Author Topic: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag  (Read 18852 times)

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
This is where I post the details on equipment from the Der Tag AU.


Blood Lasers

Blood lasers are low-resource weapons originating from the Blood spirits; the legacy of a technological dead-end briefly investigated during the advance of technology during the golden century and never fully examined until recently.

Stripped-down and lacking the refinement needed in ER-lasers, Blood-Laser are lighter, cheaper and easier to make than more common Clantech weapons and provide a boost to raw firepower welcomed by the Blood Spirits and increasingly with other low-resource clans. Examples have also been encountered with the Star Adders. Small quantities have been traded by the Diamond Sharks, but they seem not to know what to make of the Blood-Lasers themselves, as they are in of themselves a low-profit item.

In the field Blood Lasers are most commonly found either massed with new Omnimech configurations or as retrofitted secondary weapons. In either case the downfall is usually in the form of heat output, though they are undeniably effective in terms of raw firepower alone. Another shortfall is the loss of overall range to something just slightly better than the sort of technology available during the Age of War.

The name "Blood Laser" derives from the feeling that when these were being developed; the spirits had little else but blood left.

Producing Blood Lasers requires a higher degree of technical sophistication than normal clan lasers for the basic plant, but the lasers themselves require fewer and less expensive resources once set up and are faster to produce and service.

Small Blood Laser (SBL)

Heat: 1
Damage: 4
Range (Short, Medium, Long): 1/2/4
Weight: 0.25 Tons
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost in C-Bills (Equivalent): 10,500
Availability: XXE

Medium Blood Laser (MBL)

Heat: 3
Damage: 7
Range (Short, Medium, Long): 3/7/10
Weight: 0.5 Tons
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost in C-Bills (Equivalent): 35,000
Availability: XXE

Large Blood Laser (LBL)

Heat: 8
Damage: 10
Range (Short, Medium, Long): 6/11/16
Weight: 3 Tons
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost in C-Bills (Equivalent): 86,000
Availability: XXE

Hope I have the availability right.
« Last Edit: 23 October 2016, 19:46:51 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #1 on: 19 April 2016, 17:34:47 »
OmniCannon

Heat: 4
Damage: 10/shot
Range (Short/Medium/Long): 6/12/18
Weight: 12
Ammunition: 10/ton
Critical Spaces: 6
Cost (In C-Bills Equivalent): 600,000
Availability: XXF

The OmniCannon is an Advanced Federated Suns development; it represents a further advancement beyond Clan Technology in the field of Autocannons.

While still a prototype; The OmniCannon represents a new class of ballistic weapon combining the range and rate of fire of an Ultra Autocannon with a feed mechanism that never jams and the capacity to reliably feed and fire LBX Ammunition and other special munitions and all in a platform that delivers respectable down-range performance.

The pre-production Federated Paradox model will be the main armament of the new cooperative flagship of Kallon Industries and Achernar BattleMechs; The ENF-1D Enforcer, which passed it's controlled testing and starts field trials next year with the Davion Brigade of Guards. Once fully approved; ENF-1Ds will replace Enforcer IIIs and any designs which cannot be locally supported  on a 2 for 1 ratio as the AFFS seeks to further pare-down it's mech forces, rationalize the parts system and reduce foreign dependence on military equipment imports.
« Last Edit: 04 November 2018, 09:52:18 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #2 on: 30 July 2016, 08:09:29 »
Underwing Ordnance

Gun Pods

MG Pod
Heat: 0
Damage: 2
Range: 1/2/3 (Point Defence)
Ammunition: 10 Shots
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 6000 C-Bills (equivalent)
Availability: BBB
Notes: +1 to-hit, built-in Ammo

The MG Pod is the most common of gun pods and gives strafing aerospacecraft a valuable anti-infantry weapon. It's short-ranged and so of little value in a dog fight, unless you shoot from very, very close, but if a pilot knows what he or she is doing, they can also be used profitably as point defence weapons.

AC Pod
Heat: 0
Damage: 5
Range: 5/10/15 (Medium Range)
Ammunition: 8 Shots
Bomb Slots: 5
Cost: 150,000 C-Bills (equivalent)
Availability: CCD
Notes: +1 to-hit, built-in Ammo

The Autocannon Pod is more than simply a scaled-up MG pod with an AC/5 inside; the gun itself had to be modified heavily to make it air-worthy. At the time, these modifications significantly reduced the range and service life of the weapons so modified, but those same modifications applied with contemporary technology produced the LAC/5. AC pods were originally ad-hoc modifications by ground crews using cut-down Imperator Autocannon and modified fuel tanks.

Unlike MG pods; AC pods have utility in both strafing and air-to-air roles, although the inherant inaccuracy of the system remains a drawback.

MechEater Pod
Heat: 0
Damage: 20
Range: 3/6/9 (Short Range)
Ammunition: 3 Shots
Bomb Slots: 10
Cost: 300,000 C-Bills (equivalent)
Availability: DED
Notes: +1 to-hit, built-in Ammo

So-named for the original model of AC/20 used in the first production model pods during the Early Star League days, MechEater Pods are designed to give a heavy anti-armour punch to aerofighters flying ground attack missions, although they are also very useful against dropships.

Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #3 on: 30 July 2016, 08:32:20 »
Missile Multiple Ejector Racks (MMERs)

MMERs are generally a cheap and easy way to add low-drag firepower to an aerospacecraft. While fleeting in their use, they also tend to be cheap and unlike gun pods; they work as well as the sam weapon would if mounted in the wing, instead of slung under it.

Unlike Gun Pods, MMERs can be mounted to fire to the rear. Like Gun Pods, MMERs can use any kind of alternate ammunition of the type of missile they mount.

LRM Rack
Heat: 0
Damage: 1/missile, 5 missiles
Range: Minimum Range 6; 7/14/21 (Long Range)
One-Shot
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 1,500 C-Bills (equivalent)
Availability: CCC
Notes: as OS LRM/5

Mounting an LRM rack on an aerospacecraft gives it a little more long-range firepower. It is very popular on lighter Aerofighters and Conventional Fixed-Wing Aircraft as well, although it is more common to see several mounted at once than just one.

SRM Pack
Heat: 0
Damage: 2/missile, 4 missiles
Range: 3/6/9 (Short range)
One-Shot
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 1,350 C-Bills (equivalent)
Availability: BBB
Notes: as OS SRM/4

Within the reach of almost any world's industry, underwing SRM racks are a cheap and easy way to add a little firepower to a smaller air or space frame.

Streak SRM Pack
Heat: 0
Damage: 2/missile, 2 missiles
Range: 3/6/9 (Short range)
One-Shot
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 1,220 C-Bills (equivalent)
Availability: EFD
Notes: as OS SSRM/2

An extremely popular add-on to many mission load-outs, the SSRM pod provides the one-shot firepower of other MMERs, but adds Streak technology to ensure that that one-shot is not wasted. Unless it gets blown out of the sky by an AMS system, that is.

MRM Rack
Heat: 0
Damage: 1/missile, 7 missiles
Range: 3/8/15 (Medium Range)
One-Shot
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 1,400 C-Bills (equivalent)
Availability: XXE
Notes: as OS MRM/7

A Weapon exclusive to the Draconis Combine and rarely exported. Outside the DCMS, MRM racks show up on aerospacecraft most often as ad hoc utilizations of captured MRM ammo that has no other use. Other realms prefer LRM Racks or one of the flavours of Rocket Pod.

Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #4 on: 30 July 2016, 09:13:49 »
Rocket Pods (Primitive, Advanced and Superior)
Heat: 0
Damage: 1/missile, 10 missiles
Range: 5/11/15 (Medium Range)
One-Shot
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 12,400/800 C-Bills (Equivalent)/ 15,000/1000 C-Bills (Equivalent)/18,500/1230 C-Bills (Equivalent)
Availability: BBB/XXB/XXE
Notes:
-Primitive Rocket Pod: As OS Primitive/Pentagon Powers RL/10 (+1 to hit, -1 on missile hits table)
-Advanced Rocket Pod: As OS RL/10 (+1 to hit)
-Superior Rocket Pod: As OS Superior RL/10 (No modifiers)

Rocket Pods are omnipresent weapons and were common on aircraft long before they took to the stars and longer yet before they were to be found, even as weapons of desperation on ground vehicles.

The Primitive Rocket Pod is identical to that used during the fighting of the Age of War and Pentagon Civil War. It lacks all guidance systems and the quality of the projectiles and launchers is indifferent.

The Advanced Rocket Pod is alike to that which the Marian and Circinian forces popularized as en-masse retrofits for mechs in the early 3060s. The quality of production is higher and thus the projectiles are more reliable.

The Superior Rocket Pod is so-far proprietary to the SLDF. It is a Standardized design; direct-firing 81mm, high-velocity rockets, easily picked out by their excessive black, sooty back-blast. A simple, compact inertial guidance system is added and this is sufficient to provide a direct-fire efficiency similar to an SRM, but out to a longer range. In some versions, this may be replaced by a simple, but effective laser-guidance package which works with TAG gear. Without a TAG lock, however, these alternate rockets are totally unguided and as unpredictable as their most ancient predecessors.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

idea weenie

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4855
Re: The Bench Rest. coordination computers for existing weapons
« Reply #5 on: 30 July 2016, 09:54:30 »
Linked Missile launch system.  using a single central LRM retrieval/dispersion system, this is composed of a single central system, and multiple 5-shot LRM launchers.  The central system retrieves ammunition from a magazine, and deploys it to the LRM launchers.  If a launcher is critted, the remaining parts of the system keep on working.  If the central LRM control system is critted, everything stops (and potential explosion due to it holding 5 missiles at the time).

Example:
Central control computer: .5 tons, 1 crit
LRM module: .5 tons, .5 crits

The whole system is rounded up in terms of total crits needed.

So a Light Mech using this to simulate an LRM-20, and having plenty of spare crits:
Crit slot - component
1 - Central control computer
2 - LRM-5 capable launcher
3 - LRM-5 capable launcher
4 - LRM-5 capable launcher
5 - LRM-5 capable launcher

When the Mech fires, it fires the missiles as an LRM-20.  If it takes a hit to crit slot 4, it fires the LRMs as an LRM-15.  If it takes a crit to slot 1, the Mech cannot fire missiles, and takes 5 pts internal structure damage to that location.

It can use special warheads, as the LRM computer just handles dispersion and target feeding.  So Artemis, Streak, Swarm, Thunder, and similar warheads can be used.



Laser linking computer:
Used to link a number of lasers together, all the lasers must be of the same type and in the same location.  Take the number of lasers currently linked together, take the square root of that, and multiply that by the range of the laser type.  Damage is as the original laser type, heat is per number of lasers fired.

So if you had 4 Small Lasers linked together, you would effectively have a weapon that fired at:
Heat: 4
Damage: 3
Ranges: 2/4/6
Mass: 2 tons
Crits: 4

If you tried that with Medium Lasers, it would look like:
Heat: 12
Damage: 5
Ranges: 6/12/18
Mass: 4 tons
Crits: 4

If one of the lasers in that location is damaged, the Laser Linking Computer can still fire the remaining lasers.  If the LLC is critted, the lasers are fired as normal (i.e. individual mode).

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. coordination computers for existing weapons
« Reply #6 on: 30 July 2016, 11:34:46 »
Linked Missile launch system

Laser linking computer

Those are real interesting, but the idea here is for me to post equipment which is new or just different for the Der Tag AU. Like I said; neat stuff, but not, respectfully; the right thread for you to post your own stuff. You'd probably get more feedback if you posted it as your own thread.

Mainly what Benchrest is for is for me to post Der Tag stuff and for other people to comment and critique it and I'd welcome that feed back from you, Idea Weenie.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

Daemion

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5796
  • The Future of BattleTech
    • Never Tales and Other Daydreams
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #7 on: 30 July 2016, 12:48:10 »
OmniCannon

While still a prototype; The OmniCannon represents a new class of ballistic weapon combining the range and rate of fire of an Ultra Autocannon with a feed mechanism that never jams and the capacity to reliably feed and fire LBX Ammunition and all in a platform that delivers respectable down-range performance.

Dang. And seeing a name like that, I was thinking it was a 20-class cannon which could fire at AC/10, AC/5 or even AC/2 burst rates, with range profiles to match.

Still, an ultra which doesn't burn out its arming circuitry and can switch into cluster munitions is interesting. Double rated Cluster 10. You might actually get AC/20 cluster performance, or not.

It's your world. You can do anything you want in it. - Bob Ross

Every thought and device conceived by Satan and man must be explored and found wanting. - Donald Grey Barnhouse on the purpose of history and time.

I helped make a game! ^_^  - Forge Of War: Tactics

Daemion

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5796
  • The Future of BattleTech
    • Never Tales and Other Daydreams
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #8 on: 30 July 2016, 12:53:51 »
Underwing Ordnance

Gun Pods

Missile Multiple Ejector Racks (MMERs)

So, is it possible for a LAM to eject one of these when it goes from AirMech to Mech and pick it up and use it as a hand-held weapon?  O:-)

That is kinda a serious question, though, if you're looking to bring LAMs back.

And, I like the added versatility one can get for aerofighters, especially Conventional. I guess a side question I have, having not completely read your Der Tag set-up: Are you going more air and space heavy?
It's your world. You can do anything you want in it. - Bob Ross

Every thought and device conceived by Satan and man must be explored and found wanting. - Donald Grey Barnhouse on the purpose of history and time.

I helped make a game! ^_^  - Forge Of War: Tactics

Daemion

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5796
  • The Future of BattleTech
    • Never Tales and Other Daydreams
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #9 on: 30 July 2016, 12:57:08 »
Rocket Pods (Primitive, Advanced and Superior)

The Primitive Rocket Pod is identical to that used during the fighting of the Age of War and Pentagon Civil War. It lacks all guidance systems and the quality of the projectiles and launchers is indifferent.

The Advanced Rocket Pod is alike to that which the Marian and Circinian forces popularized as en-masse retrofits for mechs in the early 3060s. The quality of production is higher and thus the projectiles are more reliable.

The Superior Rocket Pod is so-far proprietary to the SLDF. It is a Standardized design; direct-firing 81mm, high-velocity rockets, easily picked out by their excessive black, sooty back-blast. A simple, compact inertial guidance system is added and this is sufficient to provide a direct-fire efficiency similar to an SRM, but out to a longer range. In some versions, this may be replaced by a simple, but effective laser-guidance package which works with TAG gear. Without a TAG lock, however, these alternate rockets are totally unguided and as unpredictable as their most ancient predecessors.

Emphasis mine - considering the weapon was a huge downgrade, and they wanted their Mechs to be the best, I never really got why such a weapon was put onto such a valued machine. I could easily see them pulling missile munitions from Tanks and putting these on in their place. And, I could see these being applied to infantry support vehicles, a la the US Military's HumVee of the early 21st century.

And, the superior MRM - is that out of one of the Ops books, or is that something you came up with?

It's your world. You can do anything you want in it. - Bob Ross

Every thought and device conceived by Satan and man must be explored and found wanting. - Donald Grey Barnhouse on the purpose of history and time.

I helped make a game! ^_^  - Forge Of War: Tactics

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #10 on: 30 July 2016, 20:32:04 »
Dang. And seeing a name like that, I was thinking it was a 20-class cannon which could fire at AC/10, AC/5 or even AC/2 burst rates, with range profiles to match.

Still, an ultra which doesn't burn out its arming circuitry and can switch into cluster munitions is interesting. Double rated Cluster 10. You might actually get AC/20 cluster performance, or not.

Unfortunately, no; I just can't justify something like that through my headcanon. You could make a super-duper AC/2 ammo though that fired AC/2 at 10x the rate. Be a heck of a job to keep it from having stoppages though.

Sigh...I ignore that arming circuit nonsense and tell myself it's the feed system. The Omnicannon has a more robust, better-designed feed system.

So, is it possible for a LAM to eject one of these when it goes from AirMech to Mech and pick it up and use it as a hand-held weapon?  O:-)

That is kinda a serious question, though, if you're looking to bring LAMs back.

And, I like the added versatility one can get for aerofighters, especially Conventional. I guess a side question I have, having not completely read your Der Tag set-up: Are you going more air and space heavy?


I need to learn more about hand-helds and how they work. Honestly I'm considering changing all the custom designs I have that are originally from the Macross/Dougram line and thus have hand-held weapons in the art to have hand-helds in my designs. Only works though if the weight I save in the hand-held lets me up the engine enough to make up for the loss. But then what am i really getting but a jettisonable weapon to gain mobility and a much more expensive platform?

If I was to look at the LAM thing though...I'd consider dumping the "Can't use" bomb ordnance while in mech mode. I see where you're going though and I like the way you think.

Those aspects of full-spectrum warfare in BT are important and very much so in Der Tag, but the focus remains on where the war is won: on the ground. Even if I do add a lot of stuff to air power, it's still partly to make for better CAS.

Emphasis mine - considering the weapon was a huge downgrade, and they wanted their Mechs to be the best, I never really got why such a weapon was put onto such a valued machine. I could easily see them pulling missile munitions from Tanks and putting these on in their place. And, I could see these being applied to infantry support vehicles, a la the US Military's HumVee of the early 21st century.

And, the superior RL - is that out of one of the Ops books, or is that something you came up with?

It was a technical trade-off which was a gamble which they were willing to make.

Lacking resources for the materiel to make their mechs better, they were betting on massive opening firepower to stagger opponents and carry the day. Heck, mount enough RLs and it's *like* having ammo; you have so many of them, you don't *need to unload them simultaneously to have a big effect, even if some do miss.

I wondered too, why we didn't see more vehicles with RLs.

Fixed that for you; MRMs are next to hopeless, lol. Not that I don't use them as well ;) . And yes, I made it up; it's a Der Tag item. While a lot of the stuff I have custom would fit seamlessly in any game (like MG and AC pods), the Superior RL is an artifact of the setting. naturally though, anyone who feels like it is free to use my equipment.

I also changed the nomenclature to make the different RLs stand out more and have more logical names. Keeps it clear that the old "Pentagon Powers" RL was actually available long before the Pentagon Powers existed.
« Last Edit: 30 July 2016, 20:47:29 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #11 on: 31 July 2016, 20:36:33 »
ATM Pack
Heat: 0
Damage: 1 (ER Munitions), 2 (Standard, "Balanced" Munitions), 3 (HE, Short-Range Munitions)
Range:

3/6/9 (HE, Short-Range Munitions) (Short)
5/10/15 (Standard, "Balanced" Munitions) (Medium)
4 (minimum), 9/18/27 (ER Munitions) (Long)

One-Shot
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 4,000 C-Bills (equivalent)
Availability: XXD
Notes: as OS ATM 3 of any type

For unknown reasons; Clan Pilots and Commanders are less likely to countenance sacrificing speed and maneuverability in exchange for slight increase in firepower and so Gun pods and underwing missile racks and packs are less common, even in ground support missions and bombs and fuel tanks are preferred stores.

More popular today than any other form of underwing ordnance among Clan Forces, the ATM Pack is still uncommonly seen in action.

Meta-Gaming note: I model the bomb slots on the idea of drag *and* mass; this is what limits the size of things like the missile racks and such. So It's my estimation that an LRM rack and a Rocket Pod weigh a similar mass and induce a similar amount of drag on a given aerospaceframe. I really just made a estimated guess at some attempt at balance to arrive at the almost superfluous MRM Rack, since i wanted to make sure the DCMS' aeroforces got some home-flavoured love to enjoy over pithy periphery tripe, lol.

In addition, I'm a big believer in the Clan's getting their dues as well. So here is the ATM Pack. As to why underwing stores as I am presenting here are less popular than bombs for the Clans; I'll give almost the throw-away answer and say it's a cultural thing. From their POV, a faster, more maneuverable fighter is more useful (and bettef for glory, ego, ect) than a bit more add-on one-shot damage potential.

iATM Pack
Heat: 0
Damage: 1 (ER Munitions), 2 (Standard, "Balanced" Munitions), 3 (HE, Short-Range Munitions)
Range:

3/6/9 (HE, Short-Range Munitions) (Short)
5/10/15 (Standard, "Balanced" Munitions) (Medium)
4 (minimum), 9/18/27 (ER Munitions) (Long)

One-Shot
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 5,000 C-Bills (equivalent)
Availability: XXF
Notes: as OS iATM 3 of any type, may use any form of alternate iATM ammo, just as with other, similar weapons.

The iATM is just beginning to spread amongst the Clans and is likely to supplant it's less-advanced predecessor totally in the next 20 years. For now, iATM packs as underwing ordnance are almost unknown; the modifications to the Missile Pack itself are basically trivial (the process is all but identical to a normal maintenance cycle and can be performed by labourer-caste ordnance workers), but require substitution of certain essential components vital to the use of the advanced alternate ammunition types.

The main brake right now is the continuing rarity of Advanced iATM ammunition. Without that, there is little point in updating the current stock of underwing packs.

Currently the iATM in all it's forms remains all but unknown to the Clans of the Inner Sphere, with only a handful reverse-engineered prototypes, leftover from the Clan Civil War in the possession of the Jade Falcons.

Meta-gaming Note: If I messed up the basic iATM stats, please let me know, I'm new to the iATM yet.
« Last Edit: 01 August 2016, 08:27:03 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #12 on: 01 August 2016, 08:16:06 »
NARC Pack

Heat: 0
Damage: normally none, but may make use of any form of basic NARC ammo
Range: 3/6/9 (Short)

3-Shots
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 3,500 C-Bills (Equivalent), recalculated for differnt ammo types
Availability: EFD
Notes; as a 3-shot NARC Beacon launcher. Each of the three shots may be a different ammo type if desired and it is selectable which type is fired.

The Underwing NARC Pack is a useful and popular accessory to fighter pilots in the Inner Sphere and basically unknown among the Clans. Some insist that it is superior overall to a built-in NARC Beacon Launcher and point out the unfortunate aspect that it cannot be mounted on mechs and tanks.

The NARC Pack allows a fighter to NARC a target for it's own missiles or those of friendly forces, without the burden of an otherwise superfluous built-in weapon system. NARC Packs first appeared as improvised systems in the Chaos March.

Meta-Gaming note; If this existed, I think it would be a very popular item indeed and volleying the NARC Beacons is totally in keeping with the feel of the game, IMO. So even though there are three Beacons on the rack, the system can only handle one at a time.

iNARC Pack

Heat: 0
Damage: normally none, but may make use of any form of basic iNARC ammo
Range: 4/9/15 (Medium)

2-Shots
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 4,350 C-Bills (Equivalent), recalculated for differnt ammo types
Availability: XXE
Notes; as a 2-shot iNARC Beacon launcher. Each of the two shots may be a different ammo type if desired and it is selectable which type is fired.

Similar to the NARC Pack, the iNARC version first appeared during the Jihad among ComStar forces and has since spread to the former Free Worlds League and SLDF. Some other forces make use of the iNARC Pack in a manner similar to the MRM Rack; with no iNarc Launchers, it's a good way to get real use out of Beacons leftover from the Jihad.
« Last Edit: 09 August 2016, 18:31:03 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #13 on: 01 August 2016, 09:59:18 »
Clan LRM Rack
Heat: 0
Damage: 1/missile, 5 missiles
Range: 7/14/21 (Long Range)
One-Shot
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 1,500 C-Bills (equivalent) Apparently?
Availability: XXE
Notes: as OS Clan LRM/5

The Clan LRM Rack is similar to it's Spheroid cousin, but takes advantage of the superior guidance and close-range tracking systems of Clan missiles. There is no Clan SRM pack; the basic Clan SRM performs identically to it's Terran Hegemony ancestor. Any weight savings are in the launcher, which is done away with on an underwing SRM pack. The Clans still use the SRM pack, it's just functionally and economically identical to it's spheroid competitor.

In either case, while this is a capability the Clans have, they rarely use it. Some Clan ASF Stars may have no underwing stores but Bombs and Fuel tanks on hand at all.

Clan Streak SRM Pack
Heat: 0
Damage: 2/missile, 2 missiles
Range: 4/8/12 (Short range)
One-Shot
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 1,220 C-Bills (equivalent) so it seems. Which is odd.
Availability: XXE
Notes: as OS Clan SSRM/2

The Clan Streak SRM Pack has slight advantages over it's less-advanced cousins, but is still rarely fielded, however it is more popular than the normal SRM rack.

Meta-Gaming Note; I find it odd that Clan versions of IS weapons costs the same, even when unquestionably superior.

