Yeah, this is absolutely a great idea. I put the die in front to indicate the forward facing, then I can move the mini around when I torso twist, so I always know where to return
In my gaming-group we usually use the movement dice to indicate the torso twist. For example when you turned the torso clockwise you place the dice on the corresponding side of the hexbase. The special movement dice you mentioned in the last part of the video are also very nice, especially for new players because the indicate every aspect of a movement in I’ve place. But I personally find them very expensive (found them on Etsy). Templates for these dice are also available as STLs for 3D-printing, might be a cheaper option
Obsessing over torso twists (and the front hexside) is an unnecessary and self-inflicted burden under modern TW rules. Back in the Compendium days it mattered when you had to declare torso twists between movement and shooting phases.
@@noiz1709 I think indicating torso twist direction with a die is a good idea if it’s a complicated situation where it’s not immediately clear which unit you can target.
First handful of times I played I had a lot of unpainted mechs and only one set of 18 dice for indicating movement, so instead we used a system where your movement type bonus was behind your mech, and your TMM from hexes moved was directly in front to better clarify facing. Was actually really useful for the math when first learning -- and now I at least have all my mechs have a front indicator (painted or not, haven't decided on a some colors for the clanners I have) and I have three different colored dice sets 😅
@@seanmaclean1341 that’s a great idea, especially if you’re short on different-colored dice! Maybe I should do a quick video on the kinds of dice one should buy as a new BT player…
Also, you can use the die indicate torso twist. The default position is directly in front of the mech. If you want to torso twist you can shift the die left or right a hex side.
You do movement dice the same way I would like to. The reason I say “I would like to”, is because my current group insists on not adding terrain (woods) to the movement die. I am not a fan of that in the slightest. While I do agree that partial cover should not be included, trees will always affect the TN, and adding the woods bonus to the dice keeps you from having to constantly pick a model up to see if it is in heavy or light woods. The only variation we use, as I have seen others state, is that we use the movement die to indictate torso twist direction (when applicable). The specialty dice are typically much larger than the ones you are using. Each one I have seen is almost the size of a hex, so there should be no trouble reading them.
@@LiberalApplicationOfThud maybe you could persuade them to use extra dice to indicate woods bonuses? Ok, so readability isn’t as much an issue as I thought, then, that’s good. However, now the dice sound massive and I’m not sure I like that either lol
@@almostgoodvariant I would, but we tend to have so many instances where units cluster together that I know extra dice would just make the situation even worse. I guess it depends on how you define “massive”, but most of the ones I have seen personally are about 20mm per side.
I disagree with adding woods modifiers to movement dice. There are special cases with precision AC ammo and active probe optional rules. I am ok with adding a green die for woods modifier. Admittedly precision ammo is fairly rare, and the probe rule is optional, but indicating defensive modifiers in different ways bakes in structure to deal with special cases when they come up.
@@Metal_Carnage it’s a good point but those are fairly rare situations, like you mentioned, and I would rather deal with special cases when they come up instead of basing the structure of the game around rare special cases. But I do see why you wouldn’t want to include the woods bonus on the die. Now I’m starting to think maybe I should actually start using little green dice for woods bonuses. I guess any other tokens could work too.
@@onerosarmakat4456 thanks! Yeah, it’s something I’ve thought about but I’d need 1) more faction dice (or someone who has tons) and 2) a reason to talk about the dice. Not sure a video that’d just be ”well here are some dice, ok bye” would be the most interesting video ever. Maybe for the collectors out there…
Wouldn't dice colors better serve as a good mnemonic if it were: White - Walk/cruise speed Red - Run/flank speed Green or Yellow - Jump Black, Brown or Blue - Basically did not move [but not immobile unless two dice placed (ie. shutdown)]. Number of pips being the TMM, of course, unless a second die is used as a base (or the "B" die) under the movement die to signify "0" TMM.
@@thedocklighter they might and you can use any colors in your own games as long as all players know what’s up, but I’m sure the colors are deeply embedded in the brains of an average BT player. What sort of annoys me is that in the Alpha Strike rulebook it’s suggested you use a white die for normal movement and a black one for no movement. Because black is ”run” in BattleTech, I associate a black die with ”more movement”, and if your unit stands still, you usually put down a white die. But oh well, I can deal with it.
