BattleTech technology
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This article covers technology and equipment from within the BattleTech (BT) fictional universe. BattleTech Technology is extremely diverse, and can be categorized in many ways. In general, it revolves around the bipedal and quadrupedal war machines known as BattleMechs.
The technological arms race within the Inner Sphere from the start of the BattleTech fiction through to the current point in the timeline has undergone many changes. The most significant changes were the end of the Star League and the arrival of The Clans. Civilian technology advanced as well, however.
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[edit] Civilian technology
The first major technological improvement came with the realization of interstellar travel (see below). Colony worlds were planted that sometimes included efficient water purification plants, domed or underground cities, and terraforming. Most worlds that were settled were at least marginally inhabitable, so terraforming was generally light and included introducting alien fauna and species. Generally, if a world had a desirable resource but was uninhabitable, domes were erected. In general, the closer a world is to Terra, the more resources were expended on making it livable. Medical technology was capable of replacing missing limbs with fully-functional prosthetics, including myomer (see below) musculature. It could also implant secret devices or hidden weapons in people.[1] One constant that held true, however, was that the rich, core worlds, such as national capitals, enjoyed a technological sophistication far in excess of far-flung border worlds. Much civilian technology was lost and forgotten after the Succession Wars, but the Inner Sphere is slowly beginning to progress in this area of science once more.
[edit] Hyperpulse generators
The HyperPulse Generator (HPG) arrays are based on numerous worlds all across the Inner Sphere. ComStar owns and operates these, collecting payment from those who wish to transmit messages. The FTL devices are the primary means of interstellar communications, and ComStar has a virtual monopoly on their usage.
However, following the schism of the Word of Blake from ComStar after the battle of Tukayyid, HPG technology has slowly begun disseminating to the states of the Inner Sphere, with ComStar itself accepting money to help fund the creation of new stations.
As transmission is expensive, messages are frequently bundled into batches of hundreds, sent simultaneously. So, while the transmission of HPG array messages is done nearly instantaneously, it may be days, weeks, or months before a message is sent; one can pay a higher fee in order for "priority service". The maximum range of an HPG pulse is 50 light-years.
Transmission stations are categorized by a rating, either A, B, C, or D. Most stations in the Inner Sphere are class A or B stations, meaning that they transmit regularly and have high volume capacity. Class C and D stations are more often seen in the periphery or in backwater worlds, and they only transmit once a week or month, sending a few batched messages. In more recent fiction, there are only Class A and B HPG stations, with C and D possibly representing the smaller, portable units used by ComStar under contract or by ComGuard and Word of Blake military units. Here, Class A HPG's serve as regional hubs while Class B units serve off the Class-A network.
The transmission itself is a variant of the jump drive. The system effectively allows a radio transmission to travel through hyperspace for distances of fifty light years. The transmission cannot be bidirectional due to the manner that jump space works, but if two HPGs are used to establish a connection, one can receive transmissions and the other can send them, effectively bootstrapping a bi-directional comm system. This was first seen in the years leading up to the FedCom civil war, when the Archon subsidized construction of more HPG centers to allow real-time communications between New Avalon and Tharkad; effectively across the entire Inner Sphere.
During the Fourth Succession War, Comstar enacted a communications interdiction against the Federated Suns, attempting to halt their aggression. The Federated Suns appeared to still carry on after a fashion, because they apparently fashioned their own hyperpulse generator network, albeit inferior to the Comstar-monopolized network.
In the Dark Age novels, roughly 3/4 of the Inner Sphere's hyperpulse generators were nearly simultaneously destroyed, crippled, or in some other way damaged. Approximately 80% of the A circuit and a large portion of the B circuit were rendered inoperable by a computer virus which used a message cascade to burn out the HPG's transmission core. HPGs with components immune to this virus were attacked by forces unknown. It is unknown why or by whom this was done, but the actions crippled communications. Many important messages are now relayed via "pony express" dropship to planets without a working HPG. Planets with a working HPG have become much more important. This attests to the value of HPG's in the BattleTech Universe.
[edit] Interstellar travel (jumping)
Interstellar warfare would be even more violent and destructive were it not for the limitations of the Kearny-Fuchida FTL drive. The Jump, or teleportation of a very large mass, cannot be triggered at will. A number of days (typically a week, determined by the spectral class of the solar system's primary) must be spent collecting copious amounts of energy from the nearby star; this is done by means of a solar collector (essentially a solar sail) with an area of many square kilometers. The immense energy is accumulated in storage banks, typically a gigantic capacitor composed of a massive "rod" - up to a kilometer long - made from a titanium-germanium alloy (confusingly termed the "Drive Core"), or "Lithium-Fusion" batteries (Star League- and Clan-tech, later (post-3060) by the Inner Sphere), and dumped into the drive system wholesale to achieve the field-effect that results in a Jump. Jump drives may also be charged by the JumpShip's fusion reactor, which can result in a significantly faster recharge, but has several drawbacks, namely increased consumption of fuel for the fusion reactor and a slightly higher chance of a mis-jump due to the higher speed of the charge. Ships with lithium-fusion batteries typically charge the drive with the sail and the batteries with the on-board reactor.
JumpShips equipped with said lithium-fusion batteries allow the JumpShip to store two 'charges' for the jump drive, allowing the ship to make two jumps in quick succession. This places heavy stress on the jump drive and increases the risk of a failure in the drive or a misjump.
There are two primary causes for jump drive failures or mis-jumps. One is over stressing the drive, and the second is via spatial anomalies. The former is much more common, and results from poor maintenance, charging the jump drive too quickly (minimum time to do what is generally considered a safe jump is 150+ hours) - resulting in fractures of the Drive Core - or making two jumps in succession with lithium-fusion batteries. Spatial anomalies are far rarer, but are suspected to have caused the loss of several JumpShips over the several hundred years of their use.
[edit] Nadir, Zenith and Pirate Points
Jumping almost always takes place far above or below a star's magnetic poles, where in the BattleTech universe gravitational influence from the system's planets is negligible and allows FTL travel to occur. To jump, the JumpShip calculates the correct course and field strength and fires the Kearny-Fuchida drive, which instantly transports the ship to the destination star system, up to 30 light-years away.
