RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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After a long hiatus from Battletech I'm looking to get back into it. The problem is, I don't own any of the books, maps, miniatures, or anything. Browsing around the internet I've discovered that Total Warfare seems to be the latest rule set. So, my question is, if I buy Total Warfare will that contain all the rules I need or will I also need to buy the Introductory Box set? I'm aware that Total Warfare is just the book, it doesn't come with maps or miniatures or anything additional - I'm ok with that. But is it a complete rules set in iteself?
Thank you.
Boxed set: mech minis, maps, basic (level 1) tech. There's a second boxed set in the pipeline that will have basic clan rules and plastic versions of most of the 3050 onmis.
Total Warfare. Everything you need to run battles on planet. Mechs, vehicles, infantry, armoured infantry, protomechs, industrial mechs, conventional fighters, aerospace fighters, dropships small craft and support vehicles (blimps and civilian vehicles) No construction rules though.
Tech Manual - Construction rules for everything in Total Warfare.
Tactical Ops - Planetary campaign, with some abstract rules. Also has some experimental/improved equipment. (No LAMs, they're supposed to be in a historial book at some point. Herb hates LAMs)
Stratigic Ops - (when they finally print the book) Campaigns from the system in jump to the last man falls. Also includes the revised Battleforce game.
Interstellar Ops - (not available yet) Campaigns on a multisystem level. Will also include "Inner Sphere aflame" which is essentially a stratigic game where you can play as a noble or house lord.
If you have mechs, maps, minis and more already then I say go with Total Warfare. If you're visiting a FLGS make sure to grab the one that says 'Catalyst' and not 'Fanpro' it's the more recent.
I hate to 'pimp' a website, but Here is the official battletech website.
Edit: Heavy Metal is the current software design suite, but it's a generation behind in the rules. Rick is working on a revised version to handle all the changes/upgrades/clarifications though.
After a long hiatus from Battletech I'm looking to get back into it. The problem is, I don't own any of the books, maps, miniatures, or anything. Browsing around the internet I've discovered that Total Warfare seems to be the latest rule set. So, my question is, if I buy Total Warfare will that contain all the rules I need or will I also need to buy the Introductory Box set? I'm aware that Total Warfare is just the book, it doesn't come with maps or miniatures or anything additional - I'm ok with that. But is it a complete rules set in iteself?
Thank you.
Everything Matthew told you is perfect. Total Warfare is the complete rules -- the intro box would be redundant... though apparently Catalyst is also bringing ouut a 25th Anniversary reprint of the original 2nd edition (the original 1st edition can never be reprinted thanks to LucasFilm), and it will even include the "unseens", 16 mechs that haven't been seen in over a decade due to legal wrangling.
Everything Matthew told you is perfect. Total Warfare is the complete rules -- the intro box would be redundant... though apparently Catalyst is also bringing ouut a 25th Anniversary reprint of the original 2nd edition (the original 1st edition can never be reprinted thanks to LucasFilm), and it will even include the "unseens", 16 mechs that haven't been seen in over a decade due to legal wrangling.After a long hiatus from Battletech I'm looking to get back into it. The problem is, I don't own any of the books, maps, miniatures, or anything. Browsing around the internet I've discovered that Total Warfare seems to be the latest rule set. So, my question is, if I buy Total Warfare will that contain all the rules I need or will I also need to buy the Introductory Box set? I'm aware that Total Warfare is just the book, it doesn't come with maps or miniatures or anything additional - I'm ok with that. But is it a complete rules set in iteself?
Thank you.
What did LucasFilms do this time?
Back in the day, so I heard, they sent a C&D letter to FASA after FASA released "BattleDroids." they said they'd sue if FASA didn't change the name (at the time, Lucas was claiming exclusive rights to the word "droid"), and FASA replaced it with the familiar (and IMO, much better-sounding) "BattleTech." 1st Editon was "droids."
Also check out here for more BattleTech info.
It seems that they are planning to release the Mechwarrior 4 computer game (and expansions) as free downloads to celebrate BattleTech’s 25th anniversary.
Back in the day, so I heard, they sent a C&D letter to FASA after FASA released "BattleDroids." they said they'd sue if FASA didn't change the name (at the time, Lucas was claiming exclusive rights to the word "droid"), and FASA replaced it with the familiar (and IMO, much better-sounding) "BattleTech." 1st Editon was "droids."
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How is it going with the return to Battletech?
