CD
KICK TO THE HEAD!
Advanced Rule:
Power-Ups
Standard Classic BattleTech gameplay is intended to reflect the
gritty reality of thirty-first century warfare, where battles are hard-
fought, all damage is significant, and warriors may die with the
roll of the dice and the pull of a trigger. For some players, however,
this approach may lack a certain zeal found in todays computer
and console games. Players interested in more exotic gameplay
options that combine elements of this cinematic medium may
thus incorporate the following advanced rules into their Bat-
tleTech games for an added challenge.
Basic
Power-Up Rules
Power-Ups are abstract markers that appear randomly (or in
patterns) on the battlefield and may be used to repair damaged
units, enhance their combat abilities in some way, or may even be
traps. They can be used as objective markers in special scenarios,
or reflect the presence of critical aid stations neutral toward the
combatants and thus available for both sides use. Though they
are a stationary element on the map, Power-Ups neither block line
of sight nor suffer damage if attacked. Unless otherwise noted,
Power-Ups may be activated by any unit type, on any side.
Placement
Power-Ups are placed on the map before gameplay begins. The
ultimate number of Power-Ups placed must be pre-determined
by the scenario rules or player agreement, but should never
exceed 2 per mapsheet or 1 for every 4 total units fielded by all
players. Power-Up markers may be represented on the map by
using spare dice, or simple counters with clearly identified mark-
ings on them, and should be placed randomly in the playing area
(one possible approach is selecting a central hex, and then using a
modified form of the Artillery Scatter rules, p. 193, to deploy them
2D6 or 3D6 hexes away from this point). Furthermore, the type of
Power-Ups placed should also be randomly chosen (see Random
Power-Up Types, below). At the players optiondetermined be-
fore gameplay beginsPower-Up types may be determined and
revealed during the map set-up or upon Activation (see Activa-
tion, below).
Once placed, Power-Ups do not move throughout a scenario,
but at the players option, they may be designated as one-shot
items that are removed from the map once activated.
Activation
Unless otherwise noted, Power-Ups are automatically activat-
ed whenever a unit passes through a Power-Up hex. Power-Ups
may be activated by any unit type (unless specifically prohib-
ited), and any players unit, regardless of its side. Once activated,
a Power-Ups gameplay effects may take place immediately, or
with the start of the following turndepending on the type of
Power-Up used.
A unit may only activate one Power-Up at a time. If a unit with
one Power-Up activates another while one is still in use, the new
Power-Ups effects immediately replace those of the old one.
Power-Ups with a duration provide their benefits as long as
described under the rules or until the unit activates another
Power-Up. Power-Ups with an immediate effect and no listed
duration take place as soon as they are activated and are con-
sidered complete.
Random Power-Up Types: At the players option, the types
of Power-Ups on the board.
Random Power-Up Type Table
Roll Power-Up Type
2 Booby Trap
3 Booby Trap
4 Energy Shield
5 Firepower Add-On*
6 Artillery Strike
7 Extra Health
8 Hyper-ECM
8 Firepower Add-On*
9 Invisibility
10 Energy Shield
11 Special
12 Invulnerability
*Roll 1D6:
1-2 = Energy Triple-Shot
3-4 = Ballistic Triple-Shot
5-6 = Homing Missile
Power-Up Effects
Once activated, Power-Ups have specific gameplay effects
based on their types. These effects are described below.
Extra Health
The Extra Health Power-Up allows the con-
trolling players unit to automatically reduce
any excess heat points (if applicable) by half
(rounding down), repair 3 any internal criti-
cal hits (of controlling players choice), repair
10 points of internal structure/Structural Integrity damage
per location (if any), repair 10 points of armor in all damaged
locations (if any), and reload all weapons. Furthermore, units
which track crew or pilot damage may restore any two such
pilot/crew hits of the controlling players discretion.
Infantry units (conventional or battle armored) that Activate
an Extra Health Power-Up may restore a number of troopers
equal to half their starting unit strength (rounded up), but the
final number of restored troops may not exceed the starting
maximum for the platoon (or battle armor squad).
Firepower Add-On (Energy Triple-Shot)
Starting in the following turn, the unit adds
a 2 to-hit bonus to-hit for all attacks made
using Energy Weapons, including Lasers, Pulse
Lasers, PPCs, Plasma Weapons, Flamers, and
their infantry-based equivalents. Damage
from such attacks also increases by 50 percent
(rounding up). Ammunition based energy weapons (such as
Plasma Rifles and Vehicular Flamers), do not consume ammo
CONTENTS: CLASSIFIED
any differently when using the Triple-Shot Power-Up.
This Power-Up lasts for 3 turns, starting with the turn after
the Power-Up is first activated.
Firepower Add-On (Ballistic Triple-Shot)
Starting in the following turn, the unit ap-
plies a 2 to-hit bonus and a 50 percent (round
up) damage increase for all attacks made using
Ballistic Weapons, including Autocannons, Gauss Rifles, and
Machine Guns. Note that Ballistic Triple-Shot does not triple a
units ammo expenditure.
This Power-Up lasts for 3 turns, starting with the turn after
the Power-Up is first activated.
Firepower Add-On (Homing Missile)
Starting in the following turn,
the unit applies a 2 to-hit bonus
and a +4 modifier on Cluster Hits
Table rolls (or, for aerospace units,
a +0.6 damage for non-Streak missile Launchers) for all attacks
made using Missile Weapons, including LRMs, MRMs, MMLs,
ATMs, SRMs, Streaks, Narcs. These bonuses stack with other
missile modifier such as the use of Artemis IV Fire Control
Systems. The Homing Missile Power-Up also allows the unit
to fire into firing arcs adjacent to the weapons current facing
without the need for a torso or turret twist.
