Cellular Ammuntion Storage Equipment (CASE)
protects a 'Mech from damage due to an ammo explosion. It can
only be mounted in the 'Mech's torso. If the explosion was severe
enough to destroy the location that the ammo was stored in, that
location is still destroyed. The CASE prevents excess damage from
transferring to another location, however. Therefore, a CASE
equipped 'Mech with an XL engine will still be disabled by a side
torso ammo explosion because the engine shielding in the torso will
be destroyed. CASE is more useful
on 'Mechs with standard engines as it allows them to continue to
fight after an ammo explosion. Still, it is good practice to mount
CASE on other 'Mechs because it will greatly increase the pilot's
chance of survival, and make repairing the 'Mech much easier. Note
that carrying ammunition in the center torso is foolish even if the
'Mech is equipped with CASE; an ammo explosion will still destroy
the 'Mech's fusion reactor, and the resulting secondary explosion
will probably kill the pilot.
Using Endo Steel II internal structure and
standard armor is always better than using just Ferro- Fibrous
armor. It is impractical, however, on 'Mechs weighing 90 tons or
more or those that carry many small weapons. Endo Steel II should
be used on any 'Mech that has enough critical spaces.
Jump Jets enable
'Mechs to traverse bad terrain such as forests and hills quickly.
They also allow 'Mechs to execute devastating Death From Above
attacks. Mounting Jump Jets is always almost always a good idea.
Only on extremely light and extremely heavy 'Mechs (lighter than 30
or heavier then 80 tons) are Jump Jets inefficient. A new rule in the
Tactical Handbook allow 'Mechs with Jump Jets to fire weapons
while in flight. The attacking 'Mech has
only standard modifiers to fire; attacks against it receive a slight
bonus. Jumping fire is a good tactic when you want to fire at a
target you could not otherwise get line of sight to (i.e., you are in
deep woods or the middle of a valley). Be careful, however, to
expose yourself to as little return fire as possible.
Myomer Accelerated Signal Circuitry (MASC) systems give 'Mechs a quick burst of speed. They are unreliable,
though, the more often you use them, the more likely they will fail.
If you give the MASC enough time to recharge between uses,
however, the chances of it failing are almost nil. MASC systems are
better with 'Mechs that are already fast.
Triple Strength Myomer weighs nothing but
takes up 6 critical spaces. It gives a 'Mech several bonuses. Before
it activates, however, the 'Mech must build up 9 points of heat. As
long as the 'Mech runs hot, it receives one extra walking movement
point and does double damage with physical attacks. Triple
Strength Myomer is best when used with fast 'Mechs that carry
melee weapons such as clubs, claws, and hatchets. Good heat
control is also essential. The 'Mech needs to build up nine points of
heat and stay there for as long as necessary.
Extra-Light (XL) engines weigh only half as
much as standard engines. They free up anywhere from 5-25% of
the 'Mech's tonnage for other equipment. Unfortunately, 'Mechs
that carry XL engines are vulnerable to side torso damage; critical
hits to the side torso can destroy engine shielding, and if the side
torso is destroyed, the engine shuts down. This is only a minor
drawback, however, and should not discourage you from using XL
engines on most designs. The amount of extra armor and equipment
the 'Mech can carry more than makes up for its extra weakness.
New defensive systems like ECM suites and AMSs can also give
the 'Mech extra protection. If your 'Mech is really slow, however, it
is a good idea to use a standard engine. Slow 'Mechs are easier
targets, and because small engines are so light, the tonnage saved
by using an XL engine is not great.
The Command Console can only be mounted in
'Mechs that weigh more than 60 tons. Having a commander on the
field to coordinate actions can greatly increase the performance of
any unit. This is reflected in the initiative bonus the commander gives
the unit. A Command Console works best in a well rounded 'Mech
with good long-range capabilities. The Battlemaster is the
archetypal command 'Mech. The command 'Mech needs to be well
armored and have the weaponry to deal with foes at any range. A
powerful primary weapon and several secondary weapons are a
must. Other electronics such as an ECM suite or even a C3 system
can also enhance the command 'Mech.
Each Coolant System weighs one ton and can be
used once in a game. It allows each heat sink to dissipate an extra
point of heat, cooling down even the hottest running 'Mech quickly.
The Coolant System can prevent massive over-heating from MPW
or inferno attacks, or negate a sudden heat spike caused by engine
criticals or a Laser AMS. Although no 'Mech should rely on
Coolant Systems to control its heat, it is a good idea to carry a
couple of Coolant Systems in any heavy 'Mech that can spare the
tonnage and critical spaces.