Combat Loss Grouping

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Contents 1 Combat Loss Grouping 2 Threat Factor 2.1 Example 1 2.2 Example 2 2.3 Example 3

Combat Loss Grouping

CLG is a principle of warefare, most commonly used in BattleTech. It describes the effect where losses are light at the beginning of a battle, and after a certain point, they come quickly. This is because each unit can take damage before being destroyed.

For example, four units are fighting four other units. Each one takes four salvos of fire before being destroyed. If each unit targets its enemy counterpart, no losses will be taken in the first three rounds, and all will fall the fourth.

This leads itself to concentrating fire. If the same four units on one side picked one enemy at a time, they could destroy one unit at a time and reduce the amount of damage taken. In fact, the side that concentrates fire would lose only one unit in this case. Were that unit to take cover and allow the less damaged units to take out the enemy, no losses are necessary.

Threat Factor

The question of which 'Mech to take out first is important. One may be tempted to destroy the enemy 'Mech that does the most damage first. However, that unit may have a great deal of armor. A simple damage-to-armor ratio is a convenient guideline.

Example 1

Hunchback IIC
100 * D / A = TF  
100 * ( 94 / 96 ) = 97.9

Example 2

CGR-1A1 Charger
100 * D / A = TF  
100 * ( 15 / 160 ) = 9.4 

Example 3

There are 'Mechs A, B, C, and D

A - 10  armor 10  damage (TF = 100)
B - 100 armor 10  damage (TF = 10)
C - 10  armor 100 damage (TF = 1000)
D - 100 armor 100 damage (TF = 100) 

D will have by far the highest BV, followed by the closely matched B & C, then a dismal A.

Which is the best to kill? Obviously C. Then A, then D, then B (least desirable to kill)