Battletech technical archive

[PainRack]

I think I just found my holy grail.:D

Initial tests of the 12C's weapon systems proved the 'Mech could simultaneously engage both fast-moving aircraft as well as slower ground-based targets with ease. In fact, actual battlefield reports indicate the system is even better than originally thought-with some believing the Martin-Quarry system is better than the highly acclaimed Garret D2j and Spar 3c computers put together. At the very least, field reports regularly show MechWarriors successfully engaging targets well outside of typical combat ranges, a fact the 12C's users are doing their best not to advertise.

Project Phoenix, Longbow.
Proof that mech weapons do fire and can hit targets at much longer ranges than Btech ranges.

The 7Q shares with its 0W model predecessor an antiaircraft targeting and tracking system widely considered to be one of the best in the Inner Sphere.

TRO 3058, Longbow

The Longbow was designed to act as a heavy support unit for assault groups. With its long range missiles it is capable of standing off at long range and launching a devastating preparatory attack against enemy positions and cities.

The Longbow is a late model BattleMech that utilizes the 0/P 1560 Laser Directed Missile Targeting and Tracking System. Using a Locust or Flea equipped with the targeting system as a spotter, the Longbow is capable of acquiring a target that it cannot see and delivering a barrage of missiles with the same accuracy as if it had sighted the target visually. This ability has made the Longbow a dreaded opponent.

The Longbow is half of a very effective 'hunter-killer’ team, with specially equipped Fleas or Locusts as the hunters and the Longbow as the killer. In tactical usage the light ’Mech searches out enemy units and pinpoints their location with its laser-directed targeting system. The Longbow then strikes, its long-range missiles guided to the target by the unseen laser beam.

Stardate: Longbow

Describes how the indirect LRM fire works. Also demonstrates that laser guided systems exist as a "normal" sensory function of certain mechs(Phelan Wolfhound similarly possess this ability. Certain aerospace fighters are also described to have similar sensors)
As such, TAG and its use for semi-guided LRMs is probably not just the simple laser guided PGMs now in use.

[PainRack]

Recoil shook the cockpit as the 125-kilogram, magnetically accelerated projectile streaked toward its target, the sanp of the sound barrier breaking the only evidence of its discharge.
This time, the result was much more satisfying. The supersonic sphere slammed into one of the damaged Elementals, shattering armor, bone, and flesh before plowing into the ground, where it gouged a twenty-meter long trench in the tarmac before coming to a stop.

Test of Vengenance.Chapter 1

The tarmac here refers to a spaceport tarmac.

Massive shells burst forth from her weapon, each shot making an unmistakable choking sound as it began its supersonic journey to the target.

Test of Vengenance.Chapter 13
Refers to Petra Stormcrow. If its a standard configuration, the autocannon referred to is an Ultra AC/20.

[PainRack]

for armor, the Spad has the highly praised Carbondale III plating system. This system uses individual plates of armor woven in a manner to deflect laser shots once they penetrate the outer skin

Spad, TR 2750

[PainRack]

Biosensors are worn along the warrior's arms and legs, providing constant information to the Mech environmental control computers.

For some odd reason, biosensors are placed on the warrior arms and legs...... areas which other than the brachial pulse and femoral pulse, provide virtually no critical information of the mechwarrior lifesigns without being connected to other parts of the body. Similarly, core body heat is of little use, although the sensors placed along the legs could help monitor and prevent a condition known as "Mech hot foot", caused by the effects of overheating.

Considering that this is in context to the environmental control computers, it could refer to life support systems and the use of SpO2 machines to determine whether the air is running out for the arms, although considering the motion as well as placement of the sensors...........

a personal med pack is situated on the wearer's left shoulder, containing an assortment of stimulants and pain depressants administered by disposable, compressed air hypos.

Oddly, despite the Capellans demonstrated poor industry and technology base, their mechwarriors are issued with a rare med pack, inscribed as legality C and requiring the use of advanced technology in MW2.

An alternative may be that unlike other Houses which store their med kits in the mech storage compartment(if any), House Liao requires their mechwarriors to wear it on their persons, and this kit is relatively better equipped, containing a vast assortment of drugs.

