Author Topic: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ  (Read 28557 times)

Hellraiser

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #30 on: 07 January 2020, 21:00:43 »
I don't think its as huge as we might think.  After all, you can still roll low twice &/or they can just plain roll high.

3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Joel47

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #31 on: 07 January 2020, 21:08:12 »
A re-roll gives you initiative 75% of the time. That seems a bit overpowered for the cost.

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #32 on: 07 January 2020, 21:15:55 »
25% more than normal is certainly potent.  No dispute.

But ....   Is it more potent than stuff like Sniper that drops Range Modifiers in half?    (IDK)

Or Combat Intuition where you can basically act like you have Overrun ability  (Albeit by taking a Pilot Hit, so limited # of times per game that works)

Range Master seems like it could be potent on certain design/map combos too.  Gimme a Longbow with that option, or a bouncy sniper.  (Griffin?)

3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Hellraiser

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #33 on: 07 January 2020, 21:19:14 »
Speaking of RangMaster & Sniper ?

Can they be combined?

The wording of Sniper makes me think No.

But the basic mechanics of it seems like it should be reasonable.

For example.

Swap Short/Long with Rangemaster.

Then have Sniper make the brackets be   +2,  +1,  0,  +4(3)?
3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Joel47

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #34 on: 07 January 2020, 21:36:06 »
That's a question for the Campaign Operations rules forum m

Hellraiser

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #35 on: 07 January 2020, 21:44:18 »
Looks like someone already did & they do allow overlap so you would get some benefit by reducing short range in half like in my example.

3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Joel47

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #36 on: 07 January 2020, 23:30:18 »
25% more than normal is certainly potent.  No dispute.

50% more than normal. You win 3/4 instead of 2/4.

Quote
But ....   Is it more potent than stuff like Sniper that drops Range Modifiers in half?    (IDK)

It's a faction ability, and so should be compared with the other faction abilities. The intent of the second part as written is a boost to the player's initiative, not the entire team's. Look at the other faction abilities and tell me which you'd rather have. No comparison, right? Maybe "For the Chancellor" is close. So I'll run this up the chain of command, but giving it the same as the standard SPA is unlikely.

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #37 on: 07 January 2020, 23:39:57 »
Oh, I don't think the Davion one should be like the regular one of every turn.

I was just saying it should be a chosen effect of after v/s before for the 1x per game you use it.

Agreed that that isn't the same as making your own move, I was trying to think of some way that would work with the way we do initiative.

My thought is have it act sort of how 1 of the Combat Intuition works.  Allow that 1 mech to move last for 1 turn regardless of initiative roll.
3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Insaniac99

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #38 on: 08 January 2020, 01:26:05 »
It kinda feels like it trivializes initiative a bit if you can always reroll, but I don't know what the odds are of rerolling losses turning them into wins., though the way we each took turns last game rather than having a "force commander" it wouldn't have had as much impact.

Assuming for a moment, that you just take the highest of the two (not the second result, which is the rules IIRC) then it just changes the average roll to be 8, rather than seven, with 7 having roughly the same chance as the single roll and a steep drop-off below that and a more gradual drop-off above 8

link to a graph and you can experiment to make your own tests https://anydice.com/program/19530

Joel47

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #39 on: 10 January 2020, 11:13:16 »
Suggestion from the author for the Davion ability when random side initiative isn't being used:
Quote
Allow the Davion player to, once per game, force a specific enemy unit to move during a particular movement phase.
That's in addition to winning ties, of course. We'll give that a try for the Feb 1 game.

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #40 on: 11 January 2020, 23:58:25 »
That is a very interesting idea.

Basically the reverse of him taking the initiative.

Could be very interesting if you have that 1 mech on the enemy team that is holding up half your side from going since they all want to see where it ends up.

Really throws a kink into a team that is init-sinking.   

3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #41 on: 14 January 2020, 06:30:33 »
Might not be that big of an issue as no one else has brought it up yet, but for clarity. What happens if BattleTech is BattleTech and you lose your 'Mech to RNG in one of the first few missions? You arguably don't have enough to replace it, even if your lancemates carry the day. Or in the example I saw on the document where the Hornet Pilot upgrades to a Hunchback, seems that that vulnerability to a bad turn of the dice could just as equally sideline your career late game as well if you're not frugal. Is the player just forced to retire the MechWarrior they have been investing in and reroll another? Sure there are thoughts about it but didn't see them laid out in the document. Maybe I missed them.

