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Post by Admin on Jul 9, 2020 10:17:41 GMT -4
QUESTION SUBMITTED BY EMAIL:
Can units lay claim to more than one territory per turn? For example, if an Atlas moves through three neutral territories does it lay claim to all three?
Yes, those units that can capture territory (heavy or assault class mechs/armor and infantry) may capture any hexes they transit through IF unopposed. This includes multiple map zones in a turn. So if for example your Atlas started in grid A1 and moved through A2 and A3 while stopping in A4, it could capture A2, A3 and A4 in one turn, if unopposed. If perhaps it bumped into bandits or another player in A3, it would claim A2 automatically, have to fight the opponent and "hold the field" (force enemy to retreat or neutralize all hostiles) to claim A3, and would never have made it to A4 as movement was interrupted.
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Post by bucelufe on Jul 17, 2020 3:38:59 GMT -4
Do Battle armor units count as infantry for territory claiming?
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Post by Admin on Jul 17, 2020 8:15:29 GMT -4
Yes Battle Armor Platoons can claim territory just like Infantry Platoons, but their is one exception to this rule!
If an Infantry Platoon drops to 7 or below troopers remaining (a squad or less), or a Battle Armor Platoon drops down to only 2 active troopers, because of combat, then they are considered too weak to be able to capture the territory they pass through. Each map tile represents 3km^2. Seven people can't be everywhere at once to make sure such size a space is pacified.
ProtoMech's cannot claim territory.
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Post by moleman on Jul 18, 2020 5:28:05 GMT -4
Do battle armour move at their walking pace or their jumping pace?
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Post by Admin on Jul 18, 2020 9:55:29 GMT -4
Everything on the strategic map always moves at a walking/cruise pace to keep things simple. However Battle Armor can mount on any Battle Mech in my books, they just have to hold on to bolted on handles.
I realize this isn't in BattleTech rules but really most platoons are only four troopers so they should be able to be carried by most tank units as well by letting them ride on top. Just one platoon can be transported by one unit however.
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Post by glebow on Jul 26, 2020 13:38:21 GMT -4
Yes Battle Armor Platoons can claim territory just like Infantry Platoons, but their is one exception to this rule! If an Infantry Platoon drops to 7 or below troopers remaining (a squad or less), or a Battle Armor Platoon drops down to only 2 active troopers, because of combat, then they are considered too weak to be able to capture the territory they pass through. Each map tile represents 3km^2. Seven people can't be everywhere at once to make sure such size a space is pacified. ProtoMech's cannot claim territory. So, did i get it right? A squad below a manpower of 7 cant capture territory, even when it is on full strength? Lets say... 5 of 5? A squad of 6 of 20 is to weak, but how about a full strength squad with 5 of 5? |
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Post by Admin on Jul 26, 2020 23:18:03 GMT -4
I guess I should have phrased that differently and not mentioned "squads" within platoons at all.
Basically all through Alpha play test how I was preforming this was ANY "grouping" of infantry that was less that 8 troopers (ie: 7 or below) or any grouping of Battle Armor that was less than 3 (ie: 2 or below) could not capture territory.
Thus a Foot Squad (SRM) even at maximum strength of 6 out of 6 troopers is not sufficient enough to capture a map tile. They are too weak to make their presence known everywhere at once in a 3km^2 area.
However, and I did do this in Alpha, just not with this example, but TWO Foot Squad (SRM)'s working together equals 12 troopers so would be enough to capture the tile as they total more than 7 troopers.
I won't say who or what, but this very thing did happen with at least three players this turn. A bunch of small groups of infantry traveling together captured land. Some of you are using "squad" as scouts instead, hover squads make really cheap scouts for covering territory you don't feel is as important, like revealing open ocean zones for example.
No you can not mix and match infantry and Battle Armor. 5 infantry and 4 Battle Armor will not work, you need either at least 8 infantry or 3 Battle Armor troopers.
In my mind a "squad" in BattleTech is 7 troopers, and 5 for Clanners. There are some units that differ from this norm, typically your missile infantry units have less people with SRM infantry loosing 1 trooper out of each squad (norm=6), and LRM infantry loosing 2 troopers out of each squad (norm=5). Jump Infantry Platoons are simply down an entire squad: Foot Platoon (Rifle)= 28 troopers; Jump Platoon (Rifle)= 21 troopers
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VonMountain
Groombridge Directorate
Mountain, King of Hills
Posts: 36
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Post by VonMountain on Jul 27, 2020 10:33:50 GMT -4
To clarify, can superheavy units also claim territory?
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Post by falconsroost on Jul 27, 2020 12:07:58 GMT -4
Inquiring minds would also like to know if a 60-tonner VTOL is considered heavy? We never covered that situation either.
OR
How about the Intrepid Assault Craft (2478) and Dragonstar Assault Transport (3060)? Neither of those are aerospace and they aren't dropships, can we get a ruling on those plz?
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Post by Admin on Jul 27, 2020 12:52:20 GMT -4
Superheavy units can capture territory, ie: units above 100 tons.
falcon, I am going to say NO to the VTOL's. Yes they are technically classed as "Vehicles" in Battletech nomenclature, but I treat them more like aircraft. Besides there are only 3 different VTOL's that would be in a heavy weight range of 60+ tons. The Lexan Oceanic Luxury VTOL (which is a civilian unit), the Pion-Laurier Cascatelle (that is a FedCom civil war era transport carrying cargo containers and very few passengers) and the Trireme Infantry Transport (who's sole purpose is to carry infantry/battle armor that can capture terrain anyway!)
