BATTLETECHTM STRATEGIC OPERATIONS • CATALYST GAME LABS • DF JH A Word of Blake eet, lead by the Black Lion-class Rays of Enlightenment, moves to protect one of its Hidden Worlds: the Ruins of Gabriel. Ejection and Abandoning Ship 26 INTRODUCTION 8 Fighters 26 Large Craft 27 Advanced Rules 8 Fighter Squadrons 27 Tactical Operations 8 Creating a Fighter Squadron 27 Strategic Operations 8 Using a Fighter Squadron 30 Interstellar Operations 9 Splitting a Fighter Squadron 34 Choose What You Like 9 Fuel Consumption (Aerospace Units) 34 Player Adjudication 9 Tactical Fuel E ciency 34 Fiction 9 Strategic Fuel E ciency 34 Fiction Vs. Rules 9 Refueling 35 Fiction Vs. Art 10 Fuel Consumption (All Units) 35 Components 10 HarJel 36 JumpShips 10 Gravitational E ects 36 WarShips 10 Thresholds 36 Space Stations 10 Infantry Vs. Infantry Actions (Expanded) 36 Record Sheets 11 Boarding for Damage (Optional) 37 Aerospace Record Sheets 11 Morale and Fatigue (Outside of Game Play) 38 Additional Record Sheets and Templates 13 Morale (Outside of Game Play) 39 Fatigue (Outside of Game Play) 41 THE NAVAL FACTOR 14 Moving Cargo 41 Aerospace Units 42 Mounting and Dismounting Units (Outside of Game Play) 42 Units and Personnel in Cargo Bays 43 GENERAL RULES 18 Orbital Obstacles 44 Asteroids 44 Abstract Aerospace System 18 Debris 45 The Radar Map 18 Search And Rescue 45 Deploying Forces 19 Prisoners of War (Optional) 46 Abstract Ground Support 19 Aerospace SAR (Optional) 47 Abstract Air-to-Air Combat 21 Movement and Weapon Resolution Dice 47 Dropping Troops 22 Linked Scenarios 47 Atmospheric Drops 22 Assembling a Force 47 Space Drops for Orbital Insertion 23 Actions 47 Space Drops for Ground Units In Zero-G Operations 24 Campaign Score 48 Winning the Campaign 49 Advanced Heat 96 Structural Costs 160 New Scenarios 49 Advanced Point Defense Weapons 96 Weapons and Equipment 160 Probe 49 Advanced Atmospheric Control Rolls 97 Final Unit Costs 160 Recon Raid 50 Ammunition 98 Calculating Advanced Aerospace Unit BV 160 Base Attack 50 Anti-Aerospace Capital Laser Targeting Mode 99 Calculating Advanced Aerospace INTRODUCTION Random Aerospace Assignment Tables 50 Attacking the Jump Sail 99 O ensive Battle Rating 160 Bracketing Fire Mode Space Stations 161 DESPERATE THRILL 58 (Capital and Sub-Capital Weapons Only) 99 JumpShips 161 Called Shots Mode 100 WarShips 161 Capital Missile Bearings-Only Launch 100 Balancing Aerospace Unit Forces 161 GENERAL RULES Capital Missile Preprogrammed ADVANCED Waypoint Launches 102 HOUSE RULES 162 Capital Weapons Fire In Atmosphere 103 AEROSPACE Electronic Warfare 110 ADVANCED MOVEMENT 62 Emergency Combat Heading Operation AEROSPACE (DropShips and WarShips Only) 113 MAINTENANCE, MOVEMENT Individual Weapons 114 Advanced Units 62 Large Craft and Sensor Shadows 114 REPAIR, SALVAGE AND Movement Sub-Phases 62 Over-Penetration Weapons Fire 116 JumpShips 62 CUSTOMIZATION 166 ADVANCED Space Bombing 116 WarShips 63 AEROSPACE Targeting Capital Missiles 117 Space Stations 63 Optional Rules 166 COMBAT Variable Damage Thresholds 117 Advanced Initiative 63 Time (Maintenance/Repair Cycle) 166 Advanced Sensors 117 Advanced Movement 64 Skill Checks 167 Infrared Jump Signature (Object) 118 Rotational Vectors 65 Unit Quality 167 ADVANCED Emergence Wave (Object) 118 Random Movement 66 Support Personnel 168 AEROSPACE Radio Triangulation (Object) 118 Technical Personnel 168 Lateral And Deceleration Movement 66 CONSTRUCTION Drive Plumes (Object) 119 Medical Personnel 169 Special Maneuvers 66 Radar (Object) 119 Maintenance 169 Yawing and End-Overs 66 Optical/Thermal Detection (Object) 119 Advanced Maintenance (Optional) 174 Docking 66 MAINTENANCE, Zero-G Ground Unit Combat 119 Mothballs (Optional) 175 Flight and Transit Times 68 SALVAGE, REPAIR BattleMechs 120 Repair and Replacement 175 Atmospheric Flight Times 68 & CUSTOMIZATION Weapon Attacks 120 Destroyed Vs. Truly Destroyed 175 Suborbital Flight Times 69 Mostly Dead Vs. Truly Dead 176 Interplanetary Flight Times 69 AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGIES 122 Diagnosis 176 Landing and Lifto (Expanded) 71 Obtaining Replacement Parts 178 BATTLEFORCE: Systems Status 71 Stockpiles, Buying and Selling (Optional) 180 STANDARD RULES Vertical Landing and Lifto 72 Obtaining Replacement Personnel (Optional) 181 Water Landing and Lifto 73 ADVANCED Repairs and Replacements 181 High Speed Closing Engagements 74 Rearming 186 Jury-Rigging (Optional) 187 Types of Closing Engagements 75 AEROSPACE UNITS BATTLEFORCE: Medical Care 187 Set-Up 75 ADVANCED RULES Sequence of Play 77 CONSTRUCTION 142 Natural Healing 187 Detection and Initial Maneuver Phase 77 Experience 187 Customization 188 Capital Missile Phase 79 The Basics of Advanced unit Design 142 Unit Type 142 Re t Kits 188 Meeting Engagement Phase 81 BATTLEFORCE: Technology Base 143 Customizing 189 End Phase 85 Salvage 191 CONVERSION RULES Weight 143 High Speed Damage 85 Special Cases 192 Space 143 Hyperspace Travel 86 Design Quirks (Optional) 193 Jump Points (Outside of Game Play) 86 Designing Advanced Aerospace Units 144 Positive Design Quirks 193 Charging the Drive (Outside of Game Play) 87 Step 1: Design the Chassis 144 Negative Design Quirks 196 Jump Calculations (During Game Play) 88 Choose Advanced Aerospace Unit Type 144 MINIATURES RULES Jump Process (Outside of Game Play) 89 Choose Technology Base 144 WAR AND ITS MAKERS 200 Making a Jump (During Game Play) 89 Choose Weight 145 Allocate Weight for Structural Integrity 146 PUNITIVE STRIKE 90 Step 2: Install Engines and Control Systems 146 Install Engine 146 BATTLEFORCE: INDEX Determine Fuel Capacity 147 Determine Structural Integrity (WarShips Only) 148 STANDARD RULES 212 ADVANCED Determine K-F Jump Capability (JumpShips and WarShips) 148 Standard Rules 212 AEROSPACE COMBAT 94 Add Control/Crew Systems 149 Advanced Rules 212 RECORD SHEETS Special Enhancements 151 Conversion Rules 212 Advanced Aerospace Units Combat 94 Step 3: Add Heat Sinks 151 Terminology 212 Firing Arcs 94 Step 4: Add Armor 152 BattleForce Versus Total Warfare 213 Hit Location 94 Step 5: Add Weapons, Ammunition Game Terms 213 Critical Hit E ects 94 and Other Equipment 153 Rounding 213 Collisions and Ramming 94 Step 6: Complete the Record Sheet 159 Components 214 General Rules 94 Calculating Advanced Aerospace Unit Costs 160 Record Sheets 214 Advanced Anti-Aircraft 94 Basic Cost Calculations 160 Dice 214 3 Maps and Miniatures 214 BATTLEFORCE: Screen Launchers 292 Counters 215 Space Station Attacks 293 A Note on Scale and the Rules 215 ADVANCED RULES 260 Space Bombers 293 Playing The Game 215 WarShips 293 Sequence of Play 215 Organization of Rules 260 Capital Weapons Fire in Atmosphere 293 Initiative Phase 215 Rules Level 260 Squadrons in Combat 295 Ground Movement Phase 215 Advanced Game Terms 260 Tele-operated Missiles 295 Aerospace Atmospheric Movement Phase 215 Components 261 Capital Missile Bearings Only & Aerospace Space Movement Phase 215 Preprogrammed Waypoint Launches 295 Combat Phase 216 Record Sheets 261 End Phase 295 End Phase 216 Counters 261 Morale 295 Ground Movement Phase 216 Playing the Game 262 Movement Basics 216 Initiative Phase 263 Loss of Leader (Optional) 297 Vehicles 218 Command Phase (Optional) 263 Commands (Optional) 298 Infantry 218 Ground Movement Phase 263 Chain of Command 298 Additional Movement Rules 219 Aerospace Atmospheric Movement Phase 263 Building the Chain of Command 298 Facing 219 Aerospace Space Movement Phase 263 Command E ects 302 Stacking 219 Combat Phase 263 Special Rules 308 Aerospace Atmospheric Movement Phase 220 End Phase 263 Abstract Ground Support (Optional) 308 Atmospheric Movement Basics 220 Initiative Phase 263 Abstract Space Support (Optional) 308 Lifto , Landing and Ground Movement 223 Initiative Modi ers 263 Alternate Munitions 308 Aerospace Space Movement Phase 224 Battle eld Intelligence (Optional) 263 Balancing Force Sizes (Optional) 310 Space Map/Ground Map Interaction 224 Command Phase (Optional) 265 Buildings 311 Space Movement Basics 224 Command Points 265 Dropping Troops 313 Combat Phase 225 Additional Command Points (Optional) 265 ECM/ECCM 314 Types of Attacks 225 Mobile Headquarters Command Ejecting/Abandoning Elements 314 Resolving Weapon Attacks 225 Point Bonus (Optional) 266 Environmental Conditions (Optional) 315 Attack Declaration 225 Abstract Command System (Optional) 266 Fire (Optional) 317 Verify Line of Sight 225 Hidden Units 320 Verify Firing Arc 226 Using Command Points 266 Random Skill Rating (Optional) 320 Determine Range 226 Stacking Limit for Commands and Requests 269 Separating Elements 322 Determine To-Hit Number 227 Executing Commands 269 Roll To-Hit 228 Ground Movement Phase 270 Specialty Infantry 322 Determine and Apply Damage 228 Alternating Movement (Optional) 270 Targeting and Tracking Systems (Optional) 323 Applying Damage 230 Advanced Movement 270 Terrain Conversion 323 Roll for Critical Hits 230 Advanced Terrain 270 Transporting Elements 324 Critical Hit E ects 230 Large Naval Vessel Support Vehicles and Airships 270 Squadrons (Optional) 326 Roll for Motive Systems Damage 231 Mobile Structures 270 Creating Squadrons 326 Physical Attacks 231 Aerospace Atmospheric Movement Phase 273 Force Generation 328 Resolving Physical Attacks 232 Alternating Movement (Optional) 273 Building Units (Optional) 328 Aerospace Attacks 233 Moving On and Between the Maps 273 Random Force Generation (Optional) 328 Overheating 236 Special Maneuvers 274 Determine Military Organization 329 End Phase 237 Aerospace Space Movement Phase 276 Determine Force Size and Formation 329 Damage 237 Space