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[MicalMikalMoto]

I'm not a lore guy, so I don't know if these exist, but what about the option to change one of your arms into a giant shield?

You could make it a toggle, like the arm actuators, or an item that takes up a bunch of slots.
Either way, it would make the arm larger and allow an increased armor count on it.

Obviously you would need to think about balancing, so here's a few ways:
1. It takes up the whole arm. Nothing else can be on it.
2. Mechs that already have a dedicated Shield arm (ie the Centurion) cannot equip it.
3. You can only have 1.
4. Tweaks to amount of armor boost and relative size increase as needed.

As an aside, what about having bonus armor modules that increase the protection of a section?
I'm thinking something like 4 slots and 1 ton, but provides an extra full ton of armor to the section.

[Akillius]

Here's some retro rules from earliest years of BT before clans.
PS. I only recall 2 GMs (both former D&D DMs) who agreed to the house rule for shields in mid-80s.
But there was at least 7 other GMs during those years who absolutely refused to allow shields.
The shield house rules were (as I recall and note I could mis-recall or forgot a lot)...

Shields are 1 ton per 10 of mech's max tonnage and the equal tonnage had to be removed from mech.
ie. Phoenix Hawk weighed 45 tons it would need 4 ton shield + reduce parts/engine/etc until mech only weighed 41 tons.
(I vaguely remember some discussion of changing the rule to 1/2 ton per 5 tons mech max tonnage but dunno if done?)
Shield armor was 12 points per ton because 16 was too much and the difference was considered part of structural stability.
Once shields armor points is used up then the shield is useless and can be dropped.
Shields can be dropped at any time without any penalties.

Must declare using shield at beginning of each round, failure to declare meant not using shield that round.
Shield takes 2 crit spaces in same arm, 1st crit drops shield, 2nd crit drops shield and unusable grip/handle destroyed.
Shield takes 1 entire movement turn to pickup shield (no distance traveled during that movement turn)
Other Mechs must be minus the appropriate shield tonnage from mech's max tonnage to pickup/use the shield.
Mechs couldn't grab/remove shield from another mech.
Shield could not be used as a weapon, they were considered too unwieldy.

Only takes damage from 1 side of hex, same side equipped on or front hex side. Pick a hex side after moving.
- Can't protect the rearmost facing hex, or the opposite side of mech that the shield is equipped on.
No weapons in the shield arm could be used when shield was used for that turn.
Had a base 4 to hit and was same as clubs except shield automatically absorbed on hit damage coming from that side.
And crit of shoulder/arm/arm actuator modified to hit same as clubs.
Crit hand actuator would drop shield, unable to pickup with that hand, but could pick up with other hand if it was still good.
Can be dropped at any time, without any movement penalty.

Probably missed some house rules but thats roughly what I recall we used with BattleTech 2nd Ed. and a few old scenario/TRO's, but don't recall anyone having/using them when clans were introduced in 1990 with TRO3050 and like most of those I knew back then I also stopped playing by 1991 and also don't know if they got put in by BT 3rd Ed or later.
However if your looking to play a match in table top then I suspect the old rules could be adjusted for new BT TT rules IF you can find a GM and some other players willing to try after some discussion.