Clan Streak LRM Rack
Heat: 0
Damage: 1/missile, 5 missiles
Range: 7/14/21 (Long Range)
One-Shot
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost: 3,000 C-Bills (equivalent)
Availability: XXF
Notes: as OS Clan Streak LRM/5

The Clan Streak LRM Rack is a new weapon to Clan ASF Forces and while the ATM Pack is popular, it is the Streak LRM Rack which seems to have the best chance of  gaining greater favour for underwing stores with Clan Pilots.

Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #14 on: 06 August 2016, 21:24:56 »
Electronics and Counter-Measures

Meta-Gaming Note: Of all the underwing stores I wrote up and collected, I think these have the potential to be the most in-balancing. Love to hear your thoughts.

TAG Pod
Range: 5/9/15 (medium)
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost (In C-Bills Equivalent): 50,000
Availability: EFD
Notes: As a TAG System

Meta-Gaming Note: I didn't make any changes here, I just have it listed for completeness.

TAG Pods are basically universal with any power which has access to Arrow IV Missiles and are found in use as adjuncts to direct-fire Beam-Riders and as spotting tools for indirect artillery or other aerospacecraft. They are much disfavoured in most of the Clans; not only is it an external store, which they avoid; but the whole idea reeks of cooperation when glory and success in battle should go to the individual warrior.

ECM Pod
Range: 1 Atmospheric Hex, Self in Space
Bomb Slots: 2
Cost (In C-Bills Equivalent): 201,000
Availability: EFE
Notes: As Guardian ECM

ECM Pods are popular add-ons to high-risk ground attack missions and most pilots would like to have at least one or two Aerofighters in a Squadron carry an ECM Pod in any atmospheric mission, provided it didn't have to be them.

However, where it shows up most often is in procurement officer explanations of late-model aerofighters since 3049. As the technology of the stand-alone ECM Pod was rediscovered concurrently with the Guardian ECM system itself, most manufacturers see this capability as reason not to include hard-wired ECM into their designs. When questioned, they almost always fall back on the existence of the ECM pod as justification to avoid allocating 1.5 tons of precious mass to an expensive electronics system that could, theoretically be carried slung underwing or fuselage.

Meta-Gaming Note: Part of what made the ECM pod so satisfying is that not only is it an item rife with historical precedent, it also provided a way to head-canon so very few ASF carrying built-in ECM.

Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #15 on: 07 August 2016, 12:05:44 »
Clan ECM Pod
Range: 1 Atmospheric Hex, Self in Space
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost (In C-Bills Equivalent): 201,000
Availability: XXE
Notes: As Clan ECM

The Clan ECM Pod is smaller and creates less drag than it's Terran Alliance-Era counterpart, but otherwise functions identically. It's not enough to make it a popular item in any Clan's Touman, however.

Probe Pod
Range: 1 Atmospheric Hex/Mapsheet, 1 Space Hex
Bomb Slots: 2
Cost (In C-Bills Equivalent): 201,500
Availability: EFD
Notes: As Beagle Probe

Probe Pods have only been around since 2715 and disappeared during the succession wars. Most pilots don't even know they exist, unless they do a lot of scouting and reconnaissance work as part of a Fleet Air Wing or a dedicated reconnaissance unit attached to a larger combined arms formation like an RCT. In fact; most pilots aren't even aware it's possible to mount a Beagle Probe as an external store. This is mainly due to the aggressive counter-marketing campaign perpetrated by Mitchell Vehicles following the debut of the item several years after the unveiling of their own Hellcat II Aerospace Fighter.

The Hellcat II's integral Beagle Probe, along with it's heavy armour were the two main selling points of the design. When Telasys released a pod-mounted Beagle a mere four years later, it seriously cut into the draw and thus the demand for Mitchell Vehicle's Hellcat II. In response, MV began a lobbying campaign claiming that the power demands and sensory inputs of the Beagle could not be effectively routed through an external pod mount. MV claimed and appeared to demonstrate that Pod-mounted Beagles suffered from data lag and power drains. This counter-marketing approach proved successful in undermining confidence in Pod-Mounted sensor systems as a modern concept and after a few decades, MV was rewarded with a massive contract for the Hellcat II in 2745 with deliveries to start in 2750, following decades of lobbying.

The result was that manufacture of Pod-Mounted Beagles never took off and Telasys was forces to license the patent ot other manufacturers who only produced a few thousand, which were quickly cannibalized, often to keep the heard-wired Beagle of the Hellcat II's working. When contemporary manufacturers looked again at the concept after the rediscovery of the Lostech of the hard-wired Beagle, MV's so-called "Data" was prominent in the records. Less enlightened manufacturers returned the Probe Pod to service in later 3051 with Apple-Chruchill's A/C-419 Pod-Mounted Beagle and today the true capabilities of the unit are more fully understood. This has not served to alter that the Probe Pod remains a niche item which few pilots are familiar with.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

Daemion

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5796
  • The Future of BattleTech
    • Never Tales and Other Daydreams
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #16 on: 12 August 2016, 10:05:42 »
So, with the TAG pod, would you be able to launch and spot for your own Arrow IV ordinance?

It's your world. You can do anything you want in it. - Bob Ross

Every thought and device conceived by Satan and man must be explored and found wanting. - Donald Grey Barnhouse on the purpose of history and time.

I helped make a game! ^_^  - Forge Of War: Tactics

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #17 on: 13 August 2016, 14:55:29 »
So, with the TAG pod, would you be able to launch and spot for your own Arrow IV ordinance?

Bingo.

"BEAM-RIDER!"
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #18 on: 14 August 2016, 13:58:05 »
Heavy ECM Pod

Range: 1 Atmospheric Hex, or 1 Space Hex
Bomb Slots: 3
Cost (in C-bills, Equivalent): 755,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: As Angel ECM

The complex and large Heavy ECM Pod isn't so much an aerodynamic burden as it is simply what is required to get a functional Angel ECM system airborne in an external mounting. Becoming generally available two years after the original prototype (Tactical Handbook) Angel ECM, the Heavy ECM Pod is preferred over a built-in unit among units performing strike and reconnaissance duties. This is because it avoids touchy and involved hardwired modifications to an aerospaceframe; sacrificing heatsinks, ammunition and weapons, but it remains a substantial burden on any aircraft carrying it.

The Benefits of the Heavy ECM Pod are such that when they can be had, pilots prefer to have them along, but they will still engage in drawing of straws and games of rock-flimsy-vibrocutters in order avoid being the one to carry it on their plane.

Heavy ECM pods are exceedingly expensive and hard to come by, however and as such, it is common for pilots to be severely reprimanded for jettisoning even a damage example in combat.

Improved Probe Pod

Range: 2 atmosphere or space hexes.
Bomb Slots: 3
Cost (in C-bills, Equivalent): 502,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: As Bloodhound Probe

The Improved Probe pod is basically an airborne, externally mounted Bloodhound probe. In order to accomplish this, the designers required a larger pod and some additional, drag-inducing sensor arrays. As a result the pod is 50% larger and more drag inducing and weighs about 30% more.

Improved Probe Pods remain uncommon, but their sensory capabilities and range are second to none. As with other pod-mounted electronics, the cost of a slower, less manuverable aerospacecraft is often deemed acceptable compared to an involved, custom modification, an expensive proprietary design or factory variant or a claim on omnipodspace.

Electronic Warfare Pack

Range: 0 or "Same" hex in air or space
Bomb Slots: 6
Cost: 300,500
Availability: EEE
Notes: As EW Equipment

Still on the Drawing-board as a proprietary add-on for the Thrush at the end of the 4th Succession war, Electronic Warfare packs are now produced  by several near and deep periphery states for local consumption, as well as the Fitvelt Coalition and Andurian Pact nations for sale to less affluent customers.

The Failure of the CCAF to field the EW pack during the 4th war is just as well, tests and experience with the modern version indicates that the already daunting reputation of the Thrush as a Widowmaker would only have reached new depths of the macabre when fitted with a production EW Pack.

Everyone knows that vintage Electronic Warfare equipment, as used to a limited degree in the 4th succession war and the war of '39 is obsolete, but it is easier to make and maintain than even the Guardian and Beagle systems now showing their age. It is also cheaper than both of those systems combined and these factors make it attractive to less-advanced buyers and manufacturers.

While the system, which comes in form of several interconnected external pods, blisters and antennae is heavy and severely injurious to the flight characteristics of most aircraft, it is effective at providing limited detection and defensive capabilities, especially at low level where there is no discernible difference in performance between an EW Pack and paired Probe and ECM pods. It, does not; contrary to popular opinion, make atmospheric re-entry impossible, or even much more difficult. Unless the EW Pack is mounted on a Thrush, in which case, even normal flight handling; especially landing, take-off and re-entry become almost fatally dangerous. This is expected to be an interplay with the disc-shaped wing and performance on the normally sedate Shologar is little better.

Note on terminology: When I say a system has "X" range, I mean the hex it is in and X-beyond that. "Self" means it only provides those benefits to itself. 0 or "Same" means it has a range of it's own hex; an important distinction with air and space hexes.

Game Rules Note: NOE (Nap of The Earth) flying reduced the airborne range of electronics to the Same Hex, so matter what the system is; there is too much ground cutter and bounceback to go farther.

Travel Sweep: The range and capabilities of Electronics are active through the entire movement of a unit on the air or space map; not just in the hex it ends it's turn. This is probably stated somewhere in canon, but I can't find it. Think of it like this; remember Warcraft 2? Had the Goblin Airships? And the Eye of someone? You could use them to recon the map and they could see anything they flew over and a little ways around them besides. Similar idea here, including the varying range of the systems. The difference being that in Warcraft 2, you retained awareness of the areas cleared of the fog of war by your units; not so here.

So that probe pod; picture a tunnel of scanning everywhere you move your unit;  and it' x-wide on either side. If it's a Probe pod that is 1 hex for the unit, 1 hex either side and one extra hex forward. If it's an EW Pack; it's just a 1-hex wide tunnel of despair. If you slapped on an Improved Probe pod; it's your hex, plus 2 on either side and two forward.

ECM works the same way; anyone with a scanner in range of your ECM Tunnel will know (Depending on the mode your ECM is operating in) that they just got buzzed by an active ECM field.

Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #19 on: 14 August 2016, 15:05:18 »
Cam Pod
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, equivalent): 10,500
Availability: BBB
Notes: As Recon Camera

The Humble Cam Pod is the mainstay of all fixed-wing aviation units which perform reconnaissance tasks. In a Galaxy in which it is so easy to knock satellites from the sky, photoreconnisance is a vital mission.

Outside of the Clans, it is rare Fighter Squadron, which does not have a least one such pod on hand at all times as part of their basic stores.

Meta-gaming Note: This item is so obvious, I am sure it must be in a book somewhere and I just can't find it.

Flare and Chaff Dispensor
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, equivalent): 2000
Availability: BBB
Notes: All missiles operating under guidance systems (LRM, SRM, AAM, ATM, MRM w. Apollo, ect) fired at the unit this turn act as if affected by an AMS system. All other weapons suffer a +1 to hit, due to the radar and laser-ranging bounce-back of the chaff and the IR-spoofing of the Flares

Flare and Chaff Dispensors have been common defensive add-ons for centuries and only the Clans rarely make use of them. Previous to 2100, they were usually not combined in a single system. They are especially common on larger, slower-moving aircraft.

The Flare and Chaff Dispensor is basically a low-tech Chaff Pod, but without the ECM effect of the Electronic Noisemakers. Instead it holds more chaff and adds flares to spoof IR and heat-seeking systems.

Drone
Bomb Slots: 8
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 1,500,000
Availability: EEC
Notes: See Air Recon Drone TRO http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=54084.msg1246473#msg1246473

Aerial Reconnaissance Drones have been around Since the Mid-20th Century, but the technology has only recently re-appeared, during the Capellan Civil War of the later 3050s and early 3060s.

These drones are only rarely deployed by Aerospace Fighters and are more commonly launched from Small Craft, Low-Flying Dropships and fixed-wing Support vehicles.

While intended for reconnaissance duties, they have a small internal bay for stores, which may contain a bomb.
« Last Edit: 14 August 2016, 15:45:12 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #20 on: 14 August 2016, 16:25:53 »
Cargo Pod
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost (in C-Bills Equivalent): 200
Availability: BBB
Notes: Carries 1 Ton of Cargo

Cargo pods were originally an attempt at squeezing a little more profit out of conventional air-cargo operations, but have since been adapted to use on fighters and Aerodyne small craft.

This is probably the most common used and most disliked of all the underwing stores in the Clans. Loathed by pilots and often improvised by ground crews, they are used to make up for shortfalls in small craft among the Clans and are employed in vital resupply missions between ships and from near space to the surface of worlds.

A Cargo Pod can carrying anything which masses one ton and isn't too large. They can accommodate larger payloads, but only if they can be broken down into 1-ton components. Larger Pods, often mounted over the wings and weighing up to 200 tons, designed for use with fixed-wing support aircraft are not unknown, but are much less common. The Smaller 1-ton Cargo pods are the only ones which have no issues making atmospheric re-entry. The larger 5 and 10-ton pods can often rupture or tear away and such operations are impossible with larger pods.

Drop Tank
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost (in C-Bills Equivalent): 200
Availability: CCC
Notes: Carries 80 points of fuel for an Aerospace Fighter or 160 Points for a Small Craft or Conventional Fighter.

In the age of inter-planetary flight over vast distances, many pilots regard the humble drop tank with trepidation.

When you find a Drop Tank under your wing, it means you need to grab a snack and check your relief tube again; you may be gone a while.

Drop Tanks and refueling allow the range and duration of missions to be extended to the limits of crew endurance. And sometimes beyond. Outworlds pilots are known to plot in some very long-distance inter-system patrol routes and then fall asleep, relying on proximity alarms and bogey alerts to wake them, if needed.

Due to the different systems in play, Aerospace Fighters simply get less AUs to the cubic litre than do Aerodyne Small Craft and Conventional Aircraft.

*This is excellent example of an item which is *tweaked* in Der Tag. Thanks Nebfer.

Point Defence Pod
Bomb Slots: 1
Ammunition: 4
Cost (in C-Bills Equivalent): 102,000
Availability: EFD
Notes; Functions as an AMS and may be mounted to cover the front or rear.

Development of the Point Defence Pod, took as long as it did for some wise-ass pilot to point out in ear-shot of an enterprising tech that an AMS system was basically a glorified Machinegun and they could pod-mount those, so why not?

The PD Pod is common throughout the Inner Sphere, but particularly in the nations of the former Free Worlds League. It uses the Sub-Calibre model of the Anti-Missile System, wherein a smaller calibre, but very high-rate of fire Machinegun or similar system is used in place of a larger gun firing explosive rounds. This is placed in a limited-traverse mounting in the nose of a truncated pod, with a small supply of ammunition and a blister for the targeting system on the bottom.

Unlike a ground-mounted AMS system; the PD pod has no capability to be used against close-range targets.

In practice, PD pods are employed to a pilot's taste or as a preference for ground-attack (especially against positions with local AA capability) and escort missions.
« Last Edit: 13 June 2017, 21:16:56 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #21 on: 14 August 2016, 21:10:48 »
Clan Probe Pod
Range: 1 Atmospheric Hex or 1 Space Hex
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, equivalent): 201,5000
Availability: XXE
Notes: As Clan Active Probe.

Perhaps the most notable downside of the Clan distaste for underwing stores is that most of theirs are so much better than their inner sphere compatriots. Yet Clan Pilots still turn up their noses at these innovating offerings from their Scientist and Labour Castes, in favour of getting the maximum performance possible out of their Aerospacecraft.

Just one example is the Clan Probe Pod; It does everything the Star League-era Probe Pod does, in a smaller, more streamlined, lighter package.

Clan Watchdog Pack
Range: 0 or Same Hex in Atmosphere, Self in Space.
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, equivalent): 602,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: As Clan Watchdog System

A final Attempt by the Scientist Caste to get the Fighter Pilots of the Warrior Caste to see the value in external stores, the Watchdog Pack, has actually gained a modest following and from pilots who would never think it worthwhile to modify an Omniconfiguration to add a similar system as an integral fitting.

The Short Range of the System is actually it's selling point to Clan Pilots; the limited radius of the ECM field means that they do not force dishonour on their fellows by hiding them inadvertantly, while technologically enhancing their personal cunning and the short range of the sensors seems to goad the natural daring of the Warrior Caste.

Clan Heavy ECM Pod
Range: 1 Atmospheric Hex, or 1 Space Hex
Bomb Slots: 2
Cost (in C-Bills, equivalent): 757,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: As Clan Angel ECM

When the Clans developed their own version of the Angel ECM suite, the Scientist Caste of Clan Ice Hellion was quick to provide an underwing version for use by Aerospacecraft. Their disappointment when the Warrior caste was lukewarm to the system came faster still.

Clan Improved Probe Pod
Range: 2 Atmospheric Hexes, or 2 Space Hexes
Bomb Slots: 2
Cost (in C-Bills, equivalent): 502,500
Availability: XXF
Notes: As Clan Bloodhound Probe

Clan Wolf-in-exile developed the Improved Probe Pod as an underwing version of the Clantech Bloodhound probe, during the Jihad. This was in response to encounters with hidden Word of Blake Fighter units, armed with nuclear warheads, which played havoc with WiE naval operations from 3068 onward.

Today, this system is all but unknown in the homeworlds, but is somewhat more common than might be expected among the Spheroid Clans.
« Last Edit: 15 August 2016, 07:38:48 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #22 on: 15 August 2016, 20:23:37 »
Sensor and Mine Dispensors

Sensor Dispensor
Ammunition: 30 Sensors
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 30,340
Availability: XXD
Notes: As Remote Sensor Dispensor, but see below.

Sensor Dispensors are another tool of Reconnaissance forces; allowing Aerospacecraft to seed remote sensors to monitor enemy activity in remote locations or areas far afield. The difference here is the additional range of the communications systems integral to the sensors and the endurance of the individual units.

it is possible to use these---admittedly short-ranged---sensors for deep space picket duty as well. They can detect KF-Drive emergence waves at close ranges (in astronomical terms) and the passage of ships larger than 500 tons at virtual spitting difference and anything smaller if it is close enough to be disturbed by the drive wash.

Space Mine Dispensor Array
Damage: 6*
Ammunition: 2
Bomb Slots: 10
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 150,000
Availability: EFE
Notes: As Space Mine Dispensor.
* See related rules for explanation of damage (PG 324-325, Tac Ops)

Space Mine Dispensor Arrays are large and involved mechanisms which may only be used on Aerospace Fighters and Aerodyne Smallcraft operating in space. In atmosphere, it simply produces too much drag to utilize, even in thin atmospheres; thus limiting deployment as an underwing store to those Aerospacecraft serving on space stations, starships and from airless bases.

Meta-gaming note: I tried really hard to make a viable airborne mine dispensor. But frankly; the Thunder Pod is so good as-is, that anything like an underwing version of the ground-based mine dispensor would be weak tea by comparison and there seems little reason to make one, besides that I can do so.
« Last Edit: 15 August 2016, 21:00:45 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #23 on: 15 August 2016, 20:58:48 »
Stand-Alone Underwing Missiles

Underwing Thunderbolt
Damage: 15
Range: Minimum 5, 6/12/18 (medium)
Bomb Slots: 2
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 125,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: As per an OS Thunderbolt-15

Meta-Gaming Note: Criminey! Thunderbolts are expensive!!!

The Underwing Thunderbolt provides an option for users unable to normally or easily source more advanced Air-to-Air Missiles in the Inner Sphere. While still too advanced an item for regular issue in the Periphery and distasteful to the Clans, the Underwing Thunderbolt is popular in the Raven Alliance.

While inferior in all ways but damage potential to the more advanced Light AAM, the Underwing Thunderbolt nonetheless has a following among Innersphere Pilots for the brute force approach to combat it offers.

The Underwing Thunderbolt appears in place of the Light AAM in places where the Light AAM is hard to come by, such as the Capellan Confederation, Draconis Combine and Federated Suns. Elsewhere it is often used preferentially in the air-to-ground role.

Pilots praise the Underwing Thunderbolt for it's dual-role flexibility and ground troops appreciate it's small area of effect; beneficial in danger-close missions and rare urban ground support missions.

The Thunderbolt is, however much more expensive than the Light AAM, though the later's technology remains proprietary to a few states within the former Free World's League and the mercantile Lyran Commonwealth.

Light Air-to-Air Missile
Damage: 6
Range: 6/18/24 (medium)
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 6,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: -2 to-hit

The Light Air-to-Air Missile was developed during the Jihad in the former FWL. During the war, anti-Blakist blockade runners distributed the missiles widely through the Inner Sphere, but attempts to replicate it outside the Andurian Pact and Lyran Commonwealth resulted in less-accurate, larger, heavier missiles and were not continued, post-war.

The Light AAM is extremely popular when pilots can get ahold of it, but it lacks serious damage potential. It's reach also suffers in space, where it's propulsion system is less efficient. Light AAMs are less expensive than many other weapons systems of equivalent refinement, but are hard to get in large quantity, despite the best efforts of Lyran Merchants to bypass Republic export controls.

Light AAMs have an undeserved reputation as a sure-thing; while they do sport a highly effective guidance system, able to see past active and passive counter-measures, it is a mistake to rush the shot; a mistake often made by green and unfamiliar pilots. Light AAMs also remain vulnerable to point defences which are increasingly common on modern space craft.

Meta-gaming note: the Light AAM is a real bag of hammers with a lot of drawbacks and not enough reason to use it in action. So I made it easier to loft and gave it a -2 to-hit. Still sucks for damage though. So this is an example of "Different" Equipment for Der Tag.

Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #24 on: 24 August 2016, 07:17:10 »
Air-Launched Cruise Missile
Damage: 50/25 R1
Range: 50 Boards
Bomb Slots: 15
Cost, In C-Bills, equivalent: 40,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: All other rules, as-Per Cruise Missile/50

Meta-Gaming Note: I once had a thread on new artillery weapons, in which I worked up, with a lot of help; rules for using the likes of Capital and Sub-Capital weapons as artillery. Eventually I'd also like to provide direct-fire and ship-to-ship rules for artillery weapons.

Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCMs) made their debut immediately after the Jihad during the conflicts to establish the Republic. First discovered on the former protectorate world of New Aragon; historical record cites similar weapons in use during the last half of the 20th century and the first half of the 21st, but this re-development of the concept caught RAF forces by surprise.

While poor coordination by the defending militias meant the ALCMs had a minimal effect, that they could be deployed and used at all was deemed worrisome.

The ALCM was a Blakist weapon, whose development had been completed by the New Aragon resistance forces, with assistance from several neighbouring worlds. It is suspected that it was always intended to turn this former tool of oppression against WOB, but when it became clear that Stone's forces intended to absorb the former worlds of the Protectorate into the Republic, the various resistance forces and militias disagreed violently.

An ALCM is simply a Cruise Missile/50 adapted for in-flight launch, instead of launching from a missile silo or rail. The Structural Bracing for reloading and ground launch is removed or adapted in favour of that required for lofting under the wing of a large aerospacecraft. ALCMs can also be deployed through sufficiently large internal bomb bays, though when so used, it is more common for at least part of the weapon to protrude or need to be faired over.

Today ALCMs are in use with the RAF and the forces of House Davion. While the Lyran Commonwealth produced ALCMs for the RAF, they make little use of the and the weapon remains most popular with their forces most acquainted with other models of Cruise Missiles.

Air-Launched Torpedo
Damage: 20
Range: Minimum 6, 7/12/18
Bomb Slots: 2
Cost, In C-Bills, equivalent: 7,000
Availability: CCC
Notes: As per Canon Torpedo Rules, including scatter (which is where the minimum range comes into play), except that it has a range from the strafing corridor and it can be "Spotted" for by remote sensors and friendly units. An Air-Launched Torpedo has a limited capacity to turn, equivalent to the frontal arc of a vehicle, in practice.

Air Launched Torpedoes have been around almost as long as manned flight. The current incarnation is a simple, but effective weapon, commonly available to all beligerant nations who care to have them in 3099.

Air-Launched Torpedoes are launched during "Strafing Maneuvers"; here called "Torpedo Runs", where the aerospacecraft flies low, but no longer so slow, over the surface of the water. A Torpedo may be dropped against any target which is known, at which point they do their best to home in and damage them below the waterline.

