Difference between revisions of "Standard AutoCannons"

Latest revision as of 18:52, 7 August 2023

Standard AutoCannon (AC for shorthand) are the most basic ballistic weapon systems in Mechwarrior: Living Legends. They represent various auto-loading burst-fire and single shot ballistic weapons.

Overview

Old Warhammer variant firing an AC10

Standard AutoCannons deliver damage by firing ballistic high explosive kinetic shells at varying rate-of-fire. There are four classes of Standard AutoCannon: AC2, AC5, AC10, and AC20. The arbitrary number system roughly indicates the respective damage-dealing capabilities; larger numbers (AC20's) will deal much greater damage per ammo than smaller numbers (AC2's). Conversely, the weapon range drops for larger numbered AutoCannons. Because of the explosive nature of the AC shells, the splash damage can damage adjacent components of the hit asset.

In MWLL setting only Inner Sphere units still use standard AutoCannons, Clanners have replaced them with Ultra AutoCannons and Lubalin Ballistics-X AutoCannons.

Weapon Stats

Gameplay & Hints

AC2 and AC5

• Burst firing AutoCannon-2 and AutoCannon-5 both deal primarily Light Kinetic damage which is effective against Vehicles and Air units.

• Long range makes them suitable for direct fire support weapons, aiding friendly brawler units from a safe distance.

AC10

• The AutoCannon-10 shoots a single high explosive shell with a very quick refire rate that causes the hit target to shake violently, disturbing their aim, also known as screenshake. Although the AC10 does jam, unlike Ultra AutoCannons, it does not lose any damage output for doing so.

• Heavy Kinetic damage does additional damage against air units, but the mid-short range somewhat limits their use as effective AA

AC20

• The AutoCannon-20 shoots a burst of two high explosive shells causing the hit target to shake violently, disturbing their aim, also known as screenshake.

• Heavy Kinetic damage does additional damage against air units, but the mid-short range somewhat limits their use as effective AA

Light AC2 and AC5

• The Light ACs keep the raw damage of their respective standard versions, but their range, splash radius, and damage modifiers suffer. They deal no bonus damage against tanks.

History

LIGHT AUTOCANNON [Introduced: 3068 (Federated Suns [LAC/2, LAC/5]) After spending nearly a decade in the prototype stages—long enough to actually give rise to the rotary AC—light autocannons (abbreviated as LACs) only hit full-scale production with the unveiling of Yeffters Weapons’ Mydron Flyswatter and Mydron Snakekiller models in 3068. Ironically, what spurred this production was the destruction of the NAIS, where these weapons were first developed. It may be a bit of poetic justice that the first models were rushed to the battlefields of New Avalon to help drive back the Blakists’ first assault against the planet. Since then, however, Imperator Automatic Weaponry has begun producing its own versions for the Free Worlds League and their Robe allies. Built smaller and with shorter ranges, light ACs exist only in the lower calibers (LAC/2 and LAC/5), but benefit from the ability to use the advanced munitions that LB-X, rotary and Ultra ACs cannot. The Clans, who have not seen much use for specialized ammunition and who still possess autocannons superior to even these versions, have shown little interest in duplicating this innovation, though the same cannot be said of the other Inner Sphere states. –EB]

Only standard and light autocannons may make use of specialized ammo beyond LB-X cluster munitions. LB-X cluster munitions may be used only by LB-X AC types, which may also use standard AC ammo (but no other special ammo types). Ultra and rotary ACs may not use specialized ammo. Table Reference: Weapons and Equipment (Inner Sphere and Clan, pp. 341–343) Game Rules: Total Warfare, p. 98

Canon

Standard Autocannon

The first Standard AutoCannon was an AC5 introduced in 2250 by the Terran Alliance, and would be followed by the AC2 in 2300 (Terran Alliance), the AC10 in 2500 (Terran Hegemony), and the AC20 in 2500 (Lyran Commonwealth). The weapons represent a wide range of heavy ballistic cannon with varying rates-of-fire and calibers ranging from 30 millimeters at the lightest up to larger than 200 millimeters.

Among the Clans the Standard AutoCannon was phased out sometime around 2820 in favor of the newer Lubalin Ballistics-X AutoCannons and Ultra AutoCannons. Even in the Inner Sphere the standard AC only continues to remain in use due to lower cost of production and the introduction of specialty munitions which are usable only by these weapons.

BattleTech reference

Usage

The following Inner Sphere assets equip Standard AutoCannons: