From: bc@fccn01.fccn.pt (Luis Miguel Sequeira)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pbm
Subject: BattleTech PBeM?
Date: 12 Nov 1992 01:36:41 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

In article <1992Nov10.170739.2231@gacvx2.gac.edu>
wool8657@mach1.wlu.ca (john woolsey 9209 U) writes:

>I am currently working on an arena combat simulator, but I may progress on
>to a second game in the near future. What kind of battletech simulator would
>you wish???

Just posted to encourage John on his BattleTech simulator!

My sincere opinion: forget the arena combat simulator (let 'em have
DuelMasters if they want arena combat *that* much), surprise us with
the BattleTech simulator!!

The idea is, to say the least, genial. I must admit I never saw it
before on a PBM - but then, on the other hand, I don't subscribe to
any PBM magazine, and read few things outside the net. Thus, this
seems to me to be something quite original!

(Hope no FASA employees are reading this, they may censor the game
out...)

Seriuosly: some suggestions:

Each player obviously plays one 'Mech lance (4 'Mechs), one mercenary
group trying to get fame and honor from the battlefield (and - of
course - money!!!). I'd start with the basic types from BattleTech and
add later the possibility of creating new 'Mechs (by the rules). Also,
I'd stick at first with simple battles on pre-set scenarios, say two
lances against two others, or three vs. three, just to test combat,
and then proceed to large-scale campaigns.

Orders would be the following: movement, choice of weapons to fire,
and choose opponent to fire upon - for each 'mech, of course. This
would mimic the tabletop game, but, as in arena-type games, this would
mean that a lot of turns would be needed just to complete one battle.

Alternatively, the large-scale campaign. Here each player would have
his mercenary unit, and solving the economic problems to mantain his
lance on good shape to keep up with the possible contracts would be
the spice of the game. A list of contracts would be printed on the
reports, giving the players some chance of negotiation - best deals
would be accepted (like the first BattleTech game on the PC, but
having many players trying to make the same deal). This would mean
that the 5 houses would have to be played by the GM (or not?), as he
generated randomly new contracts...

However, players would be able to offer payment and add their own
contracts to the list. For example, player A accepts an extended
offensive campaign on some planet. He then thinks it over, and decides
that his lance would be better off with some exterior help. He puts an
ad on the list, requesting help for a part of the payment. Player B,
with a weak lance, and unable to find a good job, signs up. If this is
well made, players wouldn't know if they were being contracted by the
computer or by other players (the houses could also be split under
many players, and emit contracts, leaving the GM with free time to
keep bugs out of his program... :-) )

This would be, thus, an economic game. Combat would be much more
stylized, i. e., based on some points system. Stats for the 'Mechs
would be no problem, the problem would be choosing tactics which
reflect in some way the tabletop game. No ideas here; but you could
look up the rules of FASA's Battletech multi-player boardgame (sorry,
forgot the name; I've seen it, but I've never played it).

Combining the tactical game with the economic one would be quite
difficult, just because of the two different scales involved. Even if
one small battle lastes an average of twenty turns, this would mean
that each player would have some twenty turns of combat and one turn
of economics. And what about shorter or longer battles? If everyone is
involved in combat, and one player is finished at the second turn,
must he wait until all others finish their combats to get to the
economic part? Or should both be intermixed, i. e., you could be on
the battlefield at the same time that you deal your next contract (or
sell your 'mechs as scrap...)?

Don't know what to say. I'd favor an economic game, but the real joy
of BattleTech is on the battlefield (the rest is a common SF
scenario).

Hope to see more ideas around...

Keep up the good work, John!

	- Luis Sequeira


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  bc@fccn.pt                              Luis Miguel Sequeira
                                  Laboratorio Nacional de Engenharia Civil
  Phone 351-1-8482131 Ext. 2752   Centro Informatica/Grupo Sistemas Centrais
  "Don't call me, I'll call you"  Av. Brasil, 101 - 1700 Lisboa, Portugal
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