I mostly like the reworked art, however the original WWII bomber style nose is more to my liking. the reworked nose is a bit jarring as the window panels are not symetrical.
Game one was a simple 2V2 to teach somebody how to use aerospace fighters in ground maps.....i have never seen somebody fail a 7+ check on making an immelmann that many times during a game.
he eventually got the hang of it.
we then did an assault lance battle. it was a narrow for the combine as he had one atlas asleep with 5 head hits that survived. the grand crusader did what he does best going 25 overheat and taking out both the warhammer and nightstar in the ensuing ammo explosion. 28 volleys worth of LRM 20 ammo makes for a big boom.
The last game ended up being far close than expected. i was trying to run nothing but invasion era chassis.
.adder
.storm crow
.vulture
.cauldron born
.timber wolf
The end of the game came down to our commanders facing off-turkina VS timber wolf.....ammo crit on the timber ended things. it was the second such result that game. the sad part was the cauldron born taking almost no damage.....except that pesky gauss to the face.
Albertorius wrote: So I picked up some purples and blues from the new Vallejo Game Color range... meaning the right thing to do was try and do a Marik Militia scheme:
Nice.
I use Army Painter's Alien Purple myself. It's a bit different. I don't know if it would work well for Marik, but it does pretty well as my reverse mock Cloud Cobra scheme.
We are beyond excited to officially announce that Catalyst Game Labs and AdeptiCon have partnered to launch the BattleTech: Mercenaries Kickstarter on March 23rd, 2023, 10 a.m. Central/11 a.m. Eastern–the first day of AdeptiCon. We’ll be livestreaming throughout the weekend, including the campaign’s launch, Q&A sessions, developer interviews, actual-play events, and more!
Timber Wolf Gold Before I ship out for Adepticon and the Kickstarter launch event, here's a post!
Much like the Marauder, we just gave the Timber Wolf a face lift, though not as intensive as the Marauder. This one mostly focuses around the nose geometry, which wasn't toleranced well for production, but there are detail cast-ability enhancements all around. I also adjusted a few proportions, a hair more torso size, and more beef on the lower arms. It was me who fought to keep the arms smaller originally, but it wasn't until production that I saw they were too small. More overall size, more length, and a bit more barrel protrusion.
This model is also a special variant. See if you can figure it out. Though it technically works as two versions. Feel free to share this around!
Sorry I didn't get more posted before heading out. I've still got plenty of Proliferation Cycle renders to show, and more KS stuff. But I guess we've got a whole month for the campaign.
Wish me luck at the con. I'm gonna be wiped out by the end of it
Note that this matches the Bounty Hunter 2 configuration of the Timber Wolf, along with the Marauder Gold and previously seen Loki Mk II pretty much confirms the surprise Force Pack will indeed be the Bounty Hunter.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Premium Rifleman spotted at Adepticon
Very much so, both a surprise and not!
Fun discussion also had, and have had some people ask about it. So it’s getting out there on the thoughts of more people.
I’m have a random question about vehicles in. The lore. So mechs might have a camo scheme, or a parade scheme applied and still be used in combat. Is the same true of vehicles? Or are they always cammed up?
Flinty wrote: I’m have a random question about vehicles in. The lore. So mechs might have a camo scheme, or a parade scheme applied and still be used in combat. Is the same true of vehicles? Or are they always cammed up?
From my understanding it’s similar to mechs and based on the faction, location and regiment.
So unless there is specifics, you can make it up a bit.
Game 1 was a planned post jihad republic era clan battle.
His force
.annihilator with reflective armor + heavy gauss
.direwolf with HAG 40s
.turkina
.supernova 4
.kingfisher with HAG
My force
.tomahawk II B
.ryoken T IATMs, IHMLs nova CEWS
.turkina Z IATMs, nova CEWS
.osteon prime-IATMs nova CEWS
.svartalfa protomechs.
This was a game of silly dice rolls. he really tried to kill that stormcrow since it was the nova CEWS spotter but only manged to shred its armor and kill 2 protos,
The dire wolf died to a hail of HE ATMs including 3 head hits and 2 internal head crits.
The kingfisher went to sleep from pilot hits needing 11s to wake up (he managed to do much of that damage himself from falling).......unfortunately for the annihilator his reflective armor meant he took double falling damaged (after taking 170+ damage in one turn) that crited his gauss rifles 2 times bumping him up to 5 had hits, failing his pilot fall damage check for the 6th and final head shot.
with 2 mechs down one asleep and one shredded he raised the white flag.
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
The second game was an infatry heavy fight.
i brought an archer, tokugawa and 2 goblin IFVs with raiden battle armor inside.
This was a very close game. i chased off both his big tanks and finally killed all of mine leaving him with a thunderbolt and 1 squad of heavy battle armor vs my archer and 2 squads of Raidens.
He got a gyro crit on the archer forcing him to withdraw for the win.
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
Game 3 was us taking some of the worst mechs we could-
I brought 2 wasps, a valkyrie and a crusader for the all macross lance.
He took a couple stingers, a spider and a nightsky-
the valkyrie did nothing all game missing with every shot. there was lots of jumping around for advantage and loads of kicking....fear that 4 point wasp kick.
It ended up being my wasp and crusader VS his spider and nightsky. he got an engine kill on the crusaders left torso thanks to XLs.
Miguelsan wrote: As Apple said. It's canon that vehicles from the Swords of Light are painted in the same colors than the mechs. New Roland's militia probably not.
M.
Sarna has an interesting article on Canon. Artwork would fall into the area of not being canon if it directly contradicts a sourcebook. Also note that while some of the Sword of Light regiments have attached armor, they themselves are not a part of the Sword of Light regiment (at least according to Fiedl Manual: Draconis Combine which covers the early Clan Invasion era). However most players won't have a problem with the armor painted to match the BattleMech units.
Morning all - is there a good guide to starting BattleTech kicking around anywhere? I didn't see an article on the topic here on Dakka.
Have backed the MercenariesKS, and picked up the "A Game of Armored Combat" (sic) box at the weekend, with an "Inner Sphere Battle Lance" box on order from Zatu at the moment.
Currently thinking that some information on the "big boxes" would be useful, as well as any paint scheme or basing info?
Dysartes just start playing with quickstart rules manual than try normal and alpha strike.
Paint schemes are definitely found in google search, though you might want to just do camo or artistic.
----
YO does anyone play in northern georgia or south carolina??
I am in toccoa near the border but I am willing to drive up to 50 miles to play and I always bring beer and pizza.
Automatically Appended Next Post: On Inner Sphere mechs is not using an XL engine better? It is so much easier to die, I think I would rather go slow and use jump jets to get around.
All forces tend to have camo and parade variants that are used interchangeably on the battlefield. Basing is then just to match your own preferences, and doesn’t particularly need to match the camo
You can sink a lot of quite enjoyable time into the backstory. My preferred source is the Black pants Legion, and specifically the Tex Talks Battletech youtube series.
Pretty much any faction can use any mech due to salvage and suchlike, but there are some mech/faction pairings that are more canon If you want to be particularly accurate to the lore.
The reddit battletech page has a handy buying guide all on one page to save. Brief but gives some info, and is at the top pinned. they also working on a new players guide but it won’t be ready for a little bit.
Camo specs is great if you want to browse factions before looking them up.
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Main_Page Is the wiki, all the info you could ever want.
Bit more advanced, but it’s got all the faction stuff if you are curious.
you can just do your own merc company and do what ever you want!
Another resource you can use, is master unit list. It’s alpha strike, but for lists on the units each faction uses it’s the best!
https://megamek.org/ Is useful learning once you start to step out of the starter boxes
There is also a few discord servers depending on what feel and play style you want.
You can also play online so easy, even if you want to set up a table physical.
The rules haven't changed, so pick up any old copy from ebay.
There are expansions, but 99.9% of the time you wont need them. The 0.1% of the time your mech stands in front of a train with five carriages moving at speed 7, there are lengthy calculations you can use to determine how destroyed the mech is and where the derailed train scatters.
The rules haven't changed, so pick up any old copy from ebay.
There are expansions, but 99.9% of the time you wont need them. The 0.1% of the time your mech stands in front of a train with five carriages moving at speed 7, there are lengthy calculations you can use to determine how destroyed the mech is and where the derailed train scatters.
That is not entirely true. While the basic ruleset is the same, many values and concepts have changed since then.
Just focusing on the rule changes for Mechs, and not including new tech:
Inclusion of Battle Value for a way of determining a unit's value.
The order in which over-number units are moved is changed.
TAG operates in its own Phase, and allows the spotter to shoot.
TAG affects all Indirect Fire, not just Arrow IV.
Dumping Ammo, Indirect Fire, Four-legged Mechs, and Flipping Arms are standard rules instead of Special Case Rules now.
GATOR is introduced to help keeping track of To-Hit (technically not a rule, but still a very good update).
Partial Cover is changed from a +3 to a +1, and instead of using the Punch Table, Leg Hits are ignored.
Target Movement Modifiers adjusted from a maximum 4+ at 10+ to a 6+ at 25+.
Physical Attacks use the Piloting Skill as a base.
Hatchet and Pushing Attacks provide a -1 To-Hit.
Kicking provide a -2 To-Hit.
Environmental Heat rule limiting the amount of Heat a 'Mech can receive from outside sources in a turn is added.
Infernos are changed to an absolute Heat increase based on the number that hit that turn instead of just adding to the duration it lasts.
And that's just for the 'Mechs. The other units, including the addition of Protomechs, have seen a lot more changes across the board. Most of them were for the better (at least for them).
The rules haven't changed, so pick up any old copy from ebay.
There are expansions, but 99.9% of the time you wont need them. The 0.1% of the time your mech stands in front of a train with five carriages moving at speed 7, there are lengthy calculations you can use to determine how destroyed the mech is and where the derailed train scatters.
That is not entirely true. While the basic ruleset is the same, many values and concepts have changed since then.
Just focusing on the rule changes for Mechs, and not including new tech:
Inclusion of Battle Value for a way of determining a unit's value.
The order in which over-number units are moved is changed.
TAG operates in its own Phase, and allows the spotter to shoot.
TAG affects all Indirect Fire, not just Arrow IV.
Dumping Ammo, Indirect Fire, Four-legged Mechs, and Flipping Arms are standard rules instead of Special Case Rules now.
GATOR is introduced to help keeping track of To-Hit (technically not a rule, but still a very good update).
Partial Cover is changed from a +3 to a +1, and instead of using the Punch Table, Leg Hits are ignored.
Target Movement Modifiers adjusted from a maximum 4+ at 10+ to a 6+ at 25+.
Physical Attacks use the Piloting Skill as a base.
Hatchet and Pushing Attacks provide a -1 To-Hit.
Kicking provide a -2 To-Hit.
Environmental Heat rule limiting the amount of Heat a 'Mech can receive from outside sources in a turn is added.
Infernos are changed to an absolute Heat increase based on the number that hit that turn instead of just adding to the duration it lasts.
And that's just for the 'Mechs. The other units, including the addition of Protomechs, have seen a lot more changes across the board. Most of them were for the better (at least for them).
But not one of those changes the basic mechanics, feel, or tactics of the game to any meaningful degree. The game itself still plays just like it did in 1985, and someone who hasn't played since then will not be troubled by these changes.
The new technology will probably overwhelm them, sure, but they can still play basic, level 1, 3025 technology just fine.
Looking at the image posted by beast_gts, I think I've got some of the books there from the Introduction to BattleTech Humble Bundle from... last year? Either way, I've been reading Technical Readout: Clan Invasion, and amusing myself with some of the TLAs in use. Not sure why some Mechs are firing cash machines at people...
Either way, it definitely looks like I've got copies of Total Warfare and the Alpha Strike Commander's Edition to look at, which is handy - that gives me the basics for both approaches to the game, if I'm not mistaken?
I can see I might need a printer for record sheets - can't recall the last time I had a working printer in my flat.
Will definitely need to have a look at the paint scheme site Flinty mentioned - as someone whose initial exposure to BattleTech back in t'day was the Decision at Thunder Rift novel, Grey Death Legion is a definite possibility
Side question, actually - I noticed that on the back of the Primer in the starter box is an advert for the novels, and some of them are now listed as "BattleTech Legends" instead of just BattleTech. Are we dealing with a Star Wars EU situation here, where some of the books are no longer canon?
In terms of basing, I guess I was more thinking about the scaling of materials - the finer sand I have for 6mm figures is likely to be a better fit than the coarser stuff I have for 28mm, right?
Grey Death Legion rule, you'll be in good company!
In regards to the Legends label on some books, that's just the subtitle CGL uses for reprints of books with updated covers, not any comment about canon.
For basing, I definitely agree that finer materials look better in scale than some of the gravels you'd be using for a 28mm figure. Look at whatever material you're using next to a 'Mech's foot and imagine if it could actually walk over that. I tend to prefer using basing texture pastes for my BT minis as that provides more contour and texture without obvious grit or boulders.
If it’s offical to the game, it’s cannon from my understanding. But some are myth, legend or false accounts.
Anything outside is often side cannon, it’s possible or true until contradiction.
For basing I would use the fine grit as a base. Even bigger sand can look rather rocky.
Easy basing, I use thin blue tack and paste over. There is also good road texture that will last years!
For alpha strike you can get away with just your stats on a PC, and a peace of note paper
Vulcan wrote:But not one of those changes the basic mechanics, feel, or tactics of the game to any meaningful degree. The game itself still plays just like it did in 1985, and someone who hasn't played since then will not be troubled by these changes.
I rather disagree, and I played with the Compendium. If you think that values and how rules are processed don't change feel of a game, then you really haven't had to deal with subtle changes before. For example, having your "Defense" reduced by 2 in a situation is huge. Changing from a 1/6 chance of a Head Hit to a 1/36 chance is huge. Plasma Cannons and Rifles created the necessity for the Environmental Heat rule, which allowed Infernos to apply Heat as an increasing force. Physical Attacks are now more accurate than before. And that's all within Total Warfare.
While the changes are not hard to deal with and adjust to, they do have a notable impact on how the game feels in the situations where they did change, and Partial Cover (the most notable) is one that comes up a lot in every game I play.
Dysartes wrote:Looking at the image posted by beast_gts, I think I've got some of the books there from the Introduction to BattleTech Humble Bundle from... last year? Either way, I've been reading Technical Readout: Clan Invasion, and amusing myself with some of the TLAs in use. Not sure why some Mechs are firing cash machines at people...
That's actually pretty funny!
Still, the Advanced Tactical Missile system is a pretty nasty weapon system, provided you have the Ammo Bays to take advantage of it. And it's not even as nasty as the improved ATM, which is a Streak Mode version for the same weight class!
Dysartes wrote:Either way, it definitely looks like I've got copies of Total Warfare and the Alpha Strike Commander's Edition to look at, which is handy - that gives me the basics for both approaches to the game, if I'm not mistaken?
Those are the central rules, correct.
More advanced rules for Total Warfare play can be found in Tactical Operations: Advanced Rules, The Battlemech Manual, and Campaign Operations. More advanced equipment can be found in Tactical Operations: Advanced Units and Equipment (Artillery equipment, Hardened Armor, and many other fun things), Interstellar Operations: Alternate Eras (iATMs, Super-Heavies, Tripods, and more), and Strategic Operations (for space Warship fun).
Dysartes wrote:I can see I might need a printer for record sheets - can't recall the last time I had a working printer in my flat.
I believe most copy shops will also have ways of printing PDFs as well, so if you can make a PDF of a Record Sheet, you'll be good. MegaMekLab and MechFactory both provide ways of getting PDFs of the units they have on record, and CGL has provided some record sheets for the released plastic models as a free download here.
