BattleTech - The Board Game of Armored Combat
BattleTech Game Systems => A Time of War => Topic started by: Stallion12 on 27 July 2016, 21:24:27
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A few questions.
What books have additional rules and scenarios? I have the main book and companion.
The prebuilt scout has a lot more money than the others, is he a higher level?
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There aren't really alot of scenarios. The Halloween product "Welcome to Necromo" is a RPG scenario, though its not exactly traditional.
The Scout has more money because he has the Trait "Wealth (2)" which gives him extra starting money. The Renegade Warrior and Battlefield Tech have the same thing.
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Thank you. I saw era digest have more rules, any others?
So the scout is balanced amount the others? I'm just learning so I want to make sure he's not a higher level.
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All example characters are built using the same number of points. In the case of the Scout, he's got a lot of negative traits and fairly modest attributes, which gives him more wiggle room for traits like wealth and equipped.
Something worth noting, his wealth score isn't actually that high (it's at rank two). So its relatively easy to start with a hefty sum of money. The thing that really eats points is the equipped trait. You frequently need a lot of that for the coolest toys.
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The Era Digests have more rules for those particular eras, and FM:3085 has the RPG rules for that era, because it didn't have a digest.
Also, Wars of Reavings has some minor information...I think maybe just the Feralize Drug and maybe some other minor options.
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To expand on Liam's Ghost's post, there are no levels in A Time of War. It is a purely XP driven system with what it takes to achieve attributes, traits, skills, and special abilities in XP defined in the various charts through the book. All the example characters have been generated using the same base XP pool but some have been build using the module system and some have been built using the point buy option and as such there may appear to be more difference between them than there really is.
There are a lot of helpful threads around and plenty of people willing to help answer questions so if you're still confused about anything please do ask.
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Hi,
Kicking around somewhere in the ether should be a few "Free RPG Day" adventures for A Time of War. Possibly downloadable via BattleCorps and/or DriveThru RPG. They are PDF-exclusive (no print versions exist).
After that, the Halloween Adventures: Necromo Nightmare, Empires Aflame, and War of the Tripods were all written primarily to serve as A Time of War scenarios. Although all three are designed specifically to kill the party or otherwise remove them from the canon setting in one way or another (Fun Note: Necromo Nightmare is the only one that's intended to be fully canon, but its outcome is guaranteed to keep those events from affecting the Inner Sphere at large), they can provide fodder for some really good campaigns, if modified just right.
The Era Books and the PDF-exclusive Era Digests are primarily AToW setting-support books, which are intended to provide backdrop story and rules adjustments to the core game for different periods in BattleTech History.
And the Touring the Stars PDFs that have been rolling out lately provide detailed worlds upon which players can set an adventure, complete with supporting rules usable in both AToW and Total Warfare.
Hopefully, that helps.
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You've all been very helpfull.
Is there anything as a new dm I should be on the lookout for? Like common beginner mistakes?
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Don't be afraid to use some of the optional rules, like reduced lethality. It can be a very deadly system. Making it more survivable for your players especially when you're first getting into it would probably be a good thing.
The pricing on Vehicle trait may make it seem like it is making Battle Armor rather expensive in relation to the others but that's because it can be a lot more useful in the RPG scale.
How much you want to wing things and keep them simple or diving into some pretty complex rules for what it takes to keep combat units in fighting trim will be up to you but there is a high probability that you'll need to decide how you want to handle NPC support teams for your PCs.
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Also, if you are a regular BattleTech player (Total Warfare, Tactical Operations, and so on), note that AToW was written with role-players in mind, and thus shows character improvement in the form of increasing levels, rather than decreasing target numbers.
What this means, simply, is that whatever Skill modifiers you might find in the tabletop war game are inverted in AToW, because AToW applies modifiers to the roll, and not the target number.
(In practice, this means the results should be exactly the same.)
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You've all been very helpfull.
Is there anything as a new dm I should be on the lookout for? Like common beginner mistakes?
You're talking about the prebuilt characters, so I assume you'll be using those instead of having the players make their own characters, but this sort of applies to creating completely new characters and personalizing the prebuilt. You'll want to keep an eye on the players, or set some limits on the modification/creation of the character, just so you can make the characters fit the game, rather than trying to figure out where a Cloud Cobra Galaxy commander will fit into your 2 lance maximum game.
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I was thinking of letting them modify the prebuilts. I'll allow them to make their own, but they are used to having base classes in rpg they play.
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I've begun supporting the idea that not all concepts should get the same starting XP to make them a bit more workable so feel free to keep to your idea but indeed be aware of what changes they are making and if creating un-equal XP characters works for the group and the campaign.
As with everything it is more important that things work in a way that is fun for your table.
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If you use the ageing rules most characters will end up with more XP than the archetypes. I have seen groups were the most experienced starting character had about twice the XP off the least experienced, but was still the worst mech pilot off all in the group ;-)
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one way to deal with allowing players to have unequal xp is to use the random events from the companion per "life stage" yes its luck based but it can throw a few extra xp's into the char build.
whether you use point buy or the modules its still fairly obvious what life stages the char would have gone through.
using the ageing rules can also affect their xp as well.
the 2 biggest things that can seriously change the char are fast and slow learner especially if they are "skill mongers"
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So using the ageing rules can lead to imbalanced characters?
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Yes, unless all the characters are the same age.
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Its a question what you see as balanced. ATOW is quite good at allowing the XP to fit the expected role. A grizzled Veteran has seen more action in his lifetime than a young hothead. And that should in my mind be expressed by having that character overall being more experienced. In that case a good balance would be to give a skill range for the campaigns primary skills. If your focus is on mech combat both the old and young guy would have similar piloting/gunnery and the veteran has his excess XP poured into skills/traits that affect the campaign less.
A lot of the trait costs are unbalanced to begin with. In a mech centric campaign the few hundred XP for a bigger/better mech are more valuable than spending the same XP on ambidexterity or good looks.
We often house rule certain trait costs, eg in our current campaign all players get fast learner for free for balance
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Keep in mind that the xp gain for age is optional. It says "At the Gamemasters discretion". I personally use this but it's by no means necessary. If you are worried about balance, take a hard look at allowing it or not.
- Shane
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How do the premade characters in the quickstart rules compare to the ones in the book? Are they about the same xp level?
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Also, how would I lower the necrono adventure for new characters? My group seemed interested in the plot.
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Hi,
If I recall correctly, the Quick Start characters are built essentially like those in the books, but are streamlined to the point where the only skills and abilities listed are those that might matter to the sample adventures. They should be comparable, but they are made specifically with beginners in mind.
As to toning down Necromo Nightmare for newer players, the easiest approach I may recommend is reducing all of the combat skills the various "enemies" have by 2 to 4 points. (Combat Skills here meaning Unarmed Combat, Melee Weapons, Thrown Weapons, Small Arms, Support Weapons, and Gunnery.) Reducing the number of enemies per encounter to something no larger than the party's size would also be helpful.
Hope that helps.
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What page are the different xp starting values for clan and innersphere characters? I saw it mentioned on here but don't see it in the book. Also is mixing clan and inner sphere characters ok balance wise? Are clan characters generally better or do they have built in drawbacks?
