This workbook was created to do the basic number crunching for creating BattleTech conventional infantry platoons using the rules in TechManual & Tactical Operations. To fully understand how this spreadsheet works you should be familiar with those rules since this workbook does not prevent construction rules violations.
There are only 20 real inputs in this spreadsheet: 17 pulldown menus & 4 number inputs. Pulldown menus:
Infantry Type,
Infantry Specialty,
Engineering Specialty,
XCT Training category,
Gunnery Skill TN,
Secondary Weapons Per Squad,
Anti-‘Mech Attack Equipment,
Anti-‘Mech Skill TN,
Primary Weapon Type & Model,
Secondary Weapon Type & Model,
Disposable Weapon Model,
Field Gun/Field Artillery Model,
Infantry Armor Type,
Riding Beast Species.
Numerical Inputs:
Soldiers Per Squad/Riding Beasts Per Platoon
Number of Squads,
Paramedics Assigned,
Number of Field Guns/Field Artillery.
Title blocks for unit name and notable units are also provided for the TRO.
There are approximately 40 user defined functions in this spreadsheet so you will have to have macros enabled for it to function. I have utilized conditional formatting to grey out or highlight different cells based on selections to help guide the creation process.
Note when selecting the Beast Mounted platoon type 2 cells automatically go red. They will not change color until a riding beast species is chosen in the Beast Mounted Infantry stats block further down the worksheet. This is because certain parameters of a beast mounted platoon are based on the size of the animal. Field guns and field artillery work similarly.
There are several things you need to understand concerning the anti-‘Mech capability in this spreadsheet. Of course the basic capability is based on infantry platoon type, but in the latest version of the TechManual errata something has been added; if a platoon is capable, but not trained or equipped its mass and BV are adjusted.
All infantry types capable of anti-‘Mech attacks have had their individual soldier masses reduced by 15kg. If a soldier is anti-‘Mech attack trained and equipped the soldier’s mass increases 15kg. In the spreadsheet the default is to assume that if the basic platoon type is capable of anti-‘Mech attacks it is equipped and trained, which effects cost. In the Anti-‘Mech Training block you must chose “No” on the Equipped dropdown menu to adjust the mass and cost of the platoon down. If an infantry armor type is chosen that is encumbering the anti-‘Mech stats will adjust accordingly.
This spreadsheet calculates Battle Values, the base, and adjusted. The base BV is standard design BV, which is in turn based of a gunnery skill of 4 and an anti-‘Mech skill of 5. If a platoon is anti-‘Mech capable but not trained or equipped the base BV is adjusted down in accordance with the TechManual errata v3.1. The adjusted BV is of course adjusted based on the platoons gunnery and anti-‘Mech skill levels input via their respectively dropdown lists.
One of my goals with this latest version of the sheet was to have it create a canon style TRO automatically so all you had to do was copy and paste it into sheet or a word document for saving. I’ve come really close. You will need to manually bold parts of the text to exactly copy the canon TRO. I have also added some lines, to reflect such things as disposable weapons, which are used in the published platoons so far.
I cannot say everything is 100% accurate, but I have worked pretty hard to follow the design calculation process exactly. Please let me know if you see problems and I will try to resolve them as quickly as I can.
All constructive criticism is appreciated. Enjoy.
Duane “Boilerman” Bywaters
battletech.boilerman@gmail.com
5/6/2013
A few other things:
Some of the damage values and BV values for the weapons might not be accurate. I tried to verify everything, and Herb can attest to the fact that I badgered him quite a few times about infantry weapon stats but I may have missed something. I do plan on going through the stats again ASAP. On the various equipment pages I have put in some of my own equipment stats. Most of the ones added just changed the name and availability dates. By the way, my “Battle Rifle” is simply an M&G G-150 rifle with a larger magazine. I use it to represent something like an M14 or FN FAL.
I think that will get you started. I will try to flesh this out over the next few days or so to make it more complete. Just remember the key things are the dropdown menus and number inputs for “Squad per Squad,” “Number of Squads” and “Paramedics Assigned” and for beasts and field guns when those options are selected.