Battletech and you: Name your favorite things about the game!

[Drewbacca]

I was recently going through some lists I have made, and I realized that there were quite a few small things that I really like about the game.

I love SRMs. My first mech even was a Javelin. It died horribly, but I do like SRMs. I used to be a laser guy but I seem to always go back to SRM boats.

I like vehicles and infantry. I like that the rules for both are "fairly" easy to learn, like most of the rules in the game.

I like the Clans, particularly Clan Hell's Horses and the off shoot Stone Lion. I have to admit this is the munchkin in me, I like clan omnis and they have great Streak SRMs.

I also like mercs. I like the freedom that comes with them. I really wish there were Clan mercs. :D

I like the Terran Hegemony for being the start of it all. And for that matter the rich history written into the game.

I like the HUGE selection of units in the game.

I like painting miniatures and how each mini design is a challenge and a way to express myself.

Now if I could just get all of my likes to align I would be extremely happy!

So let's hear it. What parts of the games are you a fan of?

[rebs]

I'm a Clan fan for life.  The Shark Foxes are my.favorites, but I also have soft spots for the Ravens, the Scorpions, and the Stone Lions and Hell's Horses.

What I like about BattleTech is the depth of story lines that make up what we call "BattleTech Lore".   It's the longest running continuity in gaming, and I appreciate every nook, crany,  coincidence and contradiction.  The universe has a life of its own.

[Daryk]

I like the scalability all the way from RPG to Inner Sphere at War levels.  There are a few hiccups in consistency, but I can't think of any other game that even tries to cover the whole range.

[I am Belch II]

The 35 years of history behind the game. The fact that it almost went away a couple of times and came back better than before. The huge amounts of miniatures. The huge amount of books, pdf and other things to keep the game going.

[marauder648]

The huge breadth and depth of the love and the universe has to be my thing, the detailing, from characters having sporting hobbies to massive political intrigue and plots and so much more. 

[Empyrus]

The "simulationist" nature. That it tries to simulate wide variety of things, from weapons to environmental effects to morale, depending on what rules are in play. While a lot of it manifests itself as randomness, it is usually the funny kind of randomness that leads to emergent gameplay where you just have to adapt to things, rather than the frustrating "keep trying again and again and again until you succeed" randomness. Though the latter can still happen, like "turret-tech" or trying to attack very high speed target that just keeps running around but isn't much of a threat.

Unfortunately this is what makes the rules and gameplay somewhat clunky at times.
Occasionally the randomness is also a negative thing, both from gameplay and realism POV. Eg an elite pilot can keep shooting and never hitting the same place twice (or at all) without a TarComp or called shots.

[SteveUK]

For me, after playing for the last 33 years, it's the depth and detail, the "there's a rule for that", no strict wysiwyg, your game your way and above all the fun of blowing up big stompy robots. Sure we can be a bit Grognardy and Fanboi ish but we still have some of the best fans out there

[Scotty]

Modern unit art and visual designs, and the settin background (most of it).  I love Alpha Strike, but that's more of a case of "this is the best way to experience X" and not my favorite in and of itself.

[Ogra_Chief]

The setting, specifically the long and detailed history, encompassing centuries scf-fi operatic shenanigans allowing a player to carve out their own narrative. As well as, the ability to create your own stompy mechanical boom bots to plug into said histories.

Aside, I have always believed the ability to construct your own war machines was one of the pillars of the franchise and set Battletech apart from others. Honestly, I have theory-crafted countless hours, first with pen and paper, later with Heavy Metal Pro and then megamek, searching for the perfect mech.

Finally, the malleability of it all. Don’t like stock designs, then build your own mech. Not liking certain rules, then add your own in-house ruleset. Think the developers don’t understand the setting (j/k), just create your own alternate-universe via misjump, historical divergence or outright new setting. There is so much material, the game can really be anything you want it to be.


P.S. The fans, diehards.

[SteelRaven]

 :laughing_skull:GIANT FREAK'N ROBOTS!!! :laughing_skull:

Also, you have endless of option on how to play the game. From gladiator arena fights during the decline of the Inner Sphere to leading a coalitions assault of the home planet of the technologically advance warrior society to fighting guerilla raids against against a fanatical army of extremist who are brutally oppressing the people of your home planet.

You also have plenty for options for game mechanics; Battletech Total Warfare series, Alpha Strike for quick skirmishes, A Time of War for RPing, fan made Mega Mek for TW online, HBS' Battltech, MWO for shooty-shooty-bang-bang, fan made Living Legends for even more shooty-shooty-bang-bang...

You can also play it on a budget which has been a life savor for me as a fan!   

[marauder648]

Very true SteelRaven, you literally need two dice and two map sheets and access to a computer and a printer (I make extensive use of my work one) I've used everything from Space Marines to Tau to be Mechs as and where needed :D

And its very much a case of "Easy to learn, difficult to master." As the game can be VERY simple and then you can ramp up the complexity.  Also unlike a certain other sci-fi franchise, Btech does not invalidate its rulebooks/TRO's every 4 - 6 years and make you buy one ones.