It is possible for a JumpShip to use "pirate points" which are closer to the planets--and are caused as the planetary bodies of a system orbit, canceling one another's gravitational influence--but these points are much harder to navigate when compared to the traditional nadir and zenith points around a star. See Lagrangian point. Pirate points are so named because they are most often used for such actions.
The main reason that nadir and zenith points are preferred is commerce. While FTL jumps are not particularly hazardous, accidents can and do happen. K-F Drive failures, loss of the magnetic bottle, misjumps, and assorted other accidents that are common to highly technical pieces of machinery resulted in the majority of planets positioning their repair and transshipment facilities, as well as ship construction facilities, at one or both of these points.
[edit] Inner Sphere technology versus Clan technology
When the Clans returned during the Clan Invasion, they brought with them advances in technology such as weapons that were smaller and lighter than their Inner Sphere counterparts, with greater firepower, superior range, more effective heat sinks, advanced armor, lighter engines, lighter internal structure, superior sensor equipment, and the OmniMech design which allows for expedited equipment loadout changes to a Battlemech through standardized parts.
Most of these innovations were salvaged by Inner Sphere militaries and used as a basis for creating equivalent weapons and equipment. Due to the shared threat, there was unprecedented widespread sharing of technology among Inner Sphere Houses that allowed for many major technological breakthroughs in the years after the Battle of Tukayyid, which effectively ended the Clan advances temporarily. One major advance was the introduction of Inner Sphere designs that used Omni technology copied from the Clans. This allowed Clantech weapons and equipment to be carried by Inner Sphere OmniMechs, making it possible to intermix the two unique technology bases.
[edit] Clan technology
Clan technology is viewed as the pinnacle of science throughout the Inner Sphere. When compared to Inner Sphere technology, several things become apparent; clan hardware is considerably smaller, more lightweight, and more efficient than Inner Sphere tech.
The technologies that so devastated the Inner Sphere during the initial invasion, such as the OmniMech design, ferro-fibrous armor, as well as extended range weapons and pulse lasers are all evolutions of technology that was just entering production at the time of the Amaris Civil War.
Around that time the Star League Defense Force fled the Inner Sphere. During the 270 years that passed before the clans returned, the Succession Wars that tore apart the Inner Sphere resulted in a "Dark Age" where much technology was lost. Knowledge that the Clans still retained.
All this is not to say that all Clan technology is derivative from earlier developments. HarJel, a sticky mucous-like substance, was discovered on one of the distant Clan homeworlds and found to be useful for self-sealing armor for starships and infantry armor. In addition, the Elemental battle armor was developed from deep-sea hardsuits used by Clan Goliath Scorpion.
After the initial invasion was halted, Clan scientists realized that their technological edge was disappearing, and so they pressed for new technologies, new weapons, and resources. Thus motivated, the Clans developed a trio of new weapons technologies. The first was the Advanced Tactical Missile launcher (ATM) that, depending on ammo, could either have a hitherto impossible reach on the battlefield or a heavy punch close up, with a third ammo type that was a cross between the two. This new missile launcher also tied in a sophisticated fire-control that improved accuracy. Secondly, a powerful heavy laser system was developed which generated incredible amounts of damage compared to more common technologies. While this laser also generated radiation that affected onboard targeting computers, the ability to do more damage than many other heavy weapons in one shot offset any difficulty.
The final development was that of the ProtoMech, which could be considered a half-'Mech or super-heavy battle armor. The ProtoMech was a concept developed and fielded by Clan Smoke Jaguar to save scarce resources. Clan Smoke Jaguar techs hit upon the idea of building Points of the smaller ProtoMechs that could work together as a group, bearing firepower equal to a single 'Mech but at less than half the cost. The ProtoMechs provided a nasty surprise for the SLDF forces in the battle for the Smoke Jaguar homeworld of Huntress. Though unpopular in many Clans, some of the more resource-starved Clans such as the Blood Spirits have begun to deploy ProtoMechs in their Toumans.
[edit] Omni technology
Note: While the information in this section is specific to OmniMech technology, the Omni theory of equipment and weapon configuration has also been used in a number of other warfare fields in the BattleTech Universe, most notably in the construction of Clan Aerospace Fighters.
OmniMechs are a special class of BattleMech whose weaponry and equipment may be mounted and unmounted in a modular manner. This allows MechWarriors to customize their war machine's loadouts to emphasize their own skills and environmental considerations, making them all the deadlier foes to face in battle. Though beginning to appear more and more in the standard armies of the Inner Sphere, the OmniMech is still predominantly used by the Clans. Having mastered the design of the OmniMech many years before their invasion of the Inner Sphere in 3050, the Clans used these machines with frightening efficiency, decimating whole garrisons with nearly 3 to 1 or even 5 to 1 numerical superiority stacked against them. Incorporating a majority of Star League-era technology as well as native Clan technological advances, the OmniMech went on to symbolize the Clans themselves to much of the Inner Sphere.
Already in a technology race, all House armies treated these 'Mechs as the Holy Grail of BattleMech technology. Captured OmniMechs themselves usually never saw battle again until the Inner Sphere began to make small advances against the unstoppable Clan juggernaut. During that time, many of the Inner Sphere nations, most notably the Draconis Combine, made remarkable headway when they released reverse-engineered venerable Clan designs. Still, these OmniMechs paled in comparison to their parent designs. Not until after the Truce of Tukayyid in 3052 did the Inner Sphere begin to decidedly close the gap between their technology and their aggressors'.
The real power of the OmniMech lies in the modular construction of its design. The OmniMech was originally based on the Mercury BattleMech and is simply an evolution of that style of design. Though not solely created for modular weapon loadouts, the OmniMech design proved advantageous for repair and construction as well. Damaged components such as arms and legs could be easily replaced in half the time it took for common BattleMechs, even without the experience of the dedicated Technician Caste of the Clans servicing them. On top of this, many of the 'Mechs seen in the invasion also sported similar limbs to each other (most notably the Summoner/Thor and the Hellbringer/Loki OmniMechs, as well as the legs of the Timber Wolf/Mad Cat and Mad Dog/Vulture), leading many to believe that some parts serviced many chassis instead of solely one design. In a logistical sense, this greatly improved the Clans' ability to wage war. The ability of a front-line unit to quickly service, re-arm, or even modify the weapons loadout and put pilots back on the battlefield kept the Clans moving at their amazing pace. It also made Clan forces much more robust than their Inner Sphere equivalents, enabling Clan technicians to strip undamaged weapons and components from crippled chassis, and use them to repair and rearm lightly damaged mechs in a matter of hours - a job that would take days with Inner Sphere mechs, if it was possible at all.
