Optional Rules: Physical Combat

Optional Rules Compendium

This is a compilation of "house rules" for the BattleTech gaming system. These rules come from different sources and might not be used by your GM. If your gaming group does not use a GM, then rules can be adopted by general consensus of the players. Please note that some of these rules may conflict with each other; this list is meant to complement existing rules. This list is based on FASA's BattleTech, not the newer version by FanPro (Classic BattleTech).
Use of the phrase "House Rules" in no way implies that the sequenced garbage played in dance clubs in the early 1990's was even music, let alone any good.

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Physical Combat

Carrying

see Dragging

Charging-Infantry-Swarming

Infantry swarming a mech can be subject to damage during a charge. Treat this as a free kicking attack against the infantry, even if the infantry is allied to the mech. Infantry may also be knocked off of the mech. If the GM determines they have been knocked off, they remain in their original hex (and may swarm the mech that charged).
Infantry may also be scattered. Scattered infantry can either be useless until regrouped (see water rules below) or can become 2 separate units in the two hexes. If either of the new units cannot function as an infantry unit (due to damage) it is considered destroyed. The 2 units can regroup per infantry regrouping/consolidation rules.

Charging-Infantry-Swarming-Water

Infantry is not allowed to travel onto water. Infantry elements are assumed to "jump off" as a mech enters a water hex, remaining in the last land hex. If a 'mech is charged while being swarmed (which is bad for gro-po morale if they're on your side) and forced into a water hex, use normal infantry displacement rules.
Option: Infantry lands in water hex and is destroyed, as per City Tech (1st ed.) vehicle rules.
Option: Infantry is "disorganized" and must swim to shore to regroup. The unit is out of action for 3 turns and cannot attack or move. Attacks on the unit are -3 (penalty) for the first turn, -2 for the second, and -1 for the third.

Collateral Damage

(Level III)
Battlemechs take damage from charging equal to 1 point per 20 tons of target mech.

Per optional rules in Maximum Tech.

Collateral Damage

(obsolete)
Battlemechs, like in charging, may take damage from a initiating a phsyical attack. The formula was 1/2 damage to attacker, double damage to target based on die roll. Current physical attack rules have fixed damage amounts, so 1/4 collateral damage is recommended. Collateral Damage only affects charging, kicking and punching. Punching may be excluded for 'mechs with hands due to the reinforced nature of a fist, but considering the delicate nature of actuators, it should not be excluded. Stomping infantry should be considered exempt from collateral damage.

Dragging

(obsolete)
Battlemechs can carry up to 50% of their weight at no penalty to speed. A mech can drag up to 250% (its own weight plus another 150%) at one half normal speed (rounded down). The dragging mech must have working hand and arm actuators. It takes one full turn to grasp an object.

A mech being dragged by another mech may not fire weapons. The dragged mech must be a friendly (or destroyed) mech.

Weapons fire may be affected at the GM's discretion.

OPTION: Battlemechs constructed without hand and arm actuators may grasp objects only by rigging cables. Rigging cables takes at least one additional round. If a mech sets down its cargo but does not leave the hex, it only takes one turn to pick up the cargo again.

This rule is based on The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders, a BattleTech supplement (1606) published in 1986.

Jackie Chan

see Quads

Lifting

Battlemechs can lift up to 30% of their own weight instead of 10%. The increased limit would allow mechs to actually uproot trees and toss around lighter 'mechs as described in the manuals. Tossing a light 'mech or vehicle requires a successful Punch to-hit roll, and does damage per falling 2 elevations. Throwing another 'mech can only be done while directly facing an enemy battlemech. A throwing 'mech must have functioning hand actuators.

The weight limit is determined before 3X myomer bonuses.

This does not affect the lifting capacity of CargoMechs.

Mule Kick

Rearing

see Quads

Throwing

see Lifting

To submit a rule for posting, e-mail Koichi (please include "BattleTech" in the subject line)

This list was compiled by Jason Caesar and Koichi Ishitandai

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