Here's an idea I have for a campaign.
There is no skill progression or such, but there is spending from a warchest. Tell me what you think. Phell and I just finished a very loose FedCom Civil War campaign but for our upcoming Clan Wolf Invasion of 3069 campaign, I was thinking of something along these lines:
Simplfied BattleTech Campaign Rules
Each player starts with a 40 000 BV warchest.
A player spends from this warchest to field his units. The player does not have to decide on all her or his units for the whole campaign but can spend freely from this warchest on a game-to-game basis.
For every battle won, a player adds 2000 BV to her or his warchest. This is to simulate resources gained from taking possession of factories, cities, or other valuable targets.
For every battle lost, a player loses 1000 BV from her or his warchest. This is to simulate resources lost from losing possession of factories, cities, or other valuable targets.
Before a battle is played, scenario objectives should clearly define what constitutes a victory or loss at the end of a game.
‘Mechs destroyed or otherwise lost in battle have their BV subtracted from a player’s warchest. This includes the MechWarrior upgrade BV if the MechWarrior is killed or captured. If the MechWarrior successfully withdraws or is rescued, the extra BV paid for the MechWarrior is not deducted from the warchest.
A player gains 500 BV for each captured enemy MechWarrior plus the BV, if any, spent to upgrade that MechWarrior. This is to simulate ransom or intel gained from the captured enemy. MechWarriors, which have 1 MP, can be captured if picked up by enemy infantry or ‘Mechs or if they did not withdraw off their own side and were on the losing side of the scenario. Vehicles cannot capture. MechWarriors cannot commit suicide to evade capture unless they are Kuritan or Word of Blake. Whole cockpit ejection systems, such as that of the Hatchetman, automatically take the MechWarrior safely off the battlefield.
Salvaged ’Mechs return half their BV (not counting pilot upgrades) to a player’s warchest. Players can salvage enemy ’Mechs to increase their own warchest. A player who defeats all enemy units or forces them to withdraw can claim all salvage left on the battlefield. Salvage can also be dragged off the battlefield by the losing side across their deployment line if done before or as the game ends. ‘Mechs can be salvaged as long as their center torso was not completely destroyed. Three engine hits shuts down the engine shielding but does not destroy the ‘Mech utterly.
Vehicles with any destroyed location cannot be salvaged. The crews of immobilized vehicles can take a turn to scuttle (destroy) their vehicle. The crew of a scuttled vehicle then counts as an ejected MechWarrior but are only worth 100 BV plus upgrades.
Infantry facing unavoidable destruction can surrender rather than be destroyed and will only cost half the BV loss to the controlling player. Bandits, pirates, WOB, and, under certain circumstances, other units, can refuse a surrender to murder the surrendering infantry in order to cost the opponent more lost BV.
A campaign ends when one side can no longer field at least 6000 BV worth of units. A player with a warchest with less than 6000 BV can fight one last battle fielding what she or he can but if she or he loses that battle, the campaign is lost as well. The winning player then gains control of a planet or some other significant prize. If neither player can any longer field a 6000 BV force, one last battle can fought to decide the winner.
