I am confused about restart rolls and the colors on the heat knob. I apologize if this is
an extremely basic question. I don't think that the specific 'Mech matters, but I am using
Dagger Di Jones (Hatchetman), which is D131.
http://www.warrenborn.com/Unit.php?ID=D131- Let's say that on turn 5, because I have gained too much heat, I find myself completely
shutdown. The heat knob shows three radiation symbols. - Turn 6 is my opponent's turn.
- Next, on turn 7, I am busy giving orders to other units, so the 'Mech doesn't get an order.
Accordingly, the heat drops by 1 point during the clean-up phase. Now the heat knob
shows a white -1 for the melee damage penalty, a red -2 for the ballistic damage penalty
(avoid ammo explosion: critical), and a yellow -1 for the speed penalty (avoid shutdown).
I resolve the ammo explosion roll, and let's assume the 'Mech survives that. Then I roll a
d6 to restart, and my 'Mech restarts on a 3--6, but it remains shutdown on a 1--2. Suppose
that I roll a 1 or 2. My 'Mech remains shut down. - Turn 8 is my opponent's turn.
- Now on turn 9, I might vent or I might not. If I vent, then all three positions on the heat knob
are showing white. If I do not vent, then I have a yellow color on the ballistic damage penalty
(avoid ammo explosion), but no other colors. Either way, I don't know what my restart roll
should be. What should my restart roll be?
Reading the SEC and the rules, if I have a green color showing on the speed-penalty slot of
the heat knob, then I automatically restart; if I have a yellow color showing on the speed-penalty
slot of the heat knob, then I restart on a roll of 3--6; if I have a red color showing on the
speed-penalty slot of the heat knob, then I restart on a roll of 4--6. What do I need to roll for
restart if the heat knob is white?
I guess saying 2--6 = restart, and 1 = don't restart for white would make a smooth transition and
result in a clear probability model, but the rules say nothing about that. In other words, red=4-6,
yellow=3-6, white=2-6, and green=1-6.
I hope I am not forbidden from making restart rolls during the turns when the speed-penalty
slot of the heat knob is showing white. If that's the case, then the 'Mech will only restart when
the heat knob is showing all greens. If I don't use any Vent orders, that will happen in turn 15,
which means my poor 'Mech has been shutdown for 10 turns! (Namely turns 6--15)
Again, sorry if this question is too basic, but I am very, very confused.
---Greg