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Well, I made a bit of cash in Paypal recently, and I've been eying up the Battletech 25th Anniversary boxset. I'm a fan of mechs (it was the Warjacks that got me into Warmachine, and my Space Marines always take at least 3 Dreadnoughts).

So, I'm looking for some opinions. Is the set worth buying to someone who's completely new to Battletech? How are the rules, especially for someone versed in 40k, Warmachine, Malifaux, and Flames of War?

The trick, as with any game, is to have opponents. I refuse to buy any game for myself unless I know I'm going to have at least 6 opponents who will play at the drop of a hat.

I'm not versed in what is *in* the set, but I can say, that the hex based system that is Battle-tech is a lot of fun, and a pretty robust little system, that doesn't reward players for going first, isn't exactly easy to abuse, (although, there are some pretty nasty, and completely cheesy things out there)

The trick to the game, is to ignore the card-board punchouts even exist, and buy and paint the pewter mini's. There's just no comparison.

The thing that I always enjoyed the most when I was playing, was the ability to sit down and build my own Mech's. Then as I got older, I found that using the pre-made mechs from the various time periods/factions to be a tad more challenging and fun, even though it wasn't exactly streamlined in a "power-gamers" sense of the notion.

The most annoying element for a 40k/fantasy player porting over is also the most innovative system of the game. Each mech will have a full page layout of a standard 2 arm, 2 leg, head, body, printout. On that printout there will be several dots that can be filled in as the mech takes damage, As your madcat/atlas/mantis takes damage to certain reigons of its body, you pick up the paper, and fill in x dots in that reigon. So if he takes 12 points of damage to his body, you fill in 12 little bubbles, as you run out of armor bubbles he starts taking damage on a second chart which is internal structure. Damage to the IS revvs up quickly, because collateral damage starts to occur due to criticals when taking points off of IS. The book-keeping is tedious, and can get annoying in the heat of the battle, especially when you have 10 mechs and a stack of papers. The game doesn't play smoothly at its most critical points because you can't just look at the mech on the table and know whats going on. You have to look at the mech, then look at its loadout, then back at the mech, then at the mech standing next to it... so on and so forth...

Overall, it was one of the industry leaders for a long time because of a great storyline, amazing background, iconic mechs, and an innovative rules system.

There are some downsides, but it's to be expected of any war-simulation game from that era, because that was the standard. If you can get past this, you'll have a fruitful career leading a mech Lance into a battle.

The 25th Anniversary BattleTech Box Set is a MUST buy for anyone interested in playing BattleTech. Check out this review below (at the bottom of the review is a video showing EVERYTHING that comes in the 25th ABB Set and there is A LOT!!!:

http://www.purplepawn.com/2011/03/hands-on-battletech-25th-anniversary-boxed-set/

This game has been around for over a quarter century and is still going very strong. If you want to find players in your area, go to www.classicbattletech.com look around the forums. There are several forum topics that link players to other players.

Thanks, Ragnar and Deathwing. I put my order in today!

If you want to know the next steps once you get the introductory rules down, this is the way to go:

Here is the path of stuff in a general way:

Intro Box
Total Warfare
Technical Readouts
Solaris Skunk Werks - Free 'Mech creation software http://www.solarisskunkwerks.com
TechManual
Tactical Operations (We have a rule for that)
Strategic Operations


Now at any point after you get Total Warfare, there is a metric buttload of sourcebooks and other non-essential books available to you. On BattleCorps http://www.battlecorps.com you can download a bunch of PDFs of old scenario books, sourcebooks through the decades Battletech has been around, and tons of other things like Record Sheets. Hint: If you get Skunk Werks, you only need Record Sheets for vehicles and infantry. Blank versions are available at the site Orlanth mentioned.

Also, head over to http://www.catalystdemos.com and sign up as a player. You can find local Demo Agents (like me) and other local players.

