Equipment:"Free-Rack" LRMs

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KamikazeJohnson
01/31/14 01:33 PM
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I was pondering the versatility of LRMs, particularly in regards to specialty ammunitions, and it occurred to me that a single LRM is the same, whether it's loaded into a 5-pack or a 20-pack launcher.

This led me to a modification of the LRM ammo system.

The Free-Rack LRM system simply uses LRM-5 ammo, regardless of the size of the launcher; a 10-rack loads 2 shots at a time, the 15 loads 3, and the 29-rack loads 4 shots.

The intended use of the system would be to allow a single vehicle to mount KRM launchers of different sizes, but share ammo.

Example: a tank carries a LRM-20 for direct damage, and a LRM-5 with Thinder munitions for laying mines. Using the Free-Rack system, the tank would not need to carry additional ammo to allow the LRM-5 to also do direct damage, or to lay mines with the Thunder ammo.

For cost...possibly increase launcher size by 0.5 tons to account for a more complex ammo-feed system, or reduce ammo to 100 missiles/ton as opposef to the current 120/ton for LRMs.

Maybe JMInc. is the only company that regularly designs 'Mechs with mismatched LRMs, so this might be a moot upgrade for most...

Any thoughts?
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
Karagin
01/31/14 01:57 PM
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It is a good idea...but then you have MML which allow you to mix Short and Long Range Missiles into one launcher system...
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
KamikazeJohnson
01/31/14 02:30 PM
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The MML is almost the opposite...you have a single launcher with at least 2 types of ammo, rather than multiple launchers sharing ammo.
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
ghostrider
01/31/14 04:09 PM
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one problem with this, is keeping track of how many missles have already been used.
I believe there is 120 missles in a ton of lrm ammo. The same sized launcher should be able to share ammo, but most people would say the auto reloader wasnt made for that.
The same thing can be said about srms. One ton carries 100 missles.

Besides keeping track of how much ammo is left, I dont see why they couldn't do something like this. Something like the Longbow would benefit greatly from being able to have one ton of ammo as thunder munitions.
KamikazeJohnson
01/31/14 05:55 PM
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Track it as LRM-5 ammo. Start with 24 shots/ton, mark off 1 round for every 5 missiles fired, i.e. a LRM-15 will use 3 rounds each time.

The Longbow was the canon 'Mech I had in mind when I was thinking about this.
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
01/31/14 08:10 PM
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I have no problem in that being done. I think its a good idea.

I have never gone as far as to do that in my designs because there are plenty of people that would object.
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.

I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!
ghostrider
01/31/14 09:36 PM
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For any that will use this, remember. If you only have 3 'rounds' left, you can NOT fire the lrm 20. That would use 4 'rounds' I can see people 'forgetting' about this.
You can not change what size the launcher is.

I didnt think about breaking it into groups of 5 like damage. I was thinking of counting 20 or 15..

I need to double check, but i think the amount of times an srm 6 pack can fire it wrong. If they have 100 missle per ton like the 2 and 4 packs, 15 shots is only 90 missles.
ghostrider
01/31/14 09:39 PM
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sure enough. You can get 16 shots out of 100 missles in the srm ton with having 4 left. I wonder if fasa overlooked this. I don't think it's been changed since the other companies took over battetech.
Retry
01/31/14 09:43 PM
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I think it should probably still fire but in which case it can only fire as if it were a LRM/15, but with the heat of a LRM/20.
KamikazeJohnson
01/31/14 10:26 PM
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Quote:
I think it should probably still fire but in which case it can only fire as if it were a LRM/15, but with the heat of a LRM/20.



Real World logic would agree with you, but I'd probably say No for game balance reasons.

SRM ammo counts always threw me. It should be 96 missiles/ton, which would be 48/24/16 shots with the 2/4/6 rack. In any case, I was only proposing for LRMs, but I guess there's no reason not to adapt it for SRMs.
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
Retry
01/31/14 10:33 PM
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Game balance reasons? Really? That minute detail is going to throw the game heavily in favor of the LRM launcher?
KamikazeJohnson
01/31/14 11:05 PM
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Quote:
Game balance reasons? Really? That minute detail is going to throw the game heavily in favor of the LRM launcher?



Not so much that, just internal balance. The Free-Rack is an advantage over the standard LRM, so there has to be a cost to counteract that. Although it could be a good upgrade to the LRM in general to help keep them useful overall.
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
Retry
01/31/14 11:25 PM
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A tonnage penalty would be enough.
ghostrider
02/01/14 02:49 AM
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I think it would be something in the lrm rack itself that would cause it not to fire. Not having all missles in the tubes should be enough to shut down that rack. Call it a safety issue.
The autoloader may not even attempt to reload if their isn't enough ammo.
Maybe the same reason why a 5 critical using weapon shuts down when it takes even 1 point of damage.
Without bogging the game down is what the critical was about, the simple fact that having some launch tubes damage is a very viable reason for the lrm 15/20.

Like everything it would be up to the game master to decide this. I do believe to uphold the needing to have a full launcher before firing, it would be more then against canon ideas to even use the same ammo bin for different size launchers.

Another thing that might be something to look at is half ton ammo bins. Mg's are the only thing that the old rules would allow. I dont see why this could not be applied with the a little adjustment. If there is not enough ammo to fire with the last shot, it simply doesnt carry that last bit.
Example the srm 4. It would only hold 48 missles in the bin firing 12 times.
CrayModerator
02/01/14 09:26 AM
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Quote:
Track it as LRM-5 ammo. Start with 24 shots/ton, mark off 1 round for every 5 missiles fired, i.e. a LRM-15 will use 3 rounds each time.



Sounds like a good idea to me.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
ghostrider
02/01/14 11:39 PM
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maybe they should take this a step further. Add a ton and a crit to the lrm 20 or 15 and allow them to fire less then maximum missles. Say only fire off 5 missles instead of 20. Im sure archer pilots would like to avoid wasting 20 missles on a stupid jeep. maybe allow units to cool down some by not using a whole load, but keep some sort of fire going.
His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
02/02/14 08:20 AM
172.56.8.130

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That should not take any weight. All that would be required is software to be added to the launchers fire control system.

I think I will add both of thees ideas to my house rules, if I ever can have time away from work to find others to play BT with.
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.

I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!
ghostrider
04/06/14 11:29 PM
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this is what I am refering to in the longbow mech design.
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