With the change to Skill Trees, the "Mandatory 3" Mech Packs ruling under which we have lived for 4.5 years is dead. (Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!!!! Finally!) With New Mech Pack Structures up in the air, new tech to arrive this Summer-ish, and a forward shift to timeline, the landscape is changing.
From a narrative, and tech bubble, there are two probably Timeline Points to advance to, the first being the Operation Bulldog/Twilight o the Clans, the Next being the FedCom Civil War/Jihad (First shots of the FedCom conflict in 3062). Or, essentially 3060/1ish, and around 3067 (could go a few years later, but TRO 3067 is often viewed as the traditional break between Classic Battletech and Dark Age). A lot of tech fits into each bubble. Truth be told, I expect Bulldog more than Jihad, I just don't think PGI can prep all the future tech up tot he Jihad in time. But PGI has to my knowledge not given any hints.
Tech that would be added by 3061? (note some stuff that pretty obviously won't be added not listed. Cockpits, Gyros, etc are all wrapped up in our "Engine" tonnage, so unlikely any changes to those will see the light of day. Also remember they still can't figure out Switch Ammo for LB-X, so don't get your hopes up for other Select Ammo Weapons)
Inner Sphere:
- Binary Laser
- C3 Command and Slaves
- Silver Bullet Gauss Rifle
- Blue Shield Particle Field Damper
- Laser Anti Missile System
- Extended LRM 5/10/15/20
- Light Gauss Rifle
- UAC 2/10
- ER Small and Medium Laser
- Laser Reflective Armor
- Bloodhound Active Probe
- Medium Range Missile 10/20/30/40
- Streak 4/6
- LB-2/5/20X
- Hyper Velocity AC 2/5/10
- PPC Capacitor
- UAC20
- Mechanical Jump Boosters
- Composite Internal Structure
- Armored Components
- Heavy Gauss Rifle
Clan:
- Laser Anti Missile
- Streak LRM 15/20
- Light TAG
- Coolant Pod
- ER Pulse Laser
- Streak LRM 5/10
- Heavy Small, Medium, Large Lasers
- Heavy Machine Gun
- Advanced Tactical Missile System 3/6/9/12
- Artemis V FCS
- Laser Reflective Armor
- ER Micro Laser
- Micro Pulse Laser
- Light Machine Gun
A pretty fair amount of stuff, even though I only expect 80% of it to be added. Jump Boosters, C3, Blue Shield, etc, are things I put on the Bubble.
Onward, to the FedCom Civil War...and Beyond!!!! (Aka 3062-3067)
Inner Sphere:
- C3 Improved Computers
- Rotary AC 2/5
- Targeting Computers
- iNARC
- Light TAG
- Reactive Armor
- CASE II
- Bombast Laser
- Rocket Launcher 10/15/20
- Improved Heavy Gauss
- Light Ferro Fibrous Armor
- Heavy PPC
- Light PPC
- Snub Nose PPC
- Multi Missile Launcher 3/5/7/9
Clan:
- 3061-3064...Clans sit on their thumbs, moping over the butt whooping the IS gave them, apparently. But then..in 3065, they wake up, sort of.
- Reactive Armor
- Ferro-Lamellor Armor.
- Heavy Flamer
- ER Flamer
The Question becomes....do they end it there (traditional cutting off point of the "Classic" era of Battletech), or continue on to add other staple weapons of the Jihad? And if so...jsut how far toward the Dark Age do we call the cut off? Or....crazy thought... What if the Timeline Advance.....is to Grey Monday?
Post 3067 Tech:
Inner Sphere:
- Light AC2/5
- Machine Gun Array
- Heavy Machine Gun
- Light Machine Gun
- Plasma Rifle
- Heavy Flamer
Clans:
- Machine Gun Array
- Hyper Assault Gauss 20/30/40
- Plasma Cannon
- Anti Personnel Gauss
- Improved
- Improved Heavy Lasers
All these are 3068-3069, then there seems to be a large gap in years with notable Mech Tech, so it's likely if they jump to Jihad Tech, these would be included. Sadly, for me, no Hardened Armor until 3090 or so........
So...where do you think they will advance timeline to, and where do you WANT them to advance it to? Why?
Specific Piece of New Tech you are looking forward to?