external versions to reflect that not all are made to the same standard of quality?

There are no rules for that.

Cheers.

[FedComGirl]

Sure.

Cool.

No.  "External Consumables Pod" does not exist; it clearly states that External Stores are Fighter only.

You're welcome to create house rules as you see fit to enable the functionality of course.

I'm sorry but you lost me.  The External Consumables Pod is on page 195 of TechManual. Tactical Operations page 108 gives rules for VTOLs carrying bombs and it's been established that LAMs can carry external stores in bomb bays. Since they can I was wondering if the new External Consumables Pod was included in that. I also wondered if it could be included in other units to extend their time in space and other hostile environments.  I guess I could house rule it but I was hoping for something official.

No.  Those items are not listed on p. 245 of TW.

I'm not sure how Tournament legal they are since they're not in TW but External Consumables Pod is in TM page 195. The External Fuel tanks are mentioned in TM on pages 129, 196, and 216-217, as well as Strategic Operations page 35.

Maybe when the next edition of Tactical Ops comes out there could be a completely listing of all external stores? So we don't have to hunt for them? :)

Can you expand?  It's unclear what you're asking.

I'll try examples.

My Wasp LAM has a standard cockpit with 96 hours of life support. It also has the Improved Life Support Quirk for another 96 hours. If I can carry a External Consumables in the bomb bay for another 96 hours would that give my Wasp LAM 288 hours of life support?

Now if my Wasp LAM had poor life support it'd have 48 hours of life support. To extend it I mount an External Consumables Pod in the bomb bay.  Would it have 144  hours of life support or would LAM's poor life support reduce the Pods endurance also to 48 hours for a total of 96?

Would extra people Rumble Seat/Command Console/Vehicle Crew reduce that by however many people there are? Would a tank with 4 crew members have 24 hours of life support?

See the table on p. 194 of SO.

Unless there's been an errata those quirks aren't applicable to vehicles but vehicles with environmental sealing, either built in (submarines/satellites) or by chassis mod (other vehicles)? Those vehicles have life support systems. Can't they not only be improved or be poor but can't they be extended, some how? Otherwise how do the big subs stay submerged so long? The only thing I've found so far is that the Lysander's recycling facilities weigh around 3,000 tons and that deployments can range from 45 days peacetime to over 6 months war time. That doesn't tell me how long it or other subs can stay underwater.

There are no rules for that.

Oh. Okay.

Cheers.

Cheers :)

[Xotl]

The External Consumables Pod is on page 195 of TechManual.

Looks like that was added in an errata. Apologies, that was missed.

Tactical Operations page 108 gives rules for VTOLs carrying bombs and it's been established that LAMs can carry external stores in bomb bays. Since they can I was wondering if the new External Consumables Pod was included in that.

Using the same rules concerning mounting, yes.

I also wondered if it could be included in other units to extend their time in space and other hostile environments.  I guess I could house rule it but I was hoping for something official.

They cannot. Houserules it is.

I'm not sure how Tournament legal they are since they're not in TW but External Consumables Pod is in TM page 195. The External Fuel tanks are mentioned in TM on pages 129, 196, and 216-217, as well as Strategic Operations page 35.

Life Support duration isn't a Tournament Legal problem, so the question is moot.

Maybe when the next edition of Tactical Ops comes out there could be a completely listing of all external stores? So we don't have to hunt for them? :)

Please feel free to make a list of the ones you're aware of to assist that effort.

My Wasp LAM has a standard cockpit with 96 hours of life support. It also has the Improved Life Support Quirk for another 96 hours. If I can carry a External Consumables in the bomb bay for another 96 hours would that give my Wasp LAM 288 hours of life support?

It would, but it's tricky to answer LAM related questions until the full rules are out.

Now if my Wasp LAM had poor life support it'd have 48 hours of life support. To extend it I mount an External Consumables Pod in the bomb bay.  Would it have 144  hours of life support or would LAM's poor life support reduce the Pods endurance also to 48 hours for a total of 96?

