Viewing Weapons & Equipment
Weapon & Equipment Information
General Details
Name:  Anti-Personnel Pod
Type (Category):  Weapon (Other)
Reference:  TechManual (p. 204)

Description:
It is interesting to note that while the production-level versions of today’s anti-personnel pods (A-Pods) were first developed by the Clans during their Golden Century (presumably to thwart the increasingly effective anti-’Mech infantry tactics of the Hell’s Horses and Ghost Bears), the concept itself is hardly revolutionary. In fact, as far back as the dawn of the BattleMech era, Colonel Simon Kelswa himself suggested placing directional mines on the legs of BattleMechs to discourage such tactics, when he consulted for the LCAF on their own early BattleMech projects. Crude leg-mines were developed and used throughout the years with mixed results, however, making today’s A-Pod—capable of showering an effective radius of roughly 15 meters with deadly shrapnel—the most effective and devastating deterrent against conventional anti-‘Mech infantry.

Inspired by the elegance and simplicity of the Clan design, Inner Sphere A-Pods emerged within a few years of the Tukayyid Truce, and are equally effective for the same weight and bulk.

Game Rules:
A-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 infantry units make anti-’Mech attacks or point-blank shots from hiding, a ’Mech with an A-pod can defend itself by detonating the pod before the infantry player makes the to-hit roll. If the defender triggers an A-pod, any conventional infantry unit (friendly or enemy) in the same hex as the ’Mech takes 1D6 – 1 (minimum 1) points of damage before resolving its own attack. A-pods do not affect battle armor.

Critical Hits: Unexpended A-pods that take a critical hit do not explode, but simply become inoperative. Critical hits can still affect expended A-pods in the same way as empty ammo bins.

One-Shot: A-Pods are single shot weapons, meaning they can be fired once and then cannot be used for the remainder of the game.
Unit Type Availability
BattleMechsIndustrialMechsCombat Vehicles
Inner Sphere Data (BattleMechs)
Prototype Date:  
Production Date:  3055
Extinction Date:  
Recovery Date:  

BattleMech Specific Construction Rules
May be mounted on Inner Sphere units in accordance with the following construction rules:
 May only be mounted in the Legs

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Heat
Damage (Aero)
Range (Aero)
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
0
* (–)
– (–)
B
X-X-D-C
1,500
0.5
1
1.000 †
* See rules for this equipment
Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
3055
Standard

MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  ISAntiPersonnelPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Anti-Personnel Pod
Clan Data (BattleMechs)
Prototype Date:  ~2845
Production Date:  ~2850
Extinction Date:  
Recovery Date:  

BattleMech Specific Construction Rules
May be mounted on Clan units in accordance with the following construction rules:
 May only be mounted in the Legs

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Heat
Damage (Aero)
Range (Aero)
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
0
* (–)
– (–)
B
X-X-D-C
1,500
0.5
1
1.000 †
* See rules for this equipment
Defensive Battle Value

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
~2845
~2849
Experimental
~2850
Standard

MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  CLAntiPersonnelPod
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Anti-Personnel Pod