Optional PPC rules

Optional PPC rules are advanced non-mandatory rules that change the way PPCs work. Currently the listed rules only add flexibility for the PPC user to access alternate firing modes.

PPC Field Inhibitor Disengage
This allows non-ERPPCs to shut down their field inhibitors in order to nullify their minimum range disadvantage. However, the process is dangerous and may result in deletorious feedback. Advanced rules for particle projector cannons allow players to disengage  the  weapon’s  field  inhibitors  if  they  so  desire. The field  inhibitors  restrict  the  dangerous  charged-particle feedback produced when a PPC is fired, but also prevent the weapon from firing accurately at targets closer than minimum range.  Disengaging a PPC’s field inhibitor removes the minimum range modifier, at the risk of subjecting the firing unit to particle feedback. To disengage a unit’s PPC inhibitor, a player must declare the inhibitor disengaged during the End Phase of a turn; the inhibitor will stay disengaged until a player announces during a subsequent End Phase that it is re-engaged. The standard minimum-range modifier does not apply to that attack; otherwise, the player makes his to-hit roll per standard rules. The player must then roll 2D6 and compare it to the PPC Feedback Table, below, to determine if the shot causes particle feedback. If the result is less than the safe level shown above, the first unmarked PPC critical slot is destroyed and the ’Mech takes additional damage  equal  to  the  Damage  Value  of  the  PPC (as  well  as  capacitor,  if  the  PPC  is  connected  to  one  and  it is  charged)  to  the  internal  structure  of  the  body  location  in which the weapon was mounted, even if the Expanded Critical Damage rules are in effect. CASE will stop damage transfer, but the MechWarrior will always take two pilot hits.Aerospace Fighters: The damage is applied to the armor location; if the damage destroys the armor, then any remain-ing damage is halved (rounded down) and applied to the SI, per standard damage transfer rules. Large Craft: Large Craft cannot disengage a PPC inhibitor.

PPC Overcharge
This allows the PPC to fire a powerful assault, but at the cost of extra heat and damaging itself. A unit can intentionally override the safeguards on a particle projector cannon and overcharge the PPC. However, this dangerous move  can  have  unexpected  consequences  and automatically results in damage inflicted on the PPC itself.  At any time before firing the weapon, the player announces he is  overcharging  it. When the  controlling  player  makes a  weapon  attack  with  an  overcharged  PPC,  he  or  she  rolls a  number  of  dice  equal  to  the  type  of  PPC  fired,  based  on the  Overcharging  PPC Table  (below). The player  rolls  those dice and adds the results together. This value is added to the standard Damage Value and heat generated by the weapon that turn. The weapon automatically takes a critical hit (applied to the topmost unmarked critical slot) when it is overcharged. Additionally, the player then compares the original die roll result to the  Feedback Table. If the  player  rolled  only  a  single  die, consult the “3 or more hexes” row; if the player rolled two dice, consult the “2 hexes” row; if the player rolled three dice, consult the “1 hex” row. If the result of the die roll is less than or equal to the relevant number, the PPC catastrophically explodes; use the rules under Disengaging Inhibitor for determining the damage caused by such an explosion (damage applied to the unit is equal to the total Damage Value of the overcharged PPC; the only difference is that instead of a single critical hit, all of the weapon’s critical slots are marked off). PPC Capacitor: Overcharging can be used with a PPC capacitor, but regardless of whether or not an explosion occurs, in addition to the single critical hit applied to the PPC, the PPC capacitor slot is marked as destroyed. The overcharge rules for the capacitor aren't clear about the point if the capacitor is destroyed only if charged, or in any case that it is paired. The used with could be taken to interpret either.

TacOps PPC Tables
PPC Feedback table: PPC Overcharging table:

Charged PPC Interference
The particles from a PPC may have negative effects on electronics if imbued with additional charge. A PPC user may declare their PPC charging particles instead of attacking, which generates half of the attack's heat, rounded down (this may be combined with a PPC Capacitor or Improved PPC Capacitor charge the same turn, adding the additional heat). The charge dissipates next turn unless continued to generate heat.

If charged, its attack next turn has the effect of disabling any Active Probes (on 5+ charged PPC damage that turn), ECM suites and C3 computers (on 10+ Charged PPC damage that turn), Communication Equipment (on 15+ Charged PPC damage that turn), and Command Console bonuses (on 20+ Charged PPC damage that turn) on the attacked unit. The disabling of these components/bonuses) lasts for the remainder of this turn and for the entire next turn. The PPC charge dissipates with the attack, needing to start the process again next turn for another assault.

If an unit is, on a turn, dealt an amount of damage with charged PPC attacks equal or greater to its tonnage, it automatically shuts down (it can start up normally). If a unit with a PPC holding Charged particles gets it destroyed by a critical hit, it will automatically shut down.

Inner Sphere Heavy and ER PPC optional perenne Interference
Inner Sphere Heavy PPCs and ER PPCs are normally strictly worse compared to a Clan ER PPC. This rule allows the IS components at least a niche edge in very special cases, while still retaining all their usual disadvantages.  All Inner Sphere-tech Heavy PPC and ER PPC attacks are considered to always be composed of Charged particles, with no need to spend an additional turn loading them.

However, if one of those weapons are destroyed, all Active Probes, ECMs, C3 computers, Communication Equipment and Command Console effects originating from the mounting unit are nullified for the remainder of that turn and during the entirety of the next turn, due to charged particles escaping from the destroyed weapon.

The rule is still compatible with the use of PPC capacitors or Clan Integrated PPC capacitors.

If this rule is active, the owner of the unit must declare before combat if their IS ER PPCs and IS Heavy PPCs use charged or uncharged particles, much as the Rapid Fire mode for Machine Guns. If they don't declare anything, charged particles are active by default.