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Post by stubram on Dec 14, 2014 20:43:34 GMT
For almost a thousand years, humans have journeyed into the far reaches of space, colonizing thousands of worlds and forming starspanning nations. From these grew the five vast star empires that make up the Inner Sphere.
But the Inner Sphere was divided. Its ruling dynasties warred constantly over colony worlds with valuable resources. These titanic struggles led to the development of BattleMechs: gigantic, humanoid battle machines bristling with lethal weapons. From the twenty-fifth century onward, these walking tanks ruled the battlefields. BattleMechs and their skilled pilots changed combat forever.Greetings all My intention is to make a living post of all things Battletech. Battletech itself is actually a universe with several different game systems, from RPG, to lance and company size skirmishes, all the way through to battalion, regiment, and monsterous naval engagements (both sea and space). There's even a combat card version! Whatever your play style, there is a system ready for you! I'll be adding to it regularly, so do check in often. Also it goes without saying that if you have any questions, please do ask! Additionally, if there is an aspect I haven't covered, or you would like more coverage of, again just let me know. As far as background goes, I advise anyone who's interested to read the following threads - This below gives you the basics on what Battletech actually 'is', though I have to admit, I tend to spend more time on the others listed further down. However, as I said, a good starting point. Battletech Personally, I find the below more helpful. It's a fan based wiki, and updated regularly.
Sarna.netTechnical Readouts - a comprehensive description of units and abilities categorised by date. For those looking for more technical specifics, I recommend the below. The Battle Values (points cost of the units for game-terms, henceforth known as 'BV') is a little out of date, but the back ground info and play stats are worth looking into once you know the basics - etb.trueborn.euAt the othe end of the spectrum we have the ever useful Master Units List. This list gives an up-to-date breakdown of all units in Battletech, their BV, and cost in C-Bills (monetary cost- not always in alignment with BV, which correlates directly how good the unit is, in the game). It also tells you where to find more info on the units in question in the form Technical Reports. Master Unit List
There's actually a lot of expanded rules coming out (the next level is for controlling entire interstellar factions), so expect to hear more on that later. For those of you looking to see how a game actually plays before shelling out your hard earned cash, I can thoroughly recommendchecking this out - Ouchies Batreps
This guy has a load of very well edited and narrated battle reports lasting around 10 mins each, all sequentially numbered. They're also on Facebook and have just started a huge campaign which they are logging as they go. For you role playing types, check this out - looks mental Battletech-MercenariesLooking for painting inspiration, or want to know the official colours of your favorite unit? CamospecsWant advice on how to make hex terrain? Ouchies Hex Tree GuideFree dowloadable 3D colour buildings
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masterdisaster
Padawan
Will McCreath - Wyrd Henchman & Malifaux Junkie
Posts: 467
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Post by masterdisaster on Dec 15, 2014 9:28:33 GMT
Sounds pretty cool! I've always been into my Mecha anime so a demo of this sometime will be interesting. Once the League has kicked off and is in full swing I'll look to book in a game or two inbetween my Hell Dorado, Malifaux and Warmahordes stuff. With so many systems going on at the moment I may have to miss out on an RPG night or two. Depends on the system being run of course!
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Post by comstar on Dec 15, 2014 15:28:56 GMT
Well I could always run Mechwarrior 2nd Edtions then you could do both
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Post by comstar on Dec 16, 2014 7:16:23 GMT
That sounds fun
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Post by stubram on Dec 16, 2014 21:41:47 GMT
If anyone is interested in having a peak at the game in- action, I've got a game booked with Comstar Matt on 12th Jan. Matt is actually the Battletech guru, having played it for far longer than me, and owning literally 10 times as many Mechs as me. I hope to make up in enthusiam for what I lack in experience. Or tactical ability. Or retention of information. Or painting ability.
Oh god....
