Melee Weapons

Hatchet

Introduced in 3022 by the Lyran Commonwealth. The Hatchet is a melee attack weapon equipped on BattleMechs. While most 'Mechs are equipped with ranged weaponry, melee weaponry is also both feasible and useful due to a number of special features hatchets of all sizes share. The hatchet is comparable in effectiveness to a kick, however it is not limited to hitting the legs of the target.

Tonnage:	2-7t (depending on size of mech)
Critical Slots:	2-7 (depending on size of mech)

Notes:

• Deals damage equal to the attacker's tonnage and stability damage equal to half that amount.
• Hit on the full body table.
• Successful hits always make target unstable.
• +1 accuracy bonus on attacks.
• Melee weapons are fixed gear on 'mechs and cannot be removed or bought as equipment in stores for use on other 'mechs.

Used By These Mechs:

All Axman variants
All Hatchetman variants
Huron Warrior HUR-WO-R5H
Pulverizer PUL-4W
Valiant V4-LNT-K5
Valiant V4-LNT-K7
Valiant V4-LNT-M4

Mace

While initially little more than bulked out hatchets that traded a cutting edge for crushing ability when they first appeared in the Solaris Games in the mid 3050s, by 3060 the weapon had evolved into the heavier and distinctive definitive model. Despite finally reaching a production grade standard, the unwieldy and unbalanced nature of the mace compared to the hatchet or sword has made them rarely seen in general military 'Mech designs.

Tonnage:	3-6t (depending on size of mech)
Critical Slots:	3-5 (depending on size of mech)

Notes:

• Deals damage equal to the attacker's tonnage x 1.25 and stability damage equal to the attacker's tonnage x 1.5.
• Hit on the full body table.
• Successful hits always make target unstable.
• Melee weapons are fixed gear on 'mechs and cannot be removed or bought as equipment in stores for use on other 'mechs.

Used By These Mechs:

Talos TLS-3M
Valiant V4-LNT-M6
Valkyrie II VLK-II-1M

Sword

The Sword is a melee attack weapon used by some BattleMechs. Developed in 3058 by the Draconis Combine as an "honorable" alternative to the "crude" Lyran Hatchet, the Sword inflicts almost as much damage as a Hatchet and offers a better chance of hitting the cockpit of a 'mech.

Tonnage:	1.5-5t (depending on size of mech)
Critical Slots:	2-7 (depending on size of mech)

Notes:

• Deals damage equal to the attacker's tonnage x 0.75 and stability damage equal to the attacker's tonnage x 0.75.
• Hits on the upper body table like a punch (meaning it can never hit the legs and has a 1 in 6 chance of hitting the arms, torsos or head).
• Successful hits always make target unstable.
• Melee weapons are fixed gear on 'mechs and cannot be removed or bought as equipment in stores for use on other 'mechs.

Used By These Mechs:

Sorcerer SRC-2K
Templar TLR1-OS
Valkire II VLK-II-2S

Backhoe

The Backhoe is a piece of construction equipment that is rarely seen on the battlefield. Usually found on IndustrialMechs and vehicles used for construction the backhoe is simply a large metal bucket on an articulated arm that is used for excavation, however, it also makes a fantastic impromptu 'mech melee weapon, dealing incredible stability damage to the attacked 'mech.

Tonnage:	6t
Critical Slots:	6

Notes:

• Deals damage equal to the attacker's tonnage and stability damage equal to the attacker's tonnage x 1.5.
• Hits on the full body table.
• Successful hits always make target unstable.
• Melee weapons are fixed gear on 'mechs and cannot be removed or bought as equipment in stores for use on other 'mechs.

Used By These Mechs:

Excavator EXV-1X
Excavator EXV-2B
Excavator EXV-4K
Excavator EXV-5K
Excavator EXV-7H

Chainsaw

The Chainsaw is a piece of construction equipment rarely used for combat purposes. It is heavy, slow, and mostly ineffective, but it does make a great spectacle and cause decent damage if the pilot can close with it, leading to it rarely appearing in backwater Periphery militias and in low-end gladiator matches.

