Radar
Radar is a common term used to describe a Multiple Sensor Suite commonly found on units in the BattleTech Universe. Radar is the primary method of ranged non-visual unit detection and has two modes of operation.
Contents
Radar Modes
Vehicles can be in active or passive radar mode, affecting detection of and detectability by enemy units. The radar mode can be toggled by pressing the [R] key.
Active Radar
Active radar works by sending out signals to detect enemy vehicles up to 1000m away. This function also boosts the radar cross section of any unit currently in active radar mode, making it much easier to detect. Active radar can be enhanced by utilizing an active radar probe, which can extend the detection radius by up to 400m. Active radar mode is also required to establish missile locks, to enable missiles to seek towards an active NARC or TAG, and to receive and share C3 radar data.
Lock On
Many weapons systems require lock on, also known as missile lock, in order to properly track their target. Each weapons system has a default lock on delay that is then modified with multipliers based on the user and the target.
- Crouching/Deploying decreases the user's weapon's lock on time by a multiplier of 0.25, (by 75%).
- GECM increases hostile lock on time by a multiplier of 1.75, BHP subtracts 0.75 from the multiplier and BAP subtracts 0.375 from the multiplier.
- AECM increases hostile lock on time for nearby allies by a multiplier of 1.75, BHP subtracts 0.75 from the multiplier and BAP subtracts 0.375 from the multiplier.
- Anubis Stealth Armor increases hostile lock on time by a multiplier of 2.25, BHP subtracts 0.75 from the multiplier and BAP subtracts 0.375 from the multiplier.
- Air GECM increases hostile lock on time by a multiplier of 2.75. BHP subtracts 0.95 from the multiplier and BAP subtracts 0.6 from the multiplier.
| Equipment and Stance | Target Equipment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | GECM | Stealth Armor | AECM | AirGECM | |
| Standard Radar | 1 | 1.75 | 2.25 | 1.75 | 2.75 |
| Standard + Crouched | 0.25 | 0.44 | 0.56 | 0.44 | 0.69 |
| BAP | 0.63 | 1.38 | 1.88 | 1.38 | 2.15 |
| BAP + Crouched | 0.16 | 0.34 | 0.47 | 0.34 | 0.54 |
| BHP | 0.25 | 1 | 1.5 | 1 | 1.8 |
| BHP + Crouched | 0.06 | 0.25 | 0.375 | 0.25 | 0.45 |
Passive Radar
Advantages
- The user's radar signature is reduced considerably, by 750m, while in passive mode.
- If the the user has C3, then the user's radar signature is reduced by only 500m, this means that if the user has both C3 and GECM, there is no benefit to passive mode.
Disadvantages
- Passive radar mode reduces the user's maximum radar range to 300m. This means enemies with GECM, covered by AECM, or protected by Stealth Armor are completely undetectable in passive mode.
- All of the user's own electronics are disabled in passive mode.
- The user's own AECM will not block NARCs, generate CBills, or help reduce the radar signature of allies while in passive mode.
- Passive radar doesn't benefit VTOLs at all. Players using VTOLs may as well leave their radar in active mode.
Battle Armor Radar
Battle Armor Radar is very weak compared to the normal suite, having a detection range of only 350m, but it also makes Battle armor much more difficult to detect on Radar. Battle Armor can only see other Battle Armor when they are within 150m of each other.
Detection range
Radar detection depends on several factors.
- Units running an active radar can be detected from the greatest range.
- Units running a passive radar have a shorter detection range (-750m for standard radar and -500m for C3 radar).
- Units protected by electronic countermeasures (GECM and AECM) have reduced detection ranges.
- Units equipped with Stealth Armor have reduced detection ranges.
- Powered down units can only be detected by enemies equipped with an active BAP or BHP.
- Terrain can be used as a cover to lower the detailed identification range.
- Targets detected by an asset with C3 will be broadcast to all friendlies with active radar that are within 1000m.
| Asset | Detection Equipment | Detected Object | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechs and Vehicles | Battle Armor | VTOL and ASF | |||||||||||
| Active Radar | Active Radar (GECM) |
Active Radar (Stealth Armor) |
Active Radar (AECM*) |
Passive Radar | Passive Radar (AECM*) | Passive Radar (C3) | Passive Radar (C3) (AECM*) |
Powered Down | BA Radar | Active & Passive (+AirGECM) | |||
| Mechs and Vehicles | Active Radar | 1000m | 500m | 350m | 300m | 250m | --- | 500m | --- | --- | 150m | 1000m | |
| Passive Radar | 300m | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 150m | 300m | ||
| Active Radar + BAP | 1200m | 700m | 550m | 500m | 450m | --- | 700m | --- | 100m | 250m | 1200m | ||
| Active Radar + BHP | 1400m | 900m | 750m | 700m | 650m | --- | 900m | 200m | 300m | 350m | 1400m | ||
| VTOLs | Active Radar | 1200m | 700m | 550m | 500m | 450m | --- | 700m | --- | 100m | 150m | 1200m | |
| Passive Radar | 700m | 200m | 50m | --- | --- | --- | 200m | --- | --- | 150m | 700m | ||
| Active Radar + BAP | 1400m | 900m | 750m | 700m | 650m | --- | 900m | 200m | 300m | 250m | 1400m | ||
| Active Radar + BHP | 1600m | 1100m | 950m | 900m | 850m | 150m | 1100m | 400m | 500m | 350m | 1600m | ||
| ASFs | Active Radar | 1500m | 1000m | 850m | 800m | 750m | 50m | 1000m | 300m | 400m | 150m | 1500m | |
| Passive Radar | 1000m | 500m | 350m | 300m | 250m | --- | 500m | --- | --- | 150m | 1000m | ||
| Active Radar + BAP | 1700m | 1200m | 1050m | 1000m | 950m | 250m | 1200m | 500m | 600m | 250m | 1700m | ||
| Active Radar + BHP | 1900m | 1400m | 1250m | 1200m | 1150m | 450m | 1400m | 600m | 800m | 350m | 1900m | ||
| Battle Armor | BA Radar | 350m | 350m | 350m | 350m | 350m | 350m | 350m | 350m | 350m | 150m | 350m | |
| *Under the effect of a friendly AECM |
Overheating
The moment an asset's heat level increases to over the yellow line, they are equally visible to having no radar protection and running in Active Radar mode, regardless of sensor packages such as GECM. Furthermore, the blip it produces on the map is visible to *all* assets regardless of range.
See Also
- GECM - Reduces detectability by 500 meters and increases enemy missile lock-on time.
- Stealth_Armor - Reduces detectability by an additional 150 meters on top of GECM.
- AECM - Reduces detectability of nearby friendly units within 300m of the bearer by 700 meters and also increases enemy missile lock-on time against affected friendly units. The bearer is unaffected by the detectability reduction of AECM.
- Note: The bearer has to remain in active radar mode in order for the AECM to be effective.
- BAP - Expands detection range by +200 meters, or +100 for BA.
- BHP - Expands detection range by +400 meters, or +200 for BA.
- C3 - Allows sharing Radar data in active radar mode, when passive radar mode it reduces detection range by -500 instead of the usual -750.