The standard uniform of the Capellan tanker reflects this greater degree of freedom in its lightweight , more durable style. Each member of a Capellan armored vehicle crew wears a cushioned and armored body-shell that includes internal system cooling units. The outer shell is a synethic ceramic bonded duraillium reinforcements and the green combat fatigues is a woven plasteel mesh capable of deflecting small shell fragments at close range.
When worn with the standard Capellan helmet, each crew member is capable of operating in a fully self-contained environment. Crews can operate for several hours in a bio-chemical battlefield where combat efficiency would otherwise deteoriate. Polarized visors and synethetic leather gloves round out the outfit, providing additional protection against radiation and heat burns.

Describes a tank crew uniform. Note the focus on the dual requirements of both heat and ballistic protection.

[PainRack]

The hostile environment suit weighs 20 kilogrms. It is similar to diving suits used in deep-ocean exploration, and is intedded for use in the most hostile environments where temperatures or pressures vary widely from Terra-normal.A hostile environment suit is partially powered by actuators and myomers similar to but smaller than those on a battlemech.

The hostile environment suit can easily withstand normal slug-throwing and meelee weapons, and will modify laser attacks in the same way as an Armored Bodysuit.

Hostile Environment Suit Mechwarrior 2nd Edition.
Describe smallest known example of powered myomer/actuator, ignoring the human powered myomer arms and other surgical implants used for Candace Liao and detailed in Covert Ops.

The development of hand-portable laser weapons makes much personal armor obsolete, because anything less resistant than the double-layered armor of a Mech cannot resist the weapon's energy.

Armored vest/bodysuit, Mechwarrior 2nd Edition.
Describes effectiveness of most personal armour against laser weaponery. Argues that other than the crystalline steel technology used, most portable armour is relatively ineffective in defending against laser weaponery.

[PainRack]

The fusion plant was capable of generating approximately 1,000,000 kilowatt hours(a megawatt hour) of energy, sufficient for one jump. It also imposed a mass constraint that seriously restricted the range of jump to 16 to 18 light years jump- and-return for a medium-size vessel. Finally, the time required to recharge the drive core was prohibitive(three to four weeks or more)

Early jump sails were extremely inefficient, truly enormous(50 kilometers wide),

A Star League jump sail was less than a kilometer in breadth, yet still capable of absorbing the requisite megawatt hours neccesary to power a Kearny-Fuchida hyperdrive.

Mechwarrior 2nd edition
Using PathFinder example, Energy required= Time * power output= approximately 504 megajoules.

An high end estimate of the energy requirements for a modern jumpship(as opposed to the TAS Pathfinder) can be determined by determing the energy output of a B type star, its intensity at 1300AU, a recharge time of 2 weeks on average and multiplying that by the surface area of the Jumpship sail, which for simplicity sake could be described as a circle 1km in breadth.


Max power output to the K-F drive can then be established by the fact that a recharge station requires less than a day(approximately 18 hours according to MW2). This would be the maximum amount of power that can be safely inputted into the K-F drive without damaging the core. Redlining the drive would be the procedure of "hotloading" the jump drive, a process which can recharge the core in less than 6 hours, although this risks the possibility of meltdown, leaving the jumpship stranded in space or destroyed.

[PainRack]

Security is tightest around transport hubs on Terra, especially the aerospace ports of major cities, from which conventional and trans-orbital passenger aircraft depart.

one drawback to private cars-all of which are fusion powered- is the extensive use of auto-navigation systems that allow onboard computers to control the vehicle. To aid route planning and traffic management, the auto-nav system passes route and destination information to a central databse, allowing a vehicle to be tracked. Disabling the ssytem is only an option for travelers intending to avoid major expressways; as there is no speed limit on these roads, manual control of vehicles is prohibited. Lesser highways and roads in rural areas have speed limits of 150kph and allow manual control. In urban areas, where the speed limit is 50kph, manual control of vehicles is compulsory.

Terran citizens enjoy more consumer goods than others, as evidenced by the mass use of fusion powered vehicles. Describe lower speed limit of such vehicles as 150kph.

These trains can reach speeds in excess of 500 kph. Some rail lines, such as the North America-Europe line running under the Atlantic Ocean and the two trans-Mediterranean links( one at Gibraltar, the other between Sicily and Tunisia) run at speeds up to 1,000kph.

