PPC Capacitor

The PPC Capacitor is an extra component that can be added to any type of Particle Projection Cannon. Its main purpose is to inflict more damage on an enemy in one shot. However, this comes at the expense of significantly raising the heat generated by each shot. It also needs to charge before firing.

Fitting
The Capacitor must be located in the same location as the PPC to which it is mounted. The Capacitor is required to be charged before the PPC capacitor-charged shot is fired. So long as the capacitor is charged, the next shot fired by the associated PPC deals an additional five damage and increases the heat generated from firing that weapon by five points. If the associated PPC is not fired by the end of the firing phase, the energy may be permitted to dissipate, generating no heat, or else retain the charge, generating another five points of heat. The associated PPC may not be fired on the same turn that the capacitor is charged.

Compatibility
The PPC Capacitor is compatible with both standard and ER versions of the PPC, including Clan versions of the weapon (though this would require mixed tech for the unit, as the PPC capacitor has an Inner Sphere tech base). It can also be mounted on Light PPCs and Heavy PPCs. The PPC Capacitor can be mounted on Combat Vehicles or other units which do not track heat (except for ProtoMechs) provided they carry enough heat sinks to compensate for what the PPC Capacitor produces when it is used, along with the heat produced by the PPC itself.

Game rules
 Instead of firing a PPC as normal, the pilot may choose to charge the PPC Capacitor, building up 5 points of heat. This charge can be held as long as needed, during which time the charged Capacitor continues to generate 5 points of heat. When the charged PPC is finally fired, the release of the charge builds up an additional 5 points of heat, in addition to the heat from the weapon itself. (Thus, if a ’Mech with an ER PPC with a Capacitor charges the weapon in Turn 1 but does not fire it until Turn 4, it would generate 5 points of heat from the charging Capacitor for Turns 1 through 3 [due to the Capacitor], and 20 points in Turn 4 when it fires [15 for the ER PPC, plus 5 for the Capacitor’s charge release].)A PPC fired with an attached PPC Capacitor that is charged adds 5 points to its normal damage value. Much like a Gauss rifle, a PPC Capacitor explodes if it or its attached PPC suffer a critical hit while charged, resulting in an internal explosion equal to the full combined maximum damage value of the PPC and its capacitor. The explosion also destroys all critical slots for both the PPC and its capacitor. If the PPC was (or is being) fired during the same Attack Phase in which such a critical hit occurs, the weapon is considered to have discharged before the critical hit, and the critical hit simply destroys the affected slot with no explosive effects.A to-hit roll result of 2 with a capacitor-charged PPC burns out the system before it can fire, damaging the capacitor slot as well as the first critical slot of the corresponding weapon, but inflicting no damage against the target.

Critical Hit effects
One critical hit to the Capacitor disables both the capacitor and the associated PPC, although the PPC is not considered damaged and may be rendered usable for combat with a five minute repair check at easy difficulty. Two critical hits to a PPC Capacitor renders it completely destroyed, and one hit causes a difficult repair job which costs 75% of the purchase price and takes three days of repair time.

Ultra-overcharge
 A PPC capacitor can be used to ultra-Overcharge the associated PPC. For this, charge the capacitor normally the first turn; then use a double-charge the second turn, adding 10 heat. Roll 2d6 to a target of 3 and if failing, the PPC and Capacitor are both destroyed and they deal 10 extra damage as a gauss explosion to their section. In the third turn, if firing, roll 2d6 to a target of 4; if failing, the same explosion happens without dealing damage to the target.

If the check is passed, the damage is dealt with 10 extra damage and heat in respect to the regular PPC fire.

A double-charge can be held but the 2d6 check must be performed each turn in that case. A double-charge can be downgraded to a regular charge by letting a turn pass, instead of completely dissipating, if so chosen.

Vehicles and others non-heattracking units that use an Ultra-Overcharge have a 2d6 target of 5 and 6 respectively for the second (double charging) and third (firing) turns, making their chances of actually getting to shoot instead of getting the explosion less than half.

Vehicle PPC capacitor optional rules
This is a balancing change because capacitors are an unusually bad deal when utilized in vehicles. This acts as a boost to already existing vehicles with PPC capacitors and enough heatsinks by letting them fire charged every turn (at the risk of explosion). Six tons, plus the explosion hazard, plus the burnout hazard, are sufficient penalty for the +5 damage. For newly constructed vehicles, it gives the option to dispense of heat sinks for the regular operation of a PPC capacitor (PPCs are already both heat and tonnage intensive, which makes them pretty bad for vehicle boating; PPC capacitors do not increase the damage per turn of a PPC, and actually reduce it when used in all but the Light PPC case).  PPC capacitors mounted on a vehicle do NOT require extra heat sinks being fitted for normal operation - the slots and tonnage taken by the capacitor are deemed sufficient for normal charge-firing. In this case the capacitor occupies 1 slot and can be critted separately, instead of being considered integral to the weapon. If the extra heat sinks are added, then the capacitor does not occupy slots and can be set to "continous charge" mode in your turn before firing. This means it is always charged, giving the +5 damage every turn if needed, not requiring a turn to charge, and doesn't discharge when fired - the disadvantage being of course, this capacitor and its associated PPC will explode like a Gauss Rifle when critted. You can deactivate the perma-charge in your unit's turn, before firing (in which case it won't apply the bonus, but you won't be subjected to the explosion if critted that turn).