INTRODUCTION Keeping Fit 51 6 Training 51 Maintenance 52 FORCE CREATIION Administration 53 Chaos Campaign Conversions 53 The Steps of Force Creation 8 Housing And Base Building 53 STAGE 1: DEFINE THE FORCE 9 Step 1: Obtain Land 54 Step 1: Select Force Type 9 Step 2: Base Construction 54 Step 2: Select Force Background 9 STAGE 2: SELECT FORCE SIZE 10 FORMATION BUILDING Step 1: Determine The Basic Budget 10 Step 2: Modify Budget 11 FORMATION BUILDING BASICS 56 STAGE 3: PROCURE EQUIPMENT AND HIRE PERSONNEL 12 Step 1: Select Battle Value Total 57 Step 1: Buy All The Stuff! 12 Step 2: Build a Formation 57 Step 2: Acquire Large Spacecraft 17 Step 3: Select Skills And Modify Unit’s BV 57 Step 3: Determine Special Abilities 20 Step 4: More Formations 57 Step 4: Leftover Funds 20 Step 5: Special Pilot Abilities 57 Step 5: Determine Support Personnel & Officers 20 Step 6: Special Command Abilities 57 Technical Personnel 20 UNIT ROLE 57 Administrative Personnel 21 Ground Unit Roles 57 Officers 21 Ambusher 57 STAGE 4: DETERMINE OPERATING EXPENSES 24 Brawler 57 Step 1: Complete the To&E 24 Juggernaut 57 Step 2: Calculate Peacetime Operating Costs 29 Missile Boat 58 58 OPTIONAL CONSTRUCTION RULES 30 Scout Skirmisher 58 Alternate Flexible Force Construction 30 Sniper 58 Player Character Influences 30 Striker 58 Dependents 30 Aerospace Unit Roles 58 Random Backgrounds 31 Attack Fighter 58 Taking On Debt 31 Dogfighter 58 FORCE OPERATIONS Fast Dogfighter 58 Fire Support 58 Interceptor 58 REPUTATION 32 Transport 58 Finding The Reputation Score 33 LANCES, STARS AND LEVEL IIS 58 HIRING AND CAMPAIGNS 38 FORMATIONS 60 Stage 1: Contract Offers 38 Formation Compositions 60 Stage 2: Determine Employer 39 Formation Requirements 60 Stage 3: Determine The Mission 40 Ideal Role 60 Stage 4: Negotiate Terms 40 Bonus Abilities 60 Base Payment 41 Variations 61 Length Of Mission 41 Naming Conventions 61 Operations Tempo 43 Ground Formation Types 61 Employer Multiplier 43 Air Lance 61 Reputation Factor 43 Anti-’Mech Lance 61 Transport Payment 43 Assault Lance 61 Support Payment 44 Battle Lance 62 Final Payment 45 Command Lance 63 Command Rights 45 Fire Lance 64 Salvage Rights 45 Nova 64 ADDITIONAL RULES 46 Pursuit Lance 65 Wartime Definition And Costs 46 Recon Lance 65 Contract Breaches And Mission Failures 46 Security Lance 65 Mission Failure & Partial Failure 47 Striker/Cavalry Lance 66 Contract Breach 47 Support Lance 66 Resolving Mercenary Contract Breaches 47 Urban Combat Lance 67 Resolving Government Contract Breaches 48 Aerospace Formation Types 67 Changing Force Type 48 Aerospace Superiority Squadron 67 Debt During A Campaign 48 Electronic Warfare Squadron 67 Loans 49 Fire Support Squadron 68 “Company Store” 50 Interceptor Squadron 68 Repaying Debts By Shorting Salaries 50 Strike Squadron 68 Procuring Equipment and Personnel During s Campaign 51 Transport Squadron 68 COMPANIES, BINARIES AND BEYOND 68 Enemy Specialization 84 SPECIAL PILOT ABILITIES 70 Environmental Specialization 84 Assigning Special Pilot Abilities 70 Esprit De Corps 84 Animal Mimicry 72 False Flag 84 Antagonizer 73 Forcing The Initiative 85 Blood Stalker 73 Ground Attack Specialists 85 INTRODUCTION