Details speeds of trains. The trains connecting Britain to Europe and Ireland presumably falls under the early capacity.

[PainRack]

but the first spotting rounds dropped short by more than a hundred meters, landing in the streets adjacent to the spaceport.One 125-millimeter shell crashed through the roof of a warehouse that held drums of high grade petroleum

In most cases, gunners precede full artillery barrages with "spotting rounds". Spotting rounds enable observers to correct the gunners aim before the full barrage is fired.

Spotting rounds do no damage to any unit or building in the target's hex.

Battle of Conventry

Indicates calibre of artillery, unknown gun type. Its probably field artilery though, limiting it to either the Long Tom, Sniper or Thumper weapons.

Also, the rules indicate that spotting rounds do no damage whatsoever......... Odd, especially when one considers that the above 125mm shell was a spotting round.

To illustrate the IS inferiority in artillery further, the shells fell short by a mere hundred meters...... Indicating that this defensive rolling barrage was actually aimed a mere hundred meters in front of their defensive positions. And this was the first opening shots in the campaign, indicating that the falcons not only landed virtually unopposed, they were able to approach to their target virtually unhindered.

However, to make things slightly better.

Oheler then switched frequencies and managed to contact Battery A of the Rangers First Artillery Support Company just as the gunners were setting up their weapons. The Kommandant ordered the First to fire a defensive rolling barrage against the advancing Clanners. Forty seconds later, the opening shots of the Conventry campaign struck.

Without knowing the distance from the Clans drop point to the spaceport(using Tactical handbook, its probable that the drop point was ten km away, but there's no hard data), we can only take the word "precious minutes" as the lead time available for the Rangers to deploy in the spaceport, as well as set artillery positions. Considering that the Long Tom and Thumper were supposed to take up to 30min to deploy, the rounds are either mobile Arrow IV missiles or Sniper batteries. The response time was also relatively rapid.

[PainRack]

One hundred and fifty years of peace and enforced stability came to an end on a warm spring day in May 2760, when a nuclear explosion ripped apart a battlemech facillity on the Davion world of Demeter. Soon after, an extremist group, the Chesteron Liberty Battalion, claimed responsibility for the blast, which killed more than 200 skilled technicians and devastated a 50 square mile area.

House Liao sourcebook.

Suggests that a battlemech factory can be run with a few hundred workers only.

[PainRack]

(Hotspots)

Raids on transport ships have become almost commonplace, and mercs are guranteed to see action on such a mission.................

Merc units should be aware that the majority of attacks on business interests occur in space while cargo is in transit.While this type of conflict is the aerojock's dream,it can be the MechWarrior's nightmare. Mechwarriors unskilled in zero-G warfare will find themselves at a severe disadvantage against opponents who make their living through piracy.

While it could be read as mechwarriors engaging in hand to hand combat in zero-g, the entirity of the passage suggests that battlemechs can engage in space combat against raiders.

[PainRack]

we haven't even crossed the border into Capellan space before the dropship was attacked by raiders.What they were doing this far into the interior I'll never know, but the battle was scary. The Dropship took several hits, a couple of them near the cargo hold where my Mech was stored. We escaped, and the captain assured me that my Mech was safe.

When they dropped us off at Pella, I took my first good look at my Catapult. It was covered with feathers. Apparently, one of the bandit's hits had wiped out a bunch of the chickens. Unfortunately, most of the chickens were wiped out on my Mech.

Gives a vague description of the amount of force weapons fire impart onto the target. It was sufficient to smash chickens against a battlemech, killing them. The amount of viscera can be imagined by the following passage.

Before I had a chance to clean them off and make the rest of the unit stop laughing, we got the message that our employers wanted us to march through the city right away so that the citizens of Pella could see their new defenders. Needless to say, we made quite an impression, parading through the capital city led by a feathered Catapult.

[Black Admiral]

Question: would quotes and such from the Dark Age novels be of any use?

[PainRack]

Question: would quotes and such from the Dark Age novels be of any use?

Yes....... although since we're discussing CBT, CBT sources will trump DA sources. So pls, none of that hyperpulse crap from the Wyatt novel.

[Black Admiral]

Question: would quotes and such from the Dark Age novels be of any use?