I love me some battletech! I played BT before any other tabletop. Mechwarrior was even my first rpg. Granted for rpg,I have only ever played Mechwarrior, Shadowrun, and D&D. But still.... it was what introduced me and got me hooked into the rpg and wargaming scene.
I was only twelve too... good times, good times.
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Wow, that was some delay. It was good to hear it was staying afloat, especially after Wizkids bought the farm taking Mechwarrior Minis game with them.
I never played the Mechwarrior "Clix" game, but I was still sorry to see that happen to them.
I, myself, have not completely come to like the "dark" era, and I wonder if the 76 book will start into that timeframe.
I like mercenaries or house. Especially if combined with Mechwarrior.
I dont mind doing the clan thing either though.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Wow, that was some delay. It was good to hear it was staying afloat, especially after Wizkids bought the farm taking Mechwarrior Minis game with them.
I never played the Mechwarrior "Clix" game, but I was still sorry to see that happen to them.
I, myself, have not completely come to like the "dark" era, and I wonder if the 76 book will start into that timeframe.
I like mercenaries or house. Especially if combined with Mechwarrior.
I dont mind doing the clan thing either though.
Well it's my understanding the 'timeline jump' for clickytech was originally a FASA idea, how much of Dark Age was a FASA idea I don't know.
The books from like 3069 on are all tales of the Jihad, with some historical stuff mixed in. While I don't like the Wobbie's instant army, nor the sudden collective stupidity of every intelligence branch in the Sphere, some of their info is interesting.
The 25 year anniversary book has a brief timeline that goes from 1999-3132.
Wow, that was some delay. It was good to hear it was staying afloat, especially after Wizkids bought the farm taking Mechwarrior Minis game with them.
I never played the Mechwarrior "Clix" game, but I was still sorry to see that happen to them.
I, myself, have not completely come to like the "dark" era, and I wonder if the 76 book will start into that timeframe.
I like mercenaries or house. Especially if combined with Mechwarrior.
I dont mind doing the clan thing either though.Well it's my understanding the 'timeline jump' for clickytech was originally a FASA idea, how much of Dark Age was a FASA idea I don't know.
The books from like 3069 on are all tales of the Jihad, with some historical stuff mixed in. While I don't like the Wobbie's instant army, nor the sudden collective stupidity of every intelligence branch in the Sphere, some of their info is interesting.
The 25 year anniversary book has a brief timeline that goes from 1999-3132.
Different strokes for different folks- although I read the occasional novel, it was clickytech that got me into battletech and mechwarrior, mainly because it got the weird neckbeards away from the display so I could actually SEE what it was about. I loved the vast majority of the dark ages novels, and I gave the miniatures game a try, although I wasn't very good(had fun though). I'm not so psyched about this new incarnation of mechwarrior, but I am VERY interested in the computer game. I think I might even be able to run it on my wife's laptop and I am giving some thought to purchasing a new desktop so I can play it and fully immerse myself. I'll wait for a few reviews though- I was NO fan of MW4 and it's take on mech damage and handling.
I date back to the original BT boxset (though I remember the first incarnation as battledroids). I did not initially care for the jump to Dark Ages. However, I am starting to come around thanks to the new books filling in some of the missing years and events.
On a related note, it does look like Catalyst may be reconning the extent of the tech collapse, with the Dark Ages affecting some world worse than others.
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I am cool with "Clix" Mechwarrior and all, I just never branched from BT to it. Primarily, because I liked the epic scale of the BT universe and I could combine it with Mechwarrior RPG.
I know what you mean about the "neckbeards", "sigh" nothing except Magic, yugioh, and other card games, seem to attract the "hope of humanity" like BT and wargaming does. Thankfully, I dont play card games, so I only have to deal with the wargaming crowds collection of buttmonkey trolls.
Funny enough though, I did trade for the "Clix" Elementals to use for BT.
As for Mechwarrior PC, my first game I played online BTW, the first time I played it I was scything through Mechs like nothing else. I was thinking to myself, "I am wasting these guys!!!, and then I looked down on the chat tab and found people scream-typing WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS!!!...OH GOD, PLEASE STOP KILLING US!!! WE ARE GOING TO LOSE!!
"sigh"
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The boxset I got had 8 plastic inner sphere mechs in it. I am not sure what exactly that was edition wise. I bought it around 93-94 and promptly after that, I purchased Citytech and Mechwarrior. Anyway I was 12-13 at that timeframe and it was good fun.