Dysartes wrote:Will definitely need to have a look at the paint scheme site Flinty mentioned - as someone whose initial exposure to BattleTech back in t'day was the Decision at Thunder Rift novel, Grey Death Legion is a definite possibility
Grey Death Legion is a great unit, and if you like the color scheme, by all means paint them up that way. There is no requirement to follow a specific unit's pattern, though. Feel free to make adjustments based on what you can get and what you can handle.
Dysartes wrote:In terms of basing, I guess I was more thinking about the scaling of materials - the finer sand I have for 6mm figures is likely to be a better fit than the coarser stuff I have for 28mm, right?
Probably. For a long time I used railroad modeling gravel. I got a 1-2 pound bag of the stuff and I think I've used maybe a quarter of it, and I've been using that bag since I was doing 40K and WarMachine, too.
However, I did come across a tip to use baking soda, of all things. Just put a layer of super glue down, sprinkle baking soda on it, and if you want more clumps add a drop more of super glue on top of that. It works amazingly well, you just need to make sure it mixes in with the glue properly and gets covered by primer or it will get picked up by your brush.
Here's a picture of my Dragonflies. The 2 plastic CGL models on the left have the Baking Soda base, while the Ironwind Metals one on the right has the railroad gravel.
Edit: It would help to add the picture, wouldn't it?
Dysartes wrote: Will definitely need to have a look at the paint scheme site Flinty mentioned - as someone whose initial exposure to BattleTech back in t'day was the Decision at Thunder Rift novel, Grey Death Legion is a definite possibility
Dysartes wrote: In terms of basing, I guess I was more thinking about the scaling of materials - the finer sand I have for 6mm figures is likely to be a better fit than the coarser stuff I have for 28mm, right?
There's also 'florist' sand. Don't know if you've big chain art stores in the UK, but here in the US, one can get a fine sand which is used in floral displays and other household decorative uses. It's what I used for Dropzone Commander and now BT & AS, since the HO scale gravel was obviously too big for both games. If you've the 6mm, you won't need it now, but I mention it for later, since the decorative sand comes natural or pre-dyed, and is cheaper in bulk than the hobby stuff.
Vulcan wrote:But not one of those changes the basic mechanics, feel, or tactics of the game to any meaningful degree. The game itself still plays just like it did in 1985, and someone who hasn't played since then will not be troubled by these changes.
I rather disagree, and I played with the Compendium. If you think that values and how rules are processed don't change feel of a game, then you really haven't had to deal with subtle changes before. For example, having your "Defense" reduced by 2 in a situation is huge. Changing from a 1/6 chance of a Head Hit to a 1/36 chance is huge. Plasma Cannons and Rifles created the necessity for the Environmental Heat rule, which allowed Infernos to apply Heat as an increasing force. Physical Attacks are now more accurate than before. And that's all within Total Warfare.
While the changes are not hard to deal with and adjust to, they do have a notable impact on how the game feels in the situations where they did change, and Partial Cover (the most notable) is one that comes up a lot in every game I play.
I'll grant the change to the partial cover did make partial cover useable, rather than something to be avoided in game. But that's a small change in the tactics of playing the game. Physical attacks being slightly less accurate didn't prevent us from making them left, right, and center when the opportunity arose before the changes.
The biggest changes to the feel of the game come not from those fairly trivial changes to the rules, but the ongoing proliferation of technology as time passes. But when playing 3025 rules, the game still plays virtually identically to the way it did in 1985, small changes in tactics aside. In fact, one of the bigger changes you mention, environmental heat, comes strictly from the changes in technology, not changes in the basic rules of the game.
Rimward of the Inner Sphere, far beyond reach or relevance to the major Houses and Clans who battle each other even now, lies a nebula long thought to be mundane, uninhabited, and insignificant. The last expedition to that cloud of space dust never returned. Over fifty years later, a second expedition now embarks to delve into the mystery that is the California Nebula!
Plenty of Room in the Nebula California is a special follow-up to Welcome to the Nebula California, with more off-beat settings for BattleTech adventures far from the hustle, bustle, and cyclic chaos of the Dark Age-era Inner Sphere. Here in this space—where the very laws of logic, physics, and biology seem warped and twisted beyond recognition—worlds, societies, and technologies have arisen among populations long lost to the realms humanity now calls home! Special rules, backstories, and record sheets are included for a host of new (and hopefully unique) … things, ready for play in your (really) advanced BattleTech and A Time of War games.
Vulcan wrote:I'll grant the change to the partial cover did make partial cover useable, rather than something to be avoided in game. But that's a small change in the tactics of playing the game. Physical attacks being slightly less accurate didn't prevent us from making them left, right, and center when the opportunity arose before the changes.
Again, I disagree because I'm talking about how the game rules FEEL. I didn't really address the tactics at all.
Partial Cover was usable back then because of the +3 To-Hit, even with the worse Hit Chart. It didn't change my tactics at all, really. Getting in to water was a viable tactic for a sniper back then, and it is now. Finding those sniper nests on a map were equally as useful. It is how it was useful that changed, which alters the FEEL of the game.
Physical Attacks are now something to be more sought out as well as they become more and more effective. As I said, it changed the FEEL, not necessarily the tactics.
Vulcan wrote:The biggest changes to the feel of the game come not from those fairly trivial changes to the rules, but the ongoing proliferation of technology as time passes. But when playing 3025 rules, the game still plays virtually identically to the way it did in 1985, small changes in tactics aside. In fact, one of the bigger changes you mention, environmental heat, comes strictly from the changes in technology, not changes in the basic rules of the game.
I don't disagree that the tech race changed a lot of the feel of the game, but we haven't seen as much new technology with Total Warfare, but it was rampant in the 90s and just became more formalized in Tactical Operations. I believe that Plasma Weapons and Hyper-Assault Gauss are the only weapons that didn't have something based on it by the time of the Master Rules book. They showed up in MechClix, but they weren't in the CBT rules until Total Warfare came out.
Vulcan wrote:I'll grant the change to the partial cover did make partial cover useable, rather than something to be avoided in game. But that's a small change in the tactics of playing the game. Physical attacks being slightly less accurate didn't prevent us from making them left, right, and center when the opportunity arose before the changes.
Again, I disagree because I'm talking about how the game rules FEEL. I didn't really address the tactics at all.
Partial Cover was usable back then because of the +3 To-Hit, even with the worse Hit Chart. It didn't change my tactics at all, really. Getting in to water was a viable tactic for a sniper back then, and it is now. Finding those sniper nests on a map were equally as useful. It is how it was useful that changed, which alters the FEEL of the game.
Physical Attacks are now something to be more sought out as well as they become more and more effective. As I said, it changed the FEEL, not necessarily the tactics.
Vulcan wrote:The biggest changes to the feel of the game come not from those fairly trivial changes to the rules, but the ongoing proliferation of technology as time passes. But when playing 3025 rules, the game still plays virtually identically to the way it did in 1985, small changes in tactics aside. In fact, one of the bigger changes you mention, environmental heat, comes strictly from the changes in technology, not changes in the basic rules of the game.
I don't disagree that the tech race changed a lot of the feel of the game, but we haven't seen as much new technology with Total Warfare, but it was rampant in the 90s and just became more formalized in Tactical Operations. I believe that Plasma Weapons and Hyper-Assault Gauss are the only weapons that didn't have something based on it by the time of the Master Rules book. They showed up in MechClix, but they weren't in the CBT rules until Total Warfare came out.
Just pointing out the advancing technology has done FAR more to change the feel of the game since 3025 than the changes to the actual rules of the game, that's all.
3025 games still feel the same now, 2023, as they did in 1985. It really is that simple.
Vulcan wrote: 3025 games still feel the same now, 2023, as they did in 1985. It really is that simple.
Again, I disagree that it feels the same. Just because the tactics are pretty much the same from 2nd Edition to A Game of Armored Combat, doesn't mean that the feeling hasn't changed.
I play every level here locally. I agree that tech causes things to get weird. There is a large difference between having a Fireball XF and a Locust as your fastest 'Mechs. There's a huge difference between having an AS7-D Atlas bearing down on you and a 100 ton MunchkinMech that is 4/6 with maximized Ferro-Lamellor Armor, carrying Talons, Claws, a Super-Charger, and Triple-Strength Myomer, along with enough Small Pulse Lasers to get in to that sweet spot and stay there.
But I played with what would be considered Standard Tech before, and the only things that the tech does is change the values of what I can do (for the most part).
Personally I agree that 3025 has fundamentally the same feel that it did back then. The few rules that have changed feel more like errata fixing than anything else.
The only things that are really out of whack in 3025, I'd say, are medium lasers (which have always been way too good) and ACs (/2s and /5s are really bad, and every time you take those out of a 'mech it gets better. /10s are not great, but at least you're not handicapping yourself by using them, and /20s are fine as they are for 3025 play), but the moment advanced tech gets in the table... THAT does fundamentally change the way it feels. Everything tends to be faster and killier, and heat management is most of the time not a thing anymore... and that's just using regular 3050 tech. So you get a game that plays faster because everything deals much more damage and tends to blow up faster because of that coupled with most mechs not really having to deal with heat anymore and Xl engines and the like makind mechs more fragile... that fundamentally changes the way the game feels and works, not a couple of errataed rules. At least in my experience.
Vulcan wrote: 3025 games still feel the same now, 2023, as they did in 1985. It really is that simple.
Again, I disagree that it feels the same. Just because the tactics are pretty much the same from 2nd Edition to A Game of Armored Combat, doesn't mean that the feeling hasn't changed.
I play every level here locally. I agree that tech causes things to get weird. There is a large difference between having a Fireball XF and a Locust as your fastest 'Mechs. There's a huge difference between having an AS7-D Atlas bearing down on you and a 100 ton MunchkinMech that is 4/6 with maximized Ferro-Lamellor Armor, carrying Talons, Claws, a Super-Charger, and Triple-Strength Myomer, along with enough Small Pulse Lasers to get in to that sweet spot and stay there.
But I played with what would be considered Standard Tech before, and the only things that the tech does is change the values of what I can do (for the most part).
That right there is one of the reasons we almost never allow custom mechs except under certain special occasions, and never in general pickup games.
The biggest changes (not always for the best-max tech level 3 vehicle charts are way better for vehicles than current TW rules if you want them to be anything more than window dressing) were some of the charts and some of the big winners were fixing things like AMS to make them have a purpose.
Albertorius wrote:Personally I agree that 3025 has fundamentally the same feel that it did back then. The few rules that have changed feel more like errata fixing than anything else.
The only things that are really out of whack in 3025, I'd say, are medium lasers (which have always been way too good) and ACs (/2s and /5s are really bad, and every time you take those out of a 'mech it gets better. /10s are not great, but at least you're not handicapping yourself by using them, and /20s are fine as they are for 3025 play), but the moment advanced tech gets in the table... THAT does fundamentally change the way it feels. Everything tends to be faster and killier, and heat management is most of the time not a thing anymore... and that's just using regular 3050 tech. So you get a game that plays faster because everything deals much more damage and tends to blow up faster because of that coupled with most mechs not really having to deal with heat anymore and Xl engines and the like makind mechs more fragile... that fundamentally changes the way the game feels and works, not a couple of errataed rules. At least in my experience.
But to each their own.
I regularly play 3050-3067, while some of the mechs are heat efficient, most are not and you still have to manage your heat quite a bit. additionally forced withdrawl rules also make mechs a bit more fragile in the sense that you do not fight to the death because mechs are way to important to waste. it also speeds up game play.
Time for the weeks battle tech update-
.stone rhino
.marauder IIC
.turkina
.super nova
.thunder stallion
VS
.atlas
.nightstar
.highlander
.gunslinger
.king crab
.atlas
.devestator
.thunderhawk
It was assault day again-2 merc units take on the clanners. i think they really need to do a better job vetting some of these contractors.
In one turn both the nightstar and highlander fell asleep and then fell, the game gets a bit easier i suppose when your enemy kills itself.
The first to fall on the clan side was the supernova. for the mercs it was the king crab, the early game was favoring the clanners but it turned a bit when the range closed.
The only head decapitation was the stone rhino taking a gauss to the face, but the star commander managed to make an emergency eject. at the end of the game there was only the nightstar standing on the merc side VS the marauder IIC and thunder stallion.
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
The second game was a lance of death commandos VS 2nd swords pf light. so it was C3 lance VS stealth armor lance.
This game went really fast. with my kurita fast heavies getting in close. it meant both sides were quickly reduced to a single mech. with a matchup like a victor VS a dragon it wasn't going to be pretty.
Victory for the death commandos....but only barely.
aphyon wrote: That right there is one of the reasons we almost never allow custom mechs except under certain special occasions, and never in general pickup games.
When its known, its known, and anything I can do, I can get back just as bad or worse.
Would it make it any different if it was a Turkina Z coming down on you instead of a MunchkinMech? A Viking IIC? One of the Gausszillas? The tech level is what makes things crazy, not necessarily custom jobs.
Oddly enough, I have less to fear with Custom Introtech than any other Custom Jobs. As it is, I never know what I'm going to face, and making custom units IS part of the ruleset.
aphyon wrote: The biggest changes (not always for the best-max tech level 3 vehicle charts are way better for vehicles than current TW rules if you want them to be anything more than window dressing) were some of the charts and some of the big winners were fixing things like AMS to make them have a purpose.
That's a bit arguable that the old Level 3 Charts were better, but I agree that Combat Vehicles have probably seen the most changes over all. That's why I didn't even bother addressing them.
Dysartes wrote:One of your images is a bit messed up there, aphyon.
Fixed...my mouse is dying so it clipped part of the code, didn't catch it....happens when you have been awake fro 24 hours.
Charistoph wrote:
aphyon wrote: That right there is one of the reasons we almost never allow custom mechs except under certain special occasions, and never in general pickup games.
When its known, its known, and anything I can do, I can get back just as bad or worse.
Would it make it any different if it was a Turkina Z coming down on you instead of a MunchkinMech? A Viking IIC? One of the Gausszillas? The tech level is what makes things crazy, not necessarily custom jobs.
Oddly enough, I have less to fear with Custom Introtech than any other Custom Jobs. As it is, I never know what I'm going to face, and making custom units IS part of the ruleset.
aphyon wrote: The biggest changes (not always for the best-max tech level 3 vehicle charts are way better for vehicles than current TW rules if you want them to be anything more than window dressing) were some of the charts and some of the big winners were fixing things like AMS to make them have a purpose.
That's a bit arguable that the old Level 3 Charts were better, but I agree that Combat Vehicles have probably seen the most changes over all. That's why I didn't even bother addressing them.
My point with munchkin mechs is the same-if you want something find it in what already exists, if you are doing it to be abusive that is not something to encourage. in our groups games there are several ways we set up games. we always pick an era but some of the guys like to do BV2 or C-bill cost. i prefer theme for my pick up or planned games so you can enjoy using stuff you like. like the ones above, one was stealth lance VS C3 fast heavies that best represent how Liao and kurita like to fight with standard pilots.
It is not arguable at all. catalyst came out and said in the very beginning that they specifically changed the charts to make vehicles less effective because they wanted to make mechs the core focus of the game. it is a true combined arms game and it should be encouraged not discouraged. the fact that the core rules are effectively unchanged in the last 30 years along with the myriad of optional rules is what makes the game so great. if you and your players choose ahead of time which version of the optional rules you like to use there should be no problems. one of those that is a hard no for me is using the current vehicle damage charts for anything in the game. i have heavy metal pro and it already has the option to use the level 3 charts for all vehicle types on the record sheets.
