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So my game store has some starters of BATTLETECH INTRODUCTORY BOX SET, which looks like a 2 player starter although i might be wrong. my question is, is the game fun?

As in the 25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set that looks like this? That's one of the best and cheapest ways to get into a truly classic tabletop game.
This New to Battletech page might help you, plus it has the quickstart rules for free download to give you an idea of the game.
Personally I love Battletech. The core mechanics haven't changed in 20+ years, there is a ton of background, some really fun figures, and lots of tactical decisions to be made. You might find it plays a bit slower than 40k initially, but as you get more used to the rules and vary the forces used you'll find a happy medium.
I don't think any gamer can go wrong owning some kind of Battletech product.

Thats the ones they have at my store, it seems really cool.
before i moved a group of guys played it alot and id watch it some times. Im a sucker for mechs anyway.

Yeah it's nice and inexpensive to get into as well since you just need paper maps and a few figures. Plus like I said it's classic enough that you should try it at least once.

Buy it you will not regret it ! Picked mine up a year ago or so and have been busting away for about the last 8 months have not even looked at a game of 40k and wanted to play. Rules are pretty easy to pick up on if you pace yourself into then it becomes clockwork. All the models that came with it i have had a blast painting as well even if a few of them are kinda meh casts a lot of them are pretty darn nice.

So i picked up the box and well im amazed of what comes in it, i love the models and wait to start reading the books.

As a Demo Agent for Catalyst Game Labs (who makes the game), and I completely recommend the game.

Congrats on your buy strap on your neuro helmet and start busting mechs faces open

Also, Battletech can play far more than 2 people, you can have multiple people on the same team, each using a 'Mech or two, or even giant a free for all with several players each using a 'Mech and the last standing wins!

So check out these sites:

Official Demo Team website: http://www.catalystdemos.com Find local players and demo agents to help learn the game, and just get more games in.

Official Battletech site, with forums. LOTS of forums: http://bg.battletech.com/

Go forth, and join the Battletech universe!

Thanks ill check it out,
ive been reading the rule book and love how its played the only questions i have are how much tonnage do you use in a normal game and how many heat sinks can you use at once on a single mech?

Tonnage? As much as you are comfortable with. You will eventually discover the Battle Value system, which is a way to balance more advanced games. But I've easily done 20 vs. 20 games.

Heat sinks on a 'Mech is limited by tonnage of the 'Mech and the other equipment mounted. All 'Mechs come with 10 in the engine, and some don't even need that many (but you still get 10 no matter what).

I think your question is asking something different though. You use all of the heat sinks every turn. If your 'Mech has 12 heat sinks, it dissipates 12 heat per turn until the heat sinks start to be destroyed through critical hits. I'll give you a couple examples:

Your 'Mech has 12 heat sinks. In your turn you run (2 Heat), fire a medium laser (3 heat), and fire an SRM 6 (4 Heat). 2+3+4= 9. You have 12 heat sinks, so you do not generate heat on the heat scale (9-12=-3). If you had excess heat from the turn before, you would lose 3 heat from that balance.

Now, let's say it is a desperate fight: You jump 5 hexes (5 heat), fire your large laser (8 heat), and suffer an engine hit during the turn (5 heat). You now have gained 6 heat (5+8+5=18, 18-12=6). So going into the next turn you are at -1 Movement Point (which is taken off your Walking speed, and you recalculate the Running MP).

Any other questions?

Mattlov wrote:Tonnage? As much as you are comfortable with. You will eventually discover the Battle Value system, which is a way to balance more advanced games. But I've easily done 20 vs. 20 games.

Heat sinks on a 'Mech is limited by tonnage of the 'Mech and the other equipment mounted. All 'Mechs come with 10 in the engine, and some don't even need that many (but you still get 10 no matter what).

I think your question is asking something different though. You use all of the heat sinks every turn. If your 'Mech has 12 heat sinks, it dissipates 12 heat per turn until the heat sinks start to be destroyed through critical hits. I'll give you a couple examples:

Your 'Mech has 12 heat sinks. In your turn you run (2 Heat), fire a medium laser (3 heat), and fire an SRM 6 (4 Heat). 2+3+4= 9. You have 12 heat sinks, so you do not generate heat on the heat scale (9-12=-3). If you had excess heat from the turn before, you would lose 3 heat from that balance.

Now, let's say it is a desperate fight: You jump 5 hexes (5 heat), fire your large laser (8 heat), and suffer an engine hit during the turn (5 heat). You now have gained 6 heat (5+8+5=18, 18-12=6). So going into the next turn you are at -1 Movement Point (which is taken off your Walking speed, and you recalculate the Running MP).

Any other questions?

I think thats about it and it was exactly what i wanted to know.

one more question does it matter what battle techs you use, because i wanted to paint my guys like comstars i just dont know if they use certain battletech.

