BATTLETECH – Individual Lifepools
This is unique mechanics to BattleTech. Every battlemech has 8 separate life pools for 8 parts of the mech. Vehicles have 4 or 5. Note that the paper doll showing the front is facing you and the back is looking away from you, this means that the arm on your left is the right arm of the mech, however, the rear side torso (RST) on your left is indeed the rear left torso (RLT).
Mechs can be destroyed in 3 ways either both legs are destroyed, the center torso (CT) is destroyed or the head is destroyed. A mech also is removed from the game if the pilot dies, but that is a discussion for another section. damage dealt to an already damaged part transfers to its neighbor towards the CT. the right arm (RA) will transfer damage to the right torso (RT) and the RT will transfer damage to the CT.
Legs transfer damage to its respective ST. Damage transfer is at 100%, dealing 10 damage to a destroyed ST will deal 10 damage to the CT. Damage transfer follows the same rules as weapon damage in that it damages the armor first before the structure.
Direction of Attack
The direction of which the attacker is relative to the direction the target is facing greatly influence which parts of the target will be hit and the probability. Attack from the right side will means that the left side will not get hit, only the right.