The Quirk would not affect the endurance of the Pod.

Would extra people Rumble Seat/Command Console/Vehicle Crew reduce that by however many people there are? Would a tank with 4 crew members have 24 hours of life support?

Probably, but there's no rules to cover that presently, so houserules would be required.
A vehicle's life support is sized for its crew though.

Unless there's been an errata those quirks aren't applicable to vehicles but vehicles with environmental sealing, either built in (submarines/satellites) or by chassis mod (other vehicles)? Those vehicles have life support systems. Can't they not only be improved or be poor but can't they be extended, some how?

Not every conceivable circumstance is covered by rules, I'm afraid.

[FedComGirl]

Looks like that was added in an errata. Apologies, that was missed.

No problem. :)

Using the same rules concerning mounting, yes.

Cool!

They cannot. Houserules it is.

Cool. :)

Life Support duration isn't a Tournament Legal problem, so the question is moot.

I suppose so.

Please feel free to make a list of the ones you're aware of to assist that effort.

Okay.  I put the list of the ones I know of at the bottom. I hope it helps.

It would, but it's tricky to answer LAM related questions until the full rules are out.

So true. Is it okay if I take that as a "yes" for now?

The Quirk would not affect the endurance of the Pod.

Cool.

Probably, but there's no rules to cover that presently, so houserules would be required.
A vehicle's life support is sized for its crew though.

Okay. I can do that. :)
Cool.

Not every conceivable circumstance is covered by rules, I'm afraid.

I know. But it doesn't hurt to ask so maybe they will be one day, does it? Until then, houserules. :)

Thank you. :)

Here's the list. I'm not sure how legal some are, and some I'm sure aren't currently legal but I thought I'd include them for completeness.

From
Total Warfare page 246,
TechManual pages 195-196,
Tactical Operations pages many plus errata
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,22658.msg609475.html#msg609475 
Strategic Operations page 35
Reunification War page 195 and others


High Explosive (HE) Bomb
Cluster Bomb
Laser-Guided (LG) Bomb
Rocket Launchers (RL-10)
TAG
External Consumables Pods
special sensor and targeting equipment (like TAG) (TMp196 No other info)
Air-to-Air (AAA) Arrow Bomb
Anti-Ship (AS) Missile
Anti-Ship EW (ASEW) Missile
Arrow IV Homing Missile (Air Launch) Bomb
Arrow IV Non-Homing Missile (Air Launch) Bomb
Inferno Bomb
Light Air-to-Air (LAA) Missile
Thunder (FASCAM) (IS+Clan) Bomb
Thunder Active Bomb
Torpedo Bomb
Recon Cameras
External Fuel Tanks
Arrow-P Prototype Arrow IV (I'm presuming they can be carried as bombs.)
Type II (Alamo) Nuclear Missile
Possibly Chemical and Biological weapons? (I'm not sure but it seems like it'd be legal.)

Not sure about the legality but cargo pods and Beer Kegs.  ;D
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,26370.msg596517.html#msg596517

Since they used to be legal, Battletechnology #11
SRM & LRM Missile Pods (5,10,15,+20 missile racks)
Machine Gun Pod
Freefall Bombs (MK1,2,3,4 and possibly bigger)
External Drop Tank

And for the sake of completeness, various real life "vintage" external ordinance for which we don't have rules for.

Edit
I found Mines listed under External Stores on the costs and BV tables in Combat Equipment pages 132 and 134. I found the rules for them in Aerotech2 pages 26-27. I'm not sure about their currant legality.

Aerotech also has Bombs rated from 10-100 points in ten point increments with a loss of thrust points for the fighter carrying them. They're not legal now but once upon a time? How big a bomb bay would one need to carry a 100 point bomb? >:D

[Xotl]

Awesome - thanks very much FCG.

[FedComGirl]

You're very welcome, Xotl. :)

[FedComGirl]

Hi,

I just added a couple more external stores to the list. Mines and Aerotech 1 bombs.

Cheers.