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Clan Characters tend to be younger, so they might have less XP, but there is no systematic difference in XP
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There is an optional rule to add 100 XP per year of age above 21 for Inner Sphere characters while it is 18 for Clan characters in the same optional rule. Conversely this optional rule also subtracts 100 XP per year under 21 for Inner Sphere characters with again 18 being the starting point for Clan characters.
Another advantage Clans have is that Trueborn characters get field aptitudes in their specified field that give a -1 Target Number for those field skills.
Those are the only inherent advantages for Clan characters I know of.
As far as mixing Clan and Inner Sphere characters, it depends on what kind of style of play you want. For the most part Clan characters will be superior at their focus but fish out of water for anything else. So it becomes one of those situations where imbalance can occur but it'll be fine if you plan for it.
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There is an optional rule to add 100 XP per year of age above 21 for Inner Sphere characters while it is 18 for Clan characters in the same optional rule. Conversely this optional rule also subtracts 100 XP per year under 21 for Inner Sphere characters with again 18 being the starting point for Clan characters.
Ohh, I forgot about that, so at same age the clanner has 300 XP more.
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Ya, Clanners really are not balanced. This plus the phenotype makes them a little OP in my opinion. Mixing them really depends on whether your players mind differing power levels between the characters.
- Shane
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I sort of disagree with Acolyte. Sure their phenotype bonuses and skill field aptitude bonus means they are going to have certain advantages but it will be in specific areas.
So yes a Clan Trueborn Mechwarrior will be a better mechwarrior for the same amount of XP but an Inner Sphere Mechwarrior is more likely to be better suited for tasks other than shooting people or beating them up in addition to being a Mechwarrior.
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I sort of disagree with Acolyte. Sure their phenotype bonuses and skill field aptitude bonus means they are going to have certain advantages but it will be in specific areas.
So yes a Clan Trueborn Mechwarrior will be a better mechwarrior for the same amount of XP but an Inner Sphere Mechwarrior is more likely to be better suited for tasks other than shooting people or beating them up in addition to being a Mechwarrior.
Here's the thing - they will be better at certain things and can be just as good at everything else. Take a look at the attribute point additions for one thing. A Clan Mechwarrior has a +1 to RFL and DEX with a maximum of 9 in RFL, DEX and CHR. This is a cost of 1100 points for an Inner Sphere Character all for 200 points of the Trueborn trait. In addition the Clanner will have an extra 300 XP if they are the same age.
This doesn't even touch the Field Aptitude that reduces the TN for every skill that the Field has. There is no equivalent for IS characters.
So, yes, the typical Clanner will spend their points on combat skills and not much else, but there are no limitations that reflect this. They are objectively and mathematically superior with really no downside.
- Shane
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actually there is a downside if you look at the modules ALL clanners are saddled with slow learner by default whereas IS chars aren't
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actually there is a downside if you look at the modules ALL clanners are saddled with slow learner by default whereas IS chars aren't
As part of the modules it's easily bought off, so there goes the 300 xp bonus. It would have been better if it was a characteristic of the phenotype and not able to be bought off so easily.
- Shane
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Clan characters get bonuses based on their much harsher living conditions and tendency to begin training for combat roles at the same time Spheroids are typical learning to read. But even then, there are drawbacks that CAN be bought off (to provide for superlative examples like Aidan Pryde and Natasha Kerensky), including Slow Learner (which is an effect of their limited academic options, compared to those in the Sphere).
The Field Aptitude issue applies only to Trueborns (or freeborns born directly from Trueborn parents, if a GM wishes), which reinforces their genetic breeding for a specific combat role, and even then it generally applies to the role the warrior's phenotype was meant specifically for. Because it takes several generations to perfect, and relies entirely on the presumption that the Clansman's role will fit the one for which he was bred, this can turn out to be useless if the warrior "washed out" into a different role--such as Aerospace Phenotypes who become ProtoMech warriors, or Elementals who become Tankers/Cavalry. This can be further illustrated by contrasting the rules found in Era Digest: Golden Century with those in the core book. In ED:GC, Clan Phenotypes do NOT gain the Field Aptitude effect until 2900; any Trues born before that date receive a much watered-down set of mods.
Overall, though, the goal of a Trueborn Clan character is not necessarily to balance them against Spheroids. The Clans spent centuries breeding themselves for superiority, while the Inner Sphere was not nearly as focused on eugenics and weeding out the chaff from the wheat. Still, with the exception of the Field Aptitudes, the numerical values of the AToW chargen system should give any two characters an equal chance for greatness as long as they start with the same amount of XPs.
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Is the true born trait the true born module? I ask because I can't see where the trait is specifically granted unless they get it free?
Should I not allow clan characters for the first campaign then?
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Is the true born trait the true born module? I ask because I can't see where the trait is specifically granted unless they get it free?
Should I not allow clan characters for the first campaign then?
The Trueborn Trait is required to get the Clan Phenotype Trait.
Something to be said, also. The Clans are objectively more powerful, but power level isn't the be all and end all of a Role Playing Game. If the players are mature enough it doesn't really matter - just be sure to allow every character their time in the sun. Give every character a role that they do better than the others, even if that role is simply personality. A grizzled veteran may not have the skills that a young hotshot does, but they've got wisdom to impart, for example.
So, as long as the Clanner doesn't overshadow everybody in all the most important ways for those characters, there should be no problem. OTOH, if your game is simply making AToW characters for TW style gameplay with no RP, then the Clanners will dominate.
- Shane
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Sorry I meant, what page is the trueborn trait xp mentioned, I can't find where the trait is granted.
And I see, I was thinking of maybe mixing total war, but my main concern is a canner or two overshadowing everyone e else.
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Mixing in TW would still be fine IMO, as long as there is play outside of it. The Trueborn Trait is part of the Citizen Trait on pg109.
- Shane
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As part of the modules it's easily bought off, so there goes the 300 xp bonus. It would have been better if it was a characteristic of the phenotype and not able to be bought off so easily.
- Shane
Sorry for my lack of knowledge, but I was looking through the modules, and I don't notice any saying slow learner.
That said, I'm thinking of having everyone start with the same xp, that way the clan players have to spend the three hundred to get rid of it.
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It's in the "Trueborn Creche" module on pg66. Doesn't apply if you are not using the Life Paths.
- Shane
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Thank you guys. It's nice having a place to ask so many questions and help sort this out.
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Here's the thing - they will be better at certain things and can be just as good at everything else. Take a look at the attribute point additions for one thing. A Clan Mechwarrior has a +1 to RFL and DEX with a maximum of 9 in RFL, DEX and CHR. This is a cost of 1100 points for an Inner Sphere Character all for 200 points of the Trueborn trait. In addition the Clanner will have an extra 300 XP if they are the same age.
This doesn't even touch the Field Aptitude that reduces the TN for every skill that the Field has. There is no equivalent for IS characters.
So, yes, the typical Clanner will spend their points on combat skills and not much else, but there are no limitations that reflect this. They are objectively and mathematically superior with really no downside.
- Shane
There is a catch even for point buy for Trueborns in that the trait does cost 200 XP.
With the modifiers that the Phenotypes apply this means that in actuality the XP cost will be the same ultimately for certain attributes.
So yes the Clan character will spend less for a Dex of 9 in comparison to an Inner Sphere mechwarrior but the XP cost would be the same for them to achieve 10, where +2 actually kicks in due to link attributes, 9 is still only a +1.
