BattleTech - The Board Game of Armored Combat
BattleTech Player Boards => Novel and Sourcebook Reviews => Topic started by: deathfrombeyond on 26 January 2011, 20:43:20
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I just got TRO 3039 with the assumption that there'd be many of the non Phoenix units I'm familiar with from TROs 3025, 3026, with significantly differing fluff and a smattering of new prototypes that never made it to production or designs that debuted after 3025 but before 3050, like the Wolfhound . To me, the significantly differing fluff and the smattering of new prototypes were why I was buying 3039.
What I got seems to be a reprint of TRO 3025 and 3026 with notable pilot entries. And a Phoenix section at the end. And apparently no designs that debuted from 3027-3038, like the Wolfhound and the Daboku.
To me, this isn't the same as significantly differing fluff and a sprinkling of new prototypes.
Is there anything besides the notable pilot entries that isn't already mentioned in previous TROs? If not, 3039 feels like a complete waste of page space.
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I thought the Wolfhound and Daboku were in there? I'm confident that they're in my copy.
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I thought the Wolfhound and Daboku were in there? I'm confident that they're in my copy.
The index of units on Sarna indicates as much
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I thought the whole reason for TRO:3039 was that Catalyst had run low on TRO:3025 and 3026 from the FASA/FanPro days and rather then reprint those two, merged them into 3039. As well as the 'mechs from TRO 2750.
Annnddddddd...
Starting on p. 223 is the "First in Centuries" section. WLF-1 is on p.226-227 and Daboku p.234-235
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Yep. Raven, Wolfhound, Hatchetman, Cataphract, Hatamoto-Chi, Daboku, and Sai are all under the heading "First in Centuries...".
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Also, the fluff and stats were extensively reviewed with many old mistakes corrected, such as the Zeus predating the Mackie.
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Honestly, TRO 3039 is the best product to give someone new to battletech. So if you're going to start someone down the path, that's where you'd want to begin.
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Whoops.
I was expecting the Wolfhound, et al. to be listed continuously with the Succession Wars designs, not in their own section.
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And the fluff has been updated to 3039 so on mechs like the Valkyrie you get a slightly better look at the mid 30s to beginning of the clan invasion.
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I love how comprehensive that book is. It's great for modern day Periphery gaming with all of the vehicles and older mechs, for earlier era play you have almost all of the units in one book, including the Unseen!
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The art is mismatched, though, which I find kind of jarring.
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The art is mismatched, though, which I find kind of jarring.
I hadn't noticed. What was mismatched?
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The blocky art stile of the original 3025 mechs and tanks with the more fluid style of the others.
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The blocky art stile of the original 3025 mechs and tanks with the more fluid style of the others.
That, and everything in that book seemed to be redrawn except for the 3025 'Mechs and tanks.
Why did the Hatchetman line art magically change from TRO 3025 to 3039, when the Clint and the Javelin didn't?
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Am I alone in being a bigger fan of the older "block-style" artwork? I don't like the smooth and flowing newer style designs. I guess I like my stompy to be rough and boxy. Hmmm.
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The blocky art stile of the original 3025 mechs and tanks with the more fluid style of the others.
You know you're right... I actually kind of like the blocky art but that's probably just nostalgia.
I kind of like the idea that lostech mechs were curvy 50s style, low-tech were blocky and high tech was angular.
Doesn't look like that's been consistent across products though.
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Am I alone in being a bigger fan of the older "block-style" artwork? I don't like the smooth and flowing newer style designs. I guess I like my stompy to be rough and boxy. Hmmm.
For the most part I agree.
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I think the TRO 3039 is one of the best TROs done. The only thing I wish was they would have put in the Merlin and the Chameleon mechs. I know why they didn't but sense the whole book is a reprint in some ways anyway those two mechs I think would have rounded out the book nicely.
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Am I alone in being a bigger fan of the older "block-style" artwork? I don't like the smooth and flowing newer style designs. I guess I like my stompy to be rough and boxy. Hmmm.
I agree, being a child in the 80s I think made me a fan of that 'industrial' feel.
These are Kick-^&& cold war machines, not iPods!
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TRO 3039 isn't really necessary if you have been in the game since the 80's, early 90s and own 3025, 3026.
In fact, I was initially ticked that Catalyst wasted their time on 3039 when all new material could be produced instead. However I was wrong.
I never pull out the other TROs any more. 3039 is my go to TRO. It is nice having all the information together in one place. Plus it was the right thing to do for new players coming into the game. It makes a great starting point.
The only real new information to be gleaned from this TRO for older players are the Aerospace Fighter variants and upgrades. If you don't use Aero units and you all ready have the other books, there isn't much need to bother with it.
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Am I alone in being a bigger fan of the older "block-style" artwork? I don't like the smooth and flowing newer style designs. I guess I like my stompy to be rough and boxy. Hmmm.
I like both styles but I am definitely more a fan of the blocky style over the almost smooth Anime look of some of the newer designs. Of course, I grew up with watching 80's Transformers, GI Joe and *ahem* Robotech (before I knew about Battletech) so I will always like that style of design.
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It is nice having all the information together in one place. Plus it was the right thing to do for new players coming into the game. It makes a great starting point.
bought a copy for my nephew, and he loves it. It's a great supplement to the basic game. And I do find when I need a fact on older Mechs, that's the PDF I open first- AND I don't have to put more wear and tear on my vintage books. Soooo, I'm a fan, though intially, like others, I was "??"
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Am I alone in being a bigger fan of the older "block-style" artwork? I don't like the smooth and flowing newer style designs. I guess I like my stompy to be rough and boxy. Hmmm.
Nah, I like most of the older art from 3025 better than a lot of the newer art in 3039. (There might be an exception here or there).
