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.
While obscuring one's self behind cover aids in being stealthy and deterring missile attacks, understanding the Radar system with its varied detection ranges and defenses against detection, is key to maintaining battlefield awareness, avoiding missile locks, and getting missile locks.
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, to receive and share C3 radar data, and to activate Automated Weapons and LAMS.
Passive Radar
Advantages
- In ground assets, the user's radar signature is reduced considerably, by 750m, while in passive mode, even better than GECM.
- If the the user has C3, then the user's radar signature is reduced by only 500m (effectively a 250m penalty), this means that if the user has both C3 and GECM, there is no benefit to passive mode except when covered by allied AECM.
- Enemies shooting at targets with passive radar have their Lock On Time increased by a multiplier of 1.75.
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 reduce the radar signature of Aerospace and VTOLs at all. It only increases Lock On Time. This also means that players in Aerospace and VTOLs with GECM do not benefit at all from passive mode.
Expanded Tactical Map
Also referred to as the "map menu," "spawn menu," or "map screen," the expanded Tactical Map is accessed with [m]. In this menu a base can be left clicked on. The selected base will appear in the HUD to aid in navigation. If the selected base is friendly and capable of spawning battle armor, then it will be your spawn location for your next life. This menu also has a key.
Target
Targeting allies and enemies can reveal detailed information like remaining armor, chassis type, or specific chassis. Audio notifications are also provided when the target is immobilized or destroyed.
There are a variety of possible targeting buttons including:
- Target under reticle: [Q] This works only to target enemies and allies that are directly under one's reticle. Does not work on mech legs.
- Target nearest enemy: [E] Targets the closest enemy.
- Target next enemy: [Mouse Wheel Up] Targets enemies in a sequence.
- Target previous enemy: [Mouse Wheel Down] Targets enemies in a sequence, in reverse.
- Target nearest friendly: [N] Targets closest ally.
- Target next friendly: [B] Targets allies in a sequence.
- Target previous friendly: [V] Targets allies in a sequence, in reverse.
Other possible targeting buttons, enabled using the actionmapper:
- Targeting buttons that differentiate between air and ground targets.
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 and Passive Radar increase 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 2.75, 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 | Passive Radar | GECM | Stealth Armor | AECM | AirGECM | |
| Standard Radar | 1 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 2.25 | 1.50 | 2.75 |
| Standard + Crouched | 0.25 | 0.44 | 0.44 | 0.56 | 0.38 | 0.69 |
| BAP | 0.63 | 1.38 | 1.38 | 1.88 | 1.13 | 2.15 |
| BAP + Crouched | 0.16 | 0.34 | 0.34 | 0.47 | 0.28 | 0.54 |
| BHP | 0.25 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | 0.75 | 1.8 |
| BHP + Crouched | 0.06 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.375 | 0.19 | 0.45 |
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. Battle Armor can not be detected by VTOL and ASF Radars, they require a ground asset with C3 to detect and share the BA contact with them to be able to target them on Radar.
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 and cannot be shared with C3.
- Powered down units can only be detected by assets equipped with active BAP or BHP.
- Terrain can be used as a cover to lower the detailed identification range.
- Targets (without stealth armor) detected by an asset with C3 will be broadcast to all friendlies with active radar that are within the radar range of the C3-equipped asset.
| 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 | 300m | 400m | 250m | --- | 500m | --- | --- | 150m | 1000m | |
| Passive Radar | 300m | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 150m | 300m | ||
| Active Radar + BAP | 1200m | 700m | 500m | 600m | 450m | --- | 700m | 100m | 100m | 250m | 1200m | ||
| Active Radar + BHP | 1400m | 900m | 700m | 800m | 650m | 50m | 900m | 300m | 300m | 350m | 1400m | ||
| VTOLs | Active Radar | 1200m | 700m | 500m | 600m | 450m | --- | 700m | 100m | 100m | --- | 1200m | |
| Passive Radar | 700m | 200m | --- | --- | --- | --- | 200m | --- | --- | --- | 700m | ||
| Active Radar + BAP | 1400m | 900m | 700m | 800m | 650m | 50m | 900m | 300m | 300m | --- | 1400m | ||
| Active Radar + BHP | 1600m | 1100m | 900m | 1000m | 850m | 250m | 1100m | 500m | 500m | --- | 1600m | ||
| ASFs | Active Radar | 1500m | 1000m | 800m | 900m | 750m | 150m | 1000m | 400m | 400m | --- | 1500m | |
| Passive Radar | 1000m | 500m | 300m | 400m | 250m | --- | 500m | --- | --- | --- | 1000m | ||
| Active Radar + BAP | 1700m | 1200m | 1000m | 1100m | 950m | 350m | 1200m | 600m | 600m | --- | 1700m | ||
| Active Radar + BHP | 1900m | 1400m | 1200m | 1300m | 1150m | 550m | 1400m | 700m | 800m | --- | 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 600 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, (+100 for detecting BA).
- BHP - Expands detection range by +400 meters, (+200 for detecting BA).
- C3 - Allows sharing Radar data in active radar mode, the user's own passive radar signature is reduced by only -500 meters instead of the usual -750 meters.
