Combat Manual Lite series, Beta

[nckestrel]

So I've been running across a problem with Special Command Abilities..and the Clans might be pushing me over the edge.
1) Veteran/Elites are over perhaps overcompensated. Veteran and Elite skill upgrades costs (PV) are balanced without special command abilities.  But having higher average skill ratings give you more SCAs (and therefore more bonuses). Ie. it's a free extra bonus to Veteran and Elites.
2) Sometimes the whole is better than the sum of the parts. ie. you throw a bunch of elite mechwarriors together in a new regiment, and they're not immediately great as a team.  And some regiments are particularly known for being either worst than the sum or better than the sum.  But there's no way to model that without adding special rules to each case.
3) I'm lazy.
4) it's easy to game, or be crushed, by cheap units.  I have four regular 'mechs, throw four elite infantry in there and I'm veteran so i can have three SCAs instead of two (for regular).   Or I have four veteran mechs, throw five regular infantry in there and my force is now regular.
5) I think there's too many SCAs being given (the combat manuals basically gave an extra on top of the numbers given in ASC). It's tough keeping track of all the SCAs in a game with so many.
6) calculating the average skill rating of a force (especially in standard battletech with two skills per unit) is no fun.

The clans seem to be hitting the second point hard.  So many veteran/elite clusters, and generally not as many/impressive command abilities. So going through Jade Falcon currently is really hammering home my already existing concerns.

Suggestion: SCAs beyond the first cost 5% of the PV of the entire force.  The listed experience rating for a command is used to determine the maximum number of SCAs that can be chosen.  The experience rating of your particular force isn't used.

Maximum number of SCAs a force can select, based on it's combat command's experience rating:
Green/Regular: 1 SCA
Veteran: 2 SCAs
Elite: 3 SCAs

Green forces have to take their listed SCA, even if its detrimental (environmental specialization/woods when you're finding on an airless moon). Green forces with no SCA listed have no bonus, but no possible negative either.

[Daryk]

Not that I play Alpha Strike, but really... how "special" are SCAs if every unit has them?

[nckestrel]

Not that I play Alpha Strike, but really... how "special" are SCAs if every unit has them?

Same special as having their own insignia.  Every unit has one, but they're different ones.  So they're special.

[worktroll]

Just want to say "Thanks! Really!" again - these are great work. Maybe some day ...

W.

[nckestrel]

Ok, so I had planned on doing all Invading Clans at once, and changed my mind.  There are so many differences from the houses, and the Clans are taking me longer that I expected.  So I'm putting up the Combat Manual Clans with just the Jade Falcon touman included so far.
That way I can get feedback on the changes while I'm sorting out the other clans toumans.
It does include the Availability Lists and faction specific SCAs for the other invading clans.  It just doesn't list the Combat Commands (yet) for the other Clans.
There are no unique characters at all yet, I hadn't gotten to that for the Clans so I don't have any at all.

Combat Manual: Invading Clans, Jade Falcons alpha edition

[JPArbiter]

Are we gonna include the Davion book in here, or is there still an outside hope of getting it published?

[nckestrel]

Are we gonna include the Davion book in here, or is there still an outside hope of getting it published?

I can’t include it as part of my series. Geoff wrote most of it, and it would be impossible for me to make my own version that wasn’t either copying or being trash compared to what Geoff had done. And/or ruining whatever chance we have of getting our work actually published.
Maybe at some point we all give up and decide to release it unofficially, but it’s not my right to do so unilaterally.
I have no idea what likelihood any of that has of happening (published or giving up).

[nckestrel]

Clan Wolf added to the Invading Clans Combat Manual Lite.  Same link, just redownload it.

[JPArbiter]

I can’t include it as part of my series. Geoff wrote most of it, and it would be impossible for me to make my own version that wasn’t either copying or being trash compared to what Geoff had done. And/or ruining whatever chance we have of getting our work actually published.
Maybe at some point we all give up and decide to release it unofficially, but it’s not my right to do so unilaterally.
I have no idea what likelihood any of that has of happening (published or giving up).

