As the Smoke Jaguar began a desperate prototyping of the first generation after finding a solution in miniaturizing the cockpit with EI, they quickly found another problem with protomech.
Although the miniature fusion allow protomech to move substantially faster than Battlearmor, the amount of weapon a protomech can have was really low despite having more spare weight than a battlearmor. Attempt in integrating lightweight battlearmor weapon on a protomech failed due to additional power conduit and targeting system installed would reduce the weight-saving to none anyway.
And then some idiot suggested to make a protomech wield a battlearmor as a maingun instead.
The idea was closed down and shut off forever due to the sheer stupidity of the concept and the G1 protomechs were later used to no avail in an attempt to save the Clan.
That is, until Society was digging through the file during the War of Reaving.
Although they didn't go as far as making a gun shaped battlearmor for the protomech to wield, they instead further apply the concept of using a powered armor like interface in their ultra class protomech and instead use an an actual battlearmor to pilot a protomech.
With strategically placed hole in the armor around the cockpit, the battlearmor is capable of using weapons on their arm and body while piloting the protomech to move around quickly at the same time. Placed right in the torso, the battlearmor is well protected by the thick armor of the protomech, increasing the pilot survival time.
However, while low, there's a potential chance of an attack hitting the exposed battlearmor armor instead, directly damaging the user.
With this drawback in mind, the Society also designed another set of cockpit that fully concealed the battlearmor so that the user can eject themselves out of the protomech cockpit to continue attack the enemies of the Society.
With these new tech unlocked, the Society is hoping to the turn the tide against the dumb warrior of the Clan with an hopefully not equally stupid idea.
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Protomech BA Interface Cockpit is a union between a protomech and battlearmor by integrating the (hopefully) best part of both into a single unit. By integrating a battlearmor into a protomech, the battlearmor will be able to use its own weapon while piloting the protomech. However, that's a chance that any attack that hit the protomech will cause damage to the battlearmor instead, possibly even killing the user without damaging the protomech.
Upon hitting the torso of the protomech equipped with
Protomech BA Interface Cockpit, roll 2d6. PA(L) and Light battlearmor receives damage with a roll of 2, medium battlearmor receives damage with a roll of 3 and below, heavy and assault battlearmor receives damage with a roll of 4 and below.
A direct hit to the structure will also cause the roll with a +2 modifier, showing that it's easier to hit the battlearmor after the armor has been exposed.
A
Fully Concealed Protomech BA Interface Cockpit will require no such roll.
To install
Protomech BA Interface Cockpit into a protomech, simply replace the cockpit module with the following.
Protomech PA(L) BA Interface Cockpit-750 kilogram
Protomech Light BA Interface Cockpit-1000 kilogram
Protomech Medium BA Interface Cockpit-1250 kilogram
Protomech Heavy BA Interface Cockpit-1750 kilogram
Protomech Assault BA Interface Cockpit-2250 kilogram
For fully concealed variant, add an addition of 250 kilogram
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So essentially, the Protomech BA Interface Cockpit probably looks like this.
This might be the worst example image I could possibly put here but it will serve.