FrogReaver
The most respectful and polite poster ever
I set up port forwarding to my computer and set up a firewall exception to that port. Probably something small I’m missing.
Battletech Public Playtest Thread
- Thread starter payn
- Start date
I set up port forwarding to my computer and set up a firewall exception to that port. Probably something small I’m missing.
payn
Glory to Marik
Ok folks, Playtest package #3 Gear is here.
Im a little surprised how much is packed into this. Changes are not too drastic as they did not want to invalidate any record sheet. A move I agree with. Inside the packet you will find some adjustments to;
Explosive components (Gauss and other stuff has new easier damage calcs based on size of crit space)
AMS (can be used twice a round instead of once and can reduce a cluster to zero!)
Armor types (Too many to list but minor adjustments to each.)
Autocannons! (first crit hit is ignored and weapon still functional. UACs can no longer jam (Id prefer that UAC could be unjammed) Also, unjamming RACs is the same but you can fire weapons the same round.)
C3 Minor adjustments (My favorite though is restoring LOS requirement!!!)
ECM Effects of ECM happen only inside the radius no more merely passing its bubble.
Heavy Duty Gyro Allows crit hits but doesnt force PSRs.
Missiles! MRM +{1 to hit removed and swapped with -1 cluster!) ATM cluster from 5 to 6. ERLRM can work with artemis Iv now.
Narc Beacons Can no longer be removed by target. Effected by ECM bubbles.
Physical weapons Many changes mostly minor.
Special Ammo. Minor recalcs to BV and some cluster adjustments.
Generally positive on these changes. I love the MRM and C3 LOS changes. Those ive long thought made more sense. We will be trying them out all November.
Im a little surprised how much is packed into this. Changes are not too drastic as they did not want to invalidate any record sheet. A move I agree with. Inside the packet you will find some adjustments to;
Explosive components (Gauss and other stuff has new easier damage calcs based on size of crit space)
AMS (can be used twice a round instead of once and can reduce a cluster to zero!)
Armor types (Too many to list but minor adjustments to each.)
Autocannons! (first crit hit is ignored and weapon still functional. UACs can no longer jam (Id prefer that UAC could be unjammed) Also, unjamming RACs is the same but you can fire weapons the same round.)
C3 Minor adjustments (My favorite though is restoring LOS requirement!!!)
ECM Effects of ECM happen only inside the radius no more merely passing its bubble.
Heavy Duty Gyro Allows crit hits but doesnt force PSRs.
Missiles! MRM +{1 to hit removed and swapped with -1 cluster!) ATM cluster from 5 to 6. ERLRM can work with artemis Iv now.
Narc Beacons Can no longer be removed by target. Effected by ECM bubbles.
Physical weapons Many changes mostly minor.
Special Ammo. Minor recalcs to BV and some cluster adjustments.
Generally positive on these changes. I love the MRM and C3 LOS changes. Those ive long thought made more sense. We will be trying them out all November.
AP ammo at 80% of default ammo count, no TN penalty, and (P)AC/2s forcing crits at a -2 is simply bad for game health. Ac/5 gets -2 as well, AC/10 and /20 get -1. Without any changes to pilot hits from explosions there’s now all these stray TACs floating around, and Gauss rifles can evaporate in a moment to AC/2 plinking. TC SRMs are miserable to play against, I don’t see how this is much different.
Acid SRMs would be fine if they didn’t affect ferro fibrous. There is no BV or in game impact of ferro, it simply defines boundaries in construction. Giving a bonus against an arbitrary category of mechs just does weird things to skew pick rates. It could instead give a bonus against chicken walkers and be no less arbitrary. I do not want to see them become part of the core experience while they still affect ferro.
Acid SRMs would be fine if they didn’t affect ferro fibrous. There is no BV or in game impact of ferro, it simply defines boundaries in construction. Giving a bonus against an arbitrary category of mechs just does weird things to skew pick rates. It could instead give a bonus against chicken walkers and be no less arbitrary. I do not want to see them become part of the core experience while they still affect ferro.
