Battleforce Player Aids & Optional Rules

[Zematus737]

After many complete readings of Interstellar Operations, when its Battleforce content was included in SO and its updated version now- to reviewing Battleforce 2 and previous forms- and after the necessity of having to dig for these time and time again, I outline many of the rules I had trouble remembering.  Hopefully these will encourage others to give Battleforce a try and ease the intimidation the introduction of this scale of play can have.  Included in the documents and further down the thread are many modifications that, I believe, improve scalability and over all fun in Aero and Battleforce play.  Basics like rolling for zero or minimum damage and aero air-to-ground range rules have been left out, since you only need to be reminded of these a hand full of times before they stick.

BF Combat Aid: Various notes and page references to common ground combat questions and rules for Battleforce and Strategic Battleforce scale play during Aerospace engagements on the abstract maps.

Scaled ACS:The use of the ACS system using planetary assault maps, abstract aero rules down to the low altitude map with transitions of all the scales combined all the way down to the tactical forms over the ground map is what this is pretty much about.  I hope you all enjoy the work that went into blending all this together and look forward to any feedback.

Battleforce Force Gen: A document that can help new players develop their initial forces, some stats, tips and suggestions for improvement of play.  Most of these are found in the official IO:BF rule book and Campaign Operations.

Battleforce Player Aid: Mostly the same information as found in the Combat Aid, with special focus on aerospace.  General information for Commands and their costs in points.  Splitting and Ad hoc combinations of Elements changes are paid for in points and done at End Phase and do no require tokens on the Chain of Command (pg.68 & 122).

[Zematus737]

This place reserved for list of general game play adjustments and other options.

*Target selection after EngCR or Tactics Check roll.  All other hits and non-tag Indirect Fire use SBF Simplified Damage rules Pg.170-171.  It will be necessary to implement Tactics Values and checks for Units on a tactical scale to use this optional rule.   This speeds up the Combat phase considerably on the Battleforce scale.  Initial target selection by Unit.  This rule is invalidated if hostile Units occupy the same hex.  It may also be invalidated within Short Range by agreement.  Implementation to BF being a little different than how it is found in SBF where attacks are declared on Formations instead of individual Elements within a Unit.  Choose Elements that will attack, roll the Engagement Control 2d6 or the 1d6 Tactics Check against Unit TV.  With a MoS of 3+ for the first.  No changes to 1d6 TC.  The modifiers give both systems unique characteristics, choose what works best.  Winner of the Tactics Check selects target Elements.  All attacks above Short range and those that fail using the first EngCr use the random Simplified Damage application rule.  Flavor the change to include as many of the ranges you wish to apply it to.

*Tackle box Fires management see Reply#10

QoL notes and improvements:
*Use a copy of the ACS Combat Formation Record Sheet as a record keeper of enemy Units/Elements.
*Printable Terrain Factor sheet (see attachments)
*For alternate Aero conversions see Reply#14
*For applying cluster hits system to Large unit firing arcs see Reply#15
*For increased fuel costs for take-off and landing of Dropships see Reply#17
*General information on Infantry for Combat Commands see Reply#20
*For optional rule that increases transit times for Warships see Reply#27
*For optional rule on range of SDS and Ortillery on PAMs see Reply#28
*For custom conversions of Structures see Reply#30
*For helpful sector/zone size notes on the Abstract maps see Reply#31
*For added modifiers in dog fighting in Abstract maps Reply#33

[Zematus737]

Adjustments and clarifications made under Battlefield Intelligence to Player Aid file.

[Zematus737]

Added this line, CF/AF LowAlt facing: divide by 7, round down, min 1 TWpg84 to Player Aid file.

Expanded Force Gen with general information and turn orders for BF and adv. BF. 

Working on typing out Combat Player aid and 'Scaled ACS' document that shows how to bring flights down from ACS maps to the Low Alt map with velocity conversions. 

[Zematus737]

Here is a rough draft of the entire idea as it has evolved over time.  My EHS and God permitting, I'll get the remaining two done in a few weeks.  *file removed

[Daryk]

You're contributing to the ability to scale from RPG mano-a-mano to Interstellar Empire vs. peer adversary... Kudos!

