dal10, on 26 July 2013 - 08:40 PM, said:
Well, there are BT rules also support the notion of ACs as burst-fire weapons - in fact, there are specific gameplay rules (on page 100 of Tactical Operations) for walking the fire from a single burst across multiple targets.
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No matter what type of autocannon is being used, both targets must be in adjacent hexes and within range of the weapon. Determine the to-hit number for both targets and make separate to-hit rolls against each target, using the higher (more difficult) of the to-hit numbers and adding a +1 modifier for firing at multiple targets with a single shot. Note that this is not the secondary target modifier; that modifier does not apply to this type of attack unless multiple targets also are being attacked in the same phase. If the to-hit roll succeeds, the target is struck by a single hit that inflicts damage equal to half the normal damage done by the weapon (rounded down).
The more basic rules found in Total Warfare can be seen as simply assuming that all of the shells in a burst land in the same general area.
For example, if each of the shells in a three-shell burst hits the thigh, lower leg (calf/shin), and middle of the foot, the shot "hit the leg". Likewise, having each of the shells in a four-shell burst hit the upper arm, elbow joint, lower arm, and hand is considered to have the entire burst "hit the arm".
Also, Era Report 3052 speaks to the AC classification system on page 89.
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However, not everyone can afford the luxury of such nitpicking, and so militaries long ago adopted a scheme of rough classes to judge weapon systems. In the case of the aforementioned autocannons, military personnel and casual observers would consider both weapons to be “class 20” autocannons as they both fire 200 kilograms of ammunition in a 10-second period at an effective range of just under 300 meters. Any autocannon that falls into that range of performance is a class-20 autocannon, whether they fire a single 300mm, 200-kilogram shell or scores of 50mm shells.
- The AC/20 used on the Hetzer Combat Vehicle (a Ceres Arms Crusher Super Heavy Cannon) fires a burst of ten 150mm shells.
- The AC/20s used on the Demolisher Combat Vehicle (twin ChemJet Guns) each fire a burst of four 185mm shells.
- The AC/20 mounted on the Mechbuster AreoSpace Fighter (a Zeus 75) fires a four-round burst of unstated caliber.
- Decision at Thunder Rift states (toward the beginning of chapter 28) that the AC/5 on the SHD-2H Shadow Hawk (an Armstrong J11) is a 90mm weapon.
- Decision at Thunder Rift also states (around the middle of chapter 9) that the AC/5 on the MAD-3R Marauder (a GM Whirlwind) is a 120mm weapon that fires in three-round bursts.
- Technical Readout: 3025 states that the AC/10 on the ENF-4R Enforcer (a "Federated Autocannon/10") uses "big, ten-round clips that are easily slipped into and out of the 'Mech's back" (with the implication that each of the 10 shots in one ton is composed of 10 individual shells (that is, 10 shells/clip * 10 clips/ton), for a total of 100 shells per ton).