TheHand
Hero
Thanks for that summary of the current playtest @payn ! My Battletech group had some schedule changes and we haven’t been able to play much since the packets started releasing.
I’m actually surprised TAG and Active Probes didn’t see some adjustments, since they’ve always been very niche in the Tabletop but the video games tend to buff them a bit. I really like the MRM changes. I’m curious to see how the UAC and AMS changes affect actual game play.
I’m actually surprised TAG and Active Probes didn’t see some adjustments, since they’ve always been very niche in the Tabletop but the video games tend to buff them a bit. I really like the MRM changes. I’m curious to see how the UAC and AMS changes affect actual game play.
payn
Glory to Marik
Yeah, we dont allow special ammo in pick up games (things like cluster rounds for LBX and ArtyIV and Narc ammo are exceptions). When we do, its usually part of campaign play and its not unlimited and costly. So, you really pay for the benefits. Though, we are going to test these out and see if our opinion changes on special ammo, (im guessing it wont).
You're welcome. We use the TacOps rule to allow a Beagle Probe to negate one source of LOS impediment like woods. Something to just make it not a waste of tonnage on mechs. Agreed on MRM and AMS. ACs needed a little buff I think and these things seem like good changes. I'd prefer UAC can jam but now be unjammed like a RAC instead.
The thing im really happy about is C3 requiring LOS. We had a player abuse that lack of it quite a bit and it never made sense in face of the rest of the ruleset. A pretty classic argument going on for sometime in the community.
Kannik
Legend
Finally getting a chance to post here about the (revised since first released) Gear Playtest rules:
AMS changes: Both seem fine. AMS tends to be pretty niche and also tends runs out of ammo real darn quick. They probably could use a bit more bang for their c-bucks.
Standardized Explosive Component: Also seems fine. Tracks close enough to the original and less to need to memorize or look up.
Armor and Gyros: All of my playing has been in the eras up to 3060ish, so I haven't played with any of these fancy armour types or gyros, so I can't really comment on them.
Missiles and Special Munitions: Ditto to the above.
Rotary Autocannons: Ditto again above about not playing beyond 3060, but also, as an aside, I dislike the idea of RACs because in my mind all mech ACs were either chain guns or rotary cannons already (as opposed to a single shot cannon like on a tank -- which as an alternate weapon added to the game for vehicles specifically can make vehicles unique and a neat threat!) and so this seemed a poor way to add another weapon to the game. Just an aesthetic thing.
AC survivability: Cool, like it. Simple idea and nicely gives them a boost to their viability in a unique way rather than changing their damage or range values. (That said, maybe still make the AC/2 and AC/3? I've heard that as a house rule quite often.)
Ultra ACs: Not jamming is probably fine.
C3/Narc/ECM/Physical Weapons: Was not common enough on our tables to have any thoughts on them.
AMS changes: Both seem fine. AMS tends to be pretty niche and also tends runs out of ammo real darn quick. They probably could use a bit more bang for their c-bucks.
Standardized Explosive Component: Also seems fine. Tracks close enough to the original and less to need to memorize or look up.
Armor and Gyros: All of my playing has been in the eras up to 3060ish, so I haven't played with any of these fancy armour types or gyros, so I can't really comment on them.
Missiles and Special Munitions: Ditto to the above.
Rotary Autocannons: Ditto again above about not playing beyond 3060, but also, as an aside, I dislike the idea of RACs because in my mind all mech ACs were either chain guns or rotary cannons already (as opposed to a single shot cannon like on a tank -- which as an alternate weapon added to the game for vehicles specifically can make vehicles unique and a neat threat!) and so this seemed a poor way to add another weapon to the game. Just an aesthetic thing.
AC survivability: Cool, like it. Simple idea and nicely gives them a boost to their viability in a unique way rather than changing their damage or range values. (That said, maybe still make the AC/2 and AC/3? I've heard that as a house rule quite often.)
Ultra ACs: Not jamming is probably fine.
C3/Narc/ECM/Physical Weapons: Was not common enough on our tables to have any thoughts on them.
TheHand
Hero
THANK YOU for saying that… I thought I was the only one!
