Rifts Battleboard

 The roleplaying game Rifts combines giant robots, fast moving jet bikes, mages on foot, dragons, and just about any thing else you can imagine. Each of these units may move 100's of kilometers an hour, or as slow as 1KPH. Many of them have weapons that can shoot a kilometer or more.

Trying to run a battle between more than a few of these units on each side can be quite challenging for the GM and players. Is my dragon closer to the UAR-1 Enforcer than my Cyber Knight with a railgun? How fast can my Cyber Knight close the distance in one combat round? Often it is up to the GM to abstract this using counters or miniatures to give an approximate visualization of the battlefield.

My goal with the Rifts Battleboard is to provide a clearer picture of where each unit is and how they maneuver on the battlefield. These rules are a work in progress and some entries may not be complete. Continue to check back for updates.

 Link to the rules are here: Battleboard

I haven't play-tested this version much and welcome any questions or ideas you might have.

Below is a brief example of the Battleboard in action: Storm Riders vs The Machine Gods.

Here is the initial deployment of the forces. The side closest to the camera is the Players side (Storm Riders). Most of the playing cards representing the Range Boxes have been slid beneath other cards to keep them out of the way.

The Storm Riders are set up to defend the town of Carson Colorado (Rough Terrain) located in the 4 of Diamonds Range Box. The buildings are 10mm scale. It is often best to use scenery that is smaller so that it doesn't get in the way of moving or viewing the Units. A hill is represented in the 5 of Spades Range Box. The Cyber Tank in the 4 of Spades RB is the only Player Unit that is moving. It is moving at a speed of 1 as represented by the white six sided die beside it.

On the GM's (The Machine Gods) side of the table we have 2 Scarab-Bots (yes I know these are Robotech Invids) both moving forward at a speed of 3. 

There are also two Mutant Cyborgs each moving at a speed of 2 and one Insecto-Bot on over watch (not moving) in the woods in the 5 of Hearts Range Box (Rough Terrain).

The first combat round.

Initiative has been rolled for both sides. There are no Air Units so the Air Combat Phase is skipped.

 Ground Unit speeds are set as noted above.

First Ground Move and Combat Phase.

The Machine Gods have the initiative. The two Scarab-Bots moving half their Move Speed of 3, move two Range Boxes forward and take half their attacks. They will both be firing at the Maul robot that occupies the 5 of Clubs Range Box on the Players side. The Scarab in the Clubs Range Column counts the Range Boxes directly. The Scarab in the Diamonds Column traces a line of sight diagonally to the Clubs Column as shown by the white arrows. The total Range for either Unit is 9 plus 5 or 14 Range Boxes. Each plasma  gun on the Scarabs have a range of 1500 meters so they are barely in range. With a range of 14 they subtract 14 from their To Hit of 5 means they need a 19 or better to hit before any other bonuses or penalties.

If the Maul wants to fire at either of the Scarabs when its his turn he would be at -14 because of the range and an additional -3 because of the Move Speed of the Scarabs. He is stationary so he could make all his shots Aimed Shots for a +3 to hit before factoring in any other bonuses or penalties.

The Cyber Tank's turn is next and with a Move Speed of 1, moves from Spades Range Box 4 to Spades Range Box 3. If he decides to fire at the Insecto-Bot in the woods the range would be 8. He would also suffer a -3 penalty for firing at targets in Rough Terrain. He could not shoot at the two Mutant Cyborgs as they are less than 3 meters tall and are behind the forest Range Box. He also could not shoot at the Scarab-Bot in the Clubs Range Column as it is more than one Range Column away from his current location.

Once all Units had moved half their Move Speed and taken half their shots play would proceed to the Second Ground Movement and Combat Phase.