This is where I will be looking for Recon units in addition to having the mobile HQ. Jamie Wolf would fit here with his ability but adding a 2nd heavy will cut down support units.

Hail, Trothkin.

I recently ran a battle on the cluster level, facing six opponents. Would that I could boast of glorious victory, but the order differential was to great (8/turn for me, 42/turn for them) even with the fact that my force was larger than any one opponent (2100/opponent, 10500 for me). When I suggest the next form of this scenario, I will endeavor to balance the orders a little more. I'm thinking half the total orders of the opposing combined force. We only did 8 orders on a 2100pt. force to keep tirns relatively quick. I should have thought that 8 orders wouldn't be enough to use my large force effectively. Players complained that there wasn't enough challenge, because the majority of my army was sitting idle, being picked off one by one. Even with the JF FP that allows mechs to move in formation, I was moving lines of mechs into position only to have them disappear before my next turn came around. I think I'll take 4 orders after every opponents turn next time. However, if anyone can suggest alternatives for balancing this admittedly unwieldy scenario, I would be happy to hear them, as I know a few on this forum do engage in battles at the cluster level.

Seyla

@Badbird,

I salute you on such a glorious battle! I often participate in battles on the Galaxy / Regimental level, and it is only against 1 other opponent. I would recommend that you stick with the plan that you have mentioned. I believe that it will keep the battle in a "real time" realm. I would request a copy of the touman that you used in your battle. I would be very interested in trying it. If your forces can go toe to toe against six others, it had to be a good one!

Again my compliments!

Khan T.D. Stephens

Well if you go after every turn you even if you have less orders you have the distinct advantage of having 6 turns vs each player in witch they cannot react. so you could moave a unit into rear arc, vent it, pulls laser it, vent it, pulse laser it, and move it away before the enemy ever gets an order to respond.

The only way i can think of it being fair is you get the same amount of ordesr as there combined total of orders and you simply go after there turn in a massive turn of your own. so in essence it works out to a 1v1 except they have 6 differnt sub commanders.

Thats all i got. sounds like it had the potential to be really fun, sorry it did not work out that great.

The difference is that a R10/Huey is a vastly more effective use of orders than the infantry. Moving the infantry is sort of an afterthought. Moving an R10 with an 11 AV tank inside is a priority. Dropping a pair of VTOLs might help (and I don't think he can swing the points to run a tank drop just from the infantry alone).

Badbird, as 4-LOM suggests you should run with 6 sub commanders in your group with your army split 6 ways. Let 1 opposing player go then you commit an equal # of orders against that army.

I would also suggest having a 3 vs 3 /3 vs 4 game or recruit a C0-general.

ideas:

free for all or...

Subforces must eliminate their exact opponent before joining the larger fray.
(this allows smaller fights to go at their own pace).Gentlemen plz control your pogs.


etc.

Hail once more, Trothkin.

I was hoping to avoid the "I take 21 orders at once" thing to save time, but 4-Lom is right. splitting up my orders up would allow me to pick on one player to the point where I could destroy him without response. The sub-commander idea is a good one, but I am the only Jade Falcon player in my city and the other players are so rabidly anti-Falcon that only the CNC player will even use a Falcon piece (and that only because of the CNC/CJF SA which keeps his cats cool). But I could use that idea of dividing my forces and running six "mini" battles. That might be fun too. My thanks for your assistance in this matter, warriors. I shall continue to battle for the glory of Turkina.

Seyla.

That is about the most fair format of playing I've encountered whenever there is an odd number of players in team battles. While it may become confusing with only yourself playing several armies, keeping your army list handy can help.

Had a 2vs3 game years ago when I was new. My teammate was using 2 HD/SS armies. All our builds were packing deadly arty but he was unable to use his effectively because he kept forgetting which unit is from which build wasting his orders. My lone pogger could not threaten three opponents properly and we lost as a result.

At the venue in my city (the only venue), we frequently do group games either free for all or teams. We do them when the rest of you are playing Solaris (Solaris being universally despised at our venue).

I don't play Solaris as well. Not because I hate the idea. It's the nature of the orders dodge, defend, and dig in that I did not like. Since only the one who declares his orders last gets to use these 3, it makes winning initiative too much of an advantage. I tend to roll low which makes for an uneven battle as my opponents almost always chooses to let me move first. When facing 25 def, the +2 from dig in would have been nice but is always denied from me as a result.

I really do not mind a return to the BattleTech style playing but I would have preferred it if the 3 orders I mentioned were taken out of the picture.

I prefer the normal constructed myself partly because the units I have are better suited for combined arms which prompted our local HK player to switch to using Poseidon as a result.

I'm of the opinion that the colossals are lame gimmicks anyway (kinda like the undead lance).

I beg to differ! My son used the Undead Lance in a battle a couple of weeks ago and really hurt his opponents feelings! The Undead Lance is not a lame gimmick. I cannot say the for the Colossal. I have not yet used them.

The Colossals and the Undead Lance are gimmicks, alright, but they're not lame at all. They hurt armies that aren't ready for those. Even then, I'm surprised that Poseidon can routinely kill Refuge when he's one of the new pieces that have the means to deal with it.

If i can just briefly return to a old subject and i promise this is my last post about this! I fortgot one more mech that i would like to c in CJF colors, the crimson hawk, the ronin one if it was slotted and maybe better vent rating would be awesome!

I know this isnt the right place to post this, but i dont know where else to ask. Im looking for the unit historys of the Ronin and Nelson'sLongbowmen factions. Please help?