MercTech: Structures

General Overview
Unlike in the base game, where mech structure is inaccessible, MercTech allows you to change your structure type, granting new build options that weren't possible before. There are now nearly a half-dozen structure types, each of which provides its own benefits and disadvantages.

Standard Structure:
The sole structure type in use by battlemechs until the introduction of a more advanced variant during the Star League-era. The Standard Structure would once again become the only structure type available during the Succession Wars, until the reintroduction and development of old and new advanced structures after the Clan Invasion.

Mechlab rules: Standard Structure weighs 10% the total weight of the mech and take no internal slots.

Endo-Steel Structure:
An advanced structure developed by Star League scientists, an Endo-Steel structure is made of a blend of steel, titanium and aluminum that can only be created in a gravity-less environment. This unique blend of metals creates a structure that weighs half that of a comparable Standard Structure, but is significantly bulkier, which limits the internal space needed for equipment.

Mechlab rules: Endo-Steel Structure weighs 5% the total weight of the mech and requires the space for 14 structure slots. These slots can be freely moved around.

Composite Structure:
Wanting to create a structure as light as Endo-Steel, but as compact as Standard Structure, Federated Suns scientists would develop the Composite Structure. Successfully meeting these goals, Composite Structure allows a mech to mount more tonnage without limiting available space, at the cost of the brittle materials used being able to absorb only half the damage that Standard or Endo-Steel structures can usually sustain. This drawback limits mechs built around a Composite chassis to avoid the front-lines, since an armor breach can quickly spell its end should it stay in combat much longer.

Mechlab rules: Composite Structure weighs 5% the total weight of the mech like Endo-Steel structure, but requires no space for structure slots. Any damage the structure receives is doubled.

Endo-Composite Structure:
Developed by Lyran scientists, the Endo-Composite Structure is the product of efforts to reduce the bulk of the Endo-Steel Structure. Mixing Standard and Endo-Steel components, the scientists were able to produce a structure that's half the bulk of Endo-Steel, while being 75% the weight of a comparable Standard Structure. Unlike the Federated Suns' Composite Structure, Endo-Composite isn't any more vulnerable to damage than Standard or Endo-Steel, allowing mechs with this kind of chassis to be used on the front-lines.

Mechlab rules: Endo-Composite Structure weighs 7.5% the total weight of the mech (rounded up to the nearest half-ton) and requires the space for 7 structure slots.

Reinforced Structure:
Developed and prototyped by Comstar and Word of Blake scientists shortly after the Clan Invasion, Reinforced Structure goes the opposite route of Composite Structure, using significantly heavier and stronger components to create a structure capable of shrugging off more damage before crumpling. Although it weighs twice as much as Standard Structure and four times that of Composite and Endo-Steel, Reinforced Structure is capable of absorbing twice as much damage, and being more likely to stop projectiles and other dangers from bouncing around inside the mech, reducing the likelihood of suffering critical damage.

Mechlab rules: Reinforced Structure weighs 20% the total weight of the mech, but requires no space for structure slots. Doubles structure health and reduces the chance of critical hits by 50%.