Fun level one mechs for new players?

[Lyran Archer]

Many years ago, when my brother wanted to learn to play BattleTech, we just used cardstock Wasps and Stingers. They're small and very simple to use. We had lots of fun jumping around in cities.

In early BattleTech literature, like Michael Stackpole's Warrior:En Garde, Stingers are mentioned as a training BattleMech, so it's entirely appropriate to train players on them.  ;) 

[avon1985]

One of my first games was the standard Archer vs Warhammer.  Have refought it many times always a good game that can go either way.

[Jimmyray73]

I've always had fun with Catapults, Grasshoppers and pretty much all the 55 tonners from TRO: 3025.  The Jenner is also massive amounts of fun. 

[Sartris]

I have a series of 10-20 ton custom mechs that use archtype loadouts and speeds to simulate larger mechs.  Since they're so lightly armored, they tend to go down faster.  It allows for more of a quickstart rules-ish feel without sacrificing as much depth. 

[Col. Chiang]

I have a series of 10-20 ton custom mechs that use archtype loadouts and speeds to simulate larger mechs.  Since they're so lightly armored, they tend to go down faster.  It allows for more of a quickstart rules-ish feel without sacrificing as much depth.

This, actually, might not be a bad idea.  Take one of the classic lights (so you can still use the cardstock prints to represent it), mod the engine to 4/5/X or 5/8/X, and stick a set of heavier weapons on it.  A/C-5s, LRM-5s, SRM-6s, LLs, PPCs, etc.  It would be able to give an idea of the different weapons mixes while reducing time on field and allowing for different movement profiles. 

D'you mind if I steal this idea, Sartris?

[Sartris]

This, actually, might not be a bad idea.  Take one of the classic lights (so you can still use the cardstock prints to represent it), mod the engine to 4/5/X or 5/8/X, and stick a set of heavier weapons on it.  A/C-5s, LRM-5s, SRM-6s, LLs, PPCs, etc.  It would be able to give an idea of the different weapons mixes while reducing time on field and allowing for different movement profiles. 

D'you mind if I steal this idea, Sartris?

Steal away  O0

[wackrabbit]

Give everyone a Chameleon, it's a training 'mech according to fluff.

[IndyRI]

Give everyone a Chameleon, it's a training 'mech according to fluff.

And actually a fairly decent one for teaching players everything they need to know about the game. I prefer mechs with enough durability that the player doesn't get discouraged by losing his mech early on, but it serves just fine in the role.

[FedSunsBorn]

First time I played BT, I had the 4th ed. boxed set. I had a Jenner for speed and backstabbing, an Enforcer for a trooper mech, a Dervish for fire support and a Grasshopper for a jumping semi-cavalry mech.

Jenner taught me about the movement curve. All of them had jj's so I learned about those pretty quickly. The Dervish was great for fire-support and worrying about that return fire. The Enforcer was a great "standard" mech though I hated running out of ammo and the Grasshopper was and still is one of my favorite laser boats.

Later on, I used Assault mechs and such but that first group of mechs still makes me smile.  ;)

[Fnord]

My group is running into a bit of a problem. We are all brand new to the game, and like all new players, we have yet to work out the finer points of the game, and naturally big guns leaves a satisfying hole in the enemy mechs.  The only mech that people seem to love, apart from those with big guns, seem to be the jenner (after one ran circles around the enemy,  and it also caused a surprising amount of damage while doing so). I'm surprised though, as I ran a crab in an early game which managed to take down another 50ton mech, and seriously harm a clint, without taking much damage in return (using its decent speed and another mech with a bigger gun in the front to make turning around dangerous).

So could anyone suggest a few beginners friendly mechs in the 3039 RS book, that does not sport any big guns, and that is not too heavy (at the moment we are capping weight at 65, because I don't want the game to turn into an assault mech slugfeast, which 2 heavy mechs stands in front of each other, lobbing shots into the enemy.

[Diamondshark]

Rifleman is good for teaching you to be basically mental, and all without boomsticks.  I forget the variant name, but there is a Hunchback that swaps out its AC-20 for a BUNCH of Mlasers.  I like the Griffin, Centurion, and Javelin, they do well too, without *big* guns.

[Moonsword]

I forget the variant name, but there is a Hunchback that swaps out its AC-20 for a BUNCH of Mlasers.

You're thinking of the HBK-4P "Swayback" Hunchack.

[Fnord]

I'll have to give that particular hunchback design a try. It was a hunchback that caused the problem in the first place, with its AC20 destroying the arm on a jagermech (and it knocked it to the ground, causing some more damage) so it will be interesting to see how well my group reacts to another hunchback that has an entirely different loadout.

I'll have to print out the RSs for those other mechs as well, in order to see if I can convince people to not only look at the big numbers.