Some More House Rules

[Achtung Minen!]

As part of my massively house-ruled version of Alpha Strike, I thought I'd share these punchier house rules for special weapons. Warning, unbalancing fun below!

Multi-Targeting: Any ‘Mech with LRM, SRM and/or AC weapons can overheat 1 level to multitarget with any number of special weapons. The main attack goes to one target and each special weapon can go to another target. The special weapons do not use their special rules.

IF: A unit with IF can attack any enemy in forward arc where line of sight is blocked, using IF damage and all normal attack penalties.

LRM: LRMs have no special rules but they can be used with Multi-Targeting and come with the IF special rule.

SRM: SRMs provide a bonus to damage on your normal attack up to the amount they beat the Hit roll or their damage value at that range, whichever is lower.

AC: If you miss with your normal attack, you may immediately attack again. If the second attack hits, just use the AC damage for the attack.

FLK: The FLK value shows your bonuses to hit per range band when attacking air units.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

I like that AC house rule. 

[Achtung Minen!]

I like that AC house rule.

Thanks, buddy.

[Achtung Minen!]

Here's another. Again, no balance and/or offense intended!

Customizing (Experimental): You can modify a ‘Mech by using or freeing hardpoints. A single ‘Mech may be customized up to two times. Obviously, you can't modify something that would put it into a negative value. A 'Mech has 0 free hard points to start and gains 1 free hardpoint by taking an option from the "+1 hard point" table. That free hard point can then be spent on the "-1 hard point" table.

+1 Hard Point:
• Reduce Heat Sinks: Reduce all range bands by 1 damage and increase OV by 1.
• Reduce Weapons: Reduce damage profile by 2 points (either 2 from one range band or 1 from two range bands).
• Downgrade Engine: Movement reduced by 4” (may reduce TMM).
• Remove Jump Jets: Lose Jump special movement.
• Remove Two Special Traits: Includes special weapons.
• Remove Armour: Drop 2 armour (not structure).

-1 Hard Point:
• Add Heat Sinks: Reduce OV by 1 and add 1 damage to Short and Medium range bands.
• Add Weapons: Add 1 point to any one range band in the damage profile.
• Upgrade Engine: Movement increased by 2” (may increase TMM).
• Add Jump Jets: At Movement -4”.
• Add One Special Trait: If special trait has a variable like a weapon, then at base value “1” (i.e. LRM 1/1/1).
• Add Armour: Add 1 armour (not structure).

[Achtung Minen!]

And a few more...

Perfect Hit: When you roll double sixes to attack, the attack automatically hits and rolls a bonus critical hit (even if the attack did not cause structure point damage).

Fumble: When you roll double ones to attack, the attack automatically misses and you overheat one level.

Near-Miss: When you miss an attack by one pip, you may turn the attack into a successful hit by overheating one level.

[Achtung Minen!]

Some more, just for fun...

Discharging Heat: Immediately after a ‘Mech has acted, roll 1D6. On a 4+, the ‘Mech drops one level of Heat. Apply the following modifiers to the die roll:

-1    Made a ranged attack or sprinted this turn
-1    Used OV damage when making the attack
-1    Jumped this turn
+1    Ended turn in water hex
Auto    Spent round in forced shut down (all heat lost)

Knockdown: If a ‘Mech takes more damage from a single attack than its Size, the pilot must take a Skill test (+1 per point of damage over Size) or fall prone.

Reactor Critical: Whenever a ‘Mech is destroyed, roll 2d6. On double sixes, the reactor goes critical and the ‘Mech explodes, causing damage to any nearby units. Units in adjacent hexes take damage equal to the ‘Mech’s SZ rating. Each further hex after the first reduces damage by 1. Damage from the blast will not pass through Level 2 or greater Hills but will pass through Urban hexes (toppling over buildings and causing more destruction).

[Achtung Minen!]

Here are some simplified rules for melee attacks...

Melee Attack: A melee attack can be made against an adjacent target at the same level as the attacker. Standard melee attacks are resolved using the normal modifiers, except the target's TMM is ignored. Successful attacks deal 1 point of damage, or 2 points of damage if the attacker has the MEL special ability. If the attacker has the AM special ability and the target is a 'Mech, then a successful attack deals a bonus critical hit (even if the attack doesn't damage structure).

Charge: Charge is a special attack made by vehicles or 'Mechs against a similar target. Damage is equal to the attacker's SZ or the hexes the attacker moved towards the target that turn (whichever is less).