As for the "Support Craft" those larger than aerospace, but smaller than DropShips, yes they can capture terrain and for purposes of game play will be treated just like mini-DropShips using DropShip rules. ie: They need to land, capture and rise again just like VTOL units. All of them are over 100 tons. The escape pods and life boats don't count. Don't buy those.
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Post by Bushwacked on Jul 28, 2020 19:02:43 GMT -4
So indulge me here, but what would happen if we built a custom unit that works as a kind of "ferry" for Mechs and armor? I haven't tried yet, so I don't know if this is even possible.
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Post by Admin on Jul 29, 2020 8:35:09 GMT -4
Buchwacked, in your scenario about all a "ferry" can do is help capture river strategic map tiles. Ocean tiles can not be claimed and would represent the bulk of areas that such units could traverse. That said I would require the "ferry" to have on board at least one of the units that claim territory to begin with: infantry/battle armor of sufficient strength, and or heavy/assault mechs/tanks. Then the ferry can capture these river areas as it travels along with its cargo.
In short no ferries can't capture territory themselves, but would be a very useful tool for D-day style landings. I applaud your thinking!
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Post by moleman on Aug 3, 2020 9:48:57 GMT -4
Are there no Heavy hovercraft vehicles? I'm looking and all the heavy vehicles I'm finding seem to be wheeled or tracked
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garyp
Junior Member
Posts: 71
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Post by garyp on Aug 3, 2020 10:10:56 GMT -4
Vehicles designed using the combat vehicle construction rules have a maximum weight of 50 tons, so there are no heavy or assault hovercraft. Similarly combat VTOL are limited to 30 tons or less, so they are all lights.
Hovercraft designed using the support vehicle construction rules can be heavier, up to 100 tons, but the hover support vehicles that have published are similar in size to the combat vehicles.
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Post by Imperial Doctor on Aug 3, 2020 22:49:40 GMT -4
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garyp
Junior Member
Posts: 71
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Post by garyp on Aug 3, 2020 23:34:57 GMT -4
Interesting, I wasn't familiar with those two VTOLs. They did point me in the right direction to find the construction rules that allows them, page 378 of Tactical Operations has rules for super-heavy combat vehicle construction.
*** Edit *** I have been playing around with super-heavy hover construction in the half hour since I wrote this and it is quite possible to design a heavy hover tank that moves at 8/12, has weapons comparable to existing heavy tracked or wheeled tanks, and has the armour tonnage of a decent heavy 'mech. Which seems like campaign breaking way rapidly capture territory until you look at the price and realise it costs as much as three decent 4/6 movement heavy tanks AND three decent fast light hovers to escort them.
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Post by Xander Forever on Aug 4, 2020 9:11:33 GMT -4
***Steeples hands together and uses sinister voice*** A pricessssss, for everything!
Nope, nope, nope. To rich for my blood. I will take the tried and true lesser units thank you very much. Although I do like the idea of the Garuda.
Also don't hovercraft have higher chances for motive damage anyway? Sounds like a superheavy hovercraft is just a superheavy pillbox waiting to happen.
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garyp
Junior Member
Posts: 71
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Post by garyp on Aug 5, 2020 3:06:45 GMT -4
Yes hovercraft have a big penalty (+3) to their motive system damage rolls, which (assuming no other modifiers) makes a hovercraft about 3x more likely to be immobilised by a hit than a wheeled vehicle and 10x more likely than a tracked vehicle. In campaign situation like we are in there is an additional risk, if you don't control the location at the end of the battle you are potentially giving your opponent free vehicles that they can repair for little cost and use against you later. This turn I had a screening/scouting unit with two fast hovercraft encounter a bandit force that included two of their fast hovers. Unsurprisingly which force had the luckier rolls with the numerous motive system hits was probably the deciding factor in the battle.
I think the niche for large hovercraft isn't as combat vehicles that capture territory but as a fast way to get important support equipment to where it needed. Big hovercraft moving at 7 or 8 grid squares on the strategic map and equipped with items like mobile field bases, bridgelayers or MASH theatres etc. It opens up some options that aren't available with slower tracked or wheeled support vehicles, but it comes with an increased purchase cost and the minor inconvenience of custom unit files. Vulnerability to motive damage isn't an issue if you can avoid combat, although enemy fast raiders can have a way of ruining such plans.
Similarly I was looking at the big Barouche Military Transport, the 80 ton cargo carrying hovercraft that uses the support vehicles rules, and considering the possibility of fast tank transporters for quickly carrying light, but slow, units from the deployment centres to the front lines.
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Post by moleman on Aug 5, 2020 12:06:58 GMT -4
Can we bolt some elementals to the top of a fast moving tank? Or do they have to be carried like cargo?
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Post by catfishkailen on Aug 5, 2020 14:39:33 GMT -4
Admin already covered one vehicle can carry a point of elementals riding on top. Just understand that it is impossible to replicate in game and on a 100x100 map, infantry and BA need some form of real locomotion.
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Post by Admin on Aug 6, 2020 6:55:46 GMT -4
Yeah in actual MegaMek battles you need "infantry" or "battle armor" dedicated troop bays; NOT cargo areas. Also BA riding Omni's is limited. I am just using a house rule to make strategic map play a little more friendly. Actual battles are a little different, so keep that in mind.
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