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http://classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=products&mode=full&id=313

You can pre-order it on some sites. Some dates are saying Oct.- Dec. this year. I'm waiting for this one, too! I was wanting to get back into battletech (being my first-ever miniatures game).

Cool my friend wanted to get into this game now he can

Death Gear wrote:Cool my friend wanted to get into this game now he can

You always could. It isn't pretty, but you can download the Quick Start Rules for free, and you don't need figures. You only need a marker you can identify as a unit and it's facing.

Mattlov wrote:

Death Gear wrote:Cool my friend wanted to get into this game now he can

You always could. It isn't pretty, but you can download the Quick Start Rules for free, and you don't need figures. You only need a marker you can identify as a unit and it's facing.

Agreed. Seems the only real difference between this new box and the currently available Introductory Box Set is 2 decent miniatures and maybe some better books.

For those who havent seen them the 24 plastic minis that come in both boxes are terrible. They are better than cardboard stand-ups, but not by a lot. The mold quality is pretty bad. Detail is terrible. They would be OK to throw a single color on and a heavy wash to bring out what little detail they have. I wouldnt invest much time actually painting them.

Either of these box sets is most useful for the books, in particular the fluff. A big drawback to the current box set (and maybe the new one) is its very old tech...its essentially 1st edition Battletech, no ER weapons, no Clans, etc. Im not telling you all not to buy the box set (either one), but I would hesitate to pay retail...find one for a reduced price somewhere.

However if you just want to jump into the game, you can get any of the many, many, previous rulebooks on ebay pretty cheap...and use the above mentioned counter method. Id especially consider this of you want to play Clan mechs.

ISBN: 978-1-934857-59-5
MSRP: $49.99
Catalog #: CAT3500A
Release: November 2010

Yeeeeesssss.....I'm planning on getting this.


Also, besides the mechs, I believe the box is supposed to have some higher quality maps (supposedly gameboard quality), which is another reason it'd be worth picking up.

Hordini wrote:Yeeeeesssss.....I'm planning on getting this.


Also, besides the mechs, I believe the box is supposed to have some higher quality maps (supposedly gameboard quality), which is another reason it'd be worth picking up.

Yerp. Big, thick maps. If you have seen the HexPack: Rivers and Lakes, it is the same quality.

The two new 'Mechs don't make much sense, but hey, whatever. New box set.

I looked at my Intro Box Set...the books in the new set have a few more pages than the current box set. So you get all the same stuff plus better maps & books and a couple good mech figs.

Figure with a retail of $49.99 it should be available from places like The War Store for at or just under $40. Possibly less on ebay.

Ill probably end up picking it up...after all even with all the things I hate about the game I like the mechs and such...that and it holds a place in my heart as the game that got me into minis. That and the cheap plastics will get me some mechs to use until I can afford to get the metal ones...considering I just bought a lance worth of mechs for almost as much as the box set costs.

I also found this coming out for the 25th anniversary...looks like its gonna be a must have for me...

Battletech, 25 years of art and fiction.

BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction is the ultimate chronicle of the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe. Full-color, hard-back and coffee-table-sized at over 10" by 12", its 304 pages are brimming with hundreds of color and B&W illustrations that span BattleTech's 25-year legacy. Additionally, the book contains:

# An 8-page, detailed treatise on the evolution of the BattleTech/MechWarrior computer games and the creation one of the most successful franchises in history: from The Crescent Hawks Inception to MechWarrior 2, Virtual World Entertainment Cockpits to MechWarrior 4 and more!
# A 25-page bibliography detailing every rulebook, box set, scenario pack and more ever sold for BattleTech/MechWarrior by FASA, FanPro, WizKids or Catalyst Game Labs; an era stamp with each entry allows for easy time period identification.
# A universe timeline from the launching of Crippen Station in 2005 until the reformation of the shattered Free Worlds League in 3139
# 18 all new stories from best selling, perennial authors Michael Stackpole, Robert Charrette, William H. Keith, Loren L. Coleman and authors; stories set from the time of the Star League to the Succession Wars, Clan Invasion to The Dark Age.
# A look at a host of licensed products over the years, from comic books to the cartoon, toys to patches, and more.


