A Case for Mech Magshots

[Der Kommissar]

It's been a long time (that's putting it lightly), but I've been getting back into Battletech again, which of course means fooling around with custom variants and vehicles.  Now typically I'm more of a 'fluff' guy who prefers a unit to feel like something that might've cropped up in a TRO (or at least wouldn't be out of place in one), and I tend to prefer SW tech with maybe a bit of Star League tech to salt the dish, but this creation was purely out of mechanical curiosity.

I'm probably not gonna scandalize anyone if I opine that mech-scale MagShot rifles are...bad.  Like, really bad.  Bulky, low damage, prone to blowing up and in need of feed to be worth anything.  They don't even get AI perks, and that's just unfair when you look over at the Clans and their shiny AP gauss rifles.  But that got me thinking, what could they be used for, and it occurred to me that they might be something you could throw on a VTOL.  Specifically, a VTOL-hunting VTOL, fast enough to run down most of what's out there and throw spitballs until they die.  The guns are still garbo for damage, but they've got a bit of a range edge on the ER smalls you see on the Mantis, and they work with targeting computers...

I ended up throwing a VTOL chin turret on there, too, purely for the odds of reducing those ever-important rotor hits.  Let me know if it tickles your fancy any.  :thumbsup:

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Hawkbat Strike VTOL

Mass: 25 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Motive Type: VTOL
Rules Level: Experimental Tech
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-D
Production Year: 0
Dry Cost: 1,077,694 C-Bills
Total Cost: 1,079,694 C-Bills
Battle Value: 554

Power Plant:  185 Fuel Cell Engine
Cruise Speed: 140.4 km/h
Flanking Speed: 216.0 km/h
Armor:  Heavy Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    5  Magshots
    1 Unknown Targeting Computer
Manufacturer:
    Primary Factory:
Communications System:
Targeting and Tracking System:

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      18 points                2.50
Engine:             Fuel-Cell Engine             185                       9.00
    Cruise MP:  13
    Flank MP:   20
Heat Sinks:         Single Heat Sink             1                         0.00
Control Equipment:                                                         1.50
Lift Equipment:                                                            2.50
Turret:                                                                    0.50
Armor:              Heavy Ferro-Fibrous          AV -  69                  3.50

                                                      Armor     
                                                      Factor     
                                               Front     18       
                                          Left/Right   12/12       
                                              Turret     15       
                                                Rear     10       
                                               Rotor     2         

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat     Spaces     Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Magshots                                   FR        4         4         2.00
Magshot                                      T         1         1         0.50
Targeting Computer                           BD        -         1         1.00
@Magshot Gauss Rifle (100)                   BD        -         0         2.00

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      2    Points: 6
13v        2       2       0       0      1     0   Structure:  2
Special Abilities: EE, TUR(1/1/0)



[AlphaMirage]

They are pretty decent against battle armor, decent range and damage for the mass and adequate ammo

[Daryk]

They're essentially SRM-1s that aren't subject to AMS...  ^-^

[Atarlost]

I'm probably not gonna scandalize anyone if I opine that mech-scale MagShot rifles are...bad.  Like, really bad.  Bulky, low damage, prone to blowing up and in need of feed to be worth anything. 

Bulky? Are they really -- Karpov on a crutch, they are bulky.  Why?!  On BA, they're 3 slots.  LRM-5s are 4 slots.  LRM-5s are one crit.  Curse you, I has successfully repressed my memory of that particular bit of stupidity.  Nothing that takes less than 4 slots on BA should be more than one crit on a mech.

Still, they make multiple attack rolls instead of using the cluster table so they have the same expected damage as streak SRMs and vehicles rarely run into the slot limit unless you're doing something really weird.  Magshot spam is pretty weird, but unless it's all you're doing it's probably not weird enough to cause problems. 

This is a hastily thrown together fusion powered hover tank designed around a PPC with streak SRMs to cover the minimum range. 

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Example (SSRM)

Mass: 40 tons
Movement Type: Hover
Power Plant: 145 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 86.4 kph
Maximum Speed: 129.6 kph
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
     1 PPC
     1 Streak SRM 6
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3145
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-X-X-D
Cost: 1,922,700 C-bills

Type: Example
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Movement Type: Hover
Tonnage: 40
Battle Value: 939

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                    4
Engine                        145 Fusion              8
Cruising MP: 8
Flank MP: 12
Heat Sinks:                   10                      0
Control Equipment:                                  2.0
Lift Equipment:                                     4.0
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Turret:                                             1.5
Armor Factor (Ferro)          143                     8

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   4         37   
     R/L Side               4/4      28/28   
     Rear                    4         22   
     Turret                  4         28   


Weapons
and Ammo                 Location    Tonnage   
Streak SRM 6              Turret       4.5     
PPC                       Turret       7.0     
Streak SRM 6 Ammo (15)     Body        1.0
This is the same hovertank with magshots.  Ammo won't last quite as long unless you're a really good shot, but even doubling the ammo bin size it nets a full ton of extra armor because instead of a 4.5 ton missile rack in a 1.5 ton turret it has six 0.5 ton magshots in a 1 ton turret.  And we've got slots to spare. 

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Example (magshot)

Mass: 40 tons
Movement Type: Hover
Power Plant: 145 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 86.4 kph
Maximum Speed: 129.6 kph
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
     1 PPC
     6 MagShot
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3145
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-X-X-D
Cost: 1,736,400 C-bills

Type: Example
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Movement Type: Hover
Tonnage: 40
Battle Value: 972

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                    4
Engine                        145 Fusion              8
Cruising MP: 8
Flank MP: 12
Heat Sinks:                   10                      0
Control Equipment:                                  2.0
Lift Equipment:                                     4.0
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Turret:                                             1.0
Armor Factor (Ferro)          161                     9

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   4         40   
     R/L Side               4/4      32/32   
     Rear                    4         25   
     Turret                  4         32   


Weapons
and Ammo                         Location    Tonnage   
PPC                               Turret       7.0     
6 MagShot                         Turret       3.0     
Magshot Gauss Rifle Ammo (100)     Body        2.0

[Daryk]

And, as I mentioned before, they're immune to AMS...  ^-^

[Der Kommissar]

They certainly do seem to suit vehicular use better than mech use.

[AlphaMirage]

Depends on the Mech I suppose. A battle armor hunter like the Komodo would be a good platform for Magshots

[CVB]

Nice dogfighter. Since you already pay in weight, TechLevel and cBills for the chin turret, I would put more guns from the front in there. Might often save you an MP or two when you don't need to change attitude to keep your prey in the front firing arc.

BTW, MML lists the cost as 917,278 C-bills

[Der Kommissar]

I'm still using SolarisSkunkWerks (well, ArmorWerks).  I've been made to understand there may be some variation because it's not the most up-to-date mechmaker any longer.  You have a good point wrt. the chin turret.  A couple on the wings and a pair in the chin would be aesthetically appealing., I suppose.

[Sabelkatten]

As said, Magshots are crap on mechs. But on vehicles they really shine when you want to "fill out" a TC.

Consider: a PPC is 7 tons. 2-ton TC supports 8 tons. Add two Magshots! RAC/5 at 10 tons - add quad Magshots! :D

[Hellraiser]

As said, Magshots are crap on mechs. But on vehicles they really shine when you want to "fill out" a TC.

Consider: a PPC is 7 tons. 2-ton TC supports 8 tons. Add two Magshots! RAC/5 at 10 tons - add quad Magshots! :D

Agreed on the PPC, for the RAC-5 I'm prone to go with Twin ERMLs instead.

The biggest issue w/ Magshots is the chain explosions once they start getting critted.