Overrun: Overrun is a special attack that a 'Mech makes against a vehicle or infantry or a vehicle makes against infantry. The attack is made at a penalty to hit equal to the attacker's SZ and a successful attack deals damage equal to the attacker's SZ.

Death From Above: This attack can only be made by a 'Mech with sufficient jump movement to reach the target's hex or a 'Mech that can fall into the target's hex from an adjacent elevation that is two or more levels higher than the target's hex. The target must also be the only unit in the hex. Apply the "Attacker Jumped" penalty or a +1 for every level of elevation the attacker is falling to the attack, in addition to any other attack penalties. The attacker enters the target's hex (this is the only time this is possible). If the attack is successful, the target takes an automatic critical hit and is prone (if the target is a 'Mech). If the attack fails, the attacker is prone. Regardless of the result, both the target and the attacker automatically take damage equal to the attacker's SZ. A prone 'Mech that stands in a hex that is occupied by another 'Mech is automatically moved to an adjacent empty hex of the same level instead (if this is not possible, then the 'Mech may not stand).

[Achtung Minen!]

A few more core rules...

Turn Order: Every turn, each player dices for initiative and then takes turns going back and forth activating one unit that has not yet acted this turn. When activated, a unit may move and shoot.

Facing: Attacks may only be made against targets within the forward 120° arc. Attacks from within the rear 60° arc of a unit deal one extra point of damage.



Zero Damage: These weapons only do damage in the target’s rear arc (where the +1 damage bonus applies).

[Achtung Minen!]

Some rules for elevation levels...

Line of Sight: When there is intervening terrain that is higher than both the attacker and the target, then line of sight is blocked ('Mechs count as one level higher than their hex for the purposes of establishing line of sight). If there is intervening terrain that is higher than only one unit, then check if the lower unit falls within the dead zone of the intervening terrain. The dead zone is equal to the elevation difference between the intervening terrain and the lower unit, plus the distance of the higher unit from the intervening terrain. If the higher unit is also higher than the intervening terrain, this difference is further subtracted from the dead zone. If the lower unit falls within the dead zone, line of sight is blocked. In the image below, each unit can (just barely) establish line of sight to each other.



Falling: A 'Mech without Jump movement may descend more than 1 level by testing versus Skill + Distance fallen. If the test is passed, the 'Mech takes Damage equal to its Size and loses all remaining movement as it skids down the cliff face. If test is failed, the 'Mech takes this damage and additional damage equal to the distance fallen, loses all remaining movement and is prone. Only 'Mechs can fall.

[Achtung Minen!]

Here's my simplified attack modifier table...

Attack Modifiers

Light Forest	+1 per intervening hex*
Heavy Forest	+2 per intervening hex*
Urban	+3 per intervening hex*
Intervening Hill	No penalty, but may block line of sight
Attacker Jumped	+2
Target not closest	+2 (only applies to your main attack, i.e. based on your damage profile)
Attacker Overheating	+1 (per level)
Higher Ground	Waives “target not closest” penalty if target and all closer targets at lower elevation
Target Shutdown	Waives TMM penalty
Target Knocked Down	Waives TMM penalty
Target Movement Modifier	+TMM (regardless of movement)
Target Type Modifier	+2 (Infantry, Battle Armour and Aerospace)
Skilled Target	+1 for Skill 2, +2 for Skill 1 or better
Short Range (up to 3 hex)	+0
Medium Range (up to 12 hex)	+2
Long Range (up to 21 hex)	+4
Extreme Range (up to 30 hex)	+6

*Infantry count terrain in their hex vs enemy attacks.

[Achtung Minen!]

And here are the movement modifiers...

Movement (MP) Costs*

Per Hex	2 MP (4 MP in Urban)
Turn Facing	1 MP (2 MP in Urban)
Stand From Prone	Half MP Allowance
Reverse Movement	+2 MP
Uphill	+1 MP per Level Difference (2+ Levels only with Jump)
MV Crit Damage	+1 MP per point of critical damage (instead of ½ MV)
Rough Terrain	+1 MP
Light Forest	+1 MP
Heavy Forest	+2 MP
Water (Depth 1)	+1 MP ('Mechs only)
Water (Depth 2)	+2 MP (Size 3 and 4 'Mechs only)
Water (Depth 3)	Cannot enter

*Jumping (j) and infantry (f) movement is 2 MP per hex with free turns, regardless of other modifiers. Hover (h) and watercraft can move over any water hex and therefore ignore depth penalties.

