Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

BrianDavion wrote:
not sure I'd call it a RPG alpha strike. it's a "narrative" RPG which is useally code for "minimal mechanics sit down with your buddies and tell a story.."

And I'm not sure I'd call Alpha Strike "Battletech". It's a super-stripped down version of the core rules that removes all levels of detail and flavour just so you can smash minis together and make pew pew noises.

But, y'now: Tomayto/tomahto.

And I'm not sure I'd call Alpha Strike "Battletech"

I wouldn't

 warboss wrote:
Yeah, those are the ones off the top of my head I was thinking in regards to the game type I asked about. I hesitate to call it "skirmish" as the model count would be likely bigger than most CBT lances or small scale as it would either be the same literal scale for model convienence or bigger (if 3d printed) to adjust to the new focus.

A lot depends on how much you'd call "skirmish" level. If you're talking about a Squad of basic ground pounders of Conventional Infantry (average size is 7), like WarCry or current Kill Team, at most, then yeah, getting Battle Armor can be a small challenge, but Vehicles, ProtoMechs, and even Light Mechs may be too far, though WarCry does have a game design for things like that. If you're willing to grow up to an Infinity-scale game or a platoon of those basic ground pounders, then it can work out.

A lot will depend on the level of detail and survivability of each of the units in question. Battletech takes a long time to play even with 4 units on a side partially because of the detail, but also because of just how survivable each unit can be. Oh, there are units which won't survive a lot of attention, but they are cheap so you usually them to fill up a small amount of points or to do what's called "Initiative Sinking" with a bunch of them (Players trade of actions in the Movement Phase, so having 5 cheap ConvInf Platoons supporting 3 Mechs can force a player with 4 mechs to be moving 1 opponent's Mech for up to 2 of the their units, prioritizing the very slow Foot Infantry).

If your average Foot Infantry only takes a hit or two with regular rifles to take out, having a dozen or two on the board isn't that big of a problem, but they'd have to be able to handle what the opponent can bring to the table, too. 28 riflemen should have a challenge when facing off against a Gorgon Protomech or two equipped with Anti-infantry weaponry. In the larger Total Warfare and Alpha Strike rules, it would require those PBI to be in buildings in order to have a chance, as being outside of one allows the full force of their weaponry to be at play.

 warboss wrote:
Would anyone be interested in that or is that just not really what dedicated want from this IP?

With some people showing an interest in someone's personal write up of "Infantry Strike" (Alpha Strike, but at BattleTroops level), I wouldn't dismiss it as something no one would be interested in.

 Ghaz wrote:
From the Official BattleTech Forums:

Weirdo wrote:Per the Leviathans AMA, the Spector is confirmed for the Kickstarter.

Sweet! We're getting the Spector to go along with the Exterminator!

And here's the concept sketch for the Spector...

More information on the Combat Vehicle Force Packs we'll see with the Kickstarter. From the Official BattleTech Forums:

shivanwurm wrote:Scroggins made a post on his patreon featuring what he is saying is the vehicles in thier intended pack, and called it a bit of a product preview.

2x
Behemoth
Ontos
Skulker
Warrior.

So 8 vehicles per box. Or 2/3rds of a company.

so question for you guys... if someone wanted to jump back in to BT what would be the best place to start?
what if said person didnt care for the standard mech designs but liked the MWO version of the mechs... any recommendations how to handle that?

some of the 50 year old sculpts look 50 years old... bleh

 usernamesareannoying wrote:
so question for you guys... if someone wanted to jump back in to BT what would be the best place to start?
what if said person didnt care for the standard mech designs but liked the MWO version of the mechs... any recommendations how to handle that?

some of the 50 year old sculpts look 50 years old... bleh

Well, miniatures aren't required to begin with so you could just play with chits to represent the 'Mechs if you want to. The newly redesigned plastic 'Mechs are really nice but if you have your heart set on MWO designs you will either need to have a 3D printer or find someone online who can print them out for you.