Which does bring up a certain balancing factor, since an Inner Sphere mechwarrior has no reason to go beyond 7 in Dexterity and Reflexes they can stop sooner and make up for the field aptitude bonuses by investing more XP into the appropriate skills or divert it elsewhere if they want a more rounded character. Yes a Clan character could also stop at Dexterity and Reflexes 7 but because of how the modifiers work combined with the Trueborn XP cost they'd not be at an overall XP advantage.
Table is on page 41.
If it is a major concern there is a box on page 40 that suggests that skills lower than 0/0 when converting to Total Warfare not be allowed.
All in all really it depends on what you want to implement and being aware of the consequences.
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The clans have the disadvantage of being clanners, but that's something that's more in the realm of roleplay...
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The xp cost will not be the same. If the clanner has an attribute bonus of +1 then the Clanner gets the +1 Link Mod at an attribute of 6. That +1 does count for this, just look at the pre made characters and see the link mods at +1 on an attribute of 6. It's the Elemental - which seems to be the only clan pre made. This means that the Clanner just got a savings of 100 xp per attribute. For a MechWarrior, this saves 200 xp - exactly the cost of being a Trueborn.
The cost for getting a 9 for inner sphere characters has an Exceptional Attribute Trait cost of 300 per (in addition to buy the attribute, of course). Otherwise they are limited to an attribute of 8. Inner sphere characters cannot get to 10, only the Trueborn Clanners can and then only in an attribute with a bonus.
Or, of course, people with implants.
- Shane
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The clans have the disadvantage of being clanners, but that's something that's more in the realm of roleplay...
True, there are a lot of potential philosophical differences to consider with Clan characters.
Thank you guys. It's nice having a place to ask so many questions and help sort this out.
No problem. If you have more questions feel free to ask. Heck I know there are a couple threads floating about that you might find useful to read in this section of the forum.
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Here's the thing - they will be better at certain things and can be just as good at everything else. Take a look at the attribute point additions for one thing. A Clan Mechwarrior has a +1 to RFL and DEX with a maximum of 9 in RFL, DEX and CHR. This is a cost of 1100 points for an Inner Sphere Character all for 200 points of the Trueborn trait. In addition the Clanner will have an extra 300 XP if they are the same age.
This doesn't even touch the Field Aptitude that reduces the TN for every skill that the Field has. There is no equivalent for IS characters.
So, yes, the typical Clanner will spend their points on combat skills and not much else, but there are no limitations that reflect this. They are objectively and mathematically superior with really no downside.
- Shane
Slow Learner.
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The xp cost will not be the same. If the clanner has an attribute bonus of +1 then the Clanner gets the +1 Link Mod at an attribute of 6. That +1 does count for this, just look at the pre made characters and see the link mods at +1 on an attribute of 6. It's the Elemental - which seems to be the only clan pre made. This means that the Clanner just got a savings of 100 xp per attribute. For a MechWarrior, this saves 200 xp - exactly the cost of being a Trueborn.
The cost for getting a 9 for inner sphere characters has an Exceptional Attribute Trait cost of 300 per (in addition to buy the attribute, of course). Otherwise they are limited to an attribute of 8. Inner sphere characters cannot get to 10, only the Trueborn Clanners can and then only in an attribute with a bonus.
Or, of course, people with implants.
- Shane
That's kind of my point though, yes there is a clear advantage but in achieving it the XP costs are such that it actually tends to work out surprisingly even in the end. Thus why I don't actually entirely disagree. Just feel like I should point out certain considerations that your points don't seem to fully take into account since the OP is new to the system.
And checking the Phenotype table there are actually two attributes an Inner Sphere character can get a 10 in, Charisma and Edge. I know not super important in most campaigns and situations but it is possible.
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Slow Learner.
1. You can buy it off with 300xp - which you will get if you are using the aging xp rules.
2. If you are using the points buy system, you don't get it in the first place.
3. It's part of a life path module which means that you get 300 xp of other things for it.
That's kind of my point though, yes there is a clear advantage but in achieving it the XP costs are such that it actually tends to work out surprisingly even in the end. Thus why I don't actually entirely disagree. Just feel like I should point out certain considerations that your points don't seem to fully take into account since the OP is new to the system.
And checking the Phenotype table there are actually two attributes an Inner Sphere character can get a 10 in, Charisma and Edge. I know not super important in most campaigns and situations but it is possible.
I concede the point about attributes, but that's not all you get with the phenotype. Keep in mind from an attribute standpoint things are already balanced out. Now you get the Field Aptitude Trait. This is a huge bonus that has no equivalent for IS characters. This, and we're not even talking about the other traits granted to the other phenotypes.
- Shane
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In essence, what I'm saying is that the Clans are not balanced, nor were they ever meant to be. If this is a problem, either don't allow them or make everybody one.
I will state again that power balance is not really the be all and end all of a Role Playing Game. As long as the Characters are sufficiently different to be special and the Players are having fun, then balance is not a concern. Take a look at Rifts. You can play anyone from a Vagabond to a Baby Dragon just from the main rulebook. No attempt was made to balance anything, but people still have fun playing it.
- Shane
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*nod*
A certain amount of imbalance is actually somewhat to be expected in any RPG. It is important to know in what regards each character is imbalanced in comparisons to the others and thus the importance of the GM and players to work together to make sure the characters fit the campaign, the player's desires, and ultimately everyone have fun.
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I was just concerned that the starting clan plyer would make the innersphere guy in the same role feeling like he should have gone another route. Otherwise I could set up situations to get around a guy being stronger than the others in one area.
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Which handbooks are in a time of war addition? Is it just Lao and kurita?
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For additional A Time of War modules/affiliations there are the Era Reports. The Touring the Stars PDFs also contain adventure seeds.
As for Clan Trueborns yes they have advantages but it really depends on a lot of variables if it'll make for an unsatisfactory situation within your group/campaign. Thus my advice to make sure you talk things out with your group and think about what it is you want the players and their characters to do in the campaign. Ultimately we can give tons of advice but each group will approach things in their own way.
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Which handbooks are in a time of war addition? Is it just Lao and kurita?
The funny thing, in a way core AToW covers their time period.
AToW core handles right around the Jihad, so 3070 or so.
The Handbooks are written just before the big Jihad happens, but after the FedCom Civil War.
We're talking just before the Whitting Conference when it all goes down.
The various Era Digests and Era Report books help round out the time frames they report.
FM 3085 fills in for an Era Digest as the "How do I play AToW in a post Jihad/Pre Dark Age" in between moment.
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So the handbooks such as stiner, marik and davion don't give anything worthwhile if you convert them over? It's all covered in atow?
Here's the mid ground I thought of, trueborn must start with slow learner, and ageing rules won't be used. This let's them keep their power, but has them have to spend xp as they level up to get rid of the drawback. Once we all learn the game, I'll allow anything goes.
My only question remaining is, what amount of experience do you guys grant out per mission?
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One option, you might consider, have the game start before the Clan invasion. That way you can either focus on Clanners or focus on Spheroids. If your players are not aware of the battletech timeline, it is especially fun to start them as a mercenary unit circa 3030 and build to the clan invasion; building the hype of some unknown aliens with superior tech invading, then finding out the invaders are really biologically enhanced humans that are decendants of Kerensky's exodus that happened several hundred years ago. You know, those folks that left the sphere to fight itself to ruin, never to be heard from again.
