True Tabletop Conversion

Welcome to the True Tabletop Conversion, where the video game BattleTech is converted to resemble the Classic BattleTech (CBT) tabletop game. I've created two different versions; one that keeps the default numbers of the video game, and one that changes all the numbers to be equivalent to CBT standards. Either version can be used with saved games, however, there are some things you'll need to do in order to properly convert your game (details below). There are a couple more things I intend on including with this mod, but for now the game is completely playable with either version. I hope you enjoy the experience of playing CBT in video game form.. Well as close as I can make it, anyway. :D

Mods I Suggest be Used w/ This Mod
Stabile Piloting (Adjustments to stability damage were tested with this mod installed, and may not be balanced without it)
Permanent Evasion or Semi-Permanent Evasion (In CBT, movement modifiers last the whole round and aren't lost because you're shot at)
Sensor Lock Removes More Pips (To better counter the permanent evasion/make sensor locks really useful)
Arm Weaponry Can Survive (Now if only you could pick up an intact limb and use it as a club.. Oh well, this is still more realistic than the default game)
**One Point Armor Step (This mod will greatly help with adjusting the armor in the fully converted version; almost a requirement really)**

Saved Game Changes

"TTC_MinusArmorAdjustments":
You will need to match any Mechs you already own to their new default configuration to ensure they work properly. Most importantly, you will need to make sure the Heatsinks (HS) match up as there is no longer a default of 10 HS; in fact there are only 5 that are not considered Chassis specific (let me know if the Urbanmech has more or less than 10 HS total when set to its new config, thanks).

"TTC_FullConversion":
To work with a saved game you must put any current Mechs you own into storage either before or after installing this version of the mod. This is the only way to ensure the Internal Structures of your Mechs adjust to the new numbering system. In truth, this version should really be used with new games only, but if you really don't want to start over then be ready to pay for it in time and C-Bills.

Detailed Changes

Weapons:
All the weapons have been adjusted to their equivalent standards in the CBT TechManual with very few of them being altered (the oddballs) to make them unique/balance their usefulness. The weights and critical slots have been adjusted as well, and there have been no issues with the stock builds so far. Ammo bins have also been adjusted to CBT standards. I have also removed any to-hit bonuses given to any weapon to match CBT's lack of weapon specific bonuses (of course Pulse Lasers retained their -2 to-hit since they received that in CBT). The minimum range penalty has been averaged based off the rules in Total Warfare. This was done because the game only uses one penalty number no matter how close the Mechs get; whereas, the Total Warfare rules increase the penalty the closer you get. Finally, I ended up keeping the re-fire penalty to Autocannons (minus the AC/2) because of the pilot bonuses that nullify the penalty.

Stability Damage:
TTC_MinusArmorAdjustment
In the CBT game every weapon adds towards the number needed to cause a piloting roll so I've adjusted the stability damage values as follows;

• Ballistic weapons do 1/2 their damage in stability damage,
• Energy weapons now do 1/5 their damage in stability damage, and
• Missile weapons actually stayed mostly the same, apparently.. Don't fix what's not broken, I guess.
  

TTC_FullConversion
A Mech now becomes unstable after taking 21 points of stability damage instead of 41, and heavier Mechs have a higher max stability. This was a balance issue with light Mechs being tougher to hit with their higher evasion. The stability damage of weapons now matches the weapon's damage as it works in CBT. 

Heatsinks/Configurations:
Heatsinks have been adjusted to reflect engine size. Most variants can hold, at least, 10 Heatsinks in their engine, but for those that can hold more, or less, than 10 the chassis have been adjusted to reflect that. This makes it so that some Mechs will need to be adjusted in the Mech Lab to the new Stock Configuration before they can be used. The new Stock Configurations should be an exact match to the Technical Readouts and Record Sheets once the adjustments are made. If any Mech is short, or over, it's tonnage value then that is most likely an error; please tell me what variant it is, and I will correct it.

Special Notes About Star League Mechs:
As the Star League variants used Endo-Steel Internal Structures and/or Ferro-Fibrous Armor, I adjusted the critical hit tables and Initial Tonnage as needed to reflect the different standards. This means that those Mechs may have fewer, or no, open critical locations in some areas of the Mech. They will all be usable in their stock configuration, but may be difficult to customize (as if you'd need/want to).

Because HBS used some non-era standard Mechs when choosing their Star League Mechs I have made some alterations to line them up correctly. The variant names are the same, but the variants being used have changed as follows;

• The Atlas AS7-D-HT is a HBS original design and has no actual CBT equivalent so I used the AS7-D-H which is an actual Star League variant. The only difference is the original version uses an LB 10-X AC which hasn't been added yet so it has a regular AC/10.
• The Black Knight BL-6-KNT is actually supposed to be a Star League variant (BL6-KNT) and the BL-7-KNT is the 3025 variant. In addition, the BL-6b-KNT is a 3050 variant (BL6b-KNT). So for this Mech I matched the 3025 variant to the BL-7-KNT, and used the BL6-KNT for the Star League variant, and
• The Griffin GRF-4N is a 3080 variant that has a Plasma Rifle, which hasn't been invented yet, so I'm using the actual Star League variant the GRF-2N.
  

Other Changes:

• All weapons have been given a medium range band, and a to-hit modifier has been added.
• Losing a side torso no longer damages the pilot.
• Turrets have been beefed up a bit to balance out the average increase in damage output (especially SRMs and LRMs).
• Heat for walking, sprinting, and jumping fall in line with CBT standards.
• You can get hit in the head when shot from behind, just like in CBT.
• Cost of MechWarriors has been lowered (massive pet peeve that they were so expensive just starting out).
• Added a Beagle Active Probe, Guardian ECM Suite, and created an SRM 6 and LRM 20 with Artemis IV. (Will appear on Star League variants if the Mech is spawned in combat, but not if it's in your hanger already.)
• Changed the Gyro and Leg Actuator upgrades to match the new critical slot table (from 3 to 2).
• Adjusted the penalty to sinking heat in Desert, Barren, and Vacuum biomes in the first version. Conversion to the CBT dropped the effectiveness of the Mechs to sink their heat, and this caused those biomes to become more difficult than intended. It doesn't seem to be an issue with the Full Conversion.
• Incorporated the CBT heat, movement, and piloting mods into this mod.
  

Future Plans

• In progress - I will be incorporating parts of the Mech Engineer mod, with permission, to add engines and gyros that can be critically hit/destroyed. I may also see about including Ferro-Fibrous Armor and Endo-Steel Internal Structures, at least, for the Star League Mechs that use them.
• The "AIM - Attack Improvement Mod" has also caught my eye, and I will be testing the mod with mine, and intend on incorporating the aspects that reflect CBT values (i.e. ammo dumping, crits through armor (rolling a 2 for damage location), weapons can do multiple crits (rolling 10 or up), etc...), and trimming out/changing settings to nullify non-CBT effects (i.e. bonuses to-hit when flanked, etc...).