Thanks ghaz. There are redesigns?
So what rules/starter set to get?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Additional question.
Whatever happened to Solaris 7?
I seem to remember that being pretty fun

 usernamesareannoying wrote:
Thanks ghaz. There are redesigns?
So what rules/starter set to get?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Additional question.
Whatever happened to Solaris 7?
I seem to remember that being pretty fun

There are two ways to get started: with Models, without Models.

With Models:
The Beginner Box (getting a new release with the new Vindicator Mech as well as the Griffin)
A Game of Armored Combat (8 Classic Mechs)
Clan Invasion
Alpha Strike (Coming soon with 13 models, 2 of which are new sculpts)

Without Models:
Total Warfare - For Classic Battletech general rules for ground game units (and water-based untis), with some air/space craft rules.
Technical Manual - For creating units that operate with Total Warfare.
Battlemech Manual - For Classic Battletech general rules of Mechs only, has some rules for equipment from Tactical Operations and Campaign Operations (Quirks, specifically)
Alpha Strike: Commander's Edition - For your Alpha Strike needs (if you're playing them).

For more advanced equipment and rules:
Tactical Operations series - Split in to more advanced rules like weather OR more advanced equipment like artillery, or fancy armors.
Interstellar Operations series - Split in to the Alpha Strike precursor BattleForce OR period-specific equipment like Tripods or Nova Combined Electronic Weapon System.

Thanks for the info charistoph, that’s what i needed

'BattleTech at GenCon 2022' on the Official BattleTech website.

Find an avalanche of new products at our booth, 1611!

* Alpha Strike Box Set
* Mercenary-themed Beginner Box (now includes the Vindicator)
* Empire Alone
* Technical Readout: Dark Age
* A Time of War Reprint (Vintage-cover)
* CountersPack: BattleForce
* 10 new metal dice pucks (Republic of the Sphere, Rasalhague Dominion, Raven Alliance, Clan Sea Fox, Magistracy of Canopus, Kell Hounds, Hansen’s Roughriders, Avanti’s Angels, Black Thorns, Camacho’s Caballeros)
* New T-shirt
** Various new novels in print form including A Question of Survival by Bryan Young, and Land of Dreams by Randall N. Bills

 usernamesareannoying wrote:
Thanks ghaz. There are redesigns?

Not long again there was a Kickstarter that saw a bit over 100 'Mechs go through a complete redesign to give them a unifying and updated art style. Since then even more 'Mechs have been updated, with new boxes of plastic 'Mechs coming out slowly. And, on top of that, a further KS is planned with even more redesigns, including vehicle redesigns.

So you don't have to worry about ancient sculpts, as they're getting replaced - and replaced in plastic! - at a pretty decent rate.

To help out and make it more streamlined- search for 'Battletech Force Pack' it should show you all of the new plastic ones.

Catalyst Game Labs wrote:Catalyst Game Labs recently suspended publishing new works by long-time BattleTech author Blaine Lee Pardoe, primarily due to Mr. Pardoe’s online activities which do not align with Catalyst’s publishing vision. This has nothing to do with Mr. Pardoe’s quality of work or ongoing sales, or (as reported elsewhere) his personal feud(s) with other fan(s) of the BattleTech brand. Mr. Pardoe has been instrumental to the BattleTech IP over the years, and we wish him well in his ongoing, professional career.
This decision was made in consultation with Topps Entertainment, owners of the BattleTech intellectual property, but final determination was by Catalyst Game Labs.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 usernamesareannoying wrote:
Thanks ghaz. There are redesigns?

Not long again there was a Kickstarter that saw a bit over 100 'Mechs go through a complete redesign to give them a unifying and updated art style. Since then even more 'Mechs have been updated, with new boxes of plastic 'Mechs coming out slowly. And, on top of that, a further KS is planned with even more redesigns, including vehicle redesigns.