Joel47

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #42 on: 14 January 2020, 08:49:27 »
You missed it.  ^-^ Losing your mech just means you get paid less for the mission. Even being turned into confetti by an ammo explosion. It's unrealistic, but necessary. (Similarly, pilot death just means you earn less XP.)

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #43 on: 14 January 2020, 09:17:25 »
Thanks for the clarification. I confess it feels like there might be a better way to manage that though than just instantly replacing it with the same mech. But understand that the goal is simplicity and not punishing your players too harshly over realism. Appreciate your time sir.

Joel47

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #44 on: 14 January 2020, 10:31:26 »
I'm not the author, just the person running the games here in Phoenix. I will say, though, that I've tried several other methods and there's no good way to handle that. In my last campaign (using rules I wrote), anyone taking heavy damage in their first 3-4 games was better off resetting. That's not fun. In the "real world," a military unit (especially a mercenary one) would try to avoid a "fair" fight, seeking instead to create an unfair fight in which they have the advantage. That's difficult in most wargames, Battletech included. So we end up with even fights, and that's bloody. I'm now in the camp of "If you want a better simulation of a campaign, use a more complex system (e.g., Campaign Ops)." This one definitely chooses "fun and easy" over accurate simulation, but I'm OK with that.

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #45 on: 14 January 2020, 16:31:30 »
Its not entirely unrealistic.

After all,  in the actual Merc Contract Rules you have "BLC: Battlefield Loss Compensation" where the employer will replace a totally destroyed unit with one from their inventory.

The difference here is that its usually only 30-70% IIRC.   So you loose a lance, the House gives you 2 & you come up with the funds for 2 more or hire new warriors.

I'm fine with the rules here.  Repair/Destruction (IE.  Support/BLC) is handled by having a lower payday & that is fine by me.

A full on C-Bill costs campaign is, IMHO, strictly an at home with Friends kind of campaign.

These rules are quick & easy & mimic the SR Missions (D&D Living City) type rules with even less record keeping involved & that is good for a pick up game scenario that also wants the feel of some campaign advancement.



I would love to tinker with these rules for a 3037-ish timeline where you can have the tiniest amounts of "Proto-39" tech items also be rewards in addition to the specialty ammo & proto-A-Pods we saw last game.

3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #46 on: 15 January 2020, 05:44:30 »
No, I see your points and understand that this rule set approaches it from the quick and easy without punishing the players mentality. That makes sense and it keep people engaged rather than getting beat over the head by bad luck and having to suffer for it.

The counter I always have to the whole 'gonna do what you can to maximize your advantage' argument against realism is the opfor is doing that too. I'd be very much for those cakewalk missions where your intel was spot on and the other guy was flatfooted, but only so long as you might chance into those other missions where your intel was dead wrong and suddenly you're against a company instead of the lance you were expecting. Then it becomes more a matter of getting out with some semblance of a marginal win or just with whatever you can. You see examples of this in things like Good Faith Withdrawals in HBS Battletech, although oftentimes instilling that real sense of forced withdrawal is difficult. This system seemed promising for that as there is that looming fear that you might be dispossessed if you don't be smart about it.

Regardless I concede all of that gets away from the spirit of the ruleset which is to be approachable and not a rules lite stand-in for something like Campaign Ops without modification.

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #47 on: 15 January 2020, 16:30:49 »
I don't know what these "Missions" games will all entail, but, I know in our older campaigns each of which was over a year long, we had plenty of missions where the BV against us was higher & our goal was not to beat them, but to "escape".

Retreat, Breakthrough, Escape, Snatch & Grabs,  etc etc.   We had those missions too.

Many players were "literally" caught flat footed when there roster of Heavy/Assault mechs couldn't run away in some of those scenarios & players had to learn to diversify their rosters.

I myself favor a roster that includes several jumping medium mechs & several light Vtol/Hovers so I'm prepared for anything funny like that.  (As well as plenty of Assaults too, hehe)


3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Hellraiser

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #48 on: 15 January 2020, 16:32:16 »
PS.  Its also why I don't have any plans to sell my current light mech that we start with.

Might be useful to hold onto for even if I do upgrade to something bigger/slower for if the GM throws us a curve ball where we need to have speed.

