I'm just going to summarize everything in this thread that we've discussed, as well as some of the questions that still need answering.
I noticed that the downloads page still has the link to the SMC rules, but it has v3.41 listed. I don't think that's the most current version, since I have v3.5 printed up.
On page 4, it says that Rebar can leave the board if the unit carrying it exits, but that it must be surrendered at the end of the arena cycle. Does that mean that you lose it as soon as you leave the board, or can you bring it back on during the same game?
You may remove pilot abilities, but at cost. Why would you ever do that unless there is a maximum number of skills you can possess. Is there?
On page 7, if you join Toranaga or Zelazina stables, you have a different list of equipment that you can modify your mech with. Shouldn't that change the wording on the stable list of "All Stables" to "All other Stables"?
Page 14, counting a mech as destroyed. Is this for determining kills or repairs? If an Inner Sphere XL engine mech has it's right torso internal structure destroyed, the mech is killed. But for repairs, does the pilot have to pay 30% for a full repair and risk a negative quirk, or can they spot repair the location for 10% and repair the engine for 5% (same cost as, "Full repair, mech not destroyed"). Are negative quirks only gained when a mech is being repaired from total destruction, i.e. having it's entire Center Torso internal structure destroyed?
Page 15. What is the repair cost for a mech who's pilot has ejected manually?
Positive Quirks "Hired Minion" has no cost and is linked only to that mech? Shouldn't this be a skill, as it is a spotter in the crowd, and not related to the mech itself?
If you buy the Edge skill, that extra token is just a one time use for that event only? If you suffer a wound, can it be lost?
Handheld weapons from Tac Ops pg 314. Are these allowed to be used/purchased?
The Melee Master skill is more expensive than Melee Specialist, but Specialist is better?
Why would you want Larzellier to add an active probe to a mech, when they offer no benefit in SMC? It would make sense if you allowed the active probe rules from TO page: 99 to apply (even if it was just the rules for targeting enemy units in woods), but not as is.
Page 14, exiting the battlefield talks about removing a KO'ed pilot from the battlefield, add the word (optional), since the rules for that are located in the optional rules section.
Page 15, under ejecting, players must declare if they are turning auto eject off, not on.
Can leftover specialty ammo be saved? I.E. if I have 20 shots of SRM2 Inferno ammo left, but decide to buy and load a new ton, can I keep those unspent shots on my pilot sheet somewhere, and have them re-loaded when I'm off board once I have room? Or do the techs just "throw it away"?
If I may suggest:
The requirement that advanced skills require 15 fame should be listed somewhere more prominently than the upper corner of the table, it's hard to spot when the pages are stapled together.
I believe there is a misprint on page 6 under custom mechs. I think the word "bottle" is meant to be "bottom".
That Heat sinks be added to the list of removable equipment. There are certain designs that seem to be seriously oversinked, like the SHD-2H and HBK-5N. Of course you couldn't go below the 10 required Heat sinks.
Contortionist ability: Give the twisting player a +1 to hit penalty if he uses it. Making your mech a walking turret is really OP.
The layout of the rules need to be tweaked, setting up the board should be followed by gameplay rules and then offboard cycles. Then character creation and development. The layout just seems jumbled and confusing when flipping through them.
Allowing all ammo types to be removed by the half ton. I know it dips into fractional accounting, but the dueling nature of Solaris makes me think that it would be useful to allow pilots to reduce the amount of ammo their mechs carry and allowing to be replaced by an authorized piece of equipment. Like dropping a ½ ton of SRM2 ammo and adding CASE.
Battlefield Surprises
For the number of Turrets, Storage Tanks, Minefields, and Rebar, I think a d6 or d3 would be a good amount for the recommended 4x6 play area.
1d6 Turrets
1d6 Minefields
1d6 Storage Tanks
1d3 Rebar
Turrets
When an AC 2/5 is rolled for the turret weapon, it is easy to give each of the 4 types of AC an even chance of being present. Roll 2d6
2 AC
3 AC
4 AC
5 Ultra
6 Ultra
7 Rotary
8 LB-X
9 LB-X
10 Rotary
11 AC
12 AC
Using this table gives a 25% of rolling each of the 4 cannon types.
Storage Tanks use a table to determine the class and contents.
1 CF 20 - No damage
2 CF 20 - 1d6/2 damage
3 CF 30 - 1d6 damage
4 CF 40 - 2d6/2 damage (3d6/2 would make more sense as a step up in damage)
5 CF 40 - 2d6 damage
6 CF 50 - 20 Explosive damage to adjacent hexes and 10 damage to two hexes away (5 pt increments)
This way the judge can just roll a dice and have a slip of paper set to the side with the secret CF of each tank, and reveal what that is and the contents when the limit is reached. Also, there really is no need to reference the table in TO, you can just include the damage of each liquid in the tank table for easy of play (rather than juggling books).
Minefields Use a roll to determine the density of the minefields based on the average tonnage of the mechs on the field. All minefields default to 5 points unless the target number is rolled on 2d6, then they default to 10 point minefields. The target number should be set by the judge.
Target Practice Roll a d6, 1-3 there are 12 targets, 4-6 there are 18 targets.
Skills, Quirks, and abilities
Should improved piloting and gunnery be skills? Having them as skills seems to imply that they cannot stack with other abilities that modify a target number, which I don't think is actually the case, since there are 22 other separate skills, abilities, and stable effects that can modify the hit number in one way or another. Also, as skills, they can be lost when the pilot is wounded. If they were separate as an upgrade, that wouldn't be the case.