BETA VERSION!!

©Ambush Alley Games, 2011

Play Balancing System for AAG Games

The purpose of the following rules is to provide players of Ambush Alley Games’ Tomorrow’s War and Force on Force with a quick
method of “balancing” scenarios. It is not intended for use to create competitively balanced forces for tournament play, but rather to
allow players to eyeball the balancing of scenarios they’ve designed themselves or to quickly put together evenly matched forces for
an off-the-cuff pick-up game.

The section on artillery and air-strikes is still in a rough state, so please excuse the raw edges.

A Microsoft Excel Force Building spreadsheet is included with this write-up of the balancing system.

This system is currently in beta testing and all feed-back, criticism, corrections, and/or suggestions are
welcome!

Infantry Units Support Weapons & Body Armor

The point cost of each support weapon in a unit must be
determined separately and added to the unit’s overall cost.
Basic Infantry Unit Characteristics
Points per Weapon by Troop Quality
Points per Figure for Troop Quality (REFERRED TO AS
Points by Support TQ TQ D8 TQ TQ D12
TQ VALUE or TQV)
Weapon Class D6 D10
TQ Die Point
Light 3 5 7 10
Type Value
Medium 6 10 14 20
D6 3
Heavy 9 15 21 30
D8 5
D10 7
D12 10
Points for AT Values of Weapon (cumulative with points
above)
Points per Unit for Morale
AT Class TQ D6
Morale Point
Light AT Value x 1
Die Type Value
Medium AT Value x 2
D6 3
Heavy AT Value x 3
D8 5
D10 7
D12 10
Special AT Value Point Cost Modifiers for Missiles
AT Class TQ D6
Points per Unit for Supply Level
Ignores 1D ERA +3
Armor Type TQ D6 TQ D8 TQ TQ D12
Ignores 2D ERA +6
D10
Fire & Forget +7
Poor -3 -5 -7 -10
Deck Attack +10
Abundant 3 5 7 10
No extra cost for Average Supply Level
Additional Cost for Advanced Weapon Systems
Weapon System
Points per Unit for Confidence Level
Advanced Ballistic +TQV
Armor Type TQ D6 TQ D8 TQ TQ D12
Weapon System
D10
Laser Weapon +TQV
High 3 5 7 10
System
No extra cost for Low or Average Confidence
Gauss Weapon +TQV+1
System
Points per Unit for Grid Enabled Units
Energy Weapon +TQV+2
Grid TL Cost System
+1 15
+2 25
+3 35

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Support Weapon Tech Level Modifier Cannibal 0
TL Modifier
Cavemen CASEVAC 10
TL1 N/A
TL2 X2 Designated Marksman (DMR) 10
TL3 X3 Despised 0
Elusive 10
Points for Body Armor, per Unit, by TQ
Forward Observer (FO) 10
Armor Type TQ D6 TQ D8 TQ TQ D12
D10 Hard to Kill - D10 25/per figure
Light 3 5 7 10 Hard to Kill - D6 15/per figure
Medium (Hard) 6 10 14 20 Hard to Kill - D8 20/per figure
Heavy (Power) 9 15 21 30
Hungry 0
TL Modifiers
TL1 N/A Indigenous Scout 10
TL2 X2 Inspiring 10
TL3 X3 Interpreter 5
Intimidating 10
Leaders Jump Troops 15
 Regular units do not need to pay extra points for their Medic 10
attached leader (i.e., fire team leaders have no extra
cost) Medic Bot 15
 Irregular forces must expend points for every leader
in their force Military Working Dog (MWD)
 Point cost for a leader is determined in the same Teams 10
manner as a unit Mounted Cavalry 10/per figure
 Negative Leaders do not cost more or less than Mounted Unit 5/per figure
normal leaders
 Positive Leaders require extra points based on their Natural Weapons 10/per figure
positive value (see Positive Leader Points table) Natural Armor 5/per figure
Old School 10
Positive Leader Points
Pointman 10
Leader Value Morale Morale Morale Morale Poor Initiative 0
D6 D8 D10 D12
+1 3 5 7 10 Skeletal Augmentation 5/per figure
+2 6 10 14 20 Sniper and Sniper Teams 15
+3 9 15 21 30 Stealthy 10
Terminal Air Controller (TAC) 10
Weapon Teams 10
Attributes
Costs are per unit unless otherwise noted.

