Author Topic: Combined Arms Rules Questions  (Read 1354 times)

Tyler Jorgensson

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Combined Arms Rules Questions
« on: 07 February 2019, 16:02:47 »
So next week I'm playing a game: rules are set basically at 600 tonnage and 3/3 pilots with my opponent picking the map. Anyways I've decided to go with a combined arms. Nova Binary: essentially a Star of Mechs, four Epona Hovetanks and a Star of Elementals (most likely the bog standard variant). This being the first time I've ever fielded my Ghost Bear forces I need some help.

1) In which book are the rules for vehicles and Battle Armor combat? (I'm going to ask other questions but it's nice to reread the rules and have them ready for my opponent)

2) How does loading up my Elementals work? My carriers are a Fire Moth and the aforementioned Epona tanks (all Omni's) and I've got a Timber Wolf and Mad Dog just in case. IIRC if affects their movement speed, but in what phase does it take place?

3) If I move the 'transports' do the Elementals get to go in initiative?

4) So they are deployed in Points of five and IIRC their armor value is for the combined unit?

5) IIRC Zellbriggen is a thing (TacOps?): how does it work if I chose to use it? Does it confer some bonus other than RP?

And 6) Got any suggestions, ideas, tips, tricks, or bad ass strategies I can utilize ?

Thanks in advance!

nckestrel

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Re: Combined Arms Rules Questions
« Reply #1 on: 07 February 2019, 16:31:35 »
1. Vehicles and Battle Armor in Total Warfare.
2. An infantry unit must start its ground movement phase in the same hex as the carrier and can only mount at the end of the carrier's movement (p223).  Omni units are not slowed by carrying battle armor (p227).
3.  Can only dismount at the end of the carrier's move, and the infantry cannot move or attack the turn it dismounts (p224).
4. Points of 5, yes. no combining of armor.  They are treated similarly to different locations on a 'mech.  Elemental 1 is hit and takes damage from its armor. it's destroyed when it takes another point of damage after losing all its armor. ETc.
5. No bonus.  p273 of Total Warfare.
6. I don't, hopefully somebody else will come around with suggestions :).  Good luck!
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worktroll

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Re: Combined Arms Rules Questions
« Reply #2 on: 07 February 2019, 17:31:34 »
1) Send the Elementals in on the Omnimechs. They don't call it "elemental armour" for nothing.
2) Elementals in the open are known as "targets". Drop them off around a significant terrain feature you want to deny the enemy

Much else depends on your Star of 'Mechs. What are you looking at? Is your opponent IS or Clan?

Stock Eponas are close-range fighters with meh armour. Choose as big a playing area as you can get. Keep them moving so that they can swoop in if the enemy fails to cover their rear, or if they leave a straggler. Be vultures, not hawks.

Alternatively, if BV permits, take the A. Twin Clan LRM 20s, 'nuff said. Hide behind terrain, and let the 'Mechs - or Elementals - spot for indirect fire.

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Tyler Jorgensson

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Re: Combined Arms Rules Questions
« Reply #3 on: 07 February 2019, 17:44:28 »
My enemy is taking IS Mechs . I've got a Berserker, Kodiak, Timber Wolf, Mad Dog, Fire Moth and possibly a Koshi (unless I acquire a second Fire Moth in a week), with Four Eponas and the Star of Elementals.

Thanks Nckestrel.

My Mad Dog is going to be the Fire support unit. If I acquire a second Fire Moth I'm going to switch the Timber Wolf for a Nova Cat and use that for Fire Support as well. I was looking at the A but I figured that I had the missiles covered. I may reconsider.

RoundTop

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Re: Combined Arms Rules Questions
« Reply #4 on: 07 February 2019, 18:08:03 »
Infantry/BA don't pay movement for spotting, so that helps a lot. Use at least one Epona A, plus your mad dog and timber wolf = lots of indirect LRM goodness.

The Epona E can ruin someones day, with the pair of plasma cannons (2d6 heat each!) and 6 AP Gauss rifles to crit seek.

The Epona B with a UAC/10 and 2 SSRM4s is also a great one for making holes and exploiting them. 

If it was me, I'd think about a Prime, A, B, and E.  Mount the elementals on the eponas (No penalty) and drop them off behind cover (break LOS if possible).  The fire moth should keep the elementals onboard, as they double its armor, but keep moving.
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Hellraiser

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Re: Combined Arms Rules Questions
« Reply #5 on: 07 February 2019, 23:55:30 »
Why not use the Timber for FS?   The Prime & C? & E? are also solid long range platforms.


Start the game mounted up & enter the board that way if at all possible.


Dropping off is fairly easy, you move the unit, sacrifice 1 MP & drop the BA in the last hex.



Picking up can be a pain.    You need to move the APC from far away so that it ends in the same hex as where the BA are starting their movement.  So they need to be in the open if its a hover/wheeled apc.

The APC again would sacrifice 1 MP so it needs to not be at MAX distance but far enough to have a good TMM IMHO.   Then for their movement the BA mount up.




For Tips, stay together, nothing worse that watching someone loose a nice mech because they wanted to go flank an assault lance by themselves & then got pasted by said lance.

Move the BA on fast, get well ahead of your slow movers & drop off in cover behind terrain so they are safe from the approaching enemy.  Let them deny the enemy of juicy camp spots like partial cover, hills, & woods.
« Last Edit: 08 February 2019, 11:03:44 by Hellraiser »
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Colt Ward

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Re: Combined Arms Rules Questions
« Reply #6 on: 08 February 2019, 10:47:14 »
When BA are mounted they do not count for Init- so no sink.

As others said, drop them off behind things like hills and woods- are they likely to have artillery?

For Elementals, remember leg attacks are better than swarm.  You can always tell the player who lost a leg on a pristine mech to Battle Armor . . . they are the ones that keep out of movement range.
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Tyler Jorgensson

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Re: Combined Arms Rules Questions
« Reply #7 on: 09 February 2019, 00:20:18 »
@Colt: Artillery is unlikely. Leg Attacks: Roger

@Hellraiser: Was thinking about a Timber Wolf Pryde or a Prime: simple and direct. Start mounted: sweet solves half of my problems lol. I dont think the game will go on long enough to worry about picking up my Elementals but thanks for the advice.

@Round: I'm trying not to use too many post 3067 stuff because my opponent doesn't have any Jihad or Dark Age gear. I am leaning towards the B and the Prime but I haven't discounted the A yet.

StoneRhino

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Re: Combined Arms Rules Questions
« Reply #8 on: 09 February 2019, 00:36:57 »

Zell is really just a means of regulating clanners and for RP purposes. Ton for ton, clan mechs are going to have higher BV2 scores then the I.S. units the other person is going to bring.

We used to play games at 400 tons per person. I recently calculated some of the BV2 scores for some of the more typical forces. With 4/5 pilots assigned the I.S. forces hit about 10,000 BV2 while the clan forces were 15,000 BV2. With modified pilots some scores dropped due to green troops, while others with elite and veteran pilots along with C3 jumped upwards of 23k.

Zell attempts to moderate the difference in BV2 scores by limiting how much of the BV is active at any given time. We didn't use Zell, which would have changed how the games went, but then again all a player has to do is suggest that they are clan wolf or another that will jump at any opportunity to use numbers against their opponent. Its mostly a weasler to limit one clan force from using more force then is available to the other , but its one sided unless both sides are strictly adhere to it, but that is purely RP and means nothing in game last time i checked.