Cluster Hitter 73 Highlander Burial 85 Combat Intuition 73 Hit And Run 85 Cross-Country 73 Off-Map Movement 85 Demoralizer 74 Overrun Combat 86 Dodge 74 Rapid Strike 86 FORCE Dust-Off 74 Savages 86 CREATION Eagle’s Eyes 74 Special Pilot Ability Specialization 86 Environmental Specialist 74 Sharp Shooters 86 Fist Fire 75 Tactical Adjustments 87 Forward Observer 75 Tactical Experts (Engineers) 87 Foot Cavalry 75 Tactical Experts (Hidden Units) 87 FORCE Golden Goose 75 Tactical Experts (Physical) 87 OPERATIONS Ground-Hugger 75 Tactical Specialization 87 Heavy Horse 75 Zone Of Control 87 Heavy Lifter 76 Hopper 76 INNER SPHERE AT WAR CONVERSIONS FORMATION Hot Dog 76 BUILDING Human Tro 76 Converting ISW Combat Commands Iron Will 76 to ACS Formations, Combat Units and Teams 88 Jumping Jack 76 Abstract Combat System Formations 88 Light Horseman 76 Determine ACS Combat Units 89 INNER SPHERE Lucky 77 Determine ACS Combat Teams 90 AT WAR Maneuvering Ace 77 Converting ACS Combat Teams To SBF Formations and Units 90 CONVERSIONS Marksman 77 Determine SBF Formations 90 Melee Master 77 Determine SBF Units 90 Melee Specialist 77 Converting SBF Units To Battleforce, Multi-Tasker 78 Alpha Strike and Total Warfare Elements 91 SOLAR SYSTEM Natural Grace 78 Random Method 91 GENERATION Oblique Artilleryman 78 PV Method 91 Oblique Attacker 78 Converting Back From Battleforce, Range Master 78 Alpha Strike And Total Warfare To SBF and ACS 91 Ride The Wash 79 Sandblaster 79 SOLAR SYSTEM GENERATION NARRATIVE Shaky Stick 79 CAMPAIGNS Sharpshooter 79 The Primary 98 Slugger 80 Star Type 99 Sniper 80 Stellar Subtype 102 Speed Demon 80 The Planets 102 MAP-BASED Stand-Aside 80 Step 1: Generating Number Of Orbits 102 CAMPAIGNS Street Fighter 80 Step 2: Placing Orbits 102 Swordsman 80 Step 3: Filling Orbital Slots 103 Tactical Genius 80 Step 4: Planetary Details 104 Terrain Master 81 Common Details 104 CHAOS Urban Guerrilla 82 Asteroid Belts 106 CAMPAIGN Weapon Specialist 82 Moons And Rings 106 CREATION Wind Walker 82 Size Of Moons 107 Zweihander 82 Distribution Of Moons And Rings 107 SPECIAL COMMAND ABILITIES 83 Atmospheric Pressure And Composition 108 Determining Experience Rating 83 Planetary Temperatures 110 Commanders And Command Abilities 83 Habitable Planet Details 111 RECORD SHEETS Anti-Aircraft Specialists 83 Special Features And Occupancy 114 Banking Initiative 83 Options 115 Berserkers 83 Brown Dwarfs 115 Brawlers 83 Exotic Moons 115 Camouflage 83 Eccentric Planetary Orbits 116 Combat Drop Specialists 84 High Axial Tilts 116 Communications Disruption 84 Hot, Hot, Hot! 116 3 “It’s Life, But Not As We Know It” 117 Multi-Star Systems 117 Realistic Planetary Placement 118 Variable Stars 118 Very Young And Very Old Systems 118 Water, Water Everywhere 119 Planetary Location Versus Density And Exotic Densities 119 Math Guidance 120 Transit Times 120 Density Calculations 120 Surface Gravity Calculations 120 Escape Velocity Calculation 120 Planetary Year Length 121 Planetary Temperatures 121 COLONY CREATION 122 Step 1: Population 122 Population 122 CUSTOM CHAOS: CAMPAIGN CREATION Step 2: Usilr Codes 123 HOW TO USE THE CHAOS CAMPAIGN RULESET 157 Exceptions 129 Tracks 157 Step 3: Governments 129 Situation And Game Setup 157 Government Definitions 130 Player Force Size 158 Step 4: Other Features 132 Opposing Forces 158 NARRATIVE CAMPAIGNS Warchest And Objectives 160 Special Rules 160 Aftermath And Next Track 160 CAMPAIGN BACKGROUND 134 Warchest Point System 160 Player Unit Rosters 135 Getting Started 160 WEBBING THE CAMPAIGN 135 Warchest Debt 160 SCENARIO HOOKS 137 Warchest Points Between Tracks 160 Mission Balancing 139 Optional Rule: Support Points 161 Mission Creation & Webbing 139 Purchase/Repair 162 MISSION WRAP UP 139 Skill Advancement 164 Salvage 139 Changing Force Commands And Formation Types 164 Repair Cost And Time 140 Warchest Campaign Record Sheet 164 Results And Follow Up 140 CUSTOM CHAOS: BUILDING YOUR OWN CAMPAIGN 165 NARRATIVE AND MAP-BASED CAMPAIGNS 141 Game Setup 165 FINAL TIPS & TRICKS 141 Additional Forces 165 MAP-BASED CAMPAIGN Objectives 166 Victory Conditions (Optional) 169 OPTIONS 169 CAMPAIGN SCALE 142 Warchest 174 RULES COMPLEXITY 143 Special Rules 174 CAMPAIGN SETUP 143 Situation 180 Determining Campaign Objectives 143 Aftermath 180 Determining Map Objectives 144 Next Track 180 Valuing Map Objectives 147 BUILDING A TRACK 180 Force Building 147 Game Setup 182 147 Deployment Attacker 182 PLAYING/RUNNING THE CAMPAIGN 148 Defender 182 Map-Scale Turns 148 Warchest 182 Formation Orders 148 Options: 182 Battles 149 Objectives: 182 Choosing Mapsheets or Terrain 150 Special Rules 182 Scenarios 150 Forced Withdrawal 182 Battle Wrap-Up 153 Tinderbox 182 Key Locations 154 Aftermath 182 WINNING THE CAMPAIGN 154 Victory 182 OPTIONAL RULES 155 Failure 182 Multi-Force Campaigns 155 Next Tracks 182 Double-Blind Rules 155 Dynamic Campaign Scaling 155 RECORD SHEETS & TABLES CREDITS Project Concept Additional Design and Development Randall N. Bills The following people have been involved in the creation and development of BattleTech rules, either by writing material that was assimilated into the main body of the rules, serving as the BattleTech line Project Development developer in the past, or otherwise contributing to the game in a major way. INTRODUCTION Ray Arrastia Ray Arrastia, Samuel B. Baker, Herb Beas, Randall N. Bills, Forest G. Brown, Chuck Crain, Ben H. Rome Chris Hartford, Clare Hess, Scott Jenkins, J. Andrew Keith, James R. Kellar, Dale Kemper, L.R. “Butch” Leeper, Bryan Li- Brandi, Jim Long, David McCulloch, Jim Musser, Bryan Nystul, Mike Nystul, Blaine Pardoe, Writing Boy F. Peterson Jr., Rick Raisley, Ben H. Rome, Paul Sjardijn, Jerry Stenson, Christoffer Trossen, Wm. John Wheeler. Ray Arrastia FORCE Randall N. Bills CREATION Playtesters/Proofers/Fact Checkers Brian Bunch In addition, the following people have been involved in the thankless task of playtesting, proofing, Johannes Heidler and factchecking BattleTech rules since the start of the core rulebook series, beginning with Total Joshua K. Franklin Warfare. Anyone we may have missed, we apologize in advance. Mike Miller Matt Alexander, Sebastian Brocks, Brian Bunch, Aaron Cahall, Rich Cencarik, Bill Derer, Brent Ben H. Rome FORCE “Moonsword” Ezell, Bruce Ford, Eugen Fournes, Stephan Frabartolo, Joshua K. Franklin, William OPERATIONS Elliotte