Name:  Heavy Small Laser
Type (Category):  Weapon (Energy)
Reference:  TechManual (p. 226)

Description:
According to all reliable reports, scientists from one of the Home Clans—the Star Adders—pioneered the so-called heavy laser series in the waning days of 3059. The development dramatically increased the size of the barrels, focusing crystals and power feeds of extant Clan lasers to produce a weapon system capable of delivering far greater firepower per blast. Though the heavy lasers lost much of the range advantage enjoyed by Clan ER lasers (they actually fell closer to Spheroid standard range profiles), the real innovation wasn’t so much the laser design itself as the fact that its creation broke what amounted to more than a century of technological stagnation among Kerensky’s children.

It should be noted that while Clan heavy lasers are deadly in the extreme—a Series 6A heavy medium laser can dish out the same destructive force as an Inner Sphere PartiKill PPC—all of that firepower comes with a price measured in more than just reduced range. With the increased power, interference attributed to an intentional shielding reduction around the laser emitters (as well as a noticeable “pre-charge” phase that adds a subtle firing delay with every trigger pull) plays havoc with these weapons’ accuracy.

Heavy lasers come in small, medium, and large sizes only.

Game Rules:
Lasers may not be fired if the unit is shut down or if its pilot/crew is otherwise prevented from acting. Heavy laser attacks have a +1 to-hit modifier.

BattleMechsIndustrialMechsProtoMechsCombat Vehicles

Prototype Date:	~3057
Production Date:	3059
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

BattleMech Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  Heavy Small Laser
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  CLHeavySmallLaser
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Heavy Small Laser

Prototype Date:	~3057
Production Date:	3059
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

IndustrialMech Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  Heavy Small Laser
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  CLHeavySmallLaser
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Heavy Small Laser

Prototype Date:	~3057
Production Date:	3059
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

ProtoMech Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  Heavy Small Laser
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  CLHeavySmallLaser
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Heavy Small Laser

Prototype Date:	~3057
Production Date:	3059
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

Combat Vehicle Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  Heavy Small Laser
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  CLHeavySmallLaser
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Heavy Small Laser