Classic Battletech Is Awesome: the Thread!

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**aphyon**

If you read the source materials most paint schemes on cammo specs are for official PARADE colors as many units in the game use appropriate cammo schemes for the local theatre.

There are exceptions of course like the swords of light units that always go into combat in parade colors, as well as with some clan units.

**Ghaz**

Depending on the unit, parade schemes can be easier than pulling off a good camouflage scheme, are more distinctive and won't look out of place on any of the maps whereas some camouflage scheme might (e.g., a forest camo on the Lunar Base map).

**Flinty**

Camo can be done simply though. I did these with white contrast and a sponge for the green. I highlighted the white a bit but I didn’t bother for the green. The longest bit was waiting for the contrast and black wash to dry. You could also then build on this with a brush and some brown or black to get another disruptive pattern layer.

They are printed a bit larger than normal scale, but the technique should scale down to normal size mechs.

**FrozenDwarf**

Ghaz wrote:
Depending on the unit, parade schemes can be easier than pulling off a good camouflage scheme, are more distinctive and won't look out of place on any of the maps whereas some camouflage scheme might (e.g., a forest camo on the Lunar Base map).

That is basicly what i was thinking when i flipped thru the booklet and saw the unit cards. But same could be said about basicly anything seeing how diverse the maps for this game can be, so i will go for the block colors in the getting started section in the link provided by beasts.

**Ghaz**

Flinty wrote:
Camo can be done simply though. I did these with white contrast and a sponge for the green. I highlighted the white a bit but I didn’t bother for the green. The longest bit was waiting for the contrast and black wash to dry. You could also then build on this with a brush and some brown or black to get another disruptive pattern layer.

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

They are printed a bit larger than normal scale, but the technique should scale down to normal size mechs.

That's not really what I would call a 'good' alpine camouflage (and would look out of place on almost all of the BattleTech maps). this is what I would call a 'good' alpine camouflage:

And this is what I would call a really good camouflage scheme:

**Flinty**

Fair enough. Stippling does the same job as sponging really. In the first video example above though, I think the final drybrush rather overpowers the brown and blurs the dpm a bit too much. Definately a fan of quick schemes though

**aphyon**

Another quick cammo application is a little paint on a toothbrush. apply it to the model by running a finger across the bristles so that it splatters on the target model. makes some real nice flecktarn style cammo.

**Theophony**

I wanted something that stood out, so radioactive green on the top half for my inner sphere guys.

with close up.

I think these photos were before the light-yellow edge highlight on the upper armor.

Not too in love with the bottom half. I may have to add black and beige tiger stripes on the lower half. Also need to finish all the lenses (Purple) and thinking of some splash color on the upper half as well.

**Ghaz**

So you did the Orloff Grenadiers? From Camospecs...

**Theophony**

Ghaz wrote:
So you did the Orloff Grenadiers? From Camospecs...

Thank You. I saw the image on the back of one of the books and loved it, but my google-Fu and lack of knowledge on Battletech in general made it so I could not find any info out on them. Time to read up and see if I'm willing to live with that background or change the pants of all my mechs.

**Ghaz**

Now Available – Fox Patrol Anthology, Jade Phoenix Trilogy Digital Boxed Set

Fox Tales: The Collected Fox Patrol Stories

A BattleTech Anthology by Bryan Young
E-pub: $5.99
Print-on-Demand (via Amazon): $12.95

DREAMS OF ’MECHS AND MERCS…

Katie Ferraro dreams of nothing more than being a MechWarrior. Orphaned at a young age, she learns everything she can about ’Mech repair from her mentor and adoptive father. On the distant planet of Jerangle, though, her chances of fulfilling her dreams are slim.

But when she finds an abandoned Kit Fox in the jungle, she realizes her dreams might not be so far away. As she goes to work on the ’Mechin secret, she makes a name for herself as a talented tech, but waits for the right moment to reveal herself to be what she always dreamed of: a MechWarrior. With her newfound ’Mech, Katie forms her own mercenary unit. She’s too young to be a leader and too brash to be a tactician, but she’ll do anything in her power to keep her unit together long enough to take their next job.

