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Dug out my old mechs (need stripping...) and got the 3025 tech read out from e-bay (mine got lost in a move many years ago), what I would like to know is is it worth me buying the new box set (I am only interested in playing pre-clan games) or shall I still use the old rules (I have the compendium with the picture of the Atlas on the front). Any thoughts anyone?
Cheers, Mick

Ít´s your call but I would recomend to go to the classic battletech site and surf around a little bit, there is so much stuff around that I wouldn´t know what to recomend. But go to the official online shop and check the index, the products are classified by play year.

M.

You shouldn't have a problem with running 3025 even w/ the newer hardcover book that was released a year or so ago. It was just an update of the 'Battletech Master Rules' from FASA and updated errors and other issues and may have incorporated 'Maximum Tech' if I remember correctly.

I have the Battletech master rules as well but hate going through all the 'clutter' of clan and later Inner Sphere technology and weapons. Used to really enjoy the type of game where you didnt fight to the last bit of armour as the mechs were almost unreplaceable and family heirlooms, made the game a lot more tactical...
Mick

Post 3025 isn't any less tactical.

Anyway, get the boxed set. 24 'Mechs, all 3025 level tech. If you don't want to play with vehicles or infantry, stick with the boxed set. If you do, get the boxed set and the Total Warfare rulebook. If you get the boxed set, pick up the Sword & Dragon Starterbook. It's ace.

Additionally, there's a new (and cheap) product coming out soon called Record Sheets 3039 (not to be confused with the existing Record Sheets 3039). It's an expansion to the Boxed Set, which gives loads of record sheets for the common Lvl1 'Mechs, plus introductory rules so you can add vehicles and infantry to your games, plus record sheets for them.

BYE

Going ahead and using my old rulebook this Wednesday coming with a few of the guys at the local club who have never played it before. Next decision is with mapboards (I only have map set 3 now) or without?
Mick

Mapsheets make everything digital.

By that I mean there's no arguing about LOS, no mismeasurements with movement or range, no ambiguity.

Everything is clearly defined, you can't over- or under-measure because everything is hexes. What terrain you're in and LOS is spelled out explicitly within the rules. Takes the guessing out of it and allows you to get on with having a good game.

BYE

When I was super-keen on Battletech I made my own terrain using thick expanded polystyrene boards which I cut into hex-pattern pieces and overlaid a light hex grid on the flat. It was the best of both worlds -- physical terrain with trees and hills, plus the easy definition of a hex grid.

Maps would be easier for the intro games thinking about it, cheers.
Was considering the 3D board approach if the guys at the club enjoy the game and decide to get into it, remember seeing them at shows etc many years ago...
Mick

H.B.M.C. wrote:Mapsheets make everything digital.

By that I mean there's no arguing about LOS, no mismeasurements with movement or range, no ambiguity.

Everything is clearly defined, you can't over- or under-measure because everything is hexes. What terrain you're in and LOS is spelled out explicitly within the rules. Takes the guessing out of it and allows you to get on with having a good game.

BYE

The best argument I've heard against mapsheets is that it because everything is set in stone, as it were, it's very easy to find the "sweet spots." Since you can't simply rearrange the terrain like you would on a table, you're basically forced to scramble for the same few locations every time if you want to have a shot of winning.

Best thing for Classic Battletech is to use the tiles from Heroscape. 2 boxes is the bare minimum, 3 is pretty much the best. The hexes are a little larger then the standard map hexes, but it accomidates miniatures better.

Dunno if you're familiar w/ this but I've always loved it.

http://megamek.sourceforge.net/idx.php?pg=main

Enjoy.

Starnite wrote:Best thing for Classic Battletech is to use the tiles from Heroscape. 2 boxes is the bare minimum, 3 is pretty much the best. The hexes are a little larger then the standard map hexes, but it accomidates miniatures better.

Ok now that a cool idea I hadn't considered.

CorporateLogo wrote:

H.B.M.C. wrote:Mapsheets make everything digital.

By that I mean there's no arguing about LOS, no mismeasurements with movement or range, no ambiguity.

Everything is clearly defined, you can't over- or under-measure because everything is hexes. What terrain you're in and LOS is spelled out explicitly within the rules. Takes the guessing out of it and allows you to get on with having a good game.

BYE

The best argument I've heard against mapsheets is that it because everything is set in stone, as it were, it's very easy to find the "sweet spots." Since you can't simply rearrange the terrain like you would on a table, you're basically forced to scramble for the same few locations every time if you want to have a shot of winning.

Ignoring the possibility of making your own maps or using the what 24 original maps the copany made.

Heck there are dry erase maps avaible irc.

CorporateLogo wrote:The best argument I've heard against mapsheets is that it because everything is set in stone, as it were, it's very easy to find the "sweet spots." Since you can't simply rearrange the terrain like you would on a table, you're basically forced to scramble for the same few locations every time if you want to have a shot of winning.

