Mech Operations: Cinematic Battletech

drkrough · 9:12pm

drkrough · 8:41pm

Rules

Setup
The combat scene will be set up with the following, in general.

Zones: Each battle will have a number of zones set up. The zones roughly represent areas of interest. A standard battletech map might have 2-5 zones (hills, trees, water, open, etc). The zones are conceptual as much as anything else.

Aspects: Certain parts of the battlefield will have additional interest, and have aspects to cover them. Lots of Trees. Big Damn Hill. Bottomless Lake. etc. Weather conditions might also be represented here.

Units will start in a zone, and may start with some aspects based on the zone.

Initiative
Roll 1d10exploding + Mech Operations

You generally want to go first.

Actions
You get two actions per round. You can do any action twice except Attack. Your choices are:

Move- change which zone you are in (to close or retreat), or stand up from prone
Maneuver- try to make the other guy more vulnerable
Block- try to make it harder to hit you next time
Attack- try to kill the other guy
Systems- use an internal 'Mech system beyond "point and shoot" and "run like hell"

Move
Move is simple.

If your speed is Slow (1-4 walk), you can change .5 of a zone (takes 2 Move actions to change a zone)
If your speed is Medium (4-6 walk), you can change 1 zone
If your speed is Fast (6+ walk), you can change 2 zones

There is purposeful overlap between the "speed" settings. If your speed is 4, you might be slow or medium, for example.

Maneuver
A Maneuver is an attempt to apply a negative Aspect to another target.

A Maneuver roll is: Piloting + Speed + Fate vs Target Piloting + Speed + 1

(Where "Speed" is the Battletech value. I.e if you're going 40kmph, then your speed is 4.)

Modifiers are:

You use your 'Mech's "Jump" aspect, +1
You are currently Flanked, or were Flanked last turn, -1

If the total roll is equal to or greater than the target value, the defender is Outmaneuvered.
If the total roll is 3 higher than the target value, the defender is Flanked, and if you have a Flanked aspect, it is cleared.
If the total roll is 4 or more higher than the target value, the defender is Flanked AND Outmaneuvered, and if you have a Flanked aspect it is cleared.
*Note: If a target is already flagged Outmaneuvered, and a second unit attempts a maneuver on it which achieves the Outmaneuvered Aspect, the unit becomes Flanked and the Outmaneuvered flags are cleared.

Block
A Block is an attempt to apply a positive defensive Aspect to yourself, or a friendly target.

A Block roll is: Fate roll

The target of the Block receives an Aspect (for 2 turns or until the first attack, whichever happens first) Blocking at any negative value of the Fate roll. 0 values are ignored. Positive Fate rolls are converted to negative numbers. A +2 is a -2 Block. A -2 is a -2 Block.

Attack and Damage

Ranged Attack
An Attack is an attempt to do Damage to another target.

An Attack roll is: Gunnery + Fate vs Target Piloting

Modifiers are:

If Target is Outmaneuvered, +1
If Target is Flanked, +1
If Target has a Block up, - per the value of the Block
Attacker Jumped during a Maneuver or Move action, -1

If your total roll is equal to or greater than the target's Piloting, you hit. Each +3 you exceed the target roll, you deal 1 additional point of damage.
Special
If your Fate (not total) roll results in a +3, you hit.
If your Fate (not total) roll results in a +4, you have scored a critical hit, and the target is Taken Out.

If you hit, you apply Damage.

Physical Attack
An Attack is an attempt to do Damage to another target.

An Attack roll is: Piloting + Fate vs Target Piloting

Modifiers are:

If Target is Outmaneuvered, +1
If Target is Flanked, +1
If Target has a Block up, - per the value of the Block
Attacker Jumped during a Maneuver or Move action, -1

If your total roll is equal to or greater than the target's Piloting, you hit. Each +3 you exceed the target roll, you deal 1 additional point of damage.
Special
If your Fate (not total) roll results in a +3, you hit.
If your Fate (not total) roll results in a +4, you have scored a critical hit, and the target is Taken Out.

If you hit, you apply Damage.

Damage
Damage is loosely based on the Battleforce damage values (loosely as in entirely).

If you hit,
Determine what range you were

Short or Melee = Same Zone
Medium = Adjacent Zone
Long = One zone between
Extreme = More than one zone between

Use the BF damage value for the appropriate range. That's the base damage.
(Physical attack base damage is 1-Light, 2-Medium, 3-Heavy, 4-Assault.)

Modifiers to base damage are:

If Target is Flanked, +1
Per 3 over the to-hit roll, +1
Using a melee weapon for a physical attack, +1
Doing a Death from Above, +1

Apply the damage

Armor value is based on the BF armor value. Mark off 1 pt of armor per 1 pt of damage.

If Armor is reduced to 0, use the Structure value from BF next. Mark off 1 pt of structure per 1 pt of damage.

After an Attack against a target that is Flanked or Outmaneuvered, remove those aspects.

Piloting Skill Rolls
An attacker may opt to do 1 less damage, and instead force the victim to roll a Piloting Skill roll.

A Piloting Skill roll is: Piloting + 1d10 exploding

The Target number is 7, +3 per point of damage after paying 1 to force the roll.

If the target fails the roll, they gain the Aspect Prone and must spend a MOVE action to clear that Aspect.

Taken Out
Taken Out means a 'Mech is either destroyed or disabled.

Roll a Fate roll

+4 or -4, Pilot is Killed
+3 or -3, Pilot is Wounded (or Severely Wounded if last attack tagged a Weapon)
+2 or -2, Gyro is Damaged (or Destroyed if the last attack tagged a Weapon)
+1 or -1, Engine is Damaged (or Destroyed if the last attack tagged a Weapon)
0, 'Mech is just heavily damaged and needs a hug

Aspects
Aspects are routinely referred to above. They work like this.

Your Mech Operations value is how many aspects you can tag per battle. Each time you tag an aspect, temporarily reduce your Mech Operations value by 1.

If you are in a situation where a particular aspect might come in handy, and fits in a roleplaying sense, you can "tag" that aspect. You get a +1 to your Fate roll whenever you have tagged an aspect.

Example- If you have Weapon: Particle Cannon, and you tag it during the attack phase, you get +1 to hit. If you tag it during the damage phase, you do +1 damage. If you tag it during a Block, maybe you're using it to provide covering fire. Etc. It all depends on how you sell it.