Author Topic: Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.  (Read 2813 times)

Stokviz

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Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.
« on: 13 April 2020, 18:16:08 »
So, I'm at a loss here. Im reading into the Null Set and the Royalty and Rogues modules and I can't understand how the players should ever be able to win the described 'mech battles. In the first pages it's stated that the games are meant for at least 2 player characters (Mechwarriors), and at least one of them should own a Medium 'mech. The enemy forces in the first battle of Royalty and Rogues are made out of FIVE 'mechs, two of which are heavy. In the first battle in Null Set, the book says a party of 4 OR LESS should be able to defeat a command lance made out of FOUR ASSAULT 'mechs.

Am I missing something here? Or should I just throw these recommendation out of the window and come up with my own opposing forces.

PS: I'm fairly new to the tabletop game, so I don't know for sure how competent a party of player characters should be.

Daryk

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Re: Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.
« Reply #1 on: 13 April 2020, 18:19:47 »
In MW2, it was ridiculously easy to max Gunnery and Piloting.

Stokviz

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Re: Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.
« Reply #2 on: 13 April 2020, 18:29:47 »
Still even for characters with gunnery 2, it should still be almost impossible to win against these forces with a party of two or three Mechwarriors. Am I wrong?

monbvol

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Re: Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.
« Reply #3 on: 13 April 2020, 22:24:25 »
It is true that even at 0/0 there is only so much that does to make up for being heavily out numbered, out massed, or both at the same time.

Overall it is just going to take some trial and error to figure out exactly how much you can overcome and how to use positioning and range to even these factors out.

Like for example the 3N Rifleman looks scary with those twin AC-5s and twin Large Lasers but it shares one ton of ammo between those AC-5s and can't really fire both those Large Lasers at the same time without giving itself problems.

There's real truth to that old saying "Know thyself and know thy enemy and 100 victories will be yours".

Sir Chaos

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Re: Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.
« Reply #4 on: 15 April 2020, 05:46:16 »
In MW2, it was ridiculously easy to max Gunnery and Piloting.

True enough.

However, I don´t think writing modules in such a way that they are virtually unwinnable for characters that aren´t ridiculously optimized is the right way to react to that.
"Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl."
-Frederick the Great

"Ultima Ratio Regis" ("The Last Resort of the King")
- Inscription on cannon barrel, 18th century

Daryk

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Re: Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.
« Reply #5 on: 15 April 2020, 15:46:40 »
That was the thing... in 2e, it wasn't even really optimizing...

monbvol

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Re: Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.
« Reply #6 on: 15 April 2020, 16:07:12 »
Yeah I remember you pretty much had to make special effort to be worse than G2/P3.

Daryk

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Re: Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.
« Reply #7 on: 15 April 2020, 16:52:46 »
Very true... anything less than a 6 in INT was a deliberate gimping of a character.

Greatclub

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Re: Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.
« Reply #8 on: 29 April 2020, 00:35:59 »
Very true... anything less than a 6 in INT was a deliberate gimping of a character.
Same issue in SR2/3.
« Last Edit: 29 April 2020, 14:30:03 by Greatclub »

Southernskies

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Re: Balance in MW 2nd Ed modules all over the place.
« Reply #9 on: 19 May 2020, 02:17:05 »
Also, in my experience, if you use the MaxTech RPG turn sequence instead of 'normal' BattleTech turn sequence, the PCs can ROFLstomp much greater forces than normal.

I would regularly throw a company against my local reinforced lance (5 mechs) and the PC abilities would result in them winning, what in a normal tabletop game would be an stomp the other way.