[Zematus737]

Scaled ACS player aid is complete and has been added to the downloads of the OP.  Proof read will have to wait until later but I wanted to share it now.  The combat player aid will follow soon as the chest pressure settles again.  I'm freakin' so glad these are finally getting rounded out.

[Zematus737]

A Combat Aid has been added.  That concludes the help aids I have completed to date.  Added  "1 TP rotate axis" to Spheroid movement on Player Aid.  04/16/24 Additional typo and text clarification on all documents.  My apologies if this continues to reset the download counter for each file.

[Zematus737]

Deleted redundant ACS information from Player Aid and added stacking limit information for three scales: "Stacking limit for Ground per hex, Friendly/Enemy, BF:10/10 Elements or 1 Large Element each side, SBF: 2 SBF Formations, 1 Infantry and 1 of any other type per side, ACS: 16/16 Combat Units (2 full ACS Formations, Recon Formations take up ¼, Dropzones/Fortifications 48friendly/24hostile".

Added the following line to Scaled ACS file: (CRM Recon/Detection range pg.243

Added the following line to Force Gen file: Battleforce 2 1997 pg.106-109 Campaign, Scavenge, Repair, Maintenance, Limited Supply (I believe these are superior to C.O. in their playability), Interstellar Ops and expanded information on PAM.

[Daryk]

Just for reference, editing a post won't advertise as "new" to folks following your thread.  Only new posts do that.

[Zematus737]

For fires, I use the torch (tails) side of a dime.  TO:AR recommends the use of a penny, but the penny used for smoke (2 penny's for heavy smoke) and a dime for fire represents what is happening better because of their color and the fact that they can stack with the dime on top and still see if either penny is on its 2nd drift on tails (keep the older smoke on top).  For more details on fire, smoke and their spread take a look over the rules as they are found in TO:AR pg41-46 if the rules seem insufficient in IO:BF by themselves.  Smoke is not produced on the same fire hex that originates it, as stated in TO:AR, but smoke may spread into it from a fire in an adjacent hex.

A nice tip from Pokefan in the Aero Discord gave me the idea of using a tackle box filled with a pair of 12mm dice in 15 of the squares.  Each of these can quickly sort out if a hex rolls high enough for spread of either fire or smoke by using the same roll for each hex (for up to 15 hexes along 3 columns every shake), rather than using a roll for every chance of End Phase ignite or spread.  This saves time and makes the entire Condition more pleasurable an experience.  The rest of the pockets are used to store the pennies and other assortments.

[Zematus737]

Added the following Trooper weights text from pg.155 TM to Force Gen file

   Per Trooper Infantry Weights(minimum)   
Foot 0.085ton (1) each [pg.155 TM]
Motorized 0.195 (1)   
Jump 0.165 (1)   
Mechanized: Hover, Tracked,
& Wheeled 1.0 (5)
Anti-Mech +0.015 each

::edit:: added Round to nearest half ton

[Zematus737]

Added the following lines to Force Gen:

(Roll once for every 100 pv, adjust skill to finalize)

Aero: 1-2 CF, 3-4 ASF 5-6 Choice or mixed

I have found that the more you add the less option paralysis a new player suffers in their confusion or decision making.  The Lance rolls are fun and lend themselves to very strange match ups that can be fun.  If you lack more diverse RAT's than those found in Total Warfare, you can use those found in the First Succession Wars book that has combat vehicles included.  Updated the 3039 file in the google drive, as it was missing some mechs.  I'd blame the MUL loading issues but the mistakes in not noticing the total number of mechs being off is and was a rookie mistake.  Another file of Star League Introductory Mechs was also added that makes things a little easier.  Such things as VTOL's(v) and WiG's(g) will continue to not have RAT lists and you will just have to decide for yourself what you will like to have or use.  This is better, as your needs will depend on whether you have infantry or not.  As you sort your Lances, you will notice some mechs might go better with others, such as combining several Elements with Jump together to enable jump for the entire BF Unit.  Decide together whether you should require splits and detachments to reform them after the fact or if allowances are to be made for pre-fight reconfigurations.