So you don't have to worry about ancient sculpts, as they're getting replaced - and replaced in plastic! - at a pretty decent rate.

I believe it was 92 'Mechs in the first Kickstarter, with the upcoming one to have "more than 50" but "less than the first Kickstarter" so that would be between 51 and 91 . That does not include the Mercenary Force Packs or the Alpha Strike box (and I believe it wouldn't include the Vindicator in the new Beginner Box or the 'Mechs in 'A Game of Armored Combat').

 Gitzbitah wrote:
To help out and make it more streamlined- search for 'Battletech Force Pack' it should show you all of the new plastic ones.

The Force Packs can be found easily enough in the Catalyst Game Labs webstore:

Clan Force Packs

Inner Sphere Force Packs

ComStar Force Packs

You can see some of the upcoming Mercenary Force Packs and other products HERE plus you may want to start back at about page 65 of this thread as there's a lot of news for the upcoming Kickstarter.

Nevermind. The recent changes to his wikipedia page today tell me all I need to know.

Pretty sure any description of his book Blue Dawn tells you everything you need to know.

Apparently this has been something that was brewing for a while and theres a lot more going on then whats been said by either party. Supposedly hes become increasingly more difficult to work with on a professional basis and his political biases started ruffling fathers with CGLs staff and leadership (in that, he more or less brought those political biases to work with him and pissed off people at the office with regards to the things he said to them and around them, etc.). Certainly seems theres no love lost with the "studio" if the like/heart reacts from CGL staffers and freelancers on a FB comment I made are any indication.

I'm also wondering if this relates to the Creative Juggernaut Land & Sea thing at all and if thats not the real driver behind this. Its a blatant Battletech knockoff that seems to be setting itself up to compete with Battletech directly. Its also something that BLP has been working on for years now (evidently with the help of Battletechs main line director, if thats not a conflict of interest I don't know what is). We know the BT x CJ partnership for premium minis suddenly and mysteriously fell apart about a year back, and then last week CJ announced Land & Sea, and then in the brief window of time since then BLP got dumped... it seems too coincidental to be coincidental.

Considering how he takes every chance to bash "the Left" in his statement on it, I can definitely see him bringing his politics to the office. It's also amazing how much he can both self aggrandize and play the victim in said statement.

This isn't the first time we've discussed his 'beliefs' in his books..

 Ghaz wrote:
This isn't the first time we've discussed his 'beliefs' in his books..

And Ekwatts put it best there. The book is emblematic of his beliefs, but is not the reason he's a problem.

chaos0xomega wrote:
Apparently this has been something that was brewing for a while and theres a lot more going on then whats been said by either party. Supposedly hes become increasingly more difficult to work with on a professional basis and his political biases started ruffling fathers with CGLs staff and leadership (in that, he more or less brought those political biases to work with him and pissed off people at the office with regards to the things he said to them and around them, etc.). Certainly seems theres no love lost with the "studio" if the like/heart reacts from CGL staffers and freelancers on a FB comment I made are any indication.

I'm also wondering if this relates to the Creative Juggernaut Land & Sea thing at all and if thats not the real driver behind this. Its a blatant Battletech knockoff that seems to be setting itself up to compete with Battletech directly. Its also something that BLP has been working on for years now (evidently with the help of Battletechs main line director, if thats not a conflict of interest I don't know what is). We know the BT x CJ partnership for premium minis suddenly and mysteriously fell apart about a year back, and then last week CJ announced Land & Sea, and then in the brief window of time since then BLP got dumped... it seems too coincidental to be coincidental.

As you said there is more than we don't know. Mr Pardoe is painting himself as the victim here, and to a certain extent I think that the lady doth protest too much, but Catalyst's announcement reads like a "we wanted to get rid of him, and were looking for an excuse"

M.

 Miguelsan wrote:
... but Catalyst's announcement reads like a "we wanted to get rid of him, and were looking for an excuse"

Which isn't a good thing either.