It is common practice to seed an area with remote sensors on one pass to detect hidden units in the water, and then come around again for a Torpedo run against units detected by the sonobouys.

Air-Launched Arrow-IV Missile
Damage/Effects: 20/10 R1 or as per a given Arrow-IV Missile
Range: 8 Boards (9 for the Clan Version)
Bomb Slots: 5
Cost, In C-Bills, equivalent: 3,000 (Guided HEGP, as an example)
Availability: EFE (XXF for the Clan version)
Notes: As per Canon Arrow-IV and Air-Launched Arrow IV rules, except where noted. Can Be any kind of Arrow IV Missile chosen, substituting cost and effects, with the exception of SAMs and AAMs, for pretty obvious reasons.

Meta-gaming Note: I haven't got there yet, in terms of posting Der Tag Artillery weapons, but I see all A4 missiles as having homing capability; that's why this weapon costs 3,000 C-Bills each and not 2,000. If I was to take out the Guidance System, which allows it to use TAG signals, then it would have a longer range or a bigger boom.

Air-Launching Arrow-IV Missiles is a popular practice wherever the missiles can be had. Except within Clan Space, because their pilots would rather bomb or shoot a target from knife-fighting range, no matter the situation.

Air-Launched Arrow-IVs are often paired with TAG pods in order to make more sure of a hit, though the TAG and the Arrow-IV need not be mounted on the same platform.

Air-to-Air Arrow
Damage: 20
Range: 5 Boards (Extreme)
Bomb Slots: 5
Cost, In C-Bills, equivalent: 90,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: -2 to hit against Air/Space-Borne targets. May not be used against ground targets. May Cross the Atmo/Space interface. Yay for Satellite Killers! Air-to-Air Arrow-IV may be launched and used from Arrow-IV missiles mounted on Fighters and Small Craft.

The Air-to-Air Arrow was a joint project during the War between the then Lyran-Alliance and Clan Wolf In Exile. Today it is one of the very few underwing stores any Clan will use in quantity.

The Air-to-Air version of the Arrow-IV sacrifices range and raw hitting power for highly capable tracking systems and maneuvering fins and thrusters.

The Air-to-Air Arrow is an independent development, owing nothing to the original Star League Arrow SAMs and suffers somewhat from the lack; it is expensive and difficult to manufacture. The Air-to-Air Arrow is found in use today primarily with the SLDFiE, Lyran Commonwealth, CWiE, RAF and AFFS.

Anti-Shipping Missile
Damage: 30 (3 Capital)
Range: Minimum 9, 17/25/32 (long)
Bomb Slots: 6
Cost, In C-Bills, equivalent: 150,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: Roll for crit as-per Barracuda, -1 to hit vs targets 500+ Tons, -2 vs Targets 1,000,000+ Tons, -3 vs Targets 1,500,000+ Tons. Can cross the space/atmospheric interface.

Allegedly developed from the Arrow-IV as a dedicated Anti-Ship missile for use during the Jihad, as far as can be told now, it retains nothing in common with the smaller missile at this stage of it's development. Originally developed by the AFFS to fight the Blakist blockade of New Avalon, the weapon has since spread to all the remaining Successor States; the RAF, SLDFiE, the Andurian Pact, the Magistracy and the Taurian Condordant are also known to utilize the weapon.

Modestly effective against capital ships singly, en masse, Anti-Ship missiles are economic killers. helpfully, they work just as well, in-atmosphere against blue-water shipping.

Anti-Ship Electronic Warfare Missile
Range: Minimum 7, 14/21/28 (medium)
Bombs Slots: 6
Cost, In C-Bills, equivalent: 200,000
Availability: XXE
Notes: As per Canon Rules

Never widely popular, the ASEW Missile remains mainly in the hands of the Lyrans and Andurian Pact, with the RAF retaining a small stockpile as well.

Working as it does to impair the electronic workings of capital ships, the ASEW is akin to a giant NARC Haywire pod; the missile can be used in atmosphere and indeed; cross the space/atmospheric boundary. However, besides that it's effects are less pronounced against the simpler workings of ground and naval vehicles, it's capabilities against such as HPGs and power distribution networks are not known to be fully understood.

The ASEW works partly as a massive EMP bomb and partly as a adaptive haywire-limpet mine once in contact with a target.

Genie Nuclear Air-to-Air Missile
Damage: See Nuke attachment
Range: 5 Boards (Medium)
Bomb Slots: 4
Cost, In C-Bills, equivalent: 860,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: +3 vs Ground Targets. +2 vs Targets smaller than 120 tons.

The Genie was designed by the SLDFiE to combat large-scale combat drops, dropship assaults and other mass air and space-borne attacks by deploying an air-to-air tactical nuclear weapon.

Little is known about the Genie, publically. While mainly used in limited numbers by SLDFiE Forces during the Jihad, a few were distributed to worlds vulnerable to Blakist seizure or considered likely to sustain a massive attack in the near future.

Almost all were expended during the war. A handful were seized by Davion forces and dismantled, rather than studied. Unofficially; several dozen may have been supplied to the Capellan Confederation and two were found in an off-the books weapons depot in the Draconis Combine. Both were produced in 3092, well after the war, so it can be expected that this is a weapon the SLDFiE will employ in any future war.

While the Genie can happily cross the Atmo/Space interface, it is handicapped  by a reliable on targeting an enemy unit, verses detonating at a point in space.

Davy-Crockett-M
Damage: As per Canon
Range: 8 Boards
Bomb Slots: 5
Cost, In C-Bills, equivalent: 500,000
Availability: FFF
Notes: As per Canon Rules

The Davy-Crockett-M is an old standby tactical nuclear warhead, built into an Arrow-IV missile.

Davy-Crockett-Ms have been removed from the Davion and Kuritan arsenals in accordance with post-war Republic-Sponsored treaties and are supposed ti have been riven from the armouries of the Andurian Pact Nations as well, but this is difficult to certify.

Davy-Crockett-Ms are known to be held in the stocks of the LCAF, CCAF, TDF and SLDFiE. The Status of any such devices held by the Clans or RAF is not known.

Alamo Missile
Damage: As per Canon
Range: 50 Boards (Atmospheric) 5/10/15 (Space)
Bomb Slots: 10
Cost, In C-Bills, equivalent: 1,000,000
Availability: FFF
Notes: As per Canon Rules, with the exception that Alamo Missiles may be fired across the Space/Atmosphere interface.

The Alamo Missile is a heavier, stand-off Tactical Nuclear missile, able to target large military units massing greater than 1000 tons, buildings or geographic locations. The Basic Alamo missile is able to be launched from an aerospacecraft or a ground launcher (qv).

Alamo Missiles are known to be held in the stocks of the TDF, DCMS, LCAF, MAF, CCAF and likely the Andurian Pact. The Clans are also known to possess small stockpiles of Alamo missiles, but the status and serviceability of these stocks is not known.

The SLDFiE Claims not to deploy the Alamo Missile as a ground weapon, but does use it as an air-launched device as seen here. The RAF claims to possess "Approximately" 124 such weapons made or refurbished by Word of Blake between 3056 and 3079.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #25 on: 24 August 2016, 19:51:53 »
Free-fall Ordnance

1000kg HEGP Bomb
Damage: D30, 20/10 R1
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost, In C-Bills Equivalent: 5,000
Availability: CCC
Notes: This takes the place of the standard HE Bomb in the Der Tag AU. "D", as in "D30" here, stands for "Direct", as in direct-hit. That is the damage this bomb does if it strikes the target directly.

Meta-Gaming Note: A minor modification and name change to the basic "bomb" in BT. Also; In Der tag; the weight of a bomb is it's "All-Up" weight, not the weight of explosives it carries. So these should not be considered directly equivalent to their closest nomenclatural relations in the real world.

These are bog-standard, free-fall gravity bombs. Common everywhere aviation assets are to be found, even the Clans make semi-regular use of these, although reluctantly.

2000kg HEGP Bomb
Damage: D40, 30/20 R1
Bomb Slots: 2
Cost, In C-Bills Equivalent: 14,000
Availability: CCC

Meta-Gaming Note: A small tribute to the original massive bombs which used to be common in the original Aerotech.

This is a bigger, heavier bomb. It is otherwise identical to it's smaller cousin. The larger bombs are a lot less common than the normal-sized version, but still available everywhere, though in smaller quantities (by the hundred or thousand, instead of by the ten or twenty thousand.

300kg HEGP Bomb
Damage: D15, 10 R0
Ammunition: 3
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost, In C-Bills Equivalent: 6,000 (For three and an MER)
Availability: CCC
Notes: Each bomb slot consists of three bombs and a multiple ejector rack, usually jettisoned with the bombs. You may choose to drop one, two or all three bombs in any given attack.

Meta-Gaming Note: IRL, there has been a surge of popularity for so-called "Small Diameter Bombs", useful for danger-close air support missions and any situation in which collateral damage is a concern. In addition, their smaller size grants a greater endurance to an air support aerospacecraft; allowing one so equipped to remain in the fight longer.

These Smaller bombs; always found gathered in clusters under the wings of aerospacecraft so equipped are design to permit a pilot greater over-the-battlefield endurance; more attack runs in other words, before running out of ordnance. While smaller in impact, these smaller bombs are more useful for use in close proximity to friendly troops and in situations when collateral damage is to be more strenuously avoided than normal.

300kg Bombs are roughly as common by the numbers as 1000kg bombs, but obviously when they are used, go three times as fast.

Depth Charge
Damage: D30 20/10 R1
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost, In C-Bills Equivalent: 6,500
Availability: CCC
Notes: only for use against targets under water or similar liquids. The name is misleading as the Depth Charge here actually works by sonar to detect proximity of a target, rather than having the user select a depth at which to detonate.

Depth charges are a basic air to sea weapon used against submersible vehicles for over a thousand years. Anyone with a prior known need to fight submersibles will have stocks of Depth Charges, as will any major munitions depot as a contingency.

AP Bomb
Damage: D50 15/5 r1
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost, In C-Bills Equivalent: 8,000
Availability: CCC
Notes: Apply AP AC Special munition rules. Only functions in a gravity well.

Armour-Piercing Bombs are built with a smaller payload and a sturdier casing, made of denser material as an aide to penetration of the passive protection of bunkers and large vehicles.

There is no power without at least minimal access to AP Bombs, most through local production. Even the smallest nations and pirates can improvise, steal or import enough to have a least a few on hand at a reasonable distance in time and space.

Inferno Tank
Effects: 10 heat R0 for 3+1d6 turns, affects three hexes in line from the impact hex, in the direction of the bombing run. 10 heat R1 for 1d6 turns when delivered by dive or high-altitude bombing.
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost, In C-Bills Equivalent: 6,000
Availability: CCC
Notes: A large, aerodynamic tank, filled with inferno fuel. Follows all environmental rules which also apply to vehicle flamers.

Perhaps the most infamous and reviled of underwing ordnance; rivaling nuclear weapons, Inferno Tanks have an incredible psychological impact on the battlefield. Their use fell off precipitously with the spread and later recovery of double-strength heat sinks, but their popularity has always returned with the onset of more arduous, dirtier warfare.

Inferno Tanks are in common use across known space, but their popularity is limited in the Clans alongside all underwing ordnance and House Davion and the RAF both restrict their use with red tape.

Storing Inferno Tanks safely and efficiently in a ready-to-use format requires more sophistication than producing them and some sites will keep the fuel en masse in self-sealing, under-ground tanks as a binary agent and only mix it to fill Inferno tanks and supply flamers at need. This later method is safer and easier to control, but makes distribution slower and more dangerous.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #26 on: 24 August 2016, 21:06:18 »
Thunder Pod
Effects: 20/20pt minefield R1
Bomb Slot: 1
Cost, In C-Bills Equivalent: 12,000 (or adjust by mine type*( Costs same as in TO)
Availability: EED or by mine type

Meta-Gaming Note: I didn't like how the Thunder Bomb worked (it's not a very impressive item, as-is) and I wanted something more like the modern airborne mine dispensors. I already mentioned above how I didn't like the idea of an airborne version of the BT mine dispensor; because it's very weak tea compared to the canon Thunder Bomb.

The Thunder Pod originated in the Star League era, alongside other FASCAM munitions and was rediscovered by the Capellans in 3051. Thunder Pods are known to the Clans, but are very rarely used and officially out favour among the RAF and AFFC. Other factions happily make use of them.

Thunder Pods were used extensively during the Capellan and FedCom Civil Wars and the later Jihad. David Lear is currently actively working to see them banned, along with all other forms of mines and cluster munitions.
« Last Edit: 26 August 2016, 14:37:30 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #27 on: 31 August 2016, 06:33:52 »
Cluster Bomb
Damage Effects: 15/9/4 R2, +2d6 vs infantry or +1d6 vs vehicles
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost, in C-Bills, Equivalent: 8,000
Availability: DDD
Notes: Roll damage on cluster hits table, result +2 vs vehicles and quad mechs

Cluster Bombs are more difficult and expensive to produce than normal bombs; instead of one single explosive package there is a complex and intricate bursting charge which scatter many hundreds of bomblets over a wide area, which then explode in turn, either on the surface of just above it.

Cluster Bombs are similar to Thunder Pods and vice-versa, but are used more widely. They are extremely useful for suppressing soft targets in the open or in open-topped earthworks. But the true value of cluster bombs comes in their ability to rain destruction over a wide area; ideal for use against target's whose position is not known.

Possessing a gruesome reputation and, in common with similar artillery munitions; nicknamed innocuously "fire crackers", Cluster Bombs are widely decried by those who have had Cluster munitions used against them, or have little knowledge of them. While there are some soldiers who are more concerned with humanitarian ideals than military consideration who find them distasteful, most uniformed pragmatists see their immense value and would be loath to be deprived of them.

David Lear is currently leading a movement to see such weapons banned as part of the Republic-Sponsored Anti-Inhumane Weapons Treaty. The Treaty also covers Artillery Cluster Munitions, Anti-Personnel Flechettes, Needlers, Landmines, Incendiaries, WMDs and all forms of deforming small arms ammuntion. So far, no nation, not even the Republic has fully ratified the Treaty, but the Federated Suns and several Andurian Pact Nations (Notably the Marik Commonwealth) have signed the Treaty and at least partly ratified it, besides the Republic. The Lyran Commonwealth is scheduled to debate the bill at their next sitting of Parliament in the middle of 3100.

Relevant to Cluster Bombs; House Davion has destroyed all their stockpiles and the RAF is scheduled to expend the last of their non-LBX Cluster munitions in training early next year. The Marik Commonwealth has agreed to phase out Cluster Munitions not used with LBX Autocannon and all landmines without remote failsafe controls or command detonators over the next five years, consumate with a review of their tactical and operation doctrines involving their use.

Laser-Guided Bomb
Damage Effects: D30, 20/10 R1
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 10,000
Availability: EFE
Notes: Works with TAG. 2000kg and 300kg bombs may also be Laser-Guided; double the cost and change availability.

Laser-Guided Bombs are similar to less-advanced HEGP free-fall bombs, but they possess a Laser-Guided targeting head and powered maneuvering planes in order to glide on-target.

LGBs are popular for their added accuracy; thus making for fewer sorties against a target and more hits on harder targets and also their inherent limiting factor to collateral damage.

Drag Bomb
Damage Effects: D25, 20/10 R1
Bomb Slots: 2
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 6,000
Availability: CCD
Notes: -2 to-hit in Earth-Standard Atmosphere. No additional effects otherwise. No effect at high altitude.

Drag Bombs deploy air brakes or parachutes in order to ****** their forward movement. In the hands of pilots familiar with their characteristics, this makes them more accurate.

Because Drag Bombs are so simple in concept and execution, their use is widespread and they were available without pause from the later 20th century onwards. The drawback to drag bombs, besides their reduced direct-hit damage is their added weight and drag imparted by the ****** mechanism, even when not deployed.

Cratering Bomb
Damage Effects: D50, 20 R0 Destroys one hex of hard surface for the purposes of use as a take/off or landing surface. Piloting role for all vehicles in affected hex. Damage continues 1 level down.
Bomb Slots: 3
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 7,200
Availability: DDD
Notes: Affected hex now counts as rough terrain.

Cratering Bombs are designed to deny airfields and Starports to the enemy.

They work by the assistance of a short-burn rocket motor which fires them downwards, through the hard surface, under and within which, they explode, producing a large crater, shattering ferrocrete and buckling metal for a wide radius.

Cratering bombs can never be 100% effective in a universe of Aerospace Fighters, Smallcraft and Dropships; all with vertical take-off and landing capability. But reducing a pristine hard surface to twisted steel and rubble makes it much harder for even these interplanetary titans to land and takeoff as the surface shifts freely underneath their drive-plumes.


Deep Penetration Bomb
Damage Effects: D75/Level, 2D6 Levels, 30/20/10 R2 final level affecting all structures above, Rough Terrain on surface through blast radius, all vehicle and mech units on surface through blast radius must make piloting rolls, all infantry suffer 3d6 damage
Bomb Slots: 10 Bomb Slots
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 200,000
Availability: XXD
Notes: very large bomb designed to penetrate deeply into fortifications or under cities before exploding, undermining foundations and shattering buildings from the inside and below. Can only be deployed through high-altitude bombing.

Heavy Deep Penetration Bomb
Damage Effects: D200/level 3D6 levels, 100/50/25/20 R3 final level affecting all structures above, Rough Terrain on surface through blast radius, all vehicle and mech units on surface through blast radius must make piloting rolls, all infantry suffer 4d6 damage
Bomb Slots: 25
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 1,000,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: As above, larger, cannot be carried by aerofighters or conventional fighters.

Deep Penetration bombs had been used during the 20th Century, but a modern incarnation had remained theoretical until the Amaris Coup.

With hundreds of Castle's Brian and other fortifications falling into hostile hands, joining the possessions of a Regime which fetishized the underground bunker complex; the SLDF saw a pressing need to be able to reduce these strong-points, without suffering the massive casualties they were designed to inflict.

One solution was to dust off the Project: EARTHQUAKE studies and put the prototypes into production. These weapons were deployed against Rim World's-Held fortifications and reinforced structures, even certain mobile structures, from high-altitude bombers; usually venerable Torrent Heavy Bombers. It was the survivors of these specialist squadrons who made up the bulk of the Torrent-Trained and equipped forces who accompanied Kerensky's Exodus, though fragmentary records indicate that these were mostly demobilized very early on.

Limited use of the Deep Penetration Bombs was made in the Succession Wars; considered almost a WMD in their own right, with a capability comparable to orbital bombardment, the Successor States came into possession of relatively few bombs and fewer experienced crews to use them. The factories producing the bombs in the former Rim World's Republic were lost, one way or another early in the First Succesion War and the techniques of creating the super-dense materials going into the bomb cases and the art of forging them were lost alongside the related arts involved in certain aspects of Warship building and Capital Weapons production.

One Heavy Deep Penetration Bomb; an original Type-12 SLDF "Cloudmaker" model, resides in the NAIS, or did before the Jihad, but has since disappeared from the public eye. It is expected that the Clans must have some, which resides in Brian Caches, at least before they were all looted. But it is expected that these weapons were likely scrapped for their raw materials. Their is significant and difficult to refute evidence that the SLDFiE deployed Deep Penetration bombs during the Jihad, but precise details of SLDF Atmospheric Heavy Bomber capability are notoriously hard to pin down. The Andurian Pact nations, including Regulus could likely reproduce these weapons, as could House Kurita, but there is no evidence they have. Notably; WOB *did not* utilize any such weapons during the Jihad, making them conspicuous by their absence.

The only power known to possess even small stocks of Deep Penetration bombs and the means to deploy them as-intended, is the Lyran Commonwealth. The LCAF retains a token counter-fortress capability, now brigaded together with the reborn 4th Royal Guards, as part of their Zugvogel Squadron.

Small Fuel-Air Explosive Bomb
Damage Effects: 20/10/5 R2 +3d6 vs infantry
Bomb Slots: 2
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 125,000
Availability: EFE
Notes: Canon Rules apply, starts fires, usable for woods clearing attacks.

Large Fuel-Air Explosive Bomb
Damage Effects: 30/20/10/5 R3 +4d6 vs infantry
Bomb Slots: 6 Bomb Slots
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 410,100
Availability: EFE
Notes: Canon Rules apply, starts fires, usable for woods clearing attacks. Piloting check for all airborne craft within 17 hexes, low altitude

Daisy-Cutter
Damage Effects: 50/30/20/10/5 R5
Bomb Slots: 15 Bomb Slots
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 808,000
Availability: EXE
Notes: Canon Rules apply, starts fires, usable for woods clearing attacks, cannot be dropped except by craft with the internal bomb bay quirk, piloting skill rolls for all vehicles within 17 hexes, rolls for all airborne craft within two maps, low-altitude

Fuel-Air Explosives have been somewhat common since their inception in the middle of the 20th century. Although the complexity of their explosive trains saw them disappear during the Succession Wars, they returned with a vengeance after the rediscovery of the Helm Memory Core and their use by WOB during the Jihad made FAEs a household name.

The effects of FAE are comparable visually to atomics and their secondary effects are also somewhat similar in that they work by implosion, mainly. However, blanket statements that FAE are truely comparable in their effect to nuclear weapons misses at least two orders of magnitude.

Some powers today consider FAE in general to be Weapons of Mass Destruction (The Republic and Federated Suns, for instance), while a few others consider only the largest to be deserving of that moniker (Raven Alliance, Andurian Pact, ect). But overall their usefulness remains a fact in scant dispute, despite the bitter reputation they garnered during the war.

WOB notoriously used the larger FAE weapons in targeted attacks on the dependents of mercenaries and house troops during the war, as well as on civilians and this is the source of the weapons greusom reputation. However, none can deny their effectiveness against softer targets.

Small FAE are considered tactical weapons, while the larger models are reserved for specific targets. "Daisy Cutters"; the very largest FAE currently known are normally only used against specific and very select targets; usually industrial, logistical or natural in makeup.

Tactical Nuclear Bomb
Damage Effects: See Nuke spreadsheet (100kt)
Bomb Slots: 6
Cost, in C-Bills, Equivalent: 500,000
Availability: EEE
Notes: Canon Nuke Rules apply

Tac Nukes are some of the simplest and most common nuclear weapons in the arsenals of mankind today. Simpler, cheaper and more powerful than other types, the ability to produce them was never lost and was retained, often at great expense right through all four succession wars, as the combatant powers sought to maintain their nuclear arsenales as insurance against the day that total warfare rules the Inner Sphere once more.

Simpler version of the Tac Nuke are even easier to produce (7 Bomb Slots, 400,000, DDD), but don't keep as well after centuries of storage.

Tactical Nuclear weapons remain more useful, in theory than lighter, artillery-delivered weapons because of their greater yield. Whereas a smaller nuke; like a Davy Crockett might horrify and stagger any enemy, a Tac Nuke, will shatter a large force if they are concentrated sufficiently.

Strategic Nuclear Bomb
Damage Effects: See Nuke Spreadsheet (1.2mt)
Bomb Slots: 15
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 1,000,000
Availability: EEE
Notes: Canon Nuke Rules Apply

More difficult to maintain, keep and deploy than Tac Nukes; Strategic Nuclear bombs were too unweildly logistically and operationally to be deployed often against even the most tempting front-line targets. They would slow even a very large Aerospace Fighter, almost fatally, heavy atmospheric bombers like the Torrent were historically usually few and far between and other platforms, such as a small craft or dropships were highly conspicuous.

Instead, such weapons have historically been reserved for use, as their name implies; against particular targets of strategic value, such as: manufacturing and R&D centres during the succession wars, major settlements during the age of war; logistics depots and starports during the Amaris Civil War and targets of cultural significance or morale impact during the more recent Jihad.

Stocks of such weapons have been historically low through most of history, although they were expended by the hundred during the succession wars and by the dozen during the age of war. it is suspected that most major powers possess less than 30-80 devices of this yield and type today (if they have any at all) and most are in a dilapidated condition as efficient platforms for their use are fewer and farther between than targets today`s rulers are willing to absorb the fallout from attacking with such a weapon.

City-Killer
Damage Effects: See Nuke Spreadsheet (10mt)
Bomb Slots: 20
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 30,000,000
Availability: EEF
Notes: Canon Nuke Rules Apply

A nightmare leftover from the Age of War; a few dozen City Killer-scale nukes were rolled out for the biggest blow-outs of the Succession Wars.

