New AS/old BT player with critical hit questions

[Desert Scribe]

Hello! New guy here, and this is my first post. I just got the Alpha Strike boxed set (reading the free online rules convinced me), and I'm excited to get back into the universe of giant stompy robots.

I played Battletech back when it first came out, and played Alpha Strike once at a game convention several years ago. These days, I have more money and less time than I did as a teen, and I enjoy Alpha Strike's quicker game play--it's like Federation Commander in comparison to Starfleet Battles.

Right now, I am working on getting the Mechs painted and understanding the rules so I can run a scenario for my gaming group. As I do that, I have a couple of questions about critical hits:

• When rolling attacks, a natural 12 is a critical hit, but does the target also take damage in the usual manner? I want to say yes based on the yes/no process on page 21 of the quick-start rulebook, but it's not explicitly spelled out.
• If a natural 12 attack also damages the target's structure, does it result in a second critical hit? Same reasoning as above.

Thanks in advance!

[Lanceman]

Yes to both.

[Desert Scribe]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I have a followup question: What happens on a second ammo critical hit when the target has CASE? No effect because the ammo was already destroyed?

[Charistoph]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I have a followup question: What happens on a second ammo critical hit when the target has CASE? No effect because the ammo was already destroyed?

Nope, another Ammo bay is hit with the same results.

[Desert Scribe]

Thanks, that makes sense.

By the way, what does CASE stand for?

[Lanceman]

Thanks, that makes sense.

By the way, what does CASE stand for?

Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment.

[Desert Scribe]

I appreciate all your help. It's going to be fun getting back into this.

[Weirdguy]

For those of us who want more critical hits, use the optional rule from AS Commders Edition on page 174 called “Multiple Attack Rolls”.  This is the rule where each point of damage is treated as an individual attack hit roll.

This has the effect of tripling the amount of Crits a game can have, more or less.  Probably more.

First, because the more attacks you roll are more opportunities to roll a 12.   

Second, mechs can get hit in their internal structure more often.  Instead of a game where an armor stripped mech with 4 internal structure takes 4 damage all at once, instead it takes 1 or 2 damage over 3-4 turns, getting a crit each time. 

We use it now, and I can confirm we see it.  It’s a lot more fun this way, at least for us.

[Charistoph]

For those of us who want more critical hits, use the optional rule from AS Commders Edition on page 174 called “Multiple Attack Rolls”.  This is the rule where each point of damage is treated as an individual attack hit roll.

This has the effect of tripling the amount of Frits a game can have, more or less.  Probably more.

First, because the more attacks you roll are more opportunities to roll a 12.   

Second, mechs can get hit in their internal structure more often.  Instead of a game where an armor stripped mech with 4 internal structure takes 4 damage all at once, instead it takes 1 or 2 damage over 3-4 turns, getting a crit each time. 

We use it now, and I can confirm we see it.  It’s a lot more fun this way, at least for us.

This is mostly false.  Each hit is not considered a different Attack unless it comes from a different source.  So even if you roll 5 12's, but don't hit Structure, it's only one Critical hit roll.  It's stated under the 4th bold entry "Natural 12", after the "Heat, Flak and Special Weapon Attacks" entry.

However, it does improve the odds of a Critical Hit, I do grant that consideration.

[Lorcan Nagle]

Hello! New guy here, and this is my first post. I just got the Alpha Strike boxed set (reading the free online rules convinced me), and I'm excited to get back into the universe of giant stompy robots.

I played Battletech back when it first came out, and played Alpha Strike once at a game convention several years ago. These days, I have more money and less time than I did as a teen, and I enjoy Alpha Strike's quicker game play--it's like Federation Commander in comparison to Starfleet Battles.

Right now, I am working on getting the Mechs painted and understanding the rules so I can run a scenario for my gaming group. As I do that, I have a couple of questions about critical hits:

• When rolling attacks, a natural 12 is a critical hit, but does the target also take damage in the usual manner? I want to say yes based on the yes/no process on page 21 of the quick-start rulebook, but it's not explicitly spelled out.
• If a natural 12 attack also damages the target's structure, does it result in a second critical hit? Same reasoning as above.

Thanks in advance!

On top of all this, if you have infantry do an anti-mech attack which hit with a roll of 12 and damages structure, that's three chances of critical hits - one for damage to the structure, one for rolling a 12, and one from the AM attack.

[Weirdguy]

This is mostly false.  Each hit is not considered a different Attack unless it comes from a different source.  So even if you roll 5 12's, but don't hit Structure, it's only one Critical hit roll.  It's stated under the 4th bold entry "Natural 12", after the "Heat, Flak and Special Weapon Attacks" entry.

However, it does improve the odds of a Critical Hit, I do grant that consideration.

Well, I’ll be damned.  It does say that. 

Easy fix.  Don’t use that sub-rule.  We don’t.  We like it that way, too.

Before the switch we we barely ever getting critical hits.  Typically, a mech was fine, then stripped of armor from a successful attack, then dead. 

Having a lower damage per turn, but more damage more often makes the game feel like a return to form as a game of attrition.  You’re firing ALL of your mech’s guns, not just one big, single gun.  Because it trickles out damage over time the internal structure gets hit more often on different turns.  Each turn is an opportunity to get a critical hit.  All it takes is 1 damage.

It’s also better for kids who hate it when they fail an attack roll. Playing rules-as-written they shoot their guns, and one bad dice roll later they’re upset because they missed with their one, and only, shot at the enemy.  I like giving my kid more chances to shoot, then shoot again, and again.   It “feels” more fun this way, and less frustrating.

And critical hits started becoming more common.