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Storm
Draconis Combine
Chu-i
Joined: 06-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 278
Location: United States
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 Posted: 12-May-2011 00:01 Post subject: Battletech for the Young 'Uns (Kinda Long) |
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Wow. It's been a few years since I've been here. Never meant to stay away so long.
What was the reason? Nah, I wasn't captured by Wobblies again. This time it's legitimate.
I had a son!
Still have him in fact.  And you know, you just gotta have priorities.
The other day he and I were going through some old stuff, and came across a box of terrain I had built. He asked what it was for, and I told him. He already knows I have a collection of battlemechs, armor, aerospace, and infantry, so once he knew the terrain was for Battletech, he wanted to play. He's played Mechwarrior IV with me some, and loves "piloting" an [iUziel [/i](I drive, he shoots).
The challenge is, he's 5. He can count almost to 20, but calculating to-hit rolls and damage points are a bit beyond him at this point.
But I want him to play with me when he gets older, and I really don't have anyone else around to play with, so he and I came up with some really simple rules for "KidTech" for lack of a better word. For your benefit, inspiration, or criticism, here goes.
You Will Need
1 six-sided die. Color three sides a different color from the rest.
2 18-inch rulers.
2 sheets of paper.
2 pens.
Choose Your Forces
We kept it simple our first game: 1 lance each, and 1 lance of armor. After that we added VTOLS, fighters, and super-heavy 'mechs (I've been out of the loop for a while, and I'm not sure if they are legal or not, but it's something my brother and I came up with shortly after Maximum Cheese came out with super-heavy tanks).
Setting Things Up
I'm strictly a terrain player. Mapsheets got old about 2 games after I bought the 3rd Edition many moons ago. So you set up the terrain. Or better yet, let your progeny do so (they love this part!).
Each of you picks an end of the table. Set up your troops at that end.
On each sheet of paper, the player lists his forces, with a set of numbers after them, like so:
Storm Jr.
Uziel 1 2 3
Awesome 1 2 3
Highlander 1 2 3
Commando 1 2 3
Dreadnought Super-Heavy Mech 1 2 3 4 5 6
Apache VTOL 1
Green Abrams Tank 1 2 3
Black Abrams Tank 1 2 3
F-16 Aerospace Fighter
(If the names sound like modern craft, it's because we use a lot of micro-machines for conventional and aerospace units)
The numbers represent the number of times a unit can be hit before it is destroyed. (More on that in a bit)
Turns
The game is strictly turn-based. Each player may move or shoot 1 unit (1 'mech, 1 tank, 1 VTOL, etc.) during that turn. You may move OR shoot, but not both. There are no rolls for initiative. Nor are there Piloting or Gunnery Skill Rolls, and so forth.
Movement
This is really basic: Jump-capable units can jump. Non-jumpers can't. EVERYTHING moves 18 inches, period. The two exceptions are Super-Heavy 'mechs, which move 9, and Aerospace Fighters. which move clear across the map. HOWEVER, a fighter only gets 2 passes and then it is out of play.
18 inches is measured as the Snow Raven flies: From Point A to Point B. No modifications are made for terrain, speed, etc. Jumpers may land on buildings. Non-jumpers may not.
VTOLS are either airborne (and everyone can see them) or they are on the ground.
Shooting
Again, this is kid-simple. Each unit may shoot if an enemy unit is in range. Range is 18 inches. Every type of unit shoots 18 inches, except aerospace fighters, who shoot at a unit as they pass over.
No matter how many weapons a unit has, it gets one shot. (You older-types cn think of it as a game of alpha strikes, if that makes you happier).
To-hit rolls are also really simple: Roll the dice. Mine has 3 red sides, and 3 white sides (courtesy of a Sharpie marker). Storm Jr. says his Uziel is shooting at my Marauder. He rolls the dice (and the little sneak is trying to rig his rolls already! I don't know if I should be proud or apalled). If it comes up red, the Uziel hits the Marauder.
Recording Damage
Again, really simple. Each time a unit is hit, you mark of a number. When you are out of numbers, that unit is destroyed. 'Mechs and armor are about average, so they each get 3 hits. VTOLs are fragile, so they get one. Super-Heavies are big, so they get 6. Fighters move too fast, and are out after 2 turns anyway, so who cares?
The game goes until one side gives up or is wiped out. Units leaving the table are out of play for the rest of the game.
That's pretty much it. The main point is to get your child to want to play with you, and have fun. As difficult as it is for us competitive Dads to not exploit every weakness and pound their troops into snail snot. [/i][/u]
Storm
8)
_________________
Storm  "The More that thou sweatest and swearest in training, the less thou bleedest and diest in combat."--Dick Marcinko
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Mordel
Mordel.Net
Administrator
Joined: 03-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 6061
Location: United States
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| Posted: 12-May-2011 16:22 Post subject: Battletech for the Young 'Uns (Kinda Long) |
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Mine turns 5 in July! Am counting down to the days when I can teach him how to play. I may look at this thread again at that time. 
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Mordel Blacknight - Site Administrator
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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 5724
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-May-2011 20:17 Post subject: Battletech for the Young 'Uns (Kinda Long) |
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i did something similar when i first started playing BTech. my friend and I were like, these rules are to complicated so let make our own.
All i remember is that we still used hex maps but simplified movement to X number of hexes with terrain features taking up 2 mp.
Shooting was much like yours but we had multiple weapon systems on each unit. I think a 4 thru 6 was a hit except for pulse weapons (which he knew about due to MW2 and VirtualWorlds) which needed a 3 thru 6. Each weapon did different damage and had simplified heat; you couldn't fire over your heat sinks.
The weapons did have different ranges but it was like aerotech were it was short, medium, or long. I believe LRM ranges so 7/14/21.
Unit had only armor i believe and were alive or dead with no damage gradients.
And then we simplified the units armor to a single value.
We didn't have armor or aero though, only mechs.
Overall, our product was kinda similar to battleforces. lol.
You might think about slowly introducing rule changes from battleforces as printed in Strategic Operations. Start with simple thing like maybe modified ranges or internal structure dots. The basic battleforces is really simple and easy for young ones to pickup quick. And its sets the stage even further for true battletech.
Congrats btw.
_________________
one must work hard to cultivate the mind and body. and one must always cultivate the mind.
//^(^_^)^\\
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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 5724
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-May-2011 20:20 Post subject: Battletech for the Young 'Uns (Kinda Long) |
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BTW, before I acquired alot of mech miniatures I totally used those exact micro-machines for my battletech experience. lol.
_________________
one must work hard to cultivate the mind and body. and one must always cultivate the mind.
//^(^_^)^\\
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