Heres a link to it on FRP Games...

http://frpgames.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=55603

The 25th Years of Art and Fiction has been out since LAST Gencon, when the actual 25th anniversary was. If you can find it, get it now. It wasn't supposed to be a huge print run.

I got mine last year, and it is pretty awesome. Even had Herb sign it.

I am very much looking forward to the BattleTech 25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set. I played BattleTech from 1988 until 2003 when I sold off most of my stuff, except for my ARC-2R Archer and my BattleTech hex maps.

Since hearing that this product is coming out I have begun to buy more 'Mechs off e-bay and I'm hoping at least one games store in Winnipeg will be a good venue for finding other players.

DeathwingCrusader wrote:I am very much looking forward to the BattleTech 25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set. I played BattleTech from 1988 until 2003 when I sold off most of my stuff, except for my ARC-2R Archer and my BattleTech hex maps.

Since hearing that this product is coming out I have begun to buy more 'Mechs off e-bay and I'm hoping at least one games store in Winnipeg will be a good venue for finding other players.

There are several battletech sites that should be able to help you find local players. Just search "battletech forums" on your fave search engine.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Mattlov wrote:The 25th Years of Art and Fiction has been out since LAST Gencon, when the actual 25th anniversary was. If you can find it, get it now. It wasn't supposed to be a huge print run.

I got mine last year, and it is pretty awesome. Even had Herb sign it.

Still pretty plentiful it seems. At least 5 on ebay, FRP Games says their stock is 4+. However, all are listed at full retail, so no cheapie deals to be had.

http://www.catalystdemos.com

Find local players and Agents (like me) to run game and play in official events.

Mad4Minis wrote:

Mattlov wrote:The 25th Years of Art and Fiction has been out since LAST Gencon, when the actual 25th anniversary was. If you can find it, get it now. It wasn't supposed to be a huge print run.

I got mine last year, and it is pretty awesome. Even had Herb sign it.

Still pretty plentiful it seems. At least 5 on ebay, FRP Games says their stock is 4+. However, all are listed at full retail, so no cheapie deals to be had.

Amazon for the win! link

Mattlov wrote:
The two new 'Mechs don't make much sense, but hey, whatever. New box set.

The boxset contains a Summoner and Hellbringer, in superior quality to the spheroid rabble.
Call yourself a Mattlov.

Hordini wrote:Yeeeeesssss.....I'm planning on getting this.

That is the spirit.

Another note on the 25 year book...the classic battletech site lists it as still in print.

Which is good for me as I dont really need to be spending the $ right now.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Orlanth wrote:

Mattlov wrote:
The two new 'Mechs don't make much sense, but hey, whatever. New box set.

The boxset contains a Summoner and Hellbringer, in superior quality to the spheroid rabble.
Call yourself a Mattlov.

Hordini wrote:Yeeeeesssss.....I'm planning on getting this.

That is the spirit.

AH, so it contains a Thor and Loki...being plastic but better quality than the others in the box they must be the old blue plastic ones they released in the early 90s.

They are new sculpts on the sprue in multi parts similar to a GW plastics sprue.

Frankly they should be doing a lot more of this, and sooner.

Orlanth wrote:They are new sculpts on the sprue in multi parts similar to a GW plastics sprue.

Frankly they should be doing a lot more of this, and sooner.

Agreed, I prefer the GW plastics to the metals...would love BT to go the same route. Especially if it brought the price down a bit.

Mad4Minis wrote:

Orlanth wrote:They are new sculpts on the sprue in multi parts similar to a GW plastics sprue.

Frankly they should be doing a lot more of this, and sooner.

Agreed, I prefer the GW plastics to the metals...would love BT to go the same route. Especially if it brought the price down a bit.

Battletech really doesn't sell in enough bulk to do plastics like GW. These relatively short production runs of laser-cut CAD plastics are the best Battletech can do feasibly.