The roll for every 100 pv may force higher skill levels if you have several Heavy or Assault rolls.  You will find imaginative ways to fit under any PV ceiling.  Figure out what works best for you, but it is a balancing act.  Don't stress out about it and play the skirmish scenario out with someone and enjoy yourselves.

[Zematus737]

Added the following line to Force Gen together with misc data for artillery carriages and ammo: (If following IsaW parameters, Artillery can be composed of the lower size to bring into balance, a roll for Lance being a single Element, a company a Lance while also tracking their ammo.  Infantry is the opposite, being one higher.)


As fun as using artillery is, it is so effective with standard, flak and various other ammo types that adding ammo data for this Element should probably be seriously considered and at least will also encourage the use of the ammo support carriages in conjunction with the rules found for them in the SBF advanced options.

[Zematus737]

I wanted to link a thread I have been working on concerning new conversion values.  I have been working hard to figure out how to enjoy Battleforce to its greatest possible potential and have ran into a hard wall with how OP aero is in comparison to ground units.  With the hopes of enjoying Battleforce in all its glory with combined arms regiments all the way from the bottom to the top, this crumbles dreadfully in the face of conversions that have created this balance issue.  After second-guessing myself several times I just went with the original adjustment below.


Fix:
1)Adjust structure of all Aerospace units by taking the AS armor x 2 x 0.10 and rounding normally, minimum 0.  Replace SI structure values with this value.
2)Adjust the Threshold value also.  Take the AS armor value x 0.10 x unit size.  Round normally to a minimum of 1.
3)Adjust PV values by the exact difference in structure that was reduced.
4)Add the difference in TH to PV.

optional 5) Multiply all PV values of aero by size.  Multiply all PV values again by 4 if the LRG Special is present.

In the original BattleSpace rule book the armor and structure of Dropships was combined and divided by 30 and split evenly across both armor and structure, with any left over points going to armor.  The conversions for Warships became more complicated but I don't see a reason why they should be any different if you want an exact conversion.  This will necessitate reference to the Technical Readout of each unit being converted.

Here is a link to the original thread:
https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=85105.msg2013448#new

[Zematus737]

Another custom change that brings balance to Warship level engagements.  It introduces a Cluster Hits table for Large units with weapon arrays like Dropships, Stations and Warships, with the added ability for split damage solutions for multiple targets within the same firing arc.

In summary:

2: Miss, 3: 30%, 4-5: 45%, 6-8: 60%, 9-10: 80%, 11: 100%, 12:100% +crit

The cluster hits roll would be applied to every weapon system on a successful hit roll.  It would be applied to every attack that was split.

See the following thread for the full text: https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=85141.0

An additional rule to the above can be an added modifier based on the comparison of the size of the target unit to that of the one that is attacking.  -/+ the difference of size between the two, as used in physical charge attacks for ground units,  can be applied as a modifier on this cluster hits roll as appropriate.  Please remember that when Warships are in play all Aerospace Fighters are considered size 1 and Dropships size 3 IO:BF pg.126-127.

[Zematus737]

General clarifications added to some of the files.

Words added to Scaled ACS to avoid confusion when Dropping Troops.  Movement into the Low Alt map beginning from the edges should only apply to Aerospace units: Have the edges of the maps be the point of exit and entry into the different scales for all units with the SPC special ability.  Also added the clarification that Dropships only reduce their velocity by half in SBF scale at the top of page 2.

Shifted phrases to reduce confusion in Player Aid document for units which reduce velocity by half that came after spheroid movement info.  That was moved up and Airship movement was dropped beside the spheroid data.

Added reference page for tactical fuel tables from Tech Manual in Force Gen document.

[Zematus737]

Optional rule for takeoff and landing fuel costs for dropship units if the current costs of fuel on page 60 of SO:AA seem too small.

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=85264.0

In Summary:

Taking the tonnage or mass of the unit, divided by safe thrust value as the cost of takeoff for the unit in points on the tactical scale.  Landing would be half the cost of takeoff.

