Name:  VTOL Rotor Arrangement
Type:     Positive
Cost:  One (1)
Available To:  Combat Vehicles
Reference:  Strategic Operations (p. 196)

Description:
All VTOLs in BattleTech have two rotors that rotate in opposite directions to counter each other’s torque. In most cases, they consist of a single main rotor and a smaller, tail-mounted rotor called a stabilizing rotor. However, VTOLs can also be built with dual or co-axial rotors. Players should only take this quirk if they are also using the advanced vehicle movement rules.

Regardless of their actual arrangement, all rotors are treated the same way for purposes of armor and damage; the rotors’ hit location represents both rotors on a VTOL.

A VTOL with dual rotors mounts two rotors of equal size, both on top of the craft, either side-by-side or one in front of the other. The Karnov UR transport is an example of this arrangement, which affords greater stability at the cost of maneuverability. VTOLs with dual rotors cannot perform sideslip or bootlegger maneuvers. Additionally, dual rotors increase all of a VTOL’s turn modes by 1, but also apply a –1 target number modifier to all Piloting Skill Rolls.

A VTOL with co-axial rotors mounts two rotors of equal size together on the same mast. The Warrior H7 attack helicopter is an example of such an arrangement, which grants greater maneuverability at the cost of reduced overall stability. The usual +2 modifier for VTOLs no longer applies to rolls on the Failed Maneuver Table. However, each critical hit to the rotors adds a +1 modifier to all Piloting Skill Rolls in addition to the standard eff ects.