Addendum to my last post-
Good news/bad news In case you missed it Steel warrior studios, one of the best sources for 3d printed battle tech terrain and STL files, is going out of business. made me very sad....however it appears gale force 9 has aquired the rights to their battle tech terrain via thunderhead studios and will be selling it in pre-painted sets starting in july.
CGL wrote:We contracted Rem Alternis Productions Inc. to produce a video featuring our beloved Kell Hounds, and put a fun and educational spin on it for new and old fans alike. Check it out, subscribe to our #youtube channel and tell us what you think!
I was watching the unboxing video for the Snord's Irregulars Assault Lance and Sneede's FrankenMech comes with an optional Phoenix Hawk head, a Rifleman's tracking system 'wing' and what looks like it might have been bits that fit in the Guillotine's jump jets to have them just starting to fire up (the poster couldn't find where they went). Some cool extras for this ForcePack
Did y'all know that BattleTech is awesome? And on that subject, I notice that we spend a lot of time reacting or speculating on what Catalyst might do next.
I have a different question:
What products would we like to see them do?
For me, I want to see a return to Solaris VII. Some of the best games of BTech I've had have been Solaris matches, played on the Solaris maps.
I've had ideas kicking around in my head for years now about doing a Solaris League style game that's a little bit Necromunda and a little bit Blood Bowl, with stables dedicated to various Great Houses, elite Clan pilots, political back-stage dealings and espionage, 'Mech customsation and economy/trading post, different level leagues, prizes, winning the crowd over, MechWarrior development (skills and whatnot). And all using the standard BattleTech rules - not a new "duelling" set of rules or whatever.
I think such a thing would be fantastic, especially if they redid the maps in the current style and made them larger (the current Factory map is great, but imagine it as a proper 2x2; imagine the Steiner Colosseum as a 2x2 rather than the all-too-small map it is now).
Someone in the current Merc KS comments had an interesting idea as well: We've seen interchangeable turrets on the vehicles, and posing options for some 'Mechs (jumping 'Mechs). Hell, the FrakenMech in Snord's Irregular's box some extra build options.
So why not interchangeable parts for Solaris 'Mechs? Like a Solaris VII boxed set that has, say, 8 'Mechs in there (2 of each class), and each one has a few swappable arms and whatnot, including melee options. I think that'd be great fun even in a game that doesn't emphasise WYSIWYG.
And on another note, I bought some 2mm and 6mm masking tape so I can give this scheme a shot:
I would be extremely into a new Solaris box. I got like two thirds of the way through cleaning up the old Solaris duel rules to work with the current ruleset. I think the only thing left to do was the weapon chart, which was just a whole bunch of data entry I didn't want to do. The more granular accounting of the Solaris rules looks like a lot of fun.
DISCLAIMER : none of these (well, except the Mauler) are to be taken as granted/imminent releases.
Name drops/topics :
Thorn - not very high on the list (14.50 timestamp)
Fireball - Brent is adamant that we WILL see it (the others are slightly less enthused)
Hunchback variants - Anthony : "why not a Hunchback variants ForcePack" (approx. 16.00 timestamp)
Mauler - IS coming (Randall, 16.50 timestamp)
Yeoman - can be made to look cool (17.30 timestamp)
Shootist - Brent sees potential (18.25 timestamp)
Hollander - they all seem to like it (21.40 timestamp)
Legends of Solaris ForcePack - Randall goes "keep looking to the future" (23.45 timestamp and again at 30.00)
Hatamoto-Chi and Berserker - in the works according to Randall (23.57 timestamp)
Brent then asks "where would fans like to see a Hatamoto-Chi, a House Kurita ForcePack or elsewhere ?",
Ray then mentions the Mauler again (Hmmm...)
ProtoMechs are talked about - they seem to like the 1st gen ones. Not adverse to tackling them, but they need
to fit in the plan (24.50 timestamp)
IndustrialMechs - Brent could see a Dark Age pack, whereas Randall sees a possibility of including an IndyMech
in a potential future faction-specific ForcePack (approx. 28.00 timestamp)
Proliferation ForcePack - a careful balancing act between clunky and cool for the Mechs (approx. 30.55 timestamp)
Quad Mechs - tricky due to hex base/posing. Goliath and Scorpion should be possible to fit without supporting peg
(33.00 timestamp)
Currently no concrete plans to do more Quads (wait and see pattern), but Randall likes the Barghest and Brent
mentions the Dark Age possibilities (i.e. another "they need to fit in the plan" point)
Celestials - Anthony goes "I agree" right away (34.30 timestamp)
Primitive tanks - more of a niche product, but never say never (38.10 timestamp)
Aerospace ForcePacks - Randall : "the Aerospace rules are broken". In order to go ahead with ASF packs, it would/will
also require a rewrite of the rules. Currently dabbling a bit (an ASF here and there). Antony mentions the ASF in various
illustrations (i.e. they are being looked at/worked upon)
Point is addressed again at timestamp 43.10 ; no hard plans for more ASFs until the rules aspect has been addressed
New Tripod Mechs - Brent goes "in plastic, not anytime soon", Ray answers "not neccesarily. There is one thing" - he then
clarifies "but it's a maybe" and the Ares gets name-dropped as a potential candidate for the future (41.10 timestamp)
Battle armor - more variants/types being discussed. Could be another "dabbling" niche (as opposed to seeing the full line-up
of every BA out there)
The launch of the initial Beginner Box was a bit of a gamble for CGL (48.00 timestamp)
Thargrim wrote: Finished a Lyran Guards shadowhawk earlier today. Not my favorite looking mech, but one of the few AGoAC minis I hadn't painted yet.
I love how the Shadow Hawk looks. I'm just disappointed in its loadout. It is so underwhelming and even if one hits with everything cannot force a PSR on the target.
Charistoph wrote: So a modeling version of the Psuedotech Arcade Operations?
Not like "power ups", but just alternate builds of standard designs, so an Atlas, but you could give it an axe. A Banshee with a sword. A Hunchback, but with an axe. That kind of thing. Just extra parts to show some of the customisation of Solaris.
Thargrim wrote: Finished a Lyran Guards shadowhawk earlier today. Not my favorite looking mech, but one of the few AGoAC minis I hadn't painted yet.
I love how the Shadow Hawk looks. I'm just disappointed in its loadout. It is so underwhelming and even if one hits with everything cannot force a PSR on the target.
yeah it is the opposite of the wolverine. almost every wolverine loadout is great, almost every shadowhawk loadout is bad. The only one i really use is the 3K, but then i use it in my swords of light lances so it works well with the C3 network.
Charistoph wrote: So a modeling version of the Psuedotech Arcade Operations?
Not like "power ups", but just alternate builds of standard designs, so an Atlas, but you could give it an axe. A Banshee with a sword. A Hunchback, but with an axe. That kind of thing. Just extra parts to show some of the customisation of Solaris.
You mean something like this, without raiding another game's kits?
Just a set of kits of hand/arms that could do upgrade like that for each weight class could be interesting.
Yeah, or like the Zeus I have that has an axe from the Ti Ts'ang.
Trying that around Solaris VII would be fun, as I feel that outside of patched together periphery/pirate 'Mechs, the most customisation would occur there.
Fireball is a magnificent bit of nonsense on two legs.
But a Hunchback box? That sounds awesome.
Throw in a regular (reposed) HBK-4G, an HBK-4P (obviously!), and then an HBK-4SP for close missile support, and then a HBK-5S 'cause it's very different (and jumpy!).
Yeah, I guess that the next step would be more modular stuff, like what they're doing with their "deluxe" models, I guess?
Only, you know, a bit more available to pleople outside the US...
Ok, questions time, I'd like to tap into dakka's Btech knowledge to help me a bit with army design.
This is mainly for AS, as that's what I'm starting to play with a friend and what we're testing, but I'd like to be able to use it too in regular Btech (so, would be nice if lances were also useable in regular Btech, even if swapping around).
A while ago, I painted a Draconis Combine Lance, and I kinda liked the results, even though it's probably not very optimized:
I painted it "default Kuritan scheme" or Sword of Light-ish, and I kinda like how it looks.
So now I was thinking about doing a C3-enabled company to play around with those rules in AS. The plan would be to make it pre-Jihad, which seems to be the time where the DC most played around with the C3 concept, and I'd like it to be something of a top of the line company for the era, with things like the first omnis and the like.
Not sure if it's best to have a mech with 2 C3 Masters as company commander or to have two C3M-equipped mechs in the command lance, to be honest, but if I want a double C3M mech it seems I'd be limited to a Battlemaster CM, a Tai-sho, a Sunder OB or a Naginata. Of those, the Tai-sho and the Naginata are... well, not really very pretty ^^.
So, what would you do, dakkaites? Help me out a bit? ^^ Gonna post this here and on the AS thread, just in case, so feel free to answere where you think is more appropiate.
Heavy
.Ninja to-all variants put i prefer the 4
.Grand dragon C or 7K (i prefer the 7K for the MASC)
.Catapult K5
.Archer 9R (late era)
.Warhammer 8D
.Daikyu 02
Assault
.Hatamoto chi 28T
.Hatamoto chi 28T-shin -special variant for a named character
.Akuma 2X
I would recomend to get a mech you like, and do a custom job. You need to remember that the mechs in the TROs are stock models, and with the passage of time, especially in merc units, weird retrofits are going to happen.
It looks that this would be a one off to flesh out your company, so anything within the construction rules goes. It's not like you are trying to look for an advantage within the rules for a tournament..
My personal mechs (e.g.) have many custom designs due to having, or not having enough of one item to repair a mech at a given time, including up to a double cockpit Battlemaster that drops the MGs, and downsizes de SRM to find the 3 extra tons for the double cockpit.
So in short, don't worry, and look where you can shave those 5 tons from your favorite assault.
aphyon wrote: As an old hand with swords of light C3 lances
these are my go to units-<snip>
Thank you
Some of those are later era than I'd want (we're doing pre Jihad, for the moment), but there's some food for thought
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Miguelsan wrote: I would recomend to get a mech you like, and do a custom job. You need to remember that the mechs in the TROs are stock models, and with the passage of time, especially in merc units, weird retrofits are going to happen.
Certainly true, but if possible I'd prefer to stay within "official" loadouts for the most part, if only because that way we should know what they have ^^
It looks that this would be a one off to flesh out your company, so anything within the construction rules goes. It's not like you are trying to look for an advantage within the rules for a tournament..
Nah, not at all. Not going to any tournament, for one xD
My personal mechs (e.g.) have many custom designs due to having, or not having enough of one item to repair a mech at a given time, including up to a double cockpit Battlemaster that drops the MGs, and downsizes de SRM to find the 3 extra tons for the double cockpit.
So in short, don't worry, and look where you can shave those 5 tons from your favorite assault.
M.
Thank you ^^. I'm not planning on worrying too much (my opponent already has a customed Wolverine with TSM and melee weapons and flamers and gak, mostly to make it mirror to their old ride and to have it do some real damage at melee, which is something of an issue in AS), but I'd also prefer to stick with "stock" models if possible (just prefer, nothing more... mostly as an opportunity to see all the weird gak there is out there).
H.B.M.C. wrote:Fireball is a magnificent bit of nonsense on two legs.
Very much so, and I love it for that reason. My favorite model is the XF. Nothing like being able to reach the enemies' deployment zone and then go back in to your own in the same turn just to flex.
Of course, our local scenarios USUALLY have a Victory Point for having a unit in the opponent's Deployment Zone, and something that can get a 6+ TMM regularly (even after running in a literal circle) is very useful for that.
Albertorius wrote:Not sure if it's best to have a mech with 2 C3 Masters as company commander or to have two C3M-equipped mechs in the command lance, to be honest, but if I want a double C3M mech it seems I'd be limited to a Battlemaster CM, a Tai-sho, a Sunder OB or a Naginata. Of those, the Tai-sho and the Naginata are... well, not really very pretty ^^.
That's hard to say. Having 2 C3M units makes it harder to take out the whole network by taking out one unit. On the other hand, having a dual-C3M allows that C3M to have nastier bodyguards available so you can "hide" it. Be careful of those mobile ECM units, though.
One other suggestion I would have is the Cyclops. The CP-11-C2 is a dual C3M and that allows it do do what the Cyclops was designed to do (though, a Jihad variant you can easily say its a prototype). The CP-11-C3 has a single Boosted C3M (which isn't available till the Jihad) which allows it to ignore all but the harshest ECM environments.
Sorry for the bad pic quality, I need to get a better photo.
Mechs from my 3rd Canopian Fusiliers regiment. The modded Shadowhawk is built to represent a 3H variant, which has no official stats. After a bit of work I tracked the only official bit of art of it that appears to exist and modded the mini based on that, and the loadout I cooked up in Megamek.
Just ignore the 2 at the end, its the 2nd loadout I tried out, the first used an LRM10 in place of the SRM6 but paid too much in armour and jump capacity to be worth it.
Spoiler:
Shadow Hawk SHD-3H2
Mass: 55 tons
Chassis: Standard Biped
Power Plant: 275 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 54 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Jump Jets: Standard
Jump Capacity: 90 meters
Armor: Standard
Armament:
1 Medium Laser
2 Machine Gun
3 SRM 2
1 SRM 6
1 Large Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 2550
Tech Rating/Availability: D/C-E-D-D
Cost: 4,606,032 C-bills
Our group also steers clear of custom jobs unless it is something we all agree on ahead of time. our attitude is that if there is something you want to run find it among the cannon designs that are already available. it helps prevent player abuses.
Hm, it might be the poses, but none blow me away, and I love both.
The Hatti looks better (although the head is kinda meh), but the Mauler looks... way too much like the MWO one, I think? Probably because the MWO Mauler was pretty close to the original, but still ^^
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Flinty wrote: If ever there was a mech looking to be the poster mech for the ‘80s
Particularly big feat for the Mauler, taking into account it appeared first (IIRC) in the Battletech Compendium, which was released in 1990 :p
Death_from_above wrote:
FYI, the Mech design process AMA with Anthony Scroggins (1h02) is now on Youtube :
Snippets/highlights (non-exhaustive) :
Rabid Coyote or Canis ? Not very likely at this point ; better chance of seeing FedCom Civil War or Jihad-era Packs that
slot into the IlClan timeline (which does not exclude the possibility of a niche product, see the Proliferation-era pack)
Plastic Uziel ? The IWM model is pretty recent, maybe when they do a FedCom Civil War or Jihad-era pack
All Mechs are scaled (volumetric) to a half mm of each other (Anthony now has a 2GB Maya file with all designs)
The fact that a Mech was recently released in metal/plastic (respectively by IWM/CGL) does not reduce its chances
of seeing it make the transition to the "other" material (see the Ostscout frex)
Plastic Ostwar would be "easy-peasy", since they've now got a good feel on the Ost family
When designing a Mech, they strive to retain a certain amount of faithfulness. In some cases, this can be the overall
silhouette. In other cases, it'll be specific areas/details (such as the panel lines of the Victor's torso SRM). Anthony
does like to tweak the cockpits though
MWO and CGL are separate companies, each with their own intellectual properties. Therefore there is no direct
copying of Mech designs. Sometimes a design will look very similar (King Crab)
Museum-scale minis ? - Anthony confirms that "Destiny-scale" Mechs are 28mm. If the demand is there (and it probably
is, since they sold out all of the stock at Adepticon), there will probably be more (decision to be made by TPTB)
More Clan BA ? - Randall actually wanted more BA in the Mercs KS, but they ran out of time. Over time, there will be more.
