From: z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: BTECH: Optional Rules Version 2.1
Date: 27 Sep 92 22:22:47 CST
Organization: Stephen F. Austin State University

Optional Rules for BattleTech			version 2.1

Weapons:
(1) Autocannon: First, if the AC is mounted on a wheeled, tracked, or naval
vehicle flip the ranges of the AC/2 and AC/20, and then of the AC/5 and AC/10. 
Next, take 3 tons off the weight of all ACs. Finally, if the AC is mounted on 
a wheeled, tracked, or naval vehicle, double the range.

(2) MGs: Cut the weight of the MG by one-half.

(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.

(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.

(5) Single Shot Missile Launchers: Ignore ammo weight (generally, the weight of
the ammo isn't any more than the loading mechanism, which isn't needed). Since 
the ammo is stored in the weapon, no critical space is needed for the ammo. 

(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.

Design
(1) Gyroscopes: Gyroscopes have their weight rounded to the nearest 0.1 ton.
For example, a 305 rated engine has a 3.1 ton gyroscope.

(2) Engines: In non-mechs, there is no added weight for a fusion plant, and 
ICEs have only a 50% increase in weight. Also, for vehicles, ignore the rule
about an engine needing to weight at least 20% of the vehicle's tonnage. 
However, very light engines might be damaged if moving a heavy vehicle. Roll
2d6, and compare it to the chart below every time the vehicle moves at flank
speed, and at the end of every day it fought:

	engine % of mass		engine failure
	----------------		--------------
	5% or less			10,11,12
	6-10%				11,12
	11-19%				12

If the engine fails, speed drops to 1, and no energy weapons may be fired.
Each turn thereafter, if the vehicle moves faster than cruising speed, a 
roll of 9+ on 2d6 indicates the engine dies.

(3) Cockpits: Cockpits under 3 tons are available. A 2 ton cockpit costs
half as much, but the pilot is at +1 to all rolls, and the maximum cockpit
armor is 6 points. A 1 ton cockpit costs one fourth as much as a normal one,
but the pilot is +2 to all rolls, and can only have 3 points of armor. An
extra large cockpit can be made, at double cost, and +1 ton, to hold a second
crewman. Either crewman may fire weapons, but any weapon may only be fired once
per turn. One crewman is designated the pilot, and has normal piloting rolls.
The second crewman (usually referred to as the weapons officer) may pilot in
an emergency, at a +2 penalty. An extra crewman takes up the one free head
critical space. On vehicles, extra crewmen do not have vehicle controls (they
are usually gunners), and take up only 0.5 tons each.

(4) VTOL speed: Double the VTOL lift factors (yes, this will make VTOLs very
fast, but they should be!).

(5) Troop Capacity: Regular infantry take 0.15 tons, laser or MG troops take 
0.25 tons, and jump troops take 0.35 tons per individual.

(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.

(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]

Movement
(1) Rather than use the move-and-fire system given, a different system is used.
The 10 second turn is broken down into 5 2-second phases. A unit chooses its 
speed at the beginning of the turn, and consults the table below to see when it 
moves:
			phase number
	move	1	2	3	4	5
	----	-	-	-	-	-
	1	-	-	X	-	-
	2	-	X	-	X	-
	3	X	-	X	-	X
	4	X	X	-	X	X
	5	X	X	X	X	X

	Each 'X' means the unit may move one hex. For units with a speed over
5, divide by five, and keep the remainder. Multiply the hexes a move 5 unit
would move with the non-remainder result. The unit also moves when a unit with
a move equal to the remainder would move. Examples: A locust is  walking at 8.
It would move one hex each phase (as move 5), and on phases 1,3, and 5 as a
move 3 unit in addition, for a total of 2 hexes on phases 1,3, and 5, and
1 hex on phases 2 and 4. A fast VTOL, at move 17, would go 4 hexes in phases 1,
3, and 5, and 3 hexes in phases 2 and 4. If two units would move in the same
phase, the faster unit goes first. If speed is equal, the character with the 
better piloting/driving skill decides when he moves for that phase.

	An attack may be declared at any time in a phase, before or after
movement. If the target unit is currently moving, then combat is resolved after
it end movement for that phase. Any given character may only fire *once* per
phase, and firing more than once per turn incurs a penalty. A given weapon
may only be fired once per turn [optional: you can set up ROF of guns if you 
wish, allowing them to fire more than once per turn -- generally, the lighter 
the weapon, the higher the rate of fire]

	Heat is dissapated at the end of each turn, and all heat build-up is
only applied at the end of each round [optionally, you can keep track of the
effects of heat buildup each phase, but heat dissapation should occur each
phase as well. The Movement Phase Chart can be used for this, substituting
heatsinks for move. Thus, a mech with 10 heatsinks will dissapate 2 points of
heat per phase.]

	When determining to-hit modifiers for movement, use the distance the
unit has moved since the start of the turn, not just for that phase.

	A mech that jumps must jump in phase 1 and will land in phase 5.
A mech cannot attack while jumping, and cannot move before it jumps. Firing
at a mech that is jumping is at +4.

	The free hexside change that all units recieve takes place in the
unit's *last* phase it can move.

Taking Damage:
(1) Rather than a unit having to be 'sand blasted' in one location before
internal damage is taken, the following rules can be used:

	(a) Divide the armor in each location by 1/2 (round up). When designing
	new units, one ton of armor equals 4 points of armor. For mechs, the
	armor value in any location cannot exceed IS  (exception: head armor
	can be 5 points)

	(b) Each weapon does a certain amount of damage, based on its listed
	value:
		listed			actual
		2			1d-3 (min=1)
		5			2d-2 (min=1)
		8			2d+1
		10			3d6
		20			6d6

	Missiles still do the same fixed damage (but see below).

	(c) When an attack is successful, compare the damage of the weapon
	to the armor of the hit location. If the weapon damage is higher,
	the attack breaches the armor, destroying one point of armor. Check
	for a critical: if there is no critical, the damage that gets through
	directly damages the internal structure. If the weapon damage is less
	than or equal to the armor rating, but at least equal to half the 
	armor value, the armor is reduced by 1 point. If the weapon value is
	less than 1/2 the armor value, there is no effect. Missiles are a
	special case: missiles directly damage armor on a 2 points of damge
	to 1 point of armor ratio. They affect IS normally.

Brandon Cope