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

Description:
Chemical lasers were actually the first effective energy weapons able to physically damage relatively robust targets, like solid-fueled missiles and unarmored military vehicles. With the advent of economical fusion engines and refinements in electrically powered lasing mechanisms, however, they were quickly overtaken by a new generation of “fuel-free” laser weapons that have become today’s standard.

Seeking a more weight-economical alternative to vehicle-mounted lasers (which often require power amplifiers on non-fusion units), Clan Hell’s Horses recently returned to the chemical laser concept. Though reliance on chemical “ammunition” (which remains as energetic and highly toxic as the early laser versions) promises to reduce their endurance in combat, the resulting weapons may be mounted on non-fusion vehicles without requiring power packs or heat sinks.

Game Rules:
The ammo for Chemical Lasers follows normal ammo explosion rules for critical hits and heat, inflicting damage equal to weapon damage times the remaining shots in the ammo slot (affected by CASE or CASE II as normal). Although Chemical Lasers are technically energy weapons when fired, because of their ammunition dependency, fighters equipped with these weapons may not use them in a strafing attack.

BattleMechsIndustrialMechsProtoMechsCombat Vehicles

Prototype Date:	3059
Production Date:	3083
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

BattleMech Specific Construction Rules

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

Prototype Date:	3059
Production Date:	3083
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

IndustrialMech Specific Construction Rules

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

Prototype Date:	3059
Production Date:	3083
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

ProtoMech Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
AMMUNITION COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  CLSmallChemLaser
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Small Chemical Laser

Prototype Date:	3059
Production Date:	3083
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

Combat Vehicle Specific Construction Rules

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