White, red and black dice are very common and can be bought anywhere. It's harder to find green, blue or brown dice. So this makes it easier for people to buy and not spend more than necessary. Also, the reason why jumping is red, is because you generate more heat when jumping, compared to running.
@@Arcon1337 Found green dice packs at a dollar store along with regular white, black & red dice. If you go online you can find cheap 50 & 100 dice packs in color sets of ten dice. These packs are helpful especially for the extra colors if you use some of the optional Tactical Operations advanced movement rules in your games. Of course, as long as everyone knows and agrees at the start what dice represent what movement & how they're used (like in some games players added the target modifier for terrain (because the miniature covers the map hex feature or because the 3d terrain for woods is displaced and can sometimes be overlooked), or using two dice to indicate no movement, or the "6" pips to signify "0" TMM, or different color die to represent no movement for AMM purposes, etc.)
I could be wrong here... but in the most recent release of Alpha Strike it only matter if the mech jumps or moves less than or more than 1". Everything else is just the unit's TMM. So Pilot Skill+Range+Terrain Modifier+Target TMM+if they jumped or stood still??
Movement dice work well, but it drives me crazy as I hate clutter on the board. I just have to tell myself that battlefields in the future have big dice on the field.
@@oskulock kiitos! Kuopiossa on suurin osa sukulaisista, tulee käytyä kyllä! Edit: Discord-kannukin löytyi! Editedit: No ei löytynytkään, kun linkki oli vanhentunut…
Dislike the printed dice. Some sets are different colors from default. Red could be for running instead of jumping. A pain to read from across the table.
We use the location of the dice to the units to indicate torso or turret twists.
@@MagusThD13 good idea, especially if it’s a complicated situation and you need a bit of help to see how the firing arcs go.
Yeah, this is absolutely a great idea. I put the die in front to indicate the forward facing, then I can move the mini around when I torso twist, so I always know where to return
Those movement dice are great for newer players like me. Cuts down the pkaytime and allows me to focus on the more advanced rules.
Cool! We always add 1 to Jump dice, so your movement distance + 1. Never thought of marking woods the same way, but why not :) Nice tip!
In my gaming-group we usually use the movement dice to indicate the torso twist. For example when you turned the torso clockwise you place the dice on the corresponding side of the hexbase.
The special movement dice you mentioned in the last part of the video are also very nice, especially for new players because the indicate every aspect of a movement in I’ve place. But I personally find them very expensive (found them on Etsy). Templates for these dice are also available as STLs for 3D-printing, might be a cheaper option
Obsessing over torso twists (and the front hexside) is an unnecessary and self-inflicted burden under modern TW rules. Back in the Compendium days it mattered when you had to declare torso twists between movement and shooting phases.
@@noiz1709 I think indicating torso twist direction with a die is a good idea if it’s a complicated situation where it’s not immediately clear which unit you can target.
Completely agree with you about the special dice. Readability is concern number one and traditional pips work best.
First handful of times I played I had a lot of unpainted mechs and only one set of 18 dice for indicating movement, so instead we used a system where your movement type bonus was behind your mech, and your TMM from hexes moved was directly in front to better clarify facing. Was actually really useful for the math when first learning -- and now I at least have all my mechs have a front indicator (painted or not, haven't decided on a some colors for the clanners I have) and I have three different colored dice sets 😅
@@seanmaclean1341 that’s a great idea, especially if you’re short on different-colored dice! Maybe I should do a quick video on the kinds of dice one should buy as a new BT player…
Also, you can use the die indicate torso twist. The default position is directly in front of the mech. If you want to torso twist you can shift the die left or right a hex side.
You do movement dice the same way I would like to. The reason I say “I would like to”, is because my current group insists on not adding terrain (woods) to the movement die. I am not a fan of that in the slightest. While I do agree that partial cover should not be included, trees will always affect the TN, and adding the woods bonus to the dice keeps you from having to constantly pick a model up to see if it is in heavy or light woods. The only variation we use, as I have seen others state, is that we use the movement die to indictate torso twist direction (when applicable).
The specialty dice are typically much larger than the ones you are using. Each one I have seen is almost the size of a hex, so there should be no trouble reading them.