And yes, this is a copy-paste from another thread. I've said it a few times.

Mattlov wrote:If you want to know the next steps once you get the introductory rules down, this is the way to go:

Here is the path of stuff in a general way:

Intro Box
Total Warfare
Technical Readouts
Solaris Skunk Werks - Free 'Mech creation software http://www.solarisskunkwerks.com
TechManual
Tactical Operations (We have a rule for that)
Strategic Operations


Now at any point after you get Total Warfare, there is a metric buttload of sourcebooks and other non-essential books available to you. On BattleCorps http://www.battlecorps.com you can download a bunch of PDFs of old scenario books, sourcebooks through the decades Battletech has been around, and tons of other things like Record Sheets. Hint: If you get Skunk Werks, you only need Record Sheets for vehicles and infantry. Blank versions are available at the site Orlanth mentioned.

Also, head over to http://www.catalystdemos.com and sign up as a player. You can find local Demo Agents (like me) and other local players.

And yes, this is a copy-paste from another thread. I've said it a few times.

Thanks! I was actually going to come back and ask about this, but it looks like you beat me to it!

By the way, I was passing some time in a local used-bookstore, when I saw the world 'Battletech' hidden behind some books. Lo and behold, I stumbled upon books V, VI, and VII of the 'Twilight of the Clans' series!

Nice! But I'd find some older ones to start out with. The Warrior Trilogy and the Blood of Kerensky Trilogy are two of the trilogies which help set up the universe for you.

Twilight of the Clans (especially starting with those 3 books) might just leave you confused.

infinite_array wrote:Thanks, Ragnar and Deathwing. I put my order in today!

Awesome, welcome to the world of Battletech. Ive been playing (off and on) since 1994. It was the game that introduced me to miniatures gaming.

Ive got a few pics of some very basically painted Battletech mechs in my gallery if you want to get a feel for what they look like. They are from Iron Wind Metals, the current manufacturer of Battletech minis.

Mad4Minis wrote:

infinite_array wrote:Thanks, Ragnar and Deathwing. I put my order in today!

Awesome, welcome to the world of Battletech. Ive been playing (off and on) since 1994. It was the game that introduced me to miniatures gaming.

Ive got a few pics of some very basically painted Battletech mechs in my gallery if you want to get a feel for what they look like. They are from Iron Wind Metals, the current manufacturer of Battletech minis.

Actually, that reminds me of something I wanted to ask.

Are there any Mechs that I will definitely want to purchase after getting the set, even if only for their iconic nature in Battletech?

I used to play immense amounts of B Tech when it was a new system, i.e. first and second editions.

The system had a couple of major changes after I stopped playing, mainly the introduction of "X technology" (that is, much better Mechs, something that happened in Star Fleet Battles too).

The models you want will depend on the period of the game you decide to play.

I personally like the "Unseens" which are the original metal models done by Ral Partha for the first edition. They had to be withdrawn because of violation of Japanese copyrights.

You might pick be able to pick them up on eBay or at second hand sales. Some of the Iron Wind models are clearly based on the original models -- for example the Bombardier is obviously the Archer.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
http://brianscache.com/unseen/

A listing of all the Unseens.

If you like the Clans, you'll want some Timber Wolves (AKA Mad Cats). Almost everything in TRO: 3025 is more or less iconic at this point - I personally like the Grasshopper, Panther, Catapult, Centurion, Dervish, Zeus and Awesome.

Most of the Unseen are very cool, as well.

Thanks, guys.

I visited Historicon today, and was completely surprised to find that Iron Wind Metals had booth there! I picked up a Rifleman and Warhammer.

I also got a chance to play in a free-for-all match for a bit, which my participation in ended when I charged another 'mech with my heavily damaged Locust. I managed to kill it, but the resulting fall gave me 2 critical hits, effectively putting me out of the game at that point.

Style points, even if you kill yourself, are always worth it. Charges and DFA's earn a lot of Style Points.

