BattleTech - The Board Game of Armored Combat

Catalyst Game Labs => BattleTech Game Rules Questions => Strategic Operations => Topic started by: Lagrange on 08 February 2023, 09:55:22

Title: (Answered) High Speed Engagements and Machine Guns
Post by: Lagrange on 08 February 2023, 09:55:22

Strategic ops page 85 says: "...High Speed Closing Engagements address this in part, recognizing the influence on damage for ballistic and missile weapons.  Energy weapons ... are not affected by closing velocity."  Based on this, you might think that machine guns (as direct fire ballistic weapons) have damage multiplied in a high speed closing engagement.

However, in the next paragraph it says: "...the damage by missile, autocannon, and Gauss weaponry is multiplied by 1.5..."  Machine guns fit none of these categories.

And Giovanni adds from the paragraph after: "... it would be awkward for a battleship to be destroyed by a machine gun..." again implying that machine guns should have damage increased.

So, should machine gun fire have a damage multiplier when used in a high speed engagement?

Title: Re: (Research) High Speed Engagements and Machine Guns
Post by: Xotl on 05 September 2023, 04:07:03

MGs do not apply the multiplier.

Title: Re: (Research) High Speed Engagements and Machine Guns
Post by: Lagrange on 06 September 2023, 08:33:58

Quote from: Xotl on 05 September 2023, 04:07:03

MGs do not apply the multiplier.

Ah, not the answer I expected, but perhaps good for balance.  I'm glad I asked.  Is there a plan to clarify this in the book?  The comments about "...recognizing the influence on damage for ballistic ... weapons." and "...since it would be awkward for a battleship to be destroyed by a machine gun, a simple linear increase was selected for playability."  are at least misleading.

Do machine guns do normal damage (i.e. no multiplier) with chasing fire as well?  Edit: or is it no damage?