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Post by stubram on Dec 31, 2014 15:28:09 GMT
TYPES OF GAMES
As mentioned above 'Battletech' is a word used to describe not just a game, but a universe which encompasses several different game types, which I'll explain in a little more depth below -
Classic Battletech
Also known as CBT, is the original game. Each game is usually played with up to a company (12 units) per side. The game uses hex-based movement instead of measuring inches. This is important as certain factors such as how far a unit has moved and its final facing have a direct impact in the game, which would be impractical as well as too laborious to do with a tape measure. Unlike a standard wargame whereby a unit is simply removed when it is successfully hit (sometimes accruing wounds which don't impact on game play), all units in Battletech accumulate damage in the form of reduced armour in certain locations, leading to internal/structural damage which can have severe repercussions from reducing movement to having an arm blown off, or the fusion reactor exploding! Heat management is also an unusual dynamic. All actions (especially firing weapons) creates waste heat. Your Mech is designed to cope with certain levels, but when should you push it to take that extra shot, or run that extra distance to cover? Too much heat buildup, and your mech will start to glitch on you. More, and it can cook off ammo, or even injure the pilot (steamed alive in his cockpit!). Having the biggest gun will serve you no good if your enemy can out manoeuvre you and stay cool while doing it (the Lyran Commonwealth is well known for fielding such cumbersome monsters). As heat can be such an issue, some commanders prefer to opt for mechs armed with ammo-reliant weapons over energy based, as they generally produce less heat. Of course, this comes with its own set of issues - the most obvious of which is running out! There are other factors too for the ammo-lovers. All of those shells need to be stored on the mech, reducing space for other weapons, and more importantly, should a shot breach an ammo bin, you'll be lucky just to have an arm blown off. Most ammo hits result in total annihilation for the mech in question. Choices choices! In fact, choices really are what defines CBT. There's a great big galaxy out there, and the choices of who you represent, how you play (brief info on factions to follow) and what you use, are all wide open. You can even customise your mech to give your forces that personal touch! What really defines the game is that each dice roll, each position, each unit facing; they all matter. From the second you start until the bitter end, the game draws you in.
Battleforce
Battletech on the strategic level! Detail has been sacrificed in place of practicality- with this game system you control entire regiments (as opposed to an individual lance or company in CBT). Units can be combined at the lance level (4 mechs, tanks etc) into 'Elements' which have a median set of statistics based on what is included. Hexes are still used in this system, though facing etc. is less important.
Alpha Strike
Somewhat of a 'go between' between the two systems mentioned above. Retaining some of the streamlined rules from Battleforce allowed games designers to create a wargame using more conventional measurement and terrain. Whilst not as all encompassing as Battleforce, it also allows for larger games than CBT of around a battalion or more of units. If you love CBT, but still want your Warhammer 40k fix of moving loads of big stompy pieces around a beautifully created battlefield to blast the hell out of each other, this one is for you!
Mechwarrior RPG
That's right, there's even a role playing element! Currently in it's fourth edition, the RPG game is as involved and diverse as you could expect from a game that has been evolving over 30 years. Players can take on the role of a mechwarrior (duh!), aerospace pilot, technician, merchant, noble, scavanger, clan warrior, special ops... The list goes on. You can be a loner, part of a mercenary crew, house unit, pirate, independent faction. As with other RPGs, the only limit is your imagination!
One of the beauties of this game is that you can take your humble character, take him/her on adventures in Mechwarrior RPG, then strap them in to A mech and have them fight in CBT, then as part of a larger force in Alpha Strike, and finally leading your regiment to glory. All of the game systems have been designed to be interchangeable, meaning you can fight at any level.
And finally... Battletech CBT
Now sadly defunct, players of Magic the Gathering will recognise some of the basics of the combat card version of the game as it was designed by the same person, however, BT CBT has been described as the most tactical card game ever by some, and with good reason. The game allows a player to set up a base with construction zones and have mechs defending important installations, send out raiding parties, destroy manufacturing bases etc. Highly recommended.
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Post by stubram on Mar 8, 2015 21:30:47 GMT
Why? Because they're Awesome.
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Post by stubram on Mar 8, 2015 21:46:39 GMT
For those of you wishing to see a proper game in action, check out the excellent Ouchies Batreps - Battletech on Youtube. He has a 3 part tutorial explaining the game basics, plus over 60 battlereports, condensed into 15-20min episodes, following some of he and his gaming groups campaigns.
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Post by stubram on Mar 8, 2015 21:49:46 GMT
The Capellan ConfederationThe Capellan Confederation started out as a collection of states united for common defense and well-being, but over hundreds of years, through the influences of certain schools of philosophy and the leadership of House Liao, it has evolved to become an autocratic state with a controlled economy. Nearly all the power in the Capellan Confederation is actually held by the Chancellor who is among the most important rulers in the Inner Sphere. Technically, the Chancellor is elected by the Prefectorate, but in practice, it is little more than a rubber stamp; only two Chancellors in history have not been members of the Liao family. Officially a law-making body, the Prefectorate is made up of the six leaders of the Capellan member-states, which generally includes the current Chancellor. Below the Prefectorate is the House of Scions, a gathering of the Capellan nobility. As far as organization is concerned, the Capellan Confederation is divided into Commonalities and Prefectures. Commonalities are large districts which originally consisted of the signatory-states forming the Confederation. Hundreds of years have seen series of redistricting, so that currently they consist of Sian, Capella, Victoria, St. Ives, and Liao Commonalities. Prefectures, on the other hand, are small collections of planets within a commonality, each ruled by an appointed administrator.
