Spicy Frame Zero: Aeroframe Rules

Long time and it has brought something different but still a Mobile Frame Zero Post! Despite probably being the biggest person supporting playing the game as is here is another Alt or House Rule for you to try. Once again this is brought to by a Discussion on MF0: The University; a MF0 Discord server. 

The talk was about trying to add flying units into Mobile Frame Zero: Rapid Attack without making another game. Many other table top wargames have struggled to create rules for aircraft interacting with ground units; be it official or others homebrew. A bit part tends to being some what accurate to aircraft that can usually cross the battlefield if not just over shoot it, even in scales. Below are the rules I presented to keep it simple, direct and be able to operate within the battlefield. It more about feel and balance than any kind of accuracy or such. Despite the name these should work to represent any kind of aircraft.

Sample Aerospace Frame

Aeroframe Rules

Aeroframe(plane) gets a Sprint Green Movement d8 and  1 (only 1) White d6 as base and keeps the Sprint Green Movement d8 no matter the weapon system.  The model of the aeroframe must have a clear front or a base that indicates the front. This special ‘frame’ gets one free unit of movement BUT it must be used first and is always in the direction it is facing. When it ends it move the facing must be in the direction it last traveled in.

That's it! If you like to discuss these rules than head over to the thread I started here: The Hangar

If you like to explore some others rules on flight that are a bit more robust check out these:

Francisco Duarte's Flying Units
CmdrRook's Optional Rules and Philosophies for Combat Vehicles

Spicy Frame Zero - Pilot Leveling for Rapid Attack Beta

Pilot and Frame

First a special thanks to the Pilots/MoF0s who hang out on the Mobile Frame 0: University Discord with me.

Pilot Leveling for Rapid Attack

So this isn't a new topic but just my try at the idea of it. I will create a thread on The Hanger for discussion of my take on this concept which you can find here: Hanger Thread. What am currently presenting is semi refined version of the Pilot Leveling System with a set of options to try out.

Intent: The idea of Pilot Leveling is something new to try/switch things up if a group of friends are planning to play several games or some link games together in some fashion.

Aces: Each player/squad only has 1 designated pilot that is their Ace that can level up.
or
Big Damn Aces: ALL PILOTS ARE ACES and have the potential to level up.

Pilot License: Every Ace has their Pilot License on record and is how you will track their levels and abilities. Either use note cards or sheets of paper. A license includes a Pilot's name, their earned experience points (XP), their level (you could use ranks instead and start at level 0) and a identifying symbol or color(s) that are also on their frame.

Levels and Abilities: All Aces start of at level 0 with no abilities. When an Ace levels up to 1 they must chose a Specialization that will shape the rest of their abilities as they level. Each specialization is one of the frame systems and each weapon system range is a separate specialization. An Ace does not have to carry his Specialized System on his frame during a combat but without it they will not gain their specialized benefits.

Level 0 - Nothing
Level 1 - The Ace can reroll a one once per frame's turn on their specialize system's die.
Level 2 - The Ace can reroll a one on a white die once per turn.
Level 3 - A d6 becomes a d8 on the specialize system.
Level 4 - Special Ability

Special Abilities

Green: As long as you have a green system (not Sprint) when this frame is activated by another frame's attack you may move it behind cover if cover is one unit away. Minus one to your green die roll.

Blue: As long as this frame has a blue system the owner may treat the frame one unit bigger in all direction for determining if it counts as cover for another frame.

Yellow: As long as this frame has a yellow system when it spots a frame it may also had a spot of one on another frame that is up to two units away.

Red, Direct and Artillery: As long as this frame has it's specialized red system and damages cover using it's specialized system's range the owner may remove 3 additional pieces from the cover per successful damage. If the frame attacks through cover and does no damage to it than the owner of the frame may remove three pieces of cover.

Red, Hand to Hand: As long as this frame has a red system and fails to damage it's target during a hand to hand attack the frame gets to make 1 extra attempt at damage but needs to roll a 5 or 6.

Experience Points and Leveling Up

Battle Report: Players earn XP at the end of the game to distribute to their Ace(s). The amount earned is equal to the difference of their Victory Points and that of the player below them. The player at the bottom gains half the XP of the player above them.
or
Spoils: The other idea is an Ace scores XP when ever they captures a station or destroy a frame equal to their Score Per Asset; maybe lose half the Score Per Asset if the Ace abandons a station in the players control. XP is equal to the squad's Score Per Asset.

Each Ace can only level up one time between games.

Level 1 - 12 XP
Level 2 - 27 XP
Level 3 - 45 XP
Level 4 - 66 XP

Pilot Death

So if you want to add another layer making leveling even more precious you can have Pilot Death but this is certainly optional.

Non-Aces and Level 0 Aces don't have to worry about Death Checks.

Ejection System: Remove a White Die from your Ace's frame for the game to guarantee your Ace survives.

Experience Saves: When the Ace's frame is destroyed, roll a d6 to see if the Ace lives. To live you need a 6, add the Ace's Level to the roll.
or
Equalizer: When the Ace's frame is destroyed, roll a d6 to see if the Ace lives. TO live you need a 4 or higher.
or
Inconvenience: As above but you need a 3 or higher.

Ace Death: The Ace is dead, make a new pilot card with a new name. New Aces can inherit a previous Ace's colors/symbol.