[BattleTech] Death From Above! New starter boxes coming soon...ish?

Tigliss

So this came up in the mechwarrior thread... was there a point where the internal engine HS was always 10? or didn't have to be 10? I remember making mechs like that way (waaaaay) back when. Did me and my buddies read that wrong or was it a revision at some point? Because we made a Piranha way before it was a real mech and only had 5 DHS.

H3Knuckles

Tigliss wrote: »

So this came up in the mechwarrior thread... was there a point where the internal engine HS was always 10? or didn't have to be 10? I remember making mechs like that way (waaaaay) back when. Did me and my buddies read that wrong or was it a revision at some point? Because we made a Piranha way before it was a real mech and only had 5 DHS.

I seem to recall the rules requiring at least 10 heat sinks on any mech (if the engine is so light they aren't built into it, you have to account for the discrepancy), but I can't point you to anything specific offhand. I could go check my 4th Ed construction rules later on (also the Battletech Master Rules if people want).

Tigliss

H3Knuckles wrote: »

Tigliss wrote: »

So this came up in the mechwarrior thread... was there a point where the internal engine HS was always 10? or didn't have to be 10? I remember making mechs like that way (waaaaay) back when. Did me and my buddies read that wrong or was it a revision at some point? Because we made a Piranha way before it was a real mech and only had 5 DHS.

I seem to recall the rules requiring at least 10 heat sinks on any mech (if the engine is so light they aren't built into it, you have to account for the discrepancy), but I can't point you to anything specific offhand. I could go check my 4th Ed construction rules later on (also the Battletech Master Rules if people want).

I'm thinking if it were a thing, it would be pre-"Battletech Compendium".

Orogogus

Fusion engines have always come with 10 heat sinks for no additional tonnage, but The Rules of Warfare rulebook (1987) introduced integrated engine crits -- in the older construction rules you had to allocate all the crits. The rule change introducing integrated engine heat sink crits (engine rating/25) predates the introduction of double heat sinks (TRO 2750, as far as I know), though. Possibly it was a misinterpretation of the crit rule?

Having to allocate tonnage for underweight engines is a MWO thing, I think, although I seem to remember the way it's calculated it comes out the same anyways. But in tabletop you wouldn't be able to fit 10 heat sinks on a 5 ton Savannah Master if you had to account for that weight.

Nips

Hey, Battletech fam. Long time, no see!

So today I managed to steal some time, graciously provided by my in-laws visiting to see Baby Nips, to finish a project that I've been sitting on for a bit.

One of the reasons I pre-ordered a Glowforge was to build tiny Stompy Robots, and now that I've had some time with mine I attacked this: Project Rebuild A Hussar's Stupid Legs.

This is a Hussar:


I bought one off of eBay a while back for cheap. I love the stats on paper, but BOY OH BOY did I hate those legs. I mean, look at ' em! They're spindly, and limp looking, and most importantly they don't have any hips. Thus, no torso twisting. But as far as I could read, there's no statline for it where the "No Torso Twist" Quirk is applied to it. Even more damning, there's official art of variants of it, that have a hip socket!


But those legs, while functional, are also ugly. They also deviate from the reverse-knee look of the original, that I actually like a lot.

So I stewed. And I searched. And then I found someone's art rendition that was good: it kept the reverse-knee joint, but also gave the damn thing hips and some notion that it could torso twist:


And thus my mind was set: I was going to use my Glowforge to model and cut some new legs, and make this Hussar fig of mine less dumb.

After a few hours of working on the art, and then a few hours of fiddling with cuts and assembly, here's my new shiny Hussar.

Now that's a 'Mech that looks like it breaks 150 kph while torso twisting! For a first effort in Stompy Bot manufacturing, it's not perfect, but I'm happy with it.

see317

The Hussar is half unseen?

Nips

see317 wrote: »

The Hussar is half unseen?

Funny thing about clear acrylic: it makes for fabulous material for 'Mechs that mount a Chameleon LPS cloak.

Betsuni

That is one awesome figure now! So guessing you're enjoying the glowforge? Hopefully you'll have some time to make more figs... Like MWO molds.

DaMoonRulz

https://twitter.com/WeBeHarebrained/status/963172143000424456

Ianator

For the past couple of months I've been GMing our campaign, 3080 Escorpion Imperio versus Coyote shitstirrers.