Modular weaponry is not a new idea; jet fighters have had hard-points capable of using several different weapons since the 20th century. However, the automatically recalibrating gyro is the technology that makes modular weaponry in 'Mechs possible. Using the weight balance of a base chassis (which would include engine, gyro, structural members, armor, and any hardwired equipment) as a reference, the gyro can automatically recalibrate itself to any pod configuration, providing the base chassis was not modified as well. Clan Coyote, a clan who is credited with the perfection of the OmniMech, spent years attempting to solve the gyro balancing issue. Without this, the 'Mech's gyro would be set for one weight distribution. If that distribution was changed, the gyro would be incorrectly balancing the 'Mech, thus making it nearly impossible for the pilots' own innate balance to compensate through the neuro-helmet.
[edit] Weaponry technology
BattleTech weapons are divided into four categories: energy weapons, ballistic weapons, missile weapons, and melee weapons. In the Classic Battletech board game, all weapons have a tonnage, deal a specific amount of damage, and take up a certain amount of space. Ranged weapons have a defined short, medium and long range, while all melee weapons have a range of one hex. With the exception of machine guns all ranged weapons in Battletech also produce heat which has to be diffused by a unit's heat sinks.
The BattleTech Board Game does not take weapon recycle time into account. However, other versions of Battletech, including the computer games and the Solaris VII dueling rules, do account for weapon recycle or reloading periods.
[edit] Energy weapons
Laser weapons see wide usage throughout the Inner Sphere and Clan militaries in several different variations. Standard lasers use highly focused beams of light to concentrate intense heat on a small area. With the coming of the Clans, laser weapons grew even more prevalent on the battlefield. Some Clan 'Mech designs, such as the Nova Prime, mounted nothing but lasers, allowing the 'Mech to operate for extended periods without resupply of ammunition.
The Micro laser is another weapon that the Clans have deployed on the battlefield. Even smaller than the small laser, this weapon was originally designed for use on ProtoMechs. With the unpopularity of those, micro lasers remain uncommon. The Inner Sphere has not, as of yet, copied this design. Small lasers, the lightest variants built in the Inner Sphere, are commonly used as secondary weapons for a 'Mech. Although they are light and compact, they cannot inflict serious damage to a 'Mech by themselves. Small lasers are commonly employed as anti-personnel weapons, similar to machine guns. Medium lasers are widely-used weapons across Inner Sphere armies. These weapons deal much more damage than their smaller cousins at a far longer range. In large batteries, these weapons can deal enough damage to incapacitate even the heaviest 'Mech. Some Battlemechs employ batteries of medium lasers as primary weapons. Large lasers are capable of dealing high damage at long ranges and are a serious threat to any 'Mech. A drawback, though, is the tremendous heat required to generate such a powerful beam. Heavy lasers are another Clan-exclusive technology. These lasers do massive damage at long ranges, at the cost of extreme heat and reduced accuracy. These lasers are so powerful that the electronic interference from the weapon disrupts the on-board targeting computers of the firing 'Mech. ER lasers, or Extended Range lasers were the first innovation which the Clans brought with them. These lasers had much longer ranges than conventional lasers, at the expense of even greater heat build-up. The Inner Sphere quickly developed its own ER lasers, as well. As a show of versatilatily all lasers except for the Micro Laser as a varient of the ER Laser, even the PPC design has it own version too.
The pulse laser fires rapid-cycling bursts of energy, allowing smoke and other diffusing material to clear, increasing damage and accuracy at the cost of increased heat build-up and space. Pulse lasers also have a shorter range than their lighter cousins. In some of the BattleTech video games, the pulse laser instead fires a constant laser, at the cost of extreme heat. A non-tournament legal variant, X-Pulse Lasers are experimental Inner Sphere lasers that retain the range of their standard cousins, but at a large increase in heat.
PPCs fire a beam of charged particles, doing damage through both heat and impact of the accelerated particles. Both standard and extended range versions exist. Inner Sphere PPCs can also be modified with the addition of a capacitor to greatly increase the available firepower. The energy given off by PPC's also temporarily disrupts an enemy's HUD. Recent updates in technology within the Inner Sphere have produced other variants of the PPC, including the Light PPC, which causes damage comparable to an Inner Sphere-model extended range medium laser, builds comparable heat, but has a range half again as long. The Heavy PPC shares many characteristics with the Clan model Extended Range PPC, but at a range equal to standard models. The new Snubnose PPC is an oddity, as its short range is longer than almost any weapon built, but both damage and accuracy fall off sharply outside that range.
Flamers come in different versions for equipping on BattleMechs and vehicles as well as personal units. BattleMech versions of flamers use vented plasma from the 'Mech's fusion reactor while vehicles use a napalm-like fuel as their "ammunition". Flamers are primarily used as anti-infantry weapons as well as forcing enemy 'Mechs to overheat, incapacitating them. 'Mechs that employ these weapons, such as the FS9-0 Firestarter, excel in anti-personnel and support roles.
[edit] Ballistic weapons
Machine Guns are classed as Light, Standard, or Heavy. Although they are fearsome anti-personnel weapons, machine guns are far less effective against all but the most lighty-armored vehicles or 'Mechs.
Autocannons are rapid-firing, auto-loading ballistic weapons that fire high-explosive or armor-piercing rounds. Ranging in caliber from 20mm to over 200mm, autocannons are notable for their low heat build-up compared to energy weapons, at an expense of added bulk and limited ammunition.
