ScrapYard Armory

No not that.

Although I’m sure we have all met an odd or unusual character across the gaming table I’m talking about an odd number of people.

What games do you play when you don’t have even teams for a more traditional stand-up fight?  Everyone knows the trusty Grinder.  The omnipresent free-for-all is a staple of Battletech players the world over.  Many a newcomer has cut their teeth mixing it up in a Grinder.

But how about some other options? A little something different.

It’s no surprise that a lot of inspiration can be had from Solaris 7.  The Game World has a lot to offer besides the famous one on one ‘Mech duels in the headline arenas.

Mech Rally

First up is a classic.  The Mech Rally is a race to finish by any means necessary.

Setup your map or terrain with a series of beacons.  These beacons are what each player needs to “tag” in sequence to finish the race.  To keep things even it is recommended that each player use ‘Mechs with the same movement profile.  If one guy has a Locust, the rest should be as fast to avoid any one sided speed demon shenanigans.

While the rules do call for the ‘Mech Rally beacons to be tagged in sequence you could easily forgo this and let the winner be determined by the first player to tag all beacons on the board.  Start each player at a different spot on the board and you end up with a bit more strategy and less obvious solutions to winning the game.

King of the Mountain

This one is a personnel favorite of mine.  It works great for groups of three players and up.  The maximum number of players is limited only by your map size.  This game incentivizes losing initiative and features fast play.  Once someone is King of the Mountain, they are sure to be the lightning rod for that turn.

Pick a map with a big mountain somewhere in the middle.  If you happen to have the Solaris 7 Map Pack, you already have a great map, you guessed it, King of the Mountain.  Nominate a single hex (more if you have a big map/lots of players) as the objective hex.  Players start at any map edge.

The goal is to take the high ground (hence the name).  At the end of each turn, the King of the Mountain gets 2 points if they are standing and 1 point if they are prone.  Also, each player gets 1 point for participating in a kill (anyone who declares fires and hits gets a point).  Let the carnage continue for a fixed turn length, a fixed time period, or maybe until the game night comes to an end.  Your call.  When a player gets his ‘Mech shot out, pick out a new one using your preferred method (Random, Grinder Ladder, etc).

Solaris 7 Melee Challenge

I played my first Solaris 7 Melee Challenge during GenCon 2008.  I had a blast.  It was a fast paced and fun way for a lot of people to mash ‘Mechs together for fame and profit.

What many might not know is that the Solaris Melee Challenge Rules are available as a free download at the Classic Battletech site.

In a nutshell the SMC starts everyone off with a fixed amount of money to buy their ‘Mechs and enter the arena.  CBills, character points and fame are awarded for crowd pleasing events.  Things like physical weapon attacks, dealing critical damage, and others make the crowd go wild.  Meanwhile, things like blowing up a ‘Mech half your size will result in your precious CBills being taken away and loss of fame.  Nobody likes a bully.

Once you have a few CBills in your pocket, you can exit the map through any pre-determined exit point.  You can then repair damage to your ‘Mech or buy a new one with the money you’ve earned.  Character points can be redeemed for skill improvements and pilot perks.  Then it’s back into the fray to teach your opponents a lesson or two!

Tips on Playing

• Multiple teams can make things very interesting.  Consider starting each team from a different stable with a different stable perk.  These are listed in the Solaris 7 Mappack as well as a smaller selection in the SMC rules.
• Be sure to read through the rules and make adjustments for your group.  At GenCon, nobody wanted to be out of the action for long (we were essentially paying by the hour with game tickets).  We did away with the mandatory off board time to maximize playing time.
• Playing cards for initiative is a must. Read more here.
• Make sure there are a few exit/entry points available.  It sucks being stuck and surrounded without an option to bail to fight another day.  This is supposed to be a fun event for all and not a culling of the weak.

I hope you find some great ideas for your games.  I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to play so if you have a great game you use with your gaming group, leave a comment and let us all know.  Classic Battletech has much more to offer than the standard Stand up Fight.  Mixing things up is a great way to keep things interesting, entertaining and most important, fun.