I capped off this particular story arc last weekend. It was pretty neat.

Nips

http://www.sarna.net/news/community-outreach-interview-with-brent-evans-lead-battletech-developer-at-catalyst-games/

Box sets this year! Timeline advancement!

Tigliss

Good news/bad news:
Robotech Tactics wave 2 is dead. (So many stingers/wasps to build still)
We have a release date April 18th!

TOGSolid

Oooh, shiny new models and books. I've been waiting on those to become a thing before I started figure collecting.

That may also explain what I was coming here to ask about. I was at Guardian Games in Portland and noticed a complete lack of Battletech products, which then got me realizing I rarely ever see anything BT tabletop related in the wild. Is Catalyst just keeping quiet in anticipation of the new box sets and models or is BT just generally really badly marketed?

Nips

TOGSolid wrote: »

Oooh, shiny new models and books. I've been waiting on those to become a thing before I started figure collecting.

That may also explain what I was coming here to ask about. I was at Guardian Games in Portland and noticed a complete lack of Battletech products, which then got me realizing I rarely ever see anything BT tabletop related in the wild. Is Catalyst just keeping quiet in anticipation of the new box sets and models or is BT just generally really badly marketed?

(Most of what follows is my sense of it, from paying attention to CGL's movin's and shakin's over the last several years)

For CGL, it's that most of its Battletech products:
1) Don't have very large print runs.
2) Don't have a lot of releases in any given year.
3) Are available in distribution channels, but generally not carried by brick and mortar stores for lack of a dedicated playerbase, because...
4) At least until the push with the new boxed sets this year, doesn't have a good entry product for new players to grow the existing (small) playerbase.
5) And oh yeah, CGL basically doesn't have a marketing budget. At least that we see outside of certain conventions.

What would they market, and to whom? Until this year, the target demo has been the existing playerbase, basically all of whom are tuned in enough to know what's in the pipe and what's available. Hopefully with BATTLETECH (PC) coming out this year new players will be encouraged to try the tabletop game, and the launch of the new Intro Box sets will provide that starting product to point new players at.

Somewhat related, a gripe of mine: Because CGL doesn't seem to have much headroom for a centralized, company-run Organized Play program (despite having a moderately healthy network of Demo Agents), their only real new player outreach doesn't have a strong core of events to attract players. To my understanding, it's left to Demo Agents to schedule whatever kind of events they would like to run, and barring the yearly Worldwide Event there's no real guiding hand from CGL. And even with those the last several years worth of Worldwide Events have been designed, published, distributed, and run by Demo Agents with only a modicum of oversight from CGL itself.

Tox

X-posting, but for those who didn't know...

Calamity Jane wrote: »

ive finally got this off the ol'e bucket list. harebrained schemes put me in a fucking video game

Our own Calamity Jane is officially a Mechwarrior!

(posted with her permission, of course)

Nips

Is Jane a gen-one Oosik? 'Cause that's baller.

Even if not, that's baller.

Nips

Oh shit, the CGL new releases page is updated! AWOOGA AWOOGA!

https://bg.battletech.com/books/upcoming-releases/

DaMoonRulz

@Nips

https://twitter.com/CGL_BattleTech/status/975483545610276864

Ianator

A few members of my BT group are going to be running games at a local convention in June and I'm going to be helping them.

...Looks like our jobs just got a bit more complicated.

DaMoonRulz

@Ianator what's local?

Inquisitor

New Alpha Strike rules sound nice. I like the idea of alpha strike but the old rules were kinda flat.

New models look great.

I’m a bit annoyed that there are 9 new models but only 8 come in the big new starter, you have to grab the other starter and get a bunch of redundant stuff if you want the whole set.

Nips

Inquisitor wrote: »

New Alpha Strike rules sound nice. I like the idea of alpha strike but the old rules were kinda flat.

New models look great.

I’m a bit annoyed that there are 9 new models but only 8 come in the big new starter, you have to grab the other starter and get a bunch of redundant stuff if you want the whole set.

Hate to disappoint, but based on the new releases blurb this looks more like an updated collection of the existing core+companion rules than anything. Sort of like the Battletech Manual CGL released last year.