Yes....... although since we're discussing CBT, CBT sources will trump DA sources.

Oh, I figured that that, just that the only CBT stuff I've got is the Jade Falcon trilogy, and I don't recall much helpful in there.

So pls, none of that hyperpulse crap from the Wyatt novel.

Um, huh?

[PainRack]

So pls, none of that hyperpulse crap from the Wyatt novel.

Um, huh?

One of the DA novels details how Wyatt gots its HPG back online..... Suffice to say it was utter nonsense both logically as well as against most canon evidence. The gregorian chant hiding a frequency harmonic that only Tucker could decipher takes the cake of whacko genius beyond believiability.

[PainRack]

{Warrior Riposte}

Two hot red laser bolts leaped from Craon's pistol after the other fleeing Liao operative. The first missed and exploded a wooden post into a storm of flaming splinters.

An overwhelmingly brilliant green light seared its way into the room. Squiting against the painfully intense illumination, Dan saw a narrow, scintillating beam slice up into the gunman's left flank, right below his ribs, then burst free through the man's right shoulder.

Quintus pointed to the hole burned through at the man's ribs. "Had to be a laser rifle. Clean shot."

Dan nodded slowly. "From the angle, the shot must have gotten both lungs and heart. No blood, though. The beam cauterized everything."

[Chris OFarrell]

Might be interesting to contrast that with the laser pistol damage in "Blood Legacy" and "Lost Destiny" from the wounding of Candace and killing of Justin (and what his arm laser could do)...

[PainRack]

Might be interesting to contrast that with the laser pistol damage in "Blood Legacy" and "Lost Destiny" from the wounding of Candace and killing of Justin (and what his arm laser could do)...

True. Candace was badly hurt, but her myomer apparently was sufficient to absorb the heat. Justin is another matter altogether, as his arm laser was apparently a hold out model.

[Black Admiral]

Laser related:

The Star Colonel twisted and slid down in the hatch of his tank, half his head burned away.

That's a laser rifle shot at 1.5 klicks (range stated same page).

I'll get to taking notes from Blood Of The Isle later (it's the DA novel I read most recently, and as such I've got a good idea where to look.

[PainRack]

Finally found this text...........

Just for fun

came in July 2098.When a group of Brazillian semi-conducter factory workers began a revolt over working conditions, it sparked a general riot in Sao Paulo and other major Brazillian cities. These workers felt that the 35 hour work week consituted "a condition of slavery", especially when compared to the 30 hour work week enjoyed by many other industries at that time

House Kurita sourcebook.

So, during the Terran Alliance days, a 35 hour work week was the norm for FACTORY workers.............................................................

On one hand, its dumb and irrational.... on another, I like the idea of a 30 hour work week being the norm.

[Coalition]

came in July 2098.When a group of Brazillian semi-conducter factory workers began a revolt over working conditions, it sparked a general riot in Sao Paulo and other major Brazillian cities. These workers felt that the 35 hour work week consituted "a condition of slavery", especially when compared to the 30 hour work week enjoyed by many other industries at that time

House Kurita sourcebook.

So, during the Terran Alliance days, a 35 hour work week was the norm for FACTORY workers.............................................................

What page was this? There is a classicbattletech.com forum thread about economies that I would like to add this to. Essentially people are wondering why the economy of the Successor states meant low military strength. Given the number of planets in a Successor state (~200), ~1-2 billion people peron average, and roughly 19k in income per, that is a GIP of ~5.7 * 10^15 C-Bills. Assuming 10% tax rate, and 10% of that tax to the military, and 10% of that for military purchases, that is 5.7*10^12 C-Bills to buy new stuff every year.

But if the government has to do massive subsidies on everything due to shorter work weeks, that would drag down the economy big time (see People's Republic of Haven - Dolists).

[PainRack]

What page was this? There is a classicbattletech.com forum thread about economies that I would like to add this to. Essentially people are wondering why the economy of the Successor states meant low military strength. Given the number of planets in a Successor state (~200), ~1-2 billion people peron average, and roughly 19k in income per, that is a GIP of ~5.7 * 10^15 C-Bills. Assuming 10% tax rate, and 10% of that tax to the military, and 10% of that for military purchases, that is 5.7*10^12 C-Bills to buy new stuff every year.

