Retry
07/03/19 07:47 PM
64.189.130.11
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These two equipment are (loosely) based on the equipment of the same name from HBS's Battletech. I figured the general ideas behind them were interesting enough to try to convert to the board game.
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Heat Bank
Another heat management device, not as popular or ubiquitous as the Heat Sink. Heat banks transfer excess energy by running hot coolant over a storage medium, usually to melt a solid with a low melting point like Iodine (Single Heat Bank) or Paraffin (Double Heat Bank) to keep the mech cool for short periods, and circulating cool coolant to re-freeze it during periods when when excess cooling is available.
The mechanism is usually completely automated to collect heat as it appears to keep the mech cool, but some Battlemechs have an optional control method which allows the Mechwarrior to select which general temperature to keep the entire ‘Mech. This is rarely implemented except in TSM-equipped ‘Mechs.
Heat Banks are not particularly common after the 1st generation of ‘Mechs as it was discovered that both Battlemechs and Pilots can tolerate quite high levels of excess heat without them. However, certain technologies like PPC Capacitors, TSM, and TSEMPs which produce produce high levels of heat in a short burst or need a steady temperature level which a Heat Bank helps manage.
Heat Banks “stores” or “rejects” any excess heat per turn generated or dissipated by the Battlemech up to a maximum value. The ‘Mech can choose at what heat level this effect activates, but the default heat level is zero. Critical hits to the Heat Bank disables its use, and any heat stored at the time floods back into the Battlemech system
Single Heat Bank
5,000 C-Bills
Tech Rating C/C-C-C-C
3 heat storage (4 clan)
1.5 tons
3 crits (2 clan)
Double Heat Bank
10,000 C-Bills
Tech Rating D/X-D-F-C
6 heat storage (8 clan)
1.5 tons
4 crits (3 clan)
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Thermal Exchanger
The Thermal Exchanger is, in all its forms, a passive system that marginally enhanced heat rejection. The heat exchanger is primarily an upgrade to the heat pump, which increases the flow velocity of the coolant and with it its effective heat-carrying capacity, although some models also feature an additive dispensing and monitoring system for the coolant line. The net effect is to slightly reduce the overall heat accumulation of the ‘Mech, not quite as effectively as the Radical Heat Sink system can in short bursts, but much more safely and sustainably.
Thermal Exchangers do not stack and cannot be pod-mounted. In addition, a critical hit to the Exchanger reverses the heat reduction and causes extra heat production instead.
Light-Weight Thermal Exchanger
150,000 C-Bills
Tech Rating E X/F/E/D
Reduces heat production by 1 point every 10 (8 clan) points.
1 ton
2 crits (Center Torso)
Thermal Exchanger
400,000 C-Bills
Tech Rating E F/F/D/C
Reduces heat production by 1 point every 7 (6 clan) points.
2 tons
4 crits (2 Center Torso, 1 Left/Right Torso)
Heavy-Duty Thermal Exchanger
1,000,000 C-Bills
Tech Rating E X/F/E/D
Reduces heat production by 1 point every 5 (4 clan) points.
3 tons
6 crits (2 Center Torso, 2 Right Torso, 2 Left Torso
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Cray
07/05/19 02:36 PM
71.47.193.139
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Interesting options for 'Mech design. The heat banks seem easy to implement.
Glad to see the thermal exchangers don't stack, that was going to be my first question about them. However, I don't see how damaging them would increase heat burden on the remaining heat sinks.
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.
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Retry
07/05/19 09:59 PM
174.70.184.145
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Quote:
Interesting options for 'Mech design. The heat banks seem easy to implement.
Glad to see the thermal exchangers don't stack, that was going to be my first question about them. However, I don't see how damaging them would increase heat burden on the remaining heat sinks.
That was more of a balancing idea than something with an actual, physical reason. I didn't want someone to, say, always add Thermal Exchangers if they ate more heat per ton than an equivalent weight of double heat sink without at least a small disadvantage.
Although I'm sure one could come up with an explanation, or at least a handwave for it. Say, "the damage to the Thermal Exchanger knocks out the auxiliary pumps, reducing the flow rate of the coolant below normal level."
In any case I'm not married to the idea that damage to the Thermal Exchanger should increase the heat burden, I've gone back and forth between it doing this and doing nothing.
Edited by Retry (07/05/19 10:30 PM)
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AmaroqStarwind
12/29/19 07:59 PM
8.6.112.65
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In real life, different types of thermal exchangers can trap heat instead of transporting it if they get damaged.
Discord: Amaroq the Kitsune#1092
Telegram: @Lycanphoenix
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Aargo99
11/11/23 08:22 PM
166.199.150.28
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Love what you have done with heat exchangers as special equipment and was looking for someone to create them for the tabletop. A little tricky for placement with all the crit slots they take, but i tested it in nova cat prime with my friends. Not sure how it generates heat after damage, by rules, or in rl tho. Heat exchangers can struggle with “fouling” which comes usually from organic particulate in the transduction tubes, which is what happens to soft serve ice cream machines reducing effectiveness. Sad ice cream. From weapons however, you’d get a rupture in the tubes which would spill out both cooling fluids and hot fluids which can cause damage or cause electronics to fail. My game table had it generate a spike of heat before the heat sinks, which it would using to cool, activate their shut-off valves. Another failure idea is that the coolant fluids that spill could cause an electrolytic failure in batteries and capacitors. Which would mean energy weapons would lose power. Overall, i liked them a lot and they made heavy lasers worth considering again and could get about 4-5 extra shots out of a nova cats ERLLs per game.
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