Ongoing monthly games in Michigan

We've got multiple locations in Michigan with regular monthly games:
Summit Comics and Games in Lansing, The Arena in Jackson,
RIW Hobbies in Livonia, Eternal Games in Warren, and Games4Life in Lake Orion.
Check the schedule for a game near you.


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

August 2014 Schedule

BATTLETECH NIGHTS, CATALYST GAME LABS
DATE/TIMEGMDETAILSVENUE
08/02
Michicon
Oakland Univ.
Rochester, MI
Chuck
Wilson
Return of the Widowmakers: Loaded for Ghost Bear/Sword and Spider
(Alpha Strike Rules)
MichiCon
08/08 - 6:30p
East Lansing
Aaron
Pollyea
Star League Era Martial Olympiad on Venus:
Kurita vs. Davion
(Total War Rules)
REP
08/09 - 11a
Grand Rapids 
Chuck Wilson 'Mechs, Munchies & Mayhem:
Return of the Widowmakers (Alpha Strike Rules)
BKG
08/22 - 6:30p
East Lansing 
Chuck
Wilson
Lawyers, Guns and Money:
The Mistake
(Alpha Strike Rules)
REP

DATE/TIME                    DETAILSVENUE
Every Thursday night
in August
6p - 11p
Grand Rapids 
Big Kidz Games
Battletech Pods Regulars Night
$10 all night play.
Unlimited play for one low price.
BKG
(REP: Replay Entertainment Exchange, BKG: Big Kidz Games, RIW: RIW Hobbies, VWE: Virtual World Entertainment, OHG: Our House Games, WGN: WarGames North, AFK: AFK Games, GMH: Game Masters Hobby, NI: Nostalgia Ink, ODG: Odyssey Games)

Rules standardization for Battletech games in games run by Charles "IronSphinx" Wilson at Replay Entertainment Exchange.

Since we have been using Advanced rules on-and-off for the past few years, I would like to codify and standardize what rules players can expect to use at my Battletech games. All the following rules, save one, can be found in Tactical Operations:

  • Backward Movement (Expanded) [changing levels while walking/driving backwards] (p.22)
  • Movement Dice [white=walk, red=run, jade=jump, blue=level] (p.27)
  • Floating Critical (p.77)
  • Firing When Down [one-arm prop and fire] (p.85)
  • Expanded Flip Arms [torso-twist AND flip arms at the same time] (p.87)
  • Rapid Fire AC [light and std AC's can double fire] (p.100)
  • Energy Weapons [dialing down lasers] (p.102)
  • Gauss Weapons [powering-down gauss rifles] (p.102)
  • Rapid Fire Machine Guns [higher rate of fire] (p.102)
  • Hot-Load Missiles [no minimum on LRM/ATM] (p.102)
  • Disengage PPC Inhibitor [no minimum on PPC] (p.103)
  • Retractable Blade [possible critical hit] (p.104)

  • The following rule is a "house" rule and is used simply to ensure that the entire mapsheets are available for use:

  • 1/2-hexes and 1/4-hexes are to be treated like full-sized hexes for purposes of gameplay.

  • Note: If there is any question about the disposition of the underlying terrain, then the GameMaster will have sole discretion for deciding what said terrain is (if the "majority terrain" rule doesn't resolve the disposition of said hex).

    While I may add special rules that are specific to the scenario, these rules are what players can expect to be used in every game that I run. Please take the time to review said rules and bring any and all questions to the GameMaster "before" the game begins. In future games, I will bring a copy of these rules for quick reference.

    Rules standardization for Battletech - Alpha Strike ruleset

    While we play Alpha Strike using the Advanced Ruleset (p22-49), the following "Advanced Options" rules will also be "in play" for our Alpha Strike ruleset games:

  • Advanced Movement Modes (all modes)
  • Artillery
  • Alternate Munitions
  • ECM/ECCM
  • Ejection/Abandoning units
  • Fire and Smoke
  • Hidden Units
  • Minefields
  • Special Abilities

  • All other rules found in the Advanced Options will be implemented on a case-by-case basis depending on whether or not they are applicable to the scenario or units.

    The following rules are "house" rules and are used to promote better game balance along with promoting a greater flavor of the Battletech universe that most players are already used to:

    Torso-Twisting:
  • Bipedal BattleMechs can torso twist one hex facing left or right, Quad ‘Mechs cannot.

