Full on (minus typos).
Ok, just remember you asked for it... ::) I'll go through it in some more detail after playtesting another scenario or two, and may just post a marked up PDF rather than posting a mini-novella of edits, if you think that would work.
Some people want fluffy, video-gamey rules, so we tried to accommodate that. They're deliberately unrealistic, and thus optional.
Some people want to eat a well-done tetatae burger in front of these people, and then let them know the thing's going extinct once I finish the last two patties. :brew:
I have no idea why some vehicles were made multi-hex. At the same time, this deals with production issues, in that the model is going to be based on renders already complete and printed using those renders. So they're not changing.
I see. In that case, I think it would make the rules much simpler if they just treat the Asset as 1-hex unit, regardless of the size of the mini. That is, I would write the rule along the following lines:
- Multi-hex tokens include a small black hexagon on one hex. When moving, that is the only hex the Asset is considered to occupy. Specifically, the Asset pays its movement cost based on the terrain (and any elevation change) of any hex entered by this part of the Asset's token. This hex is also the only one that matters for determining LOS for the Asset and any unit that attacks the Asset, and it is the only hex that matters for determining any terrain modifiers (including intervening terrain) when the Asset is attacked.
, However, at the end of movement, the player must legally be able to place the full token.
There is an idea to release the full-on, points and all, assume-the-reader-has-all-the-rules version in a future sourcebook.
I thought that might be the case, which actually makes me double down on the earlier suggestion. The full Chaos Campaign rules are in the back of
CC:SW and in the latest
CampaignOps. So, there is precedent for this. Plus, there already look to be some things in the current draft that I would move to an "Expanded and Optional Rules" section. The main ones that immediately come to mind are:
--The Veteran Skill Rating option (and I think this might open the door a bit to expanding and allow for Green and Elite Assets, which would make the rules more compatible with campaign play, the future Force Manuals, etc.)
--Urban Movement and Combat Rules (since these are in
BMM but not the AGoAC or CI boxed sets)
--The video game Support Asset rules
--Something about the Passive specials (the cryptic note to just ignore them all over the cards and wait until another product gives more detail is probably going to be very unsatisfying for players)
--Anti-'Mech BA (and maybe Infantry) rules [Swarm attacks are referenced on p. 4 but never described... see below]
--Maybe other things like that are referenced in
BMM that players may run into if they took playing with Assets and 'Mechs using those rules (for example: advanced terrain and weather, hidden unit rules, maybe forced withdrawal rules?)
I managed to play through a scenario with Assets on both sides (but did not use strikes). It was a 6k vs. 6k fight using the BV Force Building rules in the draft (so 1 BSP = 30 BV). It ended up being 2 vs. 2 'Mechs, each with either 2 lances of vehicles or 1 vehicle lance and 1 BA/infantry company. FWIW, the actual BV for each side (i.e., directly from the MUL) was closer to 7500 vs. 7100, so the conversion was closer to 40 BV:1 BSP. I essentially played it as a Hold the Line/Breakthrough scenario, and the defenders managed to win handily.
Before I go into too much detail on thoughts from one playthrough, I had a couple more questions:
1. How set in stone are the rules ported over from
BoT? Because most of the game balance issues I ran into stem from those rules, and I had a few suggestions how to deal with them. The most notable things I noticed right off the bat were:
--VTOLs are likely too deadly vs. most Assets < 70 tons, especially vs. low-TMM ones. Between their MP and TMM, they are able to easily get into the rear of most Assets on the map and add the 5 damage bonus to their piddly 3 pts, which is usually enough to force a DCTR roll and destroy the unit. With the TMM, it is very difficult for an Asset to counter the attack (starting with a 10+ to-hit)
--A kick from any 'Mech of at least 25 tons is enough to wipe out an entire BA squad/point (
Sweep the leg, Johnny!)
--Larger vehicles with a TMM of 2+ become great for sticking on a wooded hill to create a nice kill zone. This wouldn't be too OP if it weren't for the +2 TMM (or more) they get while sitting still
--In general, the first playthrough made me want to keep track of whether adding Assets to the game felt more like the combined arms were augmenting the tactics I'd normally use in a 'Mech-only game, or whether they were just adding cannon fodder to the game board (still TBD at this point).
2. Also, how set in stone is the format of the Asset Cards? Coming at it from the point of view of a new player, there are likely a couple bits of info missing that would not be obvious to them (like motive type). And in a minor-but-maybe-not-minor point, there are too many items that start with a "D" (DV, Damage, DCTR). I found myself getting tripped up on the Asset's attacking damage and its Destroy roll a few times.
Independent of those questions, here are some comments on the rules draft that I ran into when playing that were either clearly missing from the draft, or just unclear what the rule should be:
a. When describing alternating deployment and movement of Assets, it might be worth making clear that the player can move the greater half of Assets second when they have an odd number of Assets and both sides have Assets deployed (i.e., if a player has 7 Assets, he/she can deploy/move 3 the first round, and then 4 the second round).
b. You might need a special subsection on BA/Infantry movement and combat. Things that were missing from these rules that have their
TW-version included in the CI box set rulebook:
--there is nothing mentioned about whether/how BA can mount/dismount an OmniMech (or OmniAsset?)
--as noted above, Swarm attacks are referenced but there is nothing to describe what they are or how to conduct them (presumably the same is true for Leg Attacks, if allowed).
--I'd also suggest that these might be candidates for the "Expanded and Optional Rules" section I suggested above.
c. There is nothing about terrain restrictions for infantry (and the Mot/Mech version in particular) -- do they still have restrictions even though the motive type is abstracted here?
d. It was unclear if a friendly 'Mech or Asset could
pass through a hex occupied by 2 friendly units during their movement (only clear that it cannot end its movement in such a hex)
e. Especially for newer players, the Combat Section should probably be explicit about the rules for when Assets can declare and roll for attacks relative to each other and to the 'Mechs (this can matter for who gets a kill, who is more likely to crit a 'Mech, etc., in a scenario)
f. It was unclear if vehicle Assets apply a +1 THM when attacking BA (same for 'Mechs for that matter, though it is specified in the CI box set rules for them)
g. If VTOLs are always assumed to be 2 levels above their hex's terrain, does intervening terrain ever matter for their attacks? [I'm guessing no except for maybe very high elevations, but this should likely be made explicit in the rules.]