Items highlighted in blue are Tomorrow’s War Attributes.

Unit Attributes Point Cost
Active Trauma Treatment 15
Active Trauma Treatment
Nanites 15
Advanced First Aid
Training (ALS) 10
Advanced Sensors
Animosity 0
Augmented Senses 5
Callous 5

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Vehicle Armor
Vehicles Points per Armor Die, per Facing, by TQ
TQ D6 TQ D8 TQ TQ D12
Designer’s Note 1: We feel that the costs for vehicles may be D10
a bit too high. Please let us know what you think! Points per Die 3 5 7 10

Designer’s Note 2: I’m sure this is obvious to everyone, but Additional Points per Vehicle for Special Armor Types
just for the sake of clarity: The point cost of vehicles is Special Armor
meaningless if the force opposing them has no means to Advanced 10
destroy them. Conventional
Energy 10
Players will have to use some common sense in ensuring that Resistant
there is some balance of AT capability vs. AFVs available. Laser Resistant 10
There’s really no way (short of fixed army lists) “program”
this into the play balance system. Vehicle Armor Tech Level Modifier
TL Modifier
So, either make sure that both sides have a vehicle mix that is
TL1 N/A
roughly equivalent and/or give infantry units plenty of man-
TL2 X2
portable AT capability. Otherwise tanks or even armored cars
TL3 X3
will roll right over infantry units – which is pretty realistic, but
not necessarily fun to play.

Crew Characteristics
AFV crews are not normally equipped with body armor and if
they are it will be Light Armor. They are normally armed with
pistols or SMGs. The cost of these items is assumed in the cost
of the crew itself.
CRAM (Counter Rocket/Artillery/Mortar)
System
Some vehicles mount individual CRAM systems that provide
protection for the vehicle itself or for the local area.

Points per Vehicle for Troop Quality TL of CRAM TQ D6 TQ D8 TQ TQ D12

D10
TQ Die Point TL1 3 5 7 10
Type Value TL2 6 10 14 20
D6 9 TL3 9 15 21 30
D8 15
D10 21
D12 30 Vehicle Weaponry
This section is used to determine the point cost of vehicle
Points per Vehicle for Morale mounted weapons such as main tank guns or missile systems.
The point cost for vehicle mounted support weapons, such as
Morale Point coaxial MGs, grenade launchers, heavy MGs, etc., are
Die Type Value determined in the same manner as infantry support weapons.
D6 3
D8 5
D10 7 Points per Firepower Die for Weapons by Troop Quality
D12 10 Points per AP TQ TQ D8 TQ TQ D12
Firepower D6 D10
Points per Vehicle for Grid Enabled Vehicles AP Firepower x3 x5 x7 x10
Grid TL Cost
+1 15
Points for AT Value of Weapons (cumulative with
+2 25
Firepower points above)
+3 35
AT Class TQ D6
Light AT Value x 1
Medium AT Value x 2

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Heavy AT Value x 3

Vehicle Attributes
Special AT Value Modifiers for Missiles
AT Class TQ D6 Costs are per vehicle unless otherwise noted.
Ignores 1D ERA +3
Ignores 2D ERA +6 Items highlighted in blue are Tomorrow’s War Attributes.
Fire & Forget +7 Point
Deck Attack +10 Vehicle Attributes Cost

Additional Cost for Advanced Weapon Systems Active Point Defense (APD) 10
Weapon System TL1 TL2 TL3
Active Protection System
Advanced Ballistic 3 5 7 10
(APS) 1
Weapon System
Laser Weapon 3 5 7 Active Protection System
15
System (APS) 2
Gauss Weapon 3 6 8 Advanced Armor (FORCE ON FORCE ONLY,
15
System not used in Tomorrow’s War)
Energy Weapon 3 6 10
System Advanced Conventional Armor 10

