Sensors & target acquisition: Your guide to special abilities in Alpha Strike

Sensors & target acquisition: Your guide to TAG, NARC and Active Probes in Alpha Strike (special abilities)

In the heat of battle, it’s often not the units with the thickest armor that win, but those that control the battlefield. In BattleTech Alpha Strike, there are a number of special abilities for electronic warfare that turn your force into a coordinated precision instrument.

Today we take a detailed look at the rules and tactical benefits of Active Probes, TAG and NARC systems.

1. active probes: PRB and LPRB – exposing the enemy

Active Probes act as the “eyes” of your squad. They allow you to gather information without having to advance into the enemy’s dangerous short range.

• The rules:
  • PRB (Active Probe): Has a range of 18 inches.
  • LPRB (Light Active Probe): A more compact version with a 12 inch reach.
  • Both automatically give the unit the Recon (RCN) ability.
  • Benefit: They identify sensor blips and reveal hidden units within their range. When playing with hidden value cards, probes allow you to scan to find out the exact configuration and damage of an opponent.
• Tactical advantage: Ideal for scouts to uncover ambushes before your main force falls into a trap.
• Attention: Enemy ECM can neutralize the effect of probes.

TAG 2: Target Acquisition Gear – Showing the way

TAG is used to mark (“paint”) a target with a laser for destruction.

• The rules:
  • TAG: Works at short and medium range.
  • LTAG (Light TAG): Only works at short range.
  • The attack: The mark is made using an additional special attack that can be performed alongside normal weapon attacks. The target does not have to be the same as the weapon attack.
  • The effect: A successfully marked target is spotted for indirect fire (IF) without incurring the usual penalties for the spotter or its movement. In addition, semi-guided LRMs and homing artillery (such as Arrow IV) are almost guaranteed to hit this target.
• Tactical advantage: TAG is a massive force multiplier for missile boats (MissleBoats) and artillery. It turns vague shots into deadly precision hits.

3 NARC and iNARC: The rocket magnets

NARC systems fire small homing beacons that attach themselves to enemy units and drastically improve target acquisition for subsequent missile salvos.

• The rules:
  • NARC (CNARC/SNARC): Like TAG, this is an additional attack. A landed pod deals no damage, but each subsequent missile (LRM, SRM, IF) against that target deals +1 point of damage for the rest of the game.
  • iNARC (Improved NARC): Can fire at medium range and also grant the +1 damage bonus. The big advantage: iNARC can use special ammunition such as ECM pods (creates an enemy ECM field at the target) or Haywire pods (+1 penalty to the target’s attacks).
• Interaction: A NARC effect lasts until the unit is destroyed or enters a friendly ECM field that interferes with the signal.
• Tactical advantage: NARC is perfect for quickly taking out “boss” mechs or heavy tanks. As soon as the pod sticks, every hit from your missiles becomes much more painful.

Summary of synergies

When you combine these skills, you are virtually unstoppable on the field:

1. PRB scouts find the targets behind hills or in forests.
2. TAG units mark the most dangerous opponents for artillery support.
3. NARC pods increase the damage of your main battle line as soon as melee combat begins.

Use your electronics wisely and your opponent won’t even know what hit him before the hail of long-range missiles comes crashing down on him!