ATOW/BT conversion

[solmanian]

Kind of a noob question, so bear with me. Where can I find the rules for converting G/P skills from ATOW to BT?

[BirdofPrey]

I think it's somewhere in basic gameplay section.

To convert subtract the characters skill number from the skill's target number.

[ntin]

A Time of War, page 40.

[solmanian]

Let's try to make it simple: if I have one skill point in gunnery, what's my gunnery skill in BT?

[Weirdo]

Let's try to make it simple: if I have one skill point in gunnery, what's my gunnery skill in BT?

The target number for Battlemech gunnery(and piloting, I think), is 8. Therefore, a character with one point in 'mech gunnery would have a TW Gunnery skill of 7.

[BirdofPrey]

ATOW	BT
0	8
1	7
2	6
3	5
4	4
5	3
6	2
7	1
8	0
9	0 (-1)*
10	0 (-2)*

* By default you can't have a skill rating below 0 in BT, but if players agree you can allow negative numbers
Also if players agree you can reduce trueborn skills by one point as trueborns have -1 to the AToW target number through the field aptitude trait, but by default that is ignored.

[StuartYee]

Herb (the Herb) later added that you can also figure in the link modifier as well.

[BirdofPrey]

Oh I don't remember that.

[HABeas2]

Herb (the Herb) later added that you can also figure in the link modifier as well.

At your own risk, actually. That link modifier can potentially put your skills below 0, where BV just doesn't work, and where you're allegedly better than Kai Allard-Liao.

BUT if you do that, you better be ready to see your GM do the exact same thing with the enemies, because if he doesn't, he's not taking the job seriously.

Thanks,

-

[BirdofPrey]

What?  You mean I shouldn't create a trueborn mechwarrior with 7 DEX 7 RFL and 10 levels of piloting and gunnery to net myself a -5/-5 pilot?

[monbvol]

No, you should make a Clan Trueborn Mechwarrior with DEX 10, REF 10, Gunnery 10, Piloting 10, with Natural Aptitudes, and just for fun the Sniper SPA obviously.  :P

Of course -7/-7 taking the two best on 3d6 and long range now being a -2(+2 in TW terms) modifier probably is being a bit cheesy(and is a bit of the reason why I'm seriously considering upping the TNs of several skills for my House Rules).

[HABeas2]

What?  You mean I shouldn't create a trueborn mechwarrior with 7 DEX 7 RFL and 10 levels of piloting and gunnery to net myself a -5/-5 pilot?

That's actually your problem, really; not mine.  ;)

Thanks,

-

[StuartYee]

At your own risk, actually. That link modifier can potentially put your skills below 0, where BV just doesn't work, and where you're allegedly better than Kai Allard-Liao.

BUT if you do that, you better be ready to see your GM do the exact same thing with the enemies, because if he doesn't, he's not taking the job seriously.

Thanks,

-

I'm guessing if someone has skills and link modifiers netting a negative TW skill for gunnery or piloting, there's probably some serious min-maxing going on. As a GM that takes my job seriously, I will not only do the same with the OpForce, but also capitalize on where you're character minimized.

"Impressive gunnery score there! Ah, I see you have the Compulsion/Flashback Trait...."

[solmanian]

Can you direct to where I can find instructions for determining BV for personnel weapons from ATOW? Sarna has most of it, but I want the actual formula, for some of the more exotic weapons not listed...

[Maelwys]

I'm not sure if the rules for converting the weapons have ever been published. There is however a list of pretty much every weapon and its BV on the errata page for TechManual.

[solmanian]

Also, the for formula for converting personnel weapons damage to TW, seems broken when it comes to machine guns. Calculating Damage for M42B in LMG mode spat out a result of 65. Per trooper.