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Post by stubram on Mar 8, 2015 21:53:31 GMT
The Federated Suns
The Federated Suns is the most powerful and largest of the Successor States. By the end of the 3rd Succession War, it numbered more than 500 systems over 20,000 square parsecs, reaching more than 500 light years away from Terra at its furthest point. Ruled by House Davion and located mostly rimward and spinward of Terra, the Federated Suns was founded in 2317[1] after the withdrawal of the Terran Alliance from its colonies. The Federated Suns is considered by many to be the military powerhouse of the five Successor States, due to the quality and quantity of forces available to the realm. Martial prowess is held in such esteem that the First Prince, ruler of the Federated Suns, is required to have served at least five years in the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns in order to be eligible to use the title.[citation needed] Despite its military acumen, the fall of the Star League left the Federated Suns with only a handful of technologically advanced worlds among its large expanses of underdeveloped worlds, especially when compared with the other Successor States. To remedy this, Hanse Davion founded the New Avalon Institute of Science and prioritized the recovery of lost technologies[2]. Within two decades of the Institute's founding, the Federated Suns (and its Fed-Com ally, the Lyran Commonwealth) could claim to be the most technologically advanced military among the Successor States.[3] It is debatable whether this technological renaissance of the early 31st century also reshaped civilian technological levels to the same level, especially on its periphery borders. Among the Successor States, the Federated Suns most ostensibly resembles a constitutional monarchy under a representative democracy with guaranteed personal liberties, similar to the United Kingdom of pre-First Exodus Terra. Stratification of society (especially with regard to the influence of the warrior-elite) make the Suns less open to pure democracy than claimed.[4] A deeper look at the actions and history of the Suns casts even more doubt on their claim of democratic ethics. The Federated Suns is politically and militarily organized into regional Marches. The three that have been around since the March system was created are the Capellan March (bordering the Capellan Confederation), the Draconis March (bordering the Draconis Combine), and the 'inner' Crucis March. The Crucis March is the home of New Avalon, the capital world of the Federated Suns.
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Post by stubram on Mar 8, 2015 21:54:58 GMT
The Draconis Combine The Draconis Combine is one of the Successor States, located in the "north-east" quadrant of the Inner Sphere. The Combine is ruled by the Coordinator, the head of House Kurita. His court is located on Luthien. The Draconis Combine has been ruled by House Kurita since its founding in 2319 by Shiro Kurita, perhaps a descendant of Takeo Kurita, a Vice-Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II on Terra.[1]. The Coordinator is a hereditary dictator, who rules over his domain armed with a well-equipped, fanatical military and an ever-pervasive, all-seeing civilian bureaucracy. Two rival intelligence agencies, the ISF (Internal Security Force) and the O5P (Order of Five Pillars) keep watch against any potential internal threat from commoners, ambitious nobles, and members of the Coordinator's own family. (However, the physical protection of the Coordinator falls to his own personal cohort, who are recruited from the military, not the intelligence services). The idée fixe of the Combine and the Coordinator is conquest. The Combine employs a large, skilled military, the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery, that has often been used to expand the realm at the expense of its neighbors.
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Post by stubram on Mar 8, 2015 21:58:23 GMT
The Free Worlds LeagueThe Free Worlds League is one of the five Successor States of the Inner Sphere. Its capital is Atreus and the League is ruled by a Captain-General, leaders of House Marik. The Free Worlds League is notable as the first successor state founded in the Inner Sphere. It is multicultural, with strong European, Oriental, American and Hindu influences. It also traditionally offered great autonomy to its component regions, like the Duchy of Oriente, Principality of Regulus, and Duchy of Andurien. The Free Worlds League was founded in 2271 with the signing of the Treaty of Marik between the Marik Republic, Federation of Oriente, and Regulan Principality. The new nation came together when it conquered the Stewart Commonality in 2293. The League found tougher opponents in the Capellan Confederation and Lyran Commonwealth. The League warred with the Capellans over Andurien and the worlds near it time and time again. The Age of War began as a conflict over Andurien, and the peace that ended the Third Andurien War paved the way for the creation of the Star League. House Marik took great pride in the Star League, but it was destroyed in the Amaris coup. The five Successor States fought three Succession Wars from 2785 to 3025 to determine who would become the next First Lord, each more inconclusive then the last. The League was forced to largely stay out of the conflicts of the early 31st century because of internal problems, including the Marik Civil War and the Andurien Crisis. The Clan Invasion proved a boon to the Free Worlds, as its industry provided the war material the other Inner Sphere powers needed to stave off the Clans. Even when Captain-General Thomas Marik launched a punitive invasion in 3057 for the death of his son, the League earned a quick victory and settled back down to peace. The Word of Blake Jihad tore the Free Worlds asunder, both from within and without. The provinces warred with one another and split apart in the 3080s, though they still banded together for mutual defense. In 3139, Jessica Marik reunited some of the former Free Worlds.
