Author Topic: setting up classic campaigns  (Read 3606 times)

Grotsmeg

  • Guest
setting up classic campaigns
« on: 28 May 2011, 18:35:23 »
after getting back into battletech with the classic box set coming out im getting my wargaming friends interested.
but i want more than single games.

any advice on setting up campaigns, im thinking each player owns a lance of x tonnage and we fight each other using scenarios's with mechwarrior skill progression.  we might have between 4 and 6 players so im hoping to keep this a rolling campaign


willydstyle

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2141
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #1 on: 28 May 2011, 18:51:40 »
I think if you're looking at running balanced scenarios BV2 is better than tonnage, even for intro-tech. It sounds like you're setting up something fun though.

Grotsmeg

  • Guest
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #2 on: 29 May 2011, 12:41:29 »
?BV2 seems even for an ex experienced gamer i need to catch up on the latest TLA's :D

mensa12345

  • Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 153
  • FedCom Forever!!!
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #3 on: 29 May 2011, 13:03:28 »
Tonnage is fine when you're using 3025.  The real issue is to find a nice mix of mechs so new (or returning) players get a good feel for what each class is supposed to do.  I would start off with two mechs each.  Make sure each player gets a heavy or assault and a light or fast medium (as much as possible).  That way they don't get stuck in the "bigger is better" syndrome.
That which is Seen cannot be Unseen.

Greyhind

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 635
  • I'm Watching You
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #4 on: 29 May 2011, 13:06:05 »
BV is a points buy system used because some 'mechs are more inefficient than others.

willydstyle

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2141
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #5 on: 29 May 2011, 13:30:22 »
I like BV2 because by Tonnage the Charger and Scorpion are some of the biggest wasters of tonnage allowance ever, and the WVR-6M is almost hands-down the best mech to take.  Using BV2, all of these mechs have *much* more appropriate costs.

blackjack

  • When you're a professional pirate ...
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1008
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #6 on: 30 May 2011, 11:02:57 »
theres a master list of the bv at the main site & rpg drivethru. its free. i have a list of the bvs for the box set on my other pc.
#704

blackjack

  • When you're a professional pirate ...
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1008
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #7 on: 30 May 2011, 11:08:27 »
Mech type             BV                                 Mech type           BV


Banshee 3E          1422                               Atlas 7D             1897
Awesome  8Q       1605                               Cyclops 10Z        1317
Zeus  6S              1348                               Catapult C1         1399
Grasshopper 5H    1427                               Dervish 6M          1146
Jagermech 6S        901                               Trebuchet 5N       1191
Quickdraw 4G       1192                                Hunchback 4G   1041
Dragon 1N            1125                                Enforcer 4R        1032
Vindicator 1R        1024                               Whitworth 1          982
Hermes II 2S          784                                Cicada 2a            659
Clint 2-3T               770                                Assasin 21           749
Panther 9R            769                                Jenner D               875
Commando 2D       541                                Spider 5V             622

          Total BV  13908                                            Total BV 13910

#704

Grotsmeg

  • Guest
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #8 on: 30 May 2011, 11:50:27 »
BV (and BV2) seems a really good plan and makes up for some of the issues.

The last game i played i took 4 mechs against 2 other players working together so they had 2 mechs each (same tonnage limit)
worked well as they are experiences wargamers just new to battletech. 

Will look into replacing tonnage with  BV though makes a lot of sense.

Grotsmeg

  • Guest
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #9 on: 01 June 2011, 02:24:42 »
So in a campaign how do you guys work out how to repair mechs and get ammo?
What i would like to do is also set up a system where you can buy and upgrade mechs?

Mendrugo

  • Freelance Writer
  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5954
  • Manei Tetatae
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #10 on: 01 June 2011, 03:50:38 »
For the campaign, give each unit a budget for supplies, which they can allocate for replacement armor plating, ammo reloads, etc.  If you use a simple spreadsheet, you can track how much of each kind of ammo and other spare parts the unit has, and also where it's located.

If you want to get more detailed, you can mock up a Planetary Invasion map of the world being fought over, and designate major cities and other points of interest there (forts, factories, DropPorts, seaports, maglev rail lines, etc.)  Use that map to determine the deployment of the defending forces, and the locations of their supply dumps. 

If your players' unit runs low on supplies, they can try to raid a supply dump or hit a munitions factory. 

For buying and upgrading 'Mechs, that's sort of hard to do in the field.  If you're on a major mercenary world (like Outreach, Galatea, Le Blanc, Solaris VII), there'll be options for buying new equipment for the unit.  Or, you can place an order with a major corporation that sells to the mercenary market.  However, most worlds won't have a Used 'Mech Lot for you to buy from, especially not during active fighting.