Several variants of the standard autocannon exist. The Ultra autocannon uses a rapid-cycling action that allows it to double its rate of fire, though the rate of weapon jams is correspondingly higher. The LB-X autocannon is lighter but slightly bulkier than the original autocannon. It is able to fire fragmenting (cluster) rounds as well, making it an ideal anti-aircraft weapon. The rotary autocannon is capable of incredibly high rates of fire compared to even the Ultra autocannon. However, it is prone to jamming when fired continuously. The light autocannon is a workaround, providing the capabilities of a standard low-end autocannon, trading range for reduced weight.
Gauss Rifles use electromagnets to accelerate a metal slug the size of a small melon to much higher velocities than conventional ballistic weapons. Consequently, the Gauss Rifle has an extremely long range, and is capable of doing high damage without high heat buildup. The Inner Sphere has developed two variants of the basic Gauss Rifle design. The Light Gauss Rifle uses half-sized ammunition, but is capable of hitting targets at much longer ranges. The Heavy Gauss Rifle is designed to deliver a very high damage round at shorter ranges than the standard Gauss Rifle. The Clans recently developed a rather unorthodox Gauss weapon known as the HAG or Hyper-Assault Gauss. Unlike other Gauss weaponry, which fires one solid projectile, these heavy weapons fire clusters of smaller projectiles akin to a shotgun. Like a shotgun, however, this weapon is far more damaging at close ranges than at long, as the projectiles spread out at longer ranges.
[edit] Missile technology
The category of "missile" within BattleTech itself describes a great many different weapons covering the full spectrum of ranges and roles. When coupled with different types of warhead, as detailed in the next section, these weapons can be used in many different scenarios. All Short, Medium and Long Range Missiles can all be equipped as One-Shot launchers, which are functionally the same as their counterparts but only carry a single shot, as their name implies.
Short Range Missiles (SRMs), available in 2, 4 or 6 missile volley launchers, are lightweight and effective weapons for short-range fighting. With good punch and near-zero heat build up, SRM systems can be used as primary weapons or as dependable light weapons. 'Mechs which employ SRM systems extensively include the ACW Arctic Wolf and KTO-C Kintaro. Streak SRMs are an improvement over original SRMs in that they have a lock-on system for improved accuracy. The clan 'Mech Halfback Prime uses these weapons almost exclusively.
Medium Range Missiles (MRM) are available in 10, 20, 30 or 40 missile volley launchers. These unguided missile systems incorporate massive launching capabilities, at the expense of accuracy per missile. The Kamayari A is a vehicle which mounts several of these weapon systems.
Long Range Missiles (LRM) are accurate over tremendous distances, making them ideal for fire support 'Mechs and vehicles. They are available in launchers of 5, 10, 15, or 20. The LGB-7Q Longbow series and the CPLT-A1 Catapult series of 'Mechs are prime examples of guided missile-based fire support 'Mechs.
Advanced Tactical Missiles (ATM) are a Clan innovation, available in 3, 6, 9 or 12 volley launchers. These missile tubes can accommodate a wide variety of missile warheads, allowing them to fulfill both short and long-range weapon roles.
Multi-Missile Launcher (MML) is a recent Inner Sphere innovation. With 3, 5, 7 or 9 tube launchers, it is the Inner Sphere's answer to the Clans' Advanced Tactical Missiles, capable of firing Short or Long Range Missiles as well as torpedoes - all from the same tubes.
Rocket Launchers are a one-shot missile system, available in 10, 15, or 20 launchers.
Anti-Missile Systems (AMS) are the best defense against missile attacks on a BattleMech. An anti-missile system detects incoming missiles and shoots ballistic rounds at the missiles to destroy them before they can harm the vehicle the AMS is protecting. There is also an experimental Laser Anti-Missile System (LAMS), which does not require ammunition but does produce heat when firing.
[edit] Equipment Technology
[edit] Ammunition
Ammunition in the BattleTech Universe is usually allocated in one ton increments, with certain weapons being allowed half ton increments. All ballistic and missile weapons require ammunition. The larger the weapon, the heavier the ammunition required, thus lessening the number of shots per ton of ammunition loaded.
Energy weapons use the power of fusion engines to charge and fire, and as such have an unlimited reserve of ammunition. Battlemechs primarily reliant on energy weapons are much more capable of long-term engagements, since they are not dependent on ammunition resupply, but frequently have considerable heat issues from their high-energy weapons. A prime example is the primary version of Clan Nova Cat's flagship OmniMech Nova Cat.
Autocannons can be equipped with a variety of shell types including armor-piercing, acid, precision, flechette and incendiary.
Long Range Missiles can be equipped with Incendiary, Fragmentation, Swarm, Flare, Semi-guided, and Thunder munitions which can be used to lay mines. Artemis IV Fire Control Systems increase the accuracy of the LRM by using a laser designator to provide course corrections to the missiles in flight.
[edit] Movement systems
[edit] Myomer fiber
Myomer is a shape memory alloy used in the 24th through 32nd centuries as a multipurpose form of artificial muscle, primarily in the internal structures of BattleMechs as a form of locomotion. A real-world form of myomers is being developed by University of Texas nanotechnologist Ray Baughman. [1]
It is composed of several different alloys and its main property is the ability to contract when varying amounts of electricity are conducted through it. To keep each myomer strand from exploding due to friction and heat, a viscous jelly-like "grease" is packed between these giant strands. Also, a complex network of coolant works in conjunction with heat sinks to draw heat away from the myomer. Credited for the creation of the myomer "bundle" was Dr. Gregory Atlas. Sadly, he did not live long enough to see them used in the first BattleMech on February 5 2439. Other types of 'Mechs use myomer as well, such as industrial, construction, and agricultural models.
Myomer is usually manufactured by different companies in varying parts of the Inner Sphere. Since most of them still use the original design specifications that were stolen in 2455, there aren't many differences. The only notable variant is triple-strength myomer. Developed by House Liao from the "flawed" myomer formula "leaked" to the Capellans by Davion MIIO agents, triple-strength myomer doubles the damage done by BattleMechs in hand-to-hand combat and increases their speed. However, the myomer bundles are appropriately thicker and take up more internal space. The real catch is that the advantages require a tremendous heat build-up in the entire 'Mech, making the TSM a feisty technology even for a veteran MechWarrior. The flawed version the Capellans acquired lacked this drawback (which was actually a correction), and enjoyed the benefits of the triple-strength myomer, but fell victim to a chemical agent that effectively dissolved the triple-strength myomers. Modern triple-strength myomers fortunately are not vulnerable to such attacks.
