Long-Range Missiles (LRMs) are the most popular support
weapons in the Inner Sphere. Like artillery, they can even be fired
indirectly at a target that is hidden from the 'Mech launching the
missiles. Their minimum range
make them a poor choice as a primary weapon for anything but
Support 'Mechs.
Generally, only half of the usual number of missiles will hit the target.
Thus, while LRM 'Mechs are not completely helpless at short
range, they still need other weapons to defend themselves. Small
LRM systems make okay secondary weapons on Combat or
Assault 'Mechs, but they really lack enough punch to be effective.
It's wise to use an Artimis IV FCS or a NARC missile beacon with
LRM 15s and -20s because it gives them one more damage group
and 3-4 more points of damage per hit on average.
Short Range Missiles (SRMs) are excellent secondary weapons
because they are light, versatile, and deadly against damaged
opponents. Each SRM that hits rolls a separate hit location so there
is always a good chance of getting a critical hit, especially if your
opponent is already damaged. The large variety of special SRM
warheads makes them the most versatile weapon in use. Be sure to
carry several tons of ammo for your SRM launchers so you can use
some of these "special" missiles. It is not necessary to use Artimis
IV or NARC systems with SRM 2s and -4s; on average most of
the missiles hit anyway and almost all "special" warheads are
incompatible with Artimis and NARC systems. Still, if you can
spare the tonnage, an Artimis greatly improves the SRM 6, giving it
one more missile hit on average.
The advantage of Streak SRMs is that they
don't automatically fire when used. Instead, you roll to lock-on. If
the roll succeeds, the Streak SRM fires and automatically hits with
all missiles. If the lock-on fails, the Streak doesn't fire and builds up
no heat that round. The targeting systems of Streak launchers can
be interlocked so that several launchers fire at once, requiring only
one lock-on roll. If you
have a high probability of hitting, this is a good idea. For harder
shots, however, it is better to fire the Streaks individually. Because
they conserve ammunition, you never need to allocate more than
one ton of ammo to a Streak launcher. Also, they do not need
Artimis or NARC systems. Streaks are the most reliable missile
systems and should be used if you don't plan to use any "special"
missiles; they are incompatible with all "special" warheads. Note
that if you are using Artimis systems, you must carry an Artimis for
each missile launcher except Streaks. Therefore, it is a good idea to
use Streak SRMs instead of other SRMs on 'Mechs that use
Artimis (for LRMs perhaps) to avoid having to carry additional
Artimis systems.
Dead-Fire Missiles (DFMs) do more damage than
conventional missiles, but they have less range and they are
extremely inaccurate; you are lucky to hit with even half of a salvo.
Carrying DFMs is risky. They are deadly if they hit, but they are
more likely to miss. The average damage done, however, turns out
to be about the same: half of the usual number of missiles hit, but
each hit does more damage. If you use DFMs, try to tip the odds in
your favor; close to short range and take advantage of every good
shot you have. Long-Range DFMs are not support weapons.
DFMs are appropriate for Combat and Assault 'Mechs.
Extended LRMs (ELRMs) are just that; they have
the best range of any battlefield weapon. Unfortunately, they are
almost twice as heavy as standard LRMs, and they have a large
minimum range. If you use ELRMs, carry several short-range
weapons to use when the enemy gets too close for the ELRMs to
arm. Unless you are playing on a large, open field, it is unlikely you
will have more than a couple of good shots before the enemy gets
within their minimum range. ELRMs should only be used on
Support 'Mechs.
'Mech Mortars are envisioned as a replacement for
LRMs. They have comparable weight and range but are much less
accurate. Due to their arcing
trajectory, 'Mech Mortars cannot be shot down by anti-missile
systems and are not penalized for firing over forests or smoke-filled
hexes. Like LRMs, 'Mech Mortars can be fired indirectly. In some cases, 'Mech Mortars are
advantageous, in others, they are a burden. If you will be fighting
against 'Mechs with good long-range capabilities or in a hilly or
forested region, 'Mech Mortars are a good choice. On an open
field, however, conventional LRMs are better.
Thunderbolt missiles are the ultimate Hunter Killer
weapon. They are light, have good range, and do enough damage
to kill or disable a light 'Mech with one or two shots. Also, they
don't need Artimis or NARC systems like other big missile
launchers to ensure reasonable damage with each hit. They have
only several shots per ton of ammunition, however, so make sure
you include enough ammo to give each Thunderbolt launcher 10 to
12 shots.