Advanced Optics/Sensors 5
Weapon Tech Level Modifier
TL Modifier Amphibious 5
TL1 N/A Anti-Personnel Grenades 5
TL2 X2 Anti-Vehicular Melee Weapon (Walkers Only) 15
TL3 X3
Artificial Intelligence (AI) 10

Vehicle Class Back-Up AI 10

Vehicle Class Modifier Bar Armor 10
Vehicle Class Modifier Countermeasures 10
Soft Skin 0
Light +25 pts. Deathtrap 0
Medium +50 pts. Detonation Field (DF) 15
Heavy +100 pts.
Gigantic +300 pts. Energy Resistant Armor 10

Enhanced Fire Control 10

Special Vehicle Movement Modifier Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) 10
Fire-or-Move 0
Special Vehicle Movement Modifier Gigantic 50
Movement Modifier
Hardened 15
Pop-Up x 125%
Capable Heavy Hitter 15
NOE Capable x 150% IED Countermeasures 10
Flight x 200% Improved MGs 10
Capable
Laser Resistant Armor 10

Lifesaver 10

Light for Class 0

Mine Resistant
Obsolete or Poor Armor 0
Remote Control 10

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Restricted Arc of Fire 0
Safe Haven 10
Slow Firing Weapon 0
Slow Turret 0
Smoke Dischargers 5
Stealth - TL1 10
Stealth - TL2 15
Stealth - TL3 20
Technical 0
Up-Armored AFV 25
Up-Armored Soft Skin 10

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Bots

Points per Bot by Type

TL1 TL2 TL3
Dumb Bot 6 10 14
Smart Bot 9 (If 15 21
allowed by
your
background)

Bot Weaponry
Point cost for weapons mounted on Dumb Bots is determined
in the same manner as infantry support weapons. The TQ used
to determine the weapon cost is based on the TL of the Bot.

Point cost for weapons mounted on Smart Bots is determined

in the same manner as infantry support weapons. Smart Bot
Troop Quality will be either D8 or D10

Dumb Bot TQ
Tech Dumb Bot
Level Troop
Quality
TL1 D6
TL2 D8
TL3 D10
.

Bot Attributes
Bots use the same Attributes as Infantry Units and at the same
costs.

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BETA VERSION!! ©Ambush Alley Games, 2011

Drones
Point Cost per Drone by Tech Level
TL1 TL2 TL3
Small Drone 22 30 38
(Dumb)
Small Drone 28* 40 52
(Smart)
Tiny Drone 28 50 52
(Dumb)
Tiny Drone 37* 55 73
(Smart)
Distributed 100** 150** 200
Drones
Aerial Small or Cost x2 Cost x2 Cost x2
Tiny Drones
*In the Tomorrow’s War setting, these drones aren’t available
until TL2.
**In the Tomorrow’s War setting, these drones aren’t
available until TL3.

Drones can be given Unit Attributes, such as Chameleon, at

the normal cost.

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Available Artillery or Air Strikes

Artillery
Point Cost by Salvo Type and Tech Level
Salvo Type TL1 TL2 TL3
Available
Light Mortar 27 45 62
Medium 56 88 120
Mortar
Heavy 132 204 276
Mortar
Light 168 264 360
Artillery
Heavy 288 448 608
Artillery
Heavy 312 472 632
Artillery
(AT)
Missile 480 720 960
Salvo
Cost equals normal weapon cost x radius size

Operational CRAM
TL of CRAM
TL1 30
TL2 60
TL3 90

CB (Counter Battery)
TL of CB Cost
TL1 300
TL2 600
TL3 900

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Airstrikes
The cost of a potential airstrike is equal to the cost of its most
expensive attack type.

The cost of an airstrike attack type equals:

Weapon Cost (determined in the same manner as vehicle

weapon costs) * Attack Radius / 5. Strafing Runs are treated
as having an Attack Radius of 10”. Multiply the result by 1.5
for Multipurpose Cluster Munitions.