Biomes and Terrain

## Biomes

Biome Type Effect On Heat Sinking
 Martian
 Desert
 Badlands
 Highlands
 Lowlands
 Jungle
 Tundra
 Polar

The most noticeable global effect of different biomes on the performance on your mechs is the way that heat sinking capacity varies with environment, as per the table to the right.

* **Negative Effect On Heat Sinking - These biomes will reduce your Heat Sinks ability to cool your mech.**
* **Lunar** : The Lunar biome is similar to that of the moon of Terra. There is only a trace atmosphere, which makes sinking heat extremely difficult. Rare patches of ice provide some relief, but there is no cover of any kind aside from fields of boulders and the rims of craters. Radiation fields can offer some protection from enemy targeting, but they cause units in them to accumulate dangerous levels of heat. ***Effect on Heat Sinking -35%\****
* **Martian** : The Martian biome is similar to that of the fourth planet of Terra's solar system. The thin atmosphere makes it difficult to sink heat, and it can suddenly whip up dust into swirling storms that provide some amount of cover. Radiation fields can offer some protection from enemy targeting, but they cause units in them to accumulate dangerous levels of heat. ***Effect on Heat Sinking -25%\****
* **Desert** : The Desert biome is a rocky, windswept wasteland with little vegetation and little water. The extreme heat makes it more difficult for 'Mechs to sink heat. Fields of crystalline mineral deposits interfere with targeting systems, making it harder to shoot into them, as well as to shoot out of them. ***Effect on Heat Sinking -15%***
* **Badlands** : The Badlands biome is a wind-scoured wasteland with little vegetation and little water. The extreme heat makes it more difficult for 'Mechs to sink heat. Fields of crystalline mineral deposits interfere with targeting systems, making it harder to shoot into them, as well as to shoot out of them. ***Effect on Heat Sinking -15%***
* **Neutral Effect On Heat Sinking - These biomes will have no effect on your Heat Sinks ability to cool your mech.**
* **Highlands** : The Highlands biome features thick woodlands that provide cover, as well as sudden elevation changes and rocky outcroppings. Areas of marshland offer increased stability. ***Effect on Heat Sinking 0%***
* **Lowlands** : The Lowlands biome features rolling hills and gentle slopes, as well as thick woodlands that provide cover. Areas of marshland offer increased stability. ***Effect on Heat Sinking 0%***
* **Positive Effect On Heat Sinking - These biomes will allow your Heat Sinks to more effectively cool your mech.**
* **Jungle** : The Jungle biome often has climates similar or more extreme than the tropical regions of Terra. Lush plant life and varied fauna are often trademarks, along with hotter than comfortable temperatures for the average human, while thick moisture clinging to exhaust vents improves thermal efficiency. ***Effect on Heat Sinking +10%***
* **Tundra** : The Tundra biome is a cold boreal forest, with icy peaks and barren permafrost. Heat sinks slightly more readily in this biome, but occasional pockets of geothermally heated hot springs can reduce heat efficiency for any 'Mech that stands in them. ***Effect on Heat Sinking +15%***
* **Polar** : The Polar biome is marked by ice sheets, thick snow fields, and boreal vegetation. Jagged rocks carved by glaciers thrust up out of the snow, often forming vast, sharp mountain ranges. Heat sinks quite readily in this biome, but occasional pockets of geothermal activity can reduce heat efficiency for any 'Mech that stands in them. ***Effect on Heat Sinking +20%***

\*Units equipped with an **ICE Engine** will not be able to deploy to the Lunar or Martian biomes because of those biomes having no atmosphere for the engine to function.

## Terrain

**Terrain** is a vital element of combat. Maneuvering your mechs (which aren't the subtlest things) and effectively countering their drawbacks with terrain use - and conversely, exploiting vulnerabilities of the enemies - is a huge part of combat. Furthermore, the type of biome has a global impact on the performance of your troops.

* Coolant Pool: Increase heat venting for units standing in within (-25 Heat). Units passing through this terrain gain the Coolant Splash Effect (-15 Heat per turn for 2 turns).
* Destroyed Building: Reduces movement speed and line of sight. Provides Cover.
* Electrical Field: The exposed conduits' electromagnetic discharge interferes with targeting systems. +4 Difficulty to hit units within this terrain.. +4 Difficulty for attacks made by units within this terrain.
* Forest: Reduces movement and spotting distance, and provides COVER; +1 to fire out of and +2 to fire Into Woods. +30% Stability damage taken in Woods.
* Geothermal: Units on this terrain gain 5 heat per turn and only sink 75% of their normal heat.
* Ice: Reduces movement speed and increases stability damage taken by 30%, but it improves a unit's Heat-sinking ability by 10%.
* Lava: Units on this terrain gain 15 heat per turn and only sink 75% of their normal Heat.
* Marsh: Units on this terrain gain 50% stability damage reduction from all attacks.
* Mineral Field: Reduces movement speed by 10% and gives +4 difficulty to hit units in this terrain, but units in this terrain also take a +2 difficulty penalty when firing.
* Radiation Field: Localized radioactivity interferes with targeting systems, but adds Heat to units passing through. +4 Difficulty to hit units standing in this terrain.
* Road: Units travel faster on this terrain.
* Rough: This terrain reduces movement speed and causes units to take 150% stability damage from all attacks. +4 Difficulty to hit units within this terrain. Running over rough terrain also requires a piloting check, with failure leading to a fall.
* Spore Field: Slow all units moving through them. Units standing in this terrain suffer an additional 20% damage when hit due to the spores.
* Urban Debris: Reduces movement speed and causes units to take 150% stability damage from all attacks. +4 Difficulty to hit units within this terrain with Melee attacks.
* Water: Reduces movement speed and increases a unit's Heat-sinking ability by 50%. Lighter units are less penalized.
* Whirlwind: Reduce movement and spotting distance as well as increasing Stability Damage taken, but they provide COVER (25% damage reduction against ranged attacks to the front and side; does not stack with GUARDED).