3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #49 on: 15 January 2020, 17:22:05 »
Appreciate you sharing your thoughts.

Joel47

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #50 on: 02 February 2020, 00:15:45 »
Wow, that was a monster game. Three tables, total of 17 people (3 GMs, 14 players).

Next game is Sunday, Feb 29 at Games U. 1pm. (Seriously -- 1pm. I'm going to start telling people "no" when they walk up and ask if they can play after the start time. It's unfair to the others to have to rearrange everything after they've gotten settled.)

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #51 on: 02 February 2020, 01:04:51 »
Sorry I didn't make it.

I was all packed to go to the game & had a couple errands to hit on the way to it, when I got a phone call about "Birthday Brunch" for family member with no notice, no what r u doing today, no pre-warning at all & then it ran late.

To say I was annoyed is an understatement.

Sounds like this campaign is quite popular.

I look forward to playing again on the 29th.



What is "Games U" ??



How many pieces did each GM have to control?

I noticed at mission 1 the # of mechs wouldn't have been bad for a single GM but when we added in small vehicles & hordes of infantry it got quite cumbersome.



« Last Edit: 02 February 2020, 01:08:08 by Hellraiser »
3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

BirdofPrey

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #52 on: 02 February 2020, 21:36:10 »
Was Games U where Ian was saying his home base was now?  Is he running the next game to give you a break or is this just a change of scenery?

So how did the games themselves go?  I crashed after a bout of insomnia and ended up oversleeping, so I missed it.

Joel47

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #53 on: 03 February 2020, 10:14:33 »
What is "Games U" ??
https://gamesuaz.com/

Quote
How many pieces did each GM have to control? I noticed at mission 1 the # of mechs wouldn't have been bad for a single GM but when we added in small vehicles & hordes of infantry it got quite cumbersome.
Three mechs, four flatbed trucks, four infantry. (It could have been up to five mechs, but with three GMs we were able to have two five-player games and one four-player.) Since the infantry started out on the trucks and had to spend three rounds inside the depot, it wasn't a maneuver element for most of the game. The trick to both GM sanity and not init-sinking the players is to either group mechs with trucks & infantry, or at least group pairs of trucks and their infantry. (I did the latter -- my five players faced five maneuver elements made up of three mechs and two pairs of trucks; when the infantry dismounted, they were still moved with their trucks.)

Was Games U where Ian was saying his home base was now?
Yes.

Quote
Is he running the next game to give you a break or is this just a change of scenery?
Yes? Due to scheduling conflicts I couldn't get a February game at Game Depot. Since Ian has been co-GMing both games so far, it's only fair he get some demo team credit. I'll still be running a table.

Campaign rules update.

1. Sniper is changing. If you want to swap it out for something else, go ahead. New rule: The Sniper PSA should only affect a single or pair of identical weapons, and only when the 'mech is stationary for the round. (We're playtesting this; it may change again in the future.)
2. It doesn't apply yet, but there will be a new rule allowing players to spend C-bills to unlock other mechs for purchase (beyond those granted by faction and salvage). Worry less about what you'll be able to buy in the future.
3. Also not yet an issue, but players will be able to own multiple mechs. They'll only bring one to a battle, but they can have choice going in.
4. GMs will continue to earn fewer C-bills and XP (i.e., their pay will be less than winning players, but more than losing players and more than winning players who lose their mechs), but they will get salvage access to everything *not* salvaged by their players.

Hellraiser

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #54 on: 03 February 2020, 21:02:33 »
Campaign rules update.

1. Sniper is changing. If you want to swap it out for something else, go ahead. New rule: The Sniper PSA should only affect a single or pair of identical weapons, and only when the 'mech is stationary for the round. (We're playtesting this; it may change again in the future.)

2. It doesn't apply yet, but there will be a new rule allowing players to spend C-bills to unlock other mechs for purchase (beyond those granted by faction and salvage). Worry less about what you'll be able to buy in the future.

3. Also not yet an issue, but players will be able to own multiple mechs. They'll only bring one to a battle, but they can have choice going in.

4. GMs will continue to earn fewer C-bills and XP (i.e., their pay will be less than winning players, but more than losing players and more than winning players who lose their mechs), but they will get salvage access to everything *not* salvaged by their players.