Plastic infantry however has a low chance ; very hard to get sufficient detail on that scale
Most drastic redesigns so far ? - Sentinel, Mercury, Bane, Black Python
Least redesign required ? - Flea, Highlander IIC
Canonized Ragnarok ? - Anthony wouldn't be opposed
Coolant Truck ? - depends on the success of the Objectives pack ; if the demand is there for map/table dressing or campaign objectives play, then possibly yes
Something with a sword ? - "I hope so" and "we"ll have to see if something pops up when we get to the faction packs"
Poster-sized blueprints ? - they can do better blueprints now and Anthony would like to see more poster merch
Faction packs (30.00 timestamp) - will be coming and will be a tandem release with a faction-specific book that will give more information on how to fluffily play the faction. There will be a Kurita pack for the Succession Wars/Clan Invasion and (possibly ?) another for the IlClan era
When designing a Mech, they look at its individual flair. They don't necessarily give the same aesthetic to all Mechs of a given manufacturer/plant
3D assets are sometimes (rarely) re-used ; the Banshee (3S) PPC is the same gun as with the Warhammer (because fluff-wise it fits)
Mod kits/extra variants ? - first baby step taken with the Marauders from both Legendary ForcePacks ; 4 different dorsal guns
will allow WYSIWYG building of the majority of Marauder variants
More ASF - they'll probably continue to trickle out. Full Aerospace ForcePacks would require "their own game" (which I interpret as a rules update/rewrite)
Celestials - once again, Anthony states that nobody is opposed and he thinks there is a lot of potential in a facelift by his team (some inaudible off-screen chatter from/with Loren Coleman at this point)
Heroforge for Mechs ? - tricky at this point, since once an STL is out there, the genie is out of the box. In the long term, with the improvement of 3D printers and DRM, it would be a possibility
Far Country's Tetatae get a shoutout ("would be pretty funny"
Jade Phoenix ? - since Anthony has had to devote a lot of his time on the CGL/KS side, he's had less time for IWM. A good number of the IlClan Mechs are pretty much ready
Anthony available for commission work ? - currently not, but it's something that he would like to pick up again
Detail level on Mechs - can be tricky, sometimes they try and "push the envelope" to see how well the ideas translate to plastic (the Legendary Warhammer frex will have hexagonal missile ports for the MRM)
Plastic dropships - Anthony would love to do some mapscale ones (Union, Overlord, Leopard, Fortress). Mech-scale is another beast altogether and Anthony sees this one as a potential candidate for STLs one day
The first three Mechs that made it to line art (Warhammer, Marauder and Locust) were the "hardest" ; a lot of discussions/nit-picking to get the design just right. Nowadays, the design process is much smoother/faster
Design process was flipped at the time of AGoAC ; before it was line art > 3D modeling,
nowadays it's concept sketch > 3D modeling > line art
"Some Mechs deserve to be left behind" (54.10 timestamp) - very much needs to be interpreted within the context ; in the grand scheme of things when deciding which Mechs will be included in the next ForcePacks, they will not necessarily get to each and every design
Which Mech/vee would Anthony like to tackle/see ? - Fafnir (runner-ups : Mad Cat II, Thanatos, Argus) & Alacorn
If you could remove one Mech from the game ? - Anthony unfortunately mentions the Fireball
(but with Brent involved in the decision-making process, I'd say it still has good odds)
Huron Warrior - they should do that at one point
We should be getting our first glimpses of the future (faction-specific ForcePacks) on Anthony's Patreon
We’ve got four new record sheet compilation products available today, including sheets for the Technical Readout: Jihad and Technical Readout: Dark Age compilations, and for Technical Readout: 3145 and Technical Readout: 3150. More than 1,300 pages of record sheets for your BattleTech games!
Record Sheets: Jihad
Price: $9.99 – PDF Only
November 3067 saw the culmination of work two centuries in the making, work begun by Primus Conrad Toyama of ComStar, successor to Jerome Blake and the man responsible for single-handedly turning ComStar into a pseudo-religious organization with a vision: to lead mankind to the light.
But then the Second Star League collapsed.
Denied their dream, the Blakists fought to preserve the Star League against the follies of the Great Houses, its fanaticism manifested as the Jihad: a horrific war that pitted every nation against each other. This era saw bleeding edge machines march off to war, while venerable ‘Mechs continued to receive upgrades and facelifts. Even primitive ‘Mechs not seen in over half a millennia once again appear on the battlefield.
BattleTech Record Sheets: Jihad offers players the record sheets for all the ‘Mechs detailed in BattleTech Technical Readout: Jihad, 281 in total.
Note: These are selections from several other products. The selected entries in this PDF are reprinted—albeit with the current BattleTech logo—from Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrades Unabridged—Clan & Star League, Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrades Unabridged, Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged, Record Sheets: 3060 Unabridged, Record Sheets: 3067 Unabridged, Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, and Record Sheets: 3085—The Cutting Edge & Project Phoenix. Players who own those Record Sheets products will find the same units presented in Record Sheets: Jihad.
From the star-spanning devastation of the Word of Blake Jihad arose the Republic of the Sphere, a new nation dedicated to breaking the centuries-long cycle of warfare plaguing the Inner Sphere and creating new innovation and prosperity for all.
The ideals of the Republic worked—for a time.
Then in 3132, hyperpulse generators across thousands of worlds went offline, enveloping the Inner Sphere in silence. Paranoia and opportunism ran rampant as age-old hostilities reignited and chaos ruled the day. The Republic, the grand experiment in hope, was torn asunder by hostile forces on every side.
The Republic Era—better known as the Dark Age—was a time of upheaval and opportunity. Fortunes rose and fell, nations crumbled and others reconstituted. And at the center of the whirlwind lay Terra, the crown jewel of the Republic, a prize waiting for the warrior strong enough to seize it.
BattleTech Record Sheets: Dark Age offers players the record sheets for all the ‘Mechs detailed in BattleTech Technical Readout: Dark Age, 262 in total.
Note: These are selections from several other products. The selected entries in this PDF are reprinted—albeit with the current BattleTech logo—from Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged, Record Sheets: 3085—The Cutting Edge, Record Sheets: 3145, Record Sheets: 3150, Record Sheets: Prototypes, along with Interstellar Expeditions, Wars of the Republic Era, Experimental Technical Readout: Republic, Vol. I, and Technical Readout: Irregulars. Players who own those Record Sheets products will find the same units presented in Record Sheets: Dark Age.
The great experiment that was the Republic of the Sphere has failed. Withdrawn behind the Fortress walls, the once-great power has become a silent, opaque remnant of its former glory. Without its influence, old hatreds have risen anew. As war once more rages across the Inner Sphere, new equipment strides across ancient battlefields. Technology, once stagnated by trade restrictions and peace treaties, now surges forward again, testing these new machines in the fierce crucible of war.
BattleTech Record Sheets:3145 offers players the record sheets for ‘Mechs, Combat Vehicles, Battle Armor, and Aerospace designs from BattleTech Technical Readout:3145—including those from the New Tech, New Upgrades section.
War has spread across the Inner Sphere, shattering and shifting alliances both old and new. As the Clans once more close in on humanity’s homeworld of Terra, the walls of Fortress have come down, revealing the return of Devlin Stone. Desperate for any edge, the Great Houses, Clans, and Periphery states of the Inner Sphere have unleashed a flood of new war machines, rushing them into battle on every front.
BattleTech Record Sheets: 3150 offers players the record sheets for ‘Mechs, Combat Vehicles, Battle Armor, and Aerospace designs from BattleTech Technical Readout: 3150—including those from the New Tech, New Upgrades section.
Amazon provides a free Kindle app for iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. The Humble Bundle is in ePub and MOBI (the latter is what Kindle used, and is still compatible. AZW is the current one and evolved from MOBI, but it has better compression and has DRM, which Amazon and publishers like). So most people should have an option to read these ebooks if they like.
I've not read all of them, but those I've read are average to low average for gaming fiction. Comparing them to mainstream military sci-fi, I'd say they are poor. They really are only of interest to BT players.
Amazon provides a free Kindle app for iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. The Humble Bundle is in ePub and MOBI (the latter is what Kindle used, and is still compatible. AZW is the current one and evolved from MOBI, but it has better compression and has DRM, which Amazon and publishers like). So most people should have an option to read these ebooks if they like.
I've not read all of them, but those I've read are average to low average for gaming fiction. Comparing them to mainstream military sci-fi, I'd say they are poor. They really are only of interest to BT players.
Of this, I am aware. You can even up load the epubs to your Amazon book storage for download elsewhere. For some reason, they stopped allowing mobi files for this.
However, that is not what I meant by handling the format. Some people just don't like reading digital documents, and will only read the paper format.
Charistoph wrote: Of this, I am aware. You can even up load the epubs to your Amazon book storage for download elsewhere. For some reason, they stopped allowing mobi files for this.
However, that is not what I meant by handling the format. Some people just don't like reading digital documents, and will only read the paper format.
I see. While I'm not one of those paper only folks, I still prefer hard copy when it isn't too expensive or inconvenient. {For example, a 450 page paperback in pocket format is both fat and is set in a painfully small type. An eBook version of that is more convenient.}
Is there an easy way to find out what books I need to buy to get the stats on mechs I own?
A decade or more ago I bought the starter box with the 26 or so plastic mechs and it came with record sheets for each of them.
Now I've got two of the newer plastic packs (Heavy Star and Wolf's Dragoon Star) but don't know what all they do besides the Alpha Strike cards they come with?
Also, what am I missing out on if I run just the basic rules out of said starter box with these newer Clan boxes?
Rihgu wrote: Is there an easy way to find out what books I need to buy to get the stats on mechs I own?...
... Now I've got two of the newer plastic packs (Heavy Star and Wolf's Dragoon Star) but don't know what all they do besides the Alpha Strike cards they come with?
Rihgu wrote: Is there an easy way to find out what books I need to buy to get the stats on mechs I own?...
... Now I've got two of the newer plastic packs (Heavy Star and Wolf's Dragoon Star) but don't know what all they do besides the Alpha Strike cards they come with?
Rihgu wrote: Is there an easy way to find out what books I need to buy to get the stats on mechs I own?...
... Now I've got two of the newer plastic packs (Heavy Star and Wolf's Dragoon Star) but don't know what all they do besides the Alpha Strike cards they come with?
There's a few periphery programs as well that will help you out- solaris skunkwerks is the one I use.
If you look up your mech on sarna.net, each of the variants or configurations has a reference number next to it. At the bottom of the article are the references, which tell you where that particular set of record sheets can be found in official products. Especially with classic mechs- all the options may be spread across several different books, tied to different eras.
Rihgu wrote: Is there an easy way to find out what books I need to buy to get the stats on mechs I own?
A decade or more ago I bought the starter box with the 26 or so plastic mechs and it came with record sheets for each of them.
Now I've got two of the newer plastic packs (Heavy Star and Wolf's Dragoon Star) but don't know what all they do besides the Alpha Strike cards they come with?
Also, what am I missing out on if I run just the basic rules out of said starter box with these newer Clan boxes?
You want the Technical Readouts for the stats, or Reinforcement Packs for the actual record sheets.
The arenas of Solaris VII have seen glory and defeat, honor and treachery, blood and money. Now it’s your turn to make a name for yourself on the Game World with the all-new BattleTech boxed set BattleTech: Essentials, available exclusively through Target stores and on Target.com.
BattleTech: Essentials is available for pre-order right now on Target.com, with an estimated shipping date of Sunday, June 18. The boxed set will be available in Target’s more than 1,900 U.S. stores nationwide on that day as well. At this time, there are no plans to offer this product through the Catalyst Game Labs web store or any other venues than Target. International shipping through Target is not available, but other options may be revisited at a later time.
Includes:
Quick-Start Rules booklet
2 high-quality, fully-assembled (unpainted) plastic miniatures
Punchboard including additional playing pieces as well as terrain
18” x 22” full color, double-sided game map
Instant Guide to the Inner Sphere
24-page fiction novella
4 Record sheets
4 MechWarrior cards
Solaris VII Arena Map Rules sheet
I mean I wanted a new Solaris box, but without the curled finger on a monkey's paw.
Took a bit of a beating tonight. did can on clan medium lances.
I got early kills in with my gnome battle armor taking down the kit fox. but a combination of missing with very easy UAC 20 shots and a slew of really great crits i got pretty well mauled in this battle with only 4 of my battle armor surviving. with 3 of his mechs still up and running. it didn't help i lost my star commanders cauldron born from his first damage of a single medium laser crit to the CT.
The rest of the team have an important appointment with the money hat vendors
More seriously, hopefully it’s just that the team is busy coordinating the Kickstarter actions. How much more advertising do they really need to do in the immediate aftermath of the Kickstarter amd Target deal?
Chances are after the KS they just don't need to market heavily at all for a bit. The KS likely gave them a sales spike in direct sales anyway from those who got into the KS but now are dealing with the long term wait for delivery and so are jumping on current material.
So chances are its all hands on deck to make sure the regular company runs smoothly; which means potentially less people to prep for big conventions and events.
Now Available: Hansen’s Roughriders and Rasalhague Dominion T-Shirts
Two new faction t-shirts are now available in the Catalyst Game Labs store! Show your allegiance to the famed Hansen’s Roughriders mercenary unit or the Rasalhague Dominion.
Available in a variety of sizes for both men’s and women’s cut.
Stock: This is our first time offering faction t-shirts in this fashion. As such, we’ve been conservative on quantities. However, these are made in the U.S. and Silkworm has been a stalwart company to work with, always willing to run with us when needed. As such, if sales significantly exceed expectations, we can restock within 21 days.
A couple games today.....and everything is actually painted for both players
The first was an inner sphere lance on lance test mercs VS lyran 10th guard. both of us were a bit on the light side with light heavies and mediums taking up the majority of the forces.
We were both using special ammo. he had precision on his riflemen and i was using tandem charge SRMs on my pheonix hawk.
A few key crits later and the catapult and one rifleman was out. in total all i lost was my light mech (razorback)
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
The second game was a clan star zell honor battle.
jade falcons VS hells horse. he was using the catalyst adhoc star box and i was running a mix of things. a little general, hells horse and blood spirits designs.
A much harder fight than expected. most mechs being put into forced withdrawl with the blood kite being cored in the center for the only actual destroyed mech. on his side the stone rhino and supernova both scored 2 kills on my side the stormcrow was MVP with 3 kills.
That's the Clan Heavy Star, and it lives up to its name!!!
Ad Hoc would've seen you facing down a weird collection of 1st and 2nd Line (as opposed to a wall of 2nd Line armour!), including a Kodiak and the seemingly impossible Hellion, which is a fantastic machine that proves just how outclassed the IS is.
I do wonder, as the odd duck in that star, did the Hunchback IIC do anything, or just get damaged and run away because it has wet cardboard for armour?
And I'm not at all surprised that the Ryoken wrecked shop. It's the best 'Mech in the game, so of course it did well.
He was running the hunchie with the heavy lasers so yes it did hurt a bit, unfortunately it's opponent was the stormcrow so it missed with it's final alpha strike, only connecting with the 2 medium pulses. we were running a later era game with the ATMs and heavy lasers so i ran the stormcrow with the pulse lasers and supercharger. all my other clan mechs were 3050-60 era
At AdeptiCon, we released the Rifleman premium miniature. We realized during the convention that they were mis-printed with incorrect proportions. The remaining miniatures have been sent back to the manufacturer to be melted down for re-manufacturing.
If you received a faulty miniature and would like a refund, or a replacement when the miniatures are reprinted, please contact store@catalystgamelabs.com. We apologize for the inconvenience, but hope you enjoy your complementary limited edition Rifle-Boy.
