Author Topic: How do you play QS/BF2?  (Read 2771 times)

Bad_Syntax

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 918
    • Battletech Engineer
How do you play QS/BF2?
« on: 24 February 2012, 17:23:53 »
I'm just curious how ya'll are tracking various critical hits and damage to your units out there.  I presume everybody prints the cards, and from there probably fills in circle/structure for armor, but how are ya'll tracking crits?  Just scribbling on the page wherever you can find room?  I have seen a few QS cards out there that do have little boxes for those crits, which IMO is a great idea.

I think in some ways I like BF2 more now, it gets rid of a LOT of the super-time consuming things, keeps quite a bit of detail, and lets you play much larger battles.  Granted, I haven't ever played it or QS, but I used to love the original battleforce and would love to play BF2.

Do ya'll play with miniatures?  I was thinking of using counters like the ones attached, though probably just 1 sided without the little # attached, on the back a generic unit type counter, or faction logo could be placed instead.  If using a system like this I could make counters that say things like "Engine Hit!" or "Weapon Damaged" that could just be placed on the counter, or on the cards, to avoid getting crazy with ink and give a quick representation of damage than little bitty numbers on an already cluttered card.  Plus, weapon hits could be little things like little arms, MP hits little legs, or whatever. 

Using counters would allow usage of the large numbers of maps I have from all sorts of games, that have .5" hexes and much more varied and strategic looking terrain than the typical BT maps.... plus, I can carry divisions of mechs without me without a U-Haul ;)  In Bf2 games I could easily accept criticals as an optional rule tho, they add a lot of tracking and extra rolls in larger battles without a lot of benefit.

And if anybody has any ideas for quick strike and/or BF2 sheets, I'd be interested to see them, maybe I can work up a quick way to make them for you like I have the standard ones already.

Also, have any house rules you commonly use?

A BF2 computer conversion would be MUCH easier than a full blown (from warships down to grunts) BT conversion, which is freaky complicated.
Battletech Engineer
Disclaimer:  Anything I post here, or anywhere else, can freely be used by anybody, anywhere, for any purposes without any compenstation to or recognition of myself.

nckestrel

  • Scientia Bellator
  • Freelance Writer
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 11030
Re: How do you play QS/BF2?
« Reply #1 on: 24 February 2012, 17:28:14 »
I've use the canon cards as well as the ones produced by Solaris QuickStrike Printer.  We generally just scribbled the crits over the card.  crossing out damage and marked the new damage stat.  Or writing on a random bit of the card.   I think the notes area on the back is meant for crits, but that just asks for people to forget them?
The one time I used aerospace, I dropped all the bombs at once, so a quick scratch through was enough, but I could see needing something to track them if people did less alpha-bombing.
I've never done dropships or warships in QS or BF.

Counters are just asking me to lose them. 
Alpha Strike Introduction resources
Left of Center blog - Nashira Campaign for A Game of Armored Combat, TP 3039 Vega Supplemental Record Sheets

Xotl

  • Dominus Erratorum
  • BattleTech Developer
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 11642
  • Professor of Errata
Re: How do you play QS/BF2?
« Reply #2 on: 24 February 2012, 17:33:11 »
I just used a separate sheet to track criticals, which is by no means optimal but sort of a habit that's ingrained now.  I'm not sure they're worth bothering too much about, and might try future games without them.

For the units themselves, counters rather than minis, but that's simply a matter of lacking minis.

Also, Battleforce 2 was a boxed set that came out in 1997, and was in turn replaced by the new version in Strategic Operations - the game isn't BF2 any more.
3028-3057 Random Assignment Tables -
Also contains faction deployment & rarity info.

http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=1219.0

Lorcan Nagle

  • 75 tons of heavy metal mayhem
  • Global Moderator
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 12119
  • We're back, baby!
Re: How do you play QS/BF2?
« Reply #3 on: 24 February 2012, 17:54:58 »
I generally print out units with SQP, and mark crits beside the unit on the sheet.
The moderator formerly known as the user formerly known as nenechan

Medron Pryde

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2401
  • Life's a beach, enjoy the sand between your toes
    • P.R.I.
Re: How do you play QS/BF2?
« Reply #4 on: 25 February 2012, 01:16:53 »
I put my cards in baseball card sleeves and use dry erase marker to note damage.  And we write down crits.  Honestly, when you are practicing major lance on target firing patterns, you'd be surprised how rarely crits come up.  ;)

For minis, I use my normal minis.  :)

We play Quick Strike on hexes.  Movement is standard Battle Force movement.  Ranges are 3/12/21/30 for short/medium/long/extreme ranges.  Using Battle Force facing rules.  It plays beautifully and I've gotten people back into playing BattleTech who haven't played in years because it was too complicated with this setup.  :)
Col Medron Pryde - DropShip Irregulars - Phoenix Hawk LAM - A Proud Browncoat

RSM Regstav Pryde - Battle Corps Legion - BattleMaster BLR-K4
Angel Strike - They thought they'd killed us.  They were wrong.  We struck back...
Pryde Rock Industries - Your Source for awesome BattleTech programs
My Deviant Art Page
Jack of Harts - updated daily
Strike Force - a fanmade RPG supplement for Alpha Strike

speck

  • IWM Web Support
  • Iron Wind Metals
  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2718
Re: How do you play QS/BF2?
« Reply #5 on: 31 March 2012, 18:04:25 »
For both of them I just print out the record sheets from skunkwerks and mark on them. as for miniatures for quick strike I use the normal skill battletech mini's and battleforce I use the smaller mini mechs that IWM makes. I have each weight class painted the same and also have some vehicles of different movement types painted differently. I have the bases marked so They can be ID in the game.