BattleTech - The Board Game of Armored Combat
BattleTech Game Systems => Strategic Combat => Topic started by: Zematus737 on 20 August 2023, 14:01:22
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So. After reading almost all the rulebooks, some multiple times, I think I finally have a grasp on the fact that the creators of BT have created so many different ways to enjoy Battletech. Confused to the moon for a while, I had no idea that Core BT TW was any different from BF or that BF was actually also different in scale to SBF, so say nothing of ACS.
I've been looking into Battleforce and that seems to be the best fit for what I am aiming to achieve as to the level of play I desire from Battletech. I want the large armies and the use of artillery. The Commands aspect makes up for the loss of detail in TW skirmishes and most of the heat factors transfer over pretty simply and allows duels to happen in Core scale DURING a game. There were various changes from Battleforce 1 (1987) and 2(1997), but updates have brought many of the parameters adapted closer to core. Even Aerospace handles similar to Core in BF, which is something I didn't want to lose. For example, movement of units is 1:1 from Core to BF and conversions are truly not that painstaking as I had imagined, but which are necessary for campaign level maintenance and repairs. It really had my head spinning for a while but I feel it's making more and more sense.
What do you guys think is the biggest loss or gain in going from TW to BF? I personally will miss the ammo explosions and seeing the chain reactions and actual damage depending on remaining ammo stores and the physical attacking. But, as I said, the process of zooming in with conversions for smaller engagements are not so daunting with only a handful to even a dozen units.
My favorite Pro? The reining in of the artillery in the optional Commands Phase.
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You're describing some of the reasons I think BattleTech truly has the ability to scale from RPG to interstellar war scales (even if it still needs a tweak here and there). Thanks for validating that belief! :)
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Most definitely, Daryk! The greatest appeal Battletech has for me is really how I explain it to anyone who inquires about it when they see my models or swag. It's Dungeon and Dragons, except with more math and less pretend. It just requires less acting and imagination (discounting AToW stuff) and that is really a breath of fresh air for me. Somewhere, someone called it Game of Thrones in space. Except with more explosions and less nudity, I would add. That gets a good laugh from most.
I look back and wonder at how so much time passed before I ever noticed Battletech, only to see its footprints in the sand to so many other things I enjoyed in life. Being a big RTS gamer back when I was young, I was a fanboy of Total Annihilation and later Supreme Commander. Only to find out later how much of a fan Chris Taylor was of Battletech and that this may have been the inspiration for these IP's. Big giant mechs and Inner Sphere tech have been in so many other things! From Xenogears to Eve Online (which sucked a good 6 years from me). I laughed so hard at seeing all the weapon lore mirrored in Eve's loadouts and how early iterations, before balancing revisions took place, drew dramatic comparisons to weapon classes and ranges in Battletech.
I know the world is crazy about miniatures, but I do hope Catalyst continues to give us more tools and products and love are shown to Battleforce. It may be the most affordable entry point into the game and possibly the most accessible as well. I eagerly await the Battleforce Counters Pack box that should be coming with my Merc kickstarter stuff. All in all, glad to have something purely analog to consume my free time since my electro hyper-sensitivity has limited how much time I can spend on the computer and other electronics.
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A good laugh indeed! :D
And only six more posts until you don't have to prove you're human to the forum software! Welcome aboard! :)
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Three cheers for the BattleForce Revolution!
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Hip, hip... ! :D
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Been saying this for a while. As a Forever GM, I treat a lot of narrative battles as RPG campaigns. One of the highlights of Battletech is that I can go anything from a bar fight (ATOW/Destiny) to interstellar wars (Strategic Battleforce/Inner Sphere at War).
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I had BF-1 Boxed Set back in the day & never played it. Actually I still have it.
It's one of those things I'd like to play but in the end, TW is 90% of my games with the other 10% being AS & the very very very rare AT game. Like 1x a decade.
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I had BF-1 Boxed Set back in the day & never played it. Actually I still have it.
It's one of those things I'd like to play but in the end, TW is 90% of my games with the other 10% being AS & the very very very rare AT game. Like 1x a decade.
I don't blame you. I've seen some of the counters on the old stuff and the new tokens are much better at hiding unit composition or types. Most now are the general radar blips. I like most of the changes or updates, in rules or tokens.