Nah, i already owned most of them in metal (and fully painted), except for the original "unseens" which i had to have of course. i could not be motivated to buy an entire box to get something i already have even if they look better.
So not something you see to often, a regular at the store was trying to do a specific type of list and he wanted a mix o artillery spotters and brawlers. so i steered him in the direction of the Lexington combat group. specifically so he could use the custom archer 4M Ismael. he wanted it for the 8 SRM 4s after i used tandem charge SRMs on him in a previous game.
He ended up with the
.archer 4M ismail
.longbow 8V
.wolverine 8D
.shadow hawk 5S
The fight was brutal and the archer did what was expected. he managed to hit the wolverine on the left side and proceed to tandem crit everything in the left leg. and then the two of them stood there for 2 turns pummeling each other.
The arrow IVs were connecting.....except for one turn where he rolled double 3's to hit with the guided shots. the battlemaster lost a leg leaving the critically damaged shadowhawk facing a crippled longbow, damaged archer and shadow hawk. he wisely decided to be somewhere else.
Tandem Charges can be nasty. An even bigger surprise in that they do normal Damage to Hardened Armor, though they still lose on the auto-TAC in exchange.
Cubby wrote:This is my understanding. Of the non-exclusive product, B&N stocks BB and AGOAC and some of the Wave 1 boxes, in some places. And we're pleased that they do that much, don't get me wrong. But you'll be able to get Snord's, Urbie, and Proliferation through general gaming retail (W 6/28) and the CGL store (F 6/30).
Did a rematch of the previous battle to teach my friend the power of arrow IVs. he brought his Lexington combat group again. but instead of the 2nd swords he faced off against the second deiron regulars in their native mountain environment. i normally run 2 halves to the unit. half being jump capable mediums and heavies to fill the assault role with the latter in this game being the fire support section. consisting of a komodo 2A, maelstrom and X2 Obakemono. the game lasted 2 turns as i decapitated both his TAG mechs with guided arrow IVs.
Spoiler:
A friend at the store gave me one of his salvage box cauldron borns since he knew i loved the resculpt
This allowed me to run both of my favorite models together, the B and H. so i threw together a heavy star that also included a mad dog D, a pair of enyo strike tanks and a point of protomechs (hey i am hells horse afterall). the game was doing pretty well for me until the enemy stalker exploded in the middle of a giant furball in the center of the table. he did it to himself when he fell and crited his own ammo.
Still a fun game even if i could not sustain the losses to continue the fight.
The Hatamoto-Chi may have optional bits similar to those found on the FrankenMech in the Snord's Irregulars ForcePack. From Anthony Scroggins Pateron
Anthony Scroggins wrote:This one may or may not also come with a traditional style flag option along with the shown heatsink flag. You'd also have the option to put on neither if you don't like having a back protrusion.
Bring some new forces to your battlefield with the three new ForcePacks available today from the Catalyst Game Labs web store: The Proliferation Cycle, the UrbanMech Lance, and the Snord’s Irregulars Assault Lance!
And, coming next Friday, July 7 in the Catalyst web store: plushies!! The plushy UrbanMech (Liao), Archer (Kell Hounds), Archer (Wolf’s Dragoons), Phoenix Hawk (Kurita), and Phoenix Hawk (21st Centauri Lancers) will be available in the store. (The Davion and Eridani Light Horse versions of the Atlas will be available in a few weeks.)
The Proliferation Cycle
Price: $44.99
DAWN OF THE BATTLEMECH
In 2439 the Terran Hegemony unleashed the Mackie—the first BattleMech—setting off an arms race across the Inner Sphere. The Proliferation Cycle anthology tells the story of how all six Houses employed force of arms, infiltrations and espionage to field cutting-edge new ’Mechs of their own. The volume also includes the story of the first Clan OmniMech.
This companion ForcePack includes all seven original ’Mechs, which can be fielded on any game table using the rules from Interstellar Operations: Alternate Eras. No assembly required—includes seven MechWarrior pilot cards and seven Alpha Strike cards. Perfect for BattleTech and Alpha Strike action!
CONTENTS
7 high-quality, fully assembled (unpainted) miniatures
7 MechWarrior Cards
7 Alpha Strike cards
Record Sheets can be found at bg.battletech.com/downloads.
Loved and hated in equal measure, over the last four decades the UrbanMech has become the mascot of BattleTech. Recently, the UrbanMech has been turned into multiple plushies, appeared in a company box, and even a full-scale inflatable display!
This ForcePack brings a new pose of the original UM-R60 variant from the UrbanMech Salvage Box, along with three additional variants, including a brand-new ilClan Era design! No assembly required—includes four MechWarrior pilot cards and four Alpha Strike cards. Perfect for BattleTech and Alpha Strike action!
CONTENTS
4 high-quality, fully assembled (unpainted) miniatures
4 MechWarrior Cards
4 Alpha Strike cards
Record Sheets can be found at bg.battletech.com/downloads.
With a reputation for unorthodox tactics and a fetish for collecting lost artifacts and treasures, you never know what you’re gonna get when Snord’s Irregulars hit the field. Yet they always seem to scrape out of the tightest spots.
Unleash the Snord’s Irregulars Assault Lance! Included is the new Spartan and unique-to-the-Irregulars FrankenMech, a jumping Guillotine, and new variant of the Highlander—no assembly required—along with four MechWarrior pilot cards and four Alpha Strike cards. Perfect for BattleTech and Alpha Strike action!
CONTENTS
4 high-quality, fully assembled (unpainted) miniatures
4 MechWarrior Cards
4 Alpha Strike cards
Record Sheets can be found at bg.battletech.com/downloads.
while I love the game, and will tolerate the miniatures to play it. It always feels a let down comparing the 3d render, nice and crisp, to the "soft" details on the plastics
Since it was "intro tech" succession wars era VS the clan invasion. it was 3 mercenary lances VS a clan star.
It was effectively 2 assault lances and a heavy vehicle star VS a warhawk, bowman, timber wolf, stormcrow, and adder.
the crow and adder went off to distract the assault lance on the right flank while i focused the heavy part of the clan force on the left. the tank lance took the brunt of the damage losing 3 of 4 tanks, with the 4th being damaged. it was going well enough for the clans only losing the adder and taking some heavy damage to the crow. then things got explosive.....Michael bay levels.
Ammo crits on the atlas on the left flank detonated taking out his battlemaster and awesome, along with my bowman storm crow and warhawk.
The kill shot went to friendly fire from the last tank that was a thumper artillery. killing his allied thunderbolt (the last from that unit) that critically exploded and destroyed the last clan mech (timber wolf) victory to the 2 remaining merc units and bonus pay raise since the 3 way split became a 2 way split contract.
Still showing only available for online order for my area at present. Still, that's better than those of you across a pond.
Just ordered mine and should be here next Friday (my local B&N doesn't carry any of the rulebooks or ForcePacks - even the exclusives - and the next closest store is 45 minutes away through downtown Cincinnati with heavy interstate traffic).
Universe is just about wrapped up, finally. This one was a beast. "Write a little about every faction, major historical conflict, and concept (i.e. mercs) and wrap it in the best layout we've ever done for a sourcebook" turned out to be...a heck of an assignment. That layout, tho...Dak, Ray, and Mark really outdid themselves.
Brush Wars is on track, but was slowed by artist availability. All the art for the first season (of three Brush Wars installments) is in, so it's pretty close. Before the end of the summer, I hope I hope.
(Eldon Cowgur on Brush Wars art, and he absolutely killed it. His "Kneecappers" piece from Tamar Rising is one of my favorites, but it may have some contenders now between some of the St. Ives War pieces and the 1st Combine-Ghost Bear stuff...)
Looking forward to the St. Ives material
And another one for the US market, I see that the BattleTech Paint Starter has popped up on the Barnes & Noble website.
Kanluwen wrote: It's out in general. My FLGS has 4 on the shelf.
Yes, but there's a number of reasons why this is good. Those that are playing at home and don't know what an FLGS is can now get 'official' paints for their 'Mechs and for the players who are already using these paints it may be a more convenient place to pick up another set if they need it instead of hiking out to their usual shop.
So the guy who exploded last time decided to take energy based weapons on his mechs this time around.
The setting-early combat contact with the "unknown" clan froces by a mercenary company. the IS forces were limited to succession wars era designs and the clanners could only bring those iconic mechs that were in the initial clan invasion 3050 era. fighting withdrawal was permitted for the IS forces. the clans fought to the death.
As a matter of sillyness the mercs brought along 2 chargers (played by the atlas and kodiak) while the latter didn't actually do any fighting they did force the clan units to move away from them to avoid dishonorable combat.
the clan forces were
.dire wolf A
.war hawk C
.timber wolf prime
.mad dog prime
.storm crow A
the dire wolf being the slowest of the bunch was eventually caught, but actually died to a head shot. the clanners returned to favor to an IMP and marauder. with more than half the mercenary company either destroyed, falling back or combat ineffective (the chargers were not catching anything after the direwolf died) compared to the clanners having only the war hawk with severe damage and both the mad dog and timber wolf untouched the inner sphere forces retreated from the battle.
If you’re looking for something to keep the family—or yourself!—occupied over the summer, we’ve got just the thing this week: a second volume of the much-loved BattleTech Activity Book!
Also in stock this week is the full range of BattleTech plushies, featuring some of our most lethally adorable ’Mechs. And the Gray Death Legion Heavy Battle Lance is deploying exclusively to Barnes and Noble stores and on their website.
Here’s what’s new!
BattleTech Activity Book 02 Cost: $9.95 Print-on-Demand; Pay-what-you-want PDF
Get To The Fun, MechWarrior!
Join a mercenary unit and march with all your friends on colorful adventures alongside the Clans and Great Houses of the Inner Sphere!
MechWarriors of all ages can take command—each page features ’Mechs to color, puzzles, insignias, or codes. Your favorite ’Mechs—and now vehicles—are also featured in other great BattleTech products. Look for them at your local game store!
Please note: Print-on-Demand availability through DriveThruRPG will be available in the near future.
PlushyTech The full range of PlushyTech BattleMechs is now available!
BattleTech: PlushyTech features soft, plush ’Mechs, perfect for MechWarrior fans who want something cuddly and ready to stomp the stuffing out of other Mechs!
Gray Death Legion Heavy Battle Lance Price: $29.99
AVAILABLE FOR HIRE!
The betrayal and death of his father forced young Grayson Death Carlyle to forge a new mercenary outfit from nothing. From such humble beginnings, the Gray Death Legion rose to become one of the most feared and respected mercenary commands.
Unleash the Gray Death Legion Heavy Battle Lance! Included is the new Regent, a re-posed and jumping Shadow Hawk, and new variants of the Gargoyle and Catapult —no assembly required—along with four MechWarrior pilot cards and four Alpha Strike cards. Perfect for BattleTech and Alpha Strike action!
The first print compilation of the popular Recognition Guide series is available now through game retailer distribution; it will be available on the Catalyst Game Labs web store next Friday, July 21, 2023.
It looks like the Essentials box is doing well (even though my local Target still has three boxes of the eight they started with). From the BattleTech Facebook page:
Agreed i am a big fan of the 3050-3067 era. just enough tech to make it interesting without making it silly. it is also smack in the middle of the fedcom civil war so that's also a bonus.
Charistoph wrote: Solaris 7 with new arena maps and updated ruleset?
Don't need updated rules. Just need brand new maps.
When was the last time they were looked at? Some notable changes have happened in Total Warfare that should be taken in to account with Solaris 7 as well, if it's most up to date version comes with a 90's copyright date.
Solaris 7 with new arena maps and updated ruleset?
Operation Bulldog with Inner Sphere Omnimechs?
Something I posted on the BattleTech Forums before we learned of the Target deal:
Ghaz wrote:A redo of the Solaris VII rules along with a series of boxes that come with two updated Solaris VII 'Mechs, a map of one of the arenas and additional plastic terrain pieces for that arena. The backside of the maps can be put together to make one supersized arena for team battles and battle royales where you could use all of the terrain pieces at one time
Ghaz wrote:The box would simply be a way to get the 'Mechs and maps out together which along with the enclosed starter rules would be all that you need to play (more advanced rules and background would be available in a separate book). You could drop the plastic terrain and you would have a series of Solaris VII boxes with each box costing about the same as the Beginner Box.
They could still do something with the Target exclusivity. They could do a new 'season' every six months to a year, with new Solaris themed 'Mechs (e.g., the Tsunami, Onslaught, etc.) and then release a non-exclusive ForcePack with the two 'Mechs from the previous season and two other reposed 'Mechs.
But I'd rather have the Operation BULLDOG stuff and the Inner Sphere OmniMechs first
Reintroducing the Solaris duelling rules would be an unnecessary complication. I'd much prefer a re-issue of Solaris Map Pack, which just used regular BTech rules.
Solaris 7 with new arena maps and updated ruleset?
Operation Bulldog with Inner Sphere Omnimechs?
Depends. Is it going to be Solaris 3025 with optional rules for later tech periods, or Solaris 31xx with all the abusable tech combinations thereof as core?
Vulcan wrote: Depends. Is it going to be Solaris 3025 with optional rules for later tech periods, or Solaris 31xx with all the abusable tech combinations thereof as core?
Good point. I like Ghaz's direction. Releasing them on a "seasonal" basis would allow for an upgrade of both 'Mechs and the equipment they bring.
So we start with Yen-Lo-Wang and Legend Killer as a 3025 set, and then before Christmas do another Succession Wars match.
Maybe by next June or the Christmas after, start introducing Star League equipment, and so on. A few releases later, release the match where Jeremiah Rose earns the cash to start his Black Thorns unit.
At that rate, we might see Solaris rules be brought up to Dark Age/ilClan equivalency in about 8-10 years, depending on how one wants to handle the individual eras.
Sarna has a list of 29 Solaran ‘Mechs so unless they drop some of them then they’ll have to be in each box (and all four ‘Mechs in the ForcePacks would need to be Solaran ‘Mech) in order to get them out in a timely manner.
Speaking of releases- looks like the next wave of Ironwind metals is the Marauder 3R and 5M variants, the Mastodon Prime/D, and the long awaited Jade Phoenix!
Ghaz wrote: Sarna has a list of 29 Solaran ‘Mechs so unless they drop some of them then they’ll have to be in each box (and all four ‘Mechs in the ForcePacks would need to be Solaran ‘Mech) in order to get them out in a timely manner.
So 15 Solaris "Essentials" boxes with another "custom" 'Mech used to fill the last slot with 15 double-sided maps and terrain options?
I'm sure that would be a seller without having to do a lot of selling.
Ghaz wrote: Sarna has a list of 29 Solaran ‘Mechs so unless they drop some of them then they’ll have to be in each box (and all four ‘Mechs in the ForcePacks would need to be Solaran ‘Mech) in order to get them out in a timely manner.
So 15 Solaris "Essentials" boxes with another "custom" 'Mech used to fill the last slot with 15 double-sided maps and terrain options?
I'm sure that would be a seller without having to do a lot of selling.
The problem lies in the timing, If Target only has one box every six months to a year that would take seven and a half to fifteen years to get it all released...
Had to look up the Aquagladius. The basic model is a bad design. An aquatic mech with a Taser. Tasers cannot be used underwater. Effing brilliant.
Now strategically, I can see a need for specialist mechs like these, but for the typical CBT or Alpha Strike game, it is of limited use. Still, if I thought it looked cool I'd get it, but I don't like its looks.