[ArchonDan]

And its very much a case of "Easy to learn, difficult to master." As the game can be VERY simple and then you can ramp up the complexity.  Also unlike a certain other sci-fi franchise, Btech does not invalidate its rulebooks/TRO's every 4 - 6 years and make you buy one ones.

Or invalidate your collection of miniatures every rules change  ::)

OK back to BT lol. I second or third the GIANT FREAKING ROBOTS!!!

The different modifiers in the game, speed is a valid defense, the decision on how to handle heat as so forth. There are lots of decisions to make and they effect game play in a meaningful way. The simulation nature of weapons fire, it's not the you go-i go system where units are wiped out before they can do anything

And I'm sure it is debatable topic but I think most Mech are viable to play (within their appropriate era) with use of speed, terrain and such. The game is more about making use of what you bring to battle not so much about what you bought.

[E. Icaza]

The Clans, specifically Clan Jade Falcon.  I love their "conservative where it counts" nature and their preening prissiness.

Elementals, or really Battle Armour in any form.  I've always been a sucker for powered armor and I love the aesthetic that BT gives them.

OmniMechs.  The ability to re-configure a 'Mech for different roles is a major draw for me.

The depth of the lore.  Seriously, the lore is a major draw for me.  I have details and history from over a thousand years to draw from for scenarios, characters, etc.

[pat_hdx]

So much:


>The feeling I got playing the Crescent Hawk's Inception on a Commodore 64 and The Crescent Hawk's Revenge on my first DOS PC. Yes, I go that far back.
>The excitement I felt when the Blood of Kernsky trilogy came out.

>When your early on Vehicle and Infantry Mercenary company survives their first mech battle against a demi-company of light pirate mechs anchored by a P-Hawk. The pivotal moment being when a platoon of infantry gets a high roll to successfully pull off a leg attack on a Stinger that had jumped behind the lines of the unit and was about to start smashing things. The salvage of which funds the group's first mech.  :D

 I LOOOVE combined arms.

> Cool good guy mechs! Like P-Hawks, Chameleons, Wolverine 6Ms  Victors, late model Excaliburs. Grasshoppers, TWolves. :drool:
> Cool bad guy units!: Most anything WOB and Clan. Pillagers, particularly the early AC20 model, Dragoons and Shootists. Thugs. Vulcans. Pumas. Purifiers. >:D

> TAG...and that moment you nail an Assault mech Fee-fi-fo-fuming it all over you mercs with a Copperhead from a Sniper :toofunny:

> Narc and Inarc. Does it work often? No. But oh so satisfying when it does. 8)
> Speaking of which, Comguards...the redeemed aspect of phsyco Comstar that wins with combined arms and cool toys.

> Customizing under valued units. I Love Pergrine VOTLs because you can make them the perfect Raven replacement.  ^-^
>I love great bang for the buck veichles. Prowlers, Hunters, LRM 15 Scimitars, Brutuses.
> Mech Mortars. Smoke and Semi Guided FTW  ::)

> That first time you make a successful TSM attack, using a Seraph at that  :smirk:
> Pretty much all the Periphery Factions. MoC and Niops in particular. Marians are great bad guys,
> Camacho's Caballeros and the Blackhearts.

> Megamech super moments related to charges and falls. Like when the bad guys lose their legs running on a road on some FASCAM you just deployed, crash into a another unit sending them tumbling off a level four cliff, taking damage from the accidental charge, hitting the water, hitting the bottom, and losing a leg from flooding.   ;D

[LastChanceCav]

Its a toss up between rolling a 12 on the the hit location table and the unit design rules that allow you the ability to choose between optimized and "make it work".

Cheers,
LCC

[Charistoph]

For me it's:

:laughing_skull:GIANT FREAK'N ROBOTS!!! :laughing_skull:

Also, you have endless of option on how to play the game. From gladiator arena fights during the decline of the Inner Sphere to leading a coalitions assault of the home planet of the technologically advance warrior society to fighting guerilla raids against against a fanatical army of extremist who are brutally oppressing the people of your home planet.

And:

The setting, specifically the long and detailed history, encompassing centuries scf-fi operatic shenanigans allowing a player to carve out their own narrative. As well as, the ability to create your own stompy mechanical boom bots to plug into said histories.

Aside, I have always believed the ability to construct your own war machines was one of the pillars of the franchise and set Battletech apart from others. Honestly, I have theory-crafted countless hours, first with pen and paper, later with Heavy Metal Pro and then megamek, searching for the perfect mech.

Finally, the malleability of it all. Don’t like stock designs, then build your own mech. Not liking certain rules, then add your own in-house ruleset. Think the developers don’t understand the setting (j/k), just create your own alternate-universe via misjump, historical divergence or outright new setting. There is so much material, the game can really be anything you want it to be.


