I initially posted all of these together with a to-do of adding example 'mechs made with those rules. I knew that including example 'mechs was important, but I didn't really play my hand that way. Each custom 'mech requires some discussion and review. Enough to make each rules system into its own post.
Primitive Omnimechs (a recap)
When the Inner Sphere encountered omnimechs in 3050, there had been very little like them. Yes, omnitechnology was based on the Mercury, but the Inner Sphere didn’t have anything like it. Even if they had, it wouldn’t have been the system which allowed almost unrestricted swapping of omnipods, drastically reduced repair costs, and free carry weight for battle armor. Sure it costs more C-Bills which players (and now the setting) barely use and it can’t mount actuators on a hand with a big gun, but they’re a rare technology in Battletech that’s almost 100% upside.
What if there were a different technology which granted similar abilities? What if they were in early development before the Clans invaded, but were shelved with the introduction of a strictly better system? What if these primitive omnimechs–Everymechs–were more distinctive and restricted? What if there was bad omnitech?
Hardpoints
A core concept for these different omnimechs is the hardpoint. Hardpoints are a collection of contiguous critical slots which have restrictions on the pods which can be mounted in them.
Singular Equipment Limitation
Unless otherwise stated, hardpoints can only carry one piece of equipment. Ammunition for ammunition-fed weapons and assistive equipment (such as Artemis IV systems and Targeting Computers) can share a hardpoint with one of the pieces of equipment they assist, provided they otherwise meet the restrictions of the hardpoint.
A hardpoint can be shared across two or three adjacent locations for equipment, like AC/20s and Engines, which can be shared across locations. A shared hardpoint can still only carry one piece of equipment, which is still subject to Singular Equipment Limitation and such weapons only fire in the most restrictive arc.
Generally, if equipment can be pod-mounted on an omnimech it can be pod-mounted in a hardpoint of one of the ‘mech types below. Equipment which cannot be pod-mounted on an omnimech cannot be pod-mounted in a hardpoint of one of the ‘mech types below. Repair and replacement times are treated as though they’re omnimechs.
Multimechs
Multimechs
have three tiers of hardpoints and they have a structure weight penalty
relative to the type and number of hardpoints they have. They are more
complex, but also have more restrictions–and more character–than
Versamechs and Omnimechs.
Rules
Instead of the Versamech’s
flat 50% structure weight penalty, the Multimech’s structure weight
penalty is dependent on the hardpoints it mounts and their tiers.
Tier I: +1% per Tier I hardpoint
Tier II: +4% per Tier II hardpoint
Tier III: +7% per Tier III hardpoint
In recognition of the Crossbow and Battle Cobra fluff, hardpoints mounted in arms get a -1% structure weight penalty bonus.
Effects
which alter the ‘mech’s structure weight like Endo-Steel Structure and
Reinforced Structure will apply before the structure is rounded.
Multimechs
pay an additional 25% of their C-Bill cost in Gyro, Structure, Cockpit,
and hardpoint-mounted weapons/equipment. Their cockpits, gyro, and
structures are specific and required for Multimechs, but may be used by
other battlemechs.
Multimechs have hard-mounted equipment. The
remainder of their critical spaces can either be unused or dedicated to
hardpoints. The remainder of their tonnage is used for pod space.
Tier I hardpoints have no Singular Equipment Limitation.
Tier II hardpoints can mount any equipment a Tier I hardpoint can mount, but still suffer the Singular Equipment Limitation.
Tier
III hardpoints can mount any equipment a Tier II or Tier I hardpoint
can mount, but still suffer the Singular Equipment Limitation.
Tiers
can be dictated by any hierarchy of equipment: tonnage, tech rating,
etc. But in this case, it’s the equipment type with a rough
approximation of sophistication.
.
Tier I: Melee, Direct Ballistic, Performance Enhancement, Ammo, Lower Arm & Hand Actuators
Tier II: Missile, Gyro, Engine, Targeting System
Tier III: Direct Energy, Pulse, Electronics, Area Effect, Point Defense
Pod-Swappable Gyros and Engines
Unlike
Omnimechs and Versamechs, Engines and Gyros can be pod-mounted by
Multimechs. They gain the -2 skill bonus on tech rolls for replacements
and the replacement of an omnigyro or omniengine take 1/4 the time as
that of a non-omnigyro and a non-omniengine.
Omnigyros and
omniengines are specific and required for Multimechs, but can be
permanently converted for use by standard battlemechs. Like with
omnipods, they cannot be used as omni parts once converted for standard
use.
This means that there are both Multimech gyros and Multimech omnigyros, as well as XL, Compact, etc. versions of the same.
There
are also XL omniengines, which require a shared Tier II hardpoint with 6
crits in the Center Torso and 3 crits in each Side Torso.
Special Equipment
Structural
Plating C-O - This unique composite is a formed shell using the
non-power and non-coolant attachments in a Multimech to form a shell
with lattice around the other equipment in that hardpoint. The brittle
shell shatters after just a few hits, but provides significant
protection. Because of the large external ports of weapons, C-O plating
cannot protect weapons.
1 ton, 1 crit - This equipment can only be
mounted on Multimechs. Structural Plating will defend all non-weapon
equipment in its hardpoint from up to two critical hits(but not
head/limb blown off results). It is Performance Enhancement equipment
and considered Tier I. It is considered assistive equipment and may be
included in Tier II & III hardpoints with other equipment it
protects.
Example:
Hauptmann HAM-O
Mass: 95 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped Omnimech
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-D
Production Year: 3060
Battle Value: 1,292
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 285 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 32.4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 54.0 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor w/ CASE
Armament:
43.0 tons of pod space.
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 145 points 14.50
Engine: Fusion Engine 285 16.50
Walking MP: 3
Running MP: 5
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 11(22) 1.00
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 293 18.50
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 30 45
Center Torso (rear) 15
L/R Torso 20 30
L/R Torso (rear) 10
L/R Arm 16 32
L/R Leg 20 40
Hardpoints
================================================================================
Loadout Name: Prime Cost: 12,586,781
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-D BV2: 2,111
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 15(30) 4.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT, 1 LA, 1 RA
CASE Locations: 1 RT 0.50
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA+LA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER Large Laser RA 12 2 5.00
Medium Pulse Laser RA 4 1 2.00
Medium Pulse Laser LA 4 1 2.00
ER Large Laser LA 12 2 5.00
Guardian ECM Suite LT 0 2 1.50
LB 20-X AC CT/RT 6 2/9 14.00
ER Small Laser HD 2 1 0.50
@LB 20-X (Cluster) (5) RA - 1 1.00
@LB 20-X (Cluster) (5) RT - 1 1.00
@LB 20-X (Slug) (5) RT - 1 1.00
@LB 20-X (Slug) (5) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 13
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 10 Points: 21
3 4 4 2 0 4 1 Structure: 8
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, FLK 1/1/0
================================================================================
Loadout Name: A Cost: 11,719,469
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-D BV2: 2,298
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jumping MP: 3 (Standard)
Jump Jet Locations: 2 CT, 1 LT 6.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 16(32) 5.00
Heat Sink Locations: 3 LT, 1 LA, 1 RA
CASE Locations: 1 RT 0.50
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 ER Medium Lasers RA 10 2 2.00
SRM-4 RA 3 1 2.00
2 ER Medium Lasers LA 10 2 2.00
SRM-4 LA 3 1 2.00
Gauss Rifle RT 1 7 15.00
ER Medium Laser HD 5 1 1.00
@Gauss Rifle (16) RT - 2 2.00
@SRM-4 (25) RT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 15
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 10 Points: 23
3j 5 6 2 0 4 0 Structure: 8
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, SRM 1/1/0
================================================================================
Loadout Name: B Cost: 11,992,781
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-D BV2: 2,148
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 15(30) 4.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT, 1 LA, 1 RA
CASE Locations: 1 RT 0.50
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER PPC RA 15 3 7.00
ER PPC LA 15 3 7.00
Small Pulse Laser LT 2 1 1.00
Ultra AC/20 CT/RT 8 2/8 15.00
Small Pulse Laser HD 2 1 1.00
@Ultra AC/20 (15) RT - 3 3.00
Free Critical Slots: 17
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 10 Points: 21
3 4 4 2 0 4 1 Structure: 8
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
================================================================================
Loadout Name: C Cost: 12,247,222
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-D BV2: 2,208
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 13(26) 2.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LA, 1 RA
CASE Locations: 1 RT 0.50
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER Medium Laser RA 5 1 1.00
ER Medium Laser LA 5 1 1.00
Guardian ECM Suite LA 0 2 1.50
LRM-15 LT 5 3 7.00
Artemis IV FCS LT - 1 1.00
Heavy Gauss Rifle CT/RT 2 2/9 18.00
ER Small Laser HD 2 1 0.50
@LRM-15 (Artemis) (16) RT - 2 2.00
@Heavy Gauss Rifle (16) LT - 4 4.00
Free Critical Slots: 14
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 10 Points: 22
3 4 5 3 0 4 0 Structure: 8
Special Abilities: OMNI, ECM, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 1
================================================================================
Loadout Name: D Cost: 14,606,744
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-D BV2: 2,142
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 14(28) 3.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT, 1 RT
CASE Locations: 1 RT 0.50
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA+LA+H
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Rocket Launcher 10s RA 6 2 1.00
ER Medium Laser RA 5 1 1.00
Heavy PPC LA 15 4 10.00
Rocket Launcher 10 LA 3 1 0.50
Gauss Rifle RT 1 7 15.00
C3 Computer (Master) LT 0 5 5.00
ER Small Laser HD 2 1 0.50
@Gauss Rifle (8) RT - 1 1.00
@Gauss Rifle (8) CT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 16
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 10 Points: 21
3 4 4 4 0 4 0 Structure: 8
Special Abilities: OMNI, C3M, TAG, CASE, MHQ5, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
Obviously, it was important to test 'mechs to see how this system worked. Even after compressing and reconfiguring the stock Hauptmann to minimize its equipment slots, it's missing 5.0 tons.
That compression and reconfiguring also featured a questionable break in the rules. If the ability to replace XL engines opens up hardpoints which stretch across the Left, Center, and Right Torsos, then why not make one massive T1 hardpoint that only imposes a 1% structure weight penalty? It's limited to ballistics and basic equipment, but it feels a bit scummy.
Tier I slots are to provide basic flexibility, not hax the system. But I can't complain too much when six Tier III hardpoints rocked these numbers.
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