Doesn't matter at all. Paint anything however you like. You will never be limited in Battletech by a paint scheme. You don't even have to paint things in canon schemes, paint how you feel like it. I own more than 700 'Mechs, and I bet 2/3rds of them aren't in canon schemes, just generic paint schemes.

What Mattlov said. Especially from the starter set, you're getting mechs that have been around for hundreds of years, during a period of constant warfare where salvage and refurbishing the enemy's machines are standard tactics. Those mechs can and will appear in just about every army out there.

There are only two exceptions- the Loki and Thor. Those are clan mechs, and won't be in anything but clan armies unless you're playing after 3050 or so. They may be called the Summoner and Hellbringer in the starter box, but they're the same mech. You may want to hold off on painting those guys for now, although they would certainly be in a Comstar arsenal after the clan invasion.

Painting the Loki and Thor in green and yellow would be perfectly appropriate to my Jade Falcon sensibilities.

HaHA The Green Thornet and his Side kick Loki i have been watching the old 90s cartoon Prepare to be dominated Sommerset !

Another thing to mention is that sometimes the fastest/easiest way to find a game is online using Megamek. It's a java program so that you can play Battletech with all the rules. It's exactly like playing the game except the computer does all the rolls and all the calculations.

Sorry to hijack your thread....

Is Battletech still using the same sort of battle system as it did about twelve years ago? I haven't played this since I was eight, and since it is a very cheap game (if memory serves) to play......

Also, does the 25th anniversary box come with a Summoner?

Slarg232 wrote:Sorry to hijack your thread....

Is Battletech still using the same sort of battle system as it did about twelve years ago? I haven't played this since I was eight, and since it is a very cheap game (if memory serves) to play......

Also, does the 25th anniversary box come with a Summoner?

Yep. Basic game play has largely remained unchanged since the game was introduced.

There is a Summoner and a Hellbringer in the box, as well as 24 Inner Sphere 'Mechs.

SCORE!

Might have to pick it up; have my own personal set, get them painted to a decent degree, and see if I can get some of my fellow nerds to try it out with me.

The changes were pretty minimal to the rules from several years ago. The way partial cover works has changed, and vehicles and infantry have had a bit of an overhaul. I think Aerospace fighters work the same as they did years ago.

megatrons2nd wrote:The changes were pretty minimal to the rules from several years ago. The way partial cover works has changed, and vehicles and infantry have had a bit of an overhaul. I think Aerospace fighters work the same as they did years ago.

Yeah, 'Mech vs. 'Mech combat isn't that different from when the game came out close to 30 years ago, now.

Slarg232 wrote:SCORE!

Might have to pick it up; have my own personal set, get them painted to a decent degree...

Just a quick warning from someone who is just bought the set and is currently working on the mechs:
The miniatures are not good.
Buy a pack of extra blades for your xacto knife some watery plastic glue with a brush applicator (for smoothing out surfaces) and a bit of Greenstuff or plastic putty, because if you want to really clean them up for play, you are going to be putting alot of time into them. The level of quality is about the same as the 1996 plastics and noticibly less than the em4 plastic mechs.

I'm a sucker for cheap mechs and I'm determined to get mine into playing shape, but I just want folks to be aware of just how much effort is required.

Sweet, thanks for the warning

True, the plastic is crappy (except the Hellbringer and Summoner), but you aren't paying much for 24 of them, either.

Are they salvageable, though?

Sure, You've just got to trim off alot of flash, and depending on how pick you are, you may have to cut a few panel grooves where the halves of the mold don't line up perfectly. Check out the battletech forums to see some great examples of what folks have done with them.

I had a few mechs in the batch that were unacceptably bad, but they have a form (also at the forum) that you can fill out for replacements.

As was said, even with their flaws, they're almost the cheapest mechs you can get and certainly the largest selection. The exception is the em4 mechs...
http://www.em4miniatures.com/acatalog/Science_Fiction.html which are cheaper and have interchangeable parts, but only 3 unique chassis.

Definitely recommend battletech. The starter box is really good although the plastic mini quality isnt top notch (except for the two clan mechs which are awesome). You can make the plastics look good however. Heres an example: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,15621.0.html

I would start with medium and heavy mechs for learning. Lights are too fast and you end up hitting nothing and assaults really slow.

Mattlov wrote:Also, Battletech can play far more than 2 people, you can have multiple people on the same team, each using a 'Mech or two, or even giant a free for all with several players each using a 'Mech and the last standing wins!

So check out these sites:

Official Demo Team website: http://www.catalystdemos.com Find local players and demo agents to help learn the game, and just get more games in.

Official Battletech site, with forums. LOTS of forums: http://bg.battletech.com/

Go forth, and join the Battletech universe!

I played a Battletech game that had about 8 players IIRC. Was done on a very large hex terrain table in the basement of a games store. Each player had 2 mechs. Lots of fun.

I ran a Clan Grand Melee with 51 players.

At once.

It was INSANE. And all kinds of awesome.