But if the government has to do massive subsidies on everything due to shorter work weeks, that would drag down the economy big time (see People's Republic of Haven - Dolists).

It was in the opening pages........... and I don't think this is applicable as it was during the Terran Alliance days, not Star League or IS.

As for the economy, the answer should be obvious. The IS simply didn't have the industrial strength after the Succession Wars. Considering that Hesperus provides 30%, probably more of House Steiner output and a likely count for its production is only a thousand mechs or so per year, that's talking a lot.

The Succession Wars also stuck it with a feudal government that appears to be highly unresponsive and unweildy. Even the peace enforced between the Dracs and Feds was broken routinely by raids ordered by local nobles.

[PainRack]

As Chris o Farell may be aware, I once pointed out that the major Clans had only 20 primary training sibkos, the ones dedicated to the final phase of pumping out mechwarriors. While I still can't find the exact quote, I did find something to support it.

The Clans created a eugenics program that birthed thousands of genetically enhanced babies every year

Mechwarrior 3rd Edition.

[Chris OFarrell]

As Chris o Farell may be aware, I once pointed out that the major Clans had only 20 primary training sibkos, the ones dedicated to the final phase of pumping out mechwarriors. While I still can't find the exact quote, I did find something to support it.

The Clans created a eugenics program that birthed thousands of genetically enhanced babies every year

Mechwarrior 3rd Edition.

You know, it might help explain the pre IS counterattack dominance of clans like Wolf and Ghost Bear. They both freely recruit from their Freeborn ranks into the warrior class and show relativly little discrimination against them, in terms of using them to backup the Trueborns.

Granted the Trueborns still rule, but in these clans they are willing to accept Freeborns much more readily then the more conservative clans.

It would exaplain how they were able to rapidly replace their losses, rather then limit themselves to the cycles of Sibkos. I mean after the refusal war, The Falcons were just absurdly lucky they had had all those 'hidden Sibkos' which they could fill their ranks with (not that it explains where the heck they got all the mechs from, but meh).

Vlad was able to rebuild the Wolves simply by transfering the garasion clusters to frontline status, probably after heavy retolling and retraining. Then he recruited heavily from his Freeborns to form new garasion clusters.

The Smoke Jagures OTOH didn't have such an option because they hold Freeborns in complete contempt. So as the DC with Raids by Mech forces, DEST teams, ISF teams and so on kept shattering command after command, the Jags simply didn't have the personnel to replace their losses.

Add in Tukayyid on top of that...

[PainRack]

It would exaplain how they were able to rapidly replace their losses, rather then limit themselves to the cycles of Sibkos. I mean after the refusal war, The Falcons were just absurdly lucky they had had all those 'hidden Sibkos' which they could fill their ranks with (not that it explains where the heck they got all the mechs from, but meh).

I believe it was mentioned in the Conventry scenario pack and the Crusader Clans that Clan Jade Falcon achieved this by reactivating their older mechwarriors as well as half-trained sibkos. The half-trained sibkos could potentially throw in 6-20 mechwarriors in a shot. Also, its likely that the older warriors, being solahama and assigned as officials for Falcon settlements and the like would not have been part of the Clan Touman, having been retired out of it.

The mechs are easy. They simply stripped the secondline units for material while stepping up production and robbing Brian Caches. The problem is how on earth did they get new designs to frontline units so fast(Night Gyr and Cougar)

If nothing else, trading resources from the occupied worlds could easily net the Falcons enough war material with the Home Clans.

The Smoke Jagures OTOH didn't have such an option because they hold Freeborns in complete contempt. So as the DC with Raids by Mech forces, DEST teams, ISF teams and so on kept shattering command after command, the Jags simply didn't have the personnel to replace their losses.

Add in Tukayyid on top of that...

Lack of war material probably exarcaberated this problem. Even if the clans advanced medical tech could return injured/crippled soldiers to duty, SJ would had faced difficulty outfitting them. The protomechs TR mentioned the lack of industrial resources to rebuild, the Invading Clans talks about SJ weak economic strength and the use of martial powress to acquire the resources she needed.

The Clans ability to regrow limbs or use cybernetics is supposed to be more advance than the IS anyway.