  • Variable Damage:
  • Instead of rolling one set of dice for to-hit rolls, players roll a set of dice for each damage point their unit does at the range for the specified attack. Exa: if I'm making a short range attack and my unit does 3 points of damage at short range, then I roll three sets of six sided dice.
  • If at least one shot from a unit's attack hits the rear of the target, apply one additional point of damage as per standard Alpha Strike rules--multiple hits to the rear from the same unit's attack do not confer additional points. Exa: I make a short range attack at the rear of my target. My 'Mech does 3 points of damage at short range. I roll three sets of six sided dice and two successfully hit the target. The target takes three points of damage: one for each successful attack and one for striking the target from the rear.
  • Physical attacks still only require one 2D6 dice roll and apply all damage to target.
  • Critical hits follow the rules on page 42 - "if a critical hit does not apply to the unit in question, apply 1 additional point of damage to the unit instead, but do not roll for additional critical hits as a result of this extra damage." However, when multiple dice rolls are used for each ranged attack, only one critical hit will be rolled on the target unit per attacking unit regardless of how many successful hits on internal structure were made. Exa: My Bushwacker rolls three sets of dice for an attack on a Stalker. Two of those hits are successful and both damage internal structure. I then roll one critical hit chance, even though I did two points of damage to the Stalker's internal structure.

  • Variable Movement Modifiers:
  • Standard (no attacker bonus or penalty to-hit, full non-jump movement TMM)
  • Stand Still (-2 attacker bonus to-hit, but no movement TMM)
  • Jump (+1 attacker penalty to-hit, gets the +1 jump TMM)

  • Attacking multiple targets:
  • When making an attack, units that do more than one point of damage at the designated range for their attack may split their attacks between two targets within their firing arc (and only two targets). Primary target roll number is calculated as per normal rules however, the secondary target roll number receives a +1 to-hit modifier. Exa: 'Mech does 4 damage at short range. Player decides to do a three-point attack at the primary target within short range and a one point attack to a target also within short range.
  • Attacks can be made against a single secondary target at a different range bracket. Start with the lowest damage range bracket and make that attack, any range brackets with damage values higher than this number may make a secondary attack with a damage value equal to the excess attack damage in that more damaging range bracket. Exa: 'Mech does 4 damage at short range and two damage at medium range. Player declares the medium range target as the primary and short range target as the secondary target. This means the medium range attack has two points of damage and the short range attack has two points of damage.
  • When making an attack against a secondary target, the amount of damage per attack per target must be stated before the attack is made. Exa: using in the above example, I must state 3 points against the primary target and 1 point against the secondary target, before rolling the attacks.
  • Any unit that makes a secondary attack has to do so as it fires. It may not come back later in the turn and make a secondary attack.
  • Units may not split physical attacks between multiple targets. Nor may units split damage from artillery attacks in this manner. Physical attacks and Artillery strikes always follow the rules as stated in the Alpha Strike rulebook.


  • Tuesday, July 1, 2014

    July 2014 Schedule

    BATTLETECH NIGHTS, CATALYST GAME LABS
    DATE/TIMEGMDETAILSVENUE
    7/06 - 1:00p
    East Lansing
    Chuck Wilson Monte Diablo
    (Alpha Strike Rules)
    REP
    7/12 - 11a
    Grand Rapids 
    Jeff Stone 'Mechs, Munchies & Mayhem
    (Total War Rules)
    BKG
    7/18 - 6:30p
    East Lansing
    Aaron Pollyea Lyran Commonwealth vs Circinus Federation
    (Total War Rules)
    REP


    DATE/TIME                    DETAILSVENUE
    Every Thursday night
    in January
    6p - 11p
    Grand Rapids 
    Big Kidz Games
    Battletech Pods Regulars Night
    $10 all night play.
    Unlimited play for one low price.
    BKG
    (REP: Replay Entertainment Exchange, BKG: Big Kidz Games, RIW: RIW Hobbies, VWE: Virtual World Entertainment, OHG: Our House Games, WGN: WarGames North, AFK: AFK Games, GMH: Game Masters Hobby, NI: Nostalgia Ink, ODG: Odyssey Games)

    Rules standardization for Battletech games in games run by Charles "IronSphinx" Wilson at Replay Entertainment Exchange.

    Since we have been using Advanced rules on-and-off for the past few years, I would like to codify and standardize what rules players can expect to use at my Battletech games. All the following rules, save one, can be found in Tactical Operations:

  • Backward Movement (Expanded) [changing levels while walking/driving backwards] (p.22)
  • Movement Dice [white=walk, red=run, jade=jump, blue=level] (p.27)
  • Floating Critical (p.77)
  • Firing When Down [one-arm prop and fire] (p.85)
  • Expanded Flip Arms [torso-twist AND flip arms at the same time] (p.87)
  • Rapid Fire AC [light and std AC's can double fire] (p.100)
  • Energy Weapons [dialing down lasers] (p.102)
  • Gauss Weapons [powering-down gauss rifles] (p.102)
  • Rapid Fire Machine Guns [higher rate of fire] (p.102)
  • Hot-Load Missiles [no minimum on LRM/ATM] (p.102)
  • Disengage PPC Inhibitor [no minimum on PPC] (p.103)
  • Retractable Blade [possible critical hit] (p.104)

  • The following rule is a "house" rule and is used simply to ensure that the entire mapsheets are available for use:

  • 1/2-hexes and 1/4-hexes are to be treated like full-sized hexes for purposes of gameplay.

