SR - Pilot cards and balancing

[nckestrel]

I apologize if there is an easy answer to this that i missed but I've googled, skimmed faq's and reviewed topics on this forum and not found anything promising so far.   So here goes:

How do I use and balance use of the Pilot cards in the AGOAC box and by extension the cars that will come with the new Clan set when it arrives?   I know I can pop onto the master unit list and adjust Mechs base BV on the BG and PS for the pilots that part seems easy, but all of those pilots have SPA's and I cannot find anywhere that talks about those.  Even a google search doesn't turn up anything... SARNA doesn't even mention SPA's and that's where I know i'm in trouble.

I have the Battlemech manual and I've read it cover to cover and unless I missed something SPA's aren't mentioned any where in that book.

I  would like to make use of these cards and i would like to know how to balance the abilities they provide becasue some of them seem like they would be worth some form of advantage on the opposing side and it also seems that like BG and PS the same ability on a larger Mech might be more valuable than if on a smaller Mech in terms of Battle Value.

The only rule is player’s should agree on the use of special pilots and which ones.
There’s a rough guideline of using similar SPA costs (later on the cards), but as you say that can vary a lot.
BattleValue/Point Value do not cover them, they remain entirely optional and at player’s discretion for when to use them.

[Paul]

We've got a plan to add something about SPA balancing to an upcoming book, but there is no system right now.

Unfortunately, it can't change the point values, so it's still going to suck a little, most likely.

[Weirdo]

AGoAC rulebook, page 48.

Basically, Player 1 picks a pilot card for one of his mechs. Player 2 upgrades one of his mechs to equal pilot/gunnery skills(not SPAs), then chooses a card for one of his other mechs, whose SPA cost is equal to(or less if they want) the cost on Player 1's card. Player 1 now upgrades one of his non-card mechs to match the skills of Player 2's card pilot. In terms of pilots, the match is now considered roughly balanced.

[nckestrel]

Thanks, yeah, that was what I was refering to.

I would emphasize roughly though.  a 3/2 Awesome with SPAs is not the same as a 3/2 Panther with SPAs.  And it will just get worse with Clan 'mechs.

[Scotty]

I feel like if anyone is picking a Panther to match skills with an Awesome in the Skills/SPA draft they've made their bed to lie in.

[nckestrel]

I'm not a fan of everything must be assaults or it's a poor choice. 

[Xotl]

Closed.