There are some maps that have 'sweet spots', usually for heavy missile boats or the odd PPC/Gauss Rifle sniper, but I've never had a game play out the same way even when using the same maps and playing from the same deployment areas. Plus, if you know your opponent has a good spot, do something about it! BTech is a far more involved game of 40K, so it's never a case of who goes first. You can get around difficult situations and out manoeuvre your opponent.

BYE

Played 2 games last Weds, one on the original map and another without map. The three guys I introduced to the game prefered the game without the map and are looking forward to playing again...
Mick

Mick A wrote:Played 2 games last Weds, one on the original map and another without map. The three guys I introduced to the game prefered the game without the map and are looking forward to playing again...
Mick

As an Official Catalyst Game Labs Special Agent I recommend picking up Total Warfare. It isn't that much different from the old Master Rules, but there are a few new changes/revisions/clarifications that are GOOD.

Getting the Box Set is solid. Hard to argue with 24 'Mechs for $40.

There are dedicated Miniatures Rules for CBT on the Classic Battletech site. It also has a MASSIVE forum area you can chat up thousands of us.

Also, go to www.catalystdemos.com and sign up as a player. We Special Agents run demos and when we post events, you get an email about it. It's free and all you need is a functioning email address and the imagination to come up with a call sign.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the suggestions Mattlov, I might pick up the box set after xmas but as for Total Warfare I want to avoid anything post 20 year update (if you can remember that :-) ). Really liked the old style of playing when the game first came out...
Mick

Mick A wrote:Thanks for the suggestions Mattlov, I might pick up the box set after xmas but as for Total Warfare I want to avoid anything post 20 year update (if you can remember that :-) ). Really liked the old style of playing when the game first came out...
Mick

You still don't have to use the new tech, just get the little rules updates and such. Plus it keeps you competitive for the tournament scene and events at GenCon and such. And it's pretty.

And yes, I still have my 20 Year Update. I recommend picking up Historical: Brush Wars to do some good 3025 tech level campaign ideas.

Mick A wrote:Thanks for the suggestions Mattlov, I might pick up the box set after xmas but as for Total Warfare I want to avoid anything post 20 year update (if you can remember that :-) ). Really liked the old style of playing when the game first came out...

Total Warfare isn't a fluff thing, it's a rules thing. As mentioned above, you can ignore all the Clan-era and beyond tech and just use the rules because Total Warfare actually improves the game. Vehicles and Infantry are the biggest winners, not because they're better than everything, but because they got really necessary revisions to make them worthwhile.

BYE

I've never had the opportunity to play without a hex board, but I've always wanted to. I prefer that sort of realism.

The guys around here had hills and fortifications that were already hexed out - all the edges were hexes, so they fit on a hexboard perfectly. Not sure where they got them from.

Spellbound wrote:I've never had the opportunity to play without a hex board, but I've always wanted to. I prefer that sort of realism.

The guys around here had hills and fortifications that were already hexed out - all the edges were hexes, so they fit on a hexboard perfectly. Not sure where they got them from.

Sounds like BattleHex. Good stuff, it just looked to unrealistic for me. Using it isn't any different than a mapsheet.

If you don't want to mess with the Clans, I would at least suggest looking at TRO: 3039.

Have Tech readouts 3025 and 3026, cheers for the heads up though...
Mick

I will point out that TRO:3039 is written from the perspective of someone during the Jihad (ie. all the fluff in it is written in 307x, looking back at 3039) so if you really are trying to avoid everything post-4th Succession War, then it's maybe not the best idea.

What you should get though is Record Sheets 3039 - both versions. One version is the actual record sheets, containing heaps of greap Level 1 variants of all the classic 'Mechs. The other one, also called Record Sheets 3039 (don't ask me why...) has a selection of Record Sheets, plus rules for vehicles and infantry and scenario building. It's designed to work with the Introductory Boxed Set, introducing you to vehicles and infantry.

Of course, if you've been playing for a while you won't need this, but as far as introducing new players, it's not a bad idea.

BYE

H.B.M.C. wrote:I will point out that TRO:3039 is written from the perspective of someone during the Jihad (ie. all the fluff in it is written in 307x, looking back at 3039) so if you really are trying to avoid everything post-4th Succession War, then it's maybe not the best idea.

The fluff in TRO:3025 is written from the perspective of 3058, which is also post-4th Succession War. Regardless, both it (and to some extent TRO:3075) add some viable Level One units that would be appropriate for a game set in the Succession Wars era.

I have the original 3025 and 3026 Tech readouts which are not written from hindsight at all...
Mick

Read the fluff and you'll find that's not the case at all. Most all of the 'mechs and vehicles in those two TRO's had been in service for centuries by 3025-3026.

Most of the entries for 2035-26 were written in the perspective of just prior to the 4th Succession War looking back at the 3rd Succession War.

The Revised versions were written from a later perspective.

Yes? It goes to show my point that the fluff in all of the TRO's is not current with the 'publication date' of the book.