Pulse Lasers - PLS special ability

[Captain Punka]

When researching what happened to pulse lasers in conversion to Alpha Strike, I discovered this old post:

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/alpha-strike-101/pulse-lasers-and-targeting-computers/

I think it would be so cool to have a PLS special ability for certain mechs that have a fair number of pulse lasers that follows the model of the FLK ammo.  So, for example, if a mech has PLS2/2/0 it would do the listed damage if it misses it's attack by 2 or less.

[Hellraiser]

This is why I felt AS really failed when they didn't follow the pattern of AeroTech from BS & the "Bay" concept.

It would have been more complex than a single "Intro Tech" roll, but the same complexity as a unit that has a bunch of LRM, IDF, SRM, AC, ECM, etc etc abilities for Standard Tech.
And we wouldn't have had the whole issue of an Ostscout originally being the most powerful unit I've seen in the game.
(Jump + Round Up damage + Back Shots at +1 Damage = ML of DOOOOM)

[DevianID]

Pulse weapons getting their current bonus damage instead of the -2 im fine with, as the end result is more or less the same.  For example, something with 5 IS mpulse currently does 4 AS damage instead of 3.  If you added the pulse rule, you would do 3 damage with pulse 3.  The net change from damage across hit rolls 4-11 (versus pulse 2-9) is 1.97 with damage 4 versus 2.14 with damage 3 pulse 3, while peak damage change from 9s to 7s is .64.  Thus, the pulse 3 special rule would cost 1.64 damage for AS calculations, while netting only .17 damage versus the 4 damage current formula when factoring the peaks of the curve.  So it would be an expensive ability that doesn't add much in the end.

[Frantic Pryde]

No thanks! Last thing we need to do is create another variable (on a crazy good ability) to screw up the PV calculation. Game is pretty nice and balanced right now, lets keep it that way

[Captain Punka]

Thanks all for your thoughts!

DevianID - You mention specifics around converting classic BT to AS.  I don't see those conversion rules in the Commander's Edition.  Where can I go to see the details?

[Alexander Knight]

Thanks all for your thoughts!

DevianID - You mention specifics around converting classic BT to AS.  I don't see those conversion rules in the Commander's Edition.  Where can I go to see the details?

The conversion rules were published in the Alpha Strike Companion.  Rerelease information is unclear at this immediate time.

[Captain Punka]

Thank you!  It's good to know at least that pulse lasers are taken into account in the conversion rules. 

Personally, I don't think it would be hard to have implemented the PLS ability, but I agree that at this time, with the MUL and all the conversions already have happened, it's probably way too late.  :/

Thanks all!

[Hellraiser]

As much as I would have liked them to follow the existing AT format at that time, I do agree its far too late & I have no desire to see a change.

But I can say for sure that when we first tested "Quick Strike" before it became AS, you could REALLY feel how much Speed is Life.

I was not kidding above when I mentioned the Ostscout-7J of DOOOOOM

[theagent]

The increased ability to hit for pulse lasers is already factored into the calculated damage values.  Giving them a PLS ability would do a lot of bad things:

• Reduce the regular damage values for all affected brackets on all canon units
• Since PLS would be a special damage-related ability, it would have the standard rules for damage-related abilities applied...in other words, you could do regular attacks with all weapons, attacks with the PLS weapons (getting the ability to hit if the MoF is 2 or less on the strike roll), but not both
• Reduce the Point Values for all canon units (since the PV calculation for a unit includes its damage values).  Note that very few of the special damage-related abilities add to the PV of a unit (& mostly because they add a truly different option, like IF# or ARTX-#), so the PLS ability would probably not add anything (& at best I would allow maybe the highest value it has, but not combining them together).

The biggest thing killing the idea is having to adjust the literally hundreds of canon 'Mech designs that are equipped with multiple pulse lasers (both Clan & IS).  I don't think anyone has the time for that.

[LegoMech]

I saw this and was like, "I thought the same thing!" Then I realized it was my own post you were referencing. I'm a dope 

Edited to add that I was using a different username at the time, so I'll try to pretend that's an excuse