MechWarriors today are as concerned about keeping their Mechs running as they are about winning battles. Indeed, most Warriors and Techs consider the struggle to keep their machines in operational condition one long, bloody baffle in its own right. This column, in this and future issues, will address the problems faced by Mech Warriors and MechTechs in keeping their machines combat-ready. ENGINE SWAPS The engine of any BattleMech can truly be considered its heart. One of the potentially most hazardous critical hits to any 'Mech is a hit which pierces armor and core shielding and damages the engine itself. Such damage can result in increased heat production during combat, a critical shutdown, or even an explosion which will destroy the 'Mech and kill the pilot if he is unable to punch out in time. In the field, engine hits are among the most difficult to repair. The Tech and his assistants must clear through superficial damage on the armor over the 'Mech's central torso and, depending on the type of 'Mech, access the engine block housing cover. The engine access panel itself weighs as much as a ton. In the field, with repair platforms, derricks, or repair gantries unavailable, with other 'Mechs required at the front and unable to lend a (literally!) helping hand, often the only option is to maneuver the 'Mech onto the ground prone and rig a tripod hoist above the engine block section. Sometimes, the best choice a Tech can make when faced with one or more critical engine hits is to replace the engine unit completely. The following section is provided for people using FASA's MechWarrior simulator. It is intended to supplement the rules given in the original MechWarrior rules book. MECHWARRIOR: Optional Rules Variant 0101-A While repairing damage on a BattleMech which has received one or more critical engine hits, the player may be able to speed things along by securing the intact engine of another BattleMech. The following restrictions apply: The replacement engine must be of the same type as the engine which is being replaced. Both the Assassin and the Archer use the VOX 280. Thus, the engine from one could be replaced by the engine from the other. The replacement engine must be examined by a competent Warrior or Tech to ascertain that it is, in fact, undamaged. This is accomplished by rolling 2D6 against the individual's Technician Skill Roll Target +6. Whether or not the engine in question is in fact undamaged is up to the referee, depending on the situation. Generally, if the 'Mech has not taken any critical engine hits, the engine itself will be undamaged or will have relatively light damage which is easily repaired. Replacing an engine requires all of the equipment necessary for repairing an engine: tool kit, joining kit, fusion kit, and a repair platform. If no repair platform is available, the 'Mech can be laid on its back (either on its own power or with assistance from another 'Mech), and a derrick or a handed 'Mech can be used to maneuver the engine into position. Construction of a derrick takes 60 minutes, assuming one Tech and five laborers. The rules given under Time Factor in MechWarrior can be used to increase or decrease this time. The basic time for the repair of a critical engine hit is 300 minutes, with a 2D6 roll of 7+ for success. A roll of 4-6 results in a partial success. Replacing the entire engine requires 200 minutes (not counting the time required to find and retrieve a 'Mech engine of the required size), and requires a 21D6 roll of 5+ for success. Note that the 300-minute figure is the time required to repair one critical engine hit. Successfully replacing the entire engine would repair all engine critical hits at the same time. Failure in the 21D6 roll indicates that the engine has been replaced, but unforeseen problems make start-up impossible. A second 200 minutes and a second 5+ roll are required to complete the repairs. USING 'MECHS FOR REPAIRS Any experienced Tech worth his thorium is well aware of the one absolute, basic shortcut trick of battlefield repairs: 'Mechs can do double duty as derricks! Even handless 'Mechs such as Locusts or Warhammers can be used to provide power for jury-rigged block and tackle hoists. With a block and tackle arrangement, they can lift three times their own mass, allowing even very large disabled 'Mechs to be repositioned for repairs. 'Mechs with hands are capable of extraordinarily delicate operations--the entire engine block free of a destroyed 'Mech and gently set it in place in the 'Mech being repaired. As a general rule of thumb, one such 'Mech can lift and carry up to one tenth of its own weight--carried free, rather than dragged behind as is the usual case with battlefield salvage. Two handed 'Mechs working together could lift and transport up to one tenth of the weight of the two 'Mechs combined. Thus, a 55-ton Wolverine could pick up and transport any engine up to and including a 5.5 ton Nissan 155. Note, however, that the 'Mech performing the operation must possess two handed arms, and the internal structure of both arms must be intact. Back to BattleTechnology Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1987 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com