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MegaMek / mekhq

MekHQ is a java helper program for the MegaMek game that allows users to load a list of entities from an XML file, perform repairs and customizations, and then save the new entities to another XML file that can be loaded into MegaMek.
http://megamek.org
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RFE: allow refits of different weights (unsure if this is better here or in MML) #4730

Open DynamicWorlds opened 1 month ago

DynamicWorlds commented 1 month ago

There are a number of units that have variants of different weight classes. Just looking at mechs pre-3025, I see the harvester, flea, Galahad, griffin, lumberjack, rifleman, shadow hawk, and stalker. Not a huge list, but not nothing either. It also prohibits refits that should be just a matter of bolting new equipment onto an existing chassis, even if the engine weight and all other equipment are kept the same (or conversely, removing equipment to allow a greater speed from the same engine), which should often be in-fiction some of the easiest refits to do and significantly easier than upgrading a primitive mech to a non-primitive one of the same name (which is possible).

Thus, I propose simply allowing all refits where the names are the same even if the tonnage isn't the same, at least as an optional rule, if not default.

On the subject, maybe have the class of refit determined by the structure and whether the weight is going up or down with decreasing tonnage on a standard frame being the lowest refit class and increasing tonnage on an advanced structure (like endo-composite) being a higher refit class?

IllianiCBT commented 2 weeks ago

To my understanding of the rules it is not possible to refit across unit weights. Canonically, those oddly weighted units are more than simple refits.

DynamicWorlds commented 2 weeks ago

To my understanding of the rules it is not possible to refit across unit weights. Canonically, those oddly weighted units are more than simple refits.

It's entirely possible that this is due to outdated rulebooks (though, I have checked the errata just in case) or error on my end, but I've looked multiple times and been unable to find any explicit rules either way. Entirely open to being corrected on that, mind you, but I'm working from inference because that's all I've been able to find either in my books or on the official forums' rules questions pages.

SuperStucco commented 1 week ago

The Stalker is an interesting case, assuming your are talking about the STK-4P model. While the description might indicate it is possible to make such a downgrade, this likely falls under 'fiction' which is of lower canonicity than 'rules' about what is and is not possible i.e. partially removing internal structure.

The Griffin GRF-1A is a different Mech from the later -1N/1S and other models, as it is a 'primitive' design which was superseded by the later production models which are different enough to make refits impossible. It's a similar situation with the primitive Shadow Hawk.

The Lumberjack and Harvester IndustrialMech models are different, despite sharing a name. Similar to how a modern incarnation of a musclecar may share a name with an older classic but you cannot put parts from one onto the other without turning it into a FrankenCar (which is outside of what is currently supported in MM). In this case you can chalk it up to how unit information is stored - there is only the chassis and model names available to differentiate units. Given that these are only a handful of minor naming conflicts over several thousand entries it probably isn't enough to warrant a new property to indicate they are indeed something different or not.