1. technology and computing

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MAXIMUM TECH
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Rediscovered Star League technology gives the Inner Sphere a new edge on the
battlefield! But new weapons require new tactics; now as never befor e, ingenuity counts
more than tougher ’Mechs® and bigger guns. Maximum Tech brings BattleTech players
into this brave new world of warfare, wher e thinking on your feet can win the day.
Take your BattleTech games to the max with Maximum Tech, the ultimate expansion
rulebook for BattleTech players. Maximum Tech is packed with dozens of Level Thr ee
optional rules, including new weapons and equipment for Inner Spher e and Clan forces;
expanded rules for vehicles and infantr y; double-blind r ules; revised and expanded
ar tillery rules; and much more! This r evised edition of Maximum Tech has been updated
for use with the BattleTech Master Rules as well as incorporating the units presented in
the Technical Readout: 3060 and Record Sheets: 3060 into the Battle Value units table.
• A BATTLETECH RULES EXPANSION •
SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR!
™
REVISED EDITION
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MAXIMUM
MAXIMUMTECH
MAXIMUM
MAXIMUM
TECH
TECH
MAXIMUM
TECH
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TECH
MAXIMUM TECH
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Base Terrain
New Terrain Types
Terrain Conditions
Weather Conditions
Bog Down
Careful Movement
High/Low Gravity
Heat Scale Modifiers
Movement Modes
Sprinting
Evading
Backward Movement
Climbing and Leaping
Skidding
Vehicle Skidding
Skids and Terrain Features
Piloting Skill Rolls
Taking Damage
Kicking and Pushing Attacks
Attempting to Stand
Leg Damage
Movement Dice
COMBAT
General Rules
Expanded Critical Damage
Floating Critical Rule
Hit Location
Engine Explosions
Hull-Down
Glancing Blows
Target Movement Modifiers
Called Shots
Weapon Attacks
Line of Sight and Dead Zones
Damage
Advanced Firing
Partial Cover
Physical Combat
Piloting Skill
Clan Pilots
New Attack Types
Charging
Death from Above
Accidental Falls from Above
Heat
Avoiding Shutdown
Vehicle Crews
Crew Numbers and Abilities
Movement
Lance Movement
Speed
Turn Modes
Advanced Maneuvers
Vehicle Skidding
Combat
Firing Arcs
Movement Modifiers
Hit Location
Critical Damage
Damage from Fire
Minefields
Vehicle Destruction
VTOL Combat
VTOL Hit Location
VTOL Critical Hits
VTOL Special Attacks
INFANTRY
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Expanded Terrain and Weather Rules
VEHICLES
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Levels of BattleTech
TERRAIN AND MOVEMENT
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How to Use this Book
Rules
Squad Deployment
Damage
Morale
Equipment
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INTRODUCTION
ECM and Camo Suits
Field Guns
Heavy Armor
LRM Infantry
NARC
TAG
Special Operations
Paratroops
Anti-BattleMech Infantry
Engineers
Underwater Operations
MISCELLANEOUS RULES
Artillery
Ranges and Flight Times
Damage
Artillery Ordnance
Field Artillery
Onboard Artillery
Counter-Battery Fire
Abilities
Advanced Abilities
Dueling Rules
Action Phase
Special Dueling Rules
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Light and Heavy Smoke
Smoke Drift/Dissipation
Concealing Information
Record Sheets and Set-up
Available Information
Scanning
Double-Blind Rules
Sequence of Play
Movement Phase
Spotting Phase
Weapon Attack Phase
Physical Attack Phase
Scavenging and Repair
Jury-Rigging
CONSTRUCTION
General Rules
Technology Base
Fractional Accounting
Engines
New Targeting and Tracking Systems
Enhanced Satellite Uplinks
BattleMech Construction
Cockpit Systems
Gyroscopes
Structural Options
Turrets
Critical Slot Limits
Very Light ’Mechs
Low-Tech and Utility ’Mechs
Vehicle Construction
Super-Heavy Tanks
Large Naval Vessels
Turrets
VTOL Options
Special Vehicle Additions
Drones
EQUIPMENT
Active Probes
Bloodhound Active Probe
Anti-Missile Systems
Laser Anti-Missile System
Uses as a Weapon
Armor
Hardened Armor
Advanced Ferro-Fibrous Armor
