Optional Rules: Actuators

Optional Rules Compendium

This is a compilation of "house rules" for the BattleTech gaming system. These rules come from different sources and might not be used by your GM. If your gaming group does not use a GM, then rules can be adopted by general consensus of the players. Please note that some of these rules may conflict with each other; this list is meant to complement existing rules. This list is based on FASA's BattleTech, not the newer version by FanPro (Classic BattleTech).
Use of the phrase "House Rules" in no way implies that the sequenced garbage played in dance clubs in the early 1990's was even music, let alone any good.

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VehiMechs | Centaurs | Spiders

Actuators

Defintions

(clarification)
Battlemechs have four actuators in each arm.
System 1: The Shoulder represents the shoulder. The Upper-Arm represents the elbow. The Lower-Arm represents the wrist. The Hand represents the fingers/manipulator/claw.
System 2: The Shoulder rotates the arm and extends the entire arm from the body to the side. The Upper-Arm rotates the arm above the elbow sideways, as to allow a 'mech to reach across its mid-section. The Lower-Arm represents the elbow. The Hand represents the wrist and hand.

BattleTech Master Rules lists the Hand Actuator as controlling both the hand and the wrist.

As per current rules, 'mechs created without lower and/or hand actuators do not suffer an automatic lost actuator aiming penalty. Penalties acrue as damage indicates.
Punching and Clubbing are still treated as if the missing actuators are damaged.

Damage

Since battlemechs do not require hands, there should be no ranged weapon aiming penalty for a damaged hand actuator. Ranged weapons are considered "inside" the battlemech; they are protected by armour and take up internal space. Hand-held weapons would be tantamount to clubs, and would occupy the hand, not allowing it to manipulate or strike.