Alpha Strike Companion

Alpha Strike Companion A Quick-Playing Tactical Miniatures Game
Product information
Type	Rulebook
Development	Herbert A. Beas II
Primary writing	Herbert A. Beas II, Joshua Franklin, Jason Schmetzer, Paul Sjardijn
Cover Artwork	Alex Iglesias
Publication information
Publisher	Catalyst Game Labs
Product code	CAT35670
First published	2014
MSRP	$39.99 (Print)
Content
Era	Dark Age era

Description

The Alpha Strike Companion was a supplemental rulebook for the Alpha Strike game system, a version of the BattleTech game system/ruleset that allows faster gameplay than Total Warfare rules. The Companion covered additional units (LAMs, large aerospace units, etc.) not covered in the basic game rulebook and its supplemental rules allowed for special features that the regular Alpha Strike game system did not cover. Due to the newer printing of the Alpha Strike: Commander's Edition in 2021, this supplemental rulebook has been rendered superseded. Due to its contents being combined with the core rulebook, as well as been expanded.

From the back cover

Amp Up Your Game!

“

BattleMechs clash, fighters duel, and infantry swarm across the landscape. High above the clouds, mighty WarShips emerge from hyperspace, laden with DropShips filled with reinforcements. A host of new machines, new warriors, and new tactics are unleashed as war rages from the void of space to the earth below. The BattleTech universe is yours to conquer! Alpha Strike Companion adds legions of new rules and expanded options for BattleTech: Alpha Strike, the miniatures war game. With this expansion, players will unlock new tactical abilities, special warrior options, design quirks, and unit types. But more than that, players will find within these pages an expanded abstract aerospace system that will enable them to wage war from planet to jump point, while a handy conversion system opens the path to translating the stats for any BattleTech unit to its fast-playing Alpha Strike equivalent.

”

Contents

Introduction

• Alpha Strike Basics

• Alpha Strike vs. Total Warfare
• What this Companion Adds…

Alpha Striketactical Annex

• Advanced Movement Options

• Hull Down
• Lance/Star Movement
• Movement Dice
• Shielding Movement
• Skidding
• Advanced Combat Options
• Artillery Counter-Battery Fire
• Artillery Flak
• Battlefield Intelligence (Modified)
• Battlefield Intelligence Score
• Battlefield Intelligence Benefits
• Critical Success (and Failure)
• Deliberate Overheating ('Mechs only)
• Minimal Damage
• Occupying and Intervening terrain
• Rear-Firing Weapons
• Practical Line of Sight
• Variable Damage
• Variable Movement Modifiers
• VTOL Special Attacks

• Additional Advanced Options

• Advanced Buildings
• Advanced Infantry Options
• Augmented Warriors
• Battle Armor Artillery Weapons
• Engine Explosions
• External Cargo
• Fortified Positions
• Morale
• New Alternate Munitions

• New Special Unit Abilities
• New Unit Types

• Drones and Robotic Units
• Four-Legged (Quad) 'Mechs and ProtoMechs
• Three-Legged (Tripod) 'Mechs
• Glider ProtoMechs
• Superheavy 'Mechs
• Land-Air 'Mechs
• QuadVees

• Special Command Abilities

• Banking Initiative
• Forcing the Initiative
• Off-Map Movement
• Overrun Combat
• Communications Disruption
• Zone of Control
• Sharp Shooters
• Brawlers
• Anti-Aircraft Specialists
• Ground Attack Specialists
• Environmental Specialization
• Tactical Specialization
• Enemy Specialization

• Special Pilot Abilities

• Infantry-Only Abilities

• Unit Design Quirks

• Positive Design Quirks
• Negative Design Quirks

Abstract Space Combat

• Control Rolls

• Expanded Aerospace Setup

• The Capital Radar Map
• Placing Aerospace Forces on the Capital Radar Map

• Capital-Scale Aerospace Gameplay

• Turn Scale

• Capital-Scale Aerospace Movement

• Calculating Movement Rates
• Station Keeping and Zero Thrust
• Minimum Movement
• Stacking Limits
• Facing
• Entering and Leaving the Central Zone
• Aerospace Engagements
• Exiting the Capital Radar Map
• Fuel Endurance (Fighters Only)
• Gravity
• Engagement Maps

• Capital-Scale Aerospace Combat

• Resolving Aerospace Attacks

• Capital-Scale Aerospace End Phase

• Ending Aerospace Engagements
• Aerospace Damage

• Special Actions

• Advanced Capital Missile Attacks
• Orbit-to-Surface Combat
• Space Bombers
• Boarding Actions
• High-Speed Attacks
• Docking/Undocking
• Hyperspace Jumps

• Additional Special Abilities

• Special Ability Descriptions

BattleTech Conversions

• Converting BattleTech Units to Alpha Strike

• Conversion Process
• Determine Unit Type
• Determine Weight/Size Class
• Convert Movement (MP) and Movement Modes
• Converting Armor
• Converting Structure
• Converting Weapons
• Converting Heat
• Determining Final Damage Values
• Converting Special Equipment to Special Abilities

• Special Unit Abilities
• Unit Role Classification

• Ground Unit Roles
• Aerospace Unit Roles

Alpha Strike Force - Building

• Force-Building Basics

• Select Point Value Total
• Choose Era and Faction
• Build Formations

• Lances, Stars and Level IIs

• Lance Compositions
• Building Formations by Function

• Ground Formation Types

• Battle
• Assault
• Striker/Cavalry
• Fire
• Recon
• Pursuit
• Command
• Support
• Novas

• Aerospace Formation Types

• Interceptor
• Aerospace Superiority
• Fire Support
• Strike
• Electronic Warfare
• Transport

• Companies, Binaries and Beyond

Alpha Strike Scenarios

• General Scenario Rules

• Forced Withdrawal
• Kill Scoring
• Incorporating Scenarios into a Campaign

• Scenario Type: Stand-Up Fight
• Scenario Type: Capture the Flag
• Scenario Type: King of the Hill
• Scenario Type: Hold the Line
• Scenario Type: Reconnaissance

Expanded Repair and Salvage Rules

• Finding a Force's Starting Support

• Step 1: Determining Starting Support Points
• Step 2: Determining Support Skill Rating
• Step 3: Determining Daily Man-Hours
• Non-Player Opponents

• Support Operations Phase

• Post-Mission Sub-Phase
• Recovery Sub-Phase
• Upgrade Sub-Phase

• Depleting and Replenishing Support

Tables

Notes

It should be noted that free Alpha Strike (Record Sheet/Cards) can be found on Catalyst Game Lab's Master Unit List website.

Also See

• Alpha Strike
• Master Unit List