5 DropShip Customization
DropShip customization is an optional set of rules. If organizers allow these rules, commanders spend Supply Points (SP) they earn in tracks to customize their DropShip.
5.1 Dropship Customization
Commanders may customize their DropShip to better support their force. Commanders are encouraged to name their DropShip before using this rule. Commanders should keep track of their DropShip customizations, as shown on the sample DropShip tracking.
Commanders can customize their DropShips in the following categories:
- ’Mech Maintenance
- Ground Combat Vehicle Maintenance
- VTOL Combat Vehicle Maintenance
- Aerospace Unit Maintenance
- ProtoMech Maintenance
- Machine Shop
- Medical Bay
- Infantry Quarters
- Simulators
- Bay Configuration Limits
Each commander receives 5 customization points to modify their DropShip. The DropShip starts at level 0 in each category. Commanders spend customization points to raise the level for a category and gain the corresponding benefit. Any portion of the initial 5 customization points may be reserved for future use. The table below details how many points it costs to increase a category customization level.
|
Level Increase |
Cost |
|
Level -2 to -1 |
2 point cost |
|
Level -1 to 0 |
1 point cost |
|
Level 0 to 1 |
1 point cost |
|
Level 1 to 2 |
2 point cost |
|
Level 2 to 3 |
3 point cost |
Point costs are cumulative. For example, it costs 1 point to go from level 0 to level 1 and 2 points to go from level 1 to level 2, so it costs 3 total points to go from level 0 to level 2.
Commanders can further customize their DropShip, but space and resources must be reallocated from one category to another. After each contract, commanders may spend 50 SP to decrease the level of one or more categories to earn sufficient customization points and increase the level of a single category. The customization points earned when decreasing the level of a category are given in the table below. This may be done only once between contract.
|
Level Decrease |
Payout |
|
Level -1 to -2 |
2 points earned |
|
Level 0 to -1 |
1 point earned |
|
Level 1 to 0 |
1 point earned |
|
Level 2 to 1 |
2 points earned |
|
Level 3 to 2 |
3 points earned |
Maintenance: Improve the ability to repair units in a maintenance category. Also, commanders may fix a limited number of through-armor critical hits or motive system damage without paying the repair cost. The maintenance categories are ’Mechs, ground Combat Vehicles, VTOL Combat Vehicles, Aerospace units, and ProtoMechs.
The maintenance level cannot be adjusted for a unit type not present in the force. For example, a force must have VTOL units to raise or lower the VTOL maintenance category. If the last unit of a type is sold or destroyed, commanders must replace the unit with another of the type or immediately pay to reallocate any positive or negative points to reset the category to level 0.
| Level |
Benefit |
| -2 |
20% increase in repair costs for unit type |
| -1 |
10% increase in repair costs for unit type |
| 0 |
No change |
|
1 |
10% decrease in repair costs for unit type |
|
1 free repair of 1 critical hit or 2 motive hits after each mission |
|
|
2 |
20% decrease in repair costs for unit type |
|
2 free repairs of 1 critical hit or 2 motive hits after each mission |
|
|
3 |
30% decrease in repair costs for unit type |
|
3 free repairs of 1 critical hit or 2 motive hits after each mission |
|
Machine Shop: The machine shop can be used to improve salvage. Commanders earn more SP when selling a salvaged unit.
| Level |
Benefit |
| -2 |
20% decrease in salvage revenue |
| -1 |
10% decrease in salvage revenue |
| 0 |
No change |
| 1 |
10% increase in salvage revenue |
| 2 |
20% increase in salvage revenue |
| 3 |
30% increase in salvage revenue |
Infantry Quarters: Allocating more space to infantry quarters makes it cheaper to hire new troops for infantry and Battle Armor units.
| Level |
Benefit |
| -2 |
20% increase in hiring costs |
| -1 |
10% increase in hiring costs |
| 0 |
No change |
| 1 |
10% decrease in hiring costs |
| 2 |
20% decrease in hiring costs |
| 3 |
30% decrease in hiring costs |
Medical Bay: The medical bay reduces the cost of healing pilots, crew, and infantry.
| Level |
Benefit |
| -2 |
20% increase in healing costs |
| -1 |
10% increase in healing costs |
| 0 |
No change |
| 1 |
10% decrease in healing costs |
| 2 |
20% decrease in healing costs |
| 3 |
30% decrease in healing costs |
Simulators: Allocating more space to simulators makes it cheaper to train personnel between contracts.
| Level |
Benefit |
| -2 |
20% increase in Personal Training costs |
| -1 |
10% increase in Personal Training costs |
| 0 |
No change |
| 1 |
10% decrease in Personal Training costs |
| 2 |
20% decrease in Personal Training costs |
| 3 |
30% decrease in Personal Training costs |
Bay Configuration Limits: Bay configuration limits can be adjusted by spending customization points. For example, at level 1 a commander of a Scale 2 force may decrease their ’Mech bay limit to 11 and increase their aerospace bay limit to 3. The bay configuration limits customization level can only be decreased if the entire force conforms to the new bay configuration limits.
| Level |
Benefit |
| 0 |
No change |
| 1 |
1 bay limit can be shifted |
| 2 |
1 additional bay limit can be shifted |
| 3 |
1 additional bay limit can be shifted |
Support Bays: A vehicle may be used to convert combat vehicle bay space into DropShip customization levels. Using a vehicle in this fashion fills the entire bay. Only one level of a type may be added by a vehicle and the customization level cannot exceed level 3. The vehicles may be used in tracks but do not grant the benefits of the level of customization after the track.
- BattleMech Recovery Vehicles give 1 level of Machine Shop
- Vehicles with at least 6 tons of MASH equipment give 1 level of Medical Bay
5.2 Flyby
