Components

The following section outlines sensor packs and other pieces of gear that provide additional bonuses for detection of enemy units.

Sensors
Basic Sensor
 * 1,000 RP
 * meter range
 * 0.0 Tons

Intermediate Sensor
 * 2,000 RP
 * 470 meter range
 * 0.5 Tons

Advanced Sensor
 * 6,000 RP
 * 500 meter range
 * 1.0 Tons

Clan Standard Sensor
 * 1,500 RP
 * 385 meter range
 * 0.0 Tons

Clan Extended Sensor
 * 3,500 RP
 * 490 meters
 * 0.5 Tons

Sensors will not detect powered down mechs nor elementals. The former could be a serious problem if you are not prepared for a surprise attack, but elementals are near useless, and very rare on the battlefield as well. Clan sensors benefit from having an additional 30-20 meters range over their similarly weighted Inner Sphere counterparts.

Advanced sensors can only be mounted on the Raven, and lightweight clan mechs. Thus, it's worthwhile to hold in reserve at least one Raven into the late game since they are the premiere 'mech platform for powerful sensor componentry.

Probes
Beagle Probe 1,000 RP Detects Powered Down Units (at 1/2 sensor range) 1.5 Tons

Clan Active Probe 1,200 RP Detects Powered Down Units (at 1/2 sensor range) 1.0 Tons

The Beagle and Active Probes help your units detect powered down units. In the later game when the enemy likes to power down units and surprise attack you, these two sensor components help counter those tactics. The probes still wont help you detect elementals though. Like the Advanced Sensors, they can only be mounted on select mechs. If you do want to use one of these, then they work best when used in conjuction with Advanced Sensors, since the probe's range is half of the sensor its attached to.

These components are useless after you've played the game a couple of times, because the game scripting always has the same powered down units in the same locations. Remember where they are and you won't need the probes.

Electronic counter measures
Guardian ECM Suite 3,000 RP Halves Enemy Sensor Ranges on Contact 1.5 Tons

Clan ECM Suite 3,400 RP Halves Enemy Sensor Ranges on Contact 1.0 Tons

ECM suites are immensly useful. When ECM equipped mechs detects enemy units, they will cut the enemy's sensor range in half. On the tactical map, enemy senor ranges are normally marked with red circles. If you are successfully 'halving' and enemy's sensor, the red circle will turn yellow.

If a sensor range for one of your units is a blue circle -instead of default white circle- then your sensors are being 'halved', and there is an enemy Raven nearby. Just like the Advanced Sensors, they can only be mounted on select mech designs.