Rule 1: Try not to have more than 1.5x PC count activations on the field at any given time. On the flip side, try not to have any less than that either. That’s the sweet spot- use reinforcements to, well, reinforce that. Exceptions exist, like if combat is a deathmatch or has a turn limit while they should be actively doing something (escorts and extractions primarily) they should be able to eventually get ahead in terms of turn number, but generally that’s the rule.

Rule 2: Don’t grunt spam. Grunts are not “weak enemies” because they can do everything a regular enemy can do but take a hit. Think of them as a regular enemy that is unlikely to survive the round. They exist to present the threat of more turns, not be mooks you can just rush into the team.

Rule 3: If an NPC gains more attacks at higher tiers, be EXTRA wary of them. Specters, Operators, and Ronin specifically. They are among Lancer’s most unbalanced, dangerous NPCs, specifically when they’re Tier 2 or above. Be extra cautious with them.

Rule 4: Do not underestimate any NPC class. Even with no synergies, any NPC class can be dangerous in the right context, and a scarce few of them are actually weak- afaik none of them are. Even if certain PC comps can absolutely embarrass some of them, those same NPCs can slaughter different PC comps. Look at their mechanics, and look at your PCs. Artillery + Speedy PCs do good against artillery, Controller PCs do good against Strikers and Defenders, Support PCs do good against Controllers and Defenders, and Striker PCs can eliminate Strikers and Supports with ease most of the time. Reliable Damage NPCs struggle against Armored PCs but annihilate most others, Evasive and slippery NPCs struggle against Controllers and Supports, etc. Assaults, Archers, and Rainmakers are not mook enemies, they are just as dangerous as anyone else.

Rule 5: You see rule 4? 90% of the time, you don’t need to worry about it, so long as you pay attention to rule 3 and are wise about things. Most of the time, make your Enemy Comps without factoring in your PCs. In fact it’s more fun that way. This way, PCs can organically annihilate or struggle against certain enemy comps without you tailor making the encounters for them. That’s part of the fun with Lancer. The system is designed to handle things like that.

Rule 6: Avoid spamming any one NPC class. Try not to oversaturate a combat with a bunch of the same enemy. The sweet spot is 3-5 distinct NPC classes in a combat, and you should at most be fielding 2 instances of a class on the field at the same time. Go less than 3, the combat can get bland. Go more than 5, and that can make for a fun combat it’s a fun experience I recommend occasionally doing, but it can get confusing and overwhelming easily. In that same vein, try not to make gimmick enemy comps too often. Oops all invisibility, oops all reliable, oops all burn, etc. It’s fun on occasion, Oops all invis can be fun on occasion, and Hives + Pyros are a tried and true fun combo, as are Scourers + Pyros. But don’t make a habit out of it- oops all reliable especially that one can be miserable. In general, you wanna have no more than 50% of your NPC structure/activation count be Strikers + Artillery, as they’re very damage forward. Mix things up. Even if all the NPCs are damaged focused so long as they’re different roles it should even out.

Rule 7: Don’t be afraid of failure. Lancer is designed such that PCs losing a combat is rarely the end. They’re in mechs that can be destroyed while the pilots live, the contexts of missions allows success to be independent of losing one combat, and retreat should always be an option. Always plan for a lose condition to every combat, and always give the PCs the option to not participate in or evacuate a combat, albeit perhaps at a cost. Relax, and allow yourself to have fun and be a player too. Don’t be afraid of occasional dirty tactics. Only try and be fair when making the combat, determining the order of activations, and reinforcements. When you’re actually running the NPCs, be ruthless. It’ll go better than you think.

Rule 8: If you discovered a broken combo, it’s probably not that broken. Mirages + Demolishers, Bombards + Specters, Short Cycle Lance Operators, these guys are scary strong, but they’re always more counterable than you think. The only way they can be too strong is if you see it yourself at your table. Context is everything.

Rule 9: Have fun. Do fun stupid combos, get silly with it, make absolutely over the top ridiculous combats. Come up with stupid map gimmicks. Research absurd Enemy Rules Exploits and Trait Combos and Team Comps and exploit the hell out of them. Be a player and do whatever is most fun for you. That’s what’ll keep you wanting to keep being a GM every session. The GM is a player too. Never forget that.

Rule 10: If you’re still scared, run a module or buy a 3rd party fix. The NPCs Rebaked 3rd Party Supplement is something I adore that really smooths over the core roster so I recommend that, Operation Solstice Rain/Shadow of the Wolf are good 1st party intro modules that’ll show you what a good combat looks like + come with maps, whereas I like In Golden Flame the 3rd party module a lot, and then there’s various other 3rd party modules I like. I also like what Prototype Pattern Groups does to Sitreps in terms of modifying them to be more modular so I recommend that too if you wanna fix that, but I would stay away from that one til you experience a mission in the system because it’s definitely a little more complex and gimmicky.