Sprint: If you forgo making any melee or ranged attacks, you may sprint to gain +4 movement allowance for the round. This cannot be used with jump movement.

[Achtung Minen!]

That covers all the basic changes of my heavily-house ruled home version of Alpha Strike! There are more house rules for scenario and campaign rules, but I thought I'd stop and give a little summary of these rules. Note, I am not trying to “fix” Alpha Strike—it plays fine as-is! These changes are just what I personally find fun!

• Faster, Deadlier Play: Attacks are “punchier”, so you spend less time whiffing and more time destroying your enemies. In my experience, a lance vs lance game lasts about 20 minutes. If the deadlier combat bothers you, however, feel free to use Variable Damage from the Alpha Strike Companion.

• Simpler: 70% of modifiers have been removed and many, many “special exceptions” have been dropped. In-game math calculations have been incredibly simplified and most rules are only a sentence or two long (and are also easier to remember).

• Less to keep track of: Unless you are shutdown or knocked down, TMM always applies, so you never need to remember how far you moved. Special rules for alternate munitions, unique terrain etc. have been completely dropped.

• Always move: Unless you are infantry, you get no cover bonus from terrain you are in, so you always have to keep moving to put open terrain between you and your target and cover between you and all other enemies.

• Stay in formation: Because you are penalized for attacking an enemy who isn't the nearest target, the formation of your lance on the battlefield is hugely important. Higher ground will allow you to ignore these penalties, but otherwise you will have to make sure that you are pairing off your 'Mechs with enemy 'Mechs to the best effect. This also reduces the ubiquitous and boring tactic of "focus firing" the enemy down one 'Mech at a time. Higher ground rules (as well as the overrun attack) also give a lance of 'Mechs a huge advantage over a lance of vehicles, even on flat terrain, meaning 'Mechs remain the undisputed kings of the battlefield.

• Every move counts: Because the game is deadlier and it uses the tight terrain of hex maps, every move and maneuver decision is of crucial importance. As an added benefit, hex maps are quicker to setup, clean up and use less table space!

• You can’t be maneuvered out of a turn: IGOUGO replaces alternate movement/shooting, so you are never in a position where someone has outflanked you and left you with nothing to shoot at. More shooting means faster play, as well.

• More Heat Decisions: There are more reasons to overheat, and dropping heat is more lenient (with no need to lose a turn of shooting). I find that I am interacting with the overheat rules a LOT more than I normally would, which adds more fun choices to make.

• More ‘Mech interaction: Heavier ‘Mechs have more interaction with lighter ‘Mechs. Standard melee attacks, while they do little damage, still do enough damage to be effective against lighter ‘Mechs and ignore TMM to boot (like the recent computer game, actually). Multi-targeting means heavier ‘Mechs can still concentrate on each other while also having a way to deal with lighter ‘Mechs at the same time. Heavier ‘Mechs are also less vulnerable to knockdown and less penalized by knockdown and overheating (since their TMM is already low).

[grimlock1]

Incentivise mechs with lower arm actuators but no hands. 

Hands offer bonuses for punching, allow for lifting grabbing.  No hands or lower arm actuators ANYwhere allows for arm flipping.  But in the pre endo/ferro/XL engine days, why remove just the hand?

Rules for mechs with hands are unchanged.

Mechs with no hands or lower actuators suffer a +1 to hit at short range, because the lack of an elbow makes it harder to track targets close in.  Picture sitting in the front row at a NASCAR race.  When the cars pass by you, they are there and gone in a flash.  It only takes a second or so for them to traverse your 180-ish degree field of view.  But when they are on the far side of the track, you can follow them more easily because they angular velocity at which you must traverse your vision is less.

Mechs with no hands but with lower arms do not suffer the above +1, but suffer the existing melee penalties.

[Achtung Minen!]

Incentivise mechs with lower arm actuators but no hands. 

Hands offer bonuses for punching, allow for lifting grabbing.  No hands or lower arm actuators ANYwhere allows for arm flipping.  But in the pre endo/ferro/XL engine days, why remove just the hand?

Rules for mechs with hands are unchanged.

Mechs with no hands or lower actuators suffer a +1 to hit at short range, because the lack of an elbow makes it harder to track targets close in.  Picture sitting in the front row at a NASCAR race.  When the cars pass by you, they are there and gone in a flash.  It only takes a second or so for them to traverse your 180-ish degree field of view.  But when they are on the far side of the track, you can follow them more easily because they angular velocity at which you must traverse your vision is less.

