Author Topic: Battleforce Player Aid  (Read 456 times)

Zematus737

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Battleforce Player Aid
« on: 26 March 2024, 15:11:25 »
After the 3rd or 4th complete reading of Interstellar Operations, when it was in SO and now- reviewing Battleforce 2- 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 are many modifications that, I believe, improve scalability and over all fun in Aero use with the ACS system combined with the tactical forms over the ground map.  I hope you all enjoy the work that went into this.
« Last Edit: 26 April 2024, 13:22:53 by Zematus737 »

Zematus737

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #1 on: 26 March 2024, 15:19:40 »
The Planetary Map movement of the Combat Units do not translate well by their simple MV division of 4.  To retain the fractional parts I simply use dice to represent or track their movement.  I do not use anything representative on the ACS level except for movement if the scale doesn't include multiple regiments.  Meaning, I move figures up there and do combat on lower scales.  PCM's and further reductions are used.  The dice represent movement in parts, as I said, to retain fractional portions.  1:Arrived, 2-5 movement points, 6:Stand by.  So an Aerospace fighter, having a movement of 6, having started on the map, would enter a hex with it's first movement as a 2, having started on Standy by with 3 remaining movement points required before it is able to shift into an adjacent hex.  He has 5 mv remaining.  He could shift on the 5 and turn the die to 1 again with the remaining MV on the new hex.  He may partial move by remaining on Stand by once the side of 5 is reached and leave open all the adjacent hexes for his next movement by placing the die on 6 as a reminder that movement for that hex is complete.  In other words, each hex costs 4 for movement, with the option to add additional modifiers for terrain as they are shown on the Planetary Map key.  Another example with an Assault Mech with a MV of 4 would require all of it's MV to move 1 hex at a time from Stand by or to remain on the same hex on Stand by.  So, like climbing in the lower scales, movement points are recorded and transfer over to the next movement phase.  This house rule brings Planetary Maps, such as are found in the Touring the Stars or Turning Points series, into a more manageable scope and have them play friendly with ACS scale turns in space occurring every 7th turn.  All other rules can be kept intact if higher scale play is desired without bringing out terrain maps for SBF scale play from confrontations in the PCM map when forces come within range of each other.  That's 2 zooms with space to go further down for higher priority targets, such as the defense of a factory, airfield or city.  This is its own thing.  It might as well be called something else like Scaled ACS. When I complete Aero ACS aids I will explain the relationship of each scale further.  I found no other way to meld all the scales so the time frames and scope link together and give ISaW room to begin small and grow from there in a campaign setting.
« Last Edit: 31 March 2024, 10:47:30 by Zematus737 »

Zematus737

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #2 on: 27 March 2024, 12:27:45 »
Adjustments and clarifications made under Battlefield Intelligence to Player Aid file.

Zematus737

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #3 on: 11 April 2024, 22:57:41 »
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. 
« Last Edit: 11 April 2024, 23:15:43 by Zematus737 »

Zematus737

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #4 on: 12 April 2024, 11:26:17 »
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
« Last Edit: 16 April 2024, 11:25:26 by Zematus737 »

Daryk

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #5 on: 12 April 2024, 18:52:50 »
You're contributing to the ability to scale from RPG mano-a-mano to Interstellar Empire vs. peer adversary... Kudos! :)

Zematus737

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #6 on: 13 April 2024, 15:35:52 »
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

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #7 on: 15 April 2024, 17:11:24 »
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.
« Last Edit: 16 April 2024, 11:21:16 by Zematus737 »

Zematus737

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #8 on: 17 April 2024, 10:49:37 »
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.
« Last Edit: 17 April 2024, 11:15:31 by Zematus737 »

Daryk

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #9 on: 17 April 2024, 17:46:28 »
Just for reference, editing a post won't advertise as "new" to folks following your thread.  Only new posts do that. :)

Zematus737

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #10 on: 19 April 2024, 14:03:53 »
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.
« Last Edit: 19 April 2024, 14:34:20 by Zematus737 »

Zematus737

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Re: Battleforce Player Aid
« Reply #11 on: 26 April 2024, 13:13:47 »
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
« Last Edit: 26 April 2024, 13:24:06 by Zematus737 »