Absolutly cool. I was just curious.

[nckestrel]

Here's a few Marik pilots taken from the old House Marik book to help fill out some of the combat commands.

Thanks!
CM: Marik has been updated, just download again from the same link.

[nckestrel]

Some additional notes from the quick read through:

• The explanation of what an RCT is in the Marik PDF, rather than the Steiner book (it references the LCAF, so probably just accidentally ended up in the wrong doc)
• In "Determine Number and Assign Special Command Abilities" both Steiner and Marik books state that commands always have Hopeless Battle available.  These should probably be Wall of Steel and Independence.

Thanks!
These should all be fixed now.

[nckestrel]

And Ghost Bear added to the Combat Manual: Invading Clans.
And since they feature some combat vehicle clusters, I went ahead and added the availability lists for all non-'mech units (aerospace, armor, battle armor/infantry, artillery).

[nckestrel]

Took a break from the Clans to do House Calderon, the Taurian Concordant.

Combat Manual Lite: Calderon

[JPArbiter]

And Ghost Bear added to the Combat Manual: Invading Clans.
And since they feature some combat vehicle clusters, I went ahead and added the availability lists for all non-'mech units (aerospace, armor, battle armor/infantry, artillery).

Am I doing something wrong? It is still showing the jade falcon only document.

[nckestrel]

Grr. No, looks like Sharefile links not just to the file, but the specific version of the file. I will have to update all the links when I’m back to my computer.

[nckestrel]

All of the links in the original post have been updated. All the files were updated today.

[NeonKnight]

Bad news....
Calderon links to Marik :(

Also, any chance to include a REV # on the title page to ensure we have the most 'correct'?

[nckestrel]

calderon fixed.

And no revision numbers till its out of beta.  too many revisions.

[DarkJaguar]

NcKestrel,

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like Clan Wolf -REALLY- needs to have the Strategic Command Star (4 Omnimechs, 2 ASF) called out.  Even if it's just a duplicate of the Command Lance from ASC with the requirements reworked to fit with having aerospace assets in the formation.

Other than that, the concern you made about clan forces generally having 2+ SCA's being a force multiplier is agreed upon, though your solution seems a bit erm...math-y?  Perhaps the simpler solution would be to stay away from SCA's that further grant to-hit bonuses (ESPECIALLY Walking Death.  That one is broken as hell IMHO).

One final note.  There is no mention of protomechs at all in this CMM.  Is that because it's era focused on Early Clan Invasion, or is there another reason?  Alpha Strike mentions that Protomechs will always be referred to separately, so I didn't want to assume you had just rolled them in with 'mechs.

[nckestrel]

Combat Manuals only cover to 3054.

[DarkJaguar]

Combat Manuals only cover to 3054.

So that's why protomechs aren't mentioned.  Any comment on Strategic Command Stars?

[nckestrel]

So that's why protomechs aren't mentioned.  Any comment on Strategic Command Stars?

Need time to look them over.

[mbear]

Sweet! Liking these a lot.

[Pat Payne]

Hi NcKestrel:

I just had a "d'oh" moment about the Marik pilots I'd posted for you... I should have paid closer attention to "Slice 'n' Dice" Zurita's first name. Apparently it's "Martha", not "Marina" as I'd put there. I plead reading the House Marik book off of a Kindle and somehow having Counsellor Troi on my mind...
 

[nckestrel]

Hi NcKestrel:

I just had a "d'oh" moment about the Marik pilots I'd posted for you... I should have paid closer attention to "Slice 'n' Dice" Zurita's first name. Apparently it's "Martha", not "Marina" as I'd put there. I plead reading the House Marik book off of a Kindle and somehow having Counsellor Troi on my mind...