These five Fox Tales, including a brand-new one published only in this collection, tell the fascinating, infuriating, and funny stories of the rise of the everyone’s favorite new mercenary unit in the Inner Sphere: The Fox Patrol.

E-pub: https://books2read.com/BattleTechFoxTales
Print-on-Demand (via Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/BattleTech-Tales-Collected-Patrol-Stories/dp/1947335782/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

The Jade Phoenix Trilogy – Digital Boxed Set

A BattleTech trilogy by Robert Thurston
Digital Boxed Set – E-publication: $4.99

THE COMPLETE STORY OF CLAN JADE FALCON’S MOST REVERED WARRIOR!

This digital boxed set contains the following novels:

WAY OF THE CLANS

In the 31st century, the BattleMech is the ultimate war machine. Ten meters tall and armed with devastating weapons, it is an unstoppable engine of destruction.

In the 31st century, the Clans are the ultimate warriors. The result of generations of controlled breeding, Clan Warriors pilot their BattleMechs like no others.

In the 31st century, Aidan aspires to be a Warrior of Clan Jade Falcon. To win the right to join his Clan in battle, he must succeed in training that will forge him into one of the best warriors in the galaxy—or break him completely.

In the 31st century, Aidan discovers that the toughest battle is not on the field, but in his head—where failure will cost the ultimate price: his humanity.

BLOODNAME

Truebirth: Born in the laboratory, these genetically engineered soldiers train to be the ultimate warriors. They are the elite pilots of the Clan’s fearsome BattleMech war machines.

Freebirth: Born of the natural union of parents, these too are soldiers, but pale imitations of their Truebirth superiors. Despised for their imperfections, they fight where and when their Clan commands.

Aidan has failed his Trial of Position, the ranking test all Truebirth warriors of the Clan Jade Falcon must pass. He is cast out. Disgraced.

But with a Bloodname, all past failures are forgiven. With a Bloodname comes respect. With a Bloodname comes honor.

Aidan will do anything to gain that name. Even masquerade as the thing he has been taught to despise.

A freebirth…

FALCON GUARD

In 2786, the elite Star League Defense Force fled the Inner Sphere, abandoning the senseless bloodshed ordered by the Successor Lords. Now, almost three hundred years later, the Clans, heirs of the SLDF, turn their eyes back upon their former home. Nothing will stop them from raising the Star League banner over Earth once again.

For two years, the Clans’ BattleMech war machines have overwhelmed the armies of the corrupt Successor Lords. Now, on the doorstep of Terra, the Clans must fight one final battle, a battle that will decide the fate of humanity for all time.

For Star Colonel Aidan Pryde of Clan Jade Falcon, the battle is more than a question of military conquest. It is an affirmation of the superiority of the Clan way, a way of life that he has sworn to uphold despite his fear that the noble crusade has fallen prey to the lust and ambition of its commanders. But amid the chaos and carnage of battle, he is about to be tested in a way he never thought possible…by a person he has never even met…

Digital Boxed Set – E-publication: https://books2read.com/BattleTechLegendoftheJadePhoenixTrilogy

**Theophony**

Miniature Market has a 20% off Battletech sale today. They are out of stock on almost everything, but might be worth a look.

code: OhHeckBattleTech

**Charistoph**

There's hardly anything there that applies. When I checked earlier, there was only 6 things available to order.

**Theophony**

When the sale started there were 20+ items. It quickly disappeared. It didn’t have the clan invasion box listed, but I check and ordered it and the 20% applied.

Also added three more lances to the former Duchy of Orloff….Now they will be the Constructicons

Still all detail work to be done, but they are getting closer to completion.

**Ghaz**

Ghaz wrote:
Possible news of a delay on the Alpha Strike box and the exclusive Force Packs via the BattleTech Forums

shivanwurm wrote:Aries is reporting that his distributor has pushed back the Alpha Strike box to December 30th along side the Merc force packs.

Ooooof.

No official word on a delay as of yet.

Posted by Adrian Gideon on the BattleTech Forums

Adrian Gideon wrote:Should be earlier than that.

So sometime between Monday and December 29th?