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Post by stubram on Mar 8, 2015 22:00:59 GMT
The Lyran CommonwealthThe Lyran Commonwealth (also known as the Federated Commonwealth or the Lyran Alliance) is a large Inner Sphere Successor State in the BattleTech universe. The Lyran state is located in the coreward, anti-spinward region of space relative to Terra. For the majority of its history, the Lyran capital was located at the Triad on the icy world of Tharkad. While the Commonwealth was the realm of House Steiner, the Lyran Alliance was ruled by the Steiner-Davion family. The Lyran Commonwealth is renowned for its strong economy, powerful nobility, and its military policy of promotion based on pedigree as well as talent. Unfortunately for the Lyran state, the promotion of so-called "social generals" has resulted in a military of varied capabilities. Even though incompetent "social generals" are not the rule, the prevalence of many poor officers has hindered the Lyran state throughout its history. Additionally, the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces tend to fight defensive campaigns with heavier BattleMechs. Though the military history of the Commonwealth is filled with missteps, the Lyran state has endured for many hundreds of years based on the capabilities of its industrial base and by the merits of the rare, capable officers produced by the system.
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Post by stubram on Mar 15, 2015 15:46:43 GMT
It's only in the beta testing stages, but for those of you who would like the chance to create a Battlemech unit from the ground up, here's the link - Force CreationIt's increadibly in-depth, but you can pick and chose the bits that work for you. After that, another link tells you how to operate between games - Force OperationsI've used this to create my ex-Capellan Pirates-turned mercenaries let me know if anyone needs clarification
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Post by stubram on Mar 15, 2015 21:46:41 GMT
Another great link. This is for a bunch of downloadable 'net' templates which you can print off and fold to make fully coloured and detailed buildings for Battletech (or any 6mm game, for that matter). link
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Post by stubram on Mar 19, 2015 11:33:11 GMT
Just bought the Apha Strike rules - a simplified version of Battletech which has less detail and plays like a wargame on normal scenery tabletops. It allows for Battalion level games. Huzzah! It also includes a rules for mini campaignes based on planetary invasions using the Chaos Campaign - an abstract system that allows players to 'buy in' to missions and gain rewards in the form of salvage and points. See rules for Chaos Campaigns HERE
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Post by comstar on Mar 19, 2015 12:05:05 GMT
Would not mind trying them out sir
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Post by stubram on Mar 19, 2015 13:19:09 GMT
Would not mind trying them out sir So you can finally use a fraction of the forces you've amassed? ? good lad. When and where crackerjack?
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Post by comstar on Mar 19, 2015 19:38:53 GMT
Would not mind trying them out sir So you can finally use a fraction of the forces you've amassed? ? good lad. When and where crackerjack? Well the next free monday is the 25 May for me otherwise could play at mine on another night
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Post by stubram on Mar 19, 2015 19:45:08 GMT
So you can finally use a fraction of the forces you've amassed? ? good lad. When and where crackerjack? Well the next free monday is the 25 May for me otherwise could play at mine on another night Well I've already cased Phil's place. Could look at yours. PM me. Where you at? When you at? Poss worth gathering Tony at some point too as he's getting into the shizzness.
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Post by comstar on Mar 19, 2015 20:39:52 GMT
Ok PM sent sir
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Post by madphil101 on Mar 20, 2015 0:18:26 GMT
Meant to say that to make your scenery battle tech I think you are looking for stick back plastic with hexes on. I have seen it somewhere but can't now find it.
(Thought it was the place I bought mirror film for my periscope but seems not)
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Post by stubram on Mar 20, 2015 7:23:29 GMT
Meant to say that to make your scenery battle tech I think you are looking for stick back plastic with hexes on. I have seen it somewhere but can't now find it. (Thought it was the place I bought mirror film for my periscope but seems not) Ah Phil. The words are English, but the sentence is Klingon.
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Post by madphil101 on Mar 20, 2015 7:40:00 GMT
You can get plastic film with hexes on. Then you just stick it over your model and you won't need to add the hexes...
Sadly, I am unable to recall the distributor who supplies said adhesive plastic film. You might try checking with antenocitis workshop.
Triqq da'pliq
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Alien Dave
Friends of the Wyvern
I don't like snipers!
The Dave
Posts: 1,843
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Post by Alien Dave on Mar 20, 2015 7:41:32 GMT
Meant to say that to make your scenery battle tech I think you are looking for stick back plastic with hexes on. I have seen it somewhere but can't now find it. (Thought it was the place I bought mirror film for my periscope but seems not) Ah Phil. The words are English, but the sentence is Klingon. Careful, there's a few people on here that are fluent in both!
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