TOGSolid

New Alpha Strike rules too? Fantastic. Much nicer looking miniatures and hopefully well done new Alpha Strike rules are exactly what BT has been needing to compete in the modern era of board gaming. I'm definitely looking forward to these releases!

Ianator

DaMoonRulz wrote: »

@Ianator what's local?

RageCon in Reno, NV.

Nips

For our Tabletop peeps that don't frequent G&T or the Painting thread:

Oh shit. Not to speed post, but this is topic adjacent enough to warrant it:
A message from Palladium Books via DriveThruRPG.com.

Liquidating Robotech® products – everything must go by March 31, 2018
Palladium’s Robotech® license has expired and we must liquidate all remaining stock of Robotech® RPG books and Robotech® RPG Tactics™ (RRT) products by the end of March. Please spread the word. Thank you.

Original Robotech® RPG & Sourcebook PDFs – on sale now – available only until March 31 – DriveThruRPG.com
PDF books of the original Robotech® Role-Playing Game and sourcebooks from the 1980s and 1990s are on sale on DriveThruRPG.com till March 31, 2018. After that, they will no longer be available. Likewise, we believe Palladium Books will be required to remove even the FREE Robotech® RPG Tactics™ material from DriveThruRPG as we will no longer hold the license. Please get all the items you desire for your personal library before March 31, 2018. After March 31, 2018 ALL Robotech® and RRT material must be taken down from DriveThru.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Sale – 60% to 65% off – Spread the word
Please note: All Robotech® items are available only while supplies last. This is a liquidation sale so some items are likely to sell out. Everything must be sold by March 31, 2018. Please spread the word about our Robotech® liquidation sales. Place your order online at the Palladium website (palladiumbooks.com)

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ (core rules, 35 miniatures – main box game – assembly required) – $34.98 (normal price $99.95) – Cat. No. 55100.
UEDF Dice Pack (6 dice) – $4.80 (normal price $12.00) – Cat. No. 55101.
Zentraedi Dice Pack (6 dice) – $4.80 (normal price: $12.00) – Cat. No. 55102.
RRT Rule Book – $6.00 (normal price $20.00) – Cat. No. 55105.
Combined Token & Template Pack – $6 (normal price $15.00) – Cat. No. 55106.
UEDF Valkyrie Wing – $14.78 (normal price $36.95) – Cat. No. 55201.
UEDF Tomahawk/Defender Destroids – $13.18 – (normal price $32.95) – Cat. No. 55202.
UEDF Spartan/Phalanx Destroids – $13.18 (normal price $32.95) – Cat. No. 55203.
Zentraedi Regult Battlepods – $14.78 (normal price $36.95) – Cat. No. 55401.
Zentraedi Artillery Battlepods – $14.78 – (normal price $36.95) – Cat. No. 55402.
Zentraedi Glaug Command – $14.78 (normal price $36.95) – Cat. No. 55403.
Convention Exclusive: Miriya Super Valkyrie NOT on Sale – sorry, limited supply (normal price $22.00 each).
Convention Exclusive: Breetai NOT on Sale – sorry, limited supply (normal price $22.00 each).
Convention Exclusive: Grell NOT on Sale – sorry, limited supply (normal price $22.00 each).
UEDF Token Pack – SOLD OUT – sorry.
Max Sterling’s Valkyrie Convention Exclusive miniature – SOLD OUT – Sorry.

The UEDF stuff makes for decent stand-ins for Battletech, if a bit oversized. And also being plastic model kits that are 175% a pain in the ass to assemble. But they're pretty good looking, and you'll never find them that cheap again.

The Glaug Command pod is where you find your Marauder, but this fig is wildly out of scale for use in Battletech. That said, it's again a PITA model kit that looks really good assembled.

Tox

DaMoonRulz wrote: »

https://twitter.com/BattleTech_Game/status/978296956433952773

That's fucking pretty.

Ianator

Coming neversoon to your FASA Catalog!

Inquisitor

Just in time for the battletech computer game coming out, catalyst game labs announcing more miniatures, and today learning that there is a FLGS that hosts a battletech campaign every friday (!!!) I FINALLY finished painting up the second half of my starter box mechs:

I am the slowest painter, I swear.