Theophony wrote:
When the sale started there were 20+ items. It quickly disappeared. It didn’t have the clan invasion box listed, but I check and ordered it and the 20% applied.

Also added three more lances to the former Duchy of Orloff….Now they will be the Constructicons

Spoiler:

**Asenion**

Clanner Elemental vs Word of Blake cyborg, fist fight! - who wins?

**Theophony**

Asenion wrote:
Clanner Elemental vs Word of Blake cyborg, fist fight! - who wins?

Everyone watching

**beast_gts**

Mark Your Calendars for the Launch of BattleTech: Mercenaries

The next exciting chapter of BattleTech history will launch March 23, 2023 at Adepticon in Schaumburg, IL!

In 2018, Catalyst Game Labs built upon the thirty-five-year legacy of BattleTech with the release of the A Game of Armored Combat and Beginner Box sets. Those boxed sets included re-imagined miniatures which retained the core of each ’Mech’s identity, updated with modern aesthetics. Upon that foundation, our Clan Invasion Kickstarter unleashed nearly one hundred additional miniatures and finished among the top 100 Kickstarter campaigns ever. By the end of this year, more than four million high quality, affordable, ready-to-play plastic ’Mech miniatures will have hit gaming tables in just four years.

The next chapter of BattleTech’s titanic resurgence will be the Mercenaries Kickstarter campaign. The new campaign will introduce more than 50 new designs, including ’Mechs, armored and support vehicles, a VTOL, additional battle armor, and a new aerospace fighter–all to the same high-quality standards and ready to play right out of the box.

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!

“I’ve been to hundreds of conventions all over the world, and AdeptiCon is a wonderfully unique experience,” said Randall N. Bills, Managing Developer for Catalyst Game Labs. “I’m an equal-opportunity gamer and enjoy playing nearly any type of game. But walking past endless tables of amazing terrain and fantastically painted miniatures is an incredible experience unto itself. If you love miniatures games, AdeptiCon is the place to be. And we couldn’t imagine a more perfect venue for launching our Mercenaries Kickstarter.”

AdeptiCon is the world’s premiere wargaming convention, running more than 650 tournaments, event games, and hobby seminars–along with hosting over 115 exhibitors–each year. AdeptiCon 2022 also saw the return of the prestigious Golden Demon painting award to North America, which will return in 2023.

Catalyst's presence at the convention has continued to grow over the past few years, with Catalyst Demo Team events drawing experienced MechWarriors and new players alike to the battlefields of the Inner Sphere.

“For quite a few of us in this hobby, BattleTech provided our first foray into the world of table-top miniatures gaming,” reminisced Dave Pauwels, AdeptiCon Media Director. “The idea of replacing cardboard tokens with painted models of two-story high ’Mechs was a revolutionary one back in the day and a lot of us were hooked (one of the first miniatures I ever painted was a Demolisher). To see the game experience a sort of renaissance now, in 2022, is incredible and AdeptiCon loves being an event where you can find finely painted ’Mechs waging war over beautiful terrain tables. By partnering with Catalyst Games for the Kickstarter launch, AdeptiCon proudly plays its role in the continued success and popularity of one of our favorite games.”

Stay tuned to AdeptiCon.com and bg.battletech.com for future news surrounding all the games and events you can experience with BattleTech–and Leviathans (monstersinthesky.com)–at Adepticon in 2023!

**Orlanth**

Asenion wrote:
Clanner Elemental vs Word of Blake cyborg, fist fight! - who wins?

All other factors evened out the WoB cyborg. The Zombie adepts are specifically tailored to take out clanners, and zombie infantry were tailored to hunt down elementals. The Jihad was a new objective, a repurposing, clan killing was what WoB cybertech was designed to do.

Cyborg infantry are specialised elemental killers, the fact they are nasty against anything else is just a side effect of being an infantryman designed to take on elementals and win.

**Overread**

General question, the random salvage boxed sets that they've produced. Are those coming back into stock/production or are they shifting away and only going to provide the pre-set boxed sets going forward?

**Charistoph**

Overread wrote:
General question, the random salvage boxed sets that they've produced. Are those coming back into stock/production or are they shifting away and only going to provide the pre-set boxed sets going forward?