Because playing it safe it for wimps.

IWM usually has a booth at Historicon, Origins, and GenCon. Not sure where else they frequent, but that are ALWAYS at those Cons.

I remember the Locust being a 20 ton scout unit armed with a medium laser and two machine guns.

Kilkrazy wrote:I remember the Locust being a 20 ton scout unit armed with a medium laser and two machine guns.

You can still get it that way.

Some of the Iron Wind models are clearly based on the original models -- for example the Bombardier is obviously the Archer

Actually the Bombardier is a separate design from the Archer. It is a Star League era 'mech and was introduced well before the events that led to the Archer and several other 'mechs becoming 'Unseen'.

As for conventions, IWM always shows up at CincyCon as well. After all, they are located in Cincinnati.

Am I the only one who actually likes the new versions of the Unseen they made a while back? Sure, they're not as iconic as the originals, but I find myself really liking the new look of say, the Marauder 2.

Vertrucio wrote:Am I the only one who actually likes the new versions of the Unseen they made a while back? Sure, they're not as iconic as the originals,

They weren't bad, just not iconic!

Ghaz wrote:

Some of the Iron Wind models are clearly based on the original models -- for example the Bombardier is obviously the Archer

Actually the Bombardier is a separate design from the Archer. It is a Star League era 'mech and was introduced well before the events that led to the Archer and several other 'mechs becoming 'Unseen'.

As for conventions, IWM always shows up at CincyCon as well. After all, they are located in Cincinnati.

I think that would have been a piece of background brought in later than the first edition. Or else I've forgotten ever reading about the Bombardier.

Where do people buy the new models? I have a bunch of the original Ral Partha that I might add to.

Kilkrazy wrote:

Where do people buy the new models? I have a bunch of the original Ral Partha that I might add to.

http://www.ironwindmetals.com/store/index.php


I don't like the new Marauder. I really like the Phoenix hawk. Most of the rest are a decent, but not my favorite of designs.

The Bombardier was introduced in TRO 2750 which was released in 1989.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
History of Ral Partha and Iron Wind Metals.

Long after my time. I stopped playing the game in the early 90s. But I kept all my models!!!1!

Huh? How is 1989 long after the early '90s?

Using the lunar calender maybe?

check out my post in the introduction section.

my friends and I play Battletech. I have BOTH of the re-release starter sets. My buddy has all the original Ral Partha stuff too.

I will have to take pictured of his collection of original battletech stuff. its amazing.

we are building a new Btech table as well as a warhammer table.

I have a posting on Classicbattletech.net as well. some of the minis I have painted are there. I am working on more.

I will be sure to post them up.

but YES, please do get the box starter set, its an amazing deal for what it is, and its definitely worth the money. I am tempted to buy another one actually.

Kilkrazy wrote:Long after my time. I stopped playing the game in the early 90s. But I kept all my models!!!1!

I played from about 1994-2001, but i didnt keep my models. Figured after the wife and first kid I wouldnt be gaming ever again, so I got rid of all my gaming stuff. A few years later i was back into gaming. Wish I had kept my BT minis at least. I had all the popular, and now expensive, unseens...and many conversions based on the unseens.

I bought the Classic Battletech boxed set when Cataclysm put it out a few years ago. I played in an intro tourney back in '92, but missed my opportunity to get into it. I even passed up a chance to see Michael Stackpole at a local convention. Doh!!!

It's the same as the anniversary boxed set, but it comes with an exclusive Mech. It's neat how it comes with two dozen mech figures. I found a capsule machine near my work that had mech style robots, I spent a few dollars snagging some to kitbash. I also popped off some of the Dark Ages infantry stands and tanks off the clicky bases to use with the game.

Thanks for the links, now to find someone to play with.:(

wittzo wrote:Thanks for the links, now to find someone to play with.:(

Look at my post above and go to the Catalyst Demos site.