Author Topic: (Answered) Rear Weapons and Attack values  (Read 2916 times)

mordel

  • Artificiosus Caupo
  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Master Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 320
    • Mordel.Net
(Answered) Rear Weapons and Attack values
« on: 25 August 2019, 20:59:57 »
Thinking outside the box, I have two scenarios when I try to think about the conversion rules. Neither of these are valid on any canon designs, but you know how wild people can be!

Scenario #1: Weapons are placed such that the attack value for rear mounted weapons is greater then the attack value for forward facing weapons. So let's say my forward arc generates attack values of 1/1/0, and my rear arc generates attack values of 2/2/1. The rules are fairly clear on how this is treated as it states on p.100 of the ASC: "If, however, the unit can deliver more damage to its rear arc than its front, use the rear arc weapons instead of the forward-firing weapons when finding its base attack values."

My understanding is, then, that the Alpha Strike Card would then have the 2/2/1 in the Damage box on the front of the card. If this is true, it leads to a couple of questions then:

1) Does the unit have the special ability REAR1/1/0 as the forward arc now becomes the rear-arc?
2) How is all of this accounted for in game-play? If my rear arc weapons are what now become my base attack values, how would I know this while playing? I would assume the 2/2/1 would be for forward firing weapons, but in reality this should be for the rear-firing weapons. Or is this all irrelevant for the purposes of Alpha Strike combat?

Scenario #2: Similar to the above (and I'll keep this one a little simpler I hope), do I add up the attack values for all three brackets before determine if forward or rear should be considered the base attack values? Consider a unit with an LRM 10 rearward-facing, and two Medium lasers forward-facing. In this odd scenario, the Long Range has a higher attack value for rearward facing weapons, while Short and Medium has a higher value for forward facing.

I believe, as "the unit can deliver more damage to its" forward arc (across all range brackets), the attack value for the 2 mediums is more (2 vs 1.5), so that should be used for the calculation. Thus giving an attack value of 1/1/0 and a special ability of REAR0*/1/1.

Is that correct, or should the LRM count for the Long bracket for the base? Or am I really just overthinking everything here? :)
« Last Edit: 28 August 2019, 00:24:31 by Xotl »

nckestrel

  • Scientia Bellator
  • Moderator
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 11030
Re: Rear Weapons and Attack values
« Reply #1 on: 25 August 2019, 21:21:46 »
Scenario #1
1) yes.
2. Irrelevant.    We decided not to do weird things with moving the rear damage arc to the front, and just let it fire the rear weapons forward.  Most of this exists because of being written from before the REAR ability existed, and maybe when there's a new version of the Companion conversion rules we will errata it away (just let rear be REAR now that we have it).

Scenario #2: You're overthinking.  You designed it, pick the important one to be forward and the other to be rear.  :)  Personally I'd go with medium, then long as the tie-breaker. 
« Last Edit: 25 August 2019, 22:42:28 by nckestrel »
Alpha Strike Introduction resources
Left of Center blog - Nashira Campaign for A Game of Armored Combat, TP 3039 Vega Supplemental Record Sheets

mordel

  • Artificiosus Caupo
  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Master Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 320
    • Mordel.Net
Re: Rear Weapons and Attack values
« Reply #2 on: 25 August 2019, 22:15:54 »
Thanks for the prompt reply, I greatly appreciate it! I definitely think keeping Front "front" and Rear "rear" would simplify it. But either way, these aren't exactly scenarios anyone would typically ever design a unit to do. I only ever remember seeing someone design everything rearward, but only to be goofy.

nckestrel

  • Scientia Bellator
  • Moderator
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 11030
Re: (Answered) Rear Weapons and Attack values
« Reply #3 on: 29 August 2019, 11:13:33 »
As a note, this is being changed in errata now.  Rear stays as rear, no more making it base damage under any conditions.
Alpha Strike Introduction resources
Left of Center blog - Nashira Campaign for A Game of Armored Combat, TP 3039 Vega Supplemental Record Sheets

mordel

  • Artificiosus Caupo
  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Master Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 320
    • Mordel.Net
Re: (Answered) Rear Weapons and Attack values
« Reply #4 on: 29 August 2019, 13:05:21 »
As a note, this is being changed in errata now.  Rear stays as rear, no more making it base damage under any conditions.

I approve of this response! :)

 

Register