Ghaz wrote: Sarna has a list of 29 Solaran ‘Mechs so unless they drop some of them then they’ll have to be in each box (and all four ‘Mechs in the ForcePacks would need to be Solaran ‘Mech) in order to get them out in a timely manner.
So 15 Solaris "Essentials" boxes with another "custom" 'Mech used to fill the last slot with 15 double-sided maps and terrain options?
I'm sure that would be a seller without having to do a lot of selling.
The problem lies in the timing, If Target only has one box every six months to a year that would take seven and a half to fifteen years to get it all released...
Which would fit a slow release schedule such that "all the abusable tech combinations" of "Solaris 31XX" will have a chance to be normalized in the normal game.
Still, having Target being the first seller is a bit of a downer, in my opinion. Hopefully like the current B&N exclusives, they'll be available to other local and foreign wholesalers in a "short" period of time.
Charistoph wrote: Still, having Target being the first seller is a bit of a downer, in my opinion. Hopefully like the current B&N exclusives, they'll be available to other local and foreign wholesalers in a "short" period of time.
In the video above, Randall is talking in the range of years if it happens.
BrianDavion wrote: Target isn't going to get all the solaris 7 stuff, this was a one time deal. future S7 stuff would be released elsewhere
This is all theoretical and based on Target being happy enough that they will want another Essentials box sometime in the future. Keeping Solaris VII with Target just makes sense to me.
Ancestral Hamster wrote: Had to look up the Aquagladius. The basic model is a bad design. An aquatic mech with a Taser. Tasers cannot be used underwater. Effing brilliant.
The Aquagladius dates back to 2005, predating the original Tactical Operations book by three years. I'm not sure what rules the weapon had at that time.
Cubby wrote:Back on track with a fresh thread, y'all.
BattleTech Universe - in late-stage layout
Brush Wars Season 1 - art submitted, layout on deck
BattleTech: Encounters - at the printer
Legends II - writing mostly complete, fact-check underway
Hot Spots: Hinterlands - writing complete, in fact-check, art getting underway
Force Manual: Davion - in layout
Lorcan Nagle wrote:Dice game using the same core system as Encounters: Shadowrun and the Bravest Warriors games CGL published in the past. It's a push your luck mechanic. I have the Shadowrun one and it's a fun casual game for cons or when you've got a spare 30-45 minutes.
Charistoph wrote: Still, having Target being the first seller is a bit of a downer, in my opinion. Hopefully like the current B&N exclusives, they'll be available to other local and foreign wholesalers in a "short" period of time.
In the video above, Randall is talking in the range of years if it happens.
BrianDavion wrote: Target isn't going to get all the solaris 7 stuff, this was a one time deal. future S7 stuff would be released elsewhere
This is all theoretical and based on Target being happy enough that they will want another Essentials box sometime in the future. Keeping Solaris VII with Target just makes sense to me.
Ancestral Hamster wrote: Had to look up the Aquagladius. The basic model is a bad design. An aquatic mech with a Taser. Tasers cannot be used underwater. Effing brilliant.
The Aquagladius dates back to 2005, predating the original Tactical Operations book by three years. I'm not sure what rules the weapon had at that time.
Cubby wrote:Back on track with a fresh thread, y'all.
BattleTech Universe - in late-stage layout
Brush Wars Season 1 - art submitted, layout on deck
BattleTech: Encounters - at the printer
Legends II - writing mostly complete, fact-check underway
Hot Spots: Hinterlands - writing complete, in fact-check, art getting underway
Force Manual: Davion - in layout
Lorcan Nagle wrote:Dice game using the same core system as Encounters: Shadowrun and the Bravest Warriors games CGL published in the past. It's a push your luck mechanic. I have the Shadowrun one and it's a fun casual game for cons or when you've got a spare 30-45 minutes.
Solaris 7 isn't going to be kept exclusive to target... that said I sincerly doubt they'll put the unique S7 mechs out in plastic, CGL knows they're niche.
Again, this is what a HYPOTHETICAL continuation of the Solaris VII line at Target could look like. No one is saying that it’s happening, just how they think CGL and Target should do it in this ‘What if…’ scenario.
Liya International has posted over two dozen short videos on their YouTube channel of the Mercenaries minis in production. Some of the minis being assembled are the Goliath, Warrior H7, JagerMech and Scorpion.
i got a new terrain mat with the idea of changing thigs up a but and did we ever. the only thing we didn't use in this game was conventional infantry and WIDGEs
clan bandits with toads providing support for a few mechs. battling it out against mostly inner sphere vehicles. we brough aerospace, VTOLs, hovercraft a couple different naval assets, amphibious tanks, and a single bhargest 4T. the clanners lost the madcat and pouncer while the star commander in the masakari took a nap under water. when the bandits ran low on ammo they picked up the remaining toads and left. the IS side was down to the 2 boats a drillson and the ASF.
deep cut studios...and yes a sea skimmer and a mauna kea
everybody seems to know tablewar or FLG when it comes to game mats, but pworks workshop, gamematEU and deep cut studios make some really interesting ones.
aphyon wrote: deep cut studios...and yes a sea skimmer and a mauna kea
everybody seems to know tablewar or FLG when it comes to game mats, but pworks workshop, gamematEU and deep cut studios make some really interesting ones.
It is a nice looking mat. Tempting, though I do not use riparian terrain that often. Of course, if i had such a mat I might use such terrain more often.
Matthew Swerid wrote:News from the Developer interviews at Gencon that just ended:
- Possible Force Pack that might release before the Mercenaries Kickstarter fulfilment, it all depends on how shipping goes.
- Catalyst is looking at producing company boxes as a retail product, earliest release 2025, more of a special event product then something we will get often.
- Word of Blake Celestials Level II was mentioned as something they want to do but not yet in development.
- New round of Battletech Aces playtest coming soon. Release plan will not be finalized until after Mercenaries fulfilment is complete.
- Battletech Universe Precentor Marshal Edition includes metal box, sound chip when the box opens, 48 page rememberance book with bits from as many people who worked on Battletech as they could reach.
Other stuff shown off at gencon:
- Blood asp and Loki II minis, not sure if prototypes or early production samples.
- Mugs and Hats, will be in the Webstore sometime in the future (Probably September at the earliest)
For the record this is all from livestreams and I am not at Gencon to get more information. There will likely be more panels over the next three days.
They said pretty much the same thing about the Celestials during the Mercenaries Kickstarter launch as they do here, but yeah I expect the Inner Sphere OmniMechs first as well.
For someone curious about maybe getting into the BT tabletop game...
Can someone explain the books for the game?
Took me all of a few minutes to realize there's a lot of them and I have no idea which ones you'd need.
I get that Total Warfare is the big rulebook with all the rules. Does it include the stats pages for all (or most? any?) of the mechs and vehicles? If not what does list the stats?
I'm aware of the MUL but the MUL only gives a battlevalue from what I can tell and an Alphastrike stat card. It doesn't seem to fully list all the stats you'd need for Classic BT.
Not that I'm against Alphastrike, I'll probably try that too but I'd like to figure out where I can find out which publication lists the full sheet for the mechs.
LordofHats wrote: Took me all of a few minutes to realize there's a lot of them and I have no idea which ones you'd need.
To put it simply, it depends on what you want to play and what your group is playing. Basic equipment and rules don't require much. Doing a campaign of a multi-planet invasion with both space and ground warfare takes a fair bit.
Usually, I reccommend starting with either The Battlemech Manual or Total Warfare, but if you just want to get your feet wet to start with the rule basics, you can find a Quick Start Rule book on the Downloads Page. A copy also can be found in either the Beginner Box or in A Game of Armored Combat box, but the Beginner Box is more limited.
The Battlemech Manual covers most of the stuff a Battlemech will use, but little else. It carries more special rule options and more advanced equipment than Total Warfare carries because it has more room to do so.
Total Warfare is needed when you want to include Infantry, Vehicles, Fighters, Dropships, or the rare Protomech. This is generally considered the "Standard/Tournament" level of rules and equipment.
If you want to design new units, The Tech Manual is where you want to start.
Start with those before moving on to all the different "... Operations" books which either offer some alternative ways of modifying the game, advanced equipment (some really crazy, too), or both.
LordofHats wrote: I get that Total Warfare is the big rulebook with all the rules. Does it include the stats pages for all (or most? any?) of the mechs and vehicles? If not what does list the stats?
Each unit has its own stats which can be found on its Record Sheet. Total Warfare will have the stats on weapons for Ranges, Damage, etc, and how to use them, but not which unit has what.
Free Official Record Sheets for what has been released can be found farther down on the Downloads Page.
There are also programs which can handle unit design from the ground up like Solaris SkunkWerks (SSW) or MegaMekLab (MML) who also carry a considerable library of units based on the units they build. I prefer SSW's interface, but MML is both more up to date and can handle pretty much any unit you could want to use.
There are also a few websites that have record sheets, too, like Mordel.net, Flechs Sheets or Mech Factory. The latter two also have Android options as well.
LordofHats wrote: I'm aware of the MUL but the MUL only gives a battlevalue from what I can tell and an Alphastrike stat card. It doesn't seem to fully list all the stats you'd need for Classic BT.
Not that I'm against Alphastrike, I'll probably try that too but I'd like to figure out where I can find out which publication lists the full sheet for the mechs.
Alpha Strike can be a little easier to get in to if you're used to playing GW's games. It's faster and more forgiving in rules, but deadlier (but you tend to field more units).
However, Classic Battletech tends to have more opportunities for story creation, such as a recent campaign game, the last target to take out was a Thunderbolt, and we had it surrounded. Our Highlander decided to do its trademark move called a "Death From Above". Think the Mech Jumping and doing a two-legged drop kick in to the target. The Highlander is one of the heaviest 'Mechs around that can Jump, so it's become known as a "Highlander Burial".
Anyway, Physical Attacks take place after Shooting Attacks, and the "Highlander Burial" is announced as part of Movement, but it takes place later. So we shoot the Thunderbolt enough that it Falls Down. It shoots the Highlander, causing a Critical Hit in an Ammo Bay. The Left Torso of the Highlander explodes while it's leaping towards the Thunderbolt, the whole Highlander only saved from becoming a huge firecracker by a special piece of equipment known as CASE.
We have another unit come up and hit with a Hatchet while it's down, and the Highlander nails the Death From Above Attack, crushing the Thunderbolt.
If I had half the skills of my sisters, I'd be drawing an animation of that scene.
In Alpha Strike, such an action just wouldn't hit the same as we wouldn't be seeing which part of the Highlander blew up. It just registers as a tick of Structure Damage there.
I think what I'm trying to find are the Technical Readouts.
Not unfamiliar with the setting at all (lots of Mechwarrior PC games, and the book series). Just the game and trying to figure out where I can find things like the sheet for a Crab 27 and such. The downloads page didn't seem to have a full list of sheets for all the mechs and variants and that's what I've been trying to figure out where in the publications they are.
Seems like the Readouts are what I'm looking for, though.
TROs are background sourcebooks, with minimal rules. Most do not even contain record sheets. There are record sheet books that contain just record sheets and nothing else (100% crunch/0% fluff), but I wouldn't bother with them either.
The various BattleTech programs - like the aforementioned Solaris Skunk Werks, which I use - have the ability to create and, more importantly, print record sheets. And people have created all the 'Mech files for you already.
So, in truth, you don't need anything beyond Total Warfare/BattleMech Manual/maps/dice to play BTech if you have a program that can print record sheets. You don't even really need miniatures, but we'll assume you want those.
The great joy of battle tech is you can play with as many or as few rules you want. the core mechanics basically have not changed in 30 years. but there is an entire book of optional rules/weapons/equipment etc... heck there are what 5 or 6 versions of just using basic ECM.
As for record sheets. you can buy the books for them and just make copies or you can access various programs. i myself swear by heavy metal pro, but it still has access to the old BMR/max tech rules i prefer to use. TW has changed a few things in a manner i dislike.
In Alpha Strike, such an action just wouldn't hit the same as we wouldn't be seeing which part of the Highlander blew up. It just registers as a tick of Structure Damage there.
That’s not quite true. Alpha Strike also has critical hits that are the equivalent to ammo explosions, and CASE is a special rule to prevent extra damage from such events.
LordofHats wrote: I think what I'm trying to find are the Technical Readouts.
Not unfamiliar with the setting at all (lots of Mechwarrior PC games, and the book series). Just the game and trying to figure out where I can find things like the sheet for a Crab 27 and such. The downloads page didn't seem to have a full list of sheets for all the mechs and variants and that's what I've been trying to figure out where in the publications they are.
Seems like the Readouts are what I'm looking for, though.
It sounds like you want sarna.net. It does not provide record sheets, but it does list where the record sheets are for all the variants of the mechs, and tells you what's in those variants in a fluffy paragraph. When you find the variant you want, just note the little number that is slightly raised toward the end of the description. At the bottom of the entry, that's the source the Record Sheets can be found in.
Sarna is great. And their references is very useful for finding out where everything is located in print (or at least what publication if it's digital only).
In Alpha Strike, such an action just wouldn't hit the same as we wouldn't be seeing which part of the Highlander blew up. It just registers as a tick of Structure Damage there.
That’s not quite true. Alpha Strike also has critical hits that are the equivalent to ammo explosions, and CASE is a special rule to prevent extra damage from such events.
You need to go back and read what CASE does. In a Crit Roll of 2, you have an Ammo Explosion. If the Mech does not have the ENE, CASE, or CASE II Special, it is destroyed out right.
With ENE and CASE II you ignore the Crit. ENE means there is no Ammo to explode. CASE II in CBT only applies 1 Point of Structure Damage, and you're done.
With CASE, you apply a tick of Structure Damage, but no more. This represents that while CASE does divert the explosion in CBT, it does not spare the section it is in if the explosion is powerful enough.
In either case, you don't know where an Ammo explosion occurs without looking at a completely separate document because the Structure Damage in Alpha Strike isn't related to a location.
It’s like a mystic battle between the concepts of CBT and AS
In my mind it doesn’t matter precisely where the hit goes for my internal cinematics to see an epic highlander burial with the added fireworks, while it is apparently important to you
Welp, the good news is I still remember how to do bare-bones painting.
The bad news is I did a stupid and pained the Griffin in the starter box a light color first and forgot to get some dark in the recess areas of the joints so the whole thing looks a bit off. Especially since the sculpt is not the best in the world with some ill-defines bits here and there.
So the whole thing looks kind of wonky.
Should have put the gray down before I did the ivory, but that was how I painted space marines back when I did that, but I also used black primers for those, but I used a light gray primer for this. I should have darkened the gray and joints first. I also ned to trek down to the shop and grab a darker base gray I didn't realize I didn't have one.
So yeah... Don't repeat that mistake. The happy thing is that I can get the ivory/bone color I was aiming for! Some wraithbone, then some skeleton army wash, and then a nice brush of wraithbone back on top (still need to do that here but I'm waiting for the wash to dry).
The end result ain't winning any contests, but I'm okay with it.
Really need to do the colors in the right order next time tho.
The red isn't quite the partner for it I'd hoped for, though. I need a browner red? Maybe get a dark wash over it. I used a red one but I think the color just need to get dulled a wee bit to match the bone.
Fortunately, I don't give a damn about the griffin and will carry these lessons into painting the Vindicator, which I also don't care about XD Hopefully by then I'll work out the kinks before doing this with any of the mechs I actually like *looks at that Kodiak sculpt*
Might help the griffin if I try and go over it again, but I'm glad the mechs in the starter box are two that aren't mechs I'd ever use. Gives me a chance to remember how to paint things.
But I've always been more of a gamer than a painter.
