So, with new potential technologies around the corner, what is everyone looking forward to the most? As per usual, we'll set some rules.
List includes all weapons that were released between 'now' and 3068, exempting weapons labeled as experimental in this time period. If one faction has made the equipment by 3068, but the other didn't manage it until 3069-70, it has been added and it's year of introduction noted.
Due to the specific nature of MMLs, they have been excluded. ATMs have been included as they use their own ammo, switch related though they may be.
New construction options (Internal Structure, Engines, and so on) and special equipment (TAG variants, additional probe types) have been excluded for the sake of reducing poll bloat. They may be featured at a later date.
Specific weapons have been grouped when possible.
Completion of the IS ER, LB-X, Ultra, and SSRM lines has been assumed, and thus excluded.
So, with that in mind, what weapons are you all looking forward to most? For the sake of the poll, I'm limiting everyone to one vote per Faction and weapon type, but feel free to make more extensive lists, and share your rationale.
Also, yes, I know, Mech Mortars sound like a ballistic weapon. Don't blame me for it.
Here are your weapons, with a short description and links to Sarna, as usual.
Inner Sphere
Ballistic
Spoiler
Light Autocannon - Available in -2 and -5 ratings, Light Autocannons trade range for reduced tonnage. Theoretically still capable of using special munitions. Rotary Autocannon - Available in -2 and -5 ratings, Rotary Autocannons are heavier than their equally rated brethren, but capable of a tremendous rate of fire. Ultra Autocannons on steroids. Gauss Rifle (Heavy/Light) - Introduces the Gauss series to the autocannon damage scheme. Heavy Gauss Rifles trade weight/crits and range for damage, while Light Gauss Rifles trade damage for increased range and reduced weight/crit. Machine Gun (Heavy/Light) - Introduces the Machine Gun series to the autocannon damage scheme. Heavy Machine Guns trade weight and range for damage, while Light Machine Guns trade damage for increased range. Machine Gun Array - Allows for several Machine Guns to be linked together, potentially increasing the amount of machine guns per hard point.
Energy
Spoiler
PPC (Heavy/Light/Snub-Nose) - Heavy PPCs weigh more than PPCs and do more damage, while Light PPCs weight less and do less damage. Both have the same range profile. Snub-Nose PPCs weight less than standard PPCs, but have reduced range, and damage potential decays much sooner than usual. Plasma Rifle - A rarity, the Plasma Rifle is a ranged weapon that uses ammunition. Weighting 6 tons, it fires a ball of heated plasma that does both damage, and increases the heat of the unit struck. Flamer (Heavy, ER) (ER 3070) - Heavy Flamers weight more than the standard Flamer, while doing more heat damage. ER Flamers trade heat damage for range.
Missile
Spoiler
Medium Range Missiles - Medium Range Missiles have a range profile that falls between SRMs and LRMs. Lacking a guidance system, they are unable to make use of Artemis, but are capable of firing exceedingly large volleys. Mech Mortar - Mech Mortars fire large projectiles in high arcs, simulating LRM fire. They are immune to AMS fire, and cannot benefit from Artemis, but are capable of using semi-guided munitions. iNARC - iNARC works just like NARC, only the launcher is heavier, and the ammunition can be fired further. Ammunition per ton is also reduced.
Clan
Ballistic
Spoiler
Rotary Autocannon (3069) - Available in -2 and -5 ratings, Rotary Autocannons are heavier than their equally rated brethren, but capable of a tremendous rate of fire. Ultra Autocannons on steroids. Hyper-Assault Gauss - Hyper-Assault Gauss Rifle fire a stream of magnetic rounds at the target, effectively functioning as an Ultra Autocannon that cannot jam. The rifle comes in -20, -30, and -40 ratings. In all other respects, they function as a normal Gauss Rifle would. Machine Gun (Heavy/Light) - Introduces the Machine Gun series to the autocannon damage scheme. Heavy Machine Guns trade weight and range for damage, while Light Machine Guns trade damage for increased range. Machine Gun Array - Allows for several Machine Guns to be linked together, potentially increasing the amount of machine guns per hard point.
Energy
Spoiler
Micro Laser (ER, Pulse) - Micro Lasers function as another laser type from their family, ranked below their respective smalls and with predictable stats to match. Heavy Laser - Heavy Lasers share the same range profile as Inner Sphere standard lasers, but cause considerably more damage while incurring large heat penalties. Flamer (Heavy, ER) - Heavy Flamers weight more than the standard Flamer, while doing more heat damage. ER Flamers trade heat damage for range.
Missile
Spoiler
Advanced Tactical Missiles - ATMs are capable of firing a variety of munitions, each of which have their own range profile. The longer the range, the lower the damage, and vice versa. Mech Mortar- Mech Mortars fire large projectiles in high arcs, simulating LRM fire. They are immune to AMS fire, and cannot benefit from Artemis, but are capable of using semi-guided munitions.