Author Topic: To those who are new here...welcome! (Read 8444 times)

Weirdo · « **on:** 13 January 2014, 13:59:51 »

So lately I've seen quite an uptick in the number of people woth extremely low post counts around here. This tells me we're getting a lot of new folks, longtime lurkers that have all suddenly decided to come out of the woodwork, or both. So to all these fresh(or not-so-fresh) faces, I say:

Welcome!

It's always good to get new blood on these forums, since without new members and new ideas, we'd rapidly become ossified, and ossification leads to extinction, fossilization, and then some form of involvement in lithobraking. Nobody enjoys lithobraking.

So...what brings you to these parts? What do you hope to get out of the time you're spending staring at this particular screen? Why here and not a blog extolling the virtues of cheese?

(To folks who've already been here a while: Please hang back and let these people have this thread. Go have some cheese.)

jairb · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 January 2014, 15:32:25 »

I've lurked for a long time as a fan of the game and setting. I've only recently begun actively posting.

What turned on the keyboard is the release of Alpha Strike. With a few modifications / adaptations I think it has the potential to bring the Battletech Universe back into main stream LGS, Convention, and Tournament play. I'd really like to see that happen so I started participating.

Although I've been a fan of the setting and video games since the late '80s, I only played my first game of TT a little over a year ago. While I really like the granularity of '80s vintage "simulation" games (also a huge fan of SFB) finding the time to play them as an adult with other responsibilities can be tough. Playing for 4-5 hours and having to pause a mission because we couldn't complete it in the time alotted is frustrating. Alpha Strike looks poised to solve some of that via streamlining.

Legatus · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 January 2014, 21:31:17 »

I guess this applies to me, so I will do something out of character and respond. My uncle quit the game recently and - rather than sell his stuff - gave all of it to me! He said he'd rather see me get as much enjoyment out of it as he had, and to not let his negative experiences (especially on these forums) color my perspective on it. So I have slowly been reading all of the stuff from the beginning (he started in 1987) until now. My favorite era is the Star League, which is still somewhat supported, followed by the 3025 & 3067 eras. I do not enjoy the current setting, as all of the factions I like have been destroyed, but I have plenty of old stuff to keep me occupied for some time. I came on here partly out of curiosity to see what drove him to quit and partly to see what others thought of the various eras.

Old Guy · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 January 2014, 21:36:04 »

A-L-P-H-A S-T-R-I-K-E!!!

TS_Hawk · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 January 2014, 23:14:14 »

Definitely have to agree with Weirdo it is nice to see new people

DelevanGuardsCO · « **Reply #5 on:** 14 January 2014, 01:49:18 »

I've been playing BT since 1987 and took a long break when the MW:DA stuff started. I've missed playing the game however and knew that there had been a new edition of Mechwarrior before FASA went out and then later heard about A Time of War. Went to GenCon and spent some time at the CGL booth when I wasn't working and decided to come home and start picking up as much as I could in edition to what I bought at GenCon. I like everything from 3025-3067. I found the forum's yesterday.

pfarland · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 January 2014, 12:55:21 »

Giving this a little bump to the top and to mention to the newcomers to check out Mega Mek. You can find it here: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/board,29.0.html on these boards.

Leozack · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 January 2014, 13:19:40 »

I've lurked for quite a long-time, initially on-and-off during my personal "Dark Age" where I had drifted away from BT, and then a little bit more as my interest in the Jihad-era took hold. In fact, it is probably fair to say that it was the Jihad Book series which really brought me back. I read the first book in a variety of places, trains, cafes, my sofa, the top of Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh (no really, I took that, some lunch and a flask of coffee up to the top of the hill one summer morning. I was sitting reading about the unfolding chaos on the FS/CapCon border whilst looking down on the City from that viewpoint). I loved the sense of confusion and chaos in the book, and it got me to thinking I wanted to reinvest psychologically in the game universe again - and that the Jihad was the ideal setting to recreate my old Merc Unit.

