Tenshinai wrote:Also, about unit structure...
I created proper TO&Es which include command elements and unit flexibility. I was going to post them here but I couldn't figure out how, so I posted them here:
https://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/index.php?topic=3228.msg41390#msg41390They allow for varying unit sizes. like a unit commanders going to say "The enemys attacking, but you only have 3 mechs in your lance so you can't fight, you don't have 4" or 5 mechs are left from 2 Lances and the commander says "well these 4 are going to form a lance, and that one will just stand down because we don't have 3 more to put with it." no he's going to say "You 4 form up on him!"
They also provide flexibility in Merc unit organization. lets say you command a Merc unit with 18 mechs...:
So what are you? you have more than 12 so your not a Company, but you don't have 36 so your not a Battalion.
Well which do you want to be? Battalions garner more pay and you can give yourself a field promotion to Major but you also need to pay more officers. A Company gets less pay but needs less officers, and is given less
hectic assignments. so:
You could form your mechs into 2x4-mech Lances and 2x5-mech 'Reinforced' Lances that's 4 Lances, take the field rank of Capitan and you're a 'Reinforced Company'. You need 3 Lieutenants (Lance commanders) and the rest are MW or NCOs. good for a low paying garrison assignment. Its also good for receiving less dangerous assignments when in combat (your just a 'company').
Or: you could form your 18 mechs into 6 'Short Lances' of 3 mechs each. form 3 of those into 1st Company and 2 into 2nd (Short) Company. That leaves 1 (Short) Lance as your command unit. for this you are a Major, you need 2 Captains (Company commanders) and 3 Lieutenants (Lance commanders). you're now technically a 'Short' Battalion and can garner Battalion pay, but with the added expense of 2 Capitan's, you also have to worry in combat that some General may throw you in against an enemy Battalion (with 2-3 times your numbers) because your a 'Battalion' right! on the plus side you can cover more area with more maneuver units, great for a recon unit.
So you assign units as you see fit, within the guidelines.
This can be great for game purposes too as it gives GMs more flexibility...
6 Heavy/Assaults form 2 Short Lances for a Short Company, while 15 Light/Medium mechs form 3-4 lances (Short-Reinforced) for a Company or Reinforced Company and you can form a 'balanced' Company-on-Company game without both sides needing exactly "12" mechs.