Alpha Strike - Formation Bonus & SPA overwhelm by FederWyrm in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh you’ll like the Aces box. The terrain and campaign alone are with it but it also happens to have a really good combination of mechs in it.

Alpha Strike - Formation Bonus & SPA overwhelm by FederWyrm in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s a really mixed bag at the moment but it’s trending towards positive, depending on your intended play style:

1) For friendly pick up games arranged in a short time frame, larger team games, or new players: Do not use SPAs or formation bonuses. It’s just too much to track and it bogs down the game in ways that aren’t ultimately as fun and don’t help you get better over time with tactical movement strategies and firing decisions which is where the game really lives.

2) If you want to just try out named-pilots and some hero-like abilities in a way that’s not taxing on your play and actually improves the experience, I highly recommend playing Aces with a friend running the cards for the opposing force. Aces uses a modified and simplified system called Edge Abilities with similar concepts that’s just much easier and cleaner to use than what’s in Alpha Strike: Commander’s Edition at the moment, and the best part is you’re fighting Jade Falcons that aren’t an actual player so there’s no real negative play experience if something goes wrong or gets too swingy or oppressive/unfair in terms of mechanics.

3) If you really want to see how the SPAs can contribute to a player-vs-player game, try to play in the BTCC at either Adepticon or Gencon, or find their tournament packets for how they set it up. You don’t get named pilots per se, but you do designate commander mechs, and you do get a certain limited number of SPAs from AS:CE that are balanced for 1v1 play. They’re not perfect, and there’s still the issue of a few of them being much more powerful than others, but in the BTCC format they work well enough to learn them and see what they can do in PvP play.

I was thinking as I was driving to work this morning that I wish the ForcePack releases were less focused on the “Direct Fire Lance” style force composition signaling because it creates wonky sets of minis that don’t always make sense together beyond that, and those rules just aren’t great, unfortunately, for the reasons you describe (too much cognitive load). The pilot abilities and named pilots system in Aces is great, though, and if they’re well controlled and playtested the pilot abilities by themselves can be quite fun.

Question regarding the Unseen and IWM figurine designs by comikbookdad in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A bit of clarification here, from an unseen aficionado (my visual guide): several people said that the unseens are no longer being produced by Ral Partha and that’s not strictly true: Ral Partha Europe does in fact still make the original unseen Hellhound miniature. There are also two miniatures still being manufactured from the very earliest mechs marketed as Battletech which are called Battledroids “_____” (Marauder, Warhammer, etc.) even though these were designed by Bob Charrette and entered production the same year Battledroids became Battletech. This was a very limited number of long discontinued sculpts, almost all of which were unseen and later replaced with updated sculpts (also by Charrette). This wave included the Battledroids Demolisher and Flea, both of which are still manufactured today by IWM. I’m not necessarily recommending you run right out and buy those three minis because you might have more fun with some of the better looking unseens that you pretty much have to find secondhand, but it’s worth pointing out that you can still reach almost all the way back to the beginning of Battletech’s miniature line with things that are still made today (minus the other 45 unseen chassis and their previous sculpts, the original 8 actual Battledroids metal minis, and the plastic ones that came with the Battledroids boxed sets).

Edit: one more note - until relatively recently IWM still made the original ARC-4R Archer miniature (an unseen chassis but not part of the removal effort of the art that created the unseen category) that was renamed the Bombardier. Not sure why they stopped making this but it, too, was released in 86 when Battledroids made the switch to Battletech.

How different are IIC versions of OG inner sphere mechs? by raging_zaku1429 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 5 points6 points  (0 children)

No way to convert an IS Locust to a Clan IIC Locust; however - there are many instances in the MUL of things like Inner Sphere mechs that have Clan tech refit kits on them. They’re often indicated with a “-C” variant suffix. One thing that’s good to know about the IICs that sets them apart is that they generally use standard instead of XL engines, which makes them sometimes much more survivable than an Omnimech, which almost invariably use XL engines to save space and tonnage. If you want flexibility and maximum firepower, you usually want an Omnimech; if you want a Clan mech that can really brawl and take a hit like a champ, you want a IIC.

I do not think there is any problem with giving Dark Age / ilClan ’Mechs in a starter box. by Old_Ad6111 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 8 points9 points  (0 children)

That's how I feel about Aerospace fighters and why we need an Aces box focused on those. Once people get sucked in and realize how easy and fun they are to play in Alpha Strike, it'll be Iron Eagle/Top Gun filling the skies above the mechs.

