7 League Play

For League Play, each commander has a Scale 3 force and plays each track at Scale 2. League Play is more suitable for longer, larger games and pickup games.

There are two types of League Play, narrative and competitive. Establishing a balanced competitive league is difficult. These rules do not attempt to do so; instead, they provide a consistent and fair system with an option for scoring and ranking if the players and league organizers want to use it.

7.1 Narrative Play

In narrative play, commanders play narrative tracks designed by league organizers and casual tracks between forces. This is an open ended format that lasts as long as commanders want to play.

At any point, a new commander can join the league or a current commander can replace their force with a new one. Any new force must follow the Force Construction rules. A commander may run multiple forces so long as the logistics of each force remain separate.

Optional DropShip Customization and Force Maintenance rules should be consistent across the league; for example, Design Quirks should be permitted for all forces or banned from all forces. Each side should agree upon any available optional or advanced rules for each track they play, such as Multiple Attack Rolls or Special Pilot Abilities.

Additional restrictions may be enforced by league organizers, such as league play only occurring at a specific location, but any such restrictions must be announced in advance.

7.2 Competitive Play

In competitive play, commanders play a series of tracks in a Swiss-system tournament.

A commander can only use a single force for the tournament. League organizers may require new forces for the tournament or allow forces that have been used in narrative play.

Any optional or advanced rules must be agreed upon in advance and consistent across the tournament play.

The tracks in the tournament should only be 1v1. Each commander should play a different opponent during each track, if possible. The last track should be a large scale event that requires a significant portion of each commander’s forces.

Players are ranked by their Warchest, with ties being broken by Reputation. At the end of the series of tracks, winners are determined by their ranking. Additional winners may be determined for specific categories, such as Best Painted Force or Best Force Lore.

7.3 Hot Drop

7.4 Contracts

Organizers will provide a contract for the event or allow commanders to select one of the two default contracts given below. As described in the BattleTech: Mercenaries box set and the Hot Spots: Hinterlands sourcebook, commanders may negotiate to adjust the terms of their contract.

The first default contract represents an independent unit.

Base Pay: 100% Base Pay (step 7)

Support: 0% (step 1)

Transportation: 100% (step 9)

Salvage: 100% (step 13)

Command Rights: Independent (step 11)

The second default contract significantly reduces the maintenance cost for commanders while also reducing salvage and transportation payments.

Base Pay: 100% Base Pay (step 7)

Support: Battle (step 7)

Transportation: 50% (step 7)

Salvage: 40% (step 7)

Command Rights: House (step 7)

7.5 League Tracks

Event organizers provide tracks, which may be 1v1, 2v2, or 1v2. Commanders may use different units for different tracks in a contract.

The standard rules given in the BattleTech: Mercenaries box set and the Hot Spots: Hinterlands sourcebook apply to these tracks, unless the organizers modify these rules.

For 1v1 tracks, commanders may bring up to 7,000 BV (250 PV) of units to each track, excluding the cost of Skill Advances but including any costs of C³ and TAG. If allowed by league organizers, commanders may convert up to 1,000 BV to 50 BSP and run the non-’Mech units as Battlefield Support: Assets; however, Assets may not score objectives.

For 2v2 tracks, each commander may bring up to 3,500 BV (125 PV) of units to each track, excluding the cost of Skill Advances but including any costs of C³ and TAG. Commanders may give any unspent BV to the other commander to use. If allowed by league organizers, commanders may convert up to 500 BV to 25 BSP and run the non-’Mech units as Battlefield Support: Assets; however, Assets may not score objectives.

For 1v2 tracks, the commanders working together select their units per the 2v2 limits given above. The independent commander may select their units per the 1v1 limits given above.

On-map artillery or aerospace units may be used if allowed by league organizers.

If allowed by league organizers, commanders get 14 BSP for Battlefield Support: Strikes in 1v1 tracks or 7 BSP in 2v2 tracks. In 2v2 tracks, commanders may give any unspent BSP for Battlefield Support: Strikes to the other commander to use. Any unspent BV or BSP may be converted to BSP to use for Battlefield Support: Strikes, unless prohibited by the track rules.

7.6 Secondary Objectives

Secondary objectives are additional goals added to each track. Commanders earn 50 SP if their force completes their secondary objective. In a 1v2 track, the independent commander may have two separate secondary objectives a single secondary objective that they may score twice.

There are three ways to select secondary objectives. First, a single secondary objective that both sides share could be selected, randomly or by mutual agreement. Alternatively, each side could randomly roll a secondary objective in secret. Finally, each player could randomly roll a secondary objective in secret.

The selected secondary objectives must be achievable by the forces selected for the scenario. If a secondary objective is impossible to accomplish based upon the scenario, map, or enemy force, determine a new secondary objective before play begins.

1. Cripple or destroy a ’Mech.
2. Cripple or destroy a ProtoMech.
3. Cripple or destroy a Combat Vehicle.
4. Cause critical or motive damage on a VTOL or aerospace unit.
5. Kill at least half of the troops (remove all armor, Alpha Strike) in an infantry unit.
6. Swarm a ’Mech or Combat Vehicle with an infantry unit.
7. Successfully complete a Death from Above attack.
8. Damage an internal section of an opponent’s highest BV/PV unit.
9. Capture a vehicle crew or ’Mech pilot.
10. Extract a hidden unit from within 4 hexes (8", Alpha Strike) of the far map edge.