On the flip side, doing that alienates one of the longest partnerships the BT community has had, the people at Ral Partha/Iron Wind Metals. It is a pretty fine line to walk down.

Isnt it Ironwind that is doing the Loki/Thor multipart?

Remember battletech is more of a board game than a 'miniatures' game when it comes down to it. I love having a couple of battalions of plastic crappy mech figures with the occasional Ral Partha gem here and there. Ultimately though, I used to play in the high school cafeteria on a map made with notebook paper and hand drawn hexes on it, using scraps of paper as mech markers. The game is still just as good even if you have to use your imagination. Just having the basic 1st edition book and the 3025 readout kept me sane in the middle of lonely nights when I was on sabbatical in NY surrounded by people who were too cool to be gamer geeks. I looked foreward to getting home from rehearsal just so I could play out another turn or two against myself on my hand drawn notebook paper maps. I would love to get that set, but I would even more love to find some of the old origionals, if anything just for nostalgias sake.

DevianID wrote:Isnt it Ironwind that is doing the Loki/Thor multipart?

That would be interesting, as Iron Wind doesnt do plastic stuff. it would be cool to see them start, since they have all the molds for the mechs already. They would just need to set up for plastic instead/in addition to metal.

Mad4Minis wrote:

DevianID wrote:Isnt it Ironwind that is doing the Loki/Thor multipart?

That would be interesting, as Iron Wind doesnt do plastic stuff. it would be cool to see them start, since they have all the molds for the mechs already. They would just need to set up for plastic instead/in addition to metal.

No, IWM did NOT do the plastic ones. It was a separate 3d Printing company who's name escapes me at the moment. IWM didn't know about it until they were released at GenCon last year, from what I hear.

Makes sense. It would be a huge investment to set up for plastic. I operate plastic injection molding machines for a living. Even a small machine, one large enough to do just a couple mechs at a time, would weigh several thousand pounds and cost tens of thousands of dollars. Never mind the equipment to make the molds and other related things. Its best left to a place already in the business.


That being said, I do look forward to many plastic mechs. Maybe in sets of 3 or 4 for around $20, instead of a single metal mech for $10.

Mattlov wrote:

On the flip side, doing that alienates one of the longest partnerships the BT community has had, the people at Ral Partha/Iron Wind Metals. It is a pretty fine line to walk down.

The same thing occurred to me. It would be a shame to see Iron Wind get shafted. IMO the best thing for everyone would be for Iron Wind to start casting in resin instead of metal. Im pretty sure you could use the same molds since both are cast as opposed to plastic thats injection molded. If they went to resin the price could probably come down a bit, which would be great.

For instance...I just got a lance of mechs and a hex bases for just shy of $50...and thats on ebay not full retail. Full IW retail would have probably been closer to $60. Id love to build a 100+ much collection like I used to have many years ago, but at those prices it probably wont ever happen. Likely $$ that would have been spent on BT will go to other games. If the $$ went a little farther, say 6 mechs for $50ish instead of 4 mechs, I might send more towards BT. I want far more than I can afford, and many times how far a set amount of $$ goes with a particular game/mini series weighs heavily in the spending decision.


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Guitardian wrote:Remember battletech is more of a board game than a 'miniatures' game ...

Ill disagree. For me it was the miniatures that sold the game to me. I was introduced to it after school one day by a friend of mine. When he told me a bit about it I was just thinking ok, whatever lets try it. When he broke out the minis I went nuts. Ive always been a mecha & armor fan, as well as an avid modeler, so when I saw those minis I went ape. I was all about minis from that day forward...even after 18 years (with a few breaks) I still am.

Mad4Minis wrote:Makes sense. It would be a huge investment to set up for plastic. I operate plastic injection molding machines for a living. Even a small machine, one large enough to do just a couple mechs at a time, would weigh 2 tons and cost 4 critical slots. Never mind the equipment to make the molds and other related things. Its best left to a place already in the business.

Fixed.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Mattlov wrote:
No, IWM did NOT do the plastic ones. It was a separate 3d Printing company who's name escapes me at the moment. IWM didn't know about it until they were released at GenCon last year, from what I hear.

