I agree that this rule woulden't cause a imbalance per-say... It wouls just change the balance. My concern it is this a good change in the balnce. Thats all.
Take this example. This rule kicks in. People play larger mech. Good, this IS mechwarior after all. However, what happens to an army when its big-beffy get killed off due to some first strike? The army goes *SPLAT*... And, to make matters worse, mech would be a very powerfull peice, thus it would be wise to play one in eveery army. Thus, your army depends on its survival, and all that needs to be done to defeat your army it kill off the mech (s?).
Basically, people will play beat-down armyies useing big mechs, and Weenie armies (like ones using a small mech, a VTOL, arty, and infanty) would be hard pressed to saty as competitive as they are.
That way the game is right now, in 500 pt games, big mechs are perfectly playable (big, being defined as 200-250 Pts.) Also, weenie and mechless armies are faily competitive. The rule would nuter mechless armies, and make weenie armies hard pressed to win.
Now, the uestion *spelling* is, is this a good change, or a bad one? I thing slightly bad (nothing seriously bad, tho.)

Another thing I like about this rule is that failed break aways on mechs aren't as horrifically bad as they are now. I was a little concerned that vent orders would become useless and hence mechs with high vents (such as sc mechs) would become over costed.(and considering that people are complaining about their low attacks now they'd be up in arms when they go from almost useable to really unnusable).

aggressive mechs with poor heat dils will spend more time running, mechs with better heat dials will spend more time attacking. I ask again, can anyone find a unit this will break?

I would say this is a good thing. A 'Mechless army SHOULD be hard pressed to keep up with a 'Mech-equipped one. As far as losing the 'Mech(s) to a well-placed strike, well, you got out thought and out fought, that is the way the game is supposed to be played, not as the pog shuffle. Losing a 'Mech is already a sting because of how many points they are. At least this way, you get something viable for the points.

Also this doesn't break assault mechs they're still vulnerable to base break shoot, still vulnerable to energy attacks, but they're goign to require more meat fed into the grinder to beat them, closing the cost benefit ratio to something more like parity.(but a combined arms army should still beat them.)

I really like this idea. It is simple and playable.

For a long time I have been a proponent that mechs are not unplayable, it was the low point cost in combination with the heat effects. An assault lance battle in CBT would be a 1200 point mech only game here.

This rule makes mechs the most flexible unit on the board, as they should be. And in larger, mech to mech battles, everyone is essentially equal, so it shouldn't unbalance the game.

Heck, institute this, along with a "run equals move and a half, not double move" rule, and we may have solved the major sticky issues in the game!

I feel this rule negates the need for a run rule change.

The problem with this rule is in mech only battles (by design or by the death of support units). Mechs tend to endlessly circle each other. Its been play tested before and just does not work. Try a Caden vs Arnis and see what I mean.

Mechs need a limited move and attack order so they can break and shoot, dodge artillery and shoot, and so on. Gight now its just too easy to tie them up.

Well DA doesn't really handle mech on mech battles very well any way. If by design then we're talking house rules which is really of little importance to the big discussion, by death of support is beyond my ken. and there were stalemate issues before artillery in certain armies.


and I'm pro tying up mechanic anyway, the breakaway penalities are a bit harsh at the moment but I agree with the mechanic. a break and shoot would be horrendous and completely kill any change of using base break shoot. who's going to spend the time to set up a good shot if it's just going to be wasted on your opponents turn.

True, I just don't like the idea of when my mech dies, the rest of my army goes to **** in a handbaske. Then again, you can do a lot to protect a mech from this fate (base screening, VTOL cover, ect...), but your oppanent will be doing the same, and that'll really make the game a challenge.
Buy, I agree that mech should be powerfull peices, so this meta-game change might not be a bad one.
This rule needs play-testing. Badly.

Heck, that was how this game started and was what made it fun!!

Hrm, that IS a solid point that mech only battles would become circle fests.

But, isn't this just as much a possibility in the rules as they stand now? In mech on mech, you can do the same, although every few turns you'd need to stop and vent.

I dunno, it doesn't seem that big a deal, it just preserves a relatively minor problem from one rule set to another.

Take care,

Rick