ECM 3025

This article is about the piece of equipment that was supposedly mounted on the early Raven. For the canonical item that was later revealed to fill that same role in the game, see EW Equipment.

When the RVN-1X Raven was first mentioned as a newly developed BattleMech in the 1987 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation) sourcebook, its game stats featured a unique item identified only as "ECM Equipment."

The item was described as massing 7.5 tons and occupying four critical slots in the center torso section. This placement was obviously erroneous as construction rules only provided two critical slots in that section. An official record sheet for the Raven was first published in the 1991 Record Sheets Volume One: Light 'Mechs publication; in this record sheet, four critical slots named "ECM" were placed in the left torso section.

For many years after its introduction, ECM Equipment had no associated game rules despite featuring in official products and being described in some detail. As the Raven evolved, its electronic warfare equipment evolved as well and was eventually phased out in favor of more efficient modern systems. As of 3050, the line model RVN-3L mounts a Guardian ECM suite, a Beagle active probe, TAG and a Narc missile beacon in the place of the original equipment. (Errata later removed the active probe.)

MechForce Germany

It was MechForce Germany who, through their Life Support magazine (Issue #6, 1994), first published rules for ECM Equipment, which they named ECM 3025.

Arena-Planet Solaris VII

In 1996, FanPro published the German edition of the Solaris VII: The Game World boxed set (German title: Arena-Planet Solaris VII). In typical FanPro fashion, the boxed set had been altered and expanded over the original FASA product. Its rules section contained ECM 3025 rules that were identical to those previously published by MechForce Germany.

Tactical Operations

It was not until 2008 that definitive, fully canonical rules for the Raven's ECM equipment were published in the Tactical Operations rulebook. There, the item is called EW Equipment, with different rules from the ECM 3025 rules.

It should be noted that EW Equipment and its associated rules completely replace the ECM 3025 item and its rules.

Rules

Game Rules

According to the German rules, ECM 3025 weighs 7.5 tons and costs approximately 120,000 C-bills. It can theoretically be installed on any 'Mech, although the only 'Mech that was ever designed to carry the equipment was the early Raven. It could be described as a combination prototype ECM suite and prototype active probe.

In game terms, ECM 3025 occupies four critical hit slots. Units equipped in this way have the following advantages/abilities:

• Detect hidden enemy units (but not infantry) if passing by them at a distance of less than four hexes (16 under Solaris VII rules) or ending movement within that range, similar to a Beagle active probe.
• When hitting an enemy with a missile volley, add +1 to the roll that determines how many missiles hit the target.
• Can call indirect LRM fire without the usual +1 to-hit modifier applying to friendly units.
• When used as forward artillery spotter, a −2 to-hit modifier applies to indirect artillery fire.
• According to descriptions, ECM 3025 also has some jamming and ECM capabilities, but no game rules are given.

The original RVN-1X Raven described ECM 3025 as mounted in the Center Torso section. Since this section only provides 2 critical hit slots (while 4 are required for the equipment), it is apparently possible to split the slots for ECM 3025 between two adjacent locations. The record sheet assigned all 4 critical slots to the left torso section.

For comparison, EW Equipment weighs 7.5 tons and takes up four critical spaces. It functions as an active probe and an ECM suite within a radius of three hexes. The combined mass and bulk of the system make it strictly inferior to mounting both Beagle and Guardian systems instead, but the latter systems are at a higher technology level.

Canonicity

ECM 3025 was never published in any official English source and does not meet the criteria for canon.

Life Support magazine does not count among canonical sources, so even with MechForce Germany's official license, this publication could be considered apocryphal at best. Arena-Planet Solaris VII, too, did not meet the criteria for canon and is considered apocryphal for BattleTech.

The introduction of EW Equipment rules fills the hole in the rules that ECM 3025 was supposed to adress, supplanting ECM 3025 for good in canon and thus relegating it to non-canon.

Bibliography

• Arena-Planet Solaris VII (German edition of Solaris VII: The Game World)
• Life Support magazine, Issue #6
• Tactical Operations