Mechs with no hands but with lower arms do not suffer the above +1, but suffer the existing melee penalties.

I, uh... is this advice for me?

[Tai Dai Cultist]

Hey Achtung you have a lot of house rules you've played around with...

have you ever tried adapting the HBS BattleTech concepts into Alpha Strike?  I want to do that, but why re-invent the wheel if you've already been playing around with that and are willing to share your work? :D

[Achtung Minen!]

Hey Achtung you have a lot of house rules you've played around with...

have you ever tried adapting the HBS BattleTech concepts into Alpha Strike?  I want to do that, but why re-invent the wheel if you've already been playing around with that and are willing to share your work? :D

I actually used HBS BattleTech as inspiration for a few of the above house rules (particularly melee as a way to punish fast moving, light 'Mechs that get too close), but no, what you see above is every house rule I use. I have some campaign rules as well, but they are actually based on Mordheim (a tabletop wargame from Games Workshop).

[koraq]

I started a conversation with the thread starter and as it continued beyond a quick question, I decided to post here instead. If a moderator disapproves, I will move it into its own thread instead.

I wonder a bit about some of your house rules.

• For the IF capabilities, do you still use the rules for requiring a spotter?
• Isn't it a return to a more slow moving play to pay MP for turning?
• Target Type Modifier   +2 (Infantry, Battle Armour and Aerospace) - does that mean only mechs pay that extra against those types of targets?
• Why the firing arc change?

[Achtung Minen!]

Thanks for the questions!

For the IF capabilities, do you still use the rules for requiring a spotter?

I dropped the need for a spotter for simplicity sake (plus its the future... there should be satellites and drones and all kinds of automated ways to spot things on the battlefield). Also, I find the game resolves more quickly if units are spending their turns attacking the enemy rather than spotting for the sake of another unit to get their attack. The more you facilitate attacking, the more damage being dealt per round and the quicker the game gets to the good parts and ultimately to resolution.

Isn't it a return to a more slow moving play to pay MP for turning?

This is related to the last point below... I found this forces you into interesting choices about how aggressively you want to advance vs adopting more cautious positions. It also makes you deal with terrain more, as it is not easy to simply run around it. I also tend to play on a single map sheet, so this limits how quickly you can stomp across the board. I don't find it slow though, personally speaking... I tend to pick up the model and tap it across the hex map... two taps forward, third tap turn left, fourth-fifth tap move forward etc.

Target Type Modifier   +2 (Infantry, Battle Armour and Aerospace) - does that mean only mechs pay that extra against those types of targets?

Nope, it's based on the target, not the attacker. Infantry would also be +2 to hit other infantry.

Why the firing arc change?

Regular AS was too generous with the firing arc... I really, really, really want to make "positioning king" because I find that results in more interesting, chess-like gameplay and decision making. You should have a glut of choices for moves and slightly different tactical advantages and disadvantages to each of them, allowing you to make nuanced move decisions. The principle decision with firing arcs is "how do I target the enemy I want to target while limiting the ability of my enemies to outflank me." Remember, rear attacks deal more damage and you also don't want the enemy to interrupt your lance formation (which allows you to control enemy attacks and switch out damaged 'Mechs with fresh ones). The result is a constant dance between the two lances that is very satisfying in play.

[koraq]

Thanks!

In general I like your house rules a lot. I am wondering how well it would work with my playing style to pay for twisting sides. I've kind of got used to not to care about those.

I'm also not sold on the "keep the formation" rule. I think the tactics of whom to target is more interesting.

But, there's a lot of food for thought in these rules. I think the idea is great, and for those of us who are too busy to play Classic, this speedy AS is super cool.

Actually, the core should be super slim, and then the chrome will shine brighter. I think some of the design quirks and the Special Pilot Abilities might get a new lease on life with this.

[koraq]

Another question, about Turn Order. Do the moving and shooting take effect at once then? That would make winning initiative quite powerful, if you can cripple someone before they return fire.

[garhkal]

Two HR's i have often wanted to see implemented..
IF you miss with a hatchet, with a roll of snake eyes, ROLL again.  IF you miss a 2nd time, you lodged your axe into the ground! 

Quads when they charge, gain their quad +2 PSR bonus, ON THE CHARGE roll.

[koraq]

@garhkal I like those ideas!

[garhkal]

The latter one, is one i often thought was CORE till i got corrected..
The former is one a guy i knew back in Mayport, used for flavor...