And so it began... A journey of buying sourcebooks, playing Megamek engagements against the bot, and updating my ToE to reflect salvage gained and lossess suffered (who knew I would end up loving Grasshoppers so much, or having such a record of trashing Highlanders - or that my LEGO mecha would become the framework I would start designing custom mechs around). Now I am well and truly back in, equipped with all the 3145 Tech Readouts, and the relevant Field Manual, so I can see what the future holds, and considering carefully which mechwarriors in my ToE get the injoke names (Mary Quant may be a joke, but she is a real dangerous joke, and poor Rebecca Black - effective, capable but unable to make an ejection roll when it counted...)

But to really put the finger on what brought me back, the sense of possibility and freedom that Catalyst wrung from the Jihad. Sure, I knew how it ended in broad - but somehow that didn't matter when I read "Dawn of The Jihad", for all of the people on the ground level of the universe it could and did end any number of ways. And it was that sense of narrative progression which hooked me back in. A forward-flowing river of fictional history, compared with the eternal now of the other game setting I had been flirting with.

But I'm rambling now. Time to break out the Wok to cook dinner, and crack open a bottle of ale in honour of Timbuki Dark - I've still got one or two mechs to evaluate for addition to the Sevent Volunteers' ToE...

Karl

BigWhale · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 January 2014, 13:59:03 »

My first encounter with BattleTech was in the 90's when I first played MechWarrior computer games, then MechCommander. Somewhere in between I found a BattleTech MUX and I spent some time there playing in the simulator.

It wasn't until '09 when I looked into BattleTech more closely and I realized that it all started with a board game and that there is a huge universe behind it. :) Then, a couple of years back, I finally managed to get Introductory Box delivered to my part of the world and then it turned out, I had no one to play with. My board game buddies weren't into Mech's. Bummer!

A week ago, I purchased Total Warfare, Tech Manual, and a few record sheets and maps and I still had no one to play with.

Today I decided to teach my son (basically myself too, because I never actually played it) how to play BattleTech. I went for Quickstart rules, it seemed appropriate for a non-English speaking 9 y/o.

Long story short, after a good half and hour of explaining things my ENF-4R was obliterated by HBK-4G. Twice.

Garner · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 January 2014, 14:46:53 »

I missed this thread earlier... I still feel like a newbie to the board game and the forums, but I've been a fan of the universe for must be 20 years now, mostly via the Mechwarrior and Mech Commander computer games.

I joined the forums when I finally got into the board game about 18 months ago. Haven't really had much chance to play yet, but my young son and I enjoy reading the TROs together and I'm hoping that we'll have some family games in the not too distant future, and keep the new blood coming in.

ktrainer2885 · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 January 2014, 18:28:17 »

I've played battletech for over 10 years. I just never posted but now I just want to chat and add to the game I love

NeonKnight · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 January 2014, 18:30:07 »

New.
Painter.
ALPHA STRIKE!

I am Belch II · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 January 2014, 20:51:29 »

Always good to see more people join.

CungrVanck · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 January 2014, 16:17:25 »

Guess I am one of those new people :)

I have been a fan of Battletech since the 80's when I found the 2nd Edition box in my local book store when I was 10. I was a regular player and follower of the universe until a couple years after Fasa closed. Real life and the extreme changes of the franchise kept me from connecting. Talking about what happened on Outreach still makes me tear up a bit! However, after a few years break and a being a bit older, I see what Catalyst has done with the Universe and I have been enjoying it immensely.

I was a lurker here for awhile, but Alpha Strike was the game changer. A way to play Battletech without spending a whole afternoon/day on one game? Awesome! Bought more minis, built more terrain and played more games in the last couple months then I have in years. Now I am trying to build up a Battletech gaming group in Louisville, KY. Wish me luck!

As for why I am here, well just hoping to have some good conversations, meet new people and compare notes the game.

M4cr0Dutch · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 January 2014, 20:42:25 »

Hi folks,

My mate's big brother taught us how to play Battletech in our first year of high school, back in '94. He had found an old starter box in the garage with cardboard fold-up Mechs inside. I picked up the "The Rules of Warfare" rulebook in a second hand book store for $10, and spent a good couple of months worth of hard earned pocket money on a single Map Set and the Tukkayid campaign book. Then we had a lot of fun for a long time, despite the unseen Mechs we later ordered, waited ages for, but never received :-\

Battletech has always been there in the background for my gaming group: old faithful. We would crack open the box twice a year or so and play a big game, because it was always good. Recently I have been playing through the Luthien campaign with a few friends and getting into some Alpha Strike. Again, other games have disappointed us in the long run, but Battletech is still alive and kicking.