  • Note: If there is any question about the disposition of the underlying terrain, then the GameMaster will have sole discretion for deciding what said terrain is (if the "majority terrain" rule doesn't resolve the disposition of said hex).

    While I may add special rules that are specific to the scenario, these rules are what players can expect to be used in every game that I run. Please take the time to review said rules and bring any and all questions to the GameMaster "before" the game begins. In future games, I will bring a copy of these rules for quick reference.

    Rules standardization for Battletech - Alpha Strike ruleset

    While we play Alpha Strike using the Advanced Ruleset (p22-49), the following "Advanced Options" rules will also be "in play" for our Alpha Strike ruleset games:

  • Advanced Movement Modes (all modes)
  • Artillery
  • Alternate Munitions
  • ECM/ECCM
  • Ejection/Abandoning units
  • Fire and Smoke
  • Hidden Units
  • Minefields
  • Special Abilities

  • All other rules found in the Advanced Options will be implemented on a case-by-case basis depending on whether or not they are applicable to the scenario or units.

    The following rules are "house" rules and are used to promote better game balance along with promoting a greater flavor of the Battletech universe that most players are already used to:

    Torso-Twisting:
  • Bipedal BattleMechs can torso twist one hex facing left or right, Quad ‘Mechs cannot.

  • Variable Damage:
  • Instead of rolling one set of dice for to-hit rolls, players roll a set of dice for each damage point their unit does at the range for the specified attack. Exa: if I'm making a short range attack and my unit does 3 points of damage at short range, then I roll three sets of six sided dice.
  • If at least one shot from a unit's attack hits the rear of the target, apply one additional point of damage as per standard Alpha Strike rules--multiple hits to the rear from the same unit's attack do not confer additional points. Exa: I make a short range attack at the rear of my target. My 'Mech does 3 points of damage at short range. I roll three sets of six sided dice and two successfully hit the target. The target takes three points of damage: one for each successful attack and one for striking the target from the rear.
  • Physical attacks still only require one 2D6 dice roll and apply all damage to target.
  • Critical hits follow the rules on page 42 - "if a critical hit does not apply to the unit in question, apply 1 additional point of damage to the unit instead, but do not roll for additional critical hits as a result of this extra damage." However, when multiple dice rolls are used for each ranged attack, only one critical hit will be rolled on the target unit per attacking unit regardless of how many successful hits on internal structure were made. Exa: My Bushwacker rolls three sets of dice for an attack on a Stalker. Two of those hits are successful and both damage internal structure. I then roll one critical hit chance, even though I did two points of damage to the Stalker's internal structure.

  • Variable Movement Modifiers:
  • Stand Still (-2 attacker bonus to-hit, but no movement TMM)
  • Standard (no bonus to-hit full non-jump movement TMM)
  • Jump (+1 attacker penalty to-hit, gets the +1 jump TMM)

  • Attacking multiple targets:
  • When making an attack, units that do more than one point of damage at the designated range for their attack may split their attacks between two targets within their firing arc (and only two targets). Primary target roll number is calculated as per normal rules however, the secondary target roll number receives a +1 to-hit modifier. Exa: 'Mech does 4 damage at short range. Player decides to do a three-point attack at the primary target within short range and a one point attack to a target also within short range.
  • Attacks can be made against a single secondary target at a different range bracket. Start with the lowest damage range bracket and make that attack, any range brackets with damage values higher than this number may make a secondary attack with a damage value equal to the excess attack damage in that more damaging range bracket. Exa: 'Mech does 4 damage at short range and two damage at medium range. Player declares the medium range target as the primary and short range target as the secondary target. This means the medium range attack has two points of damage and the short range attack has two points of damage.
  • When making an attack against a secondary target, the amount of damage per attack per target must be stated before the attack is made. Exa: using in the above example, I must state 3 points against the primary target and 1 point against the secondary target, before rolling the attacks.
  • Any unit that makes a secondary attack has to do so as it fires. It may not come back later in the turn and make a secondary attack.
  • Units may not split physical attacks between multiple targets. Nor may units split damage from artillery attacks in this manner. Physical attacks and Artillery strikes always follow the rules as stated in the Alpha Strike rulebook.




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