Hello. I've recently acquired the Tactical Operations book. I'm not afraid of complicated or excessive amount of rules if they enhance the game in a good way (I play Advanced Squad Leader too and that comes with a big rules BINDER so I'm used to it).
I played a couple of MegaMek games and basically enabled EVERY advanced rule they have to offer. I find MegaMek a good tool for learning rules because if forces you to play them correctly. I did notice that many of the TacOps rules are not available in MegaMek, at least not yet, so I haven't have experience with them.
Overall I've been enjoying the rules additions, except for a couple which I really don't like. It left me with an impression that since every rule in TacOps are optional, it's left to the players to separate the wheat from the chaff. I'd like to hear from the community if there are rules that are generally not used for one reason or another and I'd like to hear why.
Here's some rules I didn't like:
Engine Explosions (p.77)(Wasn't this supposed to be impossible according to the lore?)
Sure, big explosions are fun, but I think the chances of it happening is way too high (need 10 with 2d6). I've only played a couple of games using this rule and already I'm dreading engaging in close combat or being in vicinity of other Mechs altogether. I could see myself enjoying the rule if the chances were way smaller (need 12). But right now... nah.
On the other hand I'm cool with the similar Ammo Explosion rule.
I hear it was Stackpole who came up with these majestic Mech explosions but I haven't yet read so far. This surely never happened in the Gray Death stories.
Woods Cover (p.84)I tried this once. Never again. I'm not too keen on Mechs turtling in Heavy Woods being immune to everything but the biggest weapons. Or even in Lights Woods being immune to SRMs etc. Sure you can reduce the woods eventually in that hex, in which case you just move to the next wooded hex. Not my idea of fun. Ugh.
Energy Weapons and dialing down their damage and heat (p.102)I REALLY don't like what this does to the game even though I do appreciate the idea behind it. Here's three reasons why I don't like it:
1. The more you dial them down the more heat efficient the weapons become. This way any mech can be tuned to be heat efficient and over all more efficient than without this rule. I believe this actually lessens the depth of this game and also makes the traditionally hot mechs just boring.
2. It slows down the game when you're constantly fine tuning and optimizing the damage/heat values. "So this turn I walked instead of running, so I can increase the damage of my other PPC by one...". Besides I don't recall the pilots in the books constantly fine tuning their weapon values, although I do admit I've only read four books so far. I do remember them constantly running hot and cursing not being able to fire that PPC in the fear of overheating.
3.
Munchy McMunchkin