(Mostly) True Scale Alpha Strike?

[Descronan]

Our mechs are based on 1/285 scale. Alpha Strike, at 15m per inch is 1/591 scale or "close enough" to half the size. I was thinking of running a game by doubling the Alpha Strike movement and ranges so that the minis were "True" scale. That way, Infantry can actually cross the street from building to building without getting crushed like Frogger.

On the down side, my 4x8 table suddenly feels very small as long range is literally the entire length of the table.

My main reason for doing this is because I want to experiment with more infantry and infantry support style games where tight streets and alleys are only 1 inch wide and buildings aren't twice as big as they appear on the table.

Has anyone done this and have any words of caution or recommendations?

[cavingjan]

Wouldn't it be simpler to simply reduce the size of the infantry base?

[Tai Dai Cultist]

A problem with the approach is minis are not universally scaled. Especially so for infantry.

Something that might help make infantry more useful is to use and abuse the transporting units rules to their full potential.  Fast APCs are amazing force multipliers for infantry. Also don't forget how easy it is for infantry to go "hull down" in most terrain.

If you're willing to go through the bother  of big house rules, my suggestion would be to reduce the base damage CI takes (how many guys is a gauss slug really going to kill anyway?) but introduce an Anti-infantry special for mechs with appropriate anti-infantry weapons to avoid that damage reduction.

[Scotty]

Anti-Infantry as a Special is something I really want to see happen.

[Descronan]

I have already addressed infantry survivability by splitting infantry platoons into 1 ton strike teams. They do 0*/0*/-- for laser troops and only have 1 structure. I'm not sure if I'll be using Jump troops for the test.

By spreading out the troops they can survive multiple attacks compared to a platoon getting wiped out in one shot by a heavy mech. It also allowed me to make use of all of these infantry transports that only have IT1. It does cost a bit more PV for 3 tons of troops, but you get more flexibility, spotters, etc. so it balances out IMO.

Personally, I don't see doubling range and movement as a "big house rule". We routinely play on a 4x4 play area so that on round 1 shots can be fired. But zooming in like this makes a 4x8 table effectively 2x4. But with ample cover, long range will be fairly ineffective anyway. As long as both players agree to it, I don't see a big issue.

Creating a new anti-infantry special is complicated as it is unsupported by the existing rules/AS cards. All units with MGs should have it IMO, but there's no easy way to identify them by the AS cards.

Changing infantry base size isn't possible in most cases. Most of the guys in our group are using standard 1.25 inch hexes or the Clix infantry. But with the extra movement distance, they could just enter buildings I suppose.

[ActionButler]

Anti-Infantry as a Special is something I really want to see happen.

So much this. 

[OpacusVenatori]

Didn't MechWarrior: Age of Destruction attacks cause only 1 point of damage to infantry, unless that attack have the Special Ability "Anti-Infantry"? or Am I lost?

[cavingjan]

Only energy attacks were reduced to 1 damage.

[GoldBishop]

As my group primarily plays AlphaStrike nowadays, we've switched the basing format from "hex-sized" to "penny-sized" for all ground-based infantry types (CI and BA)

The largest reason for this has been Hobby budget (or lack thereof during car maintenance month).  For instance, I made a blister of Elementals stretch into 30 individual units, allowing for 6 stars worth to be fielded (whether actual unit or proxy).  We will still use hexes for diorama pieces, but those days are few and far between

One of the beneficial effects of going to the "penny-sized" has been concealment/cover against LoS.  My group avoids the "template" and usually play "As seen" ...so on a map with 1/2" walls, my BA (and now CI) can actually hide against enemies... where, when attacking a hex-base, the rule of "if I can see half---" meant that supposed cover was lost.

Also, since "penny-sized" can still fit onto a hex, we have no issues going back and playing in Classic/TW.  Its a win-win in my corner of the internet.

...As far as "Anti-Infantry" specials?  I wouldn't mind "AI", but instead of having more specialized weapons dealing more damage against infantry (I'm looking at you, Heat and AoE attacks) I think there should be less damage done by non-infantry weapons... the way it is in Standard/TW.

Off-hand, I would treat "AI" like "CASE" (only a required listing, with a passive PV cost) but there would need to be some write-up around Attacks against Infantry to include something like "reduce damage by half unless the attacker possesses the AI or HT specials" and elsewhere in the paragraph "still takes full damage from AoE and HT attacks" (FR still ignores heat attacks).  ...But this is spiraling off topic, so I'll stop myself here.

[Scotty]

My ideal AI Special would include the sum of damage that a unit can deal to an infantry unit and the text "use this value if the target of your weapon attack is a conventional infantry unit."

[Tai Dai Cultist]

My ideal AI Special would include the sum of damage that a unit can deal to an infantry unit and the text "use this value if the target of your weapon attack is a conventional infantry unit."

You sir think like a true genius.

[Descronan]

Another option would be to say that infantry takes 1/2 damage from all units except other infantry and AOE. This accounts for infantry being spread out and allows them to survive more than 1 round against most mechs. And it doesn't require another special ability.

Can you explain why you feel like an AI ability is needed? With a full platoon having a total of 3 points, I don't see that big of a need. I'm looking for insight, not to criticize.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

In my opinion, AI would be nice to differentiate between what's good at what.  What medium mech would you prefer to send against infantry: A Hunchback or a Vulcan?

In AS, damage is damage is damage.  The Hunchback's 4 damage value is simply > than a Vulcan's 2.  The Hunchback gets to be better at killing hard targets AND PBIs. 

Sure, in AS the HBK's PV reflects that it's simply a better mech, but the mechs designed for anti-infantry duties:

1) aren't able to kill infantry the way they were designed to unless they have a raw damage stat of at least 3
2) are worse at the job they're specialized for than mechs NOT designed to do their job.