BKC IV points system

[TinyTinTroops]

Hi All

We are trying to work out some stats for troop types and vehicles that could have fought in the fictional very British civil war. Details of vehicles and weapons aren't that hard to come by and we can 'make up' stats for a wide variety of troop types and even for 'bodged' conversions (like my MG truck with railway sleeper armour). What we can't do is to give them appropriate points values as there is no description of how the points system works.

Try as I might, I can't see a consistent logic in the points value of units in the lists that would allow me to deconstruct the examples to see the scheme behind it.

Is the points system a secret formula so we won't be told or is it that nobody thinks we'd be interested ? Or is it just not available yet ?


Tony of TTT

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Do it by comparison...Your sleeper armoured truck is essentially soft skin, so give it's passengers a save, but not the truck.

IanS

[Shedman]

There is an FWC points calculators on the BKC forum http://www.blitzkrieg-commander.com/Content/Downloads/default.aspx

apart from that there isn't a lot else

[TinyTinTroops]

Doing it by comparison doesn't work for points value because most of the units don't exist in regular forces.

The FWC calculator isn't any use for BKC, none of the terms used there make any sense to me. I doubt I'll be encountering grav units & the others in 1938 Britain !!!

[Leon]

There isn't currently an 'official' formula but it's something we'll be working on ready for the new army builder software.  The points across the BKC/CWC/FWC family are calculated slightly differently though, so we're going to have to find a compromise somewhere which might affect some of the points in the current sets.

[T-Square]

When you are creating the point system please include points for the various special abilities on page 76.

[Dr Dave]

I've often thought that a points calculator for bkc/cwc might actually be totally redundant.

This is simply because the actual effectiveness of a unit is so heavily dependent on the CV rating of the HQ that commands it. A Sherman under a cv9 HQ is liable to be a lot more useful than one under a cv7 HQ.

[sultanbev]

I've often thought that a points calculator for bkc/cwc might actually be totally redundant.

This is simply because the actual effectiveness of a unit is so heavily dependent on the CV rating of the HQ that commands it. A Sherman under a cv9 HQ is liable to be a lot more useful than one under a cv7 HQ.

That is the rub, a CV10 veteran SS Panzer IVH is going to be 3 times more effective than a Turkish CV7 Panzer IVG on average, so should it be triple the points? A can of worms, about to be opened.....

[Dr Dave]

Have higher cv units always been way tooooo cheap?

[Big Insect]

There is a huge 'mystery' around the whole points system within all the Commander rules.

Funny enough, the only rules set that actually has a clear system is (as Alan has stated above) FWC, as Pete had to produce a unit calculator to allow players to build their own armies.

This is an issue we are well aware of and are in the process of rectifying.

Alan is also right in the fact that you can use the FWC calculator as a rough means to create unit costs. You just ignore all the High Tech stuff.

So if you want a Truck with an MG but want to add railway sleeper armour to it (and assuming it is going to carry another passenger unit) it works out as follows:

A basic truck - move 20cm - 3 Hits - 0 saves - +2 transport spaces will cost you 15pts (in BKCIV)
To add the railway sleeper armour - I'd say it becomes 'armoured' so have given it a save on a 6 - taking it up to 20pts

If the MG is integral - pillar mounted (so it takes up 1 transport space) but has a 180 degree fire arc (?) you can add the following:
AP - 3/60 (no AT) + CA - 2 = +25pts
AA capability (?) +15pts
It is also Exposed (see BKCIV - special characteristics Page 76) - so deduct 5pts.
So your Armoured MG truck comes in at a cost of 55pts

You could (maybe) make it Unreliable - (see BCKVI - Special characteristics Page 76) to reflect the added weight of the sleepers putting stress on the engine (or poor engine quality or bad fuel or lack of servicing) - which deducts a further 5pts.

As a general rule of thumb, if you add something you add +5pts if you deduct something or there is a disadvantage take off 5pts.
Use the BKCIV units as a starter.

We will be producing a Spanish Civil War supplement shortly and that might help give you some of the missing vehicles you need or at least a starter to work up from for your Very British Civil War type games.

If you wanted to add an infantry unit to be transported in the truck, that works out as follows:

Infantry Platoon (Militia) - move 10, AP 2/30, CA 3, Hits 6, (Fragile, Green) Costs: 20pts

Hope that helps?

Mark

[TinyTinTroops]

Thanks Mark, that helps to get me started at least.

Now I can look at the current lists and see where I can start and modify using that principle to get what I want.

Tony

[Big Insect]

A pleasure Tony

Please do post more vehicle requests up here and I will help where I can.

Mark