Viewing Weapons & Equipment
Weapon & Equipment Information
General Details
Name:  Light Plasma Rifle
Type (Category):  Weapon (Energy)
Reference:  Core Rulebook (p. 189)

Description:
The plasma rifle began as an attempt to deploy a long-range flamer technology for use as a heat-inducing ÔÇ£ÔÇÖMech stunnerÔÇØ weapon system. Capellan engineers soon realized, however, that their new infantry support weapon, the plasma rifle, could be modified for a similar role if they could upgrade it to a vehicular scale. This realization led to the deployment of these bigger-sized rifles before the end of 3068, and several such weapons proved themselves on the battlefields of Taygeta and New Syrtis during the Capellan counterattack against Duke George HasekÔÇÖs Capellan March forces. The Confederation promptly shared this technology with their Canopian allies on Sian, who helped turn back a Blakist assault there in 3070.

Though the Sharks managed to mimic this weapon system the following yearÔÇöleading many Spheroid leaders and experts to be wary of the ClanÔÇÖs possible impact on future commercial-industrial relationsÔÇöthe Capellan version has proven deadly in the battlefield for its ability to blast away armor with PPC force while causing a heat spike that can overtax an enemyÔÇÖs sinks in short order.

Game Rules:
In addition to its standard Damage Value of 4, a light plasma rifle delivers 1D3 heat points to targets struck by it.
Unit Type Availability
BattleMechsIndustrialMechsCombat Vehicles
Inner Sphere Data (BattleMechs)
Prototype Date:  ~3061
Production Date:  3068
Extinction Date:  —
Recovery Date:  —

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Type
Heat
Damage (Aero)
Range (Aero)
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
DE, H
4
4 (4)
–/6/12/18 (Medium)
E
X-X-E-D
130,000
3
2
96.000
✔
—

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
~3061
3067
Experimental
3068
—
Standard

AMMUNITION COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Type
Rounds
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Battle Value
Explosive
Prototype
Production
Extinction
Recovery
Reference
Standard
20
E
X-X-E-D
10,000
1
12.000
—
~3061
3068
—
—
CR (p. 189)

ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short
Medium
Long
Extreme
Special Abilities
4
0.4
0.4
0.4
—
Heat

Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
 Heat (HT)
Units with this ability apply heat to the target’s Heat scale during the End Phase of the turn in which they deliver a successful weapon attack. If the target is a unit type that does not use a Heat Scale, the heat this ability would normally produce is added to the normal attack damage instead.

A unit with a Heat value at a range it does not normally deal damage at may make a special weapon attack in place of its standard weapon attack that only deals the effects of the Heat special ability.

MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  Light Plasma Rifle
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  ISLightPlasmaRifle
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Light Plasma Rifle