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[Darrian Wolffe]

Since its slowly being released in the IS, could we get customization rules in regards to ASF and Tank Omni?

Rules for upgrading Support Units are already found on page 24 of the HM,WT v5 ruleset.  With that said, no, I do not ever plan to allow for full customization of Support Units.  Upgrading from stock config to stock config is fine, but full customization on top of full Mech customization is simply too much, particularly for company commander solos.

If it's a question about swapping between OmniVehicle and/or OmniFighter configs, that's something that's inferred from the ruleset, but not directly stated, so I'll state it here.  Figure out the cost of the config, make a single roll for config acquisition using the highest penalty item in the config, and track your ownership of the config as a separate line item.  So the unit might have a "Visigoth C config kit, quantity 2".  Actually swapping configs needs its own rules, though, because we aren't tracking individual weapons for Support Units.  Let's say a -4 bonus and a flat 6 total hours** to swap an Omni Support Unit from 1 config to any other config you have in stock - it's not a customization so the Class A/-F Refit multipliers don't apply - and you would apply other modifiers like ClanTech, Conditions, or Rush Job as normal.  Does that make sense?

**It's normally a -4 bonus and 30 minutes "per item" to swap OmniPodded stuff, so taking the whole thing as a "batch", this feels about right for a single-use rule that handles all possible unit/config combinations. This would cover removing 6 items, and then installing 6 items, so it'll cost a bit more time in some cases and save some time in others, and fits with the old Clan Invasion fluff that an OmniUnit can fight that morning and come back that evening with a new configuration.

[Hat]

Given the increasing prevalence of Clantech within the IS, can we add an option for a tech to add that training for an XP cost, perhaps at a discounted rate by year?  So maybe it starts out at 30 or 40 XP and stages down by 5 XP periodically? 

[Darrian Wolffe]

After pondering the question for most of the day, I am reiterating the existing policy.  Structural customizations are not possible outside of the bounds of a canon-to-canon refit kit.

Therefore, if for some reason you had, for example, a primitive Ostwar, you would not flatly not be able to perform a customization which changed the design from to a Royal Ostwar spec.  The Royal Ostwar requires Endo-steel, while the primitive version uses standard structure.  You would be able to perform a customization to upgrade the engine, cockpit, and armor as per the standard rules, but as you cannot change the internal structure, the "Royal" spec is therefore simply out of reach. Customize it elsewise how you'd like, but an Endo refit is out of bounds.

The sole exception was, and remains, a fluff-supported refit kit that upgrades internal structure to a different type.  An example would be the refit kit for the ENF-4R Enforcer which upgrades to the ENF-5D model.  However, as a reminder, refit kits are only produced for TRO 3025 Mechs which upgrade to foundtech models in the 3050s.  The Ostwar is, technically, out of production ("extinct") between 2790 and 3075 when it re-enters production, and therefore no refit kit could exist for it to bypass the existing limitation.

This is really the sole hard boundary in this campaign when it comes to customizations, and on reflection I am sticking to my guns on this one.

[Darrian Wolffe]

Due to their fluff-supported extreme rarity, dual cockpits are considered Experimental Tech and therefore not available for sale.  If you want 2 people in a BattleMech, you can use a Command Console, which is Advanced Tech.

Ways to get Experimental Tech:
1) Buy it off the marketplace - say an Orion DC comes up on the market. You can buy that and strip the dual cockpit out of it.
2) Get it as salvage from a mission.
3) Ask for one from a Contact and burn a point of the Contact advantage for the "care package".


**4) if you already have an Experimental Tech ammo-using weapon, you can buy ammo for it normally, using TNs for Advanced Equipment. But you have to already have the weapon, and you cannot buy Experimental Ammo for a weapon that uses standard ammo (ie, no Tandem-Charge SRMs, as you can use normal SRM ammo.  Since an HVAC/10 can only use HVAC ammo, you can buy HVAC ammo if you have the gun already.)

[Darrian Wolffe]

How is BLC for Omnis calculated as their costs can vary per mission.

I see 3 options

Option 1: Base chassis costs (IE: Naked)
Option 2: The configuration it was in upon acquisition (IE: BHKU-OB vs BHKU-OA)
Option 3: Configuration upon date of loss.

Use Option 3, please.  Configuration upon date of loss.