This Power-Up lasts for 3 turns, starting with the turn after
the Power-Up is first activated.
Artillery Strike
Starting on the following turn, the unit may
designate one hex in its forward arc up to a range
of 10 hexes from the controlling players unit for a x
special Artillery weapon strike (see Artillery, p. 190)
during its Weapon Attack Phase. This target designation may
be made in addition to any normal movement or weapon at-
tacks. In the following Weapon Attack Phase, the designated
hex will automatically be struck by an Artillery strike equiva-
lent to a Long Tom (20 points of damage to the target hex, 10
to all adjacent hexes). No to-hit roll is required for this attack
(and no scatter effect will occur). The controlling players force
need not have any Artillery-equipped units assigned to it in
order to benefit from the Artillery Strike Power-Up.
The Artillery Strike Power-Up lasts for 3 turns, starting with
the turn after the Power-Up is first activated.
23
Hyper-ECM
Starting on the following turn, all weapon
attacks against the unit with this Power-Up
receive a +3 to-hit modifier. Weapon attacks
that trace line of sight through this units hex
are also affected by the +3 to-hit modifier.
This Power-Up lasts for 4 turns, starting with the turn after the
Power-Up is first activated.
Invisibility
Starting with the following turn, the con-
trolling player may remove the unit from
the field and track its movement secretly
from where it last appeared, writing down
the units MPs, hex position, and facing for
each turn. If the unit attacks while invisible, it may deliver its at-
tack per the Point Blank Shots from Hidden Units rules (factoring
in any range modifiers as normal), but must reveal its position and
facing on the board (the Invisibility effect is over). The controlling
player must be prepared to prove his units movements using the
notes made during the invisibility period.
This Power-Up lasts for 3 turns, starting with the turn after the
Power-Up is first activated, or until the unit attempts any kind of
attack.
Energy Shield
Starting immediately upon activation, the
unit receives an Energy Shield effective against
all weapon attacksbut not physical attacks or
collision damageto a maximum of 150 dam-
age points. The controlling unit may still operate
normally while shielded, and may deliver attacks
of its own, but if the shielded unit is hit by weap-
ons fire, the damage will strike the shield itself, subtracting the
weapons damage value from the shield instead. Once the total
amount of accumulated damage exceeds the shields damage
value, however, all excess strikes the unit normally.
This Power-Up lasts for 4 turns, starting with the turn in which
the unit first activates the Power-Up, or until the shield is de-
stroyed by weapons fire.
Invulnerability
Starting immediately upon activation, the
unit with this Power-Up may ignore any damage
from weapons fire, physical attacks, or outside
heat sources delivered by friendly or enemy units
(including passive weapons such as minefields).
The unit is still susceptible, however, to damage
from overheating, falling, or collisions with ter-
rain and/or buildings.
This Power-Up lasts for 3 turns, beginning with the turn in which
it is first activated.
Special
This Power-Up is not defined on the table, even after it is placed
on the board, and represents a pot-luck Power-Up. When acti-
vated, the controlling player of the activating unit must roll 1D6.
The effects of the Power-Up are described below, based on the
roll result.
Roll 1 Increased Size: For 3 turns (beginning with the turn
in which the Power-Up is activated), the unit now has control
over all adjacent hexes for stacking purposes and stands twice as
tall (infantry, ProtoMechs, and Combat Vehicles now rise 1 level
above the underlying terrain; BattleMechs and IndustrialMechs
rise 4 levels tall). Line of sight to this unit is traced from the high-
est level of the units height and the unit may not benefit from
terrain cover unless the intervening terrain rises at least half the
units new height (1 level for infantry, Protos, and vehicles; 2 levels
for Mechs), in which case, the unit receive only the benefits of
partial cover. While this Power-Up is active, the unit also doubles
its Walk/Cruise MP and recomputes its Running/Flank MP accord-
ingly. Attacks against a unit with this Special Power-Up receive a
2 to-hit modifier.
Roll 2 Jackhammer: For 3 turns (beginning with the turn in
which the Power-Up is activated), the unit may not use Running/
Flank or Jumping MP. In exchange, however, the unit is armed
with a powerful hammer-like weapon that effectively delivers an
automatic 60 points of damage to any target in its forward firing
arc and adjacent to the unit at the end of its movement. No at-
tack roll is required to deliver the damage for the Jackhammers
attack, but it is resolved as a single Physical attack, delivered on
the appropriate Punch Table for Mech units, or the appropriate
side table for others.
Roll 3 Full Health: Immediately upon activating this Power-
Up, the unit repairs all armor, structure, and component damage
(including pilot/crew hits and lost troopers), reloads all ammo-
dependent weapons, and resets any excess heat levels to 0.
Roll 4 Stunned: Immediately upon activating this Power-Up,
the unit freezes in place and remains so throughout the follow-
ing turn. All weapon and physical attacks against the unit while
Stunned are treated as if delivered against an Immobile target.
Roll 5-6 Booby Trap: Immediately upon activating this Power-
Up, the unit is subjected to the effects of a Booby Trap Power-Up
(see Booby-Trap, below).
Booby Trap
Immediately upon activating this Power-Up, the unit suffers the
effects of a 70-point explosion, with damage distributed against
its Front facing in 5-point Clusters. Because this Power-Up takes
effect immediately, it negates any other Power-Up effects, such
as the Energy Shield, and so even shielded units sustain damage
from this Power-Up.