[Tonnage/Safethrust=tactical fuel point cost]
Fuel Tables: SO:AA pg 135 TM pg 186

Some examples of takeoff values:
Union at 3,600mass/3 ST=1200;  215 tons of fuelx30=6450 - 1200(18%)=5374(83%) remaining
Leopard 3056 1,900mass/4 st=475; 100x40=4000 - 475 (12%)=3525 (88%) remaining
Mule 2737 11,200mass/3=3733;  319x30=9570 - 3733(39%)=5837(61%) remaining

To find the Alphastrike or Battleforce fuel costs, simply reduce the strategic fuel points by the percentages taken from the tactical calculations.  Now you have the costs for takeoff and landing for dropships in Interstellar Operations.

[Zematus737]

Added with MP to this phrase in the Combat Aid

Charge Attacks: Element size with MP multiplied by 1(.25), 2(.50), 3(.75), 4(1.0).

[Zematus737]

Some Battleforce 2 options were recommended in some of the aids, as they are more friendly in their scope to the scale of Battleforce than other options found in Campaign Operations.  Tech Support and repairs can be based on some CO parameters but work well for Battleforce with the information in BF2 (pg107-109).  Rather than using a generic set of points, you can apply repairs periodically by how many tech teams you have as they are determined by the criteria found in CO.  That's 1 tech and 6 astechs per tech team for every mech, fighter, PM point, vehicle, BA squad, and every 4 infantry platoons.  Platoons in TW are still platoons in Battleforce, or 4 squads.  You can use the random skill table to generate tech pool experience levels from green to elite (IO:BF pg133).  The 'aggregate experience by force' table.  The points allowed for repairs is actually pretty close to the generic allowance with a Battalion, but you'll want much more with larger forces.  As most repairs fall within a space of hours, I use the 12 hour turn cycles in the Planetary Assault Map scale.  One repair attempt per tech team.  You can figure out what you like with supply routes and MASH facilities.  All that is in the BF2 book and I think they play well.

[Zematus737]

ISaW Infantry and Aero Wing breaking down ACS Combat Commands

Platoons in Core Total Warfare are maintained in Battleforce scale.  A squad being 7 men, a Platoon is comprised of 4 squads.  The infantry part of a Combat Command is a full Regiment.
That's BF: Platoon (28 men); SBF: Company (84 men/3 platoons); ACS: Combat Team (252 men/1 Battalion); ACS: Combat Unit (756 men/1 Regiment).  A Regiment is 27 Platoons. 

An aerospace Wing is 18 Fighters, or 3 Squadrons or 9 aerospace fighter Lances called 'Flights' (these are Inner Sphere compositions, see pg.127 IO:BF for Clan and Com/WoB)

I recommend you bring a healthy contingent of engineers and medical personnel to your campaign scenarios for out of combat activities like construction, repairs and MASH work.  The other Combat Command compositions are easier.   Breaking down Combat Commands was difficult for me to understand in the first stages of learning the higher scales.  I hope this helps.  Perhaps I'll make a separate post on Combat Command breakdowns if there is interest in that.  There is a lot of hand holding in the first two source books for the 1st and 2nd Succession Wars that helps with CC breakdown that may also be of benefit to look into.  For instance, each 33% (or 1/3) is considered to be an extra Mech Battalion when a CC is reported to be over 100%.  You can take the liberty of taking the respective unit type you prefer and build an additional formation that would fit your preference.  A Wing, for instance, is 18 Fighters.  A third of that is 6 more Elements to play with if you prefer more Aerospace than Mechs.  You can use any of the partial numbers by applying the percentage of over-strength Commands to any CC composition you want and should not feel limited to strict 33% values or to Mechs (though Mechs almost always exceed the other unit types in value).  There are many CC that are at 118% or some such value that will be off the recommended 33%, 66%, 99%.  So if a Batallion of Mechs is 36 Elements (not including Command Lances), 118% would be 42.48.  Round it normally and consider it a reinforced Lance of 6 addition to any Company or end up with +1 Lance and one under strength Lance of 2.

[Daryk]

So... no Taurian infantry in ISaW?

[Zematus737]

So... no Taurian infantry in ISaW?

