Arrow IV artillery: Did I play it correctly?

[jimdigris]

We recently had a game where we tested an unescorted star of Nagas against a pair of Comstar level IIs.  The way we played was that if they had line of sight with an enemy unit on-board, they could fire and hit in the same turn as if Arrow IVs were standard weapons.  Did we play this right?

[nckestrel]

First, advanced rules artillery (found in the rulebooks) or standard rules artillery (found only in errata so far)?

Standard rules artillery follow the same range rules as other weapons, unless you are using the extended/horizon range optional rule, then the max is 42", the end of long range.  There are no flight times.

Advanced rules artillery says any artillery fire from on-board (both the artillery unit and target are on-board) deals damage the same turn, so you don't worry about flight time there either. You only have to calculate a flight time if the artillery (or target) is off-board.

[jimdigris]

I used the errata rules. 

[nckestrel]

I used the errata rules.

So 42” max range, same as other weapons.  No flight times.

[jimdigris]

Beyond 42" would have been subsequent turns?

[nckestrel]

Beyond 42" would have been subsequent turns?

No. You can’t attack a target beyond 42” in standard rules.
There are no fight times in standard play.
If you are using the extended range rules, you can attack further away, but that applies to all weapons.

[jimdigris]

Thanks O0

[Descronan]

No. You can’t attack a target beyond 42” in standard rules.

I realize this is part of the standard rules, but it makes absolutely no sense. 42" is only 630 meters at Alpha Strike range. I would encourage the game designers to abandon this rule.

Even if you assume that 1" = 100m (which puts the range brackets in the realistic range), that would only be 4.2km. A human at sea level has a visibility to the horizon of 4.8km. That's not counting advanced sensors, etc.

Again, not arguing what the rules actually say. Just suggesting that unnecessary rules should be dropped.

[nckestrel]

I realize this is part of the standard rules, but it makes absolutely no sense. 42" is only 630 meters at Alpha Strike range. I would encourage the game designers to abandon this rule.

Even if you assume that 1" = 100m (which puts the range brackets in the realistic range), that would only be 4.2km. A human at sea level has a visibility to the horizon of 4.8km. That's not counting advanced sensors, etc.

Again, not arguing what the rules actually say. Just suggesting that unnecessary rules should be dropped.

If you want to use more than 42", there's the expanded range rules and then you can have horizon range as long as you want (literally as far as your table goes). 
But the game (standard rules) isn't designed for bigger tables.  (Certainly not 4.8km/15m/1" = 320" tables)  The BattleTech player base is already small enough, we don't need to base the game around the people with bigger than 4'x6' tables. 42" gives some room to be out of range before having to be in range. BattleTech ranges have never been about real world measurements.

[Descronan]

I get that, but its really silly to have a long range that ends at 48", but then say you can't shoot something past 42".

All I'm saying is that if you do reprint Alpha Strike, please consider removing that rule from standard play. It will not change anything in the way the game plays. And it will save you some ink :D

[Weirdo]

You could always use the normal non-standard artillery rules, with artillery having story-like ranges.

I hate that the stripped-down not-artillery rules are called Standard. I know it refers to being associated with Stars-level rules, but it's very misleading. What's the term for the real arty rules?

[nckestrel]

You could always use the normal non-standard artillery rules, with artillery having story-like ranges.

I hate that the stripped-down not-artillery rules are called Standard. I know it refers to being associated with Stars-level rules, but it's very misleading. What's the term for the real arty rules?

Horizon range.

[Weirdo]

That's not at all what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the multi-kilometer ranges, flight times, the real stuff, not the stuff that's just a stretched-out version of standard responds fire.

[nckestrel]

That's not at all what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the multi-kilometer ranges, flight times, the real stuff, not the stuff that's just a stretched-out version of standard responds fire.

I know, I was being slightly sarcastic. You know, like referring to your preferences as the “real” rules.

Advanced rules artillery may be what you are looking for.

[Weirdo]

So the Advanced rules treat arty as arty, and the Standard rules treat arty like basic guns. Gotcha, thanks!