As for the forum, I'm mainly hoping to learn how to paint better and share my work with other people. The best way to improve is to put the work out there and say "What next?" to people who have already been there 100 times before O0

Cheers!
M4cr0

shinr · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 January 2014, 09:59:48 »

Hi, been introduced to BattleTech through MechWarrior 2, and due to tabletop hobby being non-existent where I live, I am more of a lore fan.

imrahil505 · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 January 2014, 10:21:20 »

I played battletech back when it was cardboard fold overs. than I was gone till about 5 years ago when I found the box set and got restarted. butI play about 5 tabletop/board games and go in cycles of what I play and buy for. still getting up to speed in history

Neko_Bijin · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 January 2014, 20:03:44 »

Cardboard cutout high-five!

chronoblip · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 January 2014, 15:55:49 »

Wait, this isn't the Battlecheese forums? :(

I was going to pick up a copy of Total Whey the other day, but decided to start with just the quicker playing Alpha Churn.

I have long been attracted to the Federated Stiltons, though the Limburger Alliance was a close second. I didn't think the Derby Combine or the Camembert Confederation lore really fit me, nor did the aggressive Cheddars and their attempt to dominate the Inner Wheel. What the fondue was up with that?

The different eras were kinda interesting too, not sure which is my favorite. The Shredding Wars seem brutal, and the Cheddar Invasion seems like it added some new variety, though some of the subtlety was lost for a time. The Starter League seemed to have great plans, though their role in the creation of the Cheddars cannot be understated. The stories about the Grating brought on by the radical Word of Bleu seem to serve as a good foil to the Dark Aging, if you're into that vein.

Anywho, I need to know how to build the rest of a plate to go with Havarti and prosciutto, without going beyond the Flavor Value for a cookout I am putting together. I mean, we all know the Flavor Value is still a hotly debated means of trying to create a sense of balance, but can we at least agree it's a place to start?

Well, we could agree if this were the Battlecheese forums. :-\

Weirdo · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 January 2014, 16:03:34 »

Quote from: chronoblip on 21 January 2014, 15:55:49

Wait, this isn't the Battlecheese forums? :(

I was going to pick up a copy of Total Whey the other day, but decided to start with just the quicker playing Alpha Churn.

I have long been attracted to the Federated Stiltons, though the Limburger Alliance was a close second. I didn't think the Derby Combine or the Camembert Confederation lore really fit me, nor did the aggressive Cheddars and their attempt to dominate the Inner Wheel. What the fondue was up with that?

The different eras were kinda interesting too, not sure which is my favorite. The Shredding Wars seem brutal, and the Cheddar Invasion seems like it added some new variety, though some of the subtlety was lost for a time. The Starter League seemed to have great plans, though their role in the creation of the Cheddars cannot be understated. The stories about the Grating brought on by the radical Word of Bleu seem to serve as a good foil to the Dark Aging, if you're into that vein.

Anywho, I need to know how to build the rest of a plate to go with Havarti and prosciutto, without going beyond the Flavor Value for a cookout I am putting together. I mean, we all know the Flavor Value is still a hotly debated means of trying to create a sense of balance, but can we at least agree it's a place to start?

Well, we could agree if this were the Battlecheese forums. :-\

Okay, this guy gets to stay. To everyone else: C'est la brie. ;D

ANS Kamas P81 · « **Reply #20 on:** 21 January 2014, 17:05:26 »

Quote from: Weirdo on 21 January 2014, 16:03:34

Okay, this guy gets to stay. To everyone else: C'est la brie. ;D

That's nacho decision to make, Weirdo!

chronoblip · « **Reply #21 on:** 21 January 2014, 17:17:03 »

Quote from: ANS Kamas P81 on 21 January 2014, 17:05:26

That's nacho decision to make, Weirdo!