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So the handbooks such as stiner, marik and davion don't give anything worthwhile if you convert them over? It's all covered in atow?
Depends what you consider worthwhile. The hyper-detailed economics tables should be good, and the creatures from Handbooks published before AToW are convertible. I'm also not 100% sure, but I think all the vehicle units in those books have yet to appear elsewhere...
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One option, you might consider, have the game start before the Clan invasion. That way you can either focus on Clanners or focus on Spheroids. If your players are not aware of the battletech timeline, it is especially fun to start them as a mercenary unit circa 3030 and build to the clan invasion; building the hype of some unknown aliens with superior tech invading, then finding out the invaders are really biologically enhanced humans that are decendants of Kerensky's exodus that happened several hundred years ago. You know, those folks that left the sphere to fight itself to ruin, never to be heard from again.
that's a great idea.
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I was reading era digest golden centuary, and it mentions freeborns having the trueborn phenotypes from interbreeding. I find that interesting. Is that a responce to houserules? Found it strange that it lists the trueborn trait being required as different from the main rules when the main rules say they require the trait.
Also, when building a clan character, with the bonus attributes, do they count towards spending the 800 required xp? Like does the elemental need 100xp in str to be legal despite the plus 2? And does he need 200 in reflex Because of the minus one?
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Mostly Freeborns being eligible for the Phenotypes is because Trueborns do fail to become Warriors or once in a while have Freeborn children and their improved genetics sometimes stay strong enough to grant the Phenotype to their offspring. So I think it is less of a response to house rules and more of a nod to aforementioned scenarios.
For your second question that is a yes and a no. You still need to put the initial 800 XP into the attributes even for a Phenotype and since you have to finish with at least a 1 in each attribute you would have to spend the extra XP. I suspect this is a means to balance the fact that Elementals do get Toughness.
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Ok cool thank you. That makes sense.
Can someone explain the equipment charts, at first it seemed simple, but it got confusing. What order is the legality, tech, and availability listed? And. Are the slashe's for black market? Sorry for the question, but the chart confuses me.
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It goes: Tech Level/Availability Star League - Succession Wars - Clan Invasion /Legality.
So the Availability is campaign setting based.
- Shane
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Looking at the personal vechicle charts, I see a number next to the bar values in (), is that their structure points?
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That's the BAR of the armor and internal structure. The numbers separated by the slashes are the number of armor points per location. Any vehicle 10 tons or less has only 1 Internal Structure point. So the Crimson Streak Hover Racer (pg324) has 3 points of BAR 6 armor on the front, 2 points of BAR 6 armor on each side and 1 point of - you guessed it - BAR 6 armor on the Rear.
How this all works is on pg.185 to 186. Specifically the Tactical Armor (and Structure) Degradation section on pg 186.
- Shane
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The baseline is this:
BAR (Barrier Armor Rating) in the BattleTech war game is normally not tracked because it's largely presumed that all units are using military-grade armor. At the scale where Mechs and vehicles are regularly hurling heavy weapons fire at one another, the effect of BAR is normally not tracked. But, of course, not all armor is equal; personal armor, the armor used on battlesuits, and non-military/light support vehicles don't typically do well at stopping a Mech-mounted large laser or autocannon blast.
Since the role-playing game focuses more on what your characters may be doing outside of the cockpit than in it, where personal weapons--which are way less powerful than the heavy weapons mounted on Mechs and combat vehicles--are much more common, the difference in scale for such weapons is expressed by an armor penetration (AP) factor. A weapon's AP vs the target's BAR determines how well they do vs varying degrees of armor (from leather jackets at BAR 1, all the way up to battle armor at BARs of 6-10, and Mech-grade military armor at BAR 10). A hand pistol with an AP of 4, simply won't do much to the armor of a true combat vehicle or BattleMech, which typically has BAR 10 armor--no matter how much damage it could do to flesh and blood--because the BAR is so much higher.
How it works is thus: A higher BAR than a weapon's AP generally reduces the weapon's personal-scale damage by the difference, so shooting a high-powered pistol with an AP of 4 and a BD (Base Damage) of 5 at a target with BAR 6 will reduce the base damage the pistol delivers by 2 points (BAR 6 - AP 4 = 2), to a modified damage of 3 points (BD 5 - 2 = 3). The same pistol against BattleMech armor (BAR 10) would ping off with no actual damage unless the player got a REALLY high Margin of Success/lucky hit, as BAR 10 would subtract 6 points from an AP 4 weapon's base damage (BAR 10 - AP 4 = 6).
Vehicles typically used at the personal scale have "armor" that reflects their structure and outer body, which normally tries to protect the vehicle from the elements and the occasional collision, but in a role-playing game--player characters being player characters--it's inevitable that the question will come up: "How much damage will my Imperator assault rifle do to that guy's limo?" Vehicles thus receive a BAR value that helps determine the answer to just that question.
(Note: The addition of BAR flows back into standard BattleTech as well; there, a simplified version of the AP vs BAR rule essentially sums the above effects thusly: When a unit hits a target with any weapon that delivers more tactical armor damage than the target's BAR, the attacker gets to roll for an additional critical hit after applying damage, even if the target still has armor after that attack. What this means is that WorkMech with commercial-grade armor (BAR 5) could have 25 points of armor in its Center Torso, but if it gets hit by a BattleMech-scale large laser, the attack not only delivers 8 points of armor damage to the WorkMech; it also rolls for a critical hit, because the WorkMech's armor was effectively pierced.)
Hope that helps.
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Can an alternate identity get passed enemy, it's a character identify trait but it's not listed as one of the ones in the list.
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Can an alternate identity get passed enemy, it's a character identify trait but it's not listed as one of the ones in the list.
Generally, an enemy will attach to a given character identity and not necessarily to any of said character's alternate IDs... but if the alternate ID becomes known somehow, you can bet your bippy that the enemy will expand to include that alias as well.
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Thank you guys, you've been alot of help. I now have enough knowledge to start a campaign. I want to thank you all for your understanding of my newness. You guys were real polite dispite my plothora of questions.
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You guys were real polite dispite my plothora of questions.
Then this forum and community is on the right track. O0
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Thank you guys, you've been alot of help. I now have enough knowledge to start a campaign. I want to thank you all for your understanding of my newness. You guys were real polite dispite my plothora of questions.
And thank you! We love answering these types of questions!
- Shane
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Then this forum and community is on the right track. O0
Wait. Are we sure this is the right forum, then?
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Wait. Are we sure this is the right forum, then?
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Shhhh don't let them catch on that they're on the fake forum. ^-^
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Wait. Are we sure this is the right forum, then?
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They're new. They'll learn, eventually. >:D
- Shane
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Generally, an enemy will attach to a given character identity and not necessarily to any of said character's alternate IDs... but if the alternate ID becomes known somehow, you can bet your bippy that the enemy will expand to include that alias as well.
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I always took it as the "enemies" attach to specific identities IE who you were at the time you did whatever earned the enemy. so its possible to have enemies for each identity real, or false. where it gets complicated is if the identities get linked together, IE you have enemy 1 on false id 1, and enemy 2 on main identity. if they manage to link the id's then both id's effectively have enemy 1, and 2 ... or depending on the circumstances possibly just enemy 3 which is often worse than enemy 1, and enemy 2
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That's basically what I said. I see how it could have been misinterpreted though...
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Spoke to soon lol, War of reaving virus mutagenic question.
