Retractable Blade

The Retractable Blade, introduced circa 2420, is a melee weapon used by Mechs (specially BattleMechs).

History
Originally designed by the Terran Hegemony for use with AgroMechs, the Retractable Blade was implemented by the Word of Blake for their Celestial series OmniMechs. During the Jihad, the technology was dispersed throughout the Inner Sphere.

Game Rules
The Retractable Blade weighs one ton per every twenty tons the 'Mech weighs, rounded up, plus 0.5 tons. The blade takes up a number of critical spots equal to one per every twenty tons the 'Mech weighs, rounded up, plus one. The blade does one point of damage for every ten tons the 'Mech weighs, rounded up.

Dark Age Game Rules
In MechWarrior: Age of Destruction, it is considered Heavy Gear and costs twenty-two points. It attaches to "Damage". As an option, when this unit succeeds at a close combat attack using its primary damage value, it gets +1 to its primary damage value for this attack.