Don't feta over me, that's not gouda for the community.

mbear · « **Reply #22 on:** 22 January 2014, 07:23:26 »

Quote from: chronoblip on 21 January 2014, 17:17:03

Don't feta over me, that's not gouda for the community.

I wasn't going to say anything, but could we stop with the cheese jokes? I simply camembert them. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Seriously, welcome to the boards. Hope you get lots of good ideas for hours and hours of gameplay.

pfarland · « **Reply #23 on:** 22 January 2014, 09:44:09 »

Ok, we're spreading the cheese jokes a bit thin. We don't want them to end up with holes in them, to just stink, and certainly not to end up blue. But remember people, you have to slice into your budget and put some cheddar down and support the whole buffet that Catalyst has sat down and spent so long fermenting ideas that some of the guys have mold growing on them. You have a smorgasbord of choices for your fondue pot of imagination.

Or was that all a bit Stilton?

On another note to the new guys welcome! And if you have trouble finding players, check out Mega Mek and you can play Classic B-Tech over the web!

Technomagier · « **Reply #24 on:** 22 January 2014, 13:54:27 »

So, greetings from good old germany.
I don't know if I'm a newbie or not in BT. I played it the first and the last time in 1998. I just found the old datasheets and thought. Maybe this game is worth a second shot, but this time with the experience of a modeltrain/ -ship fan and as a GO/Igo/Baduk/WeiQi enthusiast. So I can bring my two beloved hobbys together in a third one.

And sorry for any misspelling and bad gramatic, as said I'm a german.

Lysenko · « **Reply #25 on:** 22 January 2014, 13:57:49 »

Ihr Englisch ist besser als mein Hochdeutsch! Willkommen!

VensersRevenge · « **Reply #26 on:** 22 January 2014, 17:48:33 »

I joined the forums a couple months ago, but with no new starter set and my FLGS not stalking Battletech (well not very much), I stopped posting. But with MW:O, I've started enjoying Battletech again.

rebs · « **Reply #27 on:** 26 January 2014, 14:37:38 »

Friendly bump.

Welcome to CBT. Mingle, trade tabletop war stories, try the smoked gouda on wheat crackers, and BYOB - bring your own BattleMech.

Baron von Poopy · « **Reply #28 on:** 27 January 2014, 23:09:11 »

Hi Everybody (Hi Dr Nick!)
So I used to play back on the 80s, from 2nd Ed through Battletroops. My friends and I had a sweet set up with a box full of geohex, minis, etc. still have some of the TRs in the basement.
Really didn't do anything with it from time I went to college through nowish.
I'm thinking about getting back in as a way to connect with my teenage nephews.
Thing is, we are not located near each other (halfway down eastern seaboard) so I'm looking to do a play by email/or even Skype type play sessions. Don't want to do mek wars or an online game as I'm trying to put minimum barriers between the human interactions.
Here is my question for the group - if I bought them an intro box when it comes out and hard copy/PDF bundles of some of the core rule books, is the shop set up so that I can gift the PDFs to my nephews (I'll keep the hard copies)?

mbear · « **Reply #29 on:** 28 January 2014, 07:06:51 »

Quote from: Baron von Poopy on 27 January 2014, 23:09:11

Hi Everybody (Hi Dr Nick!)
So I used to play back on the 80s, from 2nd Ed through Battletroops. My friends and I had a sweet set up with a box full of geohex, minis, etc. still have some of the TRs in the basement.
Really didn't do anything with it from time I went to college through nowish.
I'm thinking about getting back in as a way to connect with my teenage nephews.
Thing is, we are not located near each other (halfway down eastern seaboard) so I'm looking to do a play by email/or even Skype type play sessions. Don't want to do mek wars or an online game as I'm trying to put minimum barriers between the human interactions.
Here is my question for the group - if I bought them an intro box when it comes out and hard copy/PDF bundles of some of the core rule books, is the shop set up so that I can gift the PDFs to my nephews (I'll keep the hard copies)?

Sort of. You can download a file several times, so you could send them the link.

Of course you could download the file yourself and put it on a USB drive that you mail to them. This has the added bonus of being gift-wrappable.

(Note: These are only suggestions for legally sending files to someone who has purchased them. I'm not advocating piracy of these files, and if you're ripping off CGL you're just a jerk.)