1.  I don't have this ability, and have no intention of getting it any time soon.  But I got to say, that appears harsh. 

We are in a campaign of LIGHT mechs & you've gimped it to where they have to Park?    :o

Alternate suggestion.  Have the ability work similar to a Targeting Computer giving only a flat -1 off the range mod.    Same effect at Short/Medium but 1/2 the effect at long.   1/3 at Extreme.
If you feel that is still too good, then also instead of 1-2 matching weapons, restrict to a single category, Ballistic, Energy, or, Missile.    The 15 Points this costs then feels appropriate v/s a flat Gunnery skill increase that works even at Short & on all weapons.


2.  Interesting idea.  Still think we should just open up the MUL based on your Faction choice. 
   I suppose that would make Salvage useless.
   Just not a fan of the very few faction choices & this still feels like some factions get forced to pay.
   

3.  I think this is already covered in the rules isn't it?


4.  Hmm, I like that they get Salvage options for later based on what they kept alive... Except that it does almost inspire a GM to play Hide & Seek if their favorite mech is in their forces.
I still think GMs should have ZERO negatives for being tapped to be GM.  Winning Credit/XP seems appropriate.  But no access to the Special Mission Bonus Pay/Salvage/Special Equipment.
I think this means they would default to 350K & 15XP every time?   What are they currently getting?
3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #55 on: 03 February 2020, 21:21:04 »
1. Sniper is changing. If you want to swap it out for something else, go ahead. New rule: The Sniper PSA should only affect a single or pair of identical weapons, and only when the 'mech is stationary for the round. (We're playtesting this; it may change again in the future.)
Normally, I'd ask what Hellraiser did, but he says he wasn't there.
That seems like quite the nerf, so I'm curious what happened.  You could, potentially, instead of having sniper give a to-hit bonus, have it be to simply allow us to fire at extreme range and we couldn't otherwise (though that might also be similarly weak, long range shots are already tough).  Have you considered having it, rather than halve range penalties, have it just reduce long (and extreme)range by 1, but not effect medium (so Medium stays +2 Long becomes +3, and extreme would be +5 if we were using that rule), or is any reduction of long range penalties for all weapons too much?

Any word on the Davion Special?

Also, I'm not actually seriously considering this at this time(a 1 hex active probe doesn't honestly sound all that useful, and I think I already know what I want to pick first and second), but I am curious if the Eagle Eyes SPA would count towards the Active Probe Targeting rule.


Are these additional salvageable mechs mechs we saw on the field but missed the chance to salvage, or are you making a generic list of "for sale by owner" mechs

I also think it sounds better for GMs to actually be rewarded for their efforts, though I'm not really worried about salvage shenanigans

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #56 on: 03 February 2020, 21:27:53 »
It's only light mechs so far. Every player who's seen a Panther with Sniper has agreed they want one; any ability that everyone sees as a "must-have" is underpriced or overpowered. It needs a nerf, or it needs to cost about 40 points. Remember - SPAs don't affect BV. This change makes it more like what a sniper should be doing. Reducing only long range penalties is another option; I'll pass that on.

For #3, it was unclear. That was a clarification, not a change.

For #4, 250k and 10 XP, for no risk (remember, destroyed mechs really hurt earnings). It's a tough balancing act between not penalizing GMs and making it too good. Giving them access to everything the players didn't salvage is a nice bonus, while also encouraging realistic play (i.e., pseudo forced withdrawal).

The Davion SPA when not using forced initiative is "Once per game, nominate one enemy unit to move in a particular initiative pass (usually first)."

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #57 on: 03 February 2020, 21:32:30 »
Normally, I'd ask what Hellraiser did, but he says he wasn't there.
That seems like quite the nerf, so I'm curious what happened.  You could, potentially, instead of having sniper give a to-hit bonus, have it be to simply allow us to fire at extreme range and we couldn't otherwise (though that might also be similarly weak, long range shots are already tough).  Have you considered having it, rather than halve range penalties, have it just reduce long (and extreme)range by 1, but not effect medium (so Medium stays +2 Long becomes +3, and extreme would be +5 if we were using that rule), or is any reduction of long range penalties for all weapons too much?

Any word on the Davion Special?

Also, I'm not actually seriously considering this at this time(a 1 hex active probe doesn't honestly sound all that useful, and I think I already know what I want to pick first and second), but I am curious if the Eagle Eyes SPA would count towards the Active Probe Targeting rule.


