Author Topic: Infantry platoon calculator?  (Read 3415 times)

Weirdo

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Infantry platoon calculator?
« on: 09 September 2019, 10:01:31 »
Does anyone know where a current downloadable infantry platoon calculator spreadsheet can be found? Boilerman's v4k3b no longer seems to work on my computer, and the only other one I can find is one you don't download, but use online in some weird Google thing.

Are there any others out there? Excel-compatibility is a non-negotiable must, please.
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NeonKnight

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #1 on: 09 September 2019, 10:23:14 »
I guess the best question I have is...what does this calculator do?
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Weirdo

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #2 on: 09 September 2019, 10:36:20 »
Basically, an infantry platoon creator. You tell it how many troopers per squad, how many squads, primary weapon, secondary weapon, etc...and it gives you the platoon stats, such as damage at each trooper count, BV, speed, etc. Everything but fill out the record sheet for you.
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mbear

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #3 on: 09 September 2019, 12:53:33 »
Basically, an infantry platoon creator. You tell it how many troopers per squad, how many squads, primary weapon, secondary weapon, etc...and it gives you the platoon stats, such as damage at each trooper count, BV, speed, etc. Everything but fill out the record sheet for you.

I used to have one but it seems to have disappeared. I know it won't help you, but MegaMekLab appears to do exactly what you want and gives you a record sheet.
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Battletech transport rules take a very feline approach to moving troops in a combat zone: If they fits, they ships.

You bought the box set and are ready to expand your BT experience. Now what? (Thanks Sartis!)

Weirdo

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #4 on: 09 September 2019, 12:56:09 »
Is the sheet 100% identical to CGL sheets, including appearance and formatting? Doing sheets on my home comp is an extreme pain in the ass, but if necessary, that might be an option.
My wife writes books
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mbear

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #5 on: 09 September 2019, 12:58:02 »
Is the sheet 100% identical to CGL sheets, including appearance and formatting? Doing sheets on my home comp is an extreme pain in the ass, but if necessary, that might be an option.

One second, I'm checking.

Edit: It looks pretty darn close. I've got a PDF of the RS here; Can I attach it to the thread somehow?

Nevermind. Sent you a link via PM.
« Last Edit: 09 September 2019, 13:16:25 by mbear »
Be the Loremaster:

Battletech transport rules take a very feline approach to moving troops in a combat zone: If they fits, they ships.

You bought the box set and are ready to expand your BT experience. Now what? (Thanks Sartis!)

Daryk

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #6 on: 09 September 2019, 18:43:37 »
Wait, wait, wait... is Weirdo actually contemplating using non-canon units??  ???

Weirdo

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #7 on: 09 September 2019, 21:47:04 »
Conventional infantry are the exception to my canon-units-only rule, if only because customizing an infantry a platoon requires no more work than ordering troopers to put one gun down and pick another up. Also, logically there should be a near-infinite variety of infantry units out there in the vastness of human space.
My wife writes books
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Ursus Maior

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #8 on: 10 September 2019, 03:10:51 »
I find MegaMekLab quite excellent. It made designing infantry for me very easy and you can go wild on all types.
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Daryk

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #9 on: 10 September 2019, 03:24:01 »
Conventional infantry are the exception to my canon-units-only rule, if only because customizing an infantry a platoon requires no more work than ordering troopers to put one gun down and pick another up. Also, logically there should be a near-infinite variety of infantry units out there in the vastness of human space.
Fantastic!  :thumbsup:

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #10 on: 10 September 2019, 04:47:57 »
Conventional infantry are the exception to my canon-units-only rule, if only because customizing an infantry a platoon requires no more work than ordering troopers to put one gun down and pick another up. Also, logically there should be a near-infinite variety of infantry units out there in the vastness of human space.
You do realize that the purpose of BT's construction rules is that there are a near-infinite number of units, right?

Sartris

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #11 on: 10 September 2019, 06:18:09 »
MML is your best option

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Weirdo

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #12 on: 10 September 2019, 06:45:06 »
You do realize that the purpose of BT's construction rules is that there are a near-infinite number of units, right?

You can't force me to use customs, or prevent me from sticking a support vehicle in each ear and going LALALALA every time someone mentions Tech Manual.
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"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
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Syzyx

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #13 on: 10 September 2019, 06:52:41 »
You have some pretty big ears... ;)
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Hammer

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #14 on: 10 September 2019, 10:49:04 »
Is the sheet 100% identical to CGL sheets, including appearance and formatting? Doing sheets on my home comp is an extreme pain in the ass, but if necessary, that might be an option.