WOB used three during the Jihad; all deployed from modified small craft, custom-fitted for the purpose. Two of these were used against the Davion capital on New Avalon and another against Allied Forces on Terra.

According to the recent Republic-Sponsored talks on Weapons of Mass Destruction, House Davion had two such weapons, which they have since dismantled, along with the majority of their nuclear arsenale, House Kurita possessed five, on paper, of which one could not be reliably accounted for, two were assessed as non-functional and of the remaining two, it is suspected the same bomb was being reported in two different secured magazines. The Andurian Pact had one functional device at an undisclosed location in the Oriente Prefecture and the Regulan delegation claimed to be able to build more at will and refused to surrender the capability to do so. The Taurian Concordant claimed to have none and House Stiener had four City-Killers of less than a century in age, in excellent condition and another three more venerable examples in less reliable condition. Clan Wolf-in-Exile delegates offered reliable evidence that the Clans had almost certainly scavenged any remaining weapons of this scale for their raw materials over a century ago.

The Capellan Confederation and the SLDFiE---both known atomic powers---each abstained from the conference.

The 10 Megaton example depicted here is a typical City-Killer and all known examples are of a similar configuration, if not exact make. Larger devices, of 25 and even 50 or more Megatons are not only possible, but no more difficult to manufacture and not much larger or heavier in the bargain. There are simply very few platforms short of dropships which can effectively deliver such ordnance and none are known to be extant today.

Special Note: During the Jihad, Word of Blake made extensive use of special high-radiation bombs. These modifications are "Double-Bad, No-Good-Banned" under various obscure, but still technically binding treaties, however the modifications are technically trivial and possible as refits to existing ordnance at a cost of +1 bomb slot. Built-in, these modifications have no further penalties compared to a normal bomb, but it is impossible to remove the special casings without basically destroying the bomb and then re-building it. This last requires a sophistication, level of skill and raw expenditure which most parties would find prohibitive (Cost x5) and is in fact much more difficult than sourcing or building another, different bomb.

Chemical Weapon System
Effects: AOF R1
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: Class x 5,000
Availability: As Per Agent
Notes: Canon Rules Apply. May be any available Agent.

Chemical Weapons, due to their greater tactical capability (they work fast enough to be useful) have a much greater military application than biologicals, which are only useful at the strategic level and then mainly as a way to attack an enemy's population and infrastructure.

There are many different types of Chemical Weapons and most are theoretically available to any world, never mind nation with a modest chemical industry.

The agents themselves break down into two broad categories and several sub-types within those categories. For the most part, Chemical Agents are either persistent or non-persistent. Non-Persistent Agents dissipate and become harmless is a short period of time; minutes, hours or at most; days. Persistent Agents may linger and retain their full effects in the environment for many days, weeks, months, years and even decades. Today there remain worlds cleansed of life by chemical agents during the Age of War, which remain effectively uninhabitable.

In general; if you want to take a position, you might attack it with a Non-Persistent Agent. If you wanted to deny that position, or particular materials therein to the enemy, then you might utilize a Persistent Agent.

Within these broad categories are the various types of offensive agents, these are;

-So-called "Nuisance Agents" (including agents such as tear gars, retch gas, agents designed to induce irrational or even violent behaviour, agents intended to cause incontinence and even agents supposedly able to induce a rampant sexual response in their victims)
-Anti-Material Agents (which attack NBC protective gear and even vehicles NBC protective systems)
-And Offensive Agents (which include blister, blood and nerve agents; the "Stars" of chemical warfare).

As well, there are some non-offensive Chemical Agents deployed similarly which are not considered weapons; such as fire ****** bombs and ironically industrial accident cleansing agents (useful for cleaning up spills and mitigating radiation leaks).

Chemical agents may be dispersed as a spray, dust or gas and the method will dictate the form of the weapon used, with some bombs sporting simple vent grilles and some deploying masses of cluster-like bomblets of agent to disperse on impact; some bursting like Inferno tanks and others still taking the form of a spraying apparatus, not unlike a crop-sprayer. The Humble, yet un-common Water-Bomb (CCC, 1000CB, 1 bomb slot) is, in fact a chemical weapon deployment vector in-waiting.

Legally and Politically, Chemical weapons enjoy slightly greater tolerance than Chemical Weapons. However; the Republic is totally against them and both the Capellan Confederation and House Kurita employ an "Equivalency Doctrine" which holds Chemical *and* Biological weapons as officially equivalent to nuclear weapons; opponents using such weapons against either party can expect possible nuclear retaliation or even orbital bombardment.

Today. the Federated Suns retains a Chemical Weapons program officially, only for the purposes of developing counter-measures and decontamination procedures. The RAF has a small Chemical arsenal under lock and key and all other powers, down to some pirate bands have at least a limited access to chemical agents with at least some military application.

Almost all state actors today recognize a limited and vague exception for some nuisance agents, in practice, but the Taurian Condordant and Magistracy of Canopus react violently to their use in war and sees any such employment as an escalation to be met with overwhelming force.

Biological Weapon System
Effects: AOF R1
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost, In C-Bills Equivalent: Class x12,000
Availability: As per Agent
Notes: Canon Rules Apply. May be any available Agent.

Biological weapons are slower and harder to predict and control than other weapons systems, so while often lumped in with a given Nation's Chemical Warfare capability, the different applications and limitations of Biological weapons makes them quite different in practice.

There are different classes, forms and vectors of biological weapons, but all have in common that they take time for their effects to be felt on the individual and longer for those effects to affect a tactical, let alone strategic target.

Biological weapons do however share many methods in common with Chemical Weapons in how they deploy; using an aerosol or "gas", spray methods, bomblets, mass agent or vector drops and other, similar methods to deploy their deadly payloads.

More lives have been lost to biological warfare in the last 600 years than to all other forms of WMD, combined. Even today, there are hundreds upon hundreds of once teeming globes which remain forever dark under skies still tainted by bio-weapons run amok.

Thus it is for good reason, Biological Weapons are widely condemned across human space, but each great house retains a bio-weapons program, as do the Magistracy and the Concordant. House Davion and the Republic have what are publicly described as strictly defensive programs aimed at combating natural and human-causes contagion events. It is even likely this is true. The remaining Great Houses all possess both offensive and defensive bio-warfare programs and the Andurian Pact has no less than a dozen separate programs run by various constituent powers.

The Bio-Warfare Capability of the SLDFiE is unknown, but expected to be formidable in whatever form it takes as the expansion of the Canton Worlds has entailed the taming of several planets once thought forever lost to virii and bacterium inimical to human life.

Technically, any research aimed at weaponizing life forms is bio-weapons research. While there has been little hard evidence of true success in this area of study, there has been limited progress in domesticating certain local fauna for use supplanting dogs, horses and mules in military service, as well as other, more exotic creatures. Rumour persist of true "Weaponized Lifeforms" spawned in the depths of old Star League R&D labs, way out in the Niops Association, deep in the Confederation's Dark Cities or even in the Sci-Communes of the Magistracy of Canopus. Those rumours of Centaurs and Mer-Folk haad to come from somewhere, right?

One could even argue for the Clan's eugenics program as a form of bio-warfare and this would, if there were any truth to it, certainly fit the description of the beings of the mythical Genecaste.

Smoke Bomb
Effects: Smoke R1, 3 levels high, 2d6 turns
Bomb Slots: 1
Cost, in C-Bills Equivalent: 2,000
Availability: CCC
Notes: Canon Rules Apply

The humble Smoke Bomb is a weapon popular and widespread in it's use for training and war.

Coloured smoke bombs or bombs filled with dust or biodegradable dye are often used for bombing practice.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #28 on: 31 August 2016, 06:40:37 »
And here is that Nuke Spreadsheet I mentioned. Hope people dig this. I'm going to take a break from hard rules and go back to fluff and other related things for a bit.

Thanks for checking out the benchrest and any feedback is always welcome.
« Last Edit: 31 August 2016, 06:48:47 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

Col Toda

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2943
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #29 on: 20 October 2016, 10:28:16 »
Medium Gauss Rifle
14 tons ; Same Critical space as Light Gauss
12 Shots per ton ; 12 points of Damage ; 1 pt of heat ; 20 pt explosion should it get hit .
Range Brackets  7 / 15 / 23 
The only point of this is having something that is still a head popper and have a better ammo situations .
Also to pair with an ER - PPC .
« Last Edit: 20 October 2016, 10:32:46 by Col Toda »

Caedis Animus

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2129
  • How can a bird be sultry? Very carefully.
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #30 on: 23 October 2016, 02:18:31 »
Uh... Yeah. This is supposed to be for Der Tag equipment, Col Toda.

Col Toda

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2943
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #31 on: 23 October 2016, 09:11:12 »
Regrets , thought this post was about new or orphan battech equipment and derfrag  was a design label like skunk works and the post wanted submissions from the context from the previous posts . Apparently I misinterpreted want was wanted as feedback.

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #32 on: 23 October 2016, 19:48:53 »
Uh... Yeah. This is supposed to be for Der Tag equipment, Col Toda.

Thanks Caedis_Animus :)

And it's no big deal, Col Toda. There is nothing wrong with your ideas. You should feel free to repost them in your own thread :)
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #33 on: 28 May 2017, 20:34:15 »
Let's kick the dust off with some artillery weapons!

Feedback welcome as always.

Arrow-3 Cell
Heat: 10
Damage: 40/20/10/5 R3 (Barrage of cooperative, semi-guided, bomblet-dispensing rockets)
Range: 15 Maps (24 km in Der Tag Scale)
Mass: 8 Tons
Critical Spaces: 5
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 180,000
Availability: CED
Notes: Single-Shot, Artillery barrage missile system, Cannot be targeted at targets less than 1 map away.

The Arrow-3 Cell was a weapon first deployed in June of 2012 with American Troops, but it’s employment was always limited. Arrow-3 artillery units hung around in frontline service until their retirement from the Terran Hegemony Army in 2493, whereafter they persisted in limited use in odd corners until their extinction during the Amaris Conflict.

More recently, the design of the Arrow-3 has been rediscovered and is favoured in contrast to less advanced Multiple Rocket Launcher systems among some smaller, less-advanced powers. In addition, Arrow-3 systems have been discovered in use in very small numbers with some deep periphery powers, including the former Nueva Castille, Alfirk and the Jarn Folk. Technologically; the larger scale of the Arrow III system in many ways makes it easier to produce than other, more advanced weapons bearing similar features; whether or not they are related to the Arrow-3.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #34 on: 28 May 2017, 20:35:38 »
Arrow-IV System
Heat: 10
Damage: 30D, 20/10 R1 (High-Explosive, General Purpose. HEGP)
Range: 8 Maps (12.8km in Der Tag Scale)
   Clantech Version: 9 Maps ( 13.5km in Der Tag scale)
Ammunition: 5 shots/ton
Mass: 15 Tons
   Clantech Version: 12 Tons
Critical Spaces: 15
   Clantech Version: 12
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 450,000
Availability: EFE
   Clantech Version: XFE
Notes: Huge variety of alternate munitions

The Arrow IV system was developed by the Terran Hegemony in 2600 from a series of guided artillery missile systems and has remained a standard of mobile artillery; excepting it’s extinction during the succession wars, to this day. Functionally, it is a highly versatile auto-feeding launcher for long-range guided artillery missiles. Depending on the specific design in use, some types use either a single tube reloaded after every shot, or multiple tubes, all in various stages of the reloading process through an extremely reliable and robust ammunition handling system---the focus of the Terran hegemony’s 26th Century development program. The high heat of the missile launch is the systems only failing, making multiple launches from the same launcher, at the same time impossible, though this also makes things easier on the Targeting and Tracking systems.

The missiles themselves can be one of several configurations or types depending on role and manufacture. The only real limitation is on use of Clan munitions, whose improved rocket motors burn too hot for spheroid launchers.

The Clan version of the Arrow IV Launcher is the only artillery piece which has survived with them in any number to the present day. The Clan version, which could properly be called the Arrow V represents a progressive development of the Arrow IV Launcher system, being lighter in weight and using improved propulsion systems in the missiles to ensure a slightly longer range.

But the Clan Arrow IV has always been a maligned weapon, almost always limited to specialized chassis and rarely deployed even then, recent developments in new ammunition may change this however, as the new specialist rounds encountered by SOG forces during OP Munin demonstrated.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #35 on: 28 May 2017, 20:38:45 »
Arrow-V System
Heat: 12
Damage: 35D 25/15/5 R2 (High-Explosive, General Purpose. HEGP)
Range: 20 Maps (32km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 3 shots/ton
Mass: 16 Tons
Critical Spaces: 13
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 620,000
Availability: XXE
Notes: Incorporates a TAG system.

The Arrow-V is a joint project between unlikely bedfellows; the Capellan Confederation and Clan Hell’s Horses. The idea is to apply Clan Technology to create not a smaller weapons system, but a better one than the Hegemony-vintage Arrow-IV.

Just entering serial production in the Capellan Confederation, following a proof-of-concept run-up of lines for the Clan-Tech Arrow-IVs, six years ago, the Arrow-V is also an important technological accomplishment for the Capellans and considered an important step in their drive to keep up with advanced on Clan Tech in the Federated Suns.

The heart of the system is the new missiles; these are larger, more powerful and much longer-reaching than most Arrow-IV missiles.

Feeding and safely launching these missiles came at a price in raw mass, but the new system is much less bulky than it might be.

Deployment of the Arrow-V will supplement the trickle of Clan A4-equipped Catapults and Catapult IIs which have finally begun to replace the last of the 40s-vintage CPLT-C3s in CCAF service. By contract, half the output is supposed to go to the Horses, but their shipments are still mostly sitting in depots on their worlds. The Horse’s Scientists and Techs didn’t think the Capellans were really up to their end of the project and have been caught unprepared by the sudden shipments of war-ready weapons.

As of now; the Horses are scrambling to fit their Arrow-Vs into second and 3rd-hand Missile Carrier chassis purchases wholesale from the Diamond Sharks, but there are plans to fit them eventually to the Hadur, as well as a new heavy, possibly omni-artillery vehicle still on the drawingboard. This will be based on either the Mars or Huitzilopochtil, but is still at the concept stage at this time.

The 3rd League has received three Arrow-V systems from their allies for evaluation purposes, but further exports from the Capellan Confederation are prohibited by the Chancellor for the next 15 years and the Hell’s Horses are still building their own production facility, at an undisclosed location.

Meanwhile, production of the older Arrow-IV (in the form of the Luxor Mobile Battery version) continues right alongside the Class-16 Clan version and their new Stable-mate; the Luxor Arrow-V, on Menke.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #36 on: 29 May 2017, 21:51:10 »
Arrow-IV+ (Sei Rin: Storm from the Clear Sky)
Heat: up to 50 in 10pt increments.
Damage: 30D, 20/10 R1 (High-Explosive, General Purpose. HEGP)/ per missile
Range: 8 Maps (12.8km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 1 shot/ton
Mass: 16 Tons
Critical Spaces: 16
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 680,000
Availability: XXF
Notes: Roll to hit and scatter as normal for first missile. Add 1 to your to-hit result for each additional missile and scatter accordingly. Takes five turns to reload completely. The Arrow-IV+/ Sei Rin system will always fire five missiles by preference of any type of Arrow-IV missile which is loaded, but it may be fired with less than a full load, if so desired by the pilot.

On a roll of 2, when firing two or more missiles, something (heat, recoil, over-stressing the reloading mechanism, ect) damages the launcher and it cannot fire again until repaired.



The Sei Rin is, in fact; a “Hacked” Arrow IV Launcher developed by the Draconis Combine to offset their deficiency in artillery by providing their limited systems with massive shock firepower. The downsides to the system are obvious, but so are the perks.

Easily mounted on a mech, but difficult to employ to it’s full potential; the modifications are a state secret, but thought to be mechanically and electronically trivial. The weapon itself is somewhat unstable; this is the price for the simplistic modifications, but on a mech or fighter the dangers from over-heating are potentially catastrophic. A prototype exists mounting two on the Combine’s reliable O’Bakemono chassis, but it is impossible to fire all five tubes from both launchers with any degree of safety.

Much more stable are the DCMS’s modified Demolisher A4s, mounting the Sei Rin system in pairs.

Essentially; the Sei Rin is an Arrow-IV launcher that fires up to five missiles at a time. Besides the heat generated and potential damage to the launcher from firing more than one missile at a time; the ammunition handling equipment has *not* been upgraded. While the Combine scientists have attempted to speed up the cycling, this has only further reduced reliability and increased the frequency and duration of overhauls of the system.

The Sei Rin can handle any Inner Sphere-made Arrow-IV Missile, even a nuclear one. But this also means it shares the same short range as the standard Arrow-IV System.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

Nebfer

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1398
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #37 on: 13 June 2017, 14:12:01 »
You might want to note that your droptank is a modified version of the regular B-tech one, which only holds 40 units (a half ton) of fuel not 80 (a full ton).

Do like giving the Lt.AtA missiles some buffs and making it more distinct from the AtA Arrow (though what do you mean 5 boards for range?)

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #38 on: 13 June 2017, 21:11:40 »
You might want to note that your droptank is a modified version of the regular B-tech one, which only holds 40 units (a half ton) of fuel not 80 (a full ton).

Do like giving the Lt.AtA missiles some buffs and making it more distinct from the AtA Arrow (though what do you mean 5 boards for range?)

That's a good idea; some of the gear here is just different from how it is in canon, not new.

Well normally on...what do we call it now? Name escaping me...the ground support map(?); the map for keeping track of where ASF are in an atmosphere by keeping a hexmap where each hex is a BT map (15 hexes x 17) in size. Their own weapons ranges stay the same as in BT; so mostly they need to be adjacent to eachother to attack; but the AAMs have longer ranges that permit stand-off engagements to take place. Such as 5 boards/maps/hexes away. This is unlike in space where the weapons ranges extend to their practical maximums in vacuum.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

Nebfer

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1398
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #39 on: 13 June 2017, 23:11:17 »
Ah so about 40ish km, as a hex at the "fighter scale" is equal to a ground scale map sheet (so ~500m in diameter), which makes each map sheet about 8km in diameter.

Interestingly space to ground fire through atmosphere cuts the range by 6, so in theory the medium range of the "air to air" missiles (12 hexes or 216km) would get cut down to 2 hexes (or 36km)...

Also 40km is not to bad for a missile that has to have enough energy to nail a fighter with 7+Gs of acceleration capability's from all angles and altitudes (head on vs tail chases can easily have a difference of 3x in terms of range). Never mind the fact that per the rules B-tech fighters can have 13 to 30Gs of turning performance (I'm not referring to their acceleration rates here but the effects of their turning circles).

Also never mind that the missile is traveling at like 4+km/s (~mach 12ish, to reach 40km in 10 seconds or less), and that real missiles typically have 2-3 minute travel times not 10 seconds... Give it 60 seconds and one could see 200+km ranges (funny enough it's space range...), in effect off map artillery for aircraft...

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #40 on: 14 June 2017, 05:25:07 »
You got it!

It makes a BT-feasible AIM-54 Phoenix (50km range) seem doable. But imagine how you'd do a Battletech version of the R-33 or R-37? Those have ranges in the 300-400km...range...
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

Nebfer

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1398
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #41 on: 14 June 2017, 23:48:34 »
Well the AIM-54 has a range of ~200 km (100 Nmi)

Though as I mentioned firing at low altitude? notably reduced range, against a fleeing target? notably reduced range... maneuvering target...

And as for the R-33 & 37
Again the same things apply, also note that B-tech units can move much much faster than their real world counter parts (and by in large these very long ranges are likely for unmaneuvering large slow targets (i.e. bombers or other similar sized targets...)).

As for simulating the ranges well also keep in mind, that at the scale B-tech "dog fights" take place at most real world missiles are largely still in their boost phase (or just out of it), this being 10 seconds (turns), real missiles reaching out to their max ranges will take a few minutes (most of it being an unpowered glide).

Basically use artillery/barrings only launch (for capital missiles) rules, an AtA Missile has a range of say 30 map sheets but it travels say 5 map sheets per turn, once at the target area (designated map) it enters the terminal phase and the player roles for the to hit as per normal. If you like you could also have the missile as it's traveling have coarse corrections (as it adjusts it's trajectory from input from the launch plane (or it's own seeker)), so that it's likely to be in the map of the aircraft being engaged (and not like 2 sheets behind it). Even so once on the map role for to hits as normal and if it misses well it misses (call it a soft kill (I.e. ECM)).

The R-33/37 has a top speed of Mach 6, which is about 1.7km/s, as such reaching the 37s max range of ~400km will take 5-6 minutes.

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #42 on: 15 June 2017, 16:59:12 »
I stand corrected!

I thought about travel time for AAMs, but one of the things holding air support back in BT is complexity; so I wanted to lean away from anything that would make for more things to keep track of.

I figured a 5 board range and a 1-turn flight explained the difference in the ATA Arrow and the standard version, for instance. Or maybe I was confused that day between that concept and artillery flight times.

You could just never use a normal A4 in a trailing shot; a target could just out-run it.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #43 on: 07 June 2019, 23:31:08 »
Flurry Small MRL
Heat: 3
To-Hit Modifier: +2
Damage: 7/7/6 R2, each of 4
Range: 6 maps (9.6km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition:  One-Shot
Mass:  6
Critical Spaces:  5
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent):  145,000
Availability: XXE

Notes: Multiple Rocket Launchers are inaccurate weapons, in general by design; intended to denude a wide area with high explosives.

To manage MRL attacks (Especially barrages by whole batteries, ect) it is suggested to calculate the first attack normally under the standard scatter rules. Use this as the point of aim. Calculate scatter with the to-hit modifier included. Apply the subsequent hits (each representing multiple rockets falling in a pattern) using the scatter rules, with the to-hit modifier applied. This should produce a very wide area of effect.

MRLs use the same flight times as Cruise Missiles; Divide by 5 and round down.


Hailstorm Medium MRL
Heat: 7
To-Hit Modifier: +1, +2 to scatter rolls
Damage: 12/12/10 R2 each of 6
Range: 35 maps (56km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition:  One-Shot
Mass:  16
Critical Spaces:  10
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 225,000
Availability: XXE

Hurricane Large MRL
Heat: 12
To-Hit Modifier: 0 for initial hit. Apply +2 to Scatter rolls.
Damage: 20/20/20/10 R3 each of 3
Range: 112 maps (70km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition:  One-Shot
Mass:  25
Critical Spaces:  18
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 480,000
Availability: XXE

MRLS were developed by the Calderon Protectorate as a means to rapidly lay down punishing artillery barrages from a small number of units that any reasonable opponent would be strongly averse to weathering. Extensive public demonstrations were held, which Taurian Intelligence naturally became aware of almost immediately. The new MRL units help, but they can hardly change the fact that the TDF grows stronger, in relation to the Calderon Pact forces daily and the former TCS Vendetta remains the only real standing deterrent to a full-scale invasion.

At current, small numbers of Flurry systems are deployed with Protectorate infantry forces in a field role, with larger numbers mounted on trucks and assigned to lighter, more mobile mechanized units and some light armoured forces. Demand for the Flurry has been high, as the intended Table of Organization for these units was adjusted well into the planning for the production phase of the deployment of MRL weapons and the original plans could not meet the increased requirements from the Protectorate Armed Forces.

Hailstorm launchers are installed on heavy trucks and deployed in independent artillery battalions of 36 launchers and distributed to support the Protectorate’s various heavy forces of all kinds. In practice, this means that any large formation from a regiment in size on up might be able to call on several batteries of these intimidating weapons at any given time. These battalions are regularly rotated around to different duty stations to give different units experience in their use and to keep the Protectorate’s enemies off guard. There are plans at current to assign dedicated Hailstorm Batteries to select mech and tank formations once the goals for equipping the independent battalions are met. If the protectorate has that much time though, remains to be seen.

All the Hurricane Systems are concentrated in a single super-heavy artillery regiment, intended to be deployed en masse against a specific operational objective or strategic threat. This Regiment, when fully manned and fitted-out will comprise 72 Hurricane systems mounted on their distinctive very large wheeled chassis, derived from the old Star League’s mobile Santa Ana system. To make it fully effective, it will need its own JumpShips and DropShips and so far, this is proving a hurdle for the Protectorate’s meagre military transport command. There are no spare jumpships available at current: but while understrength, the Regiment is able to move itself fully and quickly around the Erod’s Escape system in a mixed collection of various stock and modified vehicle carriers.