Lorcan Nagle wrote: Went back and watched the BattleTech AMA again and took note of updates and answers to questions
Stories: Randall mentioned playing in a "vs the developers" game at one of the first Gencons he went to, played in the Factory where the players got little crappy mechs while the devs had powerful ones. He and Dan "Flake" Grendel managed to take Jordan down, who then signed the record sheet and Randall has it in a file somewhere to this day
Before he got into working on BattleTech Ray had been doing loads of personal fan projects like making 3D turntables of the 'mechs, writing scenario packs and the like. From there he reached out to the official fanzine (not sure if this is Commando Quarterly or late-era BattleTechnology) and offered his design skills and basically took over the layout and design. He jokingly said that if he hadn't been hired to work on the game he would be doing all the same stuff but nobody would see it.
Ray also told a story of a BT writer and developer, younger than him or Randall who visited the FASA offices as a kid. On one hand it was a magical experience but on the other hand it was still just some guys in an office. A few months later he was rooming with a FASA veteran at a con who told him about when "a kid" visited FASA HQ and he was really excited to be there - and Ray loved how he got both sides of the story. Randall shared that he was working at FASA by that point but was away at a con the day he visited. He then went on to talk about him and his gaming group visiting the office before he joined the company. He and his friends kept distracting Bryan Nystul so one of them could sketch the hand-drawn map of the Clan Homeworlds that was pinned up in his cubicle.
Products: Hats will be added to the webstore "in a couple of weeks"
They hope to have all the same swag at PAX West, so long as they don't sell out at the con.
One thing they've added to the Precentor Martial edition of Universe is a Remembrance book, 48 pages of stories and notes from significant people who've worked on BattleTech over the last 40 years, ranging in length from a paragraph to a full page. It will also include art that hasn't appeared in a long time, and a new piece by David Dietrick - he was so excited to contribute he volunteered to do the new work despite having arthritis in his hands and it slowing his output.
Randall is working on a short piece about Abdoun Ricol, and a series about Jennifer Winston.
Randall is very excited for the support rules from the Mercs box, especially the vehicles.
Q&As/comments:
Any word on the EU Store? The Australian store showed up a lot of issues on their store side of things which they think they can fix but it takes time and money. Randall mentioned they have two upcoming meetings for prospective EU distribution partners after prior ones have fallen through.
Will there be any new forcepacks between now and delivery of the Kickstarter? There might be one out early next year that might make it to retail before the Kickstarter.
Are the Sea Fox shirts going to be restocked? Yes, a big restock of shirts needs to go through
Will there be a ComStar hat? If sales are good on the existing line, they'll expand out to other factions.
I jokingly asked about a Spectral LAM forcepack (primarily to annoy Ray), which was when Randall mentioned the possibility of a Celestial one.
I asked about UK Games Expo next year, Randall say they're 95% positive about coming over.
Are we going to get a Black Widow Company Command Lance? Possibly, they have a spreadsheet of possible forcepacks and that's on the list
Was the UrbanMech Company box set successful and if so, could we maybe get the companies from the old scenario packs as sets? It was successful, and maybe. There's never enough time and capacity to do everything though. Randall said the Urbie company box was a test, and he'd like to see a full company box at retail in 2 years. Ray pointed out that a Black Widow company box, say would be a very different product in terms of production (multiple minis instead of 12 of the same) and demand.
Are the mugs Dishwasher/Microwave safe? Yes
What is the plan for Aces? Nothing they're ready to discuss. They're in the second wave of development right now. A second wave of playtest was being prepared but got sidelined by Shadowrun Takedown. Randall mentioned the regular Six Sides of Gaming Aces streams.
Could companies of mechs be a more common release model? Probably not. It's more flexible for players to build forces from Lance/Star Forcepacks. Companies should be a more special event.
Out of the upcoming sourcebooks, what are you most excited for? Randall said his Nova Cat novel, Ray can't pick one thing, his were Universe because it's a product the game really needs, ilKhan's eyes only (which is a little bit stalled), Hot Spots Hinterlands, a Campaign/Scenario/Merc Contract book set in the former Jade Falcon OZ, and the MechCommander handbook should start development soon. The Mercs box and Hot Spots Hinterlands have elements that will help towards developing that book.
When can we expect the next fiction/novels? This was more a John question, work is in development but they didn't have the schedule.
Universe page count? 280.
Will we see more fiction about the mercs from MW5: Yes, Randall has a short story half-written about them, as well as the former Marik character from The Mercenary Life
Thargrim wrote: Hmm a black widow company box would be an insta-buy. I hope a Mccarrons Armored Cavalry merc box is on that spreadsheet as well.
Same here, although the question is what year?
3025-29 Captain Natasha Kerensky - WHM-6R Warhammer
Colin Maclaren - MAD-3R Marauder
Lynn Sheridan - CRD-3R Crusader
John Hayes - GRF-1N Griffin
3031 Colonel Natasha Kerensky - Warhammer
Captain Takiro Ikeda - Shogun
Lynn Sheridan - Crusader
John Hayes - Griffin
I've assembled most of the mechs needed for the BWC's 3025 composition, so in that sense I don't really need a specialist ForcePack for the command lance. I supposed they could issue the 3072 version when it was reformed. But the Widow would have been 15 years dead by that point.
The 3025 year version would be more iconic I suppose, and I wouldn't complain about a newer more improved sculpt of the marauder. I've found the marauder from the legendary mechwarriors box is a cleaner sculpt than the one from the IS command box.
Before the Clans invaded. Black Widow Company was reconfigured to a clan structure of Trinary (?) by Natasha Kerensky. The unit engage in combat against Marik unit who was soundly defeated. Though, actually, I think they were a Battalion (Cluster) size unit using IS mechs and conducted clan warfare tactics to the Marik regiment they faced. Captured almost a battalion of mechs and smashed the other two. Natasha was the only trueborn Blood name warrior to accompany Wolf Dragoons into the IS who ran BWC/BWB. IIRC all pilots were Clan trained warriors. Eventually opening up to IS pilots and/or Dragoons SIBKO pilots. after the Clan invasion.
Pretty much all over the board. So do apologize for the post.
Hi,
I just started collecting/playing, and have a few questions. Apologies if this is hijacking the thread and I should have started a new one.
I’ve been using the Master Unit List and Camospec and already bought all the rules and sheets I need.
Here’s my questions…
1. Once you have a collection of many of these models, how do you know which model is which, do you label them somehow, like writing names on the bottom or something?
2. If I create a Lance to paint in a colour scheme for a 3025 game, is it ok to use any mech that has a ‘Date Introduced’ prior to 3025?
3. Can I also paint up some post-3025 dated mechs in the same colour schemes so I could use any of those mechs in a later date of that House (checking the house exists in the era on camospecs)?
4. Are these the best ways to split up the AGoAC and Alpha Strike box mechs into Lances?
Welcome to Battle Tech, hope you will enjoy it for a long time.
1) While I'm certain there are quite a few people out there who can immediately identify even the most exotic variants on sight, I have indeed labeled all my new Mechs (the Catalyst plastic ones) with name tags under the base. There are already so many different Mechs out that even I as along term player have sometimes trouble remembering which is which, unless they are one of the really iconic models, especially since the new designs hve sometimes changed quite a bit from the old TR sketches I'm used to.
2) First off, no one (well, maybe some Blakist fanatics) will come after you because of your models color scheme. Also if the Mech exists at the time, you can always have 'aquired' that particular one by some means, so feel free to paint on.
3) Most units use the same color scheme continually, so there is definitely no problem with that.
4) I must admit I don't know what your purpose is, like are you planning on splitting the models between you and someone else or are you planning on using the lances against each other in a battle? If you want to use them in battle I think you should exchange the Phoenix Hawk and the Blackjack and then give it a try. It highly depends on the scenario and terrain as well as you preferred playstyle. Just give it a try or too and then shuffle around and give that a try as well.
2) First off, no one (well, maybe some Blakist fanatics) will come after you because of your models color scheme. Also if the Mech exists at the time, you can always have 'aquired' that particular one by some means, so feel free to paint on.
"Through salvage, all things are possible" is I line I see a lot looking around online.
Gimgamgoo wrote: Hi,
I just started collecting/playing, and have a few questions. Apologies if this is hijacking the thread and I should have started a new one.
Welcome!
Gimgamgoo wrote: 1. Once you have a collection of many of these models, how do you know which model is which, do you label them somehow, like writing names on the bottom or something?
Superior memory due to interest in my case, and being a grognard. Still I've seen people write the Mech's name on the base (some on the front, some on the back) to help them remember as well. I don't have their brush skill, so I haven't done that.
Gimgamgoo wrote: 2. If I create a Lance to paint in a colour scheme for a 3025 game, is it ok to use any mech that has a ‘Date Introduced’ prior to 3025?
Sure.
However, some variants may not exist in the 3025 because they haven't been made yet (Wolverine WVR-7D), is in the wrong location to be known (Timber Wolf/Mad Cat), or just simply extinct due to a series of wars that blasted humanity back to the Stone Age (Lancelot LNC25-01).
The good news is that out of the Lance and Level II Force Packs (not including the Mercenary ones) and box sets (not the Clan ones, of course), I think all but 4 designs from CGL plastic will have variants in 3025, the Wraith, Axman, Nightstar, and Bushwacker.
Then there's the simple fact that proxying units is a perfectly fine and accepted practice.
Gimgamgoo wrote: 3. Can I also paint up some post-3025 dated mechs in the same colour schemes so I could use any of those mechs in a later date of that House (checking the house exists in the era on camospecs)?
Color schemes aren't really tracked by players unless they have a personal interest. If we're accepting proxying of models, color schemes are even more easily accepted. Heck, I don't even do unit color schemes except my own, with a couple exceptions for the narrative campaign I'm in.
Gimgamgoo wrote: 4. Are these the best ways to split up the AGoAC and Alpha Strike box mechs into Lances?
My first answer is that "it depends on the variants".
When using what's called the "base/default" variants of the units of the AGoAC box, I find your list to match mine. The Wolverine is the better Medium out of the two, even looking at all 3025 variants. The Thunderbolt is a solid all-arounder, but can't Jump in 3/4 of it's 3025 variants like the Catapult can. The Awesome is a great sniper, but doesn't handle close range well at all. The Commando has more firepower than the Locust, but can't move nearly as fast.
I haven't looked at the Alpha Strike models to make a list from, but I'd probably say that list is pretty close to as balanced as you're likely to get, again, depending on the variants. That Wraith will probably be the most mobile unit out of all 8, even if it isn't the fastest, but the Phoenix Hawk is close. The Warhammer and Archer tend to be long-ranged focused, with the Atlas being a little more focused on short-range and slower. The Blackjack isn't fast or mobile, but tends to favor some interesting and strong weapon mixes. The worst in that list might be the Wasp. While it is mobile, the Phoenix Hawk is just as mobile, but twice as heavy and three times as strong as the average Wasp.
As it is, some scenarios you come across may ask you to change up your lists, either because they allow more room to work with (i.e. higher BV/PV) or have set parameters (like minimum Walk of 5 or 6) that may exclude some.
The begining favored the IS force with the clans loosing the stalking spider and some deccent damage on the other 2 quads.
they even burned through 100+ points of armor on the front of the Heimdall
the turn that sealed the game was around 4 or 5 where i put the crusader to sleep, and managed over 8 crits on the tempest, Barghest, Cerberus and gunslinger taking them all out of the fight from ammo explosions, gyro and engine hits. i had so many LBX shots, streaks and machine guns but even that many double or triple crits even surprised me.
I already owned a bunch of the original 3d printed hex tech from steel warrior before they went under. it is indeed fantastic BT terrain. the GF 9 stuff is very nice and affordable although the resin they use is very heavy compared to the 3d prints.
I have a mix of older terrain i have had for a very long time on the table as well. before there was hex tech from the old JR miniatures line and from brigade models (they do micro naval, 6/10/15MM terrain).
aphyon wrote: I already owned a bunch of the original 3d printed hex tech from steel warrior before they went under. it is indeed fantastic BT terrain. the GF 9 stuff is very nice and affordable although the resin they use is very heavy compared to the 3d prints.
I have a mix of older terrain i have had for a very long time on the table as well. before there was hex tech from the old JR miniatures line and from brigade models (they do micro naval, 6/10/15MM terrain).
I was going to pick some up before hand, just bad timing on all that.
Just postage a pain, so I got to pick and choose a bit of the postage eats into the budgets.
Will have to give them a look, as they all look great.
But once it’s all ready weight isn’t an issue for me on the table. But a big city is always fun to see done.
4) I must admit I don't know what your purpose is, like are you planning on splitting the models between you and someone else or are you planning on using the lances against each other in a battle? If you want to use them in battle I think you should exchange the Phoenix Hawk and the Blackjack and then give it a try. It highly depends on the scenario and terrain as well as you preferred playstyle. Just give it a try or too and then shuffle around and give that a try as well.
First of all, thanks to everyone that replied with some help/advice.
With regard to the part I quoted above, I've had a few small games with my wife and I'm in the process of splitting the 48 models I (currently) have into 2-4 different painted factions. That way when we have a game, we'll select a lance/star from a smaller section of models. It will vary the games and vary my painting.
Although the rules are fairly complex, we've played plenty of old school stuff since AD&D birthed and enjoy Silent Death a lot - probably the space equivalent of Battletech where it feels like each ship has it's own full on character sheet.
The one area of the rules we're not entirely sure about is the order the combat phase is in. Movement seems straight forward with it going; initiative loser moves a mech, then initiative winner, then loser until all have moved (I'm ignoring the inbalanced numbers rules at the mo as we're likely on 4v4 at the most for a long while).
Combat though doesn't really say who goes first declaring. (Using the BattleMech Manual)
Logistically, do people declare all attacks by alternating mechs on each side. Then rolling attacks after all the declarations. Then finally rolling all damage for all mechs afterwards. I think we'll be struggling to remember who did what with 4+ mechs on the board.
How do people deal with the declaring shots, rolling to hits, then rolling damage phases? Bearing in mind, you'd also need to remember it individually for each mech for the heat phase too. I feel there's rather a lot to remember this way.
Because it is battle tech who fires first is up to the players, as it is effectively simultaneous.
The entire declare fire phase is actually optional, we prefer to use fire as you bear rules to speed up gameplay. when it comes to actually shooting some players choose to switch back and forth like movement. we tend to prefer to let the losers shoot first.
In order-
.initiative
.movement
.shooting (instant pilot effects like head hits, ammo explosions)
.pilot checks from damage (falling)
.melee attacks
.fall checks/ pilot effects
.heat management
-repeat
Generally we don't do "declaring" shots beyond "I'm going to shoot your Hunchback with my Hunchback". Most of the time you know what you're going to shoot at, or what you can/cannot shoot at, by the end of the movement phase (if not before), so there's no real point to doing it one by one in Initiative order or anything like that.
He's not in one of the ForcePacks I'm picking up in the Kickstarter, but the JagerMech just looks too cool not to get one even if it never hits the table
Vulcan wrote: Ah, the Star-League era designs optimized to fight the Clans. One of the bigger boo-boos in Battletech lore...
I don't see anythng wrong with its lore. It was designed during the final six years of the SLDF's drive to retake the Terran Hegemony, which is exactly the time that you would expect to see such 'Wunderwaffe' being designed by both sides (remember that Amaris was trying to produce the super-heavy Matar at about the same time).
Vulcan wrote: Ah, the Star-League era designs optimized to fight the Clans. One of the bigger boo-boos in Battletech lore...