Tonnage:	5t
Critical Slots:	5

Notes:

• Deals damage equal to the attacker's tonnage and stability damage equal to the attacker's tonnage x 1.5.
• Hits on the full body table.
• Successful hits always make target unstable.
• Melee weapons are fixed gear on 'mechs and cannot be removed or bought as equipment in stores for use on other 'mechs.

Used By These Mechs:

Crosscut ED-X2
Crosscut ED-X6
Crosscut ED-X7

Dual Saws

The Dual Saw is a piece of construction equipment rarely used for combat purposes. It consists of a pair of alternating rotating blades that chew through hardened components quickly and without fuss. While not designed for military use and largely ineffective, backwater militias and down-on-their-luck gladiators have to make due with such equipment from time to time.

Tonnage:	7t
Critical Slots:	7

Notes:

• Deals damage and stability damage equal to double the attacker's tonnage.
• Hits on the full body table.
• Successful hits always make target unstable.
• Melee weapons are fixed gear on 'mechs and cannot be removed or bought as equipment in stores for use on other 'mechs.

Used By These Mechs:

Crosscut ED-X4D

Digger Claw

Used for digging and clearing rubble during excavations, this claw serves a decent purpose in melee between 'mechs. Although it isn't used by itself as a melee weapon, it has proven effective, if crude, at holding enemies in place while other tools tear into them, enhancing damage from other melee weapons.

Tonnage:	2t
Critical Slots:	1

Notes:

• Does no damage on its own.
• Makes other physical weapons deal 25% extra damage.
• Melee weapons are fixed gear on 'mechs and cannot be removed or bought as equipment in stores for use on other 'mechs.

Used By These Mechs:

Excavator EXV-1X
Excavator EXV-2B
Excavator EXV-4K
Excavator EXV-5K
Excavator EXV-7H

Lance

The BattleMech Lance is a special melee weapon designed to pierce armor plating. Unlike the medieval weapon of the same name, the Lance is a long, thin spike that juts out from a 'Mech's arm; it is not a large spear-like weapon carried in the hand. Lances are quite effective melee weapons as they roll on the upper body hit table like a sword but have the damage profile of a hatchet, however this damage advantage is balanced a by a lower overall accuracy than either the sword or hatchet.

Tonnage:	3t
Critical Slots:	3

Notes:

• Deal damage equal to the attacker's tonnage and stability damage equal to half that amount.
• Hits on the upper body table like a punch (meaning it can never hit the legs and has a 1 in 6 chance of hitting the arms, torsos or head).
• Successful hits always make target unstable.
• Melee weapons are fixed gear on 'mechs and cannot be removed or bought as equipment in stores for use on other 'mechs.
• Melee weapon attacks with lances have a -2 accuracy penalty.
• Charge attacks do 24% more damage.

Used By These Mechs:

Valkyrie II VLK-II-3X

Retractable Blade

The Retractable Blade, introduced ca. 2420, is a melee weapon used by BattleMechs. Originally designed by the Terran Hegemony for use with AgroMechs, the Retractable Blade was later implemented by the Word of Blake for their Celestial series OmniMechs.

Tonnage:	2t or 5t (depending on size of mech)
Critical Slots:	3 or 5 (depending on size of mech)

Notes:

• Deal damage and stability equal to half attacker's tonnage.
• Hits on the full body table.
• Successful hits always make target unstable.
• Melee weapon attacks with Retractable Blades have a +2 accuracy bonus.
• Melee weapons are fixed gear on 'mechs and cannot be removed or bought as equipment in stores for use on other 'mechs.

Used By These Mechs:

Cyclone CYC-HC
Pulverizer PUL-4L

Spikes

Spikes are about as basic as mech weapon technology gets: take a big sharp wedge of metal, weld it to a mech's leg, kick people. Doesn't get any easier than that. Spikes have been used as decoration on BattleMechs for centuries, but had no effect in combat. The Federated Commonwealth changed that in 3051 when it introduced reinforced and strengthened Spikes capable of inflicting damage on enemy units in close combat. Based on the same engineering reports that gave birth to the Lyran Commonwealth's Hatchet, these experimental melee weapons have demonstrated their effectiveness.

Tonnage:	0t
Critical Slots:	1

Notes:

• Does no damage on its own.
• Kicks do +10 more damage.

Used By These Mechs:

Bombard BMB-013
Bombard BMB-018