MercTech: Long Range Missiles

## General overview

LRMs function very similarly to how they do in the base game. The only notable differences are that missiles can fire and deal damage within minimum range, but missile tracking will have a delay. The LRM's firing pattern will vary based on the weapon manufacturer and the condition of the weapon itself. A pristine weapon will fire a smooth and consistent salvo, while a launcher in ramshackle state will fire a scattered and inconsistent salvo.

## Ammo types

Throughout the LRM's operational history a number of specialty missiles types would be developed to fulfill particular roles or integrate with certain technologies, these missiles include:

**Standard:** The guided, high-explosive missile that was developed with the launcher itself, dating back the humanity's expansion into the Inner Sphere.

**Artemis-IV compatible:** Functions identically to standard missiles, but will have improved accuracy when paired with an Artemis-IV FCS-equipped launcher against a target in direct line of sight.

**Narc-capable:** A standard missile modified to identify and home in on active Narc beacons with improved accuracy. These missiles actively maintain a lock with the beacon, meaning that even if you fire the missiles without targeting a particular enemy, they will nonetheless home-in on the beacon.

**Deadfire:** A low tech missile developed by the Draconis Combine that strips out the guidance system and mounts a larger warhead. Deadfire missiles deal increased damage, but the lack of guidance severely impacts its accuracy.

**Semi-guided:** Developed by the Free Worlds League in the 3050s, semi-guided missiles can take advantage of Target Acquisition Gear to allow for accurate indirect fire.

**Swarm:** An advanced missile developed during the Star League-era, Swarm missiles will attempt to find another target should it not acquire a hard-lock while in flight. While this system increases the likelihood that missiles will hit a target, Swarm missiles cannot differentiate between friend or foe, so their use must be limited to when friendly units are not on the field. While initially lost technology during the Succession Wars, the Free Worlds League reintroduced Swarm missiles in the 3050s.

**Swarm-I:** An improved Swarm missile developed by Free Worlds League scientists, Swarm-Is employ a rudimentary IFF scanner to prevent locks on friendly units.

## Hot Loading

Hot loading is the practice of arming the warheads inside the launch tubes. This ensures the missiles can deal damage to a target even at close range. This comes at the risk of the missiles exploding inside the launcher if they are hit. This explosion also has a chance to cascade into the connected admonition bin. Hot Loading is can be toggled during combat with the fire mode switch key, and has a 30 second cooldown before it can be switched again.

## Weapon types

### Long Range Missiles:

With no significant differences from the guided missiles of the 20th and 21st centuries, LRMs are rugged and reliable weapons that fire guided missiles at impressive ranges. Their relative simplicity and reliability had allowed them to survive the horrors of the Succession Wars, where they would be among the longest-ranged mech-mounted weapons until the reintroduction of previously forgotten weapons and technology.

The Clans would improve LRM launchers significantly, halving their weight and reducing their size, as well as eliminating missile arming and guidance issues at close range.

### Enhanced Long Range Missiles:

During the Clan Invasion, Inner Sphere forces would quickly learn that they can't treat Clan missile boats the same way they would their own counterparts, as the Clan LRMs would lack an arming distance, allowing them to be effectively used even in close ranges. Seeking to emulate this advantage and permit their missile boats to better defend against closing enemies, Federated Commonwealth scientists would develop the Enhanced LRM launcher. Heavier, but more sophisticated arming and launching mechanisms would allow missiles to arm in half the time it takes a standard launcher. While this system would be in testing for decades, it would finally enter production right after the end of the Jihad, and see some use on cutting-edge units afterwards.

As Enhanced LRM launchers are modified standard LRM launchers, they are compatible with Artemis-IV FCS and all the LRM missile types.

### Extended Long Range Missiles:

Another development of FedCom scientists, Extended LRMs were created to increase the maximum effective range that their forces can effectively engage, helping offset the range advantage that Clan weapons possess. Using proprietary missiles that have 2-stage boosters, Extended LRMs have significantly more range than standard LRMs, although this comes with a multitude of drawbacks. As the missiles have the extra booster, they are larger and heavier than standard missiles, limiting the amount of ammo per ton. The same is true for the launchers themselves, as they need to be able to load and fire the larger missiles, limiting their use to heavier units. Lastly, Extended LRMs require twice the usual distance for the missiles to arm, which can spell disaster if enemy units close the distance with the carrier.

Since Extended LRMs fire their own proprietary missiles, they can't use any standard LRM munitions, which limits their flexibility.

### Additional notes:

The Clans are possibly testing LRM launchers employing Streak systems. This would signify a massive breakthrough in the Streak system's ability to manage large amounts of missiles at once.