Name:  Anti-Battle Armor Pod
Type (Category):  Weapon (Other)
Reference:  TechManual (p. 204)

Description:
With battle armor designs growing in number and diversity on all sides, various factions began looking into the development of an adaptation to A-Pods that could work effectively against battle armored-troops. Clan Wolf-in-Exile finally succeeded in 3068, followed shortly thereafter by the Jade Falcons. Now spreading throughout Inner Sphere and Clan technical circles (Spheroid makers include Skobel on Terra, Defiance of Furillo and IrTech), this defensive armament—available to BattleMechs and vehicles—works like A-Pods, but hurls a cloud of explosive bomblets rather than shrapnel to blast through the more hardened armor of swarming battlesuits.

Game Rules:
B-Pods may be engaged even if the unit is shut down, but cannot be triggered if the unit’s pilot/crew is rendered incapable of acting in combat.

When a ’Mech is targeted by infantry for a leg or swarm attack, the controlling player can activate one or more B-Pods, with each activated B-Pod targeted at the same infantry unit, or against multiple units at the controlling player’s discretion.

The activation of a B-Pod occurs and is resolved before the leg or swarm attack to-hit roll is made, which could affect the to-hit roll (for example, troopers might be eliminated). B-Pods mounted in the legs or center torso can be used against leg attacks, while those on the arms, front torsos or head can engage swarm attacks.

Each B-Pod automatically hits and inflicts damage equivalent to a 20-point attack—split into groups of 5-point Damage Value groupings—against battle armor. Conventional infantry receive 1D6 points of damage (double if in clear terrain). Swarming infantry are forced off the ’Mech as if the ’Mech had fallen.

B-Pods mounted in a ’Mech’s legs (or any location on a vehicle) can also be used against infantry located in the same hex; as above, multiple B-Pods can be used in the same turn in this fashion against the same target, or against multiple targets. In such a case, the damage to a battle armor unit is equivalent to a 10-point attack, split into 5-point groups of Damage Value groupings, while an attack against conventional infantry receives 1D6/2 (round down) points of damage (1D6/3, rounding down, against mechanized infantry) to a minimum of 1.

Damage from a B-Pod is only applied to a single infantry unit, never to multiple infantry units. B-Pods have no effect on any other type of unit.

Critical Hits: Unexpended B-Pods that take a critical hit explode for 2 points of damage. Expended B-Pods can still be affected by a critical hit in the same way as empty ammo bins.

One-Shot: B-Pods are single-shot weapons, meaning they can be fired once and then cannot be used for the remainder of the game.

BattleMechsIndustrialMechsCombat Vehicles

Prototype Date:	~3065
Production Date:	3068
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
† Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  B-Pod
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  ISBPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Anti-Battle Armor Pod

Prototype Date:	~3065
Production Date:	3068
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
† Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  B-Pod
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  CLBPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Anti-Battle Armor Pod

Prototype Date:	~3065
Production Date:	3068
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
† Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  B-Pod
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  ISBPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Anti-Battle Armor Pod

Prototype Date:	~3065
Production Date:	3068
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
† Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  B-Pod
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  CLBPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Anti-Battle Armor Pod

Prototype Date:	~3065
Production Date:	3068
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

Combat Vehicle Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
† Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  B-Pod
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  ISBPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Anti-Battle Armor Pod

Prototype Date:	~3065
Production Date:	3068
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

Combat Vehicle Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
† Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  B-Pod
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  CLBPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Anti-Battle Armor Pod