[Darrian Wolffe]

Effective Immediately as per 1-15-24

-Max BV per lance is now 8000.  It will not be raised in the future.
-The active C3 modifier is set to 7.5%, instead of 5%.  With the new BV cap, this means that a C3 lance can effectively spend 7,400 BV, a +300 BV higher limit than the previous 7,125 when applying the 5% modifier.
-Reminder that TSM/MASC on a unit is treated as Jump Jets for purposes of reinforcement times
-Warehouse maximum is increased to 250 tons, +25 ton "slush".  It will not be raised in the future.

[Darrian Wolffe]

As a general reminder regarding acquiring equipment from a special event like "choose 10 tons of equipment for your Mech" from Random Bonuses or Employer Awards.  The equipment in question still can't be extinct. It has to be actually available to buy; the event simply lets you bypass the Scrounge roll and purchase price.  It also must be possible to acquire. Three examples:
1) RISC hyper lasers are experimental tech which debut in 3134. As such, in 3059, they are extinct and you can't acquire one.
2) Dual cockpits go extinct as per 3054, the date of the Tactical Handbook.  As such, in 3059 they cannot be purchased.
3) A Timber Wolf A does exist in 3015, but parts for it are flatly unavailable in Marian Hegemony space in 3015, no matter that the event says.

Note that in ALL cases , something showing up in the marketplace or the battlefield overrides this limitation. A prototype hyperlaser might show up quite early (if AtB is buggy enough), and a Dual Cockpit Mech can show up any time and anywhere, since it's on the AtB RATs. If you salvage it off the battlefield, you get to play with it.

[deadlyfire2345]

I have noticed this with a few people purchasing head parts. Buying certain things that should be included with replacement head, when it should just have all items included in the purchase. (Head, Cockpit, Sensors, Life Support)
The replacement head, as per p203 of new Campaign Ops (p 180 for old Strat Ops) states that:
"The base cost for replacing a ’Mech head does not include
the cost of the head’s cockpit, sensors and life-support system.
However, replacement heads always contain these items, so the
additional costs must be paid when buying a head."

So I believe that the replacement head would also need to have the Command Console (Since its considered a cockpit) to be pre-installed and purchased under Advanced TNs per rules. Given that at least 1 lance has it installed, this should be clarified in full.

[Darrian Wolffe]

60: East to West
30: North to South

[Darrian Wolffe]

For future reference. I don't care how it's been run up until today, this is how it is going to work from this point forward.  Feel free to print the image for reference.

[deadlyfire2345]

Seeing as how some SPAs are not in the rule packet, I will transfer them over from the Camp Ops (Mainly for Infantry and ASF)

ASF:
Golden Goose:
 A pilot with the Golden Goose Ability is an intensely
dedicated air-to-ground precision attacker. Pilots with this
ability receive an additional –1 To-Hit Modifier when executing
air-to-ground Strike attacks, and a –2 To-Hit Modifier when
Bombing. In addition, if a Bombing attack misses, the Golden
Goose ability reduces the bomb’s scatter distance by 2 hexes
(to a minimum of 0).

Infantry:
Foot Cavalry:
The Foot Cavalry Ability is only effective with infantry squads
who are not equipped with vehicles or mounts to ride upon. The
Foot Cavalry squad leader has trained himself for endurance
running, even in full combat gear, and pushes his men hard to
keep them up to his level. Squads led by a Foot Cavalry character
gain an additional 30 meters (1 MP) of movement per turn, and
reduce by 1 MP the movement penalties for moving through
rough terrain, woods, jungle, and even buildings. Additionally,
a foot infantry squad with this ability that has a Move-or-Fire
rule can move and fire in the same turn.

Urban Guerilla:
 The Urban Guerrilla ability is effective with
infantry squads that use any motive type, as long
as they can function within an urban environment
and enter buildings. Urban Guerrilla squad leaders
have trained their troops to use the ambient cover
of any urban or suburban setting, from buildings
and statues to parked vehicles and street lamps,
to maximum effect, enabling them to claim cover
even when out in the open. This ability applies a –1
roll modifier for all weapon attacks made against
members of an infantry squad led by an Urban
Guerrilla. It also reduces the damage from vehicular
weapons targeting infantry by eliminating the
double-damage effect for attacking infantry in
the open.
 Offensively, an Urban Guerrilla can call upon “local
support” within an urban area once per scenario—
 typically made up of armed residents ranging from
the neighborhood watch to local street thugs. When
called up, this “support” will take the form of a new
Rifle (Ballistic) Foot Platoon with a Skill Rating of Green.
 This “supporting infantry” will attack a target of the Urban
Guerrilla’s choice from any structure within 3 hexes of the Urban
Guerrilla’s position, but will scatter as soon as their numbers are
reduced to half or less.