Author Topic: BattleMech Manual input  (Read 50095 times)

Daryk

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #60 on: 05 December 2016, 20:29:31 »
OK, since experimental stuff in general is taking a hit here, I feel compelled to say Blazer Cannons should be in, experimental or no.  Anyone who's ever seen any number of my posts in the design forums will know why.

Empyrus

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #61 on: 05 December 2016, 20:49:47 »
OK, since experimental stuff in general is taking a hit here, I feel compelled to say Blazer Cannons should be in, experimental or no.  Anyone who's ever seen any number of my posts in the design forums will know why.
Blazers are TL level stuff as of TRO Prototypes.
Still not sure why one would use them other than as replacement for AC/20...

Xotl

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #62 on: 06 December 2016, 00:18:05 »
Dear all,

Thanks for the solid feedback to date.  Just to let you know: we'll be closing this thread early Friday (the 9th).  So if you want to get your feedback in, make sure you do it before then.  Cheers.
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SCC

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #63 on: 06 December 2016, 00:32:37 »
I don't think 95% of BattleTech players play in tournaments, so that may not be the best metric for inclusion or exclusion of rules.
True, but I think that the reason that many items where removed from tournament level and made experimental, or made that way in the first place, was because they slow play down too much. Considering that this seems to be a sort of introduction book, that is to get people into BT, rules that slow it down too much might be a bad idea.

Empyrus

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #64 on: 06 December 2016, 06:24:09 »
True, but I think that the reason that many items where removed from tournament level and made experimental, or made that way in the first place, was because they slow play down too much. Considering that this seems to be a sort of introduction book, that is to get people into BT, rules that slow it down too much might be a bad idea.
This isn't an introduction book but a reference book for those who play with 'Mechs, as i understood it.

ActionButler

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #65 on: 06 December 2016, 08:59:18 »
This isn't an introduction book but a reference book for those who play with 'Mechs, as i understood it.

True, but I have also understood the book to be the reference that the overwhelming majority of players will need.  Not the overwhelming majority of us (where 'us' is a stand-in for decades-long fans, forum-goers, die hards, grognards, etc).  Most players will not play in tournaments, that I will grant you, but do most players need experimental equipment rules?  If a gun only shows up on one or two mechs, in the entire catalog of TROs, does it fall into the 'most players' category? 

Personally, I would say 'no'.  I would argue that 'most players' would need vehicle and infantry rules before they need rules for half the weapons that we are currently carting around.  There is a reason that I don't make important decisions, though. 

The question becomes, how much Battletech stuff is the average player going to buy?  A rulebook or an Intro Box, a couple of TROs and record sheets, maybe some campaign material, and some mechs.  Most players are not going to obsessively collect CGL publications like we do, so will they need the rules for the Super Mega LBX Extended Range Variable Pulse Particle Projection Missile Cannon that one guy used in a Solaris duel to finish off an opponent that was already critically wounded? 

Also, maybe this book could be used as a pivot point for the franchise to spur on more tournament play?  Honestly, I don't think I have ever seen a Battletech tournament in any of the FLGSs that I have frequented.  We could use this as a catalyst for that change. 
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Scotty

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #66 on: 06 December 2016, 15:04:51 »
This book isn't about "what does the average player need", the idea from the start has always been "95% of the rules for 95% of the players when playing 'Mechs".  Construction rules are not necessary to play a game, for example, but fire and smoke are probably necessary even if most people don't play them frequently because they're common enough to be included.  This book similarly isn't limited by Succession Wars/Clan Invasion/Jihad eras along the timeline, so common equipment up to and including the Dark Ages should also be included, and also things like CASE II, Angel ECM, Superchargers, Thunderbolt Missiles, Mech Mortars, etc.  I'd personally like things like Hardened Armor, Reflective, Reactive, Ballistic-Reinforced, and Ferro-Lamellor included, too.
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Wrangler

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #67 on: 06 December 2016, 16:10:36 »
This book isn't about "what does the average player need", the idea from the start has always been "95% of the rules for 95% of the players when playing 'Mechs".  Construction rules are not necessary to play a game, for example, but fire and smoke are probably necessary even if most people don't play them frequently because they're common enough to be included.  This book similarly isn't limited by Succession Wars/Clan Invasion/Jihad eras along the timeline, so common equipment up to and including the Dark Ages should also be included, and also things like CASE II, Angel ECM, Superchargers, Thunderbolt Missiles, Mech Mortars, etc.  I'd personally like things like Hardened Armor, Reflective, Reactive, Ballistic-Reinforced, and Ferro-Lamellor included, too.
Totally agreed. The book isn't hedged into a certain time frame like Total Warfare-series (Jihad).  Stuff in TacOps is Standard Tech/Advanced Tech in Dark Age.

I rather see stuff your going find in a TRO in this book, because there plenty of Mechs that have them.  Long Tom Cannons, In there.  Artillery mounted on a Mech, some have them.  Should be in there. Etc.
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Xotl

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #68 on: 08 December 2016, 12:22:08 »
Reminder that this thread closes early tomorrow.  If you have any final feedback, now's the time to get it in.
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Bartholomew bartholomew

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #69 on: 08 December 2016, 22:07:40 »
Only thing that comes to mind is a good index showing a well laid out book. I.E. not 16 different pages of reference for one thing. If you got that. It should be easy to use.

SCC

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #70 on: 09 December 2016, 00:26:57 »
This book isn't about "what does the average player need", the idea from the start has always been "95% of the rules for 95% of the players when playing 'Mechs".  Construction rules are not necessary to play a game, for example, but fire and smoke are probably necessary even if most people don't play them frequently because they're common enough to be included.  This book similarly isn't limited by Succession Wars/Clan Invasion/Jihad eras along the timeline, so common equipment up to and including the Dark Ages should also be included, and also things like CASE II, Angel ECM, Superchargers, Thunderbolt Missiles, Mech Mortars, etc.  I'd personally like things like Hardened Armor, Reflective, Reactive, Ballistic-Reinforced, and Ferro-Lamellor included, too.
If 95% of the players 95% of the time isn't considered average I don't know what is.

Totally agreed. The book isn't hedged into a certain time frame like Total Warfare-series (Jihad).  Stuff in TacOps is Standard Tech/Advanced Tech in Dark Age.

I rather see stuff your going find in a TRO in this book, because there plenty of Mechs that have them.  Long Tom Cannons, In there.  Artillery mounted on a Mech, some have them.  Should be in there. Etc.
That's fine, but Advanced level rules should be marked as such, part of what I get from this project is that it's an alternative to the Box Set for introducing people, and even if that isn't the case I'd lay good odds (Around 95%) that this book will serve as peoples first introduction to the BT rules, confusing them about things like that is never a good idea.

Asmo

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #71 on: 09 December 2016, 06:31:47 »
Hi Randall,

Instead of a rule suggestion I'd like to propose that some serious time is spent on the index. The one thing that annoys me the most about TW and TacOps is that the index lacks key words you can look up and the find the relevant rules section.

An example would be if I look up Jumping then I want to see an index of every page that mentions the jumping rules.

Jumping Page XX
      Jumping Movement Modifiers Page xx
      Death from Above Page yy
etc.

Cheers,

Rob
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Xotl

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Re: BattleMech Manual input
« Reply #72 on: 09 December 2016, 15:00:38 »
Thank you all for your feedback.  I'm submitting it now, so this thread will be closed shortly.  Cheers.
3028-3057 Random Assignment Tables -
Also contains faction deployment & rarity info.

http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=1219.0

 

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