Only very limited export sales have been made by the Protectorate to their closest allies; they simply cannot produce enough launchers and ammunition to support their own needs, let alone large export orders. While the cash would be welcome, the Calderon Protectorate is equally reticent to license production elsewhere; trading away a valuable bargaining chip which might be sorely needed in the future and expanding the risk of having their own inventions turned against them.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

RifleMech

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4444
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #44 on: 08 June 2019, 07:24:55 »
I need to learn more about hand-helds and how they work. Honestly I'm considering changing all the custom designs I have that are originally from the Macross/Dougram line and thus have hand-held weapons in the art to have hand-helds in my designs. Only works though if the weight I save in the hand-held lets me up the engine enough to make up for the loss. But then what am i really getting but a jettisonable weapon to gain mobility and a much more expensive platform?

If I was to look at the LAM thing though...I'd consider dumping the "Can't use" bomb ordnance while in mech mode. I see where you're going though and I like the way you think.

Those aspects of full-spectrum warfare in BT are important and very much so in Der Tag, but the focus remains on where the war is won: on the ground. Even if I do add a lot of stuff to air power, it's still partly to make for better CAS.

Basically, its a ballistic cannon with a ton of ammo and maybe some armor that's carried in the hands as cargo. You could allow LAMs to carry external cargo in Fighter mode and to allow the AirMech to use it with one hand. You'd be limited to a gun pod that weighed 5% of the LAMs weight though. Or if the LAM were large enough it could mount a 10 ton container pod and carry the gun pod inside it.


Personally, I'd build the gun pods as one would hand held physical weapons and have the same rules apply. That would allow gun pods to be used by one hand, dropped, picked up, and exchanged.

 

idea weenie

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4855
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #45 on: 09 June 2019, 20:32:18 »
Basically, its a ballistic cannon with a ton of ammo and maybe some armor that's carried in the hands as cargo. You could allow LAMs to carry external cargo in Fighter mode and to allow the AirMech to use it with one hand. You'd be limited to a gun pod that weighed 5% of the LAMs weight though. Or if the LAM were large enough it could mount a 10 ton container pod and carry the gun pod inside it.

Personally, I'd build the gun pods as one would hand held physical weapons and have the same rules apply. That would allow gun pods to be used by one hand, dropped, picked up, and exchanged.

The fun part will be if you want the gun pod to be usable when in ASF mode.  That will need a wireless connection to control the gun (fairly easy), and structural connections so the gun doesn't rip loose due to recoil (fairly hard).  Unless you want the gun pod to be perma-mounted on the Mech's arm (off-balance?).

This will be quite fun to figure out.  The only problem is that the smallest autocannon is the Light AC/2, with 1 ton of ammo providing 45 shots.  So a single LAC/2 and 1 ton of ammo would make a nice 5 ton gun pod.  Now if you decided instead of mount multiple machine guns (light, regular, or heavy) in the gun pod, with each having a dedicated ammo supply (each one gets a fixed number of shots), that could be interesting.  I.e. imagine a Gun pod with six Machine guns, and .5 tons of ammo mean each Machine Gun has 16 shots (FRD).  If one of those Machine Guns gets damaged, its shots cannot be sent to another Machine Gun, unlike if the Machine Guns were mounted on a Mech.

Or multiple Vehicle Flamers for the BBQ special.

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #46 on: 09 June 2019, 21:07:02 »
So, I looked much more into the Handheld weapons and thing and while cool---I'd have to seriously break the rules to do what I wanted to do; which was take the Dougram/Macross unseens; remove the pistol-weapons from the designs; make them that much better in performance and then make handheld weapons giving them back what I just took out.

That dog will not hunt.

At the extreme end; my BattleMaster has dual ERPPCs in that arm-mount. By the book; I need 30 tons of Heatsinks in the Handheld to do that. At the lighter end; I could just maybe give my Wolverine back it's UAC/5 with 1 ton of ammo and 1 ton of armour...but why? Nor can I do what I really wanted; make a faster PXH that can port around it's ERLL at 6/9; because that's a 16-ton handheld before I add armour.

It's too darn bad, but frankly there is enough I am already willing to let LAMs do in this AU, that at least I can say that the handheld was never more than a *nice to have* for that. And I am really happy with my other Dougram/Macross mechs already. This was just a maybe to make them even better.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

RifleMech

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4444
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #47 on: 09 June 2019, 22:30:43 »
The fun part will be if you want the gun pod to be usable when in ASF mode.  That will need a wireless connection to control the gun (fairly easy), and structural connections so the gun doesn't rip loose due to recoil (fairly hard).  Unless you want the gun pod to be perma-mounted on the Mech's arm (off-balance?).

This will be quite fun to figure out.  The only problem is that the smallest autocannon is the Light AC/2, with 1 ton of ammo providing 45 shots.  So a single LAC/2 and 1 ton of ammo would make a nice 5 ton gun pod.  Now if you decided instead of mount multiple machine guns (light, regular, or heavy) in the gun pod, with each having a dedicated ammo supply (each one gets a fixed number of shots), that could be interesting.  I.e. imagine a Gun pod with six Machine guns, and .5 tons of ammo mean each Machine Gun has 16 shots (FRD).  If one of those Machine Guns gets damaged, its shots cannot be sent to another Machine Gun, unlike if the Machine Guns were mounted on a Mech.

Or multiple Vehicle Flamers for the BBQ special.


The way we've done is to mount it and rule gun pods are treated the same way as physical weapons. That way the gyro takes care of the balance. It also gets you around all the external cargo rules. You could also modify the jetisonable weapon quirk so jettisoned weapons can be picked up and used.

So, I looked much more into the Handheld weapons and thing and while cool---I'd have to seriously break the rules to do what I wanted to do; which was take the Dougram/Macross unseens; remove the pistol-weapons from the designs; make them that much better in performance and then make handheld weapons giving them back what I just took out.

That dog will not hunt.

At the extreme end; my BattleMaster has dual ERPPCs in that arm-mount. By the book; I need 30 tons of Heatsinks in the Handheld to do that. At the lighter end; I could just maybe give my Wolverine back it's UAC/5 with 1 ton of ammo and 1 ton of armour...but why? Nor can I do what I really wanted; make a faster PXH that can port around it's ERLL at 6/9; because that's a 16-ton handheld before I add armour.

It's too darn bad, but frankly there is enough I am already willing to let LAMs do in this AU, that at least I can say that the handheld was never more than a *nice to have* for that. And I am really happy with my other Dougram/Macross mechs already. This was just a maybe to make them even better.

They're being broken is why we've treated gun pods as physical weapons.

As for the BattleMaster's PPC, its being a twin barrel is; A cosmetic, B a special PPC That could fire full or half blasts serving as the inspiration for the light PPC, or C its an hand held gun pod using 2 Infantry PPCs at 1 ton each and 2 heat sinks for a total of 4 tons.


beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #48 on: 09 June 2019, 22:58:51 »

The way we've done is to mount it and rule gun pods are treated the same way as physical weapons. That way the gyro takes care of the balance. It also gets you around all the external cargo rules. You could also modify the jetisonable weapon quirk so jettisoned weapons can be picked up and used.

They're being broken is why we've treated gun pods as physical weapons.

As for the BattleMaster's PPC, its being a twin barrel is; A cosmetic, B a special PPC That could fire full or half blasts serving as the inspiration for the light PPC, or C its an hand held gun pod using 2 Infantry PPCs at 1 ton each and 2 heat sinks for a total of 4 tons.

Really; I'm cool with it. Not every idea works out.

Although, with my BattleMaster; more big energy guns is the route I went with it as a modern-tech machine, rather than something like the Gauss Rifle, so it works out okay anyways.

Although; if I ever had a few spare; I'd like to model a Red Corsair Battlemaster with two handgun PPCs and an LRM-20 model.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

RifleMech

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4444
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #49 on: 09 June 2019, 23:17:19 »
Really; I'm cool with it. Not every idea works out.

That's true.


Quote
 
Although, with my BattleMaster; more big energy guns is the route I went with it as a modern-tech machine, rather than something like the Gauss Rifle, so it works out okay anyways.

Although; if I ever had a few spare; I'd like to model a Red Corsair Battlemaster with two handgun PPCs and an LRM-20 model.   

That's cool.

That'd be cool to see.  :)

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #50 on: 11 June 2019, 23:57:14 »
Now, here is an idea;

What is AMS worked against artillery?

Lets say that a unit is going to be affected by an artillery strike as-per the standard rules for a missile attack.

Roll 1d6

IS/SL AMS effectively engages on a 5-6

Clan AMS and all LAMS effectively engage on a 4-6

Roll another 1d6

Arrow-IV (or V) are destroyed on a 4-6, same as a NARC beacon.

Artillery shells are pre-detonated on a 6, only.

Cruise Missiles are destroyed on a 6 and re-roll to-hit on a 4-5.

I am not sure yet how to model the effect for something like the Arrow-3 or my MRLs...

What do people think?
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

RifleMech

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4444
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #51 on: 12 June 2019, 04:50:04 »
Can't AMS be used against missile artillery already?

Hptm. Streiger

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 968
  • 3d artist, spread sheet warrior, KTF
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #52 on: 12 June 2019, 06:24:08 »
Now, here is an idea;

What is AMS worked against artillery?
.
.
What do people think?

well as i understand it the AMS is only for close in defense. It should not work well-facing Arrows, already. Ok if the boys use impact fuze - but usually ICM will "deploy" before your AMS even starts to work.

Maybe you need a kind of heavy AMS, laser based that can shoot incoming shells and missiles as soon as they "clear" the horizon

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #53 on: 12 June 2019, 14:50:34 »
well as i understand it the AMS is only for close in defense. It should not work well-facing Arrows, already. Ok if the boys use impact fuze - but usually ICM will "deploy" before your AMS even starts to work.

Maybe you need a kind of heavy AMS, laser based that can shoot incoming shells and missiles as soon as they "clear" the horizon

Well the only thing we really know for range with AMS is that it has range 1 for use against infantry and I think there was once or still is a rule for covering adjacent units with your own AMS. We don't know when the system actually starts to engage incoming missiles.

That it affects an MRM40 to the same proportion as an SRM2 implies it may start to work quite far out.

We know AMS was based on MGs, at first, but just because an MG cannot do damage beyond it's extreme range to a battlefield target, does not mean that it couldn't damage missiles from much further away.

Also; this is kinda why I made the odds for successful interception so low.

I need to read more into the rules of the RISC Advanced Point Defence System too...
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

RifleMech

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4444
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #54 on: 15 June 2019, 09:20:28 »
From what I can find out so far AMS can work against Capital/Artillery Missiles  (I'm presuming for Cruise Missiles) if its mounted in bays. That seems to rule out ground units though. Personally, I think any unit that has 2 or more AMS should be able to effect Capital/Artillery Missiles. Or maybe they do and I haven't found the right rule yet?

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #55 on: 16 June 2019, 21:27:07 »
Leathern Guns: The SLDFiE's Light Weapons

Sustained-Fire Laser

The sustained-fire laser was developed specifically for SOG’s Air Cavalry program, but first saw use in ground vehicles and as an infantry support weapon with the Striker Cadre. The goal was to provide a weapon which would be ideal for arming combat VTOLs expected to most often encounter light forces particularly infantry. Therefor hitting power against armoured targets was not critical, but range and weight of fire were.

SOG’s technical branch started with two prototypes; one, based on a small-laser test bed, and another which was a new-build from the ground-up. Both sought to boost range and increase rate of fire and succeeded, though they did it very differently. The first took a Diverse Optics small laser, added a new refinement of extended-range focussing lenses sacrificing burn-through for reach and fed it through a hopped-up infantry-scale pulse initiator and fit the whole thing in a cooling jacket, all for a negligible increase in weight, the last mainly gained through a sacrifice of the heavier cooling fins and insulators for lighter, faster-cooling, but less capable models, easily capable of taking the lower-per-shot heat output.

The other team took the Small Laser’s basic laser core, chopped off the comparatively heavy-duty focusing tube and replaced it with a rotating battery of lighter, air-cooled barrels, either three (in the original model) or six (in some later sub-types), depending on the exact model, with different gauges of the new-rate focusing lenses.

Both prototypes, essentially using infantry-scale technology produced a similar result, but the rotary-barreled model(s) were found superior for most aircraft roles. By this stage the ground forces and the Striker infantry think tank had taken an interest and they preferred the single-barreled version for AFVs and infantry support.

Eventually all three went into production and continue to see export and service use. The technology is easy to produce compared to modern spheroid weapons, but maintenance remains beyond the grasp of most low-tech clients; thus the existence of export models of many ICOM products, such as the Dusty and Slick VTOLs.

While the name, itself is suggestive; this weapon does not function at all like a cutting beam, but rather like an accelerated-action pulse-laser. The SF Laser works by firing a stream of very rapid laser pulses; these have the effect of burning a tunnel in atmosphere and through dust particles in space and other environments. This keeps the laser beam from ameliorating fully until a range of about 1000m (in a Terran-standard Atmosphere) is reached. Beyond this point, even Clan Tech cannot overcome the diminishing rate of returns. Barrel burn-out is a common maintenance concern, with either the heavy single-barrel or the rotary matrices. Contrary again to appearances; the rotary barrel models are cycling throughout their rotation. The rotary mechanism is part of an air-induction process to keep the focusing chambers and lenses cool.

Due to the high-rate of fire of the SF Laser, crews find it much easier to walk fire onto a target; even moreso than a pulse laser.


Heat: 3
Damage: 1 +3d6 vs infantry
Range: 4/7/10
Weight: 0.5 Tons
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost:14,000 (in C-Bils Equivalent)
Availability: XXE
Notes: -3 to-hit.

Light Support AutoCannon

The Light Support AutoCannon was developed beginning in 3069 upon receipt of examples of Davion Light AutoCannon Technology. SLDF Soldiers, Techs and Engineers saw some utility to the Davion LAC/2 and '5 in certain niche roles, however the weapons suffered from an enforced requirement for backwards compatibility of ammunition. This was a wise move in some ways; in that it brought easier access to different kinds of AutoCannon ammunition then in service with FedSuns warriors, but it meant that the weapons themselves couldn't be as light as they might otherwise be and that much of the potential in the ammunition itself was wasted. As-presented, LACs only worked when built-around heavy-gauge AutoCannon ammunition that did its damage with it's explosive warhead. This mandated further design compromises.

At the time; the New Model Army's ground forces were literally dying for *something like* the Light AutoCannon and so were the AirCavalry. But while the Mech and Armoured Vehicle Branches were satisfied with what they would soon have on hand; the LAC/2 and '5 would not be suitable for the requirements of the Infantry Branch.

The Light Support AutoCannon was a Light-weight AutoCannon built from the ground up. Rather than stand on the insistent use of existent stocks of ammunition, SLDF Techs and Engineers took one of the standard AC/2 rounds; the 30x173mm original Star League-Standard and shortened the case to a 135mm Belted Case, changed the powder and installed a shorter, lighter projectile. This reduced the bulk and weight of the new round by half, while ensuring there was little wasted energy in the ammunition itself. This had the added advantage of making close-infantry cooperation easier for unprotected troops operating with units equipped with LSACs; something export customers in the Calderon Protectorate, Andurian Pact and various 3rd League Member-States would come to appreciate.

From here; the new guns were designed from the ground-up around the ammunition they would fire. This whole cloth approach ensured that the prototypes were not ready until mid-3070, but also that there were none of the issues NAIS ran into tickling the dragon's tail and seeing how much metal they could take out of the LACs before their ammunition blew them up.

The prototypes came in three configurations; a 3-barrled rotary gun; a conventional single-barreled weapon and a rotary-chambered, electrically-driven chaingun. All boasted effective ranges in excess of 1200 meters and a rate of fire more than twice that of an AC/2.

The LSAC first saw service from 3073-onward onboard mid-production models of the SLDF's Rhino/Green Dragon APCs and were quickly fitted on improvised side-mounts on Dusty Gunships. It has remained a popular weapon with the Infantry Branch and a lucrative export item in some circles, but wider acceptance has not been forthcoming with the SLDF as a whole. However, as the main armament of the SLDFiE's primary tracked-APC, this still means that LSACs are effectively ubiquitous weapons in every SLDFiE Brigade.

The high technological refinement of the LSAC and proprietary ammunition are a brake on export sales, but once in-hand; they are easy to operate and maintain in any configuration.

Heat: 1
Damage: 4
Range: 4/7/13
Ammunition: 100 Shots/ton
Weight: 3 Tons
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost: 135,000/1150 reload (In C-Bills, Equivalent)
Availability: XXE

ICOM Heavy Flamer

ICOM; or "Integrated Comprehensive Systems" is the name of the production, engineering and development concern first founded by SOG in the late 3050s as a means to field particular items of equipment necessary to their operations. Overtime it grew into the umbrella corporation under which the Military-Industrial Complex of the New Model Army and later SLDFiE would flourish.

At the time it was founded, first as a simple manufacturer of military load-bearing equipment and heat-sink gaskets on Menke, however; Commander McKenna took pains to mask any direct connections between ICOM and SOG. This later proved prescient, as during the Jihad; the industrial arm of those Mercenaries who had them were targeted ruthlessly by the Word of Blake. During this time, ICOM's residual Inner Sphere-Based production concerns, dispersed and decidedly "Cottage" as they were, suffered no more than incidental damage from the fighting.

The in-house version of the Heavy Flammer was a very early weapons project and the first to see great success in the form of a production weapon.

As a unit designed and built and engaged in the fighting of various kinds of dirty, little wars from its inception, SOG was intimately familiar with the strengths (sheer terror, high effectiveness) and weaknesses (short range) of flamer weapons. But it was desired to produce and field an enhanced weapon for use in counter-insurgencies, urban warfare, sapping operations and the capture of enemy mechs; due to overheating, which was a constant interest for a unit always light on 'Mechs. Building an enhanced version of the fusion flamer was ruled out as both beyond the financial and technical capabilities of the firm and unlikely to grant the assets sought in a final product.

The original proof of concept is the work of SOG Chief Tech Albone (A former Solaris-7 master tech who knew the value of flash in the Arena), which ICOM built on and refines for several years. ICOM hired chemists and engineers familiar with pump equipment used in construction and agriculture. They produced a binary chemical agent to act as the fuel source, which was electrically ignited. This was mated to an enhanced, independent series of pressure tanks and compressors based on Albone’s design, rather than piggyback the mounting-unit's onboard air pressure system. The prototype was controlled and aimed with the aid of industrial triple-strength Myomer valves and nozzles. Even the famously crotchety half-man was forced to admit the “White Coats” had managed to improve on his work, even if only in detail.

The result was a weapon of much greater range and power than anything else then on hand. Later enhancements to flamer-weapons are only comparable to ICOM's earlier effort. ICOM's Heavy Flamer is easier to operate and maintain than even some models of flamer which have been around since the days of the Terran Hegemony. The design features a small number of large, robust parts and version-control has remained tight since the last recall for field-updating to Myomer gaskets in 3082. One major drawback when compared with similar systems; especially the Jade Falcon's own Heavy Flamer, now also used by the Lyran Commonwealth and others is the greater weight and bulk of the system and its voracious appetite for fuel.

Operationally; the fuel the ICOM Heavy Flamer uses is safer and more stable than that commonly used by other, similar systems. However; the flame-projectors themselves are vulnerable to battle damage and experience and testing has revealed a worrying unity in the likelihood of a mass explosion if the compressors or tanks that power the system and give it it's reach are damaged in any way.

The design was a closely-held secret in SOG until becoming part of the SLDF as cadre for the New Model Army. As such, technical details were basically unknown outside those circles directly related to parties actually using the weapons, until mid-way through the Jihad when The Word of Blake managed to capture a lance of SLDF-FireStarters intact during a boarding action. These were studied at length for the better part of a year, before being re-captured by Coalition forces in an unnamed system. Early intelligence on this SLDF capability may have contributed to the souring of Delvin Stone's opinion on the SLDF forces he was forced to ally himself with.

Today; the SLDFiE uses the ICOM Heavy Flamer on various combat and support vehicles, but the weapon is truly showcased in the controversial "Special Attack" Formations where it is prominently mounted on 'Mechs such as the FireStarter and FireStarter-II. Some export sales have taken place, but these have been few, small and rarely repeated. One exception is the Rim Collection, which appears to find the weapons engaging as part of their own local FireStarter Upgrade Program.

Heat: 5
Damage: 3+12 heat, +6d6 vs infantry
Range: 0/3/5/8
Ammunition: 8 shots/Ton
Weight: 2
Critical Slots: 2
Cost: 30,000/3,400 reload (In C-Bills, equivalent)
Availability: XXF (3062)
Notes: -1 to-hit. Explodes when hit for 4 Damage

Atomatic Grenade Launcher

The Automatic Grenade Launcher was developed through ICOM in the early 3060s, initially as a weapon for SOG's armoured vehicles. But development was troublesome and drawn-out until early 3065 when there was difficulty finding a willing user through the new Model Army Ordnance Board, even after a finished, fieldable product had cleared trials.

Occurring as it did in the midst of the upheavals of SOG's fighting in the FedCom Civil War and acceptance of the 2nd Star League's offer to form the cadre of the New Model Army, the program was nearly cancelled several times and survived on a shoestring budget through FYs 3062 and 3064.

Fortune smiled, as it often has in such stories in the form of the AirCavalry Command; part of the then-nascent Infantry branch. the AirCav were looking for a weapon system to fill a particular role of wide-area suppression and "drop-down" indirect-fire capability. The Automatic Grenade Launcher fit that bill to a *T*.

Initially developed with an eye to giving Armoured units a multi-shot weapon mimicking the varied capabilities of the Vehicular Grenade Launcher; the AGL evolved into a weapon dedicated to the suppression of infantry and light vehicles in close-terrain.

The SLDFiE's Automatic Grenade Launchers are recoil, blow-back or electrically-driven weapons, depending on version; firing bursts of low-velocity explosive projectiles which explode on contact, proximity or air-burst just above the ground. They commonly use a High-Explosive, Dual-Purpose warhead, which is equally adept at damaging infantry or armoured targets. Originally; a vast array of ammunition was developed, but due to the weight and bulk of the rounds and the platforms that tend to mount these weapons, little variation is found today and the HEDP and training chalk grenades are basically the standard.

The Automatic Grenade Launcher has seen some limited export success, but often finds itself employed as part of an emplacement. Notably; the DCMS and Capellan Confederation have bought a number of the weapons to retrofit into their surviving mega-fortifications.

Heat: 4
Damage: 1/hit R0 +1d6 vs infantry
Range: 3/5/8
Ammunition: 36 Volleys/Ton
Weight: 1.5 Tons
Critical Spaces: 2
Cost: 25,000/2,500 reload
Availability: XXE (3065)
Notes: 4 shots per volley as UAC, jams on a 2, with un-jam

ICOM Machineguns

The humble machinegun was the first item of ClanTech ICOM tried to reverse-engineer to the supply the New Model Army. This proved easier said than done. The Clan's consider the Machinegun a disposable weapons system to be used until it breaks and then discarded, scrapped and replaced. Engineered to ragged edges of safety; a broken ClanTech Machinegun will offer few usable spare parts to an armourer's workbench. In practice; they aren't built to be parted-out and such efforts are almost never worth the time. But it is these compromises, which allowed the Clans to cram the same amount of firepower into a package half the weight of a Star League-Era gun of the same performance, such as the Kicker.

ICOM had to try to manage the same performance in a package that met SLDF-NMA Guidelines for serviceability and service life. This proved immensely challenging and a successful prototype was not available until late 3073.

This experience, however, was invaluable to SLDFiE Engineers and technicians working on the project and the guns, once they became available, as it gave them ground-level familiarity with how the Clan's use advanced materials and manufacturing techniques to product their equipment. Many other, later reverse-engineering projects benefitted from these dividends to the present day.

The eventual end-product met the goals of the program and all New Model Army specifications, but cost slightly more than directly equivalent Clan equipment.

By this time, examples of the Clan Light and Heavy Machineguns had become available and these too were closely examined.

it was found that the "Light" machinegun---actually a longer-ranged weapon of the same scale, firing a smaller projectile---could easily be replicated once stocks of ammunition could be produced locally. This proved of no consequence for the old Omni-Munitions plant; now grown into a sprawling above-and-below-ground complex.

But the Heavy Machinegun was rejected as generally unsuitable for service. Built to the same-standards as the common Clan Machineguns; it was a stupefying less-efficient weapon. It had a shorter range and was twice as heavy, consumed twice the weight of ammunition and only managed to put 50% more of it on the target.