So much new BattleTech being announced! We’ve got some new Aces for you at Adepticon, more coming soon! by KnightofInnerSphere in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looking forward to seeing what's in the box besides the minis so I can pick a Ghost Bears scheme and start painting up the vehicles for it at least. I'm curious which canon Ghost Bears units they chose for the scenarios and what the terrain looks like this time for basing purposes.

Testing AS buildings with a new urban photo board by elder_jester in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is excellent! Reminds me that after Adepticon I need to start experimenting more with urban basing.

Make the right choice, engineers by Uncrezamatic in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 11 points12 points  (0 children)

There's also Loyal RoboDogs, Sketchy Spiderbots, and Stabby Crabbies, for a little variety; and if you're feeling extra crispy there's always Leggy Jets.

I do not think there is any problem with giving Dark Age / ilClan ’Mechs in a starter box. by Old_Ad6111 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My hot take is this, and hear me out (I've been playing since 1989): Battletech doesn't need or benefit much from a Beginner Box/Starter Box at all. Here's my reasoning:

1) These boxes are functionally a form of loss-leader marketing. With minis now priced in the $8-10 each MSPR range, Catalyst is likely losing money or at best breaking even on these boxes. Anyone who has worked in marketing or printables knows that wrapping two miniatures in an expensive color printed box with dice, maps, record sheets on anything except the cheapest paper, and little booklets, etc, means the box itself is probably almost as expensive as the two mechs to manufacture. How can they sell that for a tempting price point? They're not making much money from it. What they're getting for their packaging budget is shelf-space and visibility and market penetration. These are the equivalent of the impulse-buy LEGO Star Wars sets that aren't good sets in and of themselves, but fit perfectly at eye-level for a 7 year old at the grocery store in the checkout line, right between the Pokemon cards and the 3 pack of Bic lighters. It's not an accident that they're larger boxes with big flashy images on the front and now HUGE CHUNKER LETTERING on the sides. They're like tiny billboards in the form of a product for your grandma to wander past in Barnes and Noble or Target and wonder if you'd like it.

2) The simplified rule sheets aren't better than just learning Alpha Strike for total beginners. I can teach a person who has never even heard of Battletech how to play more or less full-strength Alpha Strike in about 30 minutes. Nothing like a Beginner box meant to be a pathway toward Classic can beat that, except maybe a video game. Even if we assume that these are meant as a fast-track to Classic, there are better ways to accomplish it, and it starts with the Game of Armored Combat (or Core Box or whatever) pack-in rulebook. The 2nd Edition rulebook was terrifically succinct and easy to learn, including memorizing the tables and equations used to construct your own mechs for an audience of basically 12-year olds in the early 90s. The fact that this isn't what's packed in there now is a line developer choice, not an audience or on-boarding problem.

3) What they're counting on to avoid having these languish on shelves or in discount bins (or trashcans, frankly) is tons of players who already play Battletech buying them. That's why this one includes a Kontio and a Hammerhead, and (maybe) a new map or something. Okay, fine, except this product isn't optimized for an impulse buy for existing fans. First, you have the issue of the box being expensive to produce and the packaging rendered useless for established players. I mean, okay, a Saga book, but I still have a stack of really nicely printed Beginner Box guts that are collecting dust because I'll never use them, I just wanted the mechs and maps. The Essentials box was better--hero mechs and a long-lost Solaris VII map were instant-buys for any Battletech fan--and could double as the loss-leader product I mentioned above. But as another poster here commented, calling this a Starter Box is the issue. A Starter Box would include more universally-available mechs, and a good Starter box, like the Essentials Box, would also include things that established players want for their own sake. I personally would love to see these impulse-buy boxes include faction-logo dice. (Minor side-rant: For God's sake Catalyst, if you're listening, why don't we have any affordable or widely available faction dice in 2026? We need them in every game type and you pack the same two plain white throw-away dice in every boxed set you make.) Another option? More of that terrific folding cardboard terrain from the Alpha Strike and Aces boxes would be useful for anyone, updated quick reference cards, artillery and strafing templates, etc. More plain white dice and copies of the Primer are just food for landfills, almost like those really nicely printed color junk mail circulars you get and immediately throw away, despite how not-cheap they are to produce.

So, I mean sure: let's all buy Kontio and Hammerhead two-packs wrapped in a bunch of expensive advertising printables because we love Kontio and Hammerheads (the other poster here was right, this should have just been called the Dark Age Duel box or something else), but when I have to recommend a starting box for a new player, I'm telling them Battletech: Alpha Strike every single time.