Laser-Reflective Armor
Reactive Armor
Patchwork Armor
Artemis V Fire-Control System
Artillery Cannons
Autocannons
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Structure Types
Installing Weapons and Equipment
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CONTENTS
Optional Firing Modes
Special Munitions
Light Autocannons
CASE II
Coolant Pod
ECM Suites
ECCM
Angel ECM Suite
ER Pulse Lasers
Flamers
Heavy Flamer
Inferno Fuel
Grenade Launchers
Firing
Grenade Types
Hand-Held Weapons
Construction
Attacks
Damage
Heat Sinks
Compact Heat Sinks
Laser Heat Sinks
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CONTENTS/CREDITS
Rapid-Fire Mode
Missile Launchers
Improved Single-Shot Missiles
Streak LRMs
Missile
Hot-Loading
Heat-Seeking Missiles
Smoke Missiles
NARC Missile Beacon
Bola Pods
Null Signature System
Particle Projector Cannon (PPC)
PPC Capacitor
Pulse Lasers
Optional Firing Modes
X-Pulse Lasers
Supercharger
Thunderbolt Launcher
Writing
Bryan Nystul
With material adapted from:
BattleTech Tactical Handbook by Jim Long
Explorer Corps by Chris Hartford
MechWarrior Companion by Bryan Nystul and Blaine L. Pardoe
Field Manual: Draconis Combine by Loren L. Coleman
Field Manual: Free Worlds League by Chris Hartford
The Periphery by Christopher Hussey
Project Development
Bryan Nystul
Development Assistance
Randall N. Bills
Project Editing
Rob Cruz
Sharon Turner Mulvihill
Diane Piron-Gelman
BattleTech Line Developer
Bryan Nystul
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COSTS
LEVEL THREE BATTLE VALUES
General Rules
BattleMechs
Vehicles
Infantry
Structures
MASTER TABLES
CREDITS
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Machine Guns
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BattleMech Jump Pack
Improved Jump Jets
Mechanical Jump Boosters
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Jump Jets
© 1999-2005 WizKids, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Maximum Tech, Revised, Classic BattleTech,
BattleTech, ’Mech, BattleMech, ProtoMech, AeroTech and WK Games are registered trademarks
and/or trademarks of WizKids, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. No part of this
work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, without the prior permission in writing of the Copyright Owner, nor be otherwise circulated
in any form other than that in which it is published. Printed in the USA. Permission granted to
photocopy for personal use only.
Editorial Staff
Editorial Director
Donna Ippolito
Managing Editor
Sharon Turner Mulvihill
Associate Editors
Diane Piron-Gelman
Rob Cruz
Production Staff
Art Director
Jim Nelson
Project Manager
John Bridegroom
Cover Art
Mike Jackson
Cover Design
Jim Nelson
Illustrations
John Paul Lona
Kevin Long
Brad McDevitt
Matt Plog
Layout
John “The Plague Lord” Bridegroom
Version 1.0 (May 2005), based on the 1st printing (2005) published by FanPro LLC, Chicago,
Illinois,USA.
Published by FanPro LLC • 1608 N. Milwaukee • Suite 1005 • Chicago, IL 60647
Find us online:
Precentor_martial@classicbattletech.com (e-mail address for any Classic BattleTech questions)
http://www.classicbattletech.com (official Classic BattleTech web pages)
http://www.fanprogames.com (FanPro web pages)
http://www.mwdarkage.com (official MechWarrior: Dark Age web pages)
http://www.wizkidsgames.com (WizKids web pages)
http://www.studio2publishing.com (online ordering)
Playtesters
Cord Autry, Andrew Bethke, Peter Lee Bowman, David Briedis, Dave Brown, Eddie Brownlow, Rich Cencarik, Andrew Chattaway, Frank Crull, Richard E. Darr,
Robert R. Dougherty, Steve Edmons, Christopher D. Errett, Robert Feehan, George Fullbrunn, David Gameau, Dan Grendell, Brian P. Gruber, Andre Hafner, Chris
Hartford, Lewis M. Helfer, Dan Hurda, Scott Jamison, Scott E. Johnson, Robert E. Kajtz, Robert G. Kranker, Bill Masino, Bryan Moorman, James W. Moorman Jr.,
Eric Munzinger, Bob Nicholls, Henry Penninkilampi, David Peterson, Gregory K. Plambeck, Joseph L. Poulin, Chris Pope, Rick Raisley, Chris Raisley, Christopher
Smith, Chris Trossen, Vance V. Walsh Jr., Edward C. Witzlib, Josh Whitam, Beat Volkert.
