cheap dirtbag Planetary Militia - 3025

[Dave Talley]

weren't RLs retconned to be available way earlier?

[Giovanni Blasini]

We're mostly making fun of the edge case presented by Battletech's costing system and some edge cases.

That said, a lot of the cost of aircraft is certification and other safety and regulatory compliance measures because in non-Battletech, life isn't cheap.

In BT though, life *is* cheap. I wouldn't assume something like an F-86 or MiG-15 would be more complicated than say... an AC/20 or an LRM's feed system.

Or you know... Ferrets with RL10s instead of their cargo bay. Ferrets are less than 50k Cbills each.

Your PCs will appreciate being able to fight in the shade

A Ferret with twin RL10s instead of infantry, keeping the MG and half-ton of ammo makes a decent representation of a Huey Cobra.

[truetanker]

Brunel

TT

[Liam's Ghost]

weren't RLs retconned to be available way earlier?

More or less? Standard rocket launchers aren't available before the marians created them, but primitive rocket launchers are available all the way back to... I think pre spaceflight.

At the very least the earliest canonical unit to use them dates to the Terran Alliance era, and they're actually the only one shot missile system available during the succession wars.

They take a very minor hit to cluster table rolls, but it's actually so minor that on average it has almost no affect.

[Daryk]

Interstellar Operations (page 217) says Prototype RL-10s were introduced in 2320.  They also take a +1 penalty to hit.

[Liam's Ghost]

Interstellar Operations (page 217) says Prototype RL-10s were introduced in 2320.  They also take a +1 penalty to hit.

Standard rocket launchers also take that penalty.

I'm iffy on the date, however, since the Hurricane fighter was supposed to be carrying an RL15 all the way back in 2297.

[Sharpnel]

And real-life rocket launchers have been around in some form or another since at least the 18th century, probably even in the the late 16th century in China.

[Daryk]

Standard rocket launchers also take that penalty.

I'm iffy on the date, however, since the Hurricane fighter was supposed to be carrying an RL15 all the way back in 2297.

Sounds like an errata for one book or another...

[kaliban]

Interstellar Operations (page 217) says Prototype RL-10s were introduced in 2320.  They also take a +1 penalty to hit.

as far as I know, R/Ls become lostech before the Succession Wars. You can say the same for Rifle Cannons: I would consider them for field guns if they were not considered lostech by 3025. The heavy rifle cannon is cheaper than an AC/5 and delivers more damage (even against BAR10 armor)

[Daryk]

IO Page 46 gives all Rocket Launchers availability codes of B for all eras.