Are these additional salvageable mechs mechs we saw on the field but missed the chance to salvage, or are you making a generic list of "for sale by owner" mechs

I also think it sounds better for GMs to actually be rewarded for their efforts, though I'm not really worried about salvage shenanigans

Hey don't look at me, I'm not the one running around with a bunch of Panthers that can actually HIT at 28 hexes.  That was the other table last month.
Though I imagine a bunch of the new folks that showed up this month also took it.

See Joel's comment up above about the changes.  It a basically reverses the ability.  Instead of you stealing it.  You declare when 1 of them has to move.
Suggestion from the author for the Davion ability when random side initiative isn't being used:That's in addition to winning ties, of course. We'll give that a try for the Feb 1 game.

As I understand it, you only get to salvage something that you have Check Box from a previous mission.
Not other tables.  Not games you missed.  etc etc.
But you have your record sheet of everything that was "possible" that you participated in.
So even though it was only 1 Assassin.  Technically, everyone at the table could later buy it.  (Holy Mechs Breeding like Rabbits Batman)
I like the rule, completely removes the issue of fighting for who gets what salvage.
The GMs will essentially get to "Check Box" for anything that SURVIVES the battle to escape.  At least that is how I read it.
3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Hellraiser

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #58 on: 03 February 2020, 21:45:49 »
It's only light mechs so far. Every player who's seen a Panther with Sniper has agreed they want one; any ability that everyone sees as a "must-have" is underpriced or overpowered. It needs a nerf, or it needs to cost about 40 points. Remember - SPAs don't affect BV. This change makes it more like what a sniper should be doing. Reducing only long range penalties is another option; I'll pass that on.

Yeah, its the future when an Awesome/Stalker is on the Field & it now has an even BIGGER reason to CAMP that I'm worried about.

See my suggestion above.  I think going from 0,-1,-2,-3 to 0,-1,-1,-1 should cut down some of that long/extreme range accuracy.

I'd like to see a JaggerMech, Thunderbolt, or, Crusader get full use of there AC, Lasers, Missiles respectively, which is why I suggested by Damage Code.
  (Plus it actually mimics the old MW3 RPG specializations) 

3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

BirdofPrey

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Re: Battletech "Missions" Campaign, Tempe AZ
« Reply #59 on: 03 February 2020, 21:52:46 »
It's only light mechs so far. Every player who's seen a Panther with Sniper has agreed they want one; any ability that everyone sees as a "must-have" is underpriced or overpowered. It needs a nerf, or it needs to cost about 40 points. Remember - SPAs don't affect BV. This change makes it more like what a sniper should be doing.
Ah that makes sense.  Panthers are already pretty dangerous being able to actually do appreciable damage to other light mechs while they close.

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The Davion SPA when not using forced initiative is "Once per game, nominate one enemy unit to move in a particular initiative pass (usually first)."
Ah, OK.  I might actually take it then.  The previous version didn't seem useful at all since ties are rare, and we don't use forced initiative very often either.
Also makes my SPA decision a bit tougher.  I had a pairing I wanted to try, but since that requires leveling up piloting that's a fair chunk of XP, so even if the faction SPA doesn't take up a slot, it still puts me like half a game back.


See Joel's comment up above about the changes.  It a basically reverses the ability.  Instead of you stealing it.  You declare when 1 of them has to move.
As I understand it, you only get to salvage something that you have Check Box from a previous mission.
Not other tables.  Not games you missed.  etc etc.
Yeah I mainly wasn't sure if anything had been for sure decided on.
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But you have your record sheet of everything that was "possible" that you participated in.
So even though it was only 1 Assassin.  Technically, everyone at the table could later buy it.  (Holy Mechs Breeding like Rabbits Batman)
I like the rule, completely removes the issue of fighting for who gets what salvage.
The GMs will essentially get to "Check Box" for anything that SURVIVES the battle to escape.  At least that is how I read it.
Yeah, I know how the salvage works.  I meant more that I'm not worried about the GMs being jerks trying to save that special mech.
and if you were commenting on the additional mechs question, I meant if number 2 was: we can pay extra to get a mech we didn't check off on the salvage box, or if the list of mechs we can purchase is unconnected to any OpFors we've fought.