Name:  Chaff Pod
Type (Category):  Weapon (Other)
Reference:  Tactical Operations: Advanced Units & Equipment (p. 111)

Description:
Developed as a temporary “active defense” against guided missiles and targeting systems, chaff pods release a mixture of metallic confetti and particles in a cloud around the unit that confounds electronic sensors and targeting gear. Though similar in effect to a dedicated anti-missile system with additional ECM benefits, their one-shot nature and requisite manualrelease controls can limit the pods’ effectiveness in battle.

Game Rules:
A unit using a Chaff Pod must declare its use at the end of the unit’s Movement Phase. In ground combat, each activated Chaff Pod fills the unit’s hex with a cloud of obscurants 2 elevations in height. This cloud is treated as a hex of light smoke for LOS purposes, as well as a 1-hex “bubble” of ECM. Furthermore, the chaff cloud acts as an anti-missile system for all missile attacks made against units within the clouded hex, except those delivered by standard MRMs or Rocket Launchers. These effects last only during the Weapon and Physical attack phases of the turn in which the pod is activated; the obscurants settle and dissipate during the End Phase.

Chaff Pods have no effect in vacuum or space combat, but may be used by landed or airborne aerospace units operating in atmosphere at any altitude for the same effects.

The Chaff Pod is a one-shot item. Unfired pods explode for 3 points of damage each if they suffer a critical hit.

BattleMechsIndustrialMechsCombat Vehicles

Prototype Date:	3069
Production Date:	3079
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE † Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  ISChaffPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Chaff Pod

Prototype Date:	3069
Production Date:	3079
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE † Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  ISChaffPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Chaff Pod

Prototype Date:	3069
Production Date:	3079
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

Combat Vehicle Specific Construction Rules

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE † Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  ISChaffPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Chaff Pod