There are plenty of people at my work I know I disagree with on a political basis. That's no reason to get rid of them.

I suspect there is a looooot going behind the scenes I've likewise heard he's become a bit of a prima donna

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 Miguelsan wrote:
... but Catalyst's announcement reads like a "we wanted to get rid of him, and were looking for an excuse"

Which isn't a good thing either.

There are plenty of people at my work I know I disagree with on a political basis. That's no reason to get rid of them.

If its just you personally and the political difference is about something mundane like what the tax rate should be or the importance of socialized healthcare and education, then no - its not a good reason at all.

But, if the political difference involves calls for the overthrow of the legitimate and lawfully elected government in order to install a regime you find more palatable, or publishing disturbing political revenge-porn fantasies about the patriotic American right engaging in political violence and open warfare against the "woke left", and its 80% of your office who are made uncomfortable by these opinions, including some of your best artists, writers, and developers... then maybe you want to remove the guy before his bs causes your best people to quit.

Mind you, this assumes that "political differences" were the actual reason for his dismissal, as opposed to "we don't want to continue to employ someone who is using our product line as a platform to springboard the launch of his own competing product".

chaos0xomega wrote:

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 Miguelsan wrote:
... but Catalyst's announcement reads like a "we wanted to get rid of him, and were looking for an excuse"

Which isn't a good thing either.

There are plenty of people at my work I know I disagree with on a political basis. That's no reason to get rid of them.

If its just you personally and the political difference is about something mundane like what the tax rate should be or the importance of socialized healthcare and education, then no - its not a good reason at all.

But, if the political difference involves calls for the overthrow of the legitimate and lawfully elected government in order to install a regime you find more palatable, or publishing disturbing political revenge-porn fantasies about the patriotic American right engaging in political violence and open warfare against the "woke left", and its 80% of your office who are made uncomfortable by these opinions, including some of your best artists, writers, and developers... then maybe you want to remove the guy before his bs causes your best people to quit.

Mind you, this assumes that "political differences" were the actual reason for his dismissal, as opposed to "we don't want to continue to employ someone who is using our product line as a platform to springboard the launch of his own competing product".

But didn't you know that "tens of millions" of Americans share his political views?!

Didn't see this one coming. From the Official BattleTech Forums:

Death_from_above wrote:Anthony just posted Mobile Long Tom Artillery concept art on his Patreon.

Model will come on 2 bases : artillery vehicle and ammo/crew trailers.

Also : "So this one falls really nicely into the map objective token category for spicing up your games"

He's allowing the image to be shared, but requests we wait till Aug 4th (GenCon start).


Some more snippets from various comments on his Patreon :

Q : Is the Mobile HQ going to be in a ForcePack like this one or a stand alone product like the Shilone?
A : It'll be in a pack that is more objective focused.

So possibly : Mobile HQ, Mobile Long Tom,..


Q : Have the Imp, Falcon and Hornet been updated yet?
A : They won’t be making the cut this time.


Q : What a journey! My heart wants Reunification War-era mechs, like the Toro. My brain says it'd already be a slight stretch to ask for the Merlin. I think it deserves a little more attention as the first new mech in a while, and this focus on the 3025 era is probably the only time it'd make sense to do it. Also, it really, really needs some work. We could use a Karnov, too. It's the other VTOL that I think gets a lot of use.
A : Might have one of those for you

Since he confirmed the Warrior would be the only VTOL, that leaves the Toro or Merlin. Personally, I'm expecting the latter..


Q : "So, what is everyone looking forward to seeing from me the rest of the year?" Hatamoto-Chi, Manticore, Vedette, Hetzer.
A : I can get you two of those.

Since the Vedette has since been shown, my 5 C-bills for the remaining design are on the Manticore.

If they hadn't already announced the Vindicator as part of the Beginner Box, the Merlin would have fit in to replacing the Wolverine perfectly, being the traditional "this is how you build a 'Mech" example for a long time.