I played battletech over 20 years ago and was wondering what I need to own to play with my dad. Is the introductory set mandatory? Or is there core rule books? I have a hex mat from dnd. My store had the introductory set and has some mechs on the shelf. Thanks.
Absolutely mandatory: the ability to count up to 12 or get a calculator. Aside from that here's what's useful at least.
Since your store has the introductory set and some 'Mechs, that's a great start.
The intro box set isn't mandatory, really there's not much in Battletech that is mandatory. The Intro set is however the best way to get brought up to speed and still get some decent quality minis.
The barest bones of play without the intro boxed set can go as follows:
Now onto further clarification on some points.
Point 1: The Battlemech Manual is more geared towards 'Mech centric rules, slimmer, and I think is still open Beta because they are trying to piece together rules from various sourcebooks into a one stop shop for pure 'Mech games. Total Warfare is still a rulebook that uses the same rules, but is also geared towards infantry, vehicles, and aerospace fighters. Put simply if you just want to fight with Mechs, then Battlemech Manual might be a cheaper alternative for you until the urge to branch out entices you to pick up Total Warfare. However if you're one for all the things, then TW is a good initial purchase.
Either way those two books focus more on
how to play, not
how to build your 'Mech from the ground up. That sort of thing is outside the scope of "introductions" in my opinion. Others may disagree, that's up to them, they can tell you about Tech Manual and how far THAT rabbit hole goes. :D
Point 3: I mentioned Alpha Strike, so what is that? Put simply it is another way to interact with this gaming universe. The record sheets are small cards, it has a focus on miniatures play, but it can still use the same minis as a Total Warfare scaled game of Battletech.
So even if you don't play Alpha Strike, I do recommend the minis boxes. You get four minis in similar (if not better) quality plastics like you got from the intro boxed set. It is a great way to expand your collection for a decent price.
Finally are there core rule books? OH yes there are. The game can scale up from "One bored infantry guy guarding a power station" to "My House Lord we are now striking against one of your stellar neighbors. How badly do you wish to spank them?"
Here's the listing in terms of scale, not order in which you need to purchase:
- A Time of War. This is the role playing game book, built to play out the individual characters and out of 'Mech actions.
- Total Warfare/Battlemech Manual or Alpha Strike. This is the "standard" scale of play. Usually four 'Mechs minimum to a player, though Alpha Strike is sort of a "middle ground" since its abstraction can field a lot more at the cost of granularity.
- Strategic Operations. This is the "company level" style of play where a company (12 'Mechs) are standard scale. This is where we introduce a game mode called Battleforce, basically scaled up Total Warfare or larger version Alpha Strike. One unit equals 4-6 'Mechs and you're probably going to have 3-4 units. In terms of scale this is where a commander would start trying to take over a small countryside.
- Interstellar Operations. This is the highest scale, basically the "House Lord giving his/her neighbors a good slap". Gameplay is really abstracted levels of Battleforce in terms of space and ground combat. Where one unit could equal hundred of 'Mechs and such. This is further compounded by a ruleset called Inner Sphere At War. This is where you're looking at a starchart and plotting to take over systems entirely.
- Tactical Operations. Not really a book on scale, but just a book on extra stuff to play with. Terrain, new ways to kill things, new weapons, technology, all sorts of fun toys.
- Tech Manual. This is for the gearheads. The people who look at a design and say "I can improve on it" (or cheeze it out to unfun status as their way of "fixing" but whatever, your table your rules I guess). This and Tac Ops go together like chocolate and peanut butter. Tech Manual also gives you the basic construction ruleset for pretty much every unit type in Total Warfare while the other core books sprinkle additions here and there.
- Campaign Operations. Basically this book is how to create a force from the ground up for nearly every scale of play. Also it has Solar System construction rules, just in case you want to make your own worlds to play with. This book is pretty helpful for intense campaign details.