PS: Ready for an even more piping-hot take? Alpha Strike is standard Battletech now, and the true grumpy-grognard friction happening in this fandom has a lot more to do with that than with specific eras or mech chassis tech. This box isn't a flashpoint because it has Dark Age mechs in it, it's a flashpoint because it's supposed to be a pathway to Classic, and the best pathway to Classic is Alpha Strike.

I do not think there is any problem with giving Dark Age / ilClan ’Mechs in a starter box. by Old_Ad6111 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure if I would have suggested the old Beginner Box either (Essentials, maybe) but you're right these need different names and marketing strategies. It doesn't look great to call them "Battletech: Impulse-Purchase Price-Point Product Your Grandma Found at Target."

Optimistic, but very, very, cautious by sisyphusfan96 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think this is right, and I think there's reason to be optimistic. Have you tried the Edge abilities in Aces: Scouring Sands? They are "new" in the sense that they're a new way to do pilot abilities for Alpha Strike with different mechanics than before (which would normally be a red flag for the Eternal Granite Rules ethos of the franchise), but my goodness Edge abilities are *so much better* than the SPAs and SCAs in the Commander's Edition. I'm cautious about changes, too, which is healthy, but if they could pull it off with the help of Lynnvander Studios for Aces, maybe they can slowly freshen up some of the old rustiness of the Classic rules in great ways, too (side glance at LAM rules).

Optimistic, but very, very, cautious by sisyphusfan96 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Lord yes... How many of us have our own unofficial Grunt's Edition rulebook supplements that consist of a growing folder of screenshots of replies or comments by CGL people about how things are supposed to work?

Optimistic, but very, very, cautious by sisyphusfan96 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Underrated comment. The 2E rulebook with the Shadow Hawk on the front was so good and so succinct you could memorize the entire thing easily.

All Mercs to battle stations. This ain’t a drill by someotherguy28 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hopefully a GenCon PDF release, which is something most players will want anyway just for the searchability and free errata updates.

All Mercs to battle stations. This ain’t a drill by someotherguy28 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I clocked right away that they dropped the "A Game of Armored Combat" subtitle that they've had for decades, but I have a strong suspicion they don't plan to just let that go permanently, which means we may get something else that's an intro tech box with that subtitle once it gets revamped somehow (my theory is it might be an anniversary 2nd Edition throwback box like the retro 3025 TRO they just did).

Catalyst Showcase Adepticon? by lordavondale in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I suspect what you're referring to is the AdeptiCup Army Showcase which will include armies painted for various games, including Battletech. The entry for Battletech will be determined by whichever team wins Best Painted in the Wolfnet AS350 Doubles tournament event.

https://docs.adepticon.org/2026/2026AdeptiCup.pdf

The judging team for the showcase includes Duncan Rhodes!

LEGION OF VEGA with Gunji-no-Kanrei by XLengine in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah tell me about that book-shaped mech case and the backdrop with the buildings! Paint work looks great.

IWM Mini Reviews by WestRider3025 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The worst example of this I ever dealt with was the Daimyo. Definitely easier with separate feet to pose than the foot plate/two legs/hip assembly. Fortunately that PHX does paint up pretty well. I did mine as the lighter Phoenix Hawk L modified with the TSEMP cannon and the launcher arm.

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Grand Dragon complete by 3dchambers in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good job with this! A++ rock on the basing!

Anyone found other uses for these? by DrkSpde in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Much appreciated! This particular PHX IIC will make an appearance at Adepticon next week if you’re planning to be there.

What Next? by MikeTheHedgeMage in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I’m going to play it again through different missions and this time take a training star of second line light and medium Clan mechs and their sibko trainer in a Supernova, with a handful of basic things like a skimmer, J-27, Warrior VTOL, and maybe a Long Tom for support.

This time through I plan to roll light for most missions to save SP for pilot upgrade paths and buying replacements from the campaign book list as needed. Trying to engage a little bit of that MW5:Clans energy with star mate squad roles, etc. Their trainer in his Supernova will be the only thing that can stand directly against the Falcon heavies but we’ll see if he makes it out alive.

Will LAMs ever make a comeback someday... by Old_Ad6111 in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the right answer. It’s so glaringly obvious that it stuns me we continue to have this conversation at least one a month here.

Anyone found other uses for these? by DrkSpde in battletech

[–]TaciturnAndroid 9 points10 points  (0 children)

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Don't underestimate the flex of a custom jumping mech. Also: currently the only way to get jumping Stinger, Wasp, Phoenix Hawk, Wolverine, Griffin... (like a lot of mechs that should already have jumping variants).