Author Topic: Two weapons, three ammo bins?  (Read 2312 times)

Robroy

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Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« on: 07 July 2019, 12:15:03 »
So before I ask in the Tech Manual section I figured I would ask here first.

For the this example let's say I want to take my Shadow Hawk 2H and drop two heatsinks for two more tons of ammo, one for the AC, and one for the LRM. This lets me load a ton of alternative ammo in addition to a standard load for each.

Now the rules say each ammo using weapon needs to have one ton of ammo (with some exceptions like machine guns). But can I switch an extra ammo bin between two weapons? Say, one mission I load thunders for the LRM in that second bin, then later in another mission I load it with infernos for the SRM. Can you do that?


Warfare is the greatest affair of state, the basis of life and death, the Way (Tao) to survival or extinction. It must be thoroughly pondered and analyzed"-Sun Tzu

"Subjugating the enemy's army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence"-Sun Tzu

The_Caveman

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #1 on: 07 July 2019, 12:32:59 »
No. Ammo bins have to be configured for a single weapon type. Changing from LRM to SRM ammo would constitute another modification to the chassis.

For the same reason, you can't feed an SRM-6 and an SRM-4 from the same bin.
« Last Edit: 07 July 2019, 12:34:33 by The_Caveman »
Half the fun of BattleTech is the mental gymnastics required to scientifically rationalize design choices made decades ago entirely based on the Rule of Cool.

The other half is a first-turn AC/2 shot TAC to your gyro that causes your Atlas to fall and smash its own cockpit... wait, I said fun didn't I?

Hptm. Streiger

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #2 on: 07 July 2019, 13:25:46 »
well, imho the rule is primary for simplicity. if you like to say that (example) the JM6-S has 300 rounds for his Mydrons (C consumes 5, D consumes 2) you could have combined ammo slots.
same for LRM, SRM or AC5 ammo. you cold have 7rds AC, 7 for LRM and 9 for SRM2.

Daryk

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #3 on: 07 July 2019, 15:23:58 »
Just use Fractional Accounting, and divide up one of the bins into two half-ton ones.

Robroy

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #4 on: 07 July 2019, 15:32:32 »
Is there an actual rule that prevents it?


Warfare is the greatest affair of state, the basis of life and death, the Way (Tao) to survival or extinction. It must be thoroughly pondered and analyzed"-Sun Tzu

"Subjugating the enemy's army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence"-Sun Tzu

Daryk

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #5 on: 07 July 2019, 15:57:40 »
Uh, yes?  It's how ammo bins work.  As far as explicit mentions in the rules, the closest I can find at the moment is the customization rules in StratOps (page 188).  As the various refit levels explicitly mention "(and ammunition)" every time they mention ammunition dependent weapons, this would mean an ammo bin is being replaced when the weapon is.

Robroy

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #6 on: 07 July 2019, 16:45:17 »
Ah, did not look in StratOps. Remember, I am talking about a second ton of ammo. I know omnis ammo is pod mounted and is easily switched around, yes I know that is omni pods and not standard mechs.

I was just curious if it ever cane up before. Just seemed to me a way to make a support mech more versatile.

Warfare is the greatest affair of state, the basis of life and death, the Way (Tao) to survival or extinction. It must be thoroughly pondered and analyzed"-Sun Tzu

"Subjugating the enemy's army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence"-Sun Tzu

Daryk

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #7 on: 07 July 2019, 17:09:33 »
Omni-ammo bins would certainly do that, but the loading mechanisms would be different between weapons, and those at a minimum would need to be switched.  That said, it would totally be a Class A refit, and not take that long to do (base time of 100 minutes, with a -3 (easier) modifier that means you could probably rush the job without penalty).

Robroy

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #8 on: 07 July 2019, 17:55:55 »
Omni-ammo bins would certainly do that, but the loading mechanisms would be different between weapons, and those at a minimum would need to be switched.  That said, it would totally be a Class A refit, and not take that long to do (base time of 100 minutes, with a -3 (easier) modifier that means you could probably rush the job without penalty).

Just switching the ammo feed between SRM and LRM is pretty much what I was thinking. Thanks for bringing up the StartOps refit thing, did not even consider that.

Warfare is the greatest affair of state, the basis of life and death, the Way (Tao) to survival or extinction. It must be thoroughly pondered and analyzed"-Sun Tzu

"Subjugating the enemy's army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence"-Sun Tzu

Daryk

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #9 on: 07 July 2019, 18:04:53 »
Glad I could help!  :thumbsup:

The_Caveman

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #10 on: 10 July 2019, 13:45:08 »
Can you apply the "modular weapon" quirk to an ammo bin? That'd further cut the base "refit" time in half.
Half the fun of BattleTech is the mental gymnastics required to scientifically rationalize design choices made decades ago entirely based on the Rule of Cool.

The other half is a first-turn AC/2 shot TAC to your gyro that causes your Atlas to fall and smash its own cockpit... wait, I said fun didn't I?

Daryk

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Re: Two weapons, three ammo bins?
« Reply #11 on: 10 July 2019, 17:31:40 »
Good question!  Probably one for the rules forum, though...  :)

 

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