Ha! I'm sure I have worse mistakes in there...  I will fix soon :)

[nckestrel]

Updated Combat Manual: Invading Clans.  Added Clans Smoke Jaguar and Steel Viper.
The Smoke Jaguar Touman was a mess. I'm sure some avid CSJ fans will blame me for ruining it, though I did end up keeping most everything mentioned.
Yes, I know the Clans each bid 3 galaxies to invade.  And I have 5.  But I don't like the Luthien otherwise unknown galaxies being beta and delta because the cluster names don't match at all.  If I'm going to throw out that much, I might as well throw it (Luthien sourcebook) out. 
I was pretty close to doing that and just saying it was Alpha, Beta and Delta on Luthien, when I hit the Operational Turning Point Revival Trials.  It has CSJ's initial invasion bid as 11 galaxies.  Without the otherwise unmentioned Luthien galaxies, CSJ was short on galaxies. If I need more galaxies, I'd rather use already mentioned, however briefly, galaxies than make up my own. There's also a tiny Epsilon Galaxy in Objective Raids that needed fleshing out.  Thus Gamma and Epsilon became the other Luthien galaxies.  Smoke Jaguar brought in two almost completely fresh galaxies for Luthien, while rotating in some reinforcements for Alpha.  After the debacle on Luthien, Gamma and Epsilon were kicked to the curb (Gamma rather seriously, Epsilon limped along).  Leaving Alpha (with further reinforcements and with Beta and Delta) to be smashed again on Tukkayyid.

I also added a note about Clan Wolf's mixed Command Stars.

[firekite]

Davion in the near future ?

[nckestrel]

I can’t include it as part of my series. Geoff wrote most of it, and it would be impossible for me to make my own version that wasn’t either copying or being trash compared to what Geoff had done. And/or ruining whatever chance we have of getting our work actually published.
Maybe at some point we all give up and decide to release it unofficially, but it’s not my right to do so unilaterally.
I have no idea what likelihood any of that has of happening (published or giving up).

[DarkJaguar]

NcKestrel,

what do you think of this for the formation type for Strategic Command Star.  (It's basically a reworded Command Lance, so I don't have any IP rights to it.)

STRATEGIC COMMAND STAR
As the name suggests, the Strategic Command Star is a formation built around the force’s commander (or their key subcommanders). As such, this star is typically filled with the most seasoned warriors in the force.
Requirements: At least one unit in the Command Lance must be designated as either the force commander or a key lieutenant. For the purposes of building a force, these rules recommend that one unit in the overall combat force be identified as the force’s field commander, with no more than 1 sub-commanding lieutenant assigned for every 5 non conventional infantry units in the entire force. The Command Lance would then be established as the lance in which the senior force commander is assigned, but additional Command Lances can be built around the sub-commanders as well.  The force commander must be the highest skill pilot in the force, while key lieutenants may be lower in skill only compared to the force commander.
This formation must be comprised of either 4 points of 'mechs or elementals and 1 point of aerospace.  If the star is comprised of 'mechs, there must be at least two size 3 'mechs.  No 'mechs may be size 1.  In this formation, every unit must be at least skill 3. The unit designated as the commander’s unit may be any of the star’s members, except for the aerospace units.
Ideal Role: None.
Bonus Ability: Prior to the beginning of play, 2 of the non-commander points in this formation receive one of the following Special Pilot Abilities for free (each unit may receive a different SPA): Antagonizer, Blood Stalker, Combat Intuition, Eagle Eyes, Golden Goose, Ground Hugger, Marksman or Shaky Stick (see Alpha Strike Companion p. 51, 52, 52, 52, 53, 53, 54 and 56, respectively).
In addition to this, the commander’s unit receives the Tactical Genius SPA (see Alpha Strike Companion p. 57). If the Special Pilot Abilities rules are in full effect and the commander already has the Tactical Genius SPA, this ability adds a +1 modifier to the force’s Initiative roll results instead (including any rerolls made as a result of the Tactical Genius SPA).
The Strategic Command Star is treated as a 'Command Lance' for the purposes of a 'Support Lance' formation.

[nckestrel]

Side track, did Record Sheets for the custom units in Combat Manuals Mercenaries and Kurita.