Viewing Weapons & Equipment
Weapon & Equipment Information
General Details
Name:  Active Probe
Type (Category):  Equipment (Other)
Reference:  TechManual (p. 204)

Description:
Broadly identified in the Inner Sphere as the Beagle Active Probe (the Clans dispensed with the name “Beagle” during their Golden Century, when they refined the technology), the active probe is a powerful electronics sensor suite enhancement capable of detecting and identifying even shut-down or camouflaged units—excepting conventional infantry—at distances much greater and with more reliability than the standard-issue battlefield sensor suites used by most combat units today. Virtually every battlefield and support unit in existence may employ these probes, but because of their range, aircraft and other aerospace units (such as DropShips) rarely make use of this technology.

Game Rules:
Units with multiple active probes may use only one at a time in game play. Fighters, Small Craft and DropShips may only use active probes when interacting with ground units.

An active probe only affects game play if players are using the Hidden Units rules. Otherwise, the active probe has no effect, though its lot can soak up a critical hit (such a critical hit has no effect).

Under the Hidden Units rules, an active probe can detect any hidden ’Mech, battle armor or vehicle (but not conventional infantry, or battle armor infantry equipped with any type of stealth armor), if at the end of a Ground Movement Phase the concealed unit lies inside the probe’s range and line of sight would exist between the unit carrying the probe and the hidden unit (if that unit were not concealed).

Water: If an active probe is in a location of a unit that is above the surface of a water hex, it cannot detect a unit hidden underwater. In other words, for an active probe to work underwater, it must have a clear LOS to the hidden unit that passes only through underwater hexes. The one exception are naval vessels. If an active probe is located in the “body” of a naval vessel, on the surface, the probe can be used to locate hidden units both above and below the water.
Unit Type Availability
BattleMechsIndustrialMechsProtoMechsCombat Vehicles
Clan Data (BattleMechs)
Prototype Date:  ~2830
Production Date:  2832
Extinction Date:  
Recovery Date:  

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Heat
Damage (Aero)
Range (Aero)
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
0
– (–)
–/–/–/5 (*)
F
X-E-D-C
200,000
1
1
12.000 †
* See rules for this equipment
Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
~2830
2831
Experimental
2832
Standard

ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short
Medium
Long
Extreme
Special Abilities
Active Probe, Recon

Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
 Active Probe (PRB)
Units equipped with active probes have an extended view of the battlefield, enabling them to provide information about targets without moving into the target’s Short range bracket. The active probe’s effective range is 18”, automatically confers the Recon (RCN) special ability upon its user, and enables it to detect hidden units, identify incoming sensor blips, or even discover the capabilities of unknown hostile units that fall within this range.

 Recon (RCN)
The recon ability works in conjunction with the Mobile Headquarters (MHQ#) ability.

MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  CLActiveProbe
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Active Probe