Battletech Open – Tournament Rules v 3.1

The goal of the Battletech Open tournament is to determine who is the “most skilled” Battletech player in a fun atmosphere emphasizing friendly competition, good sportsmanship, and fan camaraderie. The tournament consists of several rounds of the same set length of time. At the beginning of each round, a player will select a force from an option list produced and revealed by the tournament organizer, and oneofficial Battletech map sheet. The tournament organizer will assign each player an opponent, and thispairing of players will play a single game of Battletech using their selected forces and map sheets. Their objective is to destroy their opponent’s force within the time limit. When this is accomplished, or time runs out, the players of each match will fill out a simple report. The organizers will use these reports to calculate a round score for each player. This process will be repeated for each round of the tournament. At the end of the final round, each player’s round scores are added up, and the player with the highest point total is the tournament winner.

1.   Tournament Scheduling

1.1  The time limit of each round is 1 hour, 45 minutes.

1.2  The tournament will consist of four rounds, played consecutively, but with a minimum fifteen minute break between each round. The total tournament time will exceed six hours.

2.     Force Selection

2.1 The tournament organizer will provide one list of force options from which all players will select.
All options must total the same target Battle Value 2.0 ± 1 percent.

2.2 If not otherwise specified in advance, all options for all rounds will consist of two ’Mechs, conforming to Total Warfare rules.

2.3  Players will choose their force for each round from a predefined list prepared in advance and provided just prior to the round. The list will be clearly numbered and will specify the exact model and skills of each unit in the force.

2.4  The exact details of themes or force options will not be revealed until the day of the tournament. The tournament organizer will provide the players with record sheets for their selections. Many players may choose the exact same force option.

3.   Round/Match Procedure

3.1  Prior to the start of the round, each player will choose one official Battletech map sheet/alternatively sheets may be already pre picked so the player will be assigned a table with these maps. Each player should have their record sheets and a score sheet if needed. Players are expected to be ready to sit down and start their match as soon as the organizer starts the round clock.

3.2  At the start of each round, the tournament organizer will assign each player an opponent. Players then take their seats. When the last pairing has taken their seats, the tournament organizer will announce that the official clock has started. This is the beginning of the round.

3.3  Players will allow their opponents a minute or so to look over their record sheets and declare any proxies being used (see section 4).

3.4  Setup Roll

The players each roll 2d6, and the highest rolling player chooses one of the four setup options. The players then alternate choosing among the remaining choices, until no options remain.

3.4.1 One Map or Two Maps

     At the tournament organizer’s discretion, this option may be set in advance for any round, due to    available force selections.

   3.4.2 Home Edge

         After map placement the player will
choose their home edge. (i.e. Which edge their force will start from.) Their
opponent will start on the opposite edge. (See also TW pg 256 “Set-Up”
paragraphs.) Any edge may be chosen as the home edge.

3.4.3 Map Placement
(which of these is used corresponds to the 3.4.1 choice): Two Maps: The
player    decides which map edges will be
placed together for the match. A long edge cannot be placed against a short
edge (TW p. 264).

         One Map: The player may choose either
their, or their opponent’s map sheet.

3.4.4 First Turn Initiative

         The player who chooses this wins initiative for the first turn.

3.5 Play Battletech!

3.5.1 Each player receives “Edge” as explained in section 5.

3.5.2 Dice

3.5.2.1 When rolling dice, both dice must be rolled simultaneously.

3.5.2.2 If a player rolls 2d6 and one rolls off the table, BOTH dice must be re-rolled. The same applies to “cocked” dice results (i.e., dice which don’t land flat). A

          die is considered cocked if it does not pass the “stack test”. (Place a d6 of same size and material on top of it. If it falls off, it is cocked.)

3.5.2.3 Don’t roll your dice unless there is a clear reason for it. State what you are rolling for first!

3.5.2.4 Any dice sold by Catalyst Game Labs shall be legal for Catalyst tournaments and events. This includes the “Battlemaster” and Faction branded Battletech dice and Shadowrun dice previously sold by Catalyst Game Labs. The judges may choose to disallow ALL players dice and instead supply dice to all players. At the judge’s discretion, the players must switch dice with one another at any time – this is not indicative of cheating, merely a precautionary measure.