If you choose the ones listed as n/a, are they tree as far as tp goes but you roll on the chart, or do you use the skills tp then roll on the chart?
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N/A in that case means Not Available. You don't buy those and they're generally not for player-character use; they're something a GM inflicts on his players.
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So I was trying to calculate how many XPs the prebuilts are, at least for the companion book. And the hot shot only makes it to 4500 xp by my calculations, but it's listed as 5k.
My question is, since I'm clearly doing something wrong, how do you brake down the character to check it's total xp?
Also, I'm assuming the main books front man isn't 5k either since he has a total of 6tp negative when a 5k character can only start with 5?
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I'll have to take a look at th Hotshot to see what is going on there.
Front man is probably from a quirk of how the character creation and optimization step goes. Module build characters can actually wind up with more negative traits then point buy characters because they get them from the various modules and are allowed to take an extra 10% of base experience on top of those negative traits from the modules. Point buy's advantage is that they get rebate XP for their field skills for the total XP invested in them where module characters only ever get it once at the rate stipulated in the module where they get their field skills.
It's really tough to say which is better in terms of gaining extra XP over the other because of that quirk as I find there is an upper limit to negative traits that if the GM is doing their job and ensures each and every negative trait comes up at some point before you really start kicking yourself for putting your character in all these situations.
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Front man is also point system. That's why I assumed he was more than 5k points.
Good to know that Modules don't have to follow that.
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I get 5,000 XP on the Hotshot when adding everything up. So not sure what you're missing to only come up with 4,500 XP.
Which I just realized means the Hotshot was created without using fields to get field rebates. Or else there'd be more XP there.
Frontman I'll have to wait a bit to reverse engineer.
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Yea, after several tries I started getting 5k there.
So only three questions remain.
The faceman one because I don't know how he got the extra negative being points system.
Also, the elemental is 160 points over, is that from the fields discounts? Also, the elementals link modifier is a -1 for will despite being a 4, is there an ability I'm missing that's causing that?
Sorry for these quesitons because I'm sure they are a pain to answer, I just want to make sure I understand why these guys are the way they are before I try to teach someone how to build them.
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Also, the elemental is 160 points over, is that from the fields discounts? Also, the elementals link modifier is a -1 for will despite being a 4, is there an ability I'm missing that's causing that?
The 160 points is probably from the field discount, as to the -1 link modifier for WILL I think you've found a typo!
- Shane
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Ok cool, I'll ignore that negative.
Martial artist page 93 of the companion has a sixth negative trait too. Is there a loophole to the 10 percent Of xp rule when using the point buy system?
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Ok cool, I'll ignore that negative.
Martial artist page 93 of the companion has a sixth negative trait too. Is there a loophole to the 10 percent Of xp rule when using the point buy system?
not really, Granted GM's can always choose to allow more negatives that the standard char creation rules specify.... but that's an individual gm/house exception
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Ah, So those are typos then?
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There is a loophole for the 10% negative xp, but only if you use the Life Path system. The Negative traits gained during the lifepath don't count towards that limit.
- Shane
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It should also be noted you can have more negative traits than the 10%, you just don't get the extra XP for them, even in point buy.
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I thought I read there are traits you can't get after character creation through xp, but I can't find it, a player needs to know because he would take them, which ones are they, or was it skills?
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I thought I read there are traits you can't get after character creation through xp, but I can't find it, a player needs to know because he would take them, which ones are they, or was it skills?
well for the clans you can't really get a bloodright after creation because it has to do with your genetic heritage. for instance.
I believe the IS nobility is similar, with the consideration that there are mechanisms to allow "common" people to gain noble ranks but the odds of them being used are somewhere between slim and none.
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What can appraisal be used for? Is it just art related stuff? It mentions use the appropriate technical skill for electronic stuff. I ask because my brother asked me why techs get it when they already get the ability for tech related stuff.
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As far as traits that cannot be gotten after character creation the only real sticklers are actually Phenotype and Trueborn. All others you can gain through role play as far as I can tell. A noble can always leverage themselves into a better position, a Clanner can gain more glory and honor for their bloodline, and yes the odd occasion of regular people being promoted to noble status.
Appraisal is for evaluation of stuff. Yes it would most likely come up for determining the value of art work and precious objects but it can also be used to appraise battle damage to help determine man hours and costs of repairs. A little imagination and it can be a very useful skill.
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Appraisal is for evaluation of stuff. Yes it would most likely come up for determining the value of art work and precious objects but it can also be used to appraise battle damage to help determine man hours and costs of repairs. A little imagination and it can be a very useful skill.
If I was GM, I'd let Appraisal be used for determining how old a piece of tech is as well.
Yes the Tech roll determined this was part of a double heat sink. However when you look at the wiring and (insert other jargon here) it seems to be from 3039, not from the Star League days like the merchant claimed.
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Techs don't get it, I don't think. It is a field skill for Engineers, though (to be fair, they are techs as a prerequisite). So I'd say that its appropriate for checking out Lostech (that you might not be trained in), or designing something in a broader sense (will it be both useful and economical?). You'd use the relevant electronic/mechanical/other skill for actually fiddling with a gizmo that is in front of you but I wouldn't expect a tech to always know what the currant market price is for guass rifle ammo when they don't have to take the slugs apart and put them together again. On the other hand an engineer might well be responcible for their project's budget.
There clearly is some cross-over but that's how life works isn't it? As you develop skills you become a more rounded person. Also, engineers are more likely to have disposable income and opportunity to buy art if they do want to.
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Also, engineers are more likely to have disposable income and opportunity to buy art if they do want to.
Or use said art in some decent trades.
A Gauss Rifle for some old statue that local Lyran nobility has been drooling over? Comparable in price now.
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That's a good point. In real life criminals doing major trades use paintings as currancy because its easier to transport and hide than a crate of banknotes. Easier to liquidate into a bank account too. All you need is some paperwork and a buyer.
Engineer or Evil Engineer?!?
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Engineer or Evil Engineer?!?
And now I hope this inspires some player to make an evil Engineer Maxwell Klinger from M.A.S.H. ;D
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Klinger?!? No. Radar.
What? it was Radar that stole a jeep; one piece at a time.
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Ok thanks, I'll use the ruling that tech tells you it's base cost and what it is, but apprasel let's you know if it's Lostech or a rare grade.
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Techs don't get it, I don't think. It is a field skill for Engineers, though (to be fair, they are techs as a prerequisite). So I'd say that its appropriate for checking out Lostech (that you might not be trained in), or designing something in a broader sense (will it be both useful and economical?). You'd use the relevant electronic/mechanical/other skill for actually fiddling with a gizmo that is in front of you but I wouldn't expect a tech to always know what the currant market price is for guass rifle ammo when they don't have to take the slugs apart and put them together again. On the other hand an engineer might well be responcible for their project's budget.
There clearly is some cross-over but that's how life works isn't it? As you develop skills you become a more rounded person. Also, engineers are more likely to have disposable income and opportunity to buy art if they do want to.
Appraisal is the first skill in the field for Military Technicians. :D
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Appraisal is the first skill in the field for Military Technicians. :D
Only because they're alphabetical. ;)
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Still it makes sense that a Technician should be able to figure out the costs of repairs and that does seem a reasonable use of Appraisal.