Given CGL uses our sheets for publications they are identical to the sheets in the books  ;) :)
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kaliban

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #15 on: 10 September 2019, 11:32:44 »
You can't force me to use customs, or prevent me from sticking a support vehicle in each ear and going LALALALA every time someone mentions Tech Manual.

For sure, each one experience the game the way he prefers. Its not a matter of convincing people otherwise, it is just a matter of expressing each one opinion respecting each other.

My personal point of view is that most of the fun in Battletech is to create my own designs. Probably it is the biggest difference compared to other games.

If I play only with canon designs I have a feeling of not fully experiencing the game. It is like only playing RPG using pre-made characters.
« Last Edit: 10 September 2019, 18:35:04 by kaliban »

Weirdo

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #16 on: 10 September 2019, 12:52:53 »
To each their own. Last time I played in an RPG, I was happy the GM was giving us premade characters, because the act of character generation was too much like custom mech design - it made me feel dirty.
My wife writes books
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"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
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Daryk

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #17 on: 10 September 2019, 17:56:57 »
I like to give my players a little more agency than that... I ask them for input before I start, and give them the opportunity to tweak after the first draft...

Weirdo

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #18 on: 10 September 2019, 18:03:10 »
For me, I prefer to go to war with the army I'm given, not the one I want, wether said army is a mech company or a single character. I'll still choose which premade units I want, but beyond that, I want to have as little agency as possible until the game starts. Tactics are my agency.
My wife writes books
"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
"We are the tribal elders. Weirdo is the mushroom specialist." - Worktroll

Daryk

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #19 on: 10 September 2019, 18:21:21 »
An interesting perspective to say the least... And one I would characterize as more toward the wargamer end of the business than role-player...

Challenger

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #20 on: 12 September 2019, 03:48:18 »
An interesting perspective to say the least... And one I would characterize as more toward the wargamer end of the business than role-player...

Theres a lot of overlap.

When I’m playing historical war game like Flames of War, I prefer to use a force that resembles its historical name sake and I try to use ‘realistic’ tactics rather than pay attention to ‘meta’ and exploiting the rules. I’d call that ‘roleplaying’ to a certain extent, especially as it can and has put me at a self imposed disadvantage.

Oddly enough in BT I love to use custom units because the scifi setting gives me the leeway to imagine units fighting in unorthodox and surprising ways. I feel no need to stick to ‘canon’ because its no more ‘real’ than the stories I’m making up in my head. That is also a form of roleplaying, but so is deciding to pick a force from a canon unit and use it as canon suggests it should be!

All that said, to echo Weirdo and may others on the forum, BT gives the players freedom to play the game the way they want to. As long as both players are enjoying the game there is no ‘wrong’ way to play.

Challenger
« Last Edit: 12 September 2019, 03:50:15 by Challenger »

Ursus Maior

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #21 on: 12 September 2019, 06:44:07 »
For me, only special warriors such as commanders or player characters are elligible to receive customized units. I would allow for self-designed units as part of a RPG campaign that focusses on the industrial R&D side of things or empire building. Infantry units on the other hand are beast of their own, however, for me as well. I like to design them and give them certain background stories.

Unfortunately, creation rules as presented in the TM make infantry units prohibitively expensive. Take a platoon of 28 soldiers, give them a FC armor set, heavy support lasers and Mauser laser rifles as well as anti-'Mech training, and they cost more than two Stingers, though at roughly halve the BV value.

Now, the in-game value of the meta-game currency "C-Bill" is very much debatable in the context of armament projects - in fact, my theory is, it's completely useless - but it's all we got. FASAnomics do not belong here, however.
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Weirdo

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #22 on: 12 September 2019, 06:49:36 »
FASAnomics do not belong here, however.

You're right, they don't. And neither does the stock/custom debate. So if we'd please go back to infantry calculators...
My wife writes books
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kaliban

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Re: Infantry platoon calculator?
« Reply #23 on: 12 September 2019, 12:40:57 »
Theres a lot of overlap.

When I’m playing historical war game like Flames of War, I prefer to use a force that resembles its historical name sake and I try to use ‘realistic’ tactics rather than pay attention to ‘meta’ and exploiting the rules. I’d call that ‘roleplaying’ to a certain extent, especially as it can and has put me at a self imposed disadvantage.

Oddly enough in BT I love to use custom units because the scifi setting gives me the leeway to imagine units fighting in unorthodox and surprising ways. I feel no need to stick to ‘canon’ because its no more ‘real’ than the stories I’m making up in my head. That is also a form of roleplaying, but so is deciding to pick a force from a canon unit and use it as canon suggests it should be!

All that said, to echo Weirdo and may others on the forum, BT gives the players freedom to play the game the way they want to. As long as both players are enjoying the game there is no ‘wrong’ way to play.

Challenger

I couldn't say better.