The Battletech and MechWarrior novels have small references to other uses for myomer. A notable one is found in Path of Glory where it is mentioned as an added component of a mountain-climber's rope, giving it extra strength, yet maintaining flexibility. There is also a reference to a used bundle of myomer in the Blood of Kerensky trilogy. There, Kai Allard-Liao uses an old myomer bundle from the finger of a Valkyrie to break free of a basement prison by attaching it to the room's light socket. This specific bundle of fiber was speculated to have been cannibalized of its individual strands for replacements in various string instruments. Being an expensive replacement material, yet superior in quality, the owner of the used myomer could have easily made his life's fortune simply using it to upgrade pianos and violins.
Myomer is also used in human beings to a limited extent. Candice Allard-Liao developed breast cancer and had the affected breast reconstructed and damaged muscle tissue around the breast replaced with myomers. This effectively saved her life from a sniper in 3052, as myomer is a bit tougher than normal human flesh, preventing the laser bolt from coring her heart and left lung. The Clans have a more advanced understanding and use of myomer technology. In Exodus Road the MechWarrior known as Trent suffered inferno round burns that destroyed most of the muscle in one of his arms. The muscle was replaced with myomer fibers that made the speed and strength of the augmented arm more than normal tissue could achieve.
[edit] Jump jets
There are many descriptions of how Jump Jets operate. The most common description for operation is that air is superheated by drawing it past the fusion reactor, and is then released through vents along the rear torso and legs of the 'mech allowing for a rocket type effect that lifts the 'Mech off the ground. Other descriptions include the venting of plasma from the fusion engine, and the use of chemical compounds akin to the rocket engines used on the space shuttle.
Jump jets allow a BattleMech to "jump" upwards several stories, allowing it to land on top of buildings and mountains. It also allows a 'Mech to perform the "Death from Above" attack, wherein a jumping BattleMech lands on top of an opposing 'Mech or vehicle. The crushing force is then delivered directly to the upper structure, greatly increasing the chance of crushing the cockpit or damaging the torso. However, there is a large chance that the attacking 'Mech will also receives damage to its legs; if the jump jets are located in the legs, there's a chance the jets themselves will be rendered useless.
Typically only light and medium BattleMechs have jump jets installed due to the excessive weight required for heavier class 'Mechs. However, some heavy and assault class 'Mechs do have jump jets installed, the Marauder II of Wolf's Dragoons being one example.
[edit] Heat dissipation
Heat Sinks are cooling radiators that serve as the main component in the cooling cycle of a battlemech. They are essentially large radiators which absorb heat from hot coolant and expunge it to the surrounding air. A battlemech's fusion reactor contains integral heatsinks which can also function as cooling for other hardware. Additional heatsinks can also be installed in the fusion engine (provided it is large enough) or externally throughout the battlemech. Double Heat Sinks have largely replaced conventional heatsinks due to their ability to dissipate twice the heat as standard heatsinks for the same weight. Unfortunately, the materials used in the double heat sinks' radiator vanes take up considerably more space compared to standard heat sinks. Heat sinks submerged underwater will remove nearly twice the amount of heat as normal.
Coolant Trucks (listed in the Technical Readout: 3025) are tanker trucks designed to carry both liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen. They are normally placed in rear support areas in combat zones, allowing 'Mechs to leave the battle field to cool down. The trucks flush the hot coolant from an overheating BattleMech and replace it with colder coolant. They can also run coolant through the 'Mech components (such as heat sinks) to quickly cool the entire 'Mech or hot components. Liquid oxygen is used to replenish the jump jets in systems that use a rocket propellant-style system. In emergencies, liquid oxygen can also be used to cool a 'Mech, but it's not recommended due to the volatility of the oxygen.
Coolant Pods (Listed in the revised edition of the Maximum Tech Technical Readout) are designed as emergency "one shot" cooling systems. They contain a reserve of compressed coolant that can be flushed into the heat sinks of an overheating BattleMech. It connects easily to a 'Mech's existing cooling system, but the pod explodes readily upon impact, limiting it's usefulness in combat. Located in any torso location, both the Clans and the Inner Sphere have developed Coolant Pods, however due to a flaw in the design they do not operate properly within an OmniMech's modular chassis. 'Mechs may mount multiple Coolant Pods, but only only may be used at a time. The additional heat dissipation achieved with a Coolant pod is the same regardless of the type of heat sink utilized. Note: The Coolant Pod is listed as "Level three" technology, which is normally prohibited during tournament play.
[edit] Armor
Standard armor plate is capable of absorbing damage from all of types of weapons equally well. Using a layer of aligned-crystal composites with advanced ablative materials, standard plate is the basic type against which all other armors are judged.
Ferro-Fibrous armor is manufactured by zero-gravity processes that weave high-strength fibers into standard armor composite, increasing its protection, though at the cost of greatly increased bulk compared to standard armor. Thanks to this construction, ferro-fibrous armor is lighter per unit of protection than standard plate.
Reactive armor uses many small explosive plates that protect against armor-piercing ballistic weapons such as autocannon by redirecting the force of the round's explosive power away from vital systems. However, this comes at the cost of increased bulk as well as the chance that armor plates will "cook off" prematurely if struck by other types of weapons.
Reflective armor uses a combination of improved ablative construction and reflective surface to offer much better protection against energy weapons than Standard armor, though this is at the cost of much reduced ability to absorb impact from falls, physical attacks, and ballistics.
The modern incarnation of the Star League-era Null Signature System, the Capellan-designed Stealth Armor system uses a Guardian ECM suite to generate a powerful stealth effect for BattleMechs. It operates by preventing most of the 'Mech's heat sinks from working at optimum levels, reducing the 'Mech's infrared signature and making it harder to target. The obvious drawback is that the 'Mech has more difficulty dissipating its heat while maintaining stealth.
