If that's the rule then I think it should be changed to how many hexes you displace. While we take turns in games like BT, it's not like my mech moves and then waits politely for your mech to move. To run in a big circle, ending up where you start, is an abuse of the rules.
A classic argument. Though its not about where you end, its about how much you moved in the turn. All the firing happened simultaneously while the mech ran a circle. Teh nature of jump jets doesnt allow one to move forward and back. Which is why many had a problem with the side table playtest rules, it violated this movement and simultaneous firing concept.
Most war games I've played have stupid rules exploits like this. I just find this one particularly annoying and I'm surprised they haven't fixed it after so many decades. Maybe I'm the only one who thinks it needs to be fixed?
I don’t think it’s much of an exploit only the fastest mechs can even make use of it.
Good? Well... There is MegaMek which runs on java (I know its the 21st century). Its dated, has no sound, but its a complete VTT of the Battletech ruleset that will allow you and your friends and folks from all over to play online. You can also use it as a resource for record sheets for offline games. Despite its age, its totally free.
We've always played that "displaced" distance was counted, regardless of how many hexes the mech moved. We found that the opposite led to some daft and unfun gameplay (for us). So I guess we were always houseruling that particular element, and we've been playing since the second edition CBT box set from 1985 or so. Granted, we don't play at stores, just with our group of friends, so the "raw" has never really mattered. We also refuse to use anything after 2050.