By this time, however; ICOM Engineers were highly experienced with all aspects of ClanTech and mating it to Spheroid standards of workmanship and production schedules. They honestly thought they could do better. R&D Command was sceptical and offered a bare "Life Support" budget for the project and set daunting technical specifications for what they would consider acceptable. While this was going on; SLDFiE Forces and Ordnance Board were still making due, mainly with a hodgepodge of Inner Sphere and Clan-Spec machineguns of all models; both as salvage and factory-production items.

If the SLDFiE was to utilize a "Heavy Machinegun" with the added expense of scarce ClanTech resources allocated to it, then it needed to be no more than twice the weight of a standard Clan MG or LMG, use the same ammunition and have the same range all at the same level of efficiency down-range. The Ordnance Board shook hands and figured that for a pittance, they had heard the last of the long-suffering Clan Machinegun projects and at the end of the Fiscal Year; with nothing to show for it, they could safely cancel the project. Job Done.

Eleven months later, the HMG team booked range time to test-fire their prototype. What they had was basically the earlier ICOM ClanTech MG model with a longer, heavier-gauge receiver; enhanced recoil mechanism and a longer, heavier barrel, mounted to a dual-feeding, electrically-driven rotary chamber. It was, in short; a beast of a gun. Over-engineers and built for rapid, sustained fire from a self-propelled mounting.

The test-fire failed after one round when the number-1 firing pin snapped off on firing.

But the next week it worked like a charm. Proving Ground Trials with refined prototypes would later establish a range 33% greater than demanded by The Board, with only a slight drop in accuracy. At normal ranges, if anything; the ICOM HMG was too-accurate and the beaten-zone (Crucial for anti-infantry work) was 25% smaller than expected and the designers were unable to correct this, without sacrificing 100 meters of effective anti-hard-target range. A compromise that The Ordnance Board could live with, although a near-fatal case of bureaucratic inertia saw general availability delayed for some time. SLDF CID made opted to make no arrests in the matter.

Today, ICOM Machineguns are only now beginning to supplant the massive and mixed inventory of less-advanced weapons of the same class fielded by the 3rd League. In common with the rest of the SLDFiE's refit program; demand has far out-stripped supply. What has changed now is that when newly-built equipment comes from the factory, or an older machine returns from a refit; it has much more locally-produced components than before. As of 3091, ICOM has completely supplanted the factory-side supply of machineguns to so-called "Modernized" units. However, they cannot quite keep up with the refit schedule and so some MGs imported through the Diamond sharks and many, many old-tech examples are still common throughout the ranks of the SLDFiE.

Exports of ICOM MGs have been minimal due to domestic demand. But as directed by the 3rd League's Diplomatic Corps and SLDFiE Plenipotentiaries (to the extent to which those two categories differ), ICOM has made an effort to make a small quantity available to Member State customers within the 3rd League itself. This is seen as an important example of not-just inter-league cooperation, but the greater benefits that the Clan and "Domestic" Member States can gain from working together.

In-service; the ICOM MG family is well-liked by SLDFiE Techs; The most common model is basically an updated Sperry-Browning, with a few quirks; so conversion between types is easy. Clan Member State Techs have been less enthusiastic, as a repairable Machinegun equals more work for them and most of their Warriors care litte for such measly weapons. Technical limitations preclude the compromises needed to mount the HMG on Battle Armour, so the Elementals will be no help in this matter.

Their slightly greater cost makes these weapons less desirable to the Diamond Sharks as a trade commodity; so, they are exclusively carried by domestic shipping lines.

LMG

Heat: 0
Damage: 1 +1d6 Vs Infantry
Range: 2/4/6
Ammunition: 200 Shots/Ton
Weight: 0.25 Ton
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost: 8,500/1000 Reload
Availability: XXE (3075)

MG

Heat: 0
Damage: 2 +2d6 Vs Infantry
Range: 1/2/3
Ammunition: 200 Shots/Ton
Weight: 0.25 Ton
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost: 8,000/1000 Reload
Availability: XXE (3073)

HMG

Heat: 0
Damage: 4 +3d6 Vs Infantry
Range: 1/2/4
Ammunition: 100 Shots/Ton
Weight: 0.5 Ton
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost: 9,000/1000 Reload
Availability: XXE (3078)
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

VhenRa

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2251
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #56 on: 28 June 2019, 05:15:35 »
I've got a question, what exactly is with the D[whatever] with the bombs.

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #57 on: 28 June 2019, 09:21:47 »
I've got a question, what exactly is with the D[whatever] with the bombs.

Certainly.

I think I had it on the last thread, before the previous forum reboot. But that's a house rule I have; certain circumstances and random chance allow an AOF weapon to make a direct hit on a target. For most battlefield units (like mechs), this is presented as a 6 on a 1d6 roll.

In other circumstances; it may be automatic (Scatter roll on a large building or support vehicle) or much more likely; TAG-guided weapon like a laser-guided bomb, Copperhead Artillery Round or Homing Arrow-IV missile; 4-6 on a 1d6 roll.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
We're fine until charge-zero. Infatry Mortars in Der Tag
« Reply #58 on: 14 July 2019, 23:21:22 »
I never liked how BT modeled mortars. Ever since I picked up TRO: 3026, it's seemed like an odd blind spot; sticking out like a sore thumb. Most of the infantry weapons which are statted specifically are nerfed, badly. But the Mortars are another order of magnitude for short range and low-damage. With Der Tag, my goal is often to produce rules to backup the stories I want to write. I have trouble picturing warfare without mortars; or with mortars rendered shockingly impotent; so I sought to set that right.

However; the conistency and attention to detail of 3026 is one of it's high points and I didn't want to discard everything; so I kept some of the stats of the Light and Heavy Mortar: weight; yes, but this seemed to be derived from real-world sources. Some of my books cite the M29 81mm Mortar as weighing in at 50-52kg and others show 120mm Mortars in the 220kg-range. These books are contemporaneous with the years before TRO:3026 came out. More important was a baseline for cost.

I used real-world weapons as a baseline, but cut the crews down to a minimum standard of functionality, stuck pretty close to weight and adjusted range to make more of a difference between different types of weapons.

General Rules for Mortars:

Crew: Mortars work like Artillery Weapons and Field Guns in regards to crew. The listed number is a bare functional minimum. If you want to make a mortar unit casualty-tolerant, then you need to make the crews bigger.

Range: Most Mortars can be targeted via "Direct Lay" or fired indirectly, like other artillery. When fired indirectly; they function as normal artillery, but add +1 turn to flight time to account for the parabolic arc of mortar bomb. When fired directly on either the Infantry or common scale; mortars are treated as other LOS weapons, but may strike targets indirectly through the LRM indirect fire rules, or work with a spotter.

Damage: Mortars deal three kinds of Damage; Direct (For when the bomb hits a target directly), Splash (Normal Artillery Damage) and bonus (Extra Damage scored against select units). This was reasonable way of modelling the noted additional efficency of down-range effect of mortar bombs without making the Heavy Mortar as powerful as a Thumper.

Certain Mortars have special rules detailed in their notes.

Weapon: Commando Mortar
Damage: 1 (Direct)
              1d6 vs infantry and buildings R0
Range:
         Direct Lay: Infantry Base Range 3
         Indirect: 1 Map (1.6km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 1kg/Round
Weight:10kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 400
Availability:BBB
Crew: 1

The Commando Mortar is a light-weight, minimalist weapon so-named for its common association with special forces units. The weapon is exceptionally simplistic; it is a tube, connected to a selectable drop or lever-fire mechanism and a small baseplate. It is aimed by a high-visibility stripe painted or stuck on the tube. These are very easy to make and really only reduced in commonality because most users benefit more for a full-featured light mortar.

Light Mortars and Commando Mortars can often share the same ammunition, except those smaller than 52mm in bore. But it is generally dangerous and inaccurate to fire full-charge Light Mortar Bombs from Commando Mortars.

The ancient FedSuns-made T91 is directly convertible *into* a light mortar with the use of a simple bipod and baseplate kit. The 14kg weight of the kit makes for zero weight savings, but causes the unit to cost the equivalent of 200 c-bills more.

Commando Mortars range in Calibre from 37 to 60mm


Weapon: Light Mortar
Damage: 2 (Direct)
              1+1d6 vs Infantry and Buildings R0   
Range:
         Direct Lay: Infantry Base Range 5
         Indirect: 2 Maps (3.2km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 1.3kg/round
Weight: 24kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 1,000
Availability: AAA
Crew: 2

Light Mortars are common support weapons for infantry platoons and companies and especially popular with guerillas and urban terrorists.

These are more conventional weapons with bipods (or tripods), baseplates and superior sighting arrangements to Commando Mortars. Light Mortars are generally more-substantial weapons, with superior performance, despite sometimes. sharing parts and ammunition with Commando Mortars.

Light Mortars range in Calibre from 52 to 76.2mm


Weapon: Medium Mortar
Damage: 5 (Direct)
              2/1+1d6 vs Infantry, Vehicles and Buildings R1
Range:
         Direct Lay: 2/7/14/21
         Indirect: 4 Maps (6.4km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 4.5kg/round
Weight: 50kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 1,400
Availability: AAA
Crew: 3

Medium Mortars are more serious support weapons; often used by Infantry Companies and distinct fire-support and even light-artillery units. They are lighter than other mortars, while still offering a high degree of punch and portability.

It is at this scale that the efficiency of Mortar Bombs over artillery shells becomes noticeable; the thin walls of the body making more room for explosive filler so that the down-range effect is much more impressive than might otherwise be expected.

Medium Mortars are found in calibres ranging from 76.2mm to 90mm, but most are within 1 or 2 millimeters of 8cm; this is the smallest kind of mortar found with anti-double-loading devices. The Medium Mortar is the largest which may be operated by Jump Infantry units.


Weapon: Heavy Mortar
Damage: 10 (Direct)
              5/3+2d6 vs Infantry, Buildings and Vehicles R1
Range:
         Direct Lay: 4/7/14/21
         Indirect: 5 Maps (8km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 14kg/Round
Weight: 220kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 5,000
Availability: AAA
Crew: 3

The Heavy Mortar offers what many users feel is the ideal balance of punch, reach and weight in a package as easily manned (if not moved and supplied) as a Medium Mortar. There are many Mercenary Units which field *only* Heavy Mortars and few large infantry formations which lack them.

Heavy Mortars vary little from their smaller cousins, except in scale. They are basic tubes (Some with anti-double-loading devices), fitted with mono/bi/tripods and baseplates, but have more elaborate and capable sights than are common on smaller examples of the same kind of weapons. Some Heavy Mortars are provided with separate carriages to make them easier to move about in one piece or operate them with Mechanized or Motorized units. Heavy mortars may be used by any kind of Motor or Mechanized unit; although Hover units must carry, rather than tow them.

Almost all Heavy Mortars use a 12cm bomb. 105 and 107mm Mortars in the Medium-Heavy range were once well-known, but they tended to combine the bulk of a Heavy Mortar with the range of a Medium for little advantage. Modern examples use a modified design of Mortar Bomb to provide comparable performance, but tend to wear badly in service.


Weapon: Rifled Mortar
Damage: 10 (Direct)
              4/2+2d6 vs Infantry, Buildings and Vehicles R1
Range:
         Direct Lay: 5/8/16/24
         Indirect: 9 Maps (14.4km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 16kg/Round
Weight: 580kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 8,000
Availability: BBB
Crew: 3

Rifled Mortars attempt to find a balance between the effective range and accuracy of conventional tube-artillery and the punch and casualty-producing efficiency of mortars. These are invariably heavier, more complex and expensive weapons with ammunition made heavier as well in order to provide comparable performance, alongside the added range. Overall; many consider Rifled Mortars a successful compromise, unusual in Military equipment.

Rifled Mortars are no more difficult to operate than smaller types, but as they are so much heavier are normally wheeled in design and/or featuring ingenious folding carriage and man-handling arrangements. Rifled Mortars are less common and popular than Heavy Mortars, due to their size and cost, but thanks to their longer-range they have firm adherents where they are found in use. While some users; such as the ComGuards fielded them selectively with certain formations in place of other fire-support assets such as bulkier tube-artillery; most will either use Rifled Mortars as their sole example of a larger mortar or embrace a wider-range of weapons. Few users embrace both Rifled Mortars and larger smooth-bore types as well.

Rifled Mortars are normally 12cm weapons; in common with Heavy Mortars, but some with bores as small as 107mm and as large as 15cm are known as well. Rifled Mortars take well to Mechanization or Motorization due to often having a wheeled carriage available. However; this is usually discarded and the Mortars fired from the carriers, especially if operating with a Motor-Hover capability.


Weapon: Super-Heavy Mortar
Damage: 15 (Direct)
              7/4/1+2d6 vs Infantry, Buildings and Vehicles R2
Range:
         Direct Lay: No Direct Lay
         Indirect: 6 Maps (9.6km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 40kg/Round
Weight: 1.3 Tons
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 15,000
Availability: CCC
Crew: 4

Can fire once every two turns, with a full crew. Normal rate with 8 or more.

Super-Heavy Mortars are less popular when compared with the near-universality of Medium and Heavy Mortars. They are much larger and more expensive than either Heavy or Rifled Mortars and offer little in the way of a range-advantage over a typical Heavy-model. They require larger crews and their ammunition is much heavier. The larger Bombs and the fact that many Super-heavy Mortars are breach-loading makes these weapons slower-firing than smaller types as well. The sole advantage to Super-Heavy mortars comes in their much heavier explosive payload and thus; punch when compared with smaller systems. However; users must balance this advantage with decreased mobility and range compared to other, conventional artillery units.

Operationally; Super-Heavy Mortar units *must be* mechanized or motorized in order to have tactical mobility with their weapons. Otherwise; they are either static or reliant on more substantial transport. In construction; Super-Heavy Mortars vary widely; most are breach-loaded and have integral or separate carriages for movement. But beyond that they may have mono- or bipods or be pedestal-mounted in design.

Most known extant Super-Heavy Mortars are either 155mm or 160mm weapons.


Weapon: Ultra-Heavy Mortar
Damage: 40 (Direct)
              30/15/5+3d6 vs Infantry, Buildings and Vehicles R2
Range:
         Direct Lay: No Direct Lay
         Indirect: 8 Maps (12.8km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 100kg/Round
Weight: 3.6 Tons
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 24,000
Availability: DDD
Crew: 6

Can fire once every three turns, with a full crew. Once every two turns with 12 or more.

The Ultra-Heavy Mortar is the least-common of all the mortar types known. They are commonly produced only in the Taurian Concordant and occasionally in the Capellan Confederation and the worlds once known as the Free World’s League. These are very large weapons most commonly used for siege work and close-range defence in built-up areas. Occasionally in history they have been employed to thicken the barrages of larger artillery formations supporting military operations at the level of the Corps or Division-level.

Ultra-Heavy Mortars are very large as mortars go; they must be motorized (Wheeled or Tracked) or carried as cargo if they are to be mobile. They require 6 crew to operate with minimum effectiveness and even at this, they can normally only fire slowly. They incorporate their own carriage and operate from a turntable on a pedestal or with the aide of a monopod.

The standard Ultra-Heavy Mortar Bomb is a 24cm diameter design of conventional layout.


Weapon: Lightfoot Mobile Mortar
Damage: 2 (Direct)
              1+1d6 vs Infantry, Buildings and Vehicles R0
Range:
         Direct Lay: Infantry Base Range 5
         Indirect: 2 Maps (3.2km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 1.3kg/Round
Weight: 12.5kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 1,800
Availability:  DFE
Crew: 2

The Lightfoot Mobile Mortar is an advanced weapon of Capellan design. It combines ruthless simplicity with selective application of advanced materials sciences and clear-headed concessions to more extravagant features; such as the clip-on indirect-fire sight. The result is a weapon almost half the weight of the common Light Mortar, but matching closely it’s performance.

The original Lightfoot came out in secret just before the 1st Succession War and was in widespread use among House Liao units and their allies and catspaws, until wear and tear alongside the tech collapse of the Succession Wars severely reduced their numbers. With the return of more advanced technology in the 3040s, Lightfoots began to be produced slowly, once more and by the 3060s were the standard Light Mortar once again in all but the meanest-equipped Capellan forces.

Some Lightfoot Mobile Mortars found their way into service in the Free Worlds at various points in history and they were standard equipment for the SLDFiE during the Jihad as well.


Weapon: Avalanche Mountain Mortar
Damage: 8 (Direct)
              4/2+2d6 vs Infantry, Buildings and Vehicles R1
Range:
         Direct Lay: 2/7/14/26
         Indirect: 8 Maps (12.8km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition:11kg/Round
Weight: 170kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 5,200
Availability: XXE
Crew: 4

The Avalanche is a light-weight Rifled Mortar for use in Mountain and Jungle terrain and by light infantry units. It uses an ingenious wheeled carriage and advanced materials to yield a lightweight highly-mobile weapon. The Avalanche uses rectangular baseplate and supports the barrel with a tripod.

Down-range; the Avalanche represents a middle ground between a Medium Mortar and a Rifled Model and requires a larger crew than both to operate effectively. On the up-side; it is easier and faster to bring into action than any Heavy or Rifled Mortar known to man. In addition; the smaller 107mm base-expanding Ammunition is lighter and thus easier on the backs of human and animal porters, alike.

The Avalanche was developed in the Principality of Regulus with assistance from 3rd League Engineers. Besides being in service with the SLDFiE; the Avalanche is common throughout the Andurian Pact and known in the Magistracy of Canopus and Capellan Confederation. The Avalanche is scheduled to come into service with Lyran Mountain Infantry through a licensing deal with Coventry Metals, gradually over the next four years.


Weapon: Thunderer Heavy Mortar
Damage: 10 (Direct)
              6/3+2d6 vs Infantry, Buildings and Vehicles R1
Range:
         Direct Lay: 3/8/16/24
         Indirect: 9 maps (14.4km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 18kg/Round
Weight: 396kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 11,000
Availability:  XXE
Crew: 3

The Thunderer is an improved Rifled Mortar created with lessons learned from hard-won combat experience dating from before the FedCom Civil War and technical data derived from the Lightfoot. Developed by the 3rd League; they have now replaced all standard Heavy Mortars in SLDFiE service and have enjoyed some export success within the 3rd League and it’s few allies.

The Thunderer uses a larger 133mm Mortar Bomb with an expanding band to engage the rifling on firing. In appearance; the Thunderer is similar to many other Rifled Mortar Designs; incorporating a wheeled carriage which forms part of the bipod. The baseplate forms a turntable and this; together with the wheels, makes gross traverse adjustments beyond 90* fast, easy and accurate; provided the wheels are locked back into position after traverse.

Thunderers are sometimes mounted on Infantry Support Vehicles in order to make them more mobile. In these cases; the wheels are removed and the legs fitted into a track in the mortar bay. Crew opinions are divided on which arrangement is faster to bring onto a new bearing and azimuth. Left to their own devices; the Thunder is adequately mobile with only the muscle power of the crew, as such things go. However, it is not as easy to maneuver, especially in close country as the Avalanche is.


Weapon: Gungnir Special Purpose Mortar
Damage: 12 (Direct)
              6/3/1+2d6 vs Infantry Buildings and Vehicles R2
Range:
         Direct Lay: 4/8/17/22
         Indirect:7 Maps (11.2km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 38kg/Round
Weight: 355kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 20,000
Availability: XXF
Crew: 5

The Gungnir is a special-purpose weapon developed by the SLDFiE for the exclusive use of their Air-Naval-Gunfire-Liaison-Companies. It is larger than a normal Heavy Mortar, but lighter than the Thunderer. It is a smooth-bore weapon of 155mm calibre with a series of horizontal bands around the barrel. It is of conventional layout with a bipod and large, round baseplate and has a separate wheeled carriage, which is easily man-handled by the 5-man crew.

The purpose of the larger-than-normal minimum crew, large bore and distinct bands on the barrel are to facilitate the Gungnir’s main purpose of deploying special munitions into the battle area to facilitate ANGLICO operations at a distance, when possible. Besides the conventional range of HEGP (stated here), Smoke and Incendiary; the Gungnir is supplied with special self-guiding INARC projectiles, a slowly-descending Recon-camera, a remotely-piloted drone and an artillery-delivered transponder which mimics a TAG signal. The barrel-bands are interface nodes to track and imprint the special munitions; allowing them to be controlled and tracked at long-range.

Gungnir Mortars may be motorized with various carriers in service, but are designed specifically to be manageable for the crews to manpack; even indoors, where they are often setup in reinforced roof positions. Only the lightweight design of the barrel and baseplate makes this possible.


Weapon: Raiden Super-Heavy Mortar
Damage: 15 (Direct)
              7/4/1+2d6 vs Infantry, Buildings and Vehicles R2
Range:
         Direct Lay: 6/8/17/25
         Indirect: 12 Maps (19.2km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 50kg/round
Weight: 1200kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 23,000
Availability: XXE
Crew: 5

The Raiden is a Rifled Mortar, scaled-up to the Super-Heavy level. Raiden was developed by the SLDFiE in order to provide a long-range, heavy bombardment capability to supplement the Thunderer at higher levels in the TO&E. Raiden Super-Heavy Mortars have not been successful as export items; they are simply too expensive for what most customers want. Outside the SLDFiE, so far those few users who have bought the Thunderer have taken it as their sole heavy support weapon of this type. Instead, a small number of Raidens have been purchased by the Calderon Protectorate and a few more batteries-worth have been bought by mercenaries.  Currently there is some interest from various 3rd League Member States and other small powers, as the Raiden compares favourably with some more expensive artillery systems, even if it is still expensive for an infantry weapon.

In order to maintain the destructive capability of a Super-Heavy Mortar, the Raiden was designed to use a 183mm, base-expanding Mortar Bomb without need of tail boom or fins, but it get’s it’s long reach from the characteristic long-barrel. The barrel is made of an advanced EndoSteel-Ferro-Composite sandwich; which is both strong and light, while also cooling quickly. This last feature, along with a refined mechanism and ergonomics permit the Raiden to maintain an accurate rate of fire equivalent to a Heavy Mortar, despite the breach-loading arrangement.

The Raiden Super-Heavy Mortar incorporates a carriage which aids traverse and fast target acquisition in action. It features prominent recoil cylinders on each side of the barrel, which is pedestal-mounted on a round baseplate, supported by stabilizers on either side of the barrel. Raiden Super-Heavy Mortars are just barely and slowly mobile for their own crews. They provide much better service if the batteries are at least mechanized through wheeled or tracked vehicles, or better; motorized with light trucks or simply transported whole, inside a larger vehicle. It is possible for Hover-Motorized units to operate the Raiden; but it must be carried by a dedicated transporter; not towed.


Weapon: Sunder Assault Mortar
Damage: 42 (Direct)
              32/16/6+4d6 vs Infantry, Buildings and Vehicles
Range:
         Direct Lay: No Direct Lay
         Indirect: 10 Maps (16km in Der Tag Scale)
Ammunition: 130kg/Round
Weight: 3500kg
Cost (In C-Bills, Equivalent): 31,000
Availability: XXF
Crew: 8

Can fire once every two turns, with a full crew

The Sunder Assault Mortar is a refined ultra-heavy design, created by the SLDFiE to fill that need in their infantry and heavy artillery units. The Sunder incorporates advanced materials and design techniques, but is little lighter than its more common cousin, which is of a vintage over a thousand years older. Instead, the savings in weight and bulk are rolled into creating a stronger, more-robust weapons system. While only slightly more powerful than the norm, in terms of sheer destructiveness; the Sunder has a much better range.  It also functions more efficiently and the barrel stays cooler; permitting a higher practical rate of fire. The cost for this is the much heavier weight of the 256mm Mortar Bombs and the larger---by necessity---minimum crew requirements.

The Sunder is more akin to an artillery piece than what we normally think of as a mortar in appearance; it incorporates a wheeled carriage; is breech-loading, with prominent top-mounted recoil cylinder and a recuperator mounted in a gun-cradle under the barrel. The Sunder has trails used for towing and turning on it’s turntable and pedestal mount.