Special Thanks To:
Tracy Kannarr and L. Ross Babcock III, for their invaluable help on the Battle Value system.
Hugh Browne, for his artillery rules.
All of the people who sent in their suggestions for the contents of this book. Though you are too numerous to mention individually by name, your contribution
is greatly appreciated.
4
MAXIMUM TECH
INTRODUCTION
example, design teams have recently finalized work on prototypes of advanced autocannons modeled on salvaged Clan cannons. On Luthien, manufacturers have managed to perfect
Streak missile technology and are now producing larger launchers for the ’Mechs of the DCMS. And in the Free Worlds League,
newly developed extended-range lasers are being widely distributed to FWLM units even as we speak.
Unfortunately, limited supplies of construction materials,
the high costs of producing advanced components and the simple lack of adequate data have hobbled our more ambitious projects. At the NAIS, for example, we have produced prototypes of
new weapons and armor systems, as well as an enhanced
BattleMech chassis. Though our computer models tell us that
these designs should work, they still fail crucial tests. In other
cases, we manage to replicate Clan weapons but simply lack
the knowledge and resources to mass-produce them—a consideration often lost on the rank-and-file soldiers and holovid
reporters. Sure, the boys in laser weapons can make a perfect
copy of a Clan-tech extended-range large laser, but each laser
must be made by hand from materials rare even on New Avalon.
Consequently, each such laser would cost as much as an entire
lance of BattleMechs.
Rest assured, we at the NAIS will continue to push the
envelope of technology, as will our colleagues in design labs
across the Inner Sphere. This report illustrates the progress we
have already achieved in this endeavor and the likely directions
of future work. Some day, the advanced components described
here may reach our boys in the field. Until then, they will have to
get by with what they’ve got—and the promise of a brighter
tomorrow.
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Ever since the recovery of the Star League memory core at
Helm, the general public has assumed that the Inner Sphere
would soon re-experience its Golden Age of Technology. In more
recent years, the invasion by the Clans and the resulting acquisition of salvaged Clan weaponry seemed to reinvigorate the
expectation that the Great House militaries would soon achieve
technological parity with our new enemies.
Of course, we in the scientific community harbored no such
delusions, for any scientist knows that simply possessing the
pieces of a puzzle does not guarantee one can put it together.
And when it comes to the puzzle of recovered technology, we
don’t even have all the pieces. In a few cases, such as the now
widely used extralight engines and endo-steel construction technology, we were able to assemble the puzzle quite quickly. Our
armies managed to salvage nearly complete examples of these
technologies, which enabled us to create working field models
of extralight engines and endo-steel frames in very short order.
Our attempts to replicate other Clan weapons and equipment,
however, have progressed much more slowly.
The slow progress of these efforts is primarily due to a
dearth of salvaged Clan technology and other data necessary for
our design attempts. We at the New Avalon Institute of Science
(NAIS) have enjoyed almost immediate access to the battlefield
salvage obtained in Commonwealth battles against the Clans.
But even we have received only small quantities of salvaged
weaponry, and generally this weaponry has been in extremely
poor condition. (Undoubtedly, the strength of the Clan war
machine and the limited effectiveness of our own troops against
the invaders results in limited opportunities to scavenge
advanced Clan weapons.) Other researchers in the Inner Sphere
have had to work with even less.
Despite these conditions, Inner Sphere weapon and
BattleMech designers have made notable progress in the effort
to replicate Clan battlefield technology. Here at the NAIS, for
—Excerpted from an address delivered by Dr. Gerhardt
Marks, NAIS Research Coordinator, to the Interstellar
Symposium on Military Technology, New Avalon, 4 March 3059
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