My FLGS, who is so new that they seem to be the last ones shipped anything, got about 3 or 4 flats recently.

I haven't seen any word about them stopping doing it. If anything, it will probably be expanded once the new Mercenary Kickstarter sets are brought in.

It is great for when you have access to them, and not all the box sets, too.

**Overread**

Yeah I'm also wondering if it might tickle my "random box opening" interests since Magic the Gathering is insanely expensive, cycles too fast with new editions and is just a monster to try and collect.

Mechs are easier and blind box can be enjoyable when being causal.

**H.B.M.C.**

I expect the new KS will bring a whole new wave of them.

**Orlanth**

They are useful for padding a single price per boxset regardless of number of miniatures included.

I bought a lot of spheroid lances last time, so over half of my clanners were randomised.
By the time it was done I had the wrong clan. I wanted to filed some Jade Falcons, but ended up with Smoke Jaguars.

**usernamesareannoying**

hi guys... sorry if it has been mentioned but do we know if/how the rules have changed for alpha strike?

i have the original book and compendium and am wondering if they're garbage now.

**aphyon**

usernamesareannoying wrote:
hi guys... sorry if it has been mentioned but do we know if/how the rules have changed for alpha strike?

i have the original book and compendium and am wondering if they're garbage now.

This isn't 40K nothing is ever garbage. for classic battletech for example we are still using the core rules from over 30 years ago (since they never really changed) and we get to pick and choose which optional rules we want to use including max tech rules and stuff from catalyst (tac ops etc..).

as long as you and your group are all on the same page it shouldn't be a problem. There are no "BattleTech police" checking up on you.

**Gitzbitah**

usernamesareannoying wrote:
hi guys... sorry if it has been mentioned but do we know if/how the rules have changed for alpha strike?

i have the original book and compendium and am wondering if they're garbage now.

It's very minor changes, often only affecting really specific circumstances. They've gone back and forth on when infantry can embark/disembark from transports a few times over the years, and there is a new charge damage calculation.... but the basics should all be intact. I'd say keep the old one, and maybe get a digital copy from Catalyst- they send you emails to get the new version when they update it. But if you showed up at a table, you'd probably be fine, just have to adapt a few finer points.

**Charistoph**

usernamesareannoying wrote:
hi guys... sorry if it has been mentioned but do we know if/how the rules have changed for alpha strike?

i have the original book and compendium and am wondering if they're garbage now.

There is a page of posted Errata. One of which is for both the original Alpha Strike book and the Companion. However, the latest Errata for the Commander's Edition is from September 2022 (which means my copy I bought this year may be a little out of date). It may address any questions you may have.

aphyon wrote:
for classic battletech for example we are still using the core rules from over 30 years ago (since they never really changed) and we get to pick and choose which optional rules we want to use including max tech rules and stuff from catalyst (tac ops etc..).

Eh, not quite. There have been quite a few rules changes, but most are rather subtle or use less-common units. For Battlemechs the biggest changes have been to Partial Cover and external heat (notably Inferno rounds). C3 has seen a rule change here and there. However, Combat Vehicles and Infantry have seen quite a bit of changes over time.

aphyon wrote:
as long as you and your group are all on the same page it shouldn't be a problem. There are no "BattleTech police" checking up on you.

This much is very true, though.

**aphyon**

The only major rules changes i can remember before catalyst took over was

.fixing AMS so that instead of shooting down a d6 number of missiles for the matching number of ammo, it reduced the cluster table by 4 for 1 ammo.

There was previously a huge section of optional rules-
.floating crits
.ammo explosion rules
.pilot modifiers for damage
.vehicle damage tables
.expanded heat scale
.extreme ranges
etc...

catalyst added a few more.

.there are currently 4 different rules for ECM/ghost imaging.
.re-tooling the vehicle damage tables to make them less effective so the focus was put more on mechs.
and so on.

**Theophony**

The Alpha Stike Commander's Edition is available on wargamesvault for $19.99. I downloaded and printed it out as I am old and like dead tree format, but still have it on my Ipad to mess about with. I will say that I am a huge fan of any game system that does not have disposable codicies that are outdated or wrong pointed upon release.