I can see how that would worrit them.

Mad4Minis wrote:
The same thing occurred to me. It would be a shame to see Iron Wind get shafted. IMO the best thing for everyone would be for Iron Wind to start casting in resin instead of metal. Im pretty sure you could use the same molds since both are cast as opposed to plastic thats injection molded. If they went to resin the price could probably come down a bit, which would be great.

The trouble is both Catalyst and Iron Wind are victims of small thinking, what plastic they do do is outsourced to China, a humongous no no for anything who wants to retain control of their company. At least unlike Rackham the outsourced plastics are a restricted item.

A US based plastic mechs franchise would help both companies. The trick is to provide quality multi part kits then limit which ones you do.
Easiest limitation is to cover everything from 3050, the most popular genre, unseen allowing but that and that alone in plastic.

Any other miniature, plus all the oni configuation bits other than prime as some as metals.

This has the advantage of a loss leader, except it need not even lose money of itself. by increasing the size of quality miniature collections you aslso encourage people to buy more. The the monet unkles people have a preexisting collection they are unlikely to buy more than a handful of minitures or the game.
If youever boxsts give every player several ciompanies/binaries of mechs as a staerter collection, it will be followed up by a much larger scale of purchase of other items.

Even GW realised this one, when the game scale of Warhammer changed from 50 model skirmish 'armies' to 150+ miniatures a side profits rose.

They used to give away 14 plastic mechs of the origional macross ones with every basic set, and have plas-tech horribly bad miniatures but still usable and can be passable if painted. I like having some figs and I like personalizing them with paintjobs too, but the painting standard for Btech is nowhere near like 40k, since the figs are nowhere near as clean cut. I have a Crusader that never lost a game, that I painted all white with a red cross on its chest. The paint job is horrible compared to GW standards because the figure itself is so murky on detail. But that kind of makes it fun too. When you have a crap canvas, it's fun to muck about with goofy experimental paint jobs. Nobody expects a plastic Btech mech to have the same level of detail as say a Tau crisis suit, because the models are so primitive.

Old ral partha line on the other hand... I have a handful of them (jenner, 2 commandos, vulcan, whitworth, hatchetman) and they are exquisite. I miss ral partha, they were the pinnacle of sculpture quality in the days before 'heroic' scale cartoon character figs with massively oversized weapons and fists as big as their heads became the norm.

Guitardian wrote:They used to give away 14 plastic mechs of the origional macross ones with every basic set, and have plas-tech horribly bad miniatures but still usable and can be passable if painted. I like having some figs and I like personalizing them with paintjobs too, but the painting standard for Btech is nowhere near like 40k, since the figs are nowhere near as clean cut. I have a Crusader that never lost a game, that I painted all white with a red cross on its chest. The paint job is horrible compared to GW standards because the figure itself is so murky on detail. But that kind of makes it fun too. When you have a crap canvas, it's fun to muck about with goofy experimental paint jobs. Nobody expects a plastic Btech mech to have the same level of detail as say a Tau crisis suit, because the models are so primitive.

Old ral partha line on the other hand... I have a handful of them (jenner, 2 commandos, vulcan, whitworth, hatchetman) and they are exquisite. I miss ral partha, they were the pinnacle of sculpture quality in the days before 'heroic' scale cartoon character figs with massively oversized weapons and fists as big as their heads became the norm.

The Iron Wind Metals metal mechs are pretty nice, Id say on par with the RP mechs. Back in the early 90s someone made some blue plastic (possibly resin) mechs that were good quality. The plastic ones that come with the current "classic" box set(s) are pretty much like the plas-tec ones were...pretty wonky but they get the job done. When I pick up the 25th anniv box Im just gonna slap a single color on them, a couple simple details, then dip them. Ill put more work into the metal mechs I pick up.

No street date, yet.

But at least it's gone to printing:

http://battletech.catalystgamelabs.com/2011/01/24/we-have-25th-anniversary-box-sign/