I don't see anythng wrong with its lore. It was designed during the final six years of the SLDF's drive to retake the Terran Hegemony, which is exactly the time that you would expect to see such 'Wunderwaffe' being designed by both sides (remember that Amaris was trying to produce the super-heavy Matar at about the same time).
I'm pretty sure the 'Clanbuster' mechs were explicitly designed to fight the clans.
I haven't read any of the books in ages, but I swear there was a lore bit about King Crabs armed with gauss rifles explicitly to trick the Clans into assuming they were close range brawling mechs only for all the gauss to start shredding them. Those mechs were designed to fight the clans.
Not sure how that's a boo-boo though. That just makes sense. If anything, the settings insistence that everyone other than Comstar was too stupid to do even basic modifications is one of the setting's weirdest points. No amount of technological backslide explains how 'big gun' has become a lost technology. Least of all, swapping one big gun for another big gun. Such advanced weapons as Battlemechs should all be modular anyway, if we want to be that nitpicky about it.
Especially not when there are hordes of practical examples just laying around that everyone should have been trying to figure out. Most of BT's tech isn't that fantastical, and the ones that are are HPGs and FTL travel. Everything else is materials science and with so much scrap there's too much material to work with for any explanation to justify no one being able to figure most of it out through trial and error analysis.
Gray Death Memory Core was quite handy in bringing SLDF spec's into play
In fact. One of my NPC MechTech has the files for mech Spec's, maintenance procedures, and operations upkeep. Granted he won it in a poker game.....at the time the memory core was fiction make believe till NAIS got a hold of it.
Jihadin wrote: Gray Death Memory Core was quite handy in bringing SLDF spec's into play
Makes one wonder how the Succession Wars would have went if ComStar actually was a beacon of the light of humanity instead of trying to stifle it to justify taking full dominion over the Houses.
Silly game with sub par mechs....well except the phoenix hawk that was my one above average mech.
.phoenix hawk
.Blackjack
.scorpion
.valkyrie
VS
.phoenix hawk
.wraith
.wasp
.locust
The scorpion did basically nothing and died first...so just as expected.
I did manage to de-leg 2 mechs..one of them by kicking the locust's leg clean off with my hawk. put the wraith to sleep then finished him off and the enemy hawk overheated and shut down.
A very brutal game that didn't last very many turns. other than armor damage the scorpion was put into forced with drawl and the valkyrie took a single engine hit....a very good exchange for me.
I run campaigns. I've a lot more fun being the Battle Sphere Coodinator.
I start before the War of 3039 and take it all the way to the Dark Ages.
I've my players create their Merc unit (who are quite new to BT they always go mech's) using the Mercenary Handbook. Medium to one Heavy mechs.
Since Mercenary Star was the go-to hire for merc units is where we start our career. Being it's a brand-new unit I involve an NPC fixer who create units for clients. The "Fixer" will create a combine arms Battalion so it's a mixture of tanks, mechs, infantry and air support. Plus hired technicians to maintain the equipment.
I'm slowly introducing the players the different aspect of combat and eventually the logistics of supporting their units. We go through a quick simple contract of three years on a planet that's quite close to another House and Periphery power. That way to ensure a mixture of combat with House, pirates, criminal organizations, natural disasters, and possibility of Lostech locations.
The client who contracts works with an organization that covers a wide variety of enterprises. Form mining, farming, ranching, productions, and distribution of the conglomerate. Who also seems to be exploring the option of adding military branch. They provide technicians, logistics support and a contact network (for future jobs and shenanigans). There be some dice rolls to see what happens over time to give the players an idea of the type of unit they want to run. There be an excellent rapport with a Special Forces unit who was also hired but not under the player's command.
Goal here to build up the unit in funds, equipment, mechs, vehicles, tech support, and personnel. So, looking at the end of contract a combine arms regiment is formed. I actually use military maps and show them the areas that requires combat units and areas of concern. From there they divide up the forces to meet the requirement of the mission/contract. So, if combat happens, they know beforehand what forces are there and an idea of reinforcement's able to get to location. Kill bounties by the ton and salvage also contribute to unit growth. Players will become familiar of tech support points, salvage equipment repairs, field expedient repairs, EPW's, medical support, logistic trains, stockpile of supplies and ammo. Big one is them using the "network" to start predicting ammo and supply purchases. Also, recruitment of personnel. Eventually a possibility for dropships
The War of 3039 will happen and the unit will participate directly or indirectly depending on the rolls for events. After 3039 be more contracts, investments, networking, and experience gain. Which when the Clans invade will hammer the unit badly. This is where my players get really creative to generate funds, recruit, maintain, and rebuild their organization. Bear in mind the players cannot maintain Clan tech and eventually how to deal with the Clans. Eventually they send their techs to Wolf Dragoons tech school to operate and maintain clan tech, how to handle Bondman/woman from the Clans, and able to start independent combat operations.
As a noob and having had a few games now, it was time to start paint schemes.
I went for:
Draconis Combine - 1st Sword of Light
Federated Suns - 5th Crucis Lancers
Clan Wolf - Beta Galaxy
All different schemes so they're obvious who's on which side to my wife when we play.
Anyway, these were the first attempts. Bad on camera but okay with my aged old eyesight from a foot or more away.
For my collection, I'm going to keep Clan tech models in Clan Wolf, and split the rest into the other 2 factions.
I'd never be able to pull that off. My hands are way too shaky XD
Looks sick though. Probably speaks to my lingering 40k brain that I think it would be a cool pattern on some space marines.
I'm still trying to get the contrasts right. There's a trick to getting it on right that's taking a few tries.
Am going to get a first game in soon I hope. There's a group at the lgs that meets on Fridays and plays Classic so I'm going to throw me together a lance and we'll see how it goes.
If you haven't seen it, Juan Hidalgo has a video showing the proper techniques to get the best results with Contrast paints.
I've not seen this video but yeah.
I noticed after my first try at it that you rushing it produces weird results after the paint dries. Gotta make sure the paint gets in the recesses, and I have to get the coat on evenly bit by bit.
It doesn't help that how it looks while the paint is wet can be way different from how it'll look after the paint dries, so I had one attempt that looked fine wet but became uneven dry and another that looked bad wet but dried fine.
Never occurred to me that some of the complaints against contrast and other "one thick coat" paints might be due to people not using it correctly... and yeah, that tracks now that I think about it.
Wish he'd called out the slapchop and zenithal basecoat adherents though.
I have been filling out some of my more obscure mechs and vehicles since i doubt catalyst will be getting to them in plastic any time soon. that like to use but never had the model of, this order added a talon, Heimdall and a trebaruna.
We had a planned game of light mech on light mech action.
i brought
.phoenix hawk
.night hawk
.razor back
.talon
i went with all energy builds
My opposite countered with
.phoenix hawk
.wasp
.spider
.wolfhound
one of his mechs had an ECM so we were using ghost imaging rules which saved his bacon over several turns, making his force just that much harder to hit.
Shenanigans abounded. the spider kept falling and damaging himself. takign out his own left torso and then breaking off his own leg.
My side wasn't much better with the talon falling down every time he tried to kick anything. doing most of his damage to himself.
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
The epic moment the razorback connected the enemy phoenix hawk with 2 medium lasers......and the locations-
Firstly…
I’ve got TRO 3028, TRO Succession Wars/Record Sheets, The Wave 1 and Wave 2 Record sheets and downloaded most of the other record sheets from the bg.battletech site. I still can’t find any record sheets for tanks and infantry (other than the Elementals in Wave 1).
Is there any particular Record Sheet pdf I need to buy to get some of the most popular tank/vehicle records?
Secondly…
Are these Forcepacks purposefully impossible to get in the UK?
•Wolf's Dragoons Assault Star
•Eridani Light Horse Hunter Lance
•Hansen's Roughriders Battle Lance
•Northwind Highlanders Command Lance
•Kell Hounds Striker Lance
•Gray Death Legion Heavy Battle Lance
The force packs you listed are all based on distribution deals between CGL and individual US retailers. Some of them are coming to the end of the exclusivity deal, so should be available elsewhere over the next 12 months or so. All of them except the Grey Death Legion I think are available through the Merc Kickstarter, for example, because when the Kickstarter fulfils, they will be out of the exclusivity time period.
Its not so much that they were deliberately excluding the UK, more that they were purposefully giving individual retailers benefits, and they are all based in the US.
Sheets for the most common vehicles pre-Clan are in the RS3039 Upgrades Unabridged, Infantry is I believe in one ore more of the later (3075+) but I do not know for sure and I think it's not for every unit type. Post-Clan sheets for those vehicles are in 3058UU, Star League in 3050UU, Clan in 3060UU and likely more in the later ones.
I assume with Wave 1/Wave 2 RS you mean from the first KS, yes?
As they are specific to the KS, they only contain Sheets for those units.
The Succession Wars RS compilation specifically contains only Mech sheets, not the vehicle sheets that are contained in the original RS that make up the compilations base. Probably because they were focusing on Mechs before the Mercenaries KS.
New official sheets for vehicles will come with said KS and possbily later add-ons, but since then I suggest simply going for the older versions or making your own from the blank ones.
Flinty wrote: The force packs you listed are all based on distribution deals between CGL and individual US retailers. Some of them are coming to the end of the exclusivity deal, so should be available elsewhere over the next 12 months or so. All of them except the Grey Death Legion I think are available through the Merc Kickstarter, for example, because when the Kickstarter fulfils, they will be out of the exclusivity time period.
Its not so much that they were deliberately excluding the UK, more that they were purposefully giving individual retailers benefits, and they are all based in the US.
Thanks. Hopefully they'll make some more and release them elsewhere. They look like nice packs with a jetpack launching model in most.
MarcusConstantin wrote: Sheets for the most common vehicles pre-Clan are in the RS3039 Upgrades Unabridged, Infantry is I believe in one ore more of the later (3075+) but I do not know for sure and I think it's not for every unit type. Post-Clan sheets for those vehicles are in 3058UU, Star League in 3050UU, Clan in 3060UU and likely more in the later ones.
Thanks for the info. I just bought myself the 3039 Unabridged from drivethrurpg. 504 pages with a LOT of vehicle record sheets. Thanks.
I assume with Wave 1/Wave 2 RS you mean from the first KS, yes?
As they are specific to the KS, they only contain Sheets for those units.
Yes. Official downloads from the website, but so far they cover every plastic 'mech I've bought and all the Force packs, except those named mercenaries which have their own downloads.
The Succession Wars RS compilation specifically contains only Mech sheets, not the vehicle sheets that are contained in the original RS that make up the compilations base. Probably because they were focusing on Mechs before the Mercenaries KS.
New official sheets for vehicles will come with said KS and possbily later add-ons, but since then I suggest simply going for the older versions or making your own from the blank ones.
I couple of weeks ago I coughed up for the $150 late backer. I would have added more, but it was before payday, and I was also worried about the shipping costs and taxes yet to be added.
Gimgamgoo wrote: Is there any particular Record Sheet pdf I need to buy to get some of the most popular tank/vehicle records?
There is an alternative route. There are a few unit creation programs running around, and a few have the ability to provide the Record Sheets of Combat Vehicles, including having the files to print from.
Of these, MegaMekLab is my favorite. Not only do they have a huge selection of official Vehicle Record Sheets (depending on version downloaded), but it can also any other unit in Battletech you can think of from the PBI in Conventional Infantry, the more powerful Battle Armor Infantry, Fighters, Drop Ships, and even Warships.
One of the reasons I like MegaMekLab is that it provides the capacity to have Reference Charts on the side of the Record Sheet. It makes the pips smaller, but it is helpful for knowing where you can take a Combat Vehicle and reminds one of what one's Target Movement Modifier is for one's Movement.
Edit: I've attached the PDF I made for the Transports we use. I would have given our Combat group, but it's just barely too big.
I have a beginner question now that my favorite webshop has started to stock the starter boxes.
How do you all do the record sheet markings prosess? stickers, pencils, photocopy the hit boxes model? Cus there is no card sleeves that are that large right?
FrozenDwarf wrote: I have a beginner question now that my favorite webshop has started to stock the starter boxes.
How do you all do the record sheet markings prosess? stickers, pencils, photocopy the hit boxes model? Cus there is no card sleeves that are that large right?
Probably everyone has different ways, I have a laminator so it’s easy to use that and dry erase.
But I also use a iPad a lot.
I have also seen plastic folio used a lot, art stores should have them.
Probably even more ways to do it.
FrozenDwarf wrote: I have a beginner question now that my favorite webshop has started to stock the starter boxes.
How do you all do the record sheet markings prosess? stickers, pencils, photocopy the hit boxes model? Cus there is no card sleeves that are that large right?
I've just been printing the pages I need for a game from the pdf. A few pages per month or so isn't too bad.
FrozenDwarf wrote: How do you all do the record sheet markings prosess? stickers, pencils, photocopy the hit boxes model? Cus there is no card sleeves that are that large right?
You mean like clear sheet protectors?
I used them and dry erase markers for a time. The sheet shifts, though, so sometimes it doesn't keep up well.
Since I have a laser printer at home, and 9/10 don't take the same unit all the time, I've stopped bothering.
Lorcan Nagle wrote:So Catalyst are streaming all weekend again, and there doesn't seem to be much discussion of it on the boards. Or, to be fair much promotion of it on their social media as far as I can see. They went for about 8 hours yesterday and seem to be planning the same all weekend. And here's yesterday's streams timestamped. It's mostly Shadowrun Takedown because the Kickstarter is closing out in 7 hours as of the time I'm typing this.
*There should be an Aces update in the next few weeks
*Hour of the Wolf Audiobook is almost complete
*No plans to move the GoAC mechs to Forcepacks at present. It'll only happen when and if new minis are swapped in for a new edition.
*Ongoing global shipping issues mean Randall doesn't want to commit to any solid dates for Kickstarter fulfilment, but things are still looking good.
*BattleTech COMMAND is still progressing through development. It's designed by FASA veteran Jim Long, of Black Thorns fame.
*Randall didn't want to say much about the 40th anniversary but he did reveal that they'll be issuing a reprint of The Succession Wars, like how they're reprinting Shadowrun 1st edition for the 35th anniversary.
*The new grand strategy game is "about 85% done", needs 2-3 playtest cycles.
*They're still working on getting con swag onto the store as a standard thing.
*Kickstarter stuff should start hitting stores 2-3 months after backer fulfillment.
*Force Manual: Draconis Combine is heading into layout, art review is just complete
*Universe is finished now, Randall is very proud of it.
*Discussions for Kickstarter 3 have begun, it'll probably be 2-3 years before we see it
*The PoD program is still getting back on its feet, the guy they hired to do this got dragged into working on Universe
*House Arano will probably get more products - an advantage of the Kickstarters is they can get a good look at what factions people love, and Arano are in the top 10.
*Samples of a lot of material including the first 7 forcepacks and the 2 mercs boxes are on their way to Randall at the moment, he'll be taking photos as soon as he can.
*John Helfers will hopefully be putting out a new fiction announcement in a few weeks, he's at Dragoncon this weekend.
*No plans to return to the Homeworld Clans at present. They're still waiting for the right story to come along.
*Den of Wolves has only a couple of chapters left to complete.
*There will hopefully be an update for the Clan Invasion Kickstarter digital products soon.
*The GenCon mugs will hopefully be on the store in a month or so
*They are continuing to have problems finding a partner for the EU store, they're in discussion with some new people now. But when Kickstarter fulfillment ramps up it's going to take up most of the company's bandwidth for a few months.
*Randall's been too busy to write recently but he's still working on his Nova Cat/Spirit Cat novel.
Supply seems to be picking up in the 
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