And Civilian Techs gets Appraisal too. ;D
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I thought I read there are traits you can't get after character creation through xp, but I can't find it, a player needs to know because he would take them, which ones are they, or was it skills?
pg.333 Traits under character advancement.
- Shane
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All right guys, it was funny I admit but I don't like how you changed my PDF behind my back. I know I looked at those skill fields last night! :-[
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A player wants to retrieve arrows like in dnd, he'll be using a crossbow. What's a good way to impliment that? An arch check after the battle?
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Or a Perception Test, or you could just give him a set percentage to get back.
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With the abundance of bullets and guns, relying on bows and arrows seems a bit dubious but hey, they want to do it let them.
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What limits should I put on gun acessories? I'm not to familiar with them irl, but could they have a silencer and a barrel mounted flashlight and a laser site scope? I know it's my world, but I want it to make some sense.
Also, page 299, prices for civilian ware, is that the range of the price, or does that mean something else.
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Though at first one might think both flashlight and silencer go on the barrel, but a silencer is on the axis while the flashlight is parallel to it, so it should be no issue, you just might need a different adapter, but a strip of textile adhesive band around flashlight and silencer might do ;-)
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For kit the biggest limiting factor does seem to be the weight of the stuff you're packing. It does start adding up pretty fast and thus start adding penalties if you're not making exceptionally strong characters.
For civilian gear, yeah those are ranges there.
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I'd ban stuff based on game balance ie. what you don't want players to have/don't think is credible in the society you've built on this world. Just tell them that if it leaves the dropship the police will ask pointed questions.
As for accessories as far as logic is concerned the only thing I'd care about is weight/portability/discretion for hidden weapons. If they want five peripherals on their tiny garter belt pistol then let them. And have an military NPC sneer about their tacticoolness for verisimilitude.
In real life you could mount all three of those specific things on the same gun. You would have to put up with comments from the NPCs though.
The first number on the table is the cost of buying new (feel free to change those planet by planet if you like) whereas the second (the bigger number) is the cost of repairing finely enough that you can never tell it was damaged. Yeah, humanity in ATOW is not very environmentally aware are they? You should see some of the rules that the TacOps has for atmosphere contamination!
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Had another player ask about throwing weapons, do I treat their ap as if it were melee? I don't see the rules for how they work.
Also, a question about the prosthetics in the companion, another player asked, I said they existed but I don't know how strong, how powerful are they?
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Had another player ask about throwing weapons, do I treat their ap as if it were melee? I don't see the rules for how they work.
Throwing weapons are ranged, I don't believe you factor in strength as you would a melee weapon.
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So how do you calculate their ap then since they are labeled m1.
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The AP remains the same, its just 2M (for a Throwing Knife). The Damage is 1.
You'd treat it like any other ranged attack, adding to the Damage value +0.25 per MOS on the attack roll, which uses the Throwing Weapons skill.
Then whoever the target is, would compare the M value of his armor, to figure out which value to use in resisting the attack.
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Also, a question about the prosthetics in the companion, another player asked, I said they existed but I don't know how strong, how powerful are they?
It ranges from peglegged pirates to better than what you were born with. The average prosthetic in the successor states would be slightly worse than your natural limb (then adjust for the character's access to wealth/medical tech ect.). Almost all prosthetics are obvious so you should roleplay. They can be discreet but you'd need serious some pull to get those.
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Ok cool, what about the weapon ones? Page 187 in the companion?
And thanks for clearing up throwing weapons.
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Ok cool, what about the weapon ones? Page 187 in the companion?
And thanks for clearing up throwing weapons.
Modified or enhanced-capability prosthetics function like normal ones, for all intents and purposes, and can be similarly obvious or made to look more innocuous based on just how much expense is invested in their creation. Most of the Manei Domini cyborgs who were unveiled during the Jihad used Type 3 or 4 modified prosthetics with little to no concealment, so their added features were fairly obvious. The Thuggee Phansigar cyborgs went a step farther and had modifications specifically made to look unnatural.
Of course, when it costs about two million C-bills per operative on parts alone, one wonders why not simply get a BattleMech?
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So those are more a cyborg thing? I was going. To allow it, but wanted to make sure it. Was balanced.
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Also, the property administration chart, could the property be both agriculture and industrial and give both bonuses?
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So those are more a cyborg thing? I was going. To allow it, but wanted to make sure it. Was balanced.
The moment you have cybernetic implants and enhanced prosthetics, you're basically making a cyborg. The thing is, when you get to that really suped-up stuff? Balance is out the window. I would not recommend it for beginning players. (The Manei Domini and the Thuggee Phansigars were essentially developed as GM-controlled monsters for when Clan warriors and/or alien critters just aren't scary enough.)
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Also, the property administration chart, could the property be both agriculture and industrial and give both bonuses?
It could certainly be both, though stacking the bonuses MIIIIIGHT make it too easy to turn a profit, at which point your players might find themselves wealthy enough, and quickly enough, to wonder why they NEED to go on adventures after all. Pile on the benefits at your own risk. ;)
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It could certainly be both, though stacking the bonuses MIIIIIGHT make it too easy to turn a profit, at which point your players might find themselves wealthy enough, and quickly enough, to wonder why they NEED to go on adventures after all. Pile on the benefits at your own risk. ;)
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Nothing that a good ol' raid or six won't solve. >:D
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The moment you have cybernetic implants and enhanced prosthetics, you're basically making a cyborg. The thing is, when you get to that really suped-up stuff? Balance is out the window. I would not recommend it for beginning players. (The Manei Domini and the Thuggee Phansigars were essentially developed as GM-controlled monsters for when Clan warriors and/or alien critters just aren't scary enough.)
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I see. I won't allow them then, he only wanted the arm ones so I'll just have his weapons count as mounted on his prospetic arm.
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Can you use flexible XPs to get rid of negative traits before optimization? For example can parinoia be removed with flex xp? What about illiterate.
Like can a -10 illiterate be removed with flexable?
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You can use flexible XP however you want with certain stage restrictions for how much can go to particular things(should be noted at the start of each of the stages).
So yes you could offset that -10 XP of Illiterate if you want to, since as far as I can remember there is no stage that restricts flexible XP investment to less than 10 XP.
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You also automatically loose illiterate by having at least one language at 4
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With Fast Learner it only takes 96 XP to get rank 4. 4 XP may not seem like much but trust me it adds up.
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Considering that you tend to end up with at least one language at level 2-3 with life modules you save even more
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Sort of. Yes the modules do a decent job of making sure you get rank 2 or 3 in a language but you still pay that XP in the module's cost.
The Fast Learner loophole can actually give you 4 more XP than you started with.
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Or set you back the cost of Fast Learner :)
But yeah, for the most part, unless you have Slow Learner and only 10 XP in a language, its probably cheaper to spend the XP on raising the skill to 4, rather than buying off illiterate. Unless I'm missing something.
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Without Fast Learner a rank of 4 takes 120 XP. So a bit more expensive but not horribly so because as noted you usually have some XP in a Language even via point buy(you do need to communicate with the other players after all).
Fast Learner does kind of screw with how you want to account for it. The XP it returns from keeping the same skill rank makes it break even exactly at 1,500 XP invested in skills before purchasing Fast Learner. So it does cost that extra 300 XP but in the comparison versus what you'd spend otherwise and how much faster your skill ranks go up means you could turn that 1,500 XP of skills into 1,200 XP of skills, not suffer a drop in ranks, and get higher ranks in getting back to the same 1,500 XP of total investment in skills but it is still possible for Fast Learner to be an overall XP setback temporarily.
