Sorry if this is necro, but the fact that none of this was addressed in commander's edition is the exact point I'm trying to make. The rest is pasted from a from a Facebook post I just made to the BI:AS group. I was trying to figure out if I needed 10 clan tanks for a formation and ending up writing all of this.
Under "Formation Composition" on page 116...this wording has me pulling my hair out! It defines IS formations being "homogeneous unit groups" where vehicles share "movement mode" and clan formations have "grouping by unit and/or motive type". Does it mean to say that formations must contain units having the same TP, with CV types needing the same movement mode? Why differ the language based on IS/Clan context? Things like TP and movement mode are specific game terms, so what's the reason for the colorful language? Use the terms! :flame:
It also says these homogeneity rules are "for the most part" and "tends to apply". What is the rule! Tell me the rule! Is this wording just to account for the combined arms nature for Level IIs and Novas? Or is it actually rather flexible regarding TP as some have argued here? I put this in my FB post before even getting to the part in this thread where the exact thing comes up, so it might deserve some attention.
Also, I understand this universe is rich in fluff, but would it really hurt that much to write this entire section in terms of "units" and "formations", leaving the names specific to faction and unit type completely out? It starts off by saying you should know the "smallest combat formations...the lance, the Star, or the Level II" Ok sounds great. Except that WoB BA and CI Level I's, Points, and IS ASF lances are the smallest formations (in general sense) but do not qualify for formations (in game terms). Also that IS CV and BM lances do qualify as formations but IS AF lances don't, so when it says "lances, squadrons, Stars, and Level IIs built under these rules will receive...", it is misleading. Put this stuff in the combat manuals.
I'm not saying that these rules are impossible to interpret. However the actual rules being spelled out here in theory are very straightforward, but come across as such a bungle because of vague/arbitrary wording and accounting for faction/TP fluff nuances. I do think I need 10 vehicles to get a formation bonus. But I'm not really sure and I wouldn't have expected to comb through so much text to find out. This could all be illustrated in a small table: something I know Battletech loves to include so one more shouldn't hurt.