Mechanical Mechs
Ok first I apoligize for typing this in .txt but, last time I typed it all in the post
box and when I finished the forum had logged me out (EVIL!).

Mechanical Mechs: Not a protomech, not yet a Battlemech. Or if you prefer, the most battle
ready Utility Mech this side of Mike's Alien Horses...

Rules for Construction:
Step 1: Decide on tonnage, type (quad or biped), and height (1 or 2). Note that the height
is crucial for calculating suspension factor (don't stop reading yet) and line of sight in game.

Step 2: The overly complicated internal structure. Mechanical mechs are actually less like modern
Battlemechs with advanced mynomers and more like true walking tanks (filled with tons of actuators,
gears, and other mechanical naughty bits). As such the internal structure of a Mechanical Mech is both
much cheaper and much heavier (even more so than Star League era Utility Mechs). Mechanical Mech's internal
structure weighs 3 times a normal internal structure (this is 30% if it uses standard structure), note
Mechanical Mechs may use advanced structure materials such as Endo Steel. Also due to the bulkieness of
all these gears and the relative ease to throw them out of working alignment the mech only has the internal
structure point of a mech half of its size, rounded up (i feel sorry for all of you with out access to those
old 10 ton structure stats now...).

Step 3: Suspension Factors on Mechs!?!? Yes Mechanical Mechs have a suspension factor, and don't require
any additional weight for lift equipment (this is part of their super heavy structure). The helpfulness
of this suspension factor varies based on tonnage, height, and type. Generally lighter, shorter, quads
have the best suspension factors. Here is the table:
Height 1 Quads:
20-35 tons: 60
40-55 tons: 30
60-75 tons: 15
80-100 tons: 5
Height 2 Quads:
20-35 tons: 40
40-55 tons: 20
60-75 tons: 10
80-100 tons: 0
Height 1 Bipeds:
20-35 tons: 40
40-55 tons: 20
60-75 tons: 10
80-100 tons: 0
Height 1 Bipeds:
20-35 tons: 20
40-55 tons: 10
60-75 tons: 5
80-100 tons: 0

Step5: Determine Control System, or I forgot my neurohelmet again. Mechanical Mechs due to their unique
evolution have traditionally been fitted with control components common to both standard vehicles and Mechs (neurohelmets).
As a result a Mechanical Mech may mount either. Standard (vehicle like) controls are cheaper and easier to train
recuits in on though hamper the accuracy. Also these control components are prone to theft due to their less sophisticated
security. If a Mechanical Mech mounts standard controls it suffers the following penalties:
+1 Piloting and +1 Gunnery Penalty modifiers (if the pilot only moves or fires during a turn ignore these penalties)
The pilot may only fire at one additional secondary target (2 targets total).
Inexperienced warriors attempting to pilot a Mechanical Mech may use their drive skill with a penalty.

Step 6: Good ol' Heat! Mechanical mechs being in many ways the ancestrial link between mechs and vehicles don't like heat
but are in far less danger than the notoriously combustiale vehicles. As a result Mechanical Mechs must mount enough heat sinks
to dissipate all heat they could possibly generate. However they still use the heat chart to deal with heat inducing weapons,
and engine hits. Also Mechanical Mechs have a number of changes to the heat scale as follows:
4 Heat: Critical Damage Avoid on 4+
9 Heat: Critical Damage Avoid on 6+
16 Heat: Critical Damage Avoid on 8+
21 Heat: Critical Damage Avoid on 10+
If not avoided resolve critical damage by rolling for criticals (as per determine critical hits table) except that it always
yeilds at least 1 critical. Roll a to hit location for each critical and apply as normal (transfering if necessary).

Step 7: Cost Effectiveness. Mechanical Mechs are cheap, dirt cheap. For a Mechanical Mech's structure use tonnage x 500 instead
of the normal tonnage x 2,000. If the mech uses Standard (vehicle) controls use tonnage x 1,000 for sensors instead of the normal
tonnage x 2,000. Finally for the last cost modifier Mechanical Mechs multiply by [1+(tonnage/300)] as apposed to the normal
[1+(tonnage/100)].

Combat Effects:
Use the height of the mech as decided upon during creation for calculating line of sight.

Mechanical Mechs with their shakey movement are prone to falling (heh i made a funny), and have trouble getting up. As such
apply a +1 penalty to any piloting roll to avoid falling, and a +1 penalty to attempts to stand.

Mechanical Mechs with their legs and arms filled with gears aren't very good at physical attacks. As such the mech deals half the
damage a mech of its size normally would (round up) when they successfully land a physical attack.