Haha!  Well, the uncommon compositions are still sorted by the maximum amount allowed in formations, squadrons, or platoons, etc.  This follows even in some TW Core rules.  You end up with a full 'regular' unit and an under-strength unit in most cases of the larger forces.  The max Platoon size is still always 30 men.  Tech Manual specifies that Marian Hegemony infantry 100 man Platoons are to be divided as evenly as possible in the conventional format.  You end up with 4 Platoons of 25 men in each.

If you have a hard on for the unconventional units and factions, you'll have to do all the conversions yourself.  That may discourage any fanatics I'd think.  It's a lot of scratch paper where you could use the standard information for the higher scales by the charts listed in various sources for the breakdowns of combat commands until you arrive at the Tactical scale and use of the Random Assignment Tables.  That is if you're beginning from the top rather than the extensive (just shoot me now) process of creating Combat Units up from individual Elements.

[Daryk]

If I had a faction using Taurian organization, I would totally do the math!

[Zematus737]

I'll give it two hours for your enthusiasm about the idea to wane.
At the forth hour you may begin to meditate deeply on the effort as you begin to understand the investment of time as thoughts stir in your mind as you conceptualize the true enormity of the task.
On the 6th hour you will find your pensive pencil tapping a slow methodical beat while wearing an impassive expression, deep suspicion dawning with the realization that there may be some chicanery afoot.
On the 2nd day you will join me in the corner when you realize you can do this for an entire Regiment once.  Once! But every time?  Not just for an Brigade.  Not just for a single Division, but for an entire Corps!  Because that's pretty much what 30 Regiments comes out to in a ISaW campaign.  For a Periphery power.
You would be looking at about 100 Regiments for a Major Power or House.  At best you would round out a graph of Combat Units, Combat Teams and SBF Units with average force statistics...
...Only to realize that such ISaW Combat Command Conversion Tables already exist for the Periphery at the end of some source books like 1st and 2nd Succession Wars. 

[Daryk]

Heh... you're talking to the guy who made a spreadsheet for AToW character creation... ISaW doesn't scare me!

[Zematus737]

BF Combat Aid correction

From: All TAG’s must be resolved before normal attacks, followed by homing missile designation with min. of 1 target per TAG.  1D6 1-3 miss, 4-6 hit.  No scatter for homing missile miss.

To:All TAG’s (normal attack with modifiers) must be resolved before normal attacks, followed by homing missile designation with min. of 1 target per TAG.  2D6 4+ hit.  No scatter on miss.

File was at 71+ downloads at the time of edit.

[Zematus737]

Rule Addition for transit times movement for Warships on PAM maps.

Take the thrust value given and divide it by 10.  Every ACS turn (3.5 days) you will be adding or reducing this incremental thrust to a total accumulated velocity value.  Once the velocity, in combination with the accumulated incremental increases, reaches 20 the ship is considered to be traveling at High Speed Engagement rates and begins hex movement at this point.

Full text found in this post:
https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=87232.0

[Zematus737]

SDS systems on Planetary Assault Maps

There are 20 faces split into 10 large diamonds for the planet, with 10 satellite diamonds on the Icosahedral PAM map.  An SDS system on planet can reach any of the diamonds if the map edge hex is 4 hexes away from it.  Consider the top of Madagascar in J17 (Earth side of the Battleforce: Counters Pack PAM).  It could reach 6 and 8 and also 7 because J17 is within 4 hexes.  If the SDS facility were on the southern part of hex K16 it could only fire capital naval weapons to sections 6 and 8.  The same should go for any Warship within the Central Zone of the Capital Radar Map that corresponds to its respective diamond.  Begin counting at the nearest whole hex from the appropriate edge.

Simplified: Each diamond section can target the 3 adjacent closest satellite sections.  For example, the furthest top right diamond with A01, B21, B01 at the polar cone can fire at satellite sections 9, 10, and 1.

Thread renamed to include optional rules in the title.

[Zematus737]

Reply #1 cleared to make space for QoL changes and simple recommendations that are not found in the player aid along with some attachments.  This will be updated from time to time.