Name:  Bombast Laser
Type (Category):  Weapon (Energy)
Reference:  Tactical Operations: Advanced Units & Equipment (p. 132)

Description:
The bombast laser is meant to be the ultimate laser weapon without growing to be the heaviest energy weapon. Unfortunately, weight reduction efforts included sacrifices in the power supply, which left the bombast laser as a slow-charging weapon. Rather than hobble the gunner with a weapon that wasn’t ready to fire at a critical time, engineers modified the weapon so that it could be triggered prematurely with whatever charge it had built up. This allowed the bombast laser to be successfully (if not entirely accurately) portrayed as a “flexible” weapon with a “dial-a-yield” feature. In practice, the bombast laser is a distracting weapon for its user, as its variable charging feature is difficult to manage in the middle of combat. But its powerful damage potential and the showy effect of its pre-fire “glow” (a side effect of the electrical buildup that grows the longer the weapon’s fire is held) made it a favorite experimental weapon in the Solaris arenas where it first saw testing.

Game Rules:
The Bombast Laser may select the level of damage it inflicts, from 7 to 12 points, but suffers an additional to-hit modifier equal to half of the desired damage value minus 7 (rounded up), reflecting the fire-holding factor. (Thus, a Bombast Laser “dialed up” to its maximum damage potential of 12 suffers an additional to-hit modifier of +3 [12 damage – 7 = 5; 5 ÷ 2 = 2.5, round up to 3].) The Bombast Laser’s heat is equal to the points of damage selected that turn. Bombast Lasers may not be fired on secondary targets. In all other respects, Bombast Lasers function per standard direct-fire energy weapon rules.

BattleMechsIndustrialMechsCombat Vehicles

Prototype Date:	3064
Production Date:	3085
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

BattleMech Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  Bombast Laser
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  Bombast Laser
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Bombast Laser

Prototype Date:	3064
Production Date:	3085
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

IndustrialMech Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  Bombast Laser
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  Bombast Laser
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Bombast Laser

Prototype Date:	3064
Production Date:	3085
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

Combat Vehicle Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  Bombast Laser
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  Bombast Laser
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Bombast Laser