From: z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: BTECH: Optional Rules Version 2.1
Date: 6 Oct 92 09:39:51 CST
Organization: Stephen F. Austin State University

In article <2316@cix.cict.fr>, dutech@reseau.Berkeley.EDU (Groupe ELEVES) writes:
> In article <1992Sep27.222247.1218@ccsvax.sfasu.edu>,
> z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu writes:
>> Optional Rules for BattleTech			version 2.1
>> (3) Energy Weapons: Every time an energy weapon fires, it drains
> available power
>> from the powerplant. The power drained equals (damage+heat) of the weapon(s).
>> Subtract this number from the old engine rating to give the new engine
> rating. 
>> Divide this by the mech's tonnage, and drop fractions, to get the mech's new
>> walking speed. This is the mech's effective speed on the next turn. A
> mech that
>> does not fire energy weapons does not drain power.
> 
>   Let's go for another round of computation nightmare. BT is fairly easy
> to play. Let's keep it that way. Or, if you want to increase realism, 
> try to improve the armor rules.

	I'll admit that this is cumbersome, but it is a problem that needs to
be addressed. Aside from generating heat (which ballistic weapons also do),
energy weapons seem to draw *no* energy from the powerplants.

> 
>> 
>> (4) Fractional Ammo Lots: ammunition for any weapon system may be bought in 
>> fractional lots. For example, LRM-20 ammo could be bought in .25 ton lots, if
>> desired. However, *each* ammo supply takes up a critical space, regardless of
>> weight. Also, it is recommended that the fractional lots be kept in
> 1/4 or 1/10
>> multiples, to keep recordkeeping from being a nightmare. Simply multiply the 
>> fractional lot desired by the full capacity, and drop fractions --
> this is the 
>> ammo capacity of that ammo lot.
> 
>   Yeah, why not. But why do .25 tons of ammo require the same space as
> 1 ton ? Just wondering.

	Probably for the same reason that a 20 ton and a 100 ton mech have the
same number of available spaces. For some insane reason, FASA felt that all
mechs should be the same height and have the same number of internal spaces,
regardless of tonnage. Hate to say this, but this is rarely true even with
modern vehicles.

>> 
>> (6) Multiple weapons and multiple targets: A mech pilot may only fire
>> at one target per phase. Also, he may only fire one weapon system (defined as
>> any single weapon or group of like weapons) without a penalty. For example,
>> a mech can fire 4 MGs at no penalty, but firing 2 MGs and 2 SRM-2s
> would cause
>> a penalty. Each additional weapon system fired is -1 to the roll, cumlative.
> 
>   Thgis doesn't account for the various targeting computers. Why do you
> think they are installed? Just to cope with multiple weapon fire.

	I should have said this at the intro, but these rules are designed to
be used with the old BT, prior to the Clan and Inner Sphere tecnology.

>> (6) Armor: Vehicles must allocate armor to their underside. For ground
> vehicles,
>> it will mainly be used againt mines. VTOLs, however, may have their underside
>> armor shot at by ground forces. Armor may be bought in fractional lots like 
>> ammo.
> 
>   OK. But then again, you must also consider top armor, in such a case.

	I considered this, but decided to just let the turret armor cover the
turret and top. However, you have a valid point, especially since there has
always been a significant difference WRT turret and top armor on modern
vehicles.

>> (7) Amphibious: Wheeled and tracked vehicles may be made amphibious. The 
>> necessary gear takes up 5% of the vehicle's tonnage, and the vehicle may not
>> weigh more than 20 tons. Amphibious speed is 1, unless cruise speed is 10+, 
>> in which case amphibious speed is 2. The vehicle's amphibious speed is its
>> maximum speed, but for purposes of heat buildup, treat as cruise speed.  
>> Amphibious vehicles may enter any depth of water, but may swamp.
> [still working on simple, but useable, swamping rules]
> 
>   I'd say that amphibious units may only enter depth 1 water hexes.
> 'Phibs are not subs.

	That's why I put a weight limit on the vehicle -- amphibious vehicles
are supposed to float, not drive along the bottom of the lake/river (I had
considered snorkelling rules, but decided that they weren't worth the trouble).

> 
>   [... stuff about movement deleted ...]
> 
>   This is interesting, but how do you handle terrain MP cost ? Do you
> delay the entrance of an hex until the unit has accumulated enough MP
> to enter it?

	In general, a unit may not save MPs from one phase to another. For
example, if a unit is supposed to use 3 MPs in Phase 2, it *must* use all
three MPS. The only exception to this is if the MPs from the phase is not
enough to enter an adjacent hex. In that case, the unit accumulates MPs until
it *can* enter that hex. Until the unit can pay all the points to enter the
hex, it is considered to be in its old one.

> 
>   [... stuff about armor deleted ...]
> 
>   I don't like the idea of rolling dices for weapon damage. I'd rather
> have an armor system based on FASA's Interceptor rules. It is reflective
> of ablative armor design, but still allows for weapon penetration, and
> makes difference between piercing weapons (like lasers) and "sand-
> -blasting" weapons (like the EPC). If you have a look at Centurion, you
> can find the projectile weapons templates. A bit of work for 'Mech
> armor/Internal Structure diagrams, but I think it's a good compromise.
> I may even test it someday.

	The problem with using fixed damage values is that it assumes that all
hits from the same weapon are equal, when in fact they are not.


Brandon Cope