Improved Magnetic Pulse Ammunition

Improved Magnetic Pulse Ammunition (abbreviated IMP) was developed by The Society for use in Improved Advanced Tactical Missile launchers. They entered service in 3070. Though they do inflict damage directly on a target, what makes these missiles so effective is their secondary effects. The warheads blanket the target in electromagnetic noise, causing the target to move more slowly, overheat, and interfere with targeting and communications systems.

The warheads are most effective on units powered by fusion engines and found on the battlefield. Tanks, planes, AeroSpace Fighters, 'Mechs, ProtoMechs, and battle armor are all subject to the interference effects. Large craft (DropShips, WarShips, etc.), mobile structures, and space stations are simply too large for the electromagnetic effects to be effective.

Game Rules
Improved Magnetic Pulse ammunition uses the range profile of an ATM launcher's High Explosive round. Every missile that hits a target inflicts a single point of damage, and causes additional secondary effects (listed below).


 * Conventional Infantry - Damage is resolved as a standard LRM attack. All troops with cybernetic implants of any sort suffer double damage. Any direct fire energy Field Guns (DE type weapons) "lock up" and are useless through the End Phase of the following turn.


 * Battle Armor - Every missile that hits will disable one trooper in the targeted unit. This trooper is disabled through the End Phase of the following turn. Additional hits only inflict more damage, they do not affect the time the trooper is disabled. For every disabled trooper, the squad's Jump and Ground MP are reduced by 1. A squad with disabled troops rolls on the Cluster Hits Table based on the number of active troopers. (A Point of Elementals normally rolls on the 5 column. If two troops are disabled, it rolls on the 3 column.)


 * ProtoMechs - For every three missiles that hit the ProtoMech will be affected as if in the radius of a hostile ECM unit. The electromagnetic interference also adds a +1 targeting penalty (maximum of +3 for nine missiles hitting the target). The ProtoMech also has its Walking/Cruising MP and Jump MP reduced by 1 (again, to a maximum of -3 for nine missiles). If ten or more missiles hit, the ProtoMech takes one point of damage for each missile, but the penalties to movement and targeting never exceed 3. Finally, a ProtoMech will suffer a +1 heat penalty for every two missiles that hit following the Outside Heat Sources rules in Total Warfare.


 * BattleMechs, Vehicles, AeroSpace Fighters, Conventional Fighters, Small Craft - For every three missiles that hit the unit will be affected as if in the radius of a hostile ECM unit. The electromagnetic interference also adds a +1 targeting penalty (maximum of +2 for six missiles hitting the target). The unit also has its Walking/Cruising MP and Jump MP reduced by 1 (again, to a maximum of -2 for six missiles). If seven or more missiles hit, the unit takes one point of damage for each missile, but the penalties to movement and targeting never exceed 2. Finally, the will suffer a +1 heat penalty for every three missiles that hit following the Outside Heat Sources rules in Total Warfare.
 * Units that are not powered by Fusion Engines ignore the heat and movement reduction effects entirely, but still take damage as normal.


 * DropShips, JumpShips, WarShips, Space Stations, Mobile Structures - These units suffer a single point of damage from each warhead. There are no further effects.

Improved Magnetic Pulse ammunition modifies a launchers Battle Value by 2.0.