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Fast learner is a must, I only had one character where it had not paid off by the end of character generation and that character was underage and only broke even afte gaining another couple of XP during play.
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Should I allow players to start with energy weapons?
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Should I allow players to start with energy weapons?
in MechWarrior?
if they pay the equipped points for energy weapons no reason not to.
the only real issue with energy weapons, lasers etc is that there isn't a whole lot of armor that works well against them, and while the guns are expensive ammo is "cheap"
of course I admit I was a little "naughty" when I made a couple chars, and picked up a laser or 3, and then at least 10 of the "best" power packs (energy clips) I could get. If they are available I particularly like the HC units having ~50% more battery life is never bad. and having your "gunbelt" with around 8-9 power packs strapped to various spots on your body, kind of reminds me of the old west image of the gunfighter with the loops and loops of bullets on their gunbelt.
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Ah ok, I was concerned because of the lack of armor. I didn't want the guy with the lazer gun getting all the glory.
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Ah ok, I was concerned because of the lack of armor. I didn't want the guy with the lazer gun getting all the glory.
there is ablative and ablative/flack armors that have relatively high defense vs energy weapons (lasers)
and frankly against little to no armor some of the ballistic weapons are a LOT scarier than any laser. heck I remember playing the old crescent hawks inception game.. the absolutely most evil weapon that was an automatic kill (if it hit) against any infantry enemy unit was the inferno SRM and the weapons dealer(s) that sold it even told you upfront that it was crazy sick evil thing to use on people.
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Ah ok, I was concerned because of the lack of armor. I didn't want the guy with the lazer gun getting all the glory.
You should be more worried about armor piercing ammunition. It's a lot cheaper, and ballistic weapons generally (but not always) outperform lasers in raw damage.
Laser rifles seem to shine best as sniper weapons due to their phenomenal range. But even against body armor, ballistic weapons tend to be superior every day arms.
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*nod*
It becomes even more in favor of Ballistic weapons because they do seem to have a few more options for burst fire at lower levels of Equipped.
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Ok I'll allow them.
With load bearing equipment, can they be mixed with armor without causing encumbrance? I'm leaning towards the vest yes, but not the other two since they don't have armor.
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there is ablative and ablative/flack armors that have relatively high defense vs energy weapons (lasers)
and frankly against little to no armor some of the ballistic weapons are a LOT scarier than any laser. heck I remember playing the old crescent hawks inception game.. the absolutely most evil weapon that was an automatic kill (if it hit) against any infantry enemy unit was the inferno SRM and the weapons dealer(s) that sold it even told you upfront that it was crazy sick evil thing to use on people.
+1
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there is ablative and ablative/flack armors that have relatively high defense vs energy weapons (lasers)
and frankly against little to no armor some of the ballistic weapons are a LOT scarier than any laser. heck I remember playing the old crescent hawks inception game.. the absolutely most evil weapon that was an automatic kill (if it hit) against any infantry enemy unit was the inferno SRM and the weapons dealer(s) that sold it even told you upfront that it was crazy sick evil thing to use on people.
I remember playing that game. Yeah, the gun dealer was enthusiastic about the damage effects of all his wares until you asked about the Inferno SRM, at which point even HE cringed.
And yet, once in the game, while using the Chameleon, I shot an infantryman with the large laser, and was downright horrified to see him SURVIVE it. (When the game let me "inspect" him, it said "He looks like Death itself". I actually decided to run away from him; picture a 50-ton BattleMech fleeing an infantryman it just hit with its biggest anti-'Mech laser. Sure, you could call it cowardly, or maybe crazy, but the way I saw it, any dismounted character who survives a Large Laser hit in the days before battle armor DESERVES to live!)
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Sure, you could call it cowardly, or maybe crazy, but the way I saw it, any dismounted character who survives a Large Laser hit in the days before battle armor DESERVES to live!)
I'd probably do similar under the thought of "This will be one helluva bar story for him years from now."
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When taking an aerospace ghost bear character, is it the whole piolet field that gets the clan aptitude bonus or just a single skill. Also since they take the mechwarrior phenotype, does that mean they count as a mechwarrior caste?
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Also, can the load bearing vest be mixed with armor and nor cause encumbrance or does it count as armor.
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One skill and as far as caste assignment it would still be "Warrior Caste" but obviously as far as modules and skills are concerned you'd use stuff for Aerospace.
If it has armor ratings it counts as armor and thus if layered with other armor counts for the purposes of stacking armor and determining encumbrance. Otherwise determine encumbrance for weight of carried gear as normal.
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Thanks. That makes sense. So which one do they use on page 61? The other warrior?
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Wow, it has been too long since I module built a Clan character. As far as the selections on page 61 it would be Aerospace/Protomech for a Clan Ghost Bear Trueborn Mechwarrior Phenotype being trained as an Aerospace pilot.
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Ok cool, I wasn't sure since they use the different phenotype.
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Just remember they may be born Mechwarrior Phenotypes but they are being groomed for aerospace duties. So pick the options that make the most sense for that.
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Take slow learner, what happens if the modules give you 400 in it even though it only goes to 300?
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Excess must be bought off.
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Ok thanks.
With natural aptitude, when would it apply to untrained skills? Isn't it only apply able to a skill your trained in? The last line confuses me, page 121.
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I think it is intended to be a GM call. Depends on if you want the characters to have undiscovered talents or not by having a Natural Aptitude for a skill they are not trained in. As far as mechanics I would say you roll the 3d6 taking 2 best as described but still apply the remaining process of untrained skill checks.
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What's the difference between the aerospace caste and the aerospace naval caste?
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Pilot versus Warship pretty much.
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Do they share all the same modules? Because I don't see anything for aerospace naval outside it's subcaste.
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Yes.
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You can find the rules for creating Clan Naval characters on page 70. Its kind of tucked away and easy to miss. Its the top of the left column, just before the start of the Stage 3 section. Basically aerospace pilots can spend their flex XP on the Pilot-Warship, Pilot-DropShip or Pilot-Jumpship fields, can ignore the "Pilot-DropShip" field requirement for the Warship and JumpShip fields, has to add 2 years to the time the Life Path takes, and gains an additional requirement of having 300 XP invested in Rank.
Its part of the Trueborn Sibko section, but easy to miss since its on the next page.
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Ah, I glossed over that because that said aerospace and not aerospace naval.
It all makes sense now.
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Is it just aerospace fighters and mech that need a neurohelmet? I thought I read the other space vessels do too, but I can't find anything saying that. What about small shuttles? A player wants to play a smuggler with a small shuttle, I said he needed a neurohelmet, but can't find anything proving it. I guess I misread?
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Is it just aerospace fighters and mech that need a neurohelmet? I thought I read the other space vessels do too, but I can't find anything saying that. What about small shuttles? A player wants to play a smuggler with a small shuttle, I said he needed a neurohelmet, but can't find anything proving it. I guess I misread?
I could see shuttles going either way
technically battlemechs, protomechs, and aerospace fighters use neural helmets or something similar. battlearmor can use EI systems as well,
shuttles could go either way as mentioned depending on crew size. dropships, tanks and similar that have multiple crew members (typically) do NOT use the neural based controls. Their control systems are more akin to something you would see in the modern equivalent of the type of units. with dropships and jumpships being replacements for naval ships and or spacecraft.