To this day Battletech is an awesome game for me. I have so far, managed to find an awesome group of people to play Battletech with no matter where I go.
Now, if I could only get them to try out Mechwarrior the RPG.....
My starting days of Battletech were a little rough however. I was introduced to it by a really cool kid and another one who was a tool when it came to Battletech. Unfortunately, it was the tool who was the leader of the two.
Anyway, he had "made his own clan" and I was "lucky enough to be in it". The other player had created a mechwarrior who was owned by the clan that was made up by the other kid.
I said screw that and I created my own clan. And so began an escalation of force between the two of us. Mind you, I was twelve, so bear with me here.
He made the bad choice of deciding that purchasing a product was the only way to have access to a certain aspect of warfare. Deciding this, he purchased Aerotech and then declared a trial of absorption against me. Well, I purchased Battlespace before the "trial" began and well you can guess how that turned out for him.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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lol, that made me laugh and I could just picture it.
"Hah! I'm bidding 3 stars of fighters!"
"Really? I'm bidding one."
"One what?"
"One Black Lion"
I love the clicky-tech armour for clan battle armour and my infiltrator IIs Most of the early mechs left me 'meh' though the Dark Ages Spider I love. I find it funny the DA P-hawk is in scale with the battletech mech.
I got burned out on historicals a few years ago, rampant cheating. I mean we're all adults most of us 30 something, why cheat?
"I do so love a good battle. I do not fallow the current timeline, I was finished with it upon the stupidity that was Bulldog and Serpent. Much less everything that came after. Clans not acting like clans, WoB massive army's from, well everywhere and so on. I will not comment on my hate of "dark age" or how moronic I find the whole thing. I do so like the setting but I never use cannon past 3058 if I even get past 3052"
-Star Captain Johnathan Fletcher, 666th Mechanized Assault Cluster, Beta Galaxy. Clan Hell's Horses
My Fiancée has recently become interested in Battletech after we played in the Virtualworld 'mech pods at Mechacon. I plan on teaching her the game this weekend.
Concidering I have some old BT players in my gaming group, I might try running a RPG set during the Jihad. I could set it during a different time peroid, but I am willing to work with what is out (and largely unknown to the BT players that have not played in years).
"I do so love a good battle. I do not fallow the current timeline, I was finished with it upon the stupidity that was Bulldog and Serpent. Much less everything that came after. Clans not acting like clans, WoB massive army's from, well everywhere and so on. I will not comment on my hate of "dark age" or how moronic I find the whole thing. I do so like the setting but I never use cannon past 3058 if I even get past 3052"
-Star Captain Johnathan Fletcher, 666th Mechanized Assault Cluster, Beta Galaxy. Clan Hell's Horses
Neckbeard!!! ::opens fire with LRM 20::
My starting days of Battletech were a little rough however. I was introduced to it by a really cool kid and another one who was a tool when it came to Battletech. Unfortunately, it was the tool who was the leader of the two.
Anyway, he had "made his own clan" and I was "lucky enough to be in it". The other player had created a mechwarrior who was owned by the clan that was made up by the other kid.
I said screw that and I created my own clan. And so began an escalation of force between the two of us. Mind you, I was twelve, so bear with me here.
He made the bad choice of deciding that purchasing a product was the only way to have access to a certain aspect of warfare. Deciding this, he purchased Aerotech and then declared a trial of absorption against me. Well, I purchased Battlespace before the "trial" began and well you can guess how that turned out for him.
Are you sure we don't know the same people? Or that you ARE a friend of mine IRL? Your story sounds very much like one of my friends' experience with mechwarrior.
I dont know. I am a miltary kid, and have pretty much been everywhere.
My name is daniel, btw.
I don't think I know a Daniel..so I guess not. Still, it's a little disturbing to hear that someone else encuntered the very same "gang" mentality with Mechwarrior...almost as frightening as some of the people that get a little TOO much into Warhammer 40K...
Neckbeard!!! ::opens fire with LRM 20::
Keep laughing until my point pulls your corpse from he shattered cockpit of your battlemech
-Star Captain Johnathan Fletcher, 666th Mechanized Assault Cluster, Beta Galaxy. Clan Hell's Horses
No offense. And just what is a neckbeard? Your freebirth slang is jarring
I have played in a campaign and some small battles in the last year; is still a great game; I was able to pick up a lot of minis at a great price.