[edit] Sensor systems
The Beagle Active Probe uses a combination of phased-array radar and other focused sensor systems to allow an active probe-equipped 'Mech to detect even the most well-hidden vehicle or infantry squads. Electronic Counter-Measure (ECM) suites are capable of jamming advanced targeting systems such as Artemis IV or sensor suites such as the Beagle Active Probe. Several ECM packages exist, including the Guardian, Angel, and Clan.
Artemis IV FCS links LRM or SRMs to an advanced infrared link that allows the fire-control system to give the missiles course corrections in mid-flight, greatly increasing accuracy. Targeting Acquisition Gear (TAG) is a specialized laser that allows units to send targeting data to artillery units. Special Arrow IV artillery missiles, LRM rounds, and even tube artillery rounds can benefit from TAG-equipped spotting.
C3 Computer systems allow 'Mechs of a lance or even a company to coordinate much more easily. C3 systems allow units to share targeting data with other units in a C3 network. ComStar has developed an advanced version of C3 computers, known as C3i Computers, that are limited to smaller networks, but make for a more resilient network, as it can pass data from unit to unit without going through a centralized master computer like the standard system does.
First introduced by the Clans, the Targeting Computer is an advanced system that uses a combination of high-resolution sensors, advanced computer software, and specialized actuators to increase the accuracy of direct-fire weapons on a 'Mech or tank. In addition to the above, the Targeting Computer greatly improves a soldier's ability to make accurate aimed shots against targets. However, the Targeting Computer is only effective with direct fire weapons such as lasers and autocannon. The weight and space required for the Targeting Computer is directly affected in relation to the amount of direct fire weaponry it is linked to. The more weapons, the bigger the computer is required to be.
[edit] Unit Technology
[edit] Unarmored Infanry
"Dogfaces. Foot sloggers. GIs. Crunchies. Poor Bloody Infantry.["http://www.sanctum.com/surfers/btech/]
Since the beginning of the stone age man has protected himself from the environment and injury with armor. From animal hides to ferrosteel armor and combat garb, nations have issued their infantry personnel similarly appropriate gear throughout all history.
Even with creation of the Battlemech, infantry have always been a vital factor in the outcome every war. Planets being of too great a magnitude for it to be possible to protect them entirely by mechs and armor. Also, their small size makes infantry particularly well suited over large armoured vehicles in urban environments and other restrictive terrain. Besides this are the facts that infantry are cheap to train, supply, equip, and the personnel needed is plentifully available.
Eevery rulling nation designed their infantry kits based on fighting style, contraits of funding, needs of the environment, with even technogical restraints especially being a factor since the fall of the Star League. With the fall of the Star League, and with the decline of technology to near twenty-fourth century levels. Even comstar with its cache of Star League era equipment could not reproduce exact copies. Only the clans had a plentiful supply and the expertise to build more, but clans would advance the former SLDF issue with clan copper, a memory metal that gave technicans the ability to reshape battle damaged armor to near perfect condition.
Effects in Games
Classic Battletech:
Because of their extremely low battlefield survivability, the infantry soldier is often maligned by most players of battletech and usually not included. (Even in the rules compendium, infantry are more of a footnote than a serious section.) Aside from being inexpensive enough to field as a Human Wave Attack with dozens of cheap platoons charging across an open field towards an objective that will offer some degree of protection, infantry have only one commendable battlefield ability - the ability to conceal virtually anywhere.
This, when added to the possibility of using anti-battlemech sappers (inspired by the Grey Death Legion's success in canon novels) can be employed for a nasty surprise by savvy commanders but the expense and preparation required is rather large compared to the usual tactical benefit.
In Mechwarrior RPG or 'role playing' themed Classic Battletech scenarios, however, infantry often play a more significant role as players have less choices about their battlefield deployments. Also, these scenarios may include house rules which grant a little more flexibility to the common grunt and allow infantry to become a battlefield wildcard.
Also, as mentioned above, infantry dominate in urban environments where buildings - usually just an obstacle or hazard for 'mechs and vehicles - are safe-haven, pillbox, ablative armor, and ambush point all wrapped into a single-hex package for infantry. Infantry mobility in buildings is vastly superior to most vehicles who must either stick to roads, or blast, bust, or bash their way through buildings. In role-playing scenarios, the political implications to such wanton destruction can force 'mech units to capitulate to nothing more than a score of "PBIs." This is likely one of the reasons for House Davion's successes using combined-arms tactics during the Fourth Succession War with House Liao.
Dark Age:
In Dark Age, infantry units have many more special abilities and powers which make them more attractive overall to players. This reflects the more resource-strapped battlefield in the Dark Age setting, where commanders are sometimes forced to improvise with non-military gear in order to field a fighting force at all.
[edit] Battle armor
Weighing approximately one ton, the first instances of Battle Armor appeared on the battlefield in the form of Clan Elemental units. These armored infantry units equipped with light BattleMech weaponry such as Small Lasers and SRM Missile packs provided an extremely powerful deterrent to combined arms attacks by Inner Sphere tanks and infantry. Due to the common (and effective) tactic of bounding across the battlefield with their jump jets, Inner Sphere Mechwarriors nicknamed these units "Toads."
Despite their small size and relatively weak weaponry, a Point (group of five) of Elementals can sometimes destroy a single BattleMech. Their small size makes them a difficult target. This, coupled with their ability to swarm over a mech with their claws, makes them formidable opponents for smaller battlemechs and can make inexperienced pilots panic. A common tactic among Inner Sphere MechWarriors that fought the Clans was for the BattleMech being attacked to stand perfectly still while his lancemates picked off the elementals. Inexperienced battlemech pilots sometimes cause their battlemech to fall to the ground with the aim of crushing the swarming elementals. This tactic, while effective, often severely damages the BattleMech as well.
Whereas originally the Clans fielded only one type of Battle Armor, the development of various types of armor for particular roles by the Successor States has forced the Clans to develop units specifically designed to counter individual threats. Some of these new BattleArmors are "heavy" BattleArmors, weighing 2-4 tons.
Interestingly, the powered armor used by the Clans is designed only to be worn by members of the warrior caste genetically bred to be of large size and strength. Because of this, extensive modification were required to be required for an average-sized person to effectively wear such a suit. The powered armor utilized in the Inner Sphere just after the clan invasion could only used by an average-sized person, until the houses could start producing their own versions of battlearmor.
[edit] Armor (Tanks)
BattleTech tanks are often overlooked in a universe which is dominated by the ever-glamorous BattleMech. Tanks cover the same weight range, can carry a similar weapons package, and are almost as well-armored as most BattleMechs. There is another type of tank, the Super Heavy Tank, which can reach up to 200 tons in weight. These are always ponderous, heavily-armed and armored vehicles that have the potential to take on forts by themselves. These, however, are usually for show, due to their high cost.
There are three type of movement systems for tanks: tracks, wheels, and hovercraft. The hovertanks have the benefits of being faster and more maneuverable than tracked and wheeled tanks, and capable of moving over bodies of water. However, hovertanks usually carry lighter weaponry and have lighter armor. This limits their effectiveness in direct combat, though they are well suited for other roles.
Tanks are common in planetary garrisons as well as front line combat units because their costs tend to be significantly lower than that of a Battlemech. Accordingly, though, there certainly are advanced tank designs sporting fully modern equipment, these are not commonly seen due to their loss of price competitiveness. The most common tanks in frontline units are heavy tracked tanks, frequently deployed in rearguard or flanking roles, and light hovercraft primarily used as scouts and artillery spotters.
[edit] Support Vehicles
In the Battletech univeres most civilian vehicles, such as police units, partisans, transposts, and personally owned armored cars, are classified as support vehicles due to most carry light to no armament that is actuaully effective on the battlefield and any armor they may have is designed to withstand environmental hazards at best in most cases. Even Industrial mechs, when armed is treated as an support vehicle for they carry melee combat devices, light machine guns, to simple autocannons that are designed for early battlemechs.
[edit] Artillery
Artillery is no less important on the 31st century battlefield than it was in the 20th. Most of these are indirect-fire weapons that target a specified area rather than a moving target. Artillery rounds can be fitted with explosive shells, mines (FASCAM), smoke rounds, or incendiary shot. The Sniper, Thumper, and Long Tom are the largest. The smallest, Arrow IV, is actually small enough that it can fit on a large 'Mech. Though it has the shortest range, Arrow IV is capable of mounting a homing shell in addition to the other types of rounds. In order for the homing round to strike its target, however, a friendly unit must successfully designate the target with Target Acquisition Gear (TAG).In addition to the standred artellery piece, mechs can be specialized with nearly only LRMs in certain cases such as raids were even mobile artellery is still to cumbersome for a quick force to utilize effectivily. These mechs are know as Fire Mechs.
[edit] Protomech
Developed by Clan Smoke Jaguar just prior to its fall, at the clan homeworld Huntress, designed to supplement its waning battlearmor and mech forces. The sight of protomechs fielded by Smoke Jaguar gave the Inner Sphere forces a complete surpise. With the lack of trained battlemech pilots and elementals, and that Jaguar scientist relized the specific equipment used in the production of protomechs, would mean pilots would need extensive traning and biological implants to be able to pilot protomechs. To get by past this most noticeable problem the scientit caste used rejected aerospace phenotype warriors, which were in adundance and the Enhanced Imaging neural implant technology.
Protomechs being of light weight, inexpensive, light weight half-mechs that occupy a niche between battlearmor, conventional armored vehicles, and actual battlemechs. In the years following the fall of Smoke Jaguar almost all clans have instilled their own versions protomechs to bolster their forces seeing them as a way to bring more honor to the clan, with these actions the clans have ensured that the survival and proliferation of the final legacy of Smoke Jagaur.
[edit] Battlemech
Battlemechs dominate the battlefront; machines weighting from a mere twenty tons to a hundred tons, have been the mainstay of armies for centuries. Form the first Mackie to the experimental 135 ton colossal class mechs, mechs have been regarded with more worth than germanium, a rare mineral used to build Kearny-Fuchida drives, by politicians, companies,and especially by their pilots. Designed by the Terran Alliance, built with design of the industrial mechs that have been running for centuries, with the purpose of being the pinnacle of warfare, the designers believed that battlemechs would deter war ushering in a new era of peace for centuries to come. History, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. Battlemechs come in two types: Bipedal and Quad with the latter being made more viable in the years following 3060 due to an increase in technological advancements. Venerable quadruped designs such as the Scorpion did exist prior to this but were generally unpopular with many Mechwarriors. Mechs are classifeid by weight and type of combat situations they are intended for. A third type, the Land-Air Mech was gradually phased out of Battletech canon due to legal issues as many of them were based off designs from Japanese animation.
[edit] Industrial Mech
The lifeblood of the Inner Sphere, from Terra to the farthest inhabited planet of the Pheriphery. Indimechs, being more mobile and versatile, enable companies to build a single factory with all the needed equipment to build different types of indimenchs on a single type of chassis. This meant a more cost effective design, cheaper for the company and consumers. After the fall of the Star League and during the succession wars, Industrial Mechs and their Utility Mech counterparts were often scavenged for spare parts by the Successor houses to maintain their Battlemech armies. Industrial Mechs are a common sight on mineral rich and, or highly developed worlds in the Inner Sphere.
[edit] Conventional Aircraft
While the main part of the glory goes to the aerospace fighters, conventional aircraft remain in use. Fixed-wing and VTOL aircraft exist in civilian use, as well as planetary garrisons, and as scouts in main-line battle units.
Fixed-wing planes such as the Karnov-UR are used mostly for vehicle and infantry transport in non-combat zones. The most well known fixed-wing aircraft in Battletech is the Mechbuster, a small plane built around an autocannon-20, one of the most damaging weapons available.
V.T.O.L.s (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft are common in combined arms units, seeing action in various roles. These craft are often used as artillery spotters, and scouts. In these roles, rotary-winged aircraft are often equipped with Active Probes and/or TAG. As strike craft, VTOLs usually carry one or more long range weapons. A prime example of this type of craft is the Yellow Jacket, which carries a long range Gauss Rifle.
[edit] Interstellar craft
In the Battletech Universe FTL travel is performed by point-to-point, instantaneous teleportation, called 'jumping.' There are two types of jump capable transports: Jumpships and Warships. Both are able to carry dropships, aerospace fighters, and a limited amount of cargo. Warships, however, are also designed to enter into combat directly.
[edit] WarShips
Warships bristle with naval class weapons and squadrons of aerospace fighters, the bane of naval commanders afield. Only due to the length and intensity of the Succession Wars and the general regression of technology, did the usage of these ships decline. The ability to build, maintain and repair these ships became too great of a strain for the Successor States. Until the recovery of a Star League-era Library Core by the Gray Death Legion, the various Inner Sphere Successor States had only limited success in reversing this technological regression, and as such, only a limited number of Warships were being maintained. Even into the late 3060's only the most prosperous of the Successor States is able to field and maintain these ships, so for the time being they are limited to the national navies of the Inner Sphere and Clans. Use of Warships by Inner Sphere and by the Clans varies a great deal since the clans considered aerospace craft rare, and would do little that would risk the loss such vaulable assets, unlike the Inner Sphere generals who viewed them as another tool to defeat their foes.
[edit] JumpShips
If WarShips capture the imagination of the Inner Sphere people, it falls to the jumpship to make interstellar exploration, colonization, and in most cases warfare possible. These valuable ships are serviced by a rapidly diminishing number of dedicated space stations and space yards. With few weapons, Jumpships are generally regarded as off limits to all combat save boarding actions, and actions directed at the solar sail, with the latter less targeted, as the loss of the solar sail would mean an extensive need of immediate repairs to have the jumpship usable.
Destruction of a Jumpship in combat is met with varying degrees of punishments ranging from increased rates to complete bans on their use by the destroying party. (All disciplinary action by ComStar). Spinal in nature, the remaining Jumpship designs being built can carry between one and nine dropships. General construction consists of a Bridge and living quarters section at the front, a long narrow spine that Dropships dock to (which also houses the massive capacitor bank), the engineering section housing the main portions of the Kearny-Fuchida drive (KF Drive), the fusion engine and the solar sail storage. Jumpships typically do not have combat-maneuvering engines, maintaining only "station-keeping" thrusters.
[edit] DropShips
While JumpShips move units and other hardware from star system to star system, it falls to the DropShips to move them to and from the interplanetary systems. Almost all DropShips are capable of landing on a planet, and they are the primary method of moving goods and armies. These workhorses are still technological wonders, much like their bigger brethren the JumpShip.
DropShips range in mass from the 400 ton (Vampire Troop Carrier) to the massive 100,000 ton (Behemoth Cargo Carrier) and all sizes in between. This bulk would be nothing without the large and very powerful fusion drive engines that propel them through space. Despite their massive size, these DropShips are usually cramped inside, featuring relatively little in the way of creature-comforts or extra space. Every possible hole or space in a DropShip has some sort of system or mechanism important to the operation and maintenance of the vessel. Most crews live in small spartan quarters, bunking 4 or more a piece, though Star League-era DropShips as well as some newer ones as of the late 3060s feature comparatively spacious twin cabins. Except for passenger liners which afford their attendants a bit more privacy, DropShips are very public places. Most DropShips described talk of stale air and overly-cramped living conditions. Still, in terms of the needs of humanity, these DropShips and their crew are technological godsends.
DropShips are based around two basic hull forms, aerodyne (aerodynamic, resembling that of the Space Shuttle) and spheroid (egg-shaped). Aerodynes are generally smaller than spheroids, require runways to take off and land, but are capable of at least crash-landing. Spheroids on the other hand must rely on brute strength to remain in flight. To facilitate these designs, most colonized planets feature massive starports in order to service and unload/load these behemoths. Though designed to land on any terrain, DropShips mainly set down at these facilities in order to minimize the chance of damage. Maintenance of a DropShip usually costs more in resources than the average citizen in the BattleTech universe would ever earn in several lifetimes. The chassis itself costs a large fortune to build, let alone any weapons, armor, avionics, and the powerful fusion engines required to even lift it off the ground.
Variants
The most common DropShips in military service in the Inner Sphere are the spheroid "Union" and "Overlord" class DropShips. The Union can carry a full 12-'Mech company, and the Overlord can carry a battalion, consisting three times a Union's complement. More recent designs such as the Federated Suns Conquistador can carry even more, delegating space for heavy combat vehicles, aerospace fighters, and even battle armor. It is uncommon for dropships to carry more than a lance of aerospce fighters due the space required to service, launch and retrieve them.
Also, some DropShips or Pocket Warships have been used to provide support or suppression fire in combat against enemy fighters, other dropships, or even the occiasional WarShip. These designs give up space in order to carry the massive weapons fielded by Warships, even though in terms of survivability, they would never last in a head-to-head fight. Still, these designs have gained popularity for being much cheaper to field in relation to WarShips.
Another version to the pocket warships is the Mule Q-Ship, dating back to the Star League, designed to move along with convoys, desguised as another merchant ship. Q-Ships are usually have increased armor with all bays but except one meant to hold escort fighters. During the Jihad, The Word of Blake used Mule Q-Ships to aid in conquering and holding territory, and even if necessary to neutralize them.
[edit] AeroSpace fighters
Aerospace Fighters are powerful aircraft that can function in atmosphere and space. Their tonnage classes are similar to that of 'mechs and tanks. They also employ many of the same weapons systems as their antsphorsphere based brethren. AeroSpace fighters are often used in support of ground forces by making surgical strikes on enemy installations, and in establishing air superiority over a battle field when standard means are unlaviable. Many of the AeroSpace fighters are primarily designed for space dogfights, and bombadier attacks against dropships, combat armed jumpships, and warships. But while in a planets atmosphere, for all except in cetain designs, the only source of lift comes from their fusion powered engines.
[edit] References
1. ^ A Guide to Covert Ops
2. ^ Mechassault, Manual
3. ^ Meachassault 2 Lone Wolf, Manual
4. ^ Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex
5. ^ Combat Equipment
6. ^ Jihad Hot Spots 3070
[edit] Official links
- Official Classic Battletech Homepage
- Iron Wind Metals, Official manufacturer of Classic Battletech miniatures
- HeavyMetal Software, Official Software for Classic BattleTech
- http://www.sanctum.com/surfers/btech/
