The Sweet Spot
Some Battletech games suck for reasons beyond the terrain and miniatures that grace the tabletop. Sometimes the game itself is so short its unsatisfying. When your Fafnir takes a Through Armor Critical on turn one causing a double gyro you can’t help but feel cheated. On the flip side games that never finish are equally deserving of frustrated sighs from players. To me, long winded convention games are the worst offenders. One-hour turns consumed by moving alone? No thanks.
The sweet spot for Battletech games in my opinion falls between eight and twelve turns. If your games do not come to a reasonable conclusion within that range you may need to make some adjustments. Here are a few ideas to help you bring your games into the sweet spot. Whether you are running short or going long there are ideas a plenty to try out.
Lengthen Your Games
Mix Up Your Units
- Take away the XL engines. There are plenty of high tech units out there that don’t need the XL crutch to pile on the firepower. You don’t have to play 3025 exclusive if you don’t want.
- Slow down and bulk up. Slower heavier units, on average, are going to be harder to bring down helping your games go the distance.
Add a Little Edge
Give each Mechwarrior an edge point or, for bigger games, a pool of Edge points for each force to use. An ‘Edge point’ can be used to force a re-roll of any to-hit or location roll. Once the re-roll occurs that’s it. No Edging an Edge for obvious reasons.
Shorten Up Your Games
Mix Up Your Units (again)
- Add in more XL engines and advanced technology. More damage and softer targets will lead to more destruction per ton.
- Use faster units. Speedy mediums and heavies will have more opportunities for optimal firing and rear shots which will inevitably cause more critical hits throughout your game.
While 3025 purists will turn their heads at the idea of adding shiny new equipment from later years there are subtle ways to introduce a little extra damage into your games. Even in 3039 there are prototype Gauss Rifles, Pulse Lasers, and other goodies. With a little modification even stalwart 3025 designs can pack a little extra under the hood without completely throwing out the knights errant aesthetic.
Decrease the Game Area
Just because you own an ‘OMG Uber Mega Large Size’ game mat doesn’t mean you have to use every inch in every game you play. Keep in mind how many mapsheets you would use for a regular game when using your game mats. Would you use a four by four mapsheet battlefield for a lance on lance game? Not at all. You’d use about half that and have a great game. Keep that in mind before you start units at either end of your biggest game mat. If you are spending the first three turns making only long range shots you are doing something wrong.
Forced Withdrawal
About as simple as it gets. Battletech doesn’t have to be only about the absolute destruction of the enemy. On the contrary protecting assets so they can fight another day is a much more realistic strategy in the far flung worlds of the Inner Sphere. When units are forced out of combat your games end sooner and lose their win at all costs mentality.
Add Meaningful Objectives
Objectives should be more then the plain old “go kill the other guy” variety. A little flavor can make a huge difference. Players should have something to fight for! It gives your games more meaning instead of the mindless absolute destruction of the opposing force.
Total warfare can get you off to a good start. The Scenario section starting on page 256 has a few generic mission objectives for you to use and give you ideas for creating your own. Just about every mission besides Stand-up Fight has a little something to offer.
After you’ve had a chance to test the basics you can find a mother load of useful objective ideas from the wealth of Chaos Campaign sources. We have Starterbooks, Jihad Sourcebooks, Jihad Turning Points eBooks, and a hoard of community created tracks that are chock full of ideas ranging from the mundane to the truly novel. Here are a few of my personal favorites from the Community Created Warchest Track Threads.
- Full Metal Sandwich – Not a Scratch: A Heavy Wheeled APC must be escorted off the northern edge of the battlefield. (works great with TacOps shielding rules)
- Desolation Row – Send Me Some Lovin’: Render at least one Stealth Armor ‘Mech salvageable. (all of a sudden particular units become more meaningful including their method of destruction)
- Just When You Thought it Was Safe – Escape: At least half of the Attacking units must enter a level 2 water hex on the coastal terrain map after turn 8. A submersible transport is waiting and will pick up all retreating units that exit the map in this fashion. (Better not get too banged up of you are going to have to leave someone behind because of potential breaches)
These are just a taste of some of the great ideas available in the Community Created Warchest Tracks. Have a browse and get your creative juices flowing. Life in the Inner Sphere is better with objectives.
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Awsome as always man. :)
Good article mate
Another good easy rule to add would be the glancing blows rule if you wanted to lengthen your game some. It’s an easy advanced rule to throw into your games, and adds some realism too.
Decent article, disagree with you on a point though.
Fast mechs. They lengthen games, slow mechs shorten em down.
Two quick examples.
Two spiders fighting each other.
Guner 4, jump 3, target mod 4, making a short range chance at 11, or impossible at medium.
Two Hollanders fighting each other.
Gunner 4, Walk 1, Target mod 2. 7’s with a guass.
Nice addition Jason thanks. Tac Ops is chock full of interesting rules that can change-up the game.
Also good point Quigs. Although I never meant to include lights and even mediums in the faster ‘Mech discussion. Faster Heavies and Assaults will make for a faster game I think. Remember that game on Mars? Not the exact same I know but it is the closest playtesting we’ve done yet.
Thanks for all the comments as always!
Great article.
I’ve always enjoyed OBJECTIVE focused games.
a little role-playing and/or gamer-immersion is always a bonus in my book.
*hides from throw fruit*
I was into the role-playing when i was young, not so much anymore now that im 25, but a good story to your campaign always helps get you into it bit more.