[AlphaMirage]

Quads when they charge, gain their quad +2 PSR bonus, ON THE CHARGE roll.

I love this. The image of a Goliath smashing someone through it a building is very appealing to me

[Achtung Minen!]

Another question, about Turn Order. Do the moving and shooting take effect at once then? That would make winning initiative quite powerful, if you can cripple someone before they return fire.

Yes, fire resolves immediately, NOT simultaneously. Winning initiative is important, but the main goal is to make things ultra simple and fast. A separate "resolve damage from fire" phase makes the game slower (in my humble opinion and personal experience), so I am sacrificing the golden calf of simultaneous damage in Battletech in favour of IGOUGO mechanics. Try it for a few games and I am confident you will find it works better for an action-gameplay style. These house rules are not meant to be a simulation (like classic Battletech) but an fast-play action game, more chess-like than tractics.

By the way, if you think IGOUGO makes winning initiative too important, remember that you only move one unit (like one Mech in the lance) before your enemy does the same. It goes back and forth, your move and your opponent's, until the turn is over and the last unit has moved. If you still find it too powerful, I suggest using the Variable Damage Rules, which should reduce the amount of damage you can deal with a single attack, thus tempering the advantage of winning initiative.

[garhkal]

I love this. The image of a Goliath smashing someone through it a building is very appealing to me

I am glad others are liking it.

[Charistoph]

Yes, fire resolves immediately, NOT simultaneously. Winning initiative is important, but the main goal is to make things ultra simple and fast. A separate "resolve damage from fire" phase makes the game slower (in my humble opinion and personal experience), so I am sacrificing the golden calf of simultaneous damage in Battletech in favour of IGOUGO mechanics. Try it for a few games and I am confident you will find it works better for an action-gameplay style. These house rules are not meant to be a simulation (like classic Battletech) but an fast-play action game, more chess-like than tractics.

Ehh, GW made a lot of odd rules because they do the instant resolution of damage like that.  Warmachine also becomes a chain of actions as a result of this as well.

Admittedly, those also have players do it all at one time instead of Alternating Activation used by games like Bolt Action.  I haven't had opportunity to play those games.

But one of the things that I like about Battletech is that it avoids the problems that GW constantly writes themselves in to.

[Achtung Minen!]

Ehh, GW made a lot of odd rules because they do the instant resolution of damage like that.  Warmachine also becomes a chain of actions as a result of this as well.

Admittedly, those also have players do it all at one time instead of Alternating Activation used by games like Bolt Action.  I haven't had opportunity to play those games.

But one of the things that I like about Battletech is that it avoids the problems that GW constantly writes themselves in to.

What problem is that? Honestly, I have played the above house rules for years and found them to be nothing short of perfect for my preferred representation of 31st Century Mech battles.

[Charistoph]

What problem is that? Honestly, I have played the above house rules for years and found them to be nothing short of perfect for my preferred representation of 31st Century Mech battles.

Rules that allow an alpha strike to not be responded to, for the most part.  But as I said, that is GW writing where they try to solve one problem with 2 more problems.

[Achtung Minen!]

Rules that allow an alpha strike to not be responded to, for the most part.  But as I said, that is GW writing where they try to solve one problem with 2 more problems.

Ah ok I get you now. Ok so here is the funny thing: I fully expected that to be a problem, but when I actually playtested these house rules I made a completely unexpected discovery.

IGOUGO mechanics encouraged the player to "strike first," taking out the enemy before they could fire back. HOWEVER, because AS only allows a single attack action for all of your weapons combined, the player was encouraged to optimize their attack by making the hit roll as easy as possible. With IGOUGO gameplay, the player was encouraged to maneuver his Mech such that the attack modifiers would give the lowest/easiest hit number. Now, this ideal positioning then made the Mech that attacked particularly vulnerable. He would be out of cover, often having moved close, which made him vulnerable to outflanking attacks or melee or simply to any ranged attack as he was now likely the closest target for the entire enemy lance (no "not closest target" penalty). So the player was encouraged to take dramatic action which was quickly returned in kind. The result was a domino chain of aggressive moves that created more and more vulnerabilities for both players to exploit, creating a chain reaction of aggressive playstyles. Gameplay sped up a thousand percent (give or take a tenth of a percentage point), because the carrot/stick of the game encouraged both players to constantly take (ever escalating) risks. Honestly, the IGOUGO ended up working more brilliantly than I had even anticipated!