I've seen various homebrews for throwing things like explosive barrels/bombs. But also for carrying self contained ballistic/missile weapons (as there were rules for what a mech can carry in it's hands so it had triggers and a limited ammo bin but was not very accurate due to no link to targeting systems) I would actually use a pilot roll for throwing a bomb (treat it as a short range artillery strike for where it lands, the hard part is damage... I would put it close to 10-20pts damage spread out like artillery strikes) But I would seriously limit it to improvised as there would be some serious limits to mech's ability to carry them. The closest internal version would be the MRM racks. Or akin to the anti-personnel pods
Tac Ops had rules about throwing inanimate objects (Starts page 92). You can throw 10% of your weight 1 hex or up to 1% of your weight a total of 9 hexes if using two hands. You drop down to 2.5% of weight and 0.25% of weight respectively if using one hand. TSM doubles weight values. A 1 ton (standard aerospace bomb) HE bomb could be reasonably rigged to detonate after being tossed in my mind. Even Long Tom shells are only 0.2 tons each, you could have some mechanics rig those up and get a Wasp (two hands) to pick up two long tom shells and throw them 3 hexes (1.25% weight or quarter ton for the bug mech based on the pg92 of Tac Ops). Sounds funny enough to try.
Add a scatter-die mechanic to Battletech? The mech pilot aims at a hex. If the pilot misses the grenade moves 1d3 hexes in the direction of the scatter die and does 2 pts of damage to anything within that hex and 1 point to the adjacent hexes. Let's try it.
Maybe some form of indirect fire variant of srms? Sounds like the easiest way. Like a modern tank has smoke grenade launchers stuck to the outside, just put those on a mech with thermite in it? Agree it wouldn't do a whole lot of damage probably
Grenades are a weird one for Battletech. They make a kind of internal sense for mecha, where the emphasis is usually on hyper mobile machines with as fast limbs that mimic human kinesthetics. With all that, dedicated throwing weapons make a kind of sense. For mecha, where the joints are the way they are through a myriad of design and cost compromises, and movement is more ponderous, it seems less viable to be spending C bills and tonnage on dedicated throwing weapons. But if you find yourself out of actual ranged weapons/ammo, then why not try hoiking these depth charges you just found. It might work. *shrugs*
Suppose you can carry one-ton bombs around in place of battle armor hitching a ride? Having them stuck to your armour seems the only situation where they're going to do serious damage to a mech though... more risk than potential reward.
Mechs in general don't have hand weapons, me and my brother were just getting into the game and realized the guns a lot hold are built in. You have a lot of 5 finger fully articulated hands on mechs but no mech sized hand weapons or tools, why build a hand that complex?
To pick up stuff during an objective raid. To pick up a shot-off limb or I-beam to use as a club. To haul a damaged 'mech away when there's no dedicated wrecker vehicle around. To rig cables for lifting or hauling things. To climb terrain too steep to walk up. To grab and restrain other 'mechs. And those 'mechs that have handheld weapons? They're on quick-disconnects so the weapon can be dropped, possibly even slung like a rifle. Old FASA art shows Stingers slinging their hand-held medium laser to have both hands free to carry loot from a raid. Long and short, while the GAME is all about giant stompy robots blasting the heck out of each other, the LORE makes them a lot more flexible than mere war machines.
I've seen various homebrews for throwing things like explosive barrels/bombs. But also for carrying self contained ballistic/missile weapons (as there were rules for what a mech can carry in it's hands so it had triggers and a limited ammo bin but was not very accurate due to no link to targeting systems)
I would actually use a pilot roll for throwing a bomb (treat it as a short range artillery strike for where it lands, the hard part is damage... I would put it close to 10-20pts damage spread out like artillery strikes)
But I would seriously limit it to improvised as there would be some serious limits to mech's ability to carry them.
The closest internal version would be the MRM racks. Or akin to the anti-personnel pods
Tac Ops had rules about throwing inanimate objects (Starts page 92). You can throw 10% of your weight 1 hex or up to 1% of your weight a total of 9 hexes if using two hands. You drop down to 2.5% of weight and 0.25% of weight respectively if using one hand. TSM doubles weight values. A 1 ton (standard aerospace bomb) HE bomb could be reasonably rigged to detonate after being tossed in my mind. Even Long Tom shells are only 0.2 tons each, you could have some mechanics rig those up and get a Wasp (two hands) to pick up two long tom shells and throw them 3 hexes (1.25% weight or quarter ton for the bug mech based on the pg92 of Tac Ops). Sounds funny enough to try.
Sounds like a Solaris 7 theme battle
Add a scatter-die mechanic to Battletech? The mech pilot aims at a hex. If the pilot misses the grenade moves 1d3 hexes in the direction of the scatter die and does 2 pts of damage to anything within that hex and 1 point to the adjacent hexes.
Let's try it.
Classic Battletech RPG, p. 137.
Lostech, p. 35.
A Time of War, p. 278.
I wonder if Fritz has even seen this? 🤷♂️
There is rules for throwing things in the Tactical Ops. I also in one book at mortars as weapons.
Maybe some form of indirect fire variant of srms? Sounds like the easiest way. Like a modern tank has smoke grenade launchers stuck to the outside, just put those on a mech with thermite in it? Agree it wouldn't do a whole lot of damage probably
Grenades are a weird one for Battletech.
They make a kind of internal sense for mecha, where the emphasis is usually on hyper mobile machines with as fast limbs that mimic human kinesthetics. With all that, dedicated throwing weapons make a kind of sense.
For mecha, where the joints are the way they are through a myriad of design and cost compromises, and movement is more ponderous, it seems less viable to be spending C bills and tonnage on dedicated throwing weapons. But if you find yourself out of actual ranged weapons/ammo, then why not try hoiking these depth charges you just found. It might work. *shrugs*
Handheld weapon: Mortar
Suppose you can carry one-ton bombs around in place of battle armor hitching a ride?
Having them stuck to your armour seems the only situation where they're going to do serious damage to a mech though... more risk than potential reward.
Mechs in general don't have hand weapons, me and my brother were just getting into the game and realized the guns a lot hold are built in. You have a lot of 5 finger fully articulated hands on mechs but no mech sized hand weapons or tools, why build a hand that complex?
To pick up stuff during an objective raid. To pick up a shot-off limb or I-beam to use as a club. To haul a damaged 'mech away when there's no dedicated wrecker vehicle around. To rig cables for lifting or hauling things. To climb terrain too steep to walk up. To grab and restrain other 'mechs. And those 'mechs that have handheld weapons? They're on quick-disconnects so the weapon can be dropped, possibly even slung like a rifle. Old FASA art shows Stingers slinging their hand-held medium laser to have both hands free to carry loot from a raid.
Long and short, while the GAME is all about giant stompy robots blasting the heck out of each other, the LORE makes them a lot more flexible than mere war machines.
Would definitely be cool in a Solaris Tournament.
Could have a couple scattered around the map.