Ianator

Inquisitor wrote: »

Just in time for the battletech computer game coming out, catalyst game labs announcing more miniatures, and today learning that there is a FLGS that hosts a battletech campaign every friday (!!!) I FINALLY finished painting up the second half of my starter box mechs:

(snip)

I am the slowest painter, I swear.

Wait, did I miss something? Or is this just the new starter sets?

Inquisitor

Ianator wrote: »

Inquisitor wrote: »

Just in time for the battletech computer game coming out, catalyst game labs announcing more miniatures, and today learning that there is a FLGS that hosts a battletech campaign every friday (!!!) I FINALLY finished painting up the second half of my starter box mechs:

(snip)

I am the slowest painter, I swear.

Wait, did I miss something? Or is this just the new starter sets?

The new starters, these mechs are the old starters.

Inquisitor

Played a quick little 2v2 with a friend that hadn’t played Battletech since highschool using the starter mechs. I got crushed, his Huncback and QuickDraw vs my Dragon and Vindicator. Once he got on me it was over.

We are thinking of doing lance on lance next, any recommendations on good force compositions for a relatively balanced match?

Tox

Inquisitor wrote: »

Played a quick little 2v2 with a friend that hadn’t played Battletech since highschool using the starter mechs. I got crushed, his Huncback and QuickDraw vs my Dragon and Vindicator. Once he got on me it was over.

We are thinking of doing lance on lance next, any recommendations on good force compositions for a relatively balanced match?

BV2 system:

Hunchback (HBK-4N: 1087)
QuickDraw (QKD-4G: 1192)
Charger (CGR-1L: 980)
Raven (RVN-SS: 904)
total: 4163

Dragon (DRG-1N: 1125)
Vindicator (VND-1R: 1024)
Sentinel (STK-3L: 717)
Orion (ON1-VA: 1298)
total: 4164

Tox

The Hunchie -4N is their punishment for beating you before. It is, I think the technical term is, a fucky build.

H3Knuckles

@Inquisitor yeah, that list is BV2-balanced, but not balanced-balanced. That Hunch's a "swayback" with an AC-5 and some LRM's instead of an AC-20 or the "all lasers" or SRM-heavy brawler variants. Likewise, the Charger is always a dud outside of very specific variants (of which the -1L isn't). I mean, you don't need to tell your friend that, I just wanted to point it out.

Tox

The -4N is actually not a horrible mech, and works alright as a support/range harrasser. It's got effectively an AC/5 and an LRM-10, with 4xML backing it up. So it can semi-snipe and bombard, while still having plenty of punch in a brawl.

The Charger -1L, however, is kinda weak sauce. It's got a LL and 2xML, but only has about 5.5 tons of armor. That's...the max a 20 ton 'mech can carry. On an 80 ton chassis. So. Yeah.

Gaddez

The charger is a cruel joke in just about about any shape; it's not particularly useful in most level 1 formats owing to the fact that lighter mech chassis do everything it can do better and anything else in the 80 ton bracket will eat it with a fork and a knife.

Inquisitor

I don’t have the models so I cooked up something that’s bv2 balanced to use.

Using all of their original configurations:

Atlas
Assassin
Whitworth
Cicada

vs

Dervish
Jagermech
QuickDraw
Enforcer

Basically a protect the assault composition versus more of an all rounder list. Hopefully it is fun.

Tox

So, from watching a bunch of streamers playing various missions, my biggest take away so far is that you probably should not take on missions of 2+ difficulty unless you feel you have a firm grasp of the tactical side of the game.

Things like effectively using your skills and facing and position are things that will 100% make-or-break matches for you. I haven't seen anything where one single wrong move doomed someone, but this is absolutely 100% a tactical combat game.

Cantido

Being spoiled by XCOM 2, a game I don't even enjoy that much, I wish that the upcoming game's cutscenes for movement and combat were a bit more cinematic, showing the mechs' sense of weight and power.

Iolo

Cantido wrote: »

Being spoiled by XCOM 2, a game I don't even enjoy that much, I wish that the upcoming game's cutscenes for movement and combat were a bit more cinematic, showing the mechs' sense of weight and power.

They have added the swoopy camera when mechs take their movement. That's a big cinematic upgrade from the backer beta skirmish mode at least.