SRMs are the short-range version, and their launchers, depending on the model, will fire either two, four or six of them at a time. In MechWarrior 3, missiles come in two types (though the overall franchise has more): short range, and long-range. The final category of weapons are missiles.
MECH WARRIOR 3 SERIES
RELATED: GIGA: Vault Comics Announces Giant Robots Murder Mystery Series Missile Weapons: Raining Down Fire Clan autocannons only come in LB-X and ultra models, and they are slightly lighter and more compact than Inner Sphere versions at no cost to their effectiveness - but they may be harder to find.
An ultra autocannon can quickly wipe out the enemy if its shots land, and in MechWarrior 3, a 'Mech that suffers enough autocannon shots may get knocked right onto its back, something lasers can't do. Then, there are the ultra autocannons, which are like regular autocannons except they have half the reload time between bursts, at the risk of jamming. LB-X autocannons fire clusters of pellets at the enemy, and aside from having slightly superior range, they are similar to autocannons. Since these weapons are heavy, light 'Mechs don't typically use them at all. Autocannon-10 weapons are a sort of compromise. Unlike lasers, a smaller autocannon has longer range, while an autocannon-20 weapon deals incredible damage, but only at short range. Regular autocannons are a good start, and these ballistic weapons come in four models that fire either two, five, 10 or 20 shells at a time, which reflects in their damage output. In exchange, they generate much less waste heat, easing the strain on the 'Mech's heat sinks. These weapons are heavy and bulky compared to lasers. RELATED: Giant Robots Defeat COVID in Battles' New Anime Music Video 'Sugar Foot' Ballistic Weapons: Eat Leadīallistic weapons fire explosive shells at the enemy, and they require ammunition to fire. They make a thick, electric blue beam when they fire, instead of a thin laser beam. They are even bigger and heavier than large lasers, but they have long range and do a lot of damage - and generate a lot of heat. Clan 'Mechs only have ER and pulse laser models, but they are a little lighter than Inner Sphere versions and have even more range and damage potential.įinally, the energy weapon category includes the PPC, or particle projector cannon. Lasers might be a pulse model, meaning they have reduced range but superior damage, and the extended range lasers have very long range but generate extra heat. A regular medium laser weighs just one ton, but a large laser, which has superior range and damage output, weighs five tons.Īnd there's even more variance.
MECH WARRIOR 3 INSTALL
Bigger lasers are also heavier and bulkier to install in the 'Mech, limiting the use of too many large laser guns. The sizes are small, medium and large, and the bigger the laser, the greater its range, damage output and waste heat generation. Lasers are typical energy weapons, and in MechWarrior 3, lasers come in three sizes with Inner Sphere and Clan variants. RELATED: Mass Effect: Grunt Is a Good Soldier - But He's Missing a Few Things It also helps to install extra heat sinks to bleed away that wast heat faster. Players must use discretion when firing energy weapons so their 'Mech doesn't get too toasty. For example, its power plant may shut down automatically (even in the middle of a fight), and its internal ammo (if any) may explode inside the 'Mech and wreak havoc. This comes at a price, however: energy weapons generate a great deal of waste heat when they are fired, and a BattleMech may suffer the consequences if it runs too hot. The energy weapons of MechWarrior 3 (and the lore as a whole) draw upon the BattleMech's fusion engine for power, meaning they will never run out of energy or need any ammunition. This makes energy weapons an ideal choice for when the MechWarrior is operating far from supply lines or deep into enemy territory.