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I find it amusing that old hands are getting pissed about TRO3039 when TPTB specifically told us that it wasn't aimed at us but rather the new gamers.
-Jackmc
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I find it amusing that old hands are getting pissed about TRO3039 when TPTB specifically told us that it wasn't aimed at us but rather the new gamers.
-Jackmc
Don't get me wrong, I love TRO 3039. I never had TRO 26 or the original 25 with the Unseen Mechs. I don't like some of the art as much, but it is definitely one of my favorite TROs.
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bought a copy for my nephew, and he loves it.
No other justification needed. [notworthy]
W.
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Don't get me wrong, I love TRO 3039. I never had TRO 26 or the original 25 with the Unseen Mechs. I don't like some of the art as much, but it is definitely one of my favorite TROs.
I just printed out minimized versions of the unseen art, cut them into small squares and taped them over the reseen pictures. Works really well.
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Is there anything besides the notable pilot entries that isn't already mentioned in previous TROs?
All of the text for TRO 3039 is new. Some of the information may carry over, but it was entirely new writing.
And there are a few upgrades to Star League tech sprinkled in it. ;)
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I like both styles but I am definitely more a fan of the blocky style over the almost smooth Anime look of some of the newer designs. Of course, I grew up with watching 80's Transformers, GI Joe and *ahem* Robotech (before I knew about Battletech) so I will always like that style of design.
I've heard this before and don't get it. GI Joe, Transformers and Robotech were all ripped from Japanese designs. They are anime (at least the vehicle/robot designs/art)..
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I've heard this before and don't get it. GI Joe, Transformers and Robotech were all ripped from Japanese designs. They are anime (at least the vehicle/robot designs/art)..
You are correct. I should have said "modern" anime which is usually alot more curvy, thin and somewhat less "tank-like" then their older 70's/80's versions and models.
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I've heard this before and don't get it. GI Joe, Transformers and Robotech were all ripped from Japanese designs. They are anime (at least the vehicle/robot designs/art)..
No, G.I. Joe is American. It was created by Mattel (IIRC) as a way to sell dolls to boys, then went from 12" to 3 3/4" figures as a way to sell more.
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Actually the joes shrunk because of the oil crisis in the 70's.
-Jackmc
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The ONLY time I get scared is when I see blocky Mechwarrior 4 designs in BattleTech... yeah, Osiris, Deimos, Uziel.... ack. I have no idea why BattleTech has to adapt to that crappy game (or it seems that way to me).
I wish designs would follow the 3039/3050/3058 look. Give or take from 3060 and 3067. They are still blocky but they look strangely sleek. The rest just kind of fall off the deep end.
BUT, 3039 has a purpose on its own, and that is to supplement the box set with new designs and such. It does that nicely.
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No, G.I. Joe is American. It was created by Mattel (IIRC) as a way to sell dolls to boys, then went from 12" to 3 3/4" figures as a way to sell more.
Right, I was slightly confused. The story/characters is American, it was just the technology for the 1980s action figures that was from Japan. My mistake.
But GI Joe doesn't say much about what battlemech art you like. Robotech (and Transformers is definetely anime.
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Right, I was slightly confused. The story/characters is American, it was just the technology for the 1980s action figures that was from Japan. My mistake.
But GI Joe doesn't say much about what battlemech art you like. Robotech (and Transformers is definetely anime.
Very true. Negating one example certainly doesn't invalidate the point, and I agree. Myself, I like all the different styles, even if I dislike some specifics. I actually like that TR3039 has a mix of styles, and the same with TRs 3075 and 3085.
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I actually much prefer Evans' illustrations of old Mechs from TRO 3050U over the old Loose' stuff which always looked to me more like preliminary sketches than finished artwork.
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I actually much prefer Evans' illustrations of old Mechs from TRO 3050U over the old Loose' stuff which always looked to me more like preliminary sketches than finished artwork.
Yeah, I do as well. There is just something about the artwork that I like...
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I actually much prefer Evans' illustrations of old Mechs from TRO 3050U over the old Loose' stuff which always looked to me more like preliminary sketches than finished artwork.
I really liked the "sketch from life" Loose look that looked like engineering sketches as opposed to the newer stuff which looks cartoony. Of course non gustibus disputadat.
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I actually much prefer Evans' illustrations of old Mechs from TRO 3050U over the old Loose' stuff which always looked to me more like preliminary sketches than finished artwork.
Loose was trying to look more like "technical drawings." Infact, I consider the reason for the old art used on the extremely old designs from an in-character perspective to be that those were technical drawings, which really did not need to have refreshers,
since those designs really had NOT changed much in centuries, while the First In Centuries designs did, in fact, have subtle changes
in their first few decades(look at the head on the Wolfhound, for example). The First in Centuries section, much like the TROs
3060+, is more battlefield footage.
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I thought that the original artwork was 'sketchy' because the minis weren't made yet, and all the details still weren't finished. Could be wrong. .
As for the Wolfhound's head, why on Terra did they changed it? The older version was way better [tickedoff]
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As for the Wolfhound's head, why on Terra did they changed it? The older version was way better [tickedoff]
Likely to make it match the original cover of one of the Blood of Kerensky novels
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Am I alone in being a bigger fan of the older "block-style" artwork? I don't like the smooth and flowing newer style designs. I guess I like my stompy to be rough and boxy. Hmmm.
copy that, i am too.
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Likely to make it match the original cover of one of the Blood of Kerensky novels
IMNSHO, the novel covers should be considered last regarding anything.
I mean, the stuff I've seen there...
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IMNSHO, the novel covers should be considered last regarding anything.
I mean, the stuff I've seen there...
At least they didn't give the wolfhound the "slinky arm"
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At least they didn't give the wolfhound the "slinky arm"
Or a red thong.