Giant Stompy Robots! Battletech!

[Varyag]

Well, I was kinda just waiting for this section to get opened! I am on a MASSIVE BT bender lately, and I'm literally in the middle of a MegaMek match right now.
So, Battletech. A universe of space politics, scheming, giant nations and of course, big stompy robots. Been a thing since the 80's, around the same time when Warhammer 40K started, and it has lasted just as long. Containing many lore books, a lot of history and many many MANY military vehicles and robots to play with, in many different games. From tabletop hex-grid skirmishes, large force engagements with Alpha Strike, campaign play and even a story focused RPG system, BT has got it all.

I'll be honest, despite being a fan of the Mechwarrior franchise for many years now, I had not actually gotten into it's parent franchise and the tabletop game until very recently. But I am having a blast, I grabbed all of the sourcebooks and lore literature I could get my hands on, and have been learning to play via the free MegaMek application. (in fact, if anyone wants references to any of that stuff, DM me)

Does anyone else here play, or is interested in playing?

 

[Octopus]

I've heard of the franchise obviously, but haven't played any of the various tabletop incarnations personally. It's definitely something I should look into, given that I'm part creating a mecha space exploration TTRPG. Where would you suggest someone should start with the series in terms of the games?

 

[Varyag]

I've heard of the franchise obviously, but haven't played any of the various tabletop incarnations personally. It's definitely something I should look into, given that I'm part creating a mecha space exploration TTRPG. Where would you suggest someone should start with the series in terms of the games?

In terms of computer games, the old Mechwarrior games are nice, although they don't try to explain the lore to you, only what you need to know for the story at hand. HBS Battletech is VERY GOOD as a tactical RPG with mechs, although it doesn't completely translate the tabletop rules, in an attempt to keep gameplay fluid and fun.

For the tabletop game itself, and the lore: there are many Youtube guides, but also some ready-made primers, both by the BT communities at large, and by Catalyst Game Labs, who publish the game and the books.
Here's a couple helpful links, hopefully, and a chart!

https://imgur.com/a/x8eYK

A Beginner's Guide to Classic Battletech by KYLE REIMERGARTIN

Battletech is fun, but kind of complicated 🎵

mooonmagic.itch.io

BattleTech: Primer

BattleTech is a science-fiction "œspace opera" set in the factional, militarized universe of the thirty-first century. Humanity has spread to the stars and spawned titanic interstellar empires, each controlling hundreds of worlds across a combined region of space stretching more than a thousand...

store.catalystgamelabs.com

Also, if you want to put some money into it, there is still a Humble Bundle going with all of the sourcebooks you might need to get caught up in the current Era of the lore and the game.

Humble RPG Bundle: The BattleTech RPG Collection by Catalyst Game Labs

Get new tabletop role-playing (TTRPG) campaigns, lore, and more for BattleTech from the gaming wizards at Catalyst Game Labs.

www.humblebundle.com

 

[Varyag]

I've managed to play a few IRL matches of stompy robots this weekend, and it was a lot of fun. Met up with some veterans and they set up a big table of Alpha Strike terrain, and let me pick a couple mechs from their collection to play with. I had made a few paper standee models to use as my force for Classic, but they weren't needed. Very good fellas, and I hope to meet them again to play more with some regularity! At the end one of them even gave me a miniature of a 3D printed Griffin, that he got from a sponsored event a while back.
Now for the pictures:

(don't mind the math)

objectives around the map had to be reached... and my Locust got immediately obliterated by the enemy Warhammer IIC

second match with a smaller map and 2 mechs each player

and the 3d printed Griffin. I might have to paint it now!

 

[Varyag]

oops the pictures on my previous post vanished, I guess I can't use Discord as image hosting. I'll keep that in mind in the future.
But anyway, I've got a next date to go play some IRL BT with the local group this week, and since I've spent a lot of time planning out my Clan forces, I'll be making preparations to take those instead. I've been making choices and test matches using MegaMek over the past few weeks, and landed at a group of 10 mechs I will make paper tokens of, just like the previous 8 Inner Sphere mechs. And, since this group tends to prefer playing Alpha Strike, I'll print that game's version of stat cards, which are also freely available online, through the Master Unit List website: http://masterunitlist.info/

Here's my main selection of Clan mechs, I'll make a picture of the tokens when I'm done. Need to get the standees printed, thanks to this forum post: https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=53689.0
I've made some corrections to the files I'll print and posted them there too.

 

[Varyag]

Okay, so wayyyy later update lol, but last time I didn't actually get to play. But instead TODAY I did play some more! Had quite the attendance on the game shop, with ten people showing up! Great numbers for someone who thought would never actually get to play it at all. Maybe we can even grow the hobby a little bit.

The mission on our side of the table was to defend the last Dropship out of the planet from the opposing force, who wanted to escape. We beat them to the exit, and captured the last one.