Editing BattleTech Spacecraft (section)

=== DropShips ===
Weighing between 200 to 100,000 tonnes, DropShips are STL ships which are capable of landing on a planet's surface, launching themselves back into space and getting around a star system on their own carrying people, cargo and BattleMechs. It is possible to build a JumpShip which can do this as well, but it's generally considered to be not worthwhile and almost all of them them are built, work and meet their ultimate fates (salvage, destruction in battle, lost in a missjump, whatever) entirely beyond a planet's atmosphere. To get from system to system, DropShips latch onto specialized hardpoints on JumpShips to be ferried about. 

Both Civilian and Military DropShips are built and used, with the distinction being one of armor, armament and intended cargo. In a pinch a civie DropShip can deploy Mechs into the fray, but you'd prefer one that can take a beating and actually fight back somewhat against interceptors and provide a bit of ground support. Military DropShips are sometimes used in Fleet Battles, especially when on the offensive. Sub-variants of Military DropShips are Pocket WarShips (which are equivalent to modern fast attack patrol boats armed with torpedo's or missiles) and Assault DropShips designed to shoot any BattleMech or Aerospace Fighter trying to take on it head-on before it can unload its armed cargo.

Most of them are egg shaped, landing pointy side up. Others look like bulked up Space Shuttles. Some are equipped to release BattleMechs in [[Drop_Pod#BattleTech|Drop Pods]] but only for special operations where anti aircraft defenses are too stiff to mount a conventional landing.