3.5.2.4.1 As in previous tournament rule iterations, any other specialty dice (primarily dice which do not have facings consisting entirely of pips or numbers, but including other non-standard dice at the Organizer’s discretion), including Armory brand faction dice and the Iron Die sold through but not by Catalyst,            remain illegal for tournament use.

3.5.2.5 If the correct weighting of dice are challenged, the challenger is permitted to either use those dice or have them removed from play.

3.5.2.6 Tactical Operations rules for Movement Dice (p. 27) and Weapon Resolution Dice (p. 109) are recommended. (Note: Hit locations are still rolled one at a time!)

3.5.4 Breaks

If a player needs to take a break from the match, they must declare it to their

opponent and, if possible, finish the current game turn. The time the break starts

must be written down, and the player must tell their opponent where they are going

(e.g., “to the bathroom”). When the player returns to complete the match, write

down the time when the match is resumed.

If the total time of breaks exceeds thirty (30) minutes by one player, the player

should be prepared to explain the excessive delays to a tournament judge and risk

forfeiting the match.

3.5.5 Forfeit

Forfeiting a match is considered a poor show of sportsmanship (except in the case

of extenuating circumstances) as it is unfair to other players in the tournament who

earn their points by playing through their matches. A player may forfeit the match

by their own declaration, by excessive breaks, or by leaving the game without any

explanation to their opponent. In the latter case, a single 5-minute grace period is

allowed. If the player does it again and cannot be found in the tournament area,

forfeit is immediately in effect.

3.5.5.1 The forfeiting player’s force is considered to be under forced withdrawal

immediately, even if forfeit is declared midway through the turn. (See

Total Warfare, p. 258.) A unit which is incapable of movement is exempt from forced withdrawal.

3.5.5.2 If the forfeiting player is not available to complete the match, a judge or

judge-approved individual will serve as a proxy player to complete the match.

3.5.5.3 A unit that is forced off its player’s home map edge while under forced

withdrawal is considered successfully retreated, not destroyed (an exception to 3.5.5).

3.5.5.4 A unit which successfully retreats from the map is scored normally,
            plus an automatic “unable to fight” bonus (see paragraph 7.2.2.1.3).

3.6 When the match is finished, both players should fill out their score sheet. Players only have to

count destroyed units, damage conditions, and bonus conditions. They may figure the point

values if they wish, but only values calculated by the judges are final.

3.7 Players should make a final review of each others’ record sheets and score sheet entries,

then sign or initial the score sheet where indicated. Return the score sheet and all unit record

              sheets from the match to the judges. Return any provided non-consumable game materials.

              Also, when playing in a public venue, please take a few moments to clean up around your play

              area. We want our hosts to have a good impression of Battletech fans.

4.   Miniatures

4.1  For Purposes Of This Tournament:

4.1.1    “Miniatures” refers to metal or plastic miniatures or cardboard game pieces. Only those produced by Catalyst Game Labs, predecessor companies, or
official licensees are permitted. “Kit bashed” or altered/customized miniatures made to represent canon art or “fluff” variant descriptions are permitted if both players agree.

4.1.2    An “Exact” miniature is one produced to match printed art of a specific model / variant of a unit.
An exact miniature must be assembled or designed such that the unit’s front facing is clearly indicated. A miniature is also considered “exact” when:

4.1.2.1 No art exists for the specific variant of the unit in use, no art-specific miniature of the unit in use is available (or has been manufactured), or:

4.1.2.2 A miniature depicts a different variant of the same basic model of the unit in use, and no other
variant of that basic model is in use by the same player.

4.1.3    A proxy is any miniature which is not an exact miniature.

4.2    Players must use exact miniatures when available. When more than one proxy is required for the same player’s force:

4.2.1    The player’s opponent has the right to avoid a proxy by substituting an exact miniature provided by either the tournament organizer, or the opponent.

4.2.2    Two miniatures representing the same base model of unit may not be used, even if they are visibly different, unless both players agree.

4.2.3 Each proxy must be noted on the corresponding unit’s record sheet.

4.2.4 All proxies must match the represented unit as closely as possible.

5.  Edge Points

     The intent of using Edge in tournaments is to lessen the effect of luck on the match outcome.

5.1 Each player receives two Edge points for the entire tournament. These are counted on the

      score sheet provided to players by checking off a box when an Edge point is used.

5.2 A player may spend a point of Edge to force/allow a re-roll of any dice result, starting after the map setup roll.

5.2.1 Edge usage must be declared immediately after the dice roll in question.

         Once a subsequent dice roll has been made, any prior dice rolls cannot be edged, unless the intent to use Edge was already declared.

5.3 When using weapon resolution dice, each result counts as an independent dice result.

      Only one of the results may be affected per Edge spent.

6.   Map Sheets

6.1  Only official Battletech Map Sheets may be used. Only map sheets
with all hexes’ terrain and elevation clearly marked may be used (such as from Map Set Compilations 1 and 2).

      Players may provide their own map sheet(s), subject to approval by a tournament judge or the player’s opponent.

6.1.1    At this time, the Catalyst “gameboard” quality maps are not allowed due to their size

6.2  Certain map sheets are banned, because they contain an excessive amount of terrain thattends to result in blocked line of sight.

      These were designed primarily for “scenario” typegames, rather than a typical tournament setting where players must finish their game within a time limit.

 The following
mapsheets are banned from the tournament. Each is listed as Mapsheet Name (Map
Set/Compilation #):

• Heavy Forest, both (MS4/Comp 1)

• Large Lakes, both (MS4/Comp 1)

• Deep Canyon, both (MS5/Comp 2)

• Large Mountain both (MS5/Comp 2)

• Box Canyon (MS6/Comp 2)

• City, all 4 (MS6/Comp 2)

• Planetary Assault maps (BF2/Comp 2)

• Battlespace Maps (Comp 2)

• Solaris VII Map Pack, all

• Solaris VII box set, all

• Solaris: The Reaches, all

• Map Set 7, all except Coast #2

• Battleforce (old double-size maps)

• Batttledroids, Battletech, or any other non-standard sized mapsheets

7.   Scoring

7.1  Scoring is based on a final value of 100 points total for an entire
force destroyed. Thus, a

player who destroys
their opponent’s entire force earns 100 points for the round. Each unit

of that force is
worth a portion of the 100 points, proportionate to the unit’s BV out of the

total force BV.

7.1.1    “Destroyed” is per Total Warfare, p.128. Additionally, if all of a ’Mech’s weapons are destroyed and it can
no longer move, it is considered destroyed and out of the game.

7.1.2    A mech will also be considered destroyed when the following crippling conditions (Total Warfare, p. 258) are met: the mech loses the use of its sensors, has four or more pilot hits, or the loss of all the ’Mech’s weapons to damage or ammunition depletion

7.2 When a player does not destroy their opponent’s entire force, their score will be based upon the following calculations.

7.2.1 Each destroyed unit is worth 100 percent.

7.2.2 Each unit not destroyed is worth a percentage of its value, based on the amount of damage the unit has sustained. This is capped at 75 percent.  

         Percentage is awarded for each condition as noted below. All values are exclusive unless otherwise specified.

7.2.2.1 15% Each arm destroyed (including “blown off” critical hits).

7.2.2.2 20% Each Leg or Side Torso destroyed (including “blown off” critical hits).

7.2.2.3 30% Unit can do <5 points of weapon damage. (“Minimum damage” rule,TW p. 258.)

7.2.2.4 3% Each critical hit and pilot hit (not counting those in destroyed locations).

7.2.2.5 2% Each location with internal damage (not destroyed).

7.2.2.6 1% Each location with armor damage only (no internal damage). Front and rear count separately.

7.2.3 Base Percentage Points: Total the percentage separately for each unit.

7.2.4 Base Points Factor: Divide the Unit’s BV by the Total Force BV

7.2.5 Adjusted Damage Points: Multiply the Base Percentage Points by the Base Points Factor.

7.2.6 Total Damage Score: Add up the Adjusted Damage Points for each unit, and round off the total.

7.3 After the above are calculated, bonus points may be added for taking certain actions or

      meeting certain conditions during the match. These bonus points will be listed and defined

      on the score sheet, or provided along with it.

If someone would like to have these rules in German language,
please send a mail to info@mechforce.de with the corresponding request.