In the 3050s and beyond, some manufacturers sell 'Field Upgrade Kits', which contain the necessary components to change one variant into another.  These mostly feature weapon and armor modifications.  Changing out the engine size or upgrading to endo-steel usually requires a full factory teardown and refit. 

For a campaign like that, I'd go with C-Bills as the standard method of balancing assets.  This allows you to use C-Bills to purchase new equipment and supplies without having to deal with C-Bill to BV conversions.
"We have made of New Avalon a towering funeral pyre and wiped the Davion scourge from the universe.  Tikonov, Chesterton and Andurien are ours once more, and the cheers of the Capellan people nearly drown out the gnashing of our foes' teeth as they throw down their weapons in despair.  Now I am made First Lord of the Star League, and all shall bow down to me and pay homa...oooooo! Shiny thing!" - Maximillian Liao, "My Triumph", audio dictation, 3030.  Unpublished.

Demos

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 1602
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #11 on: 01 June 2011, 05:21:01 »
I'd try the "Chaos Campaign" (free download available at BattleCorps).

It gives you a simplified campagin tool for purchasing new mechs, repairing damaged ones and improving pilots (IMO not very balanced, but it could adjusted, of course).
If you invest the money in e.g. starterbook: Sword and Dragon or the Era Report 3062/2063 you will get also a set of basic scenarios compatible with the Chaos campaign mentioned above (which could be linked of course to a campaign).
It's worth the money...
"WoB - Seekers of Serenity, Protectors of Human Purity, Enforcers of Blake's Will!"

Rael

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 638
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #12 on: 01 June 2011, 10:26:27 »
Yeah, the Chaos Campaign's warchest points system is way simpler than the full c-bills+supplies breakdown. I think it would be best to at least start with the Chaos system so you're not overloading new players with huge amounts of detail.

Reaver

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 615
  • 10 XP from 2nd level commoner
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #13 on: 01 June 2011, 15:03:10 »
So in a campaign how do you guys work out how to repair mechs and get ammo?
What i would like to do is also set up a system where you can buy and upgrade mechs?

Repair and resupply can be as simple, or as complicated, as you feel your fellow wargamers can handle.  I'm not familiar with Strategic Operations (which I believe is the manual that covers the actual rules involving repair), so you may want a very stripped down system:  let them select a limited list of supplies they brought with them, create a small inventory of items that can be fabricated on planet (usually, you're talking about ammunition and gyroscopes, although some planets have facilities that allow construction of more advanced components), and let them keep track of what they can haul off after they kill it.  What they can haul is usually a DM decision of how much time they have set against how much they can haul and what they can haul with.  A mech can carry about 10% of its own bodyweight if it has working hand actuators, and with some time (really DM discretion) any mech can be rigged up to tow up to its own body weight behind it, although that takes some time and manpower to accomplish.

Buying and upgrading mechs isn't usually possible within the course of a campaign.  Very few planets have mechs for sale, and fewer still have mechs that are good for anything more than spare parts on the block.  Upgrading is a little easier, but basically, you're limited to modifying the mech and hoping not to unbalance it on the fly.
The Federated Suns.  Exporting freedom, whether we have it or not, whether you want it or not.
--Pyro

Grotsmeg

  • Guest
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #14 on: 01 June 2011, 15:55:30 »
cheers guys, downloaded and going to have a read. looks good though.

MistWolf

  • Master Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 351
  • Have Gauss, Will Travel
Re: setting up classic campaigns
« Reply #15 on: 05 June 2011, 05:27:43 »
For starting units in a new campaign, we usually assign each player four pilots and a limit of 170 tons or so, with no single mech being heavier than 55 tons (unless a player chooses to be a Steiner House unit ;D). Tech level is limited to 3025 to start and players may choose to delete small lasers, machineguns and flamers for more armor and/or heatsinks and can mover rear mounted lasers to the front. (We start with mechs only and add other unit types as the campaign progresses). The limit of four pilots to begin usually ensures players can only field four mechs at a time so somebody doesn't opt to go with the "Plague of Locusts".

Toss in a bit of starting cash and it usually means everyone starts off with unique choices that will roughly balance out
Obviously jumping into close proximity of a supernova is not going to be good for your warranty

"House Davion, soon after its inception, established itself as a force for freedom in the Inner Sphere. Again, though, this is a relative term. House Davion does not support the Communist, hippie, let’s-all-take-care-of-each-other kind of freedom. No. They have always worked more along the lines of the we-will-occasionally-need-to-invade-your-nation-because-you-don’t-strike-us-as-freedom-loving-enough kind of freedom. To their credit, House Davion leaders occasionally mention the concept of “freedom” as a positive thing, which puts them a ways ahead of peer, say, House Liao and House Kurita" -Battlerun- Best Ever