Sunder Assault Mortars are immobile without wheeled or tracked Motorized units or larger transports.
« Last Edit: 17 July 2019, 18:08:33 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
The Electronics War
« Reply #59 on: 07 October 2019, 21:23:04 »
Ullr Missile Coordination System

Heat: None
Damage: NA
Range: Sensors
Ammunition: NA
Weight: 0.15x Tube
Critical Spaces: 1/ 2 tons (Round up)
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 13,500/Ton
Availability: XXF

The Ullr was developed by the Lyran Alliance beginning near the end of the Jihad. The Commonwealth continued the project and the Ullr was first deployed in a production form in the mid 3090s. Acceptance into the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces has been ****** by severe funding cuts and no production-model fighting machine as-yet mounts the system. But Nashan and Defiance Targeting Computers began providing production-quality modules to line units for testing in 3094 and custom-fit examples have proliferated to all the LCAF’s remaining frontline Mech and Tank units, with the first AeroFighter units getting theirs in 3097.

The Lyrans have reportedly sold or given some Ullr modules to historically Lyran Mercenary commands; such as the Legendary Kell Hounds. This was quite the scandal when it leaked in mid-3099, as critics claimed that this was tantamount to handing the technology to the still distrusted and in some circles; hated, Clan Wolf. Likewise rumours that examples of the system had turned up missing as early as 3096 and that the technology had been sold whole-hog to the Republic brought chaos to the houses of Lyran Governance.

Rules:

0.15t/tube, round to nearest 0.5 for LRM, SRM, MML, Streak, NLRM, ELRM, MRM+Apollo and ATM.
0.33/ton for NARC/iNARC, Thunderbolt and Arrow IV. Round to nearest 0.5
Tonnage/crits must be allocated in the same or adjacent location as the launcher it serves (so, should occupy multiple locations with many launchers.
As a spotting system by itself at 2 tons
1.5 tons if boot-strapped to a TAG
1-crit per 2 tons (Round Up)

Effect:  -1 to hit indirect, -2 with LOS, reduces AMS effectiveness by half. Stacks with NARC/iNARC and Artemis.
Spotting for indirect at -1.
TAG at -2.


Musashi Perfect Strike System

Heat: 1/Ton of TC
         +1/Atk Roll Made
Damage: NA
Range: Maximum Energy Weapons Range
Ammunition: NA
Weight: See Notes
Critical Spaces: 1/Ton (Round Down)
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 17,500/Ton
Availability: XXF

The Musashi Perfect Strike is the result of over 40 years of study on salvaged Clan Targeting Computers by first; Tanadi Computers and later; Hachiman Taro Electronics. The project limped along for almost 25 years, before Franklin Sakamoto; head of Coordinator Hohiro’s Otomo took a personal interest in the promising research so-far completed. He convinced his half-brother; the Coordinator to fund the project personally and subsequently field-tested it in the Otomo, such was his confidence in the concept.

The Musashi has proved a balm of sorts to the bruised culture of the DCMS’ Samurai. It is not the full-scale re-arming that the hardliners have been clamouring for almost 15 years, but it is the first incontrovertible sign of Hohiro’s modernization programs improving the effectiveness of the DCMS.

It helps a great deal that the nature of the system directly serves both the ego and the more front-facing ethics of the Combine’s take on Bushido.

Simply put; the system is Streak for Lasers and PPCs.

Seeing the inherent potential in the Clan Targeting Computer technology; Tanadi was bankrupted by their prideful efforts to not-just duplicate Clan technology, but surpass it. The feud with Hachiman Taro was simply the final straw. What they sought was to use the capabilities of the TarComp to fulfill the promise of the ancient Hermes Alexis Photon Target Acquisition system. The Musashi does this by combining the Alexis’ low-power targeting laser proving system with the Targeting Computer’s raw processing power. From the command to fire; the system determines simply if a hit will take place or not and if IFF guidelines have been met. If not; the weapon in question does not fire.

Improving on the Alexis; only a tiny fraction of heat from the initial build-up to fire must then be dissipated; not the full amount.

The result is cooler-running combat units that inflict much less collateral damage and reduced maintenance and wear and tear. The effect on the warriors who train with the system and then use it in action is both salutary and humbling. With the Musashi; the Dragon’s Warriors are better able to defend the Children of the Dragon by not endangering them in the attempt. Early criticism was that the Musashi “Stole the Warrior’s Soul” by removing the possibility of error and led to warriors flailing about at the target until the weapons fired. Hachiman Taro; the later custodians of the program disproved this by demonstrating that the system itself did nothing to aid the Warrior’s own skills; it was still up to him or her to aim true. Musashi simply maintained a veto on errant laser and PPC strikes. They shamed the Warriors who further resisted the system by pointing out that the Dragon simply did not accept the services of cowardly spastics and that the presence of any such warrior was the fault of the instructors having failed in their duties and not their product. Further; a panicked, flailing technique of fanning the targeting pipper across the enemy proved much less effective than simple aiming.

3098 saw the first production-models equipped with the Musashi entering into regular DCMS service. These are laser and PPC-heavy machines; variants and refits of existing types. But earlier models have been available since mid 3092. Trials with the system have drawn mostly positive reviews, as well as interest from the Nova Cats and Snow Ravens and actually seemed to have aided in the Combine’s rapprochement with their two powers. The Musashi seems practically Clan-Like in its goals and performance and the simple fact of its existence and development over many years has quieted some critics among these two alien powers.

However; the system itself is imperfect.

First of all; it is almost impossible to activate and keep TSM working when the Musashi is engaged. It also stops working completely if it does overheat too-much; seeming to punish an effective, but heavily-pressed marksman and thus making the Musashi a bit of a showcase item. It comes right back when it cools down, but not when turned on or off. Something which is necessary to target anything other than a ‘Mech, Ground Vehicle or Aircraft. The Musashi simply will not permit fire against infantry, battle armour or harmless buildings; or terrain features. It can be made to target hardened structures, but anything less simply fails to delivery a sufficient return. In order to engage these targets; the Musashi must be shut-down. This renders the slaved weapons useless for 5-10 seconds. Anything else will work during that time, but the Musashi-slaved energy weapons must be allowed to reboot. The same must be done on machines dependant on TSM, whose pilots rely on profligate weapons fire to keep their speed and physical damage up. Ironically; it is thus nearly impossible to keep the Musashi system running while also landing devasting physical attacks. Turning the system back on grants the same delay; 5-10 seconds.

Why it simply comes and goes with the heat, but requires a lagging shut-down and start-up at manual is a mystery and Hachiman Taro’s scientists and technicians are at a loss to explain it. Some users appreciate this enforced downtime on their energy weapons as it gives them time to cool down, but heat-neutral tank crews certainly don’t care for it. And as the DCMS’ stock of Single-Heatsink-Equipped ‘Mechs and Fighters dwindles; there are fewer and fewer warriors who have come up with the DCMS’ institutional knowledge of how to ride a heat curve.

Furthermore and most ironically; the Musashi system *itself* produces massive waste heat from the central computer core.

The Musashi is effectively exclusive to the DCMS, but as of 3099; the Coordinator was mulling the merit of gifting several systems to the Nova Cats and Snow Ravens as a diplomatic overture, vs the potential disquiet and loss of face such a move might present once it became known. Reportedly it was a subject of much consternation between Father and Son, but at least; say the court wags; the two are speaking once more after several years of mutual silence. Whether it was the Coordinator who sought his aged Father’s counsel or if it was Honoured Theodore who learned of the move through his own sources and made overtures of his own to his Son through Franklin Sakamoto is unknown.

Rules:

Weight= Total mass of applicable energy weapons/6, rounded up to the nearest 0.5 ton
Works only with Lasers and PPCs of any type.
Grants a “streak” effect to energy weapons; if they miss, they do not fire.
However; some heat is still generated. 1pt/per full ton of the Musashi every turn it is operating and 1pt/per attack roll made with an applicable energy weapon.
The Musashi will “fade out” if the unit mounting it overheats by more than 12, but comes back on when heat drops again.


"ColdMiser" Emergency Heatsink

Heat: -3
Damage: NA
Range: NA
Ammunition: NA
Weight: 1
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 2500
Availability: XXE

An item tailor-made for the Arena, which nonetheless seems destined for frontline service with the most reckless of warriors; the “ColdMiser” defines devil’s bargain.

What you see here is basically a standard Single Heatsink, modified with a binary holding tank. What this means is that normally; the system is dry and inoperable, but on the pilot’s command; the holding tanks will dump their payload under high-pressure into the radiators where it combines and reacts violently. This creates a super-cold rush which purely drinks heat. The problem is that the reaction is violently corrosive; it doesn’t last long and it’s a crap-shoot if the reaction will simply burn-out the heatsink; rendering it into worthless, toxic scrap or of it will breach the radiators and start eating away the inside of the ‘Mech. This is how the original pilot and also, potentially; the inventor, died when the heatsink mounted above and behind the command couch of his Grasshopper; breached; dousing him in ravenously caustic chemicals. A MechWarrior Combat Suit would probably have saved him, but even those tests have been chancy affairs.

Known only by the nickname; “Davy Jones”; his invention is all that remains of his life after his multiply-breached Grasshopper had to be smelted to recoup expenses from his many debts.

That final match also revealed another weakness of the system; Emergency Heatsinks which are critically damaged by hostile action or bad luck react as if breached whether they are activated or not. Only a dead EHS is a “Safe” place for internal damage. This is arguably what led to Davy Jones’ defeat; a lucky hit to his Grasshopper’s torso early in the match caused a cascading failure of his experimental EHS until everything in his left torso; including the oh-so-dear ClanTech engine shielding.

As damage mounted; Jones was forced to jettison un-used EHS in his mech as if they were ammunition (a feature which suggests he knew of the potential danger) which had suddenly become a liability. As the dumped heatsinks hit the floor of the Arena; they invariably ruptured, creating puddles of bubbling yellow slime which although harmless to BattleMech armour, still took days to clean up.

Finally; he had only the conventional DHS in his engine and three EHS left; one in each leg and one in the head. With heat and hard rads pumping out of his breached reactor and burdened with nothing but heat-intensive high-tech energy weapons; Davy Jones fought on with a skill and poise any Solaran would have been proud of. He had nearly won; the Old Blakist Archangel was ruined when his last-but-one functional EHS in his right leg breached and melted his knee and ankle actuators.

He was nonetheless only briefly un-balanced; but Michelle Docksteader’s tiny frame buried deep in the MD-Tainted Celestial reacted faster and her last reload of precision AC/20 ammo found it’s home in Jones’ Grasshopper’s left arm; sheering it off at the elbow and robbing him of his last weapon; a fully-charged Bombast Laser. Struggling to get his mech back to its feet before she could bring any other weapons to bear; Davy Jones’ stalked forward in his maimed machine, leaking caustic coolant and Myomer-lube like blood. It was said that anyone else would have been hard-pressed to get that ‘Mech to move at all. Maybe. And Maybe these things grow in the telling?

What is known is that as Davy Jones took his last steps; fight-host Brett Wodensohn was relating the end of Thor’s epic battle against the great Wyrm Jormungandr in Norse mythology and that on his 9th step; Davy Jones’ “Locker” burst the Emergency Heatsink in it’s head; showering it’s pilot in furiously corrosive slime. He screamed over the open comms briefly, but horrifically before his ‘Mech lost control and fell like a man suddenly decapitated.

That was eight years ago. Today; no-one admits to manufacturing such dangerous equipment, but as the chemical formula proves so easy to replicate and the basic materials of a normal-strength Heatsink are so easy to come by, this equipment can now be encountered theoretically anywhere in the Inner Sphere and near periphery. Pirates use them. Unidentified suicide ‘Mech units have been noted using them and desperate Clan Ristars and those staring down Solahma-status like them as well.

Originally, these dangerous and unpredictable items were known as “Davy Jones’ Fresher” or simply; “The Fresher”. But this proved too morbid, even for arena warriors and the name; “ColdMiser”, after the house brand of an short-lived unground manufacturer has since caught on.

Rules:

When activated an EHS will provide -3 heat for 2+1d6 turns. Beginning on turn 3; roll 2d6 at the beginning of your heat dissipation phase each turn. If you roll snake eyes before the Heatsink finishes its reaction, then there is a breach and it is destroyed; that EHS stops working immediately; you do not benefit from it that turn. Additionally; roll normally on the critical hits table and mark-off 1 structure damage. Apply critical hits as normal.

You may activate as many or as few EHS at one time as you want; you roll for each separately.  But you cannot stop the reaction until it runs its course.

An EHS which suffers a critical hit before it is expended reacts as if breached.

CASE systems do nothing for breached EHS. However; if a breached EHS causes a crit on a CASE system; rather than re-rolling; that system is destroyed and offers no-more protection until repaired.

Expended EHS are marked as destroyed for purposes of salvage and repair, but may still absorb a critical hit.

EHS may be jettisoned like ammunition.

Only Mechs may mount EHS.


C3 Baron

Heat: NA
Damage: NA
Range: Operational
Ammunition: NA
Weight: 12
Critical Spaces: 12
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 8,000,000
Availability: XXF


C3 Tyrant

Heat: NA
Damage: NA
Range: Strategic
Ammunition: NA
Weight: 20
Critical Spaces: 14
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 35,000,000
Availability: XXF


C3 Distributed Network

Heat: NA
Damage: NA
Range: Operational
Ammunition: NA
Weight: 3
Critical Spaces: 2
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 1,100,500
Availability: XXE


C4

Heat: NA
Damage: NA
Range: Global/Orbit
Ammunition: NA
Weight:15
Critical Spaces: NA
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 45,000,000
Availability: XXF


C3 Improved Master

Heat: NA
Damage: NA
Range: Global/Orbit
Ammunition: NA
Weight: 6
Critical Spaces: 6
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 14,000,000
Availability: XXX


Production C3 Probe ammunition

Heat: As NARC
Damage: o
Range: 3/6/12
Ammunition: 6
Weight: 1
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 130,000
Availability: XXE


C3 Revenant

Heat: 5
Damage: 5
Range: Tactical
Ammunition: NA
Weight: 8
Critical Spaces: 6
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 16,500,000
Availability: XXX

XXF   There have been extensive developments in C3 technology by 3099. Coordinator Hohiro Kurita’s reforms emphasize the technology, but early efforts in making it universal ran up against the operational limitations of the 12-13 unit limit. To this end; the DCMS has developed C3 Networks capable of coordinating up to combined-arms regiments. These are the Battalion-sized Baron and Regimental-Tyrant. Two Tyrants can work together to control en entire C3-Equipped Ryuken Combined-Arms Brigade. Some controversy has arisen from these developments; previously, Matabushi’s “Coordinator” was the head of the C3 line, above the “Citizen”-Model Slave. However; nothing could ever be said to be placed above the Coordinator in authority, nor does the close inter-relation of “Citizen” with “Slave” sit well with today’s Coordinator. As such; Matabushi has renamed It’s flagship products and is issuing “Upgrade” kits in the form of new fans, which just happen not to fit under the old housings with the Matabushi branding embossed on them. In their place is the simpler appellations of “Master” and “Slave”. New systems are produced under the names “Kenin” and “Samurai”.

The C3 Baron is a Battalion-Command net C3. Links up to 60 units in a C3 Network with Masters and Slaves.

The C3 Tyrant is a Regimental C3 Network link. Links up to 180 units in a C3 Network with Barons, Masters and Slaves

The Distributed C3 Network, or C3D is an attempt to make something of legacy ComStar/WOB C3I networks. With the addition of a little extra hardware; it is possible to coordinate homogeneous units of up to 12-24 members. The advantage is that there is still no master lynch-pin. The C3D is a private initiative by Nirasaki Computers Collective aimed at those operators forced to utilize salvaged WOB Equipment leftover from the war.

Distributed C3 system combining elements of the C3i and C3 systems; no masters, no slaves, just a 12-24-unit group.

The C4 System is another Kuritan development and combines a Modular and enhanced C3 computer with a mobile HQ setup. It’s heavy; but the entire weight counts towards the Communications equipment bonus for initiative and ties into both C3 networks and Mobile HQ/communications equipment. Through the C4 system; C3-accurate Orbital fire can be coordinated through Naval C3-equipped vessels. So; a Kage BC3 squad could spot for a Naval C3 Warship through a Master, a Baron; a Tyrant, and finally a C4 system. The C4 system can interface flawlessly with a C3M, C3B or C3T without taking up a slot in the network.

The C3 Improved Master was a salvaged Blakist to link their C3I nodes into a Level-III organization. It was complete by the very final stages of the 5th Succession War, but very few were deployed due to the cost and difficulty inherent in building them. It is possible that some mercenary units, possibly including or aided by the small fragment of the ComGuards who went merc at the end of the Jihad or even ex-WOB troops, might deploy one or more of these near-legendary systems.

Improved Master links up to 6 C3I Networks.

Production C3 Probe Ammunition works mostly like C3 Remote sensor probe launcher ammunition with the following exceptions; it can be fired from a normal Narc Beacon Launcher. The long range is farther. Misses scatter like artillery (1 scatter roll); they are not destroyed on impact and their internal batteries can operate for up to 18 rounds. In addition; the launching unit can turn the probes on and off at need, as can the linked-in Master system.

The C3 Revenant or C3R is essentially what the SLDFiE was always afraid of; a means by which a C3 network could be turned against I’s users. In passive mode; the C3R reveals the locations of all C3/C3I-equipped enemy units on the battlefield whose network is within 18 hexes of the C3R-equipped unit and blocks C3 targeting information. In active mode; the C3R sends out a single “pulse” forcing all enemy C3-Equipped units within 25 hexes to make a piloting roll. Any that fail are disabled for 1d6 turns and all affected units take a random critical hit to sensors, comms or life support. In double-blind rules; C3R also disables friendly IFF for C3-equipped units: units which fail a PSR may fire upon friendly units if the situation allows or suggests it.


"Sensors"

Heat: NA
Damage: NA
Range: See Notes
Ammunition: NA
Weight: Varies
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 10,000/ton
Availability: BDC

These are add-on generic sensors as equipment added to fill out a design. They may be any weight up to 6 tons, but they go up one availability level per full ton. Effects are as follows:

>0.1 tons= No effect
0.1-0.24 Tons= gain the abilities of a mounted searchlight, without the visibility drawbacks, reduce Double-Blind Sensor Tns by 1
0.25-0.5 Tons= +1 hex to all sensor range per 0.05t (continues upwards), upgrade searchlight to 360’
0.51-0.75 Tons= Immune to the effects of primitive EW equipment, can detect communications emissions
0.76-1 Ton= Gain the capability of a recon camera, reduce sensor Tns by 1 again
1 ton and up= +1 remote sensor monitor per 0.01 Tons


Communications Equipment

Heat: NA
Damage: NA
Range: See Notes
Ammunition:NA
Weight: Varies
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 10,000/ton
Availability: BDC

This is for basic and add-on communications equipment. Effects are as follows:

Support Vehicle In-Built System: 10km
Ground Vehicle In-Built System: 25km
VTOL In-Built System: 100km
Industrial Mech In-Built System: 10km
BattleMech In-Built System: 1000km
Conventional Fighter In-Built System: 1000km
AeroFighter In-Built System: 10,000km/Orbital/in-system
Dropship In-Built System: Hemisphere/Trans-orbital/In-System
Jumpship In-Built System: In-System
Warship In-Built System: In-System


Add-on Systems have the following additional effects:
1km per 0.01
But +1000km at the ton-mark and each full ton thereafter.


Mobile HQ Euipment

Heat: NA
Damage: NA
Range: See Notes
Ammunition:NA
Weight: Varies
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 150,000/ton
Availability: DFE

As-per communications equipment, but explicitly stated to also include materials, capabilities, fittings and features to aid in the planning and execution of military operations; holo-tables/tanks, battle computers, ect.


ClanTech Bloodhound Probe

Heat: NA
Damage: NA
Range: 5
Ammunition: NA
Weight: 1.5
Critical Spaces: 2 
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 500,000
Availability: XXE

The First ClanTech Bloodhound Probes were developed by the Diamond Sharks in 3064 from examples stolen from ComStar.

Double-Blind range is: 1-20/21-40/41-60


Mech Club

Heat: nil
Damage: 1/7tons (rounded up or down, as appropriate)
Range: Melee
Ammunition: NA
Weight: 4
Critical Spaces: NA
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 6,000
Availability: DBC

This is a regularized-version of the improvised clubs often utilized by desperate MechWarriors in battle. It functions in most ways like one of those clubs, except that it can be simply equipped as a deliberate action from unit stores and dropped and picked up by another unit as a non-improvised weapon. It is also a one-handed weapon and does less damage than an improvised (but two-handed) club.


Coolant

Heat: See Notes
Damage: 1d6-1 vs infantry
Range: varies by platform
Ammunition: 20
Weight: 1
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 3000/ton
Availability: BBB

Besides it’s uses in Sprayers, Fluid Guns and Vehicles Flamers; Coolant trucks and systems can also have a specific battlefield effect on ‘Mechs. A ‘Mech hooked up to a coolant system (mobile or not) benefits as if using a coolant pod (+1 heat dissipation/per single, double or compact heatsink). A ‘Mech could stay hooked up to a coolant system and use this additional capacity indefinitely, but engaging in combat while hooked up to a coolant truck voids the vehicle’s traditional sacrosanct battlefield status. Coolant trucks can “rehabilitate” used coolant between battles, but as-is each ton of coolant will do for 20 heatsinks for one turn before being used up. Once that is done; then the coolant truck has exchanged all it’s fresh coolant for coolant which is “worn” and can provide no more benefit for the duration of the battle. In between battles; a running coolant system with an engine attached can rejuvenate this used coolant.
 

Remote Sensors

Heat: NA
Damage: NA
Range: NA
Ammunition: NA
Weight: Varies
Critical Spaces:Varies
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent):

7,000 Dispenser
21,000 for 30 sensors
30,000 Dispensor+Sensors

Availability: XDD

Stock rules, but add a zero to the end of the max sensor monitoring capacity and a Combat Vehicle can monitor 10 sensors; a WorkMech 5 and a BattleMech 15.

Remote sensors and their dispensers may be held as fractional equipment



Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
New Laser-Type Weapons in Der Tag
« Reply #60 on: 27 March 2020, 18:23:29 »
Tank Laser (Clan Hell's Horses, nearly exclusively)

Heat: 8
Damage: 15/10/5
Range: 6/13/20
Weight: 5
Critical Spaces: 2
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 300,000
Availability: XXF

The fighting in the Clan Civil War and during their long and painful withdrawal to the Inner Sphere took a terrible toll on the Touman of Clan Hell’s Horses. In keeping with Clan tradition; the realized goal of the Khans was to see that these losses fell mainly on their Garrison, Dezgra and Solahma troops and in this they were successful. Further conflicts against pirates, Dark Caste and skirmishes with their new Spheroid and Clan Neighbours claimed yet more. These events maintained much of the core of the Clan’s frontline Warriors and served to protect their Sibkos and Civilian Caste personnel. Such tactics also bought time for the Clan to evacuate the majority of the known Brian Caches in their territory and to mount successful raids on other such stockpiles, seizing more supplies and equipment from other Clans.

The ultimate result was that the Hell’s Horses suffered grievous material and personnel losses, but in their oldest, most disposable personnel and equipment. However; it also meant that while they sacrificed much of their industrial capacity in the short and middle-term, what they managed to maintain in terms of materiel to replace losses was likewise of the oldest vintages to be found in the homeworlds. Arriving in the Inner Sphere, this situation was exacerbated by disappointing overtures and missions by the Horses’ Merchant Caste.

The mercantile Sharks saw opportunity in the Horses’ misfortune and offered to help; knowing full well that the needs of their fellow exiles together with the state of their trading capacity meant that the Horses would be purchasing yet more obsolescent equipment with which to outfit their graduating Sibkos and Bondsmen, in job lots and on terms which would maximize both profit and the turnover of less-desirable inventory.

This, in turn led to the current state of affairs where the Horses count in their formations not only a near-encyclopedic variety of weapons and equipment from every corner of settled space, but that while this runs the gamut from the hyper-advanced to the truly archaic, their overall tech-level is almost certainly the lowest among any surviving Clans. It is a fact universally, if sullenly acknowledged among the Clan that the Capellan Confederation may have more ClanTech in service than the Horses do.

Never ones to simply accept a bad hand; the Horses embarked on several initiatives aimed at restoring pride and confidence in their Touman. In typically-diversified Hell’s Horses fashion; the goals of these programs ranged from the essential-to-survival revivification of dilapidated and damaged shipyards in former Pirate holdings to the idealistic; in the form of the ongoing, if bottle-necked QuadVee program. But it has been the less-resourced projects, with their more-modest goals (also in typical Horses’ fashion) which have so-far produced the most (if not most-visible) results.