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So a single crew shuttle would?
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There is nothing explicitly saying it does need a neurohelmet but nothing that says it doesn't either. Only thing that is explicitly required by AToW is Vehicle 9-10 on the Aerospace column does allow for what is called a Small Craft in universe and these have crews of 1 but usually more. Exact numbers depend on specified design.
These are the closest fit for what your player seems to want and going strictly by the rules would cost 900-1000 XP plus 200 XP more to actually own it.
This is where we do start entering some philosophy/personal choice territory again because this is a lot of XP for something that will take a lot of planning and consideration to be actually useful and thus will depend largely on what it is you want to allow the player to do, how strictly you want to adhere to the rules as written, and the nature of the campaign for the right answer to reveal itself.
How I would handle it is I probably would not require the neuro helmet for piloting a Small Craft and would seriously consider how much XP to charge for the Small Craft as 900-1200 XP as stated is a good chunk but if the nature of my campaign will keep it from being all that useful I might house rule a reduced cost or more XP for the player.
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Thank you, what's an attrean opponet?
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The Free Worlds League is a very divided nation with major subsections of it's population being against the policies of the government currently in power on Atreus, thus the sub-faction.
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this is just my interpretation but if it works for you...
Neural helmets are very complicated and especially in the non star league eras very not understood. oh sure everyone understands that they allow a single person unprecedented control over these complicated war machines, but what is not understood is some of the details of HOW they do it.
since this is not "pacific Rim", having more than 1 pilot fully linked in causes severe mental stress, disorientation and in some cases brain and personality damage.
These issues are even more pronounced in the more "advanced" DNI, VRPP, and EI systems (which all tend to have other mental side effects) Why do these systems have these side effects? it is because in some ways the Neural link makes the combat vehicle "become" the pilots body, and when more than 1 person is trying to control their "body" unless they are a very good mental match (something totally unresearched in battletech) they start mentally "fighting" which can also have the side effect of effectively damaging and or overwriting the weaker mind.
if you are familiar with the old DCC (Dual Combat Cockpit) stats they required extensive training (something without penalties in the basic battletech game) but easily enforced in the RPG, because the "gunner" had to learn to stay out of the way of the pilot, and the pilot had to learn to NOT fight the gunner in their "limited" control.
This would also partially explain one of the reason the jade falcon LAM dual pilot system was such a dismal failure. (They had 2 pilots that they expected to hand off and swap control of the "body" back and forth.)
like I said its just my interpretation, but if it works for you....
and that is why there aren't the neural controls in multi crew vehicles (it also partially explains the Patrick Kell? and others that had the "mythical" phantom mech ability, which was a mind over matter and extremely strong mental link /control of the "vehicle Body"
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What skill level is the cutoff for battletech before you get superhumans?
Also, should I put a limit on skill levels in the begining? For shooting I mean.
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3 is generally accepted as professional/acceptable to do this for a living in terms of skill ranks. Super human would probably be anything that goes above the skill's target number.
As far as limiting skill ranks the 5,000 base XP should do fairly well in keeping them in check with everything else that requires investing in.
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Ok cool, it seems like close range a lot of the players will pass on a three plus, I just got concerned it would make it to easy.
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The modifiers can stack up a bit too if you need to make things more challenging. Cover, range, weather, darkness, trying to aim for specific areas on a target, and whatever else you feel appropriate to apply.
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I've always thought a limit on how far a skill could be raised after completing the Life Modules might be a good idea to sort of balance things out.
So if you come out of the modules with enough XP to buy a +4 in the skill, you couldn't raise it above +6 during the optimization phase. Of course, that's just personal opinion and doesn't work for all games/character concepts :)
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I use combinations of limitations and opposite flaws.
Example: PC excelled early in life in battlemech simulators and progressed naturally in a real battlemech. G/P is 3/3 however due to his time honing his battlemech skills, his out of mech combat skills suffer. Plus his G/P is locked for the time being.
Example: PC has more experience in out of mech combat and better Bod and Will, this makes the character average in battlemech so G/P is 4/4.
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With illerate, if modules give more than -100 in it, is lvl 4 language still all you need to remove it?
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Also, with modules, when they say language affilitation, is that any of the primary or secondary or just the primary.
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With illerate, if modules give more than -100 in it, is lvl 4 language still all you need to remove it?
CorrectAlso, with modules, when they say language affilitation, is that any of the primary or secondary or just the primary.
Usually Primary, but nothing stops a character from investing in both primary and secondary.
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Also, with modules, when they say language affilitation, is that any of the primary or secondary or just the primary.
If it says language/affiliation, that includes the secondary as well as the primary. Otherwise there would be no need for secondary languages.
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With illerate, if modules give more than -100 in it, is lvl 4 language still all you need to remove it?
Correct. Illiterate is not a multi-level Trait. It "maxes" at -100 (-1 TP).
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So with the careful aim modifier in the chart, where is that described? Or is the modifier just something the gm can add? I couldn't find the description of it in the book.
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Nvm found it.
What devices should be used for jamming transmission? The civilian communicator feels to basic, but I didn't notice a jammer.
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Anything that transmits a signal can act as a jammer on the frequencies it is capable of transmitting on. Just pump some noise and crank your transmitter to maximum power.
Now as you note I would expect a civilian transmitter probably wouldn't make for a very good adhoc jammer but it could do it. Especially if you get enough of them. You can do this in a number of mediums. The most notable variation/example of this is the "Denial of Service" attack.
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One of my players wanted to do it, but his only communication device was a single civilian communicator. It also didn't feel right to allow that to block military grad communications.
What device should I have him get to do it?
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I just felt the role was to easy, to bypass that, I allowed him to pick up one of their come and listen in. It satisfied him, but I don't know how to set it up
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The main issue is a civilian communicator probably would need a Technician/Electronics roll to be turned into a reasonably functional jammer* then the next hurdle would be that it wouldn't have the transmission power or frequency range to be super useful against military gear. Maybe let him cause some havoc with their communications in a limited area for a limited time but you probably made the most sensible judgement already it sounds like.
Jamming range probably should be about the same as their regular communication range.
*Yeah you probably skip that by just getting a bunch and putting the microphone next to a speaker and crank both to max and it would kind of work.
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Well I'm going to reboot soon. What equipment should I tell anyone wanting to jam communications to take?
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Well that is an interesting question as there does seem to be a lack of actual dedicated jamming gear.
So you've got the quick and dirty option I outlined already or ECM suits of varying types.
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I'll mention your option, I saw the ecm suites, but aren't they mech sized?
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There are Battlearmor versions but for the most part yeah.
I have to admit it may be possible I'm not remembering some other options though.
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I thought there was a "Black Box" jammer device listed in the Intelligence Operatives book. Yeah, it's 3rd ed, but it is supposed to be able to be brought forward.
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That sounds like it could work, what page is it on?
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Sorry, it's in the Losttech source book I was thinking about the white noise generator (p 107).
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So looking at the equipment, comstar gloves are the same as other gloves but a different availabilty, is there a fluff reason for that?
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Might have been force of habit or something. "All the other ComStar stuff is E tech, so why not their gloves too!" Their boots are the same way I think.
And trying to compare certain equipment across the board can be...problematic