@@LiberalApplicationOfThud maybe you could persuade them to use extra dice to indicate woods bonuses?
Ok, so readability isn’t as much an issue as I thought, then, that’s good. However, now the dice sound massive and I’m not sure I like that either lol
@@almostgoodvariant I would, but we tend to have so many instances where units cluster together that I know extra dice would just make the situation even worse.
I guess it depends on how you define “massive”, but most of the ones I have seen personally are about 20mm per side.
I disagree with adding woods modifiers to movement dice. There are special cases with precision AC ammo and active probe optional rules. I am ok with adding a green die for woods modifier. Admittedly precision ammo is fairly rare, and the probe rule is optional, but indicating defensive modifiers in different ways bakes in structure to deal with special cases when they come up.
@@Metal_Carnage it’s a good point but those are fairly rare situations, like you mentioned, and I would rather deal with special cases when they come up instead of basing the structure of the game around rare special cases. But I do see why you wouldn’t want to include the woods bonus on the die.
Now I’m starting to think maybe I should actually start using little green dice for woods bonuses. I guess any other tokens could work too.
I was thinking about a terrain die too. Green seems the logical choice.
Nice and to the Point, you could also make a Video on Faction dice, although those are mostly used for the shooting phase ^^.
@@onerosarmakat4456 thanks! Yeah, it’s something I’ve thought about but I’d need 1) more faction dice (or someone who has tons) and 2) a reason to talk about the dice. Not sure a video that’d just be ”well here are some dice, ok bye” would be the most interesting video ever. Maybe for the collectors out there…
Wouldn't dice colors better serve as a good mnemonic if it were:
White - Walk/cruise speed
Red - Run/flank speed
Green or Yellow - Jump
Black, Brown or Blue - Basically did not move [but not immobile unless two dice placed (ie. shutdown)].
Number of pips being the TMM, of course, unless a second die is used as a base (or the "B" die) under the movement die to signify "0" TMM.
@@thedocklighter they might and you can use any colors in your own games as long as all players know what’s up, but I’m sure the colors are deeply embedded in the brains of an average BT player. What sort of annoys me is that in the Alpha Strike rulebook it’s suggested you use a white die for normal movement and a black one for no movement. Because black is ”run” in BattleTech, I associate a black die with ”more movement”, and if your unit stands still, you usually put down a white die. But oh well, I can deal with it.
White, red and black dice are very common and can be bought anywhere. It's harder to find green, blue or brown dice. So this makes it easier for people to buy and not spend more than necessary. Also, the reason why jumping is red, is because you generate more heat when jumping, compared to running.
@@Arcon1337 Found green dice packs at a dollar store along with regular white, black & red dice. If you go online you can find cheap 50 & 100 dice packs in color sets of ten dice. These packs are helpful especially for the extra colors if you use some of the optional Tactical Operations advanced movement rules in your games.
Of course, as long as everyone knows and agrees at the start what dice represent what movement & how they're used (like in some games players added the target modifier for terrain (because the miniature covers the map hex feature or because the 3d terrain for woods is displaced and can sometimes be overlooked), or using two dice to indicate no movement, or the "6" pips to signify "0" TMM, or different color die to represent no movement for AMM purposes, etc.)
This is how I do it. Yellow is for "yumping"
I could be wrong here... but in the most recent release of Alpha Strike it only matter if the mech jumps or moves less than or more than 1". Everything else is just the unit's TMM. So Pilot Skill+Range+Terrain Modifier+Target TMM+if they jumped or stood still??
@@JerC838 that is correct, yes
Movement dice work well, but it drives me crazy as I hate clutter on the board. I just have to tell myself that battlefields in the future have big dice on the field.
I only used it for target modifier.
Hyvää kontsaa, jos satut käymään kuopiossa joskus niin poppaa kuofin discon bt kannulle noottia. 😊
@@oskulock kiitos! Kuopiossa on suurin osa sukulaisista, tulee käytyä kyllä! Edit: Discord-kannukin löytyi! Editedit: No ei löytynytkään, kun linkki oli vanhentunut…
Dislike the printed dice. Some sets are different colors from default. Red could be for running instead of jumping. A pain to read from across the table.