Bidding phase

At the beginning of a game, compare all present companies against one another. In general, the player with the smallest, weakest company gets the points advantage and starts the battle on the defensive. The player with the largest, most powerful company gets a points penalty and starts the battle on the offensive.

You’ll have to guess your opponents forces while you’re designing your own company to get the position you hope for. The pregame bidding is already part of the tactical calculations!

The most advantageous companies are:

  • Slightly smaller and weaker, so that you gain the point advantage for little tactical cost.
  • Significantly larger and stronger, so that you sacrifice the point advantage for greater force.

Assets & points per asset

All your frames and stations under your control are assets. Each asset has a point value determined by the relative size and strength of the company you sent into the field.

Points per asset & score

Points per asset, ppa, is dependent on how a company compares to the others. Every company starts with a ppa of 5. From here, apply the following modifiers:

Company has... Effect
...most frames -1 ppa
...most systems -1ppa
...least frames +1 ppa
...least systems +1ppa

In case of ties, both players adjust their scores.

You calculate points per asset once at the beginning of the game. Your ppa does not change as the game progresses. Yet, as you play, you’ll lose mobile frames, and stations will change hands. This changes how many assets you hold, not your points per asset.

Score = Assets × ppa

When the game starts, your score determines your position in the tactical order, whether you are the defender, point attacker or one of the other attackers.

Ties for defense

When you compare your companies during setup, you might tie for the highest score. When this happens, call odds/evens and roll a die.

Winner decides:

  • add a frame to their company (if possible).
  • remove a mobile frame from their company.
  • force the loser to make the same choice.

Compare companies again. That means, recalculate points per asset, recalculate starting scores and then proceed.

Ties for offense

If you tie for the lowest starting score, call odds-evens and roll a die.

Loser has to :

  • place the point mobile frame.
  • go last in tactical order, until score changes.

If you think you might tie, be sure to bring a spare mobile frame to the game with you.

Tactical positions

There are three potential tactical positions a player can have in MFZ. Defender, Point Attacker and Attacker. The score determines which position a player holds.

Player has... Tactical Position
...highest score Defender
...lowest score Point attacker
...neither Attacker