P.S. The fans, diehards.

Along with a pretty decent basic system.  One of the biggest problems I've had with other systems is how one-sided game turns can be, for the most part, and how unbalancing and quirky the rules can get as a result.  Battletech addresses most of those problems with two simple concepts: Everyone does the same thing in a Phase, and: Damage in a Phase doesn't take affect until the end of the Phase.  It is absolutely amazing how much that affects what has been written to counter issues caused by not doing something similar.  Warhammer has practically bent itself over backward to make corrections on this.  Warmachine has interrupt rules that take action during your opponents turn as counters.  While it isn't perfect, I do think it is the best consideration for a tabletop game.

[jackpot4]

The Battlemechs.  They are always what have drawn me to the game.  From my original favorites in the MW4s to the current era ones.

The characters.  Archer Christifori, Victor Davion, Janella Lakewood, Raul Ortega, Devlin Stone, Nicodemus Niemeyer, House Davion, and the Republic.

The rules.  Simultaneous combat is the most advanced gameplay of any board game I have ever seen.  A ruleset created in 1985 with minimal changes over 35 years provides the most in depth, balanced, fun, and fair system of board game combat ever seen.  Modern games to this day try the old gentleman's warfare system over and over with different variants and all of them wind up with a chaotic mess or unbalanced gameplay where units die before even being able to shoot back.

There is no other game that could draw me in like Battletech.

[Foxx Ital]

For me besides all the obvious things I would have to say it's the community. It would have just been a game I played with my brother restless but the fans/community is what fully drew me in.
 The camaraderie I experienced from the bear players and other fans is what cemented the ghost bears for me and is something I will always remember.
 Sure some of you have changed faction preferences and colors but I'll always think of them as bears first  ;).

[Charlie Tango]

That (outside of very advanced/experimental/fringe tech) that even the most optimized and hyper designed cheesemunch 'Mech can be felled by 12 in the head or crippled by a through-armor critical.

[JadeHellbringer]

It's that it proves that a thousand-odd years and the ability to colonize new worlds shows that, as Ron Perlman said, 'war never changes'. The tools of war may evolve, the places fought over may look different, but people are still what they always have been- violent, irrational beings who will find any excuse to throw armies at each other for no better reason than 'their flag is a different color than mine'.

Four-story walking tanks, armored infantry suits, massive space-faring battleships, thousands of worlds out there, and we're still no different than cavemen swinging clubs at each other. Who needs alien races or demons from other dimensions or any of that? Battletech beautifully proves that our greatest enemy is ourselves, and that isn't changing any time soon.

[TonyFRR]

The huge breadth and depth of the love and the universe has to be my thing, the detailing, from characters having sporting hobbies to massive political intrigue and plots and so much more.

Heck yes.  And I say that as someone who's never played the tabletop, but has the initial print version of the Warrior Trilogy and experience with various computer incarnations (dating back to MUSE/MUSH, MW1, Crescent Hawk's Revenge)

[Elmoth]

Giant stompy robots.

Mecha

Retrograde high tech.

neo-Knights in Space.

This is why I love the 2800-3040 setting and do not like later developments.

The setting is OK, but the diverse powers are depcited as too monolitic for my liking. I would prefer a much more fragmented inner sphere. More tamar pacts, Tikonovs and Anduriens and less Federated Suns. I think that would make everything richer, but it is good enough for a general war thing.

when you look at the seams it is a rather ugly universe fuill of contradicitons, but it is good enough for cool RPG campaigning. As a wargame I do not think it is very good but as a RPG setting beats a lot of other universes.

Cheers,
Xavi

[House Davie Merc]

I like the combination of nostalgia, comradery , competitiveness ,
and the eye candy  of a good 3D set up .

Funny how a miniature game this old can get people from different generations
to have fun together while still being competitive with each other .

[E. Icaza]

The huge breadth and depth of the love and the universe has to be my thing, the detailing, from characters having sporting hobbies to massive political intrigue and plots and so much more.

Very much this.  I was discussing BT with a friend who is new to the universe (and loving it) and I was pointing out how much depth there is.  I can, after consulting a few books, tell him who is on the money in almost every realm, the cost of a bicycle in the Taurian Concordat and the artistic styles prevalent in the Hegemony during the era of the Star League. 

That sort of depth and detail is...astounding.

Of course, I can also just throw some giant robots on the table and indulge in some heavy metal mayhem without worrying about any of that stuff.

[Nov. Col.]

I've never played a game in the over 2 decades I've been following Battletech, but my love of the story and universe is what keeps me coming back.  I also think we have a great community compared to most games!

[Drewbacca]

I really wish we had more for the Hegemony and the first Star League but there is still so much great history.

[shadowdancer]

Level one games. Where tactics win. Not 15 pts. to the head.

[Charistoph]

Level one games. Where tactics win. Not 15 pts. to the head.

But 20 pts and 2 pts do.