The aggregate of Cache-sweeps, Merchant efforts, salvage and finally The Shark’s own trading policies was a stockpile which consisted, in the main of obsolete or obsolescent vehicles. While the Horses had recovered assets up to and including mobile space-stations; it was painfully fitting that most of what The Clan had on hand for use and issue after a few years in their new home were simple vehicles. While this inventory consisted of a vast array of types; most of them significantly out of date, particularly by Clan-Standards, several types among others were particularly prominent.

These were namely the Bulldog and Brutus Tanks, Turhan and Goblin Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Wyvern and Cyrano Attack Helicopters, Drillson Heavy Hovertanks and Marksman Self-Propelled Howitzers. While there were other types such as the Aldis Trio to be found in large numbers, what these all had in common was the burden of the basic Large-Laser. This was a particularly underwhelming weapon by Clan Standards and it was quickly realized that the Touman would benefit from a replacement of this one weapon system more than any other and it was given a priority just below that of the Horses’ Gauss Projects in the weapons R&D file.

Hell’s Horses Scientists were willing to sacrifice almost anything for a drop-in upgrade which would be an improvement over the original Large Laser with minimal alteration of the parent chassis required. This ultimately meant sacrificing on issues of cost and steady performance.

Taking inspiration from both the unconventional Cyclops-Eye Hybrid Particle Beam-Laser and BLW-Microwave-Laser concepts, the “Tank Laser” is the result. And while comparatively expensive, it may accidentally be the most efficient laser weapon ever devised within a tight range envelope; however, this efficiency drops off markedly as distance to target mounts. Although this too is compensated-for with an ultimate reach (albeit at reduced punch) slightly greater than that of a non-ER PPC.

While almost-all Tank Laser output is destined for the Horses’ industrious refit programs, a few have been offered for trade within the atmosphere of the much-improved economic relationship which now exists between the Diamond Sharks and the Hell’s Horses. Several have also been held back to investigate how they might be profitably integrated into other platforms. While most of the success so far has been in a similar refit program aimed at the Clan’s obsolete AeroSpaceFighter Inventory, a few Tank Lasers have been fitted experimentally in OmniMechs and in permanent fortifications located at advantageous positions defending the Horses’ vulnerable industrial sites and economic centres. None are known to have been captured intact.

Attempts to produce larger and smaller versions of the technology have been unsuccessful and most of the original development team has been transferred to the flagging Chemical Laser program.


Sniping Laser (Exclusive to Capellan Confederation)

Heat: 10/12
Damage: 20
Range: 7/10/20/30
Weight: 8
Critical Spaces: 3
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 1,650,000
Availability: XXX

The Capellan Confederation have developed the Sniping Laser in secret and have been deploying it on contested worlds in the hands of Death Commando operatives and Warrior House Cadres.

The weapon is used specifically to eliminate enemy leadership and key military, civil and industrial assets from long range.

Platforms for the Sniping Laser are invariably extremely stealthy and to-date; all RAF and AFFS reports on contact with the weapon and observation of its effects in action note complete surprise prior to engagement.

It is not known if the Capellans are currently producing the weapon or any platform for it in series. To 3099; all verified observations of the system in the field have been on custom-fabricated mountings on different types of ‘Mechs and Vehicles.

CC, +3 to hit on the move, -1 static, -3 if both target and firing unit are static, requires 2-turn charge-up, generating 10 heat each turn, plus the 12 when discharged. X2 damage vs buildings. May makes aimed/called shots. Does not work with a targeting computer as one is already built-in, along with an automated self-destruct which thoroughly destroys the weapon.


Production-Grade ER-Pulse Lasers (Available to all but the poorest Clans, some limited export)

ER-Small Pulse Laser (Production)

Heat: 4
Damage: 4
Range: 2/4/6
Weight: 1
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 40,000
Availability: XXF

ER-Medium Pulse Laser (Production)

Heat: 7
Damage:7
Range: 5/10/15
Weight: 2
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 165,000
Availability: XXF

ER-Large Pulse Laser (Production)

Heat: 14
Damage: 10
Range: 8/15/25
Weight: 6
Critical Spaces: 2
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 480,000
Availability: XXF

Production-Quality ER-Pulse Lasers represent the new generation of Superior Clan Tech now coming into use.

Unlike some other systems which represent proprietary developments or new uses of old technology; the ER-Pulse laser benefits from a long development period, dating from late 50s. The downside of this is that these weapons are becoming generally available across most of the Clans at about the same time, with only the most resource-poor; such as the Blood Spirits being left out.

While the modern ER-Pulse Laser mostly resembles its preproduction parent, few parts are interchangeable and older ER-Pulse Lasers are simply being withdrawn as the marginal experiments they have been and replaced where appropriate or their former hosts being modified where not.

In common with normal Pulse Lasers; ER-Pulse Lasers get a -2 to-hit bonus.


BLW Blow Microwave Lasers (Quite rare, overall. Most common on old Zero Fighters)

MkI (Small)

Heat: 1
Damage: 3
Range: 1/2/3
Weight: 0.5
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 15,000
Availability: CEC

MkII (Medium)

Heat: 3
Damage: 5
Range: 3/6/9
Weight: 1
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 52,000
Availability: CEC

MkIII (large)

Heat:8
Damage: 8
Range: 5/10/15
Weight: 5
Critical Spaces: 2
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent):130,500
Availability: CEC

The BLW-series lasers are an antiquated type of weapon, whose unique properties are only now coming to be appreciated.

The BLW “Blow” Series uses what is in actuality; MASER-technology: Microwave Amplification through the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. This technology; more applicable to industry and communication than the battlefield is also erroneously referred to as “Microwave-Laser”-Technology in some circles and while incorrect, is also a more popular appellation as it forms a useful shorthand for describing the function of the system.

Employed most famously on the SLDF’s Zero-Series of Fighters, but also used prominently on various spacecraft; the BLW possessed the unique feature of being able to be re-focused on the fly in order to produce broader-focusing patterns. This would be nearly useless and excessively cruel in a laser weapon; turning a battlefield tool into a device merely good for blinding unprotected enemy soldiers, but in a MASER; it has several applications.

Set to the normal wave-length this made BLW-Masers, in-effect more accurate; almost like an energy-based shotgun, but severely reduced damage output.

However, reproducible “Accidents” have recently revealed an unexpected additional advantage of the system. When the BLW is set to other frequencies; it loses all effect as an armour-defeating weapon. This, in turn is why the system never caught on as true competition to normal energy weapons. In the lab, this has no advantages; the target is simply undamaged. However; additional investigation of several laboratory and maintenance-shop accidents has revealed that these off-mode settings; typically the result of damaged, flawed or improperly-aligned focusing apparatus have the effect of disrupting even well-shielded electronic systems on battlefield units and cooking infantry alive in a flash.

BLW-Masers can provide a down-range effect identical to standard lasers, but have not yet been offered in an extended-range format. Alternatively; they can be tuned to be more accurate or provide more esoteric effects.

Broad Beam Setting 1; reduced damage for slightly increased accuracy
-Small 2 Damage, -1 to-hit
-Medium 3 damage, -1 to-hit
-Large 6 Damage -1 to-hit

Broad Beam Setting 2; sharply reduced damage for markedly improved accuracy
-Small 1 Damage, -3 to-hit
-Medium 2 Damage, -3 to-hit
-Large 3 Damage, -3 to-hit

The “Hacked” setting is the name of the mode enabled by the firmware update which first became widely available in 3092. However; other parties may have stumbled on it before then and kept it to themselves.

Against Heat-tracking targets; the weapons have an effect not unlike some EMP devices. These more-advanced units are sufficiently shielded to cope with the effect, if not overwhelmed by it. Treat the normal listed damage as heat; it’s actually trying to fry the electronics, but it works in much the same way. Normally heat-tracking units have too many buffers and safety relays to suffer like other units, but when overwhelmed; they fry just the same.

All weapon stats remain the same, but if the unit is forced to make a shutdown roll from the combined effect of normal heat and/or BLW “hacked” weapons, it has suffered enough to damage the electronics and all future piloting and gunnery rolls are at +1. This continues to stack with each shutdown roll until the unit fails. When that happens; critical relays have cooked from the heat and microwaves and fused. It will need very time-consuming, but simple repairs before it can be restarted.

Units that track heat, but do not suffer shutdowns, add the same cumulative +1s to their own heat-related rolls until they fail, with a similar result.

Units that do not track heat; such as Vehicles and Infantry suffer damage in the following ways;

Infantry add 1D6 and take the damage as a normal spread weapon. House-rules for lasers only being able to kill one soldier at a time would not apply here.

Vehicles and Battle Armour take the normal damage plus 1D6 as armour damage; this is to represent normal battlefield EM-shielding standard on all combat units; the thicker the armour; the stronger the EM protection. When normal damage and/or BLW-damage penetrates the armour, roll on the critical hit tables as normal, with a cumulative +1 modifier for every time that location is hit. If the unit is destroyed; count the crew as killed and vehicle as disabled, requiring similar repairs to a mech.

Support vehicles without the armoured chassis modification take this damage to their internal structure instead, rolling for critical as with normal IS hits, but follow other rules for combat vehicles. In instances where the basic weapon damage before the 1d6 is added would break the BAR value; the armour is ALSO damaged equally to the internal structure.

In these instances, armour bubbles eliminated by the BLW-weapons should be crossed-off, rather than filled-in, or marked out by some other means. This is because they would still be damaged as-normal by other weapons. No free rides.


Cyclops-Eye Large Laser

Heat: 8
Damage: 8/6 vs glazed armour and Blue Shield Device
Range: 5/10/15
Weight: 5
Critical Spaces:2
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 250,000
Availability: XED

Extended-Range Cyclops XII Large Laser


Heat: 12
Damage: 8/6 vs glazed armour and Blue Shield Device
Range: 7/14/19
Weight: 5
Critical Spaces: 2
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 500,000
Availability: XXE

The Cyclops-Eye is a unique approach to energy weaponry combining features of a Laser and a PPC. As a result; the weapon is 75% effective against both glazed armour and the Blue Shield Device. Currently found mainly on the Lyran Drillson Heavy Hovertank; this property was only discovered in the last 20 years and only generally known in the last five. This has sparked an increased demand for these weapons for refits. The newer, extended-range Cyclops XII version is equally effective and even more highly-sought.

The Cyclops remains one of the most rugged laser designs in existence, but now that the secret about the hybrid system is out; prices on the open market have shot up 250%. Cyclops for their part refuses to accelerate production in line with demilitarization directives and export restrictions imposed from Tharkad and Terra. Many have begun stripping operational Drillson’s of their lasers to sell them separately.
« Last Edit: 27 March 2020, 18:26:54 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

Retry

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1433
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #61 on: 27 March 2020, 18:31:07 »
Oh hey, ER Pulse lasers that don't suck!

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #62 on: 27 March 2020, 18:33:52 »
Oh hey, ER Pulse lasers that don't suck!

I know...I have this crazy idea that the Clans are supposed to be different in some way; that technological superiority was part of their whole deal.

Not much point if the sphereoids can do whatever you can do. Gotta keep that edge.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #63 on: 29 May 2020, 17:37:15 »
Nova Particle Projection Cannon (NVPPC)

Heat: 7
Damage: 8
Range: 9/17/27
Weight: 3
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 225,000
Availability:XXC

SuperNova PPC (SUPPC)

Heat: 20
Damage: 20
Range: 3/8/16/24
Weight: 9
Critical Spaces: 3
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 450,000
Availability:XXC

The Nova and SuperNova PPCs are Nova Cat weapons and independent developments in their own right. Unlike the spheroid Light and Heavy PPCs, these are blank-slate creations, rather than variations on the extant theme of the standard old-tech PPC. They are not truly “Extended Range” weapons as there was never any previous basis for a range to extend. Much of the impetus for developing these new weapons is as sop to Nova Cat Pride and their traditional fondness for Particle-Beam weapons as much as a drive to gain an edge over their neighbours and other potential hostile forces.

The goal of the Nova PPC is to produce a long-range weapon which will fit in the space occupied by a Medium Pulse Laser, this it has not quite succeeded in, but it comes close. At half the weight and less than half the heat output of the larger ERPPC and with just over half the damage impact down range; the Nova PPC remains an outstanding achievement in weapons technology. While it remains inferior in damage output to an ER large laser and costs more; the Nova PPC was never intended to replace the Large Laser, but rather to give lighter units without the tonnage or heat sink capacity the change at a weapon in a similar range bracket. In this it has succeeded providing Nova Cat Light Forces an effective sniping weapon which fits well within their established doctrines and fighting style.

The SuperNova PPC is something else entirely.

The Nova Cats are a Clan inordinately fond of energy-based weapons and in action this gives them numerous advantages, even as it tends to make their mechs and fighters hotter-running, but in many cases this also entails a certain shortfall in terms of raw knock-out capability, such as that enjoyed by other clans employing weapons like Heavy Autocannon.

This is what the SuperNova was set out to supplement in Nova Cat Forces. The SuperNova PPC is, in effect; an energy-based answer to more damage-intensive ballistic weapons. In the Past the Nova Cats have had to resort to massed missile batteries to wear down armour so their lasers and ERPPCs could punch through, but with the SuperNova they now have a much more powerful weapon capable of delivering a net downrange effect which is roughly equivalent to that enjoyed by Heavy Autocannon and at a much greater range.

While comparisons between the Spheroid light and Heavy PPCs are inevitable, two factors much be remembered; first that these are fresh designs, not based on any previous work and secondly that the Nova Cats developed them in record time and in a form which is reliable and effective. While detractors from some other Clans are eager to point out the equivalency in weight as compared to the spheroid weapons, it must be remembered that the Cats never set out to make a ClanTech Light or Heavy PPC, they have created their own weapons, filling different roles and doing it more efficiently by comparison.

Nova PPCs are beginning to replace lighter laser clusters on Nova Cat OmniMechs, Fighters and newer version of second line machines. If they become available in surplus it is also expected that they might be seen as fighter-defence weapons on the Clan’s Warships. The SuperNova is seen much less often and rarely as more than a solo-mounted primary weapon; primarily due to heat as it lacks the Nova’s high efficiency. The massive heat output would keep these weapons out of combat vehicles even if the costs were not prohibitive and only the largest Omnis have been seen with a dual mount, with a single Khirgiz spotted mounting a fearsome triple battery.

The Diamond Sharks have been eager to acquire any for trade, but short supplies have kept all but very small number out of the hands of the Merchant Clan. Contrariwise; Khan Santin West supplied a number to the DCMS in hopes of beginning to heal the rift formed by the Clan’s abrogation of their Oath to the Dragon in the face of the WOB onslaught.

SLDF Forces were permitted to “Bench-Test” several pre-production examples as part of their ransom following the Munin trials against the Nova Cats. The Nova and SuperNova, as befit their independently developed nature, do not function at all when fitted with either the Falcon’s new Clan-Tech PPC Capacitator; nor with the Spheroid model, no matter the configuration or adaptor fitted. At best the safety systems engage and they fail to fire and at worst they explode.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #64 on: 29 May 2020, 17:39:28 »
Short-Stop PPC (SSPPC)

Heat: 10
Damage: 17/13/10
Range: 11/16/19
Weight: 5
Critical Spaces: 2
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 310,000
Availability:XXD

The Short-Stop PPC is a Star-Adder-developed weapon intended to maximize short-range firepower in an ammunition-independent package. Based on the same line of long-forgotten research that had borne the Star League’s own Snub-Nosed PPCs, the new Clan-Tech model is even lighter, and while not any smaller; keeps to the same low heat load while increasing firepower dramatically though heavier gauge short-range-optimized emission capacitors.

While no SSPPCs were verified as being deployed on York, Star Adder Forces were seen using them with abandon in trials with other Clans and later in prosecuting their wars against the Invading Clans and the Ice Hellions. Those which may be encountered outside the Adders are likely battlefield salvage or Isorla as the Adders seem unwilling to do much, if any business with the Diamond Sharks in recent years. *Update: in recent months, this seems to have changed and the Adder Merchant Castes is now known to be actively trading these weapons themselves and the Sharks have been able to acquire a single gross for their own use and evaluation.

This Clan Snub-Nosed PPC seems particularly suited to OmniMech use, which is fortunate as the Adders seem to have don well to retain much of their OmniMech production capacity in the recent “troubles” as the SLDF’s Deep Recon units have termed them. They are uncommon on Omnifighters, where added space simplifies the problems of a fighting unit’s heat sink capacity and as-yet unknown on ground vehicles and other combat units, though the later may be a matter of priority. No new Second line mechs or variants have yet been observed mounting these weapons.

Interestingly; compatibility with the Falcon’s Capacitors is confirmed after Bench Tests conducted in mid 3071.

*Note; the name “Short-Stop” seems to be a semi-official one, as “Clan-Star-Adder-Snub-Nosed-PPC” is an awkward mouthful and pragmatic Clan Warriors quickly noted how a blast from the weapon at close range had the effect of causing a re-assessment of priorities in the mind of targets so-affected.
« Last Edit: 29 May 2020, 17:42:04 by beachhead1985 »
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #65 on: 29 May 2020, 17:41:36 »
Extended-Range Light PPC (ERLPPC)

Heat: 8
Damage: 5
Range: 2/8/15/24
Weight: 3
Critical Spaces: 2
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 250,000
Availability:XXE

The Draconis Combine has recently succeeded in mating ER-technology to their Light PPCs; but the smaller gauge and loading of the capacitors has meant a less-than optimal representation of the technology. However; Lord’s Light R&D have succeeded in creating a particular niche weapon which is expected to become a very popular feature on lighter mechs as well as military dropships as a light-weight, long-range sniping and harassment weapon.

Technically, the ER Light PPC is not the efficient weapon it’s simpler forebearers are; suffering some of a standard PPCs minimum range difficulties and combining this downfall with the ERPPCs traditional heat-intensive energy-drain. This limits the ERLPPC as a backup weapon and thus these are not expected to replace many of the LPPCs now in service on heavier designs. On lighter machines, however; the ERLPPC presents a leap forward into the range-gap between the Inner Sphere’s light forces and the heavily armed and long-ranged Light Omnimechs the Clans became so well known for in the 3050s.

As these weapons become available, one may expect to see ERLPPCs set a new standard on mechs in the 20-40-ton range and begin a consummate phase out of many Light PPCs now in service on these platforms.

Studies into applying ER-technology to Heavy PPCs in the Lyran Alliance have been put on-hold indefinitely pending a greater understanding of middle-tech Enhanced ERPPCs and their Clan descendants.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #66 on: 29 May 2020, 17:43:25 »
Clan PPC Capacitator

Heat: +5
Damage: +5
Range: as Weapon
Weight: 0.5
Critical Spaces: 1
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 170,000
Availability:XXE

The Ghost Bears were the first Clan to incorporate PPC Capacitators into their forces with those found on the Leviathan III Heavy Battleship Sub-Class, however it has been the Jade Falcons who were first to create and deploy a ClanTech version of the technology in a stable, reliable form.

This equipment appears to have been extracted more or less at knife-point from the unadulterated mess that is the waste product of the Clan Civil War; now incorporated in desperation by what is left of the Jade Falcon Clan’s Scientist Caste. A thoroughly demoralized and almost utterly bereft secret society facing extinction has little choice but to take what refuge they can find and the ClanTech PPC Capacitor seems to be only the least of the heavy ransom The Society has paid for their very lives.

For their part; the modern-day Jade Falcons can use whatever help they can get. Outcasts. Pariahs. Unwitting fools. Unforgivable. Dupes and Puppets of their inferiors. These are all labels which fit the Falcons all too-well since the devastation they suffered when their fellow Clans chanced upon the incontrovertible evidence of the vast Scientist Caste conspiracy with it’s roots of Emerald-Green.

Now forced to work under what would otherwise be unbearable levels of scrutiny, the initiative and freedom of the Scientists has been utterly crushed. Were it not for the fact that the Falcons inherited such massive numbers of refugees from their former brethren, as well as absorbing vast stores of data, materiel and highly skilled personnel, they would certainly have crippled their own capacity to innovate for a century or more. As it is, only this vast influx of wealth keeps the bulging mass of the Scientist Caste from flailing uselessly under their bondage.

That the Falcons are incandescently aware of the cost in Warriors, war machines, worlds and other lower-castes which they unwillingly paid for this boon is starkly apparent in the demands they make of their Scientists. The Clan PPC Capacitor is but the least example of what the Falcon Clan can squeeze from their Scientists when their faces are pulped into the grindstone by Warriors quite literally ready to cleanse the Clan of their taint once and for all.

The Clan PPC Capacitor appears to function essentially as the Spheroid model, but when it fails; it fails “properly”, in as much as it feeds back into the strap-on unit itself, rather than the main weapon. This destroys the ClanTech Capacitor, but without additional damage to the unit and normally without even disabling the PPC.

While these new and safer capacitors are almost invariably affixed to Clan ERPPC; the Diamond Sharks own tests indicate that they work as readily with Spheroid systems as well, including Heavy PPCs.

To-date, proliferation of this equipment is widespread throughout the Falcon Touman, but small numbers have been secured through battlefield salvage from Falcon raiding and the SLDFiE is thought to have secured at least some during their recent war with the Jade Falcons. More, however have been exchanged with the Diamond Sharks in trade for badly needed resources and expertise in undisclosed projects. Through these means, it is thus possible that the technology has spread back to the homeworlds through the Shark’s most covert channels, but this is unlikely.

Rules: As PPC Capacitor. On a failure; mark capacitor as destroyed. No further effects.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4065
  • 1st SOG; SLDF. "McKenna's Marauders"
    • Kilroy's Wall
Re: The Bench Rest. New and Different Equipment from Der Tag
« Reply #67 on: 29 May 2020, 17:44:47 »
ICOM Enhanced ERPPC

Heat: 15
Damage: 12
Range: 7/14/23
Weight: 7
Critical Spaces: 3
Cost (in C-Bills, Equivalent): 350,000
Availability:XXF

Classified Report, released to public archives 3rd of January 3251.

Derivation remains undisclosed. Further review under House Memoranda M-1089 slated for NLT 3JAN3301.

Report Follows:

ICOM Industries seems to have developed a limited production capacity for the vanishingly-rare late Star League-Early Clan Enhanced ERPPC.

The exact reasoning behind going to these efforts remains opaque. Yet in a time when the Republic and Federated Suns can manage to produce a statistically-significant quantity of copied or locally-grown ClanTech each year and each of the other major powers can manage a trickle, we have incontrovertible evidence that McKenna’s people *have NOT* simply happened on a cache of vintage super-PPCs.

In 3094, a 3rd League Spartan verified scientifically as having been built sometimes between 3089 and 3092 was knocked-out and examined following a false-flag raid by (REDACTED) in the (REDACTED), this mech incorporated a recently-produced Enhanced ERPPC bearing the hallmarks of mass-production techniques in its construction.

Conflicting theories abound, but some of the leading possibilities are that, despite being in bed with several Clans, McKenna’s military-industrial complex is lagging well-behind the Republic and others in reverse-engineering ClanTech for mass production. Another is that the findings of the raid were a plant aimed at deceiving us as to the true nature of the 3rd League’s technological fluency. However, this almost demands a high-level mole somewhere in (REDACTED) or (REDACTED). The alternative would demand a level of production for these weapons so great that it would almost demand an allocation of production capacity vast enough to handicap any actual ClanTech programs. The 3rd possibility, finding favour with (REDACTED) amongst others is that McKenna is pursuing a longer game than we though and wishes to gradual familiarize his soldiers, techs and civilian workers with more advanced technology and thus that the NERPPC is a stepping stone or a much later and more comprehensive roll-out of superior ClanTech ERPPCs en masse, perhaps another 20-40 years down the road, by which time we would be looking at an SLDFiE which is in process of shifting to a 100% ClanTech basis for it’s military materiel.

As such; the recommendation of this office is for RAF drawdowns to continue. This will see us backing away faster from the high-water mark of our troop strength to reap the political benefits, while we focus the RAF budget on stepping-up the ClanTech program with expanded development and procurement.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully, (REDACTED)

COMMENT:

Unless/until we can acquire an unredacted copy of the report with a pedigree, this amounts to a historical curiosity unfit for inclusion in the journal. It may be nothing but chaff. Suggest petitioning the right people to intercede on our behalf in this matter. Otherwise; keep eating your veggies and stay away from that natural-aging trend going around.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman