Weapons and Heavy Equipment

Overview

The modern battlefield has become a cornucopia of technological innovation, replete with scores of vehicles great and small, and a weapons variety that is truly vast, from the smallest handguns and blades to the heaviest autocannon and capital-grade missiles. Even modern commercial and industrial equipment has found its way into combat—often as the last-ditch tools of the truly desperate.The following primer—while far from exhaustive—covers the basics of the types of military and industrial hardware likely to turn up in planetary-level combat today. Deliberately excluded are more advanced weaponry and equipment, such as artillery, experimental weapons and most capital guns.

Beagle Active Probe

Introduced: 2576 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2835

Broadly identified in the Inner Sphere as the Beagle Active Probe, the active probe is a powerful electronics sensor suite enhancement capable of detecting and identifying even shut-down or camouflaged units—excepting conventional infantry—at distances much greater and with more reliability than the standard-issue battlefield sensor suites used by most combat units today. Virtually every battlefield and support unit in existence may employ these probes, but because of their range, aircraft and other aerospace units (such as DropShips) rarely make use of this technology.

Modern Inner Sphere Beagle Active Probe models are integrated with sensor suites such as the Coventry MetalWorks’ Cyclops-Beagle or the Alexis Photon Target Acquisition System made by Irian BattleMechs Unlimited. Ceres Metals produces the popular Apple Churchill 2000 suite, with Beagle Probe and TAG, and our own Federated Hunter Mark XX incorporates both the Beagle Active Probe and an enhanced targeting computer interface.

Game Effect:

When activated, the probe performs a Sensor Lock against all enemies within its radius before entering a cooldown state. This component cannot be mounted along with the ECM component.

Tons: 6
Critical Slots: 4
Cost: 2,000,000

Models:

• Cyclops-Beagle Sensory Probe
• Diplan Inquisitor
• Hellespont Interrogator
• Imstar Oracle
• Wunderland Anomaly

Ferro-Fibrous Armor

Introduced: 2571 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2810

A more advanced form of combat armor, ferro-fibrous (and its aerospace/spacecraft analogue, ferro-aluminum) is a military-grade armor significantly lighter than standard armor. Ferro-fibrous achieves its lightweight properties through the wider use of diamond fiber filaments throughout the ceramic and steel layers (standard armor does not incorporate a diamond weave in the steel layer). While this makes ferro-fibrous far more bulky, the weight savings afforded by this armor type for the same level of protection can enable units to mount more weapons and equipment. Of course, this capability must be balanced against the limited internal space left after its installation.

Limited by design (and economics) to military vehicles and BattleMechs, ferro-fibrous armor was available in a variety of popular brand names including Durallex, Kallon Unity Weave, Lexington Limited High Grade and StarGuard.

Artemis IV Fire-Control System

Introduced: 2598 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2855

In an effort to enhance the accuracy and lethality of standard missile racks, the Star League developed the Artemis IV fire-control system. Mounted in a dome near the enhanced launcher, the Artemis was in essence an infrared laser designator, target lock mechanism and tight-beam microwave transmitter that—together with specialized missile control systems—helped to focus the spread of all missile volleys so enhanced. Though not as foolproof as the Streak system (as a consequence of design philosophy), the Artemis IV’s constant course-correction data stream rendered standard short- and long-range missile launchers even more lethal in combat with an average increase of roughly 35 percent in the number of missiles per volley that hit the target.

The Artemis is a jealous electronics system by nature; its compatibility is solely focused on standard LRM and SRM launch systems, and requires that all such systems on a given chassis be similarly equipped. Even then, the launchers receive the targeting benefits only when using Artemis-equipped munitions. (The launchers may also fire standard missiles, but the Artemis has no impact on accuracy.) Other targeting enhancements like the Streak system or Narc beacons do not benefit from the use of Artemis IV, though most may still be fired by an Artemis-equipped launcher. While this hardware restriction may seem an inconvenience, in practice it can simplify the munitions needs of a given combat unit by encouraging the use of only one type of missile load in the field.

Autocannon

For what amounts to one of the most basic combat systems on the modern battlefield, autocannons (often abbreviated as ACs) are a broadly varied class of rapid-firing, auto-loading, heavy ballistic weaponry—gigantic machine guns, in other words. With calibers ranging from 30 to 90 millimeters at the lighter end, to as much as 203 millimeters or more at the heaviest, most autocannons deliver their damage by firing high-speed streams or bursts of high-explosive, armor-defeating shells through one or more barrels. While caliber and firing rate can vary greatly, four main classes have emerged over the centuries, setting the standards by which all other ACs are rated, based on their relative ballistic damage. At the lightest end is the AC/2 class, followed by the long-time standard AC/5, then the heavy punch of the AC/10 class, and finally the brutal, close-in AC/20.

At the dawn of the BattleMech era, only two proven autocannon models existed: the AC/2 and the AC/5. Production model versions of the heavier AC/10 and the ’Mech-killing AC/20 did not appear until after 2460 and 2500, respectively (though the Mackie sported a prototype of the AC/10 as far back as its 2443 battlefield debut).

In the centuries since, additional autocannon variants have evolved, including the cluster-style LB-X and the high-speed Ultra. These autocannon styles—as well as the standard models—are discussed below.

Standard Autocannon

Introduced:
2250 (Terran Alliance [AC/5]);
2300 (Terran Alliance [AC/2]);
2460 (Terran Hegemony [AC/10]);
2500 (Lyran Commonwealth [AC/20])

Today’s standard autocannon (identified as AC in shorthand) is functionally identical to the models used as far back as the days of the Terran Alliance. Designed to cope with improvements in armor technologies of the day, these weapons maintained their destructive edge through more than 800 years of battlefield evolution. Even so, their time was nearing its end when the newer Ultra and LB-X autocannon classes emerged. Only their relatively inexpensive design has prevented the likes of Armstrong’s J11, Mydron models A through D, SarLon’s MaxiCannon and the Luxor Devastator-20 from becoming the next forgotten relics of history.

AC/2
Heat: 4
Damage: 25
Stability Damage: 5
Minimum Range: 120 m
Optimal Range: 480 m
Max Range: 720 m
Tons: 6
Critical Slots: 1
Ammo Per Ton: 25
Cost: 50,000

AC/5
Heat: 8
Damage: 45
Stability Damage: 10
Minimum Range: 90m
Optimal Range: 360 m
Max Range: 540 m
Tons: 8
Critical Slots: 2
Ammo Per Ton: 15
Cost: 100,000

AC/10
Heat: 12
Damage: 60
Stability Damage: 20
Optimal Range: 300 m
Max Range: 450 m
Tons: 12
Critical Slots: 3
Ammo Per Ton: 8
Cost: 140,000

AC/20
Heat: 24
Damage: 100
Stability Damage: 40
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 14
Critical Slots: 4
Ammo Per Ton: 5
Cost: 180,000

Models (AC/2):

• Armstrong JJ-Lite: As fitted on the Vulcan, the Armstrong fires 60mm shells.
• Imperator Smoothie-2
• Mydron D
• SarLon-2
• Whirlwind-L: The dual-autocannons mounted on the “older model” Blackjack had a caliber of 40mm.
• ZeusBolt

Models (AC/5):

• Arcturan Arms Longarm Series
• Armstrong J11: Designed by Armstrong Industries of the Free Worlds League, The 80mm Armstrong J11 autocannon is a reliable weapon with only a small chance of the weapon jamming when the barrel or receiver assembly are extremely hot.
• Defiance Type J
• Deleon 5
• Flak Autocannon
• General Motors Whirlwind: Famously mounted on the GM Marauder BattleMech, this autocannon fires 120mm shells in three round bursts.
• Imperator-A: Carried on the Rifleman, Imperator-A autocannons fired in five-round bursts.
• Mydron C
• Oriente Autocannon
• Pontiac Light: Manufactured within the Taurian Concordat, the Pontiac Light is frequently used on locally manufactured ‘Mechs and combat vehicles.

Models (AC/10):

• Armstrong Buster
• Federated Autocannon: An excellent large-caliber model firing in bursts of ten rounds and whose cooling jacket doubles as a protective sleeve for engaging in hand-to-hand combat. While one ton of ammunition only allows for ten bursts total, the rounds are stored in an equivalent number of big clips which are easy to eject and reload.
• Federated Autoloader/10-B
• Ceres Arms Model T: The Model T is noted as a venerable weapon with an excellent combat record.
• Defiance Blaster Type F
• Defiance Killer Type T
• Imperator-B
• Imperator-X
• KaliYama Class 10 Autocannon
• Luxor D-Series: The Luxor is known for having ammunition feed issues. Fires 80mm shells.
• Mydron Excel
• Mydron Model B
• Pontiac 50
• SarLon MaxiCannon: The auto-loader of the SarLon is also very similar to that of the much larger ChemJet Gun 185mm.
• Western Heavy: Long praised by Taurian Concordat armor crews for its accuracy and potency, by the Reunification War the Western Heavy was considered a proven and dependable weapon.
• Zues 56 Mark IV

Models (AC/20):

• Armstrong
• ChemJet Gun 185mm: The titanic ChemJet Gun uses a popular propellant system that mixes two chemicals in suspension to propel its huge shells out of the barrel. This produces an enormous amount of heat, to the point that on the Mk I model of the Demolisher tank that the crews had to wear special coolant suits, though the later Mk II version solved this problem by channeling most of the ejection gases through the barrels.
• Crusher SH Cannon: Mounted on the Quickscell Hetzer Combat Vehicle, this weapon fires shells in the 150mm range in ten shot bursts.
• Deathgiver: The Deathgiver is known to fire 120mm rounds.
• Defiance Killer Type T
• Defiance ‘Mech Hunter
• Imperator-D
• Imperator Zeta-A
• Kali Yama Big Bore: The Kali Yama Big Bore is an Autocannon/20 model manufactured in the Free Worlds League and exported to the Capellan Confederation.
• Luxor Devastator-20: Examples of this gun gained a reputation for jamming.
• Luxor Heavy
• Mydron A
• Pontiac 100: The Pontiac 100 is famously known for massive firepower, but some models occasionally display ammunition feed problems when mounted to the Victor BattleMech.
• RNG Ranger
• Scarborough Original 20: Originally developed by Scarborough Limited, though the Scarborough Original 20 Autocannon did experience some initial developmental problems, the resulting weapon is equivalent to 200mm autocannons produced by other companies in the massive amount of damage it can inflict.
• Tomodzuru: The Tomodzuru-series has a massive 200mm barrel.
• Zeus-36, Mark III
• Zeus-75 Mark IX: The mammoth Zeus-75 fires a four-round burst of hypervelocity depleted uranium armor penetrators (HDUAP) capable of destroying most ‘Mechs up to 70 tons in a single salvo.

LB-X Autocannon

Introduced: 2595 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2840

An improvement on the common autocannon intended to expand the weapon’s role into anti-vehicle and anti-infantry work, the LB-X makes use of light, heat-dissipating alloys to reduce its weight and thermal buildup. These materials, coupled with a smooth-bore, multi-munition feed mechanism, make the LB more expensive than standard autocannons. However, the slight range increase and the ability to switch between standard-style bursts and explosive cluster munitions—both specially developed for this weapon system—more than mitigate this higher cost.

LB-X autocannons—like the Mydron Excel LB-X series, Imperator’s Code Red LB 10-X or Defiance’s Disintegrator LB 20-X—boast much improved efficiency over their standard kin. Indeed, even with their recent manufacture and expense, these weapon systems might well have completely outclassed and phased out their standard counterparts.

LB-X Cluster Ammunition: Cluster munitions for the LB-X AC series debuted and went extinct at the same time as the LB-X class of ACs themselves. These munitions may only be used by LB-X class autocannons and are effective against nearly all battlefield units, particularly vehicles and aircraft.

LB 2-X
Heat: 2
Damage: 4×12
Stability Damage: 1×12
Minimum Range: 120 m
Optimal Range: 480 m
Max Range: 720 m
Tons: 5
Critical Slots: 1
Ammo Per Ton: 300 (25 shots)
Cost: 150,000

LB 5-X
Heat: 6
Damage: 6×10
Stability Damage: 2×10
Minimum Range: 90 m
Optimal Range: 360 m
Max Range: 540 m
Tons: 8
Critical Slots: 2
Ammo Per Ton: 150 (15 shots)
Cost: 170,000

LB 10-X
Heat: 10
Damage: 10×8
Stability Damage: 5×8
Optimal Range: 300 m
Max Range: 450 m
Tons: 11
Critical Slots: 4
Ammo Per Ton: 64 (8 shots)
Cost: 230,000

LB 20-X
Heat: 20
Damage: 20×6
Stability Damage: 10×6
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 14
Critical Slots: 6
Ammo Per Ton: 30 (5 shots)
Cost: 240,000

Models (LB 2-X):

• Imperator Code Red

Models (LB 5-X):

• Mydron Excel 5SG
• Type OVR-X

Models (LB 10-X):

• Armstrong Class-B ClusterGun
• Blankenburg
• Defiance Disintegrator
• Defiance Shredder
• Imperator Code Red
• Kali Yama
• LB-X-P Type 10
• Luballin
• Mydron Excel: An 80mm autocannon.
• NAIS Mk. 1: Federated Suns prototype.
• Oriente Model 0: The Oriente Model 0 is actually a Star League era weapon, whose manufacturing line survived the early Succession Wars – with production only ceasing due to the Inner Sphere-wide decline in material technologies. When the Helm Memory Core reversed this trend, Oriente Weapon Works was able to reactivate their idle production line in short order, rather than having to expend R&D efforts to do so.

Models (LB 20-X):

• Defiance Disintegrator
• Flocculation LB 20 Class Autocannon
• Shengli

Ultra Autocannon

Introduced: 2640 (Terran Hegemony [UAC/5]);
Extinct: 2915

The advanced Ultra autocannon system (UAC for short) was first developed at the height of the original Star League by Kawabata Weapons, Inc. of the Terran Hegemony. Capable of higher sustained rates of fire than standard or LB-X autocannons, Ultra ACs could dish out twice the punishment in the same amount of time. Unfortunately, these weapons are prone to occasional misfires and arming failures when pushing their maximum fire rates—a factor that forced many UACs into early retirement after the fall of the original Star League. Nevertheless, the Inner Sphere found enough merit in Ultra ACs to expand the concept across all the same grades as standard-model autocannons. Even though they cannot use special munitions (their own magazines are tailored to the high-speed firing modes, which can be dangerous or detrimental to most specialty ammo), these weapons remain popular for attack and assault units.

Mydron, Imperator and Defiance—the big names in heavy autocannon technology—boast some of the most popular brand names seen today for Ultra ACs.

Ultra AC/2
Heat: 8
Damage: 25×2
Stability Damage: 5×2
Minimum Range: 120 m
Optimal Range: 480 m
Max Range: 720 m
Tons: 7
Critical Slots: 1
Ammo Per Ton: 25 (12.5 shots)
Cost: 200,000

Ultra AC/5
Heat: 16
Damage: 45×2
Stability Damage: 10×2
Minimum Range: 90 m
Optimal Range: 360 m
Max Range: 540 m
Tons: 9
Critical Slots: 2
Ammo Per Ton: 15 (7.5 shots)
Cost: 220,000

Ultra AC/10
Heat: 24
Damage: 60×2
Stability Damage: 20×2
Optimal Range: 300 m
Max Range: 450 m
Tons: 13
Critical Slots: 3
Ammo Per Ton: 8 (4 shots)
Cost: 320,000

Ultra AC/20
Heat: 48
Damage: 100×2
Stability Damage: 40×2
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 15
Critical Slots: 4
Ammo Per Ton: 5 (2.5 shots)
Cost: 370,000

Models (UAC/2):

• Mydron Model D-rf: The Model D-rf fires 20mm hypervelocity depleted uranium-tipped shells.

Models (UAC/5):

• Armstrong Spitfire JU22
• General Motors Nova-5
• General Motors PTAA
• Imperator Ultra-5A
• KWI Ultra: Developed especially for the STN-3L Sentinel, this advanced weapon was capable of firing at double the rate of a standard AC/5, a feature that was unique at the time.

Models (UAC/10):

• Imperator Ultra-10
• Mydron Excel
• Type 9

Models (UAC/20):

• Aero-Model 4
• Defiance Thunder
• Devastator
• Type 10
• Ceres Huang Di
• Type 20

Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment (CASE)

Introduced: 2476 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2840

One of the oldest examples of so-called “lost” technologies, CASE (as we know it today) actually predates the Star League by nearly a hundred years. Indeed, its earliest progenitors can be traced back even farther. Developed as a damage-control technology in the event of catastrophic internal explosions, CASE—then as now—became an intrinsic part of the armor system on BattleMechs, Combat Vehicles and fighters, intended to save crews and machines for later salvage. When heat or damage triggers an ammunition explosion in a CASE-protected location, specially designed blow-away panels direct the force of the explosion outward, through the rear of the machine. Though any remaining internal structure in the effected section is typically damaged in these blasts, CASE has spared many a machine that once would have been fully consumed by an internal explosion.

Originally kept tightly controlled by the Terran Hegemony (along with many of their vital technologies), CASE has proliferated among armorers across the Inner Sphere since its recovery, and even has been adapted for non-military equipment (as a guard against the effects of freak fuel tank explosions and the like).

Guardian ECM Suite

Introduced: 2597 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2845

Around the end of the Reunification War, Johnston Industries (a Terran Hegemony company, working in partnership with Yelm Weapons of Fletcher) debuted the Guardian ECM suite on the newly deployed Nightshade VTOL. This broad-spectrum jamming and electronic countermeasure system revolutionized electronic warfare (EW). In a day when most communications and targeting systems had grown accustomed to a battlefield flooded by conventional electronic noise and counter-noise, the Guardian was powerful and smart enough to scramble all hostile electronics within a spherical “bubble” roughly 100 meters across. The Guardian could even adapt to and scatter contemporary EW packages like the Beagle Active Probe, Narc Missile Beacon and Artemis IV—all while simultaneously keeping friendly channels and targeting enhancers clear.

Game Effect:

Friendly units within its ECM field gain Missile Defense and receive a +4 bonus against missiles plus immunity to Indirect Fire. Friendly units within an ECM field are effectively cloaked and cannot be targeted. This component cannot be mounted along with the Active Probe component.

Range: 100 m
Tons: 6
Critical Slots: 4
Cost: 2,500,000

Fusion Engines

Introduced: 2021 (Western Alliance, Terra)

Massive technological advances (for the era) made it possible to deploy relatively inexpensive fusion-based power supply systems small enough for vehicular use in the early twenty-first century. Naturally, one of the first applications of this technology appeared in military vehicles and aircraft. In the millennium since that time, combat fusion engines have only grown smaller, more efficient, cleaner and more powerful—enabling the practical development of the BattleMech as the titan of war it has become. Still by no means cheap to the average consumer, battlefield-rated fusion engines are manufactured across the Inner Sphere today by a relatively small number of producers. They range in mass from the half-ton (and incredibly rare) Omni-10 power plant to the truly massive (and rarely used) LTV-400, which tips the scales at 52.5 tons.

In practical application, these engines have evolved as technologies expanded, but they have proven most efficient when used to power BattleMechs (or IndustrialMechs). Combat Vehicles, by comparison, have to mount additional shielding and power conduits to handle and harness a fusion power source, which tends to add significant weight over and above the traditional ’Mech versions.

With centuries of warfare, of course, the best technological enhancements focused on these units, yielding to date a major improvement to battlefield fusion: the extralight (XL) engine.

Extralight (XL) Engines

These were first fielded by the Terran Hegemony’s armed forces in 2579, and achieved widespread use by the time of Kerensky’s departure in 2784. The Succession Wars destroyed the last of the XL engine plants by 2865, but the technology was recovered by the Lyran Commonwealth in 3035 as one of many lost treasures of the fallen Star League. These engines reduce their overall mass by roughly half, in exchange for far greater bulk, thus allowing a given unit to carry additional weapons, armor and other equipment.

Flamer

Introduced: 2025 (Western Alliance, Terra)

Flamers are a simple weapon with a long history, designed as much for psychological warfare as for devastation. Most effective as anti-infantry weapons, today’s heavy-weapon models of the flamer come in two basic types: fusion-powered plasma flamers (often regarded as the standard today), and the fuel-based chemical variety (often dubbed the “vehicle flamer”). Both are marketed by a number of well-known manufacturers across the Inner Sphere, from Flame Tech of Fletcher in the Free Worlds League to the Hotshot series out of Coventry, or the Zippo available from factories on Furillo and Hesperus II.

As anti-’Mech weaponry goes, the flamer is a poor weapon choice, lacking the range and damage potential of even the typical small laser. Most BattleMech-mounted models are the Standard type, which taps into the reactor to produce heat in the form of a plasma release, but these can deliver fire in short bursts only. Still devastatingly effective against infantry, flamer fire may raise an opposing ’Mech’s heat levels as well. Compared to a solid engine hit or two, however, flamers today can do little to imperil technology now so well protected by innovations like double heat sinks.

Because of their poor range and effectiveness against other units in aerospace combat, aerospace units rarely use flamers. However, their limited range and “spray” effect has made the Standard flamer marginally effective as a point-defense weapon. Chemical-based vehicle flamers, which are functionally useless in space, almost never appear on aerospace units.

Heat: 0
Damage: 5
Stability Damage: 0
Bonus: 10 heat to target
Max Range: 90 m
Tons: 1
Critical Slots: 1
Cost: 20,000

Models:

• Firestorm
• Flame Tech K-213
• Flameshot
• Skylight Model 5

Gauss Rifle

Introduced: 2590 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2865

The Gauss rifle was one of the most devastating ballistic weapons ever used on the battlefield. Developed by the Terran Hegemony (with prototypes in the field as early as 2587), this weapon system uses a series of magnets, rather than chemicals or powder, to propel an inert nickel-ferrous projectile through its rifle barrel. Through this process, the weapon achieves incredible muzzle velocities with almost negligible heat. Though it requires a great deal of power, and the charged capacitors represent an explosion hazard if damaged in combat, the raw kinetic damage a Gauss rifle can inflict—and the excellent ranges at which it can deliver such damage—easily surpasses these drawbacks.

The Star League-era Gauss rifle—first developed by Norse Technologies and deployed (originally in prototype form) on NETC’s Alacorn main battle tank—remains the standard by which all other ballistic weapons are measured. It is one of the few ‘Mech armaments powerful enough to tear an enemy ’Mech’s head clean off at more than half a kilometer.

Heat: 5
Damage: 75
Stability Damage: 40
Minimum Range: 180 m
Optimal Range: 360 m
Max Range: 660 m
Tons: 15
Critical Slots: 5
Ammo Per Ton: 8
Cost: 1,480,000

Models:

• Dragon’s Fire
• Grizzard 200
• Grizzard 210: A highly modified version of the standard Grizzard Gauss Rifle, the 210 trades width for length.
• Inokuma
• Imperator Dragon’s Fire
• M-7
• MilDouglas
• Norse-Storm M-7D
• Poland Main Model A: Developed under the Poland brand by Johnston Industries, the Main Model A is one of the most common and popular post Helm Memory Core Gauss Rifles available in Federated Suns space. Matching the spec of Star League era Gauss Rifles used by the SLDF, the Main Model A has an excellent track record and a well deserved reputation as both an accurate and reliable weapon.
• Poland Main Model C
• Poland Main Model R
• Zeus Slingshot: Manufactured in the Free Worlds League, the Zeus Slingshot matches the spec of Star League era Gauss Rifles used by the SLDF.
• Zhi-tong-yao

Hatchet

Introduced: 3022 (Lyran Commonwealth)

One of the more controversial battlefield weapons in the modern era—hailed as an innovation in the 3020s after three hundred years of stagnated military technology—the hatchet (sometimes referred to as an axe) is nothing more than a large hunk of deadweight built into a BattleMech’s arm as a permanent club. In the scavenger days of the late Succession Wars, it was common for MechWarriors, low on ammunition and out of weapons, to uproot trees or yank girders from the rubble of buildings and wield them as clubs. These improvised clubs invariably required two hands to wield, thanks to typical balance and weight issues, and usually shattered or splintered after one good hit. The Lyran “invention” of the hatchet, which used heavier industrial alloys wrapped in a titanium sheath for corrosion resistance, enabled BattleMechs to wield a more effective, reusable club that could dish out the same damage one-handed.

Of course, modern military production and the recovery of Star League techniques have ended the scavenger economies of those days, but rather than relegating the hatchet and its ilk to the arenas of Solaris VII, some warriors have inexplicably fallen in love with this dubious piece of hardware. Defiance Industries of Hesperus II, in fact, maintains a tradition of producing hatchet-wielders.

Heat Sinks

Introduced: 2022 (Western Alliance, Terra)

The waste heat generated by battlefield engines and the weapons they empower made heat management a first priority as soon as fusion power and energy weapons became commonplace. The insulated nature of combat armor—particularly on BattleMechs and aerospace fighters—meant that such heat typically became trapped within the machine, endangering crews and heat sensitive components. Heat sinks were the solution. Essentially a series of heat pumps and coolant lines run through a ’Mech, fighter or other unit, these systems collect heat from coolant jackets and coolant lines in heat-generating equipment, designed to shunt heat away from vital components and out through baffles in the unit’s protective armor skin.

Virtually all fusion and fission engines incorporate a basic cooling system in their design that functions as the heart of this heat-exchange network. Though suitable for light duties, most units—from BattleMechs to Support Vehicles—usually expand these systems as needed to handle the added workload of any attached weapons and other gear.

Today’s heat sink technologies are essentially a refined version of the same ones that debuted with vehicle-sized fusion plants, though their design and efficiency have been enhanced though the centuries.

Heat: -3
Tons: 1
Critical Slots: 1
Cost: 30,000

Double Heat Sinks

Introduced: 2567 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2865

Star League-era double heat sink technology vastly improved upon the standard heat sink with a larger, more powerful radiator system that enhanced the effectiveness of the existing heat pumps and coolant lines. The effect was a bulkier exchange system—roughly two hundred percent larger—for the same physical weight. The increased bulk and other factors proved too problematic for vehicle design, however, and limited its application to ’Mechs and aerospace craft.

Heat: -6
Tons: 1
Critical Slots: 3
Cost: 630,000

Endo-Steel Internal Structure

Introduced: 2487 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2850

Endo-steel internal structure was designed especially for use in BattleMech skeletons, about the only form of unit flexible enough to efficiently employ it. Using zero-G manufacturing techniques that uniformly blend an exotic steel alloy, the process produces ’Mech “bones” that are twice as strong per unit of weight as standard structural materials, but with a significant increase in overall bulk made necessary by larger-diameter segments. The processes to create this type of ’Mech structure were lost during the early Succession Wars, when military orbital factories became favored targets for raiders.

Jump Jets

Introduced: 2471 (Terran Hegemony)

Found occasionally on BattleMechs and a few rare fusion/fission-powered IndustrialMechs, jump jets are an emergency short-range motive system that allow such units to quickly overcome restrictive terrain such as built-up areas, thick woodlands or even radical elevation shifts. Structurally placed deep within the framework of a given ’Mech, only the exhaust ports of these powerful thrusters are exposed through apertures in the rear torsos and legs, which makes them difficult to damage in combat. This “deep installation” prevents most jump-capable units from losing their enhanced maneuverability altogether in battle.

While functionally similar to the fusion-powered thrusters of aerospace fighters, jump jets lack the added boost provided by aerospace reaction mass that would otherwise allow for sustained thrust, and also cannot maintain the high levels of heat a constant burn would generate. Thus, these jets can only be engaged for a few seconds at a time—long enough to make a short leap, but not enough for true flight. Regardless, ever since their first appearance on the venerable Wasp design, jump jets have become a common sight on BattleMechs, deployed for every reason from a reconnaissance aid to an emergency booster for more mobility-handicapped units.

Laser

The laser (its name originates from the ancient acronym “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation”) is the most basic of modern battlefield energy weapons. Designed to deliver a concentrated burst of extreme heat to a small area, military-grade lasers can put a gouge through military-grade armors in a fraction of a second. Only the fact that sustained bursts of more than a few seconds would melt the optics used to align and focus each shot prevents lasers from becoming the ultimate “shoot-and-sweep” weapon.

The vehicular-scale lasers currently employed by BattleMechs, aerospace fighters and other modern combat units are commonly defined by their size and power class. The typical laser size and power classes are known universally as small, medium and large. Most of these debuted during the Age of War, with large lasers appearing first on the Mackie.

In addition, technological advancements have brought forth two new types of vehicular laser weapons beyond the standard models. These types include recovered extended-range (ER) lasers and the rapid-cycling pulse laser series.

Standard Lasers

Introduced:
2400 (Terran Hegemony [medium and small])
2430 (Terran Hegemony [large])

Compact and straightforward, standard laser weaponry managed to survive the depredations of the Succession Wars while their extended-range and pulse-style cousins were lost. Indeed, by the end of the Fourth Succession War, there remained almost fifty distinct standard laser models still in active production, with Martell’s medium laser line—considered by far the most efficient for the tonnage—manufactured on as many as six worlds.

Small Laser
Heat: 6
Damage: 20
Stability Damage: 0
Accuracy Modifier: -1
Max Range: 90 m
Tons: 0.5
Critical Slots: 1
Cost: 20,000

Medium Laser
Heat: 12
Damage: 25
Stability Damage: 0
Accuracy Modifier: -1
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 1
Critical Slots: 1
Cost: 60,000

Large Laser
Heat: 18
Damage: 40
Stability Damage: 0
Accuracy Modifier: -1
Optimal Range: 300 m
Max Range: 450 m
Tons: 5
Critical Slots: 2
Cost: 140,000

Models (SL):

• ChisComp 32
• Defiance A5L
• Defiance B3S
• Diverse Optics Type 10
• Diverse Optics Type 18
• ExoStar
• Firmir LaserLite
• Jackson Model 12
• Kajuka Type 1 “Stiletto”
• Magna
• Starflash

Models (ML):

• Aberdovey Mk II
• Aberdovey Mk III: While more expensive than the more common Martell lasers, the Aberdovey Mk III is of superior quality and requires very little maintenance.
• Angra 3L: The Argra 3L boasts a more rugged focal system and better spectral purity when compared to the older Argra 27C Medium Laser.
• Defiance B3M: The Defiance B3M was a model of Medium Laser in common use throughout the Inner Sphere.
• Diplan M3
• Diplass Optima
• Diverse Optics Type 2
• Diverse Optics Type 14
• Diverse Optics Type 18
• Firefly Type II
• Firmir Standard
• Hellion B-II
• Hellion-V
• Hellion Spitfire
• Intek: The Intek Medium Laser uses an 80mm focusing lens when mounted in a Crusader.
• Magna Mk II
• Martell: The Martell Medium Laser has a 60mm focusing lens.
• Martell Model 5
• Maxwell
• OMI HighBurn
• Omicron 950
• Omicron 3000
• Omicron 4000
• Photech 806c
• RAMTech 800
• Rassal Blue-Beam
• Starflash II
• Tronel II
• Victory 23R

Models (LL):

• Amdecker 300: The Amdecker 300 was one of the less well-known brands of Large Laser produced during the Star League era. Though noted as a highly accurate weapon, numerous Rotunda drivers claim it also generates waste heat unpredictably, complicating monitoring and adequately venting it. If not properly managed, the heat can damage the Amdecker 300 and its mountings forcing early maintenance, a situation made worse by the fact some technicians have difficulty repairing the weapon.
• ChisComp 43 Special
• Cyclops Eye: Developed towards the end of the Third Succession War primarily for the Drillson Heavy Hover Tank, the Cyclops Eye was an unconventional design. While most Succession Wars era heavy lasers feature vulnerable long barrels and focusing mirrors, this system needed only a small, slit-like emitter. This was a result of the system’s use of a unique combination of laser and particle beam technology. Instead of firing beam of light or a stream of particles, the Cyclops Eye used a combination of both to produce a beam of significant penetrating power. The effect of this weapon is comparable to the large laser systems produced by Diverse Optics or Martell. The Cyclops Eye is less vulnerable to damage than a conventional system, and is also easier to maintain and manufacture.
• Defiance B3L
• Lushann Redbeam: Due to the design engineers focusing on the Redbeam’s ability to withstand damage and maintain effectiveness, the Lushann Redbeam is larger in size and more unwieldy than others in the same class. This makes it more appropriate to heavy tanks than more mobile BattleMechs. Like all Lushann manufactured lasers, each Lushann Redbeam is inspected mechanically three times, checked over twice by hand, and tested on both an indoor and outdoor firing range before being released for shipping, a testament to the company’s reputation for good quality weaponry.
• Magna Mk III: The Magna Mk III is known to emit emerald colored beams.
• Nightwind: An old but extremely reliable weapon, all of the Nightwind’s components are battle-tested and quite sturdy, but are so bulky that it is one of the largest military lasers ever built. As a testament to the Nightwind’s robustness, on the Wyvern a pair of Starflash Small Lasers are able to draw power directly from the Nightwind’s primary feed without any loss in efficiency for any of the weapons.
• RAMTech 1200
• Thunderbolt A5M: Developed by Defiance Industries for the Zeus, the Defiance Thunderbolt A5M Large Laser is an extremely compact weapon. Limited by the available space on chassis of the Zeus, Defiance used their increasingly rare knowledge of fiber optics to dispense with the typical bulky barrel common to most other Large Lasers to design a smaller though no less effective weapon. Though Defiance was one of the few manufacturers who had the knowledge to work with fiber optics during the Succession Wars era, by the Third Succession War even they were concerned the Thunderbolt A5M would join the ranks of LosTech as the conflict dragged on as the weapon’s production rate began to slow due to its complexity.

Extended-Range (ER) Lasers

Introduced: 2620 (Terran Hegemony [ER large])
Extinct: 2950

Newhart Industries of New Earth fielded the first production run of extended-range large lasers for the SLDF in 2620, debuting a weapon system that boasted a longer reach than any other contemporary energy weapon. Within five years, the ER large laser became Newhart’s showpiece on their latest BattleMech offering, the HSR-200-D Hussar. The success of this ’Mech—largely attributed to the combination of its speed and its single, powerful weapon system—cemented Newhart’s place as one of the Terran Hegemony’s chief weapons producers.

ER lasers offer enhanced range in all size classes, but at a considerably higher heat cost.

ER Small Laser
Heat: 10
Damage: 30
Stability Damage: 0
Accuracy Modifier: -1
Max Range: 150 m
Tons: 0.5
Critical Slots: 1
Cost: 210,000

ER Medium Laser
Heat: 20
Damage: 35
Stability Damage: 0
Accuracy Modifier: -1
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 360 m
Tons: 1
Critical Slots: 1
Cost: 410,000

ER Large Laser
Heat: 25
Damage: 45
Stability Damage: 0
Accuracy Modifier: -1
Optimal Range: 330 m
Max Range: 570 m
Tons: 5
Critical Slots: 2
Cost: 610,000

Models (ERSL):

• Series 1

Models (ERML):

• Defiance Model XII
• Diplan M3-XR
• Diverse Optics Sunbeam
• Diverse Optics Sunfire
• Magna Mk VI
• RAMTech 1500Z
• Series 2b
• Series 7J

Models (ERLL):

• BlazeFire Sweetshot
• Cyclops XII
• Defiance Model 6
• Diverse Optics Sunbeam

Pulse Lasers

Introduced: 2609 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2950

The pulse laser uses rapid-cycling, high-energy pulses to generate multiple laser beams, creating an effect comparable to machine-gun fire. But because the staggered pulses give the protective ablation products from combat armor a chance to disperse—to expose fresh armor to subsequent pulses—the result is a burst of fire that is more effective and accurate. Originally developed by the Terran Hegemony, pulse lasers run cooler than ER lasers and pack a little more punch than standard lasers, but have a shorter effective range than either type. These weapons were popular on faster hunter/killer designs, which could close faster and benefit from the ability to land solid damage even on the fly.

Like many Star League technologies, pulse lasers were lost during the early Succession Wars and only returned after the discovery of the Gray Death Memory Core.

Small Pulse Laser
Heat: 12
Damage: 35
Stability Damage: 0
Accuracy Modifier: -2
Max Range: 90 m
Tons: 1
Critical Slots: 1
Cost: 140,000

Medium Pulse Laser
Heat: 20
Damage: 40
Stability Damage: 0
Accuracy Modifier: -2
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 2
Critical Slots: 1
Cost: 500,000

Large Pulse Laser
Heat: 30
Damage: 55
Stability Damage: 0
Accuracy Modifier: -2
Optimal Range: 300 m
Max Range: 450 m
Tons: 7
Critical Slots: 2
Cost: 990,000

Models (SPL):

• Defiance D5S
• Diverse Optics Type 10P
• Exostar Pinnacle
• Kajuka Type 1P
• Magna 200P
• Sunglow Prism-Optic

Models (MPL):

• Defiance P5M
• Magna 400P: Manufactured in both Capellan Confederation and Free Worlds League, the Magna 400P was noted as being generally and readily available throughout the Inner Sphere over the counter to anyone with enough C-Bills.
• Series 2d
• Series 14a
• Sutel Precision Line: The Sutei Medium Pulse Laser is known to emit bursts of red light.
• Tronel XII
• Victory Heartbeat

Models (LPL):

• Diverse Optics Type 20
• Diverse Optics Type 30P
• Thunderbolt-12
• Tronel PPL-20
• Tronel XIII: The energy pulses from the Tronel XIII are described as being bright green.
• Victory Drumbeat

Machine Gun

Introduced: Pre-spaceflight

Favored as the quintessential anti-infantry weapon since the first crude models appeared in the nineteenth century, the machine gun (MG) is not an uncommon sight on BattleMechs, but favored heavily by smaller units and vehicles, such as armored personnel carriers and even police SWAT trucks. Heavier and capable of a far greater volume of fire than the weapons carried by conventional infantry, these vehicular and ’Mech-mounted machine guns can flatten entire platoons of regular troops in just one or two passes.

Heat: 0
Damage: 3×5
Stability Damage: 0
Max Range: 90 m
Tons: 0.5
Critical Slots: 1
Ammo Per Ton: 200 (40 shots)
Cost: 10,000

Models:

• 20mm Gatling Gun
• Armstrong Minigun
• Blackwell B75
• Borman-A5C
• Bulldog Minigun
• Coventry Light Autogun
• Double-Gun
• General A70 Model
• General Motors MiniGun
• Grizzly-3 Minigun
• Johnston MiniGun
• Kicker
• LFN Lindblad
• M100 Heavy: The M100 Heavy Machine Gun is a 12.5mm weapon typically used to deter infantry attacks against Phoenix Hawk, Crusader and Exterminator BattleMechs.
• MainFire MiniGun
• Maxi Mini
• Mydron Mini-Gun
• PC-50
• Series IX
• Scatter Gun Light
• Sperry Browning
• SureFire MiniGun
• Voelkers 200

Missile Launchers

Today’s vehicular-scale missile launchers are a broadly varied weapon class used to deliver clusters of self-propelled—and usually self-guided—munitions to a target. Not to be confused with capital-scale missile launchers, the missiles mounted on many BattleMechs and Combat Vehicles are much smaller in size and power, adapted to the electronic noise, limited sensor acuity and effective armor in the tactical battlefield.

Long-Range Missiles (LRM)

Introduced: 2400 (Terran Hegemony)

Developed for reach, rather than punch, long-range missile racks are capable of indirect fire and a more concentrated dispersal of warheads. LRMs are typically mounted and launched in five-tube groups, with up to 20 tubes in a single rack. Standard LRM launchers are quite versatile, and can be easily upgraded with Artemis IV systems and even make use of a variety of special munitions. These launchers, which derive their impressive range from a ballistic launch angle, are notoriously less accurate close-in. Nevertheless, their flexibility and solid reliability at long distances has kept LRM models like Delta Dart, Holly, Shigunga and Valiant in production for centuries.

LRM-5
Heat: 6
Damage: 4×5
Stability Damage: 2×5
Bonus: Indirect fire
Minimum Range: 180 m
Optimal Range: 420 m
Max Range: 630 m
Tons: 2
Critical Slots: 1
Ammo Per Ton: 120 (24 shots)
Cost: 80,000

LRM-10
Heat: 10
Damage: 4×10
Stability Damage: 2×10
Bonus: Indirect fire
Minimum Range: 180 m
Optimal Range: 420 m
Max Range: 630 m
Tons: 5
Critical Slots: 2
Ammo Per Ton: 120 (12 shots)
Cost: 150,000

LRM-15
Heat: 14
Damage: 4×15
Stability Damage: 2×15
Bonus: Indirect fire
Minimum Range: 180 m
Optimal Range: 420 m
Max Range: 630 m
Tons: 7
Critical Slots: 3
Ammo Per Ton: 120 (8 shots)
Cost: 220,000

LRM-20
Heat: 18
Damage: 4×20
Stability Damage: 2×20
Bonus: Indirect fire
Minimum Range: 180 m
Optimal Range: 420 m
Max Range: 630 m
Tons: 10
Critical Slots: 4
Ammo Per Ton: 120 (6 shots)
Cost: 290,000

Models (LRM-5):

• Coventry Five-Tube
• Delta Dart
• Holly
• Holly V
• LongFire
• LongFire Light
• LongFire V
• Magna Longbow-5
• Sian-Ceres Jaguar
• Type V “Longbow”

Models (LRM-10):

• Delta Dart: An older model of LRM launcher noted for its “Drum” shape, as seen on the Griffin GRF-1N and the Thunderbolt TDR-5S. Still in production throughout the Inner Sphere and Periphery.
• Devastator Series-07
• Federated 10-Shot
• Gamma 10
• Irian Weapons Works Class 10
• Luxor 3R
• Shigunga
• Valiant Heavy CrossBow
• Telos DecaCluster
• Zeus

Models (LRM-15):

• Coventry Star Fire
• ExoStar
• TharHes Reacher
• Zeus

Models (LRM-20):

• Delta Dart
• Doombud
• ExoStar
• FarFire Maxi-Rack
• Holly
• Ingrid Systems
• Kali Yama Weapons Industries Type V
• Shigunga
• SturmFeur
• Telos Scoreshot
• TharHes Reacher 20

Short-Range Missiles (SRM)

Introduced: 2370 (Terran Hegemony)

Less sophisticated than LRMs, the direct-fired short-range missile (SRM) system makes up for its limited reach with the heavier punch of its high-explosive warheads. Mounted in racks of two, four or six tubes—SRMs are particularly effective against vehicles and infantry, and are often a favored weapon for smaller battlefield units. Their popularity has been proven by the longevity of brand names like Harvester, Holly, Hovertec and Telos.

SRM-2
Heat: 4
Damage: 8×2
Stability Damage: 3×2
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 1
Critical Slots: 1
Ammo Per Ton: 100 (50 shots)
Cost: 20,000

SRM-4
Heat: 8
Damage: 8×4
Stability Damage: 3×4
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 2
Critical Slots: 1
Ammo Per Ton: 100 (25 shots)
Cost: 60,000

SRM-6
Heat: 12
Damage: 8×6
Stability Damage: 3×6
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 3
Critical Slots: 2
Ammo Per Ton: 100 (16.6 shots)
Cost: 90,000

Models (SRM-2):

• Bical
• Harvester 2
• Harvester 2K
• Hover Tech
• Sian/Ceres Lynx

Models (SRM-4):

• Holly-4
• Holly-Short Range Missile Pack
• Hovertec Detachable Quad
• Irian Weapons Works Class 4
• Shannon Fore
• Telos Four-Shot
• TharHes Blue
• TharHes 4 Pack
• Thornbrush

Models (SRM-6):

• Alpha Wave
• Beta-6
• Bical-6
• Coventry 90mm
• Delta Bolt
• Exostar
• Harpoon-6
• Hovertec Hex
• Irian Weapons Works 60mm
• Shannon SH-60
• SureShot Mk VI
• Telos 6
• TharHes Maxi

Inferno SRMs

An enhancement of an ages-old incendiary weapon system, Inferno SRMs have been around since the early Succession Wars. These warheads combine volatile incendiary fluids with a soap-like chemical that adheres to almost any hard surface. Intended to raise the heat levels of enemy ’Mechs to dangerous heights, or to fry the crews of armored vehicles in their own metal coffins, these weapons have seen common use in many a brutal campaign. These missiles are susceptible to their own user’s internal heat issues as well, and so they are deployed less frequently than standard armor-defeating munitions.

Heat: 3
Damage: 2×2
Stability Damage: 0
Bonus: 5×2 heat to target
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 3
Critical Slots: 2
Ammo Per Ton: 100 (50 shots)
Cost: 90,000

Streak Short-Range Missiles

Introduced: 2647 (Terran Hegemony [Streak-2])
Extinct: 2845

The Star League development of the Streak SRM missile system was a significant enhancement of existent missile launcher technology, incorporating a kind of “smart override” feature in the targeting and firing mechanisms. Developed as a means of conserving ammunition, the Streak system literally refuses to fire unless all of the launcher’s tubes simultaneously achieve a “hard lock” on their target. While this approach guarantees a hit when the weapon fires, some have seen the system’s requirement for using only its own missile types (rather than any of the specialty munitions available) as a hindrance. Combined with the Streak’s increased cost—to say nothing of the unnerving risk that it may override a shot at the critical moment it is needed—this has kept the Streak system from completely replacing standard SRMs in the arsenals of Inner Sphere militaries.

Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry (MASC)

Introduced: 2740 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2795

The Star League developed MASC (Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry) as a means to coax tremendous speed boosts out of scout ’Mechs. Essentially an override for the standard movement circuitry regulating a BattleMech’s leg myomers, this system can push these bundles to expand and relax much more quickly than standard tolerances ordinarily allow. The result is a short, ten-second burst of speed—as fast as double the ’Mech’s normal walking rate—but the fact that the myomers and actuators are stressed beyond their normal tolerances can lead to alignment problems and bearing strain. With prolonged, continuous use, in fact, the likelihood of torn bundles and complete actuator malfunctions rises dramatically. Wiser MechWarriors thus prefer to engage MASC only intermittently, to avoid transforming their speed demon into a tangle of ruined limbs and a target for enemy units seeking easy prey.

Game Effect:

This experimental upgrade to the basic myomer musculature of a ‘Mech is intended to boost its speed without the need to increase its engine tonnage. It does provide a substantial movement bonus, but is highly unstable and can explode if damaged by weapons fire.

Bonus: +50% movement
Tons: 0
Critical Slots: 4
Cost: 2,000,000

Narc Missile Beacon

Introduced: 2587 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2795

Though hailed as another lost-and-found innovation of the Star League, at heart the Narc missile beacon is little more than a heavily modified and specialized single-tube SRM launcher. Rather than lobbing missiles, however, the Narc—adapted for the electro-magnetic soup of the modern battlefield—fires larger magnetic grappling munitions called (appropriately enough) “Narc pods.” These pods contain powerful homing beacons capable of cutting through most standard forms of ECM—at least until the Guardian suite came along—and are used to attract friendly missiles equipped with properly attenuated sensors. Though the effect is similar to that of Artemis-enhanced missile fire, some consider Narc pods superior to the Artemis because the signal lock cannot be broken once established. An attached beacon remains fixed to its target, calling in missiles upon itself until its unwilling “host” is destroyed. Moreover, the effect of a single unit equipped with a Narc launcher can enhance the targeting of every friendly missile support unit using Narc-compatible missiles, while the Artemis can only affect the missiles of the shooter.

Game Effect:

The Narc Missile Beacon launcher is designed to fire a single, highly specialized missile that deploys a homing beacon upon impact. The attached beacon transmits data to allied units, causing the linked target to receive increased damage from subsequent Missile weaponry attacks. Narc launchers are inherently very accurate.

Heat: 0
Damage: 1
Stability Damage: 0
Accuracy Modifier: -4
Bonus: +25% damage to target
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 3
Critical Slots: 2
Ammo Per Ton: 6
Cost: 310,000

Models:

• Apple Churchill Guiding Light
• Doering Electronics Glowworm
• Octagon Missile Magnet

Particle Projection Cannon (PPC)

The energy-based equivalent of the Gauss rifle, the particle projection cannon (PPC for short) is one of the most powerful non-ballistic weapons ever devised for the modern battlefield. Consisting of a magnetic accelerator, firing high-energy proton or ion bolts, PPCs can flay armor through kinetic and thermal damage. While popular belief may hold that PPCs are an electromagnetic weapon, it’s worth mentioning that even though most PPC bolts look like a flash of manmade lightning, the actual electrical component of a PPC attack is little more than an intense burst of static.

Since its invention, there have been two primary PPC types: the standard and extended-range (or ER) versions.

Standard PPC

Introduced: 2460 (Terran Hegemony)

The standard PPC is the favored “big gun” of lighter ’Mech classes and long-distance raiders that can’t afford to pay the tonnage for big ballistics like the Gauss rifle or autocannon/20. Once considered the apex of energy weapon technology, these particle cannons have excellent reach for the tactical battlefield and can vaporize about two tons of standard military-grade armor in just three solid hits. Unfortunately, they are less effective at ranges of less than 90 meters, as the particle fields at this range are deliberately inhibited by the weapon design. This feature—hardwired to every standard PPC model from the Donals produced in the Taurian Concordat to the Parti-Kills made on New Earth—is an electronics safety feature, intended to prevent the unfocused static of a discharging PPC from overloading the firing unit’s electronics. The enhancements that make ER models possible overcame this drawback, though the original models have remained popular for their lower cost and centuries of reliability.

Heat: 35
Damage: 50
Stability Damage: 20
Bonus: Target suffers +1 accuracy penalty
Minimum Range: 90 m
Optimal Range: 360 m
Max Range: 540 m
Tons: 7
Critical Slots: 3
Cost: 180,000

Models:

• Anderson Armaments
• Chalker Model 25
• Ceres Arms Smasher: When mounted in the right arm of the Vindicator the weapon features an innovative cooling jacket which possesses water intake ports around the muzzle, allowing the pilot to dip the PPC into a body of water and quickly cool it, with steam exiting via a nozzle at the opposite end.
• Donal: Used in the armament of the original Warhammer 6R and Battlemaster BLR-1G. Manufactured at various locations throughout the Inner Sphere and Periphery, it is distinct for the long ‘barrel’ and blocky power chamber.
• Fusigon
• Johnston Parti-Cannons
• Kinslaughter
• Kreuss
• Lord’s Light: The most common PPC produced in the Draconis Combine, the Lord’s Light is an exceptional model noted for its compactness and flexibility, allowing it to be mounted on the right arm of the 35-ton Panther while still retaining the hand.
• Magna Hellstar
• Parti-Kill Heavy Cannon: Unlike other PPCs, the Parti-Kill Heavy Cannon does not use an energy collection capacitor or similar chamber, instead using a series of magnetic collection bottles that gather plasma straight from the ‘Mech or vehicle’s Fusion Reactor. The resulting energies are then channeled through a larger magnetic bottle and released from the cannon as an energy “shell” that is unstable at ranges of less than ninety meters and loses cohesion and disintegrates at 540 meters.
• Rand
• Stolz Harbringer
• Tiegart: The Tiegart Particle Projection Cannon provides similar performance to the Donal PPC while being ten percent smaller. Unlike the more common Donal however, even during the Star League era Tiegart replacement parts were more scarce with fire control suffering greatly without a steady supply of parts, even with several redundancy circuits providing backup if needed. Production of the Tiegart PPC ended during the destruction of the early Succession War with designs utlizing the more compact PPC being reworked to use the more common Donal PPCs.

Extended-Range (ER) PPC

Introduced: 2760 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2860

The extended-range version of the particle projection cannon was one of the last weapons advancements of the Star League, debuting just seven years before the start of Stefan Amaris’ coup. Essentially achieving its superior range through sheer brute force, the ER version of the PPC runs fifty percent hotter than its standard-model progenitor, but gains a third more range and is effective from muzzle to maximum range—all for the same tonnage and bulk.

ER PPCs reached their apex in the final days of the Star League with Terra-based Martinson Armaments’ Kinslaughter H-Class, mounted on the SPT-N2 Spartan.

Heat: 45
Damage: 60
Stability Damage: 20
Bonus: Target suffers +1 accuracy penalty
Optimal Range: 510 m
Max Range: 690 m
Tons: 7
Critical Slots: 3
Cost: 1,200,000

Models:

• Aberdovey Mark XXX
• Blankenburg
• Blankenburg 200
• Ceres Arms Warrior
• Ceres Arms Smasher
• Defiance 1001
• Energizer
• Fusigon XI
• Fusigon Longtooth
• Johnston High Speed
• Kinslaughter
• Kinslaughter H-Class: Developed by Martinson Armaments for their SPT-N2 Spartan, the Kinslaughter H-Class was considered the apex of the ER PPC during the Star League era, noted for its inclusion of special insulating cones that made the weapon both easier to maintain and ensured it generated less heat than many other models of ER PPCs.
• Lord’s Light 2
• Majestry Metals Royal Flush
• Magna Firestar
• Magna Sunspot
• Ripper Series A1
• Series 1B
• Tiegart Maximum
• Type 22

Snub-Nose PPC

Introduced: 2784 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2790

The snub-nose PPC was a Star League-era experiment in “overcharging” the standard PPC design that died before it was fully completed and deployed. The intent of the experiment was to achieve the same devastating effect at a reduced weapon size, and to eliminate the standard model’s minimum-range effect. The net result, unfortunately, was a weapon that lost effectiveness over range and lacked some of the reach of the standard PPC, but had a better short-range envelope nonetheless. The weapon failed to reach widespread production before the Exodus.

Heat: 35
Damage: 15×5
Stability Damage: 5×5
Bonus: Target suffers +1 accuracy penalty
Optimal Range: 270 m
Max Range: 360 m
Tons: 6
Critical Slots: 2
Cost: 260,000

Models:

• Hound’s Tooth
• Lords Light 2b
• Lords Light 5

Target Acquisition Gear (TAG)

Introduced: 2600 (Terran Hegemony)
Extinct: 2835

Though it built on techniques already centuries old in 2600, Grumman Industries’ Alloran In-Line target acquisition gear became the model for the artillery-spotting laser communications system today known simply by the acronym TAG. More than a simple infrared laser-based target designation system, the TAG system tied into the user’s on-board targeting and tracking systems and used its own integral tight-beam laser communications array to link into the receptive guidance systems of certain friendly artillery warheads and guided bombs.

When initially fielded, the Alloran In-Line worked in tandem with the AIL Arrow IV homing missile (also developed by Grumman Industries). This technology was lost during the early Succession Wars.

Game Effect:

TAG is a specialized piece of equipment that “paints” a target for better impact efficiency from direct-fire weapons. In practical terms, this means that incoming damage from Ballistic and Energy weapons is boosted against any target that has been hit with a TAG shot.

Heat: 5
Damage: 1
Bonus: +10% damage to target
Optimal Range: 180 m
Max Range: 270 m
Tons: 1
Critical Slots: 3
Cost: 340,000

Models:

• Apple Churchill 442x
• CherrySeed Bullseye
• Garret Mole
• Tanadi Forward-1