Running a demo game - advice?

[landryan]

Hi folks, I'm thinking of running a demo game of Battletech for new players using the latest introductory boxed set, supplemented with a couple more mapsheets. Any advice on how I should tackle this? I've already decided to avoid complex mapsheets with lots of cover. What sort of tonnage of mechs would be reccomended for a fairly fast and fun game? I've played a lot of a light mech games where no-one hit anyone for the first 2 hours...

cheers

Landryan.

[Nightlord01]

The mediums have it I think.

They tend to be a good combination between survivability and fire power.

Most mediums can take a hit or two, but can't withstand any concentrated targeting, so it encourages mobility.

Mechs like the Phoenix Hawk have a decent throw weight, are quite mobile, and reasonably well protected. You can add the Centurion, Enforcer, Griffin, Shadowhawk and Wolverine in there too.

Give everyone pretty decent gunnery and piloting skills, nothing is more demoralising than lining your opponent up and realising you need 10s at medium range. Make it possible to hit each other, and the game wont last an eternity.

[landryan]

Thanks... in other words, make them all elite mechwarriors and the game will go more quickly?

[cavingjan]

Another option is to use units with maximum firepower and minimum armor. Hellbringers, Trebuchets, JagerMechs, Panthers, and Clints are some good examples. Stay clear of zombies and armored monsters like Awesomes, Thuds, Griffins, Wolverines, etc.

[E. Icaza]

I'd take medium 'Mechs with better than average pilots.  You may also want to avoid any of the missile heavy boats to cut down on the number of dice rolls needed and speed things up.  I've had great success using the Enforcer, Vindicator, Phoenix Hawk, Clint and Hunchback in demo games.

[SeeM]

with better than average pilots.

+1, like, etc... 4/5, especially in jumping mediums usually have to hit rolls >= 9. It's really frustrating for new player that he NEVER hits.

[Nightlord01]

Thanks... in other words, make them all elite mechwarriors and the game will go more quickly?

Yes it would, but I'd be very careful with this.

You want the unit movement to actually mean something. Every time you lower G/P skills, you reduce the effect of movement. I'd say 3/4 makes a happy medium, which, IIRC, is Veteran level in the Inner Sphere.

The game has a delicate balance at the best of times, you can mess that up pretty easily.

[Mattlov]

I agree with the increased skills.  I never run a demo game with worse than 3/4 pilots.

Another VERY helpful thing is to have charts handy for all players.  I might have almost all the tables memorized, but most players don't.

Extra dice.  Nothing slows down a game faster than a new player rolling out 8 SRM hits ONE AT A TIME.  8 SRM hits?  Roll 8 pairs of dice.

Movement dice.  Let the players at the table know what your Target Movement Modifier is without asking.

Fewer units.  It is better to have a small number of units on the table with new players. Keep it simple. IF you want, allow "respawning" instead of giving a new player two or three units to try to use.

Never EVER EVER give a new player Clan tech.  :)

[StoneRhino]

We are going to be running a demo game next week as well out here in Cali. Our focus is the Intro box. What I am not sure about is messing with 4/5 pilots. if units are being blown to pieces without much effort then people will not care about their mech(s) much. People may also start towards assault mechs because if you make it easy for light mechs to get trashed then the players will react by going in the opposite direction.

I think we will be going with standard pilots. It would allow light mechs to survive long enough to do something, but it will force players to consider their movement and how it affects their ability to attack. A player with jumpjets should have a harder time hitting someone else. Those that consider how movement will affect their attacks should be rewarded with easier shots. If the gunnery is adjusted to low then it really doesn't matter if you jumped or walked since you will most likely have a 50/50 chance of hitting either way. This reduces the value of movement which undermines lighter units.

I think this could also be an issue once the players have learned the game and get to select their own forces using BV2. Someone I know who has played for as long as I have has taken a negative view regarding assault mechs now that he has to use BV2 to play them, and no longer enjoys the 1/2 pilots that he used to roll extremely often. He found out how going for a 100 tonner with 1/2 pilot can negatively effect your ability to design a force that can screen that one mech. We ended up with the same assault mech but mine was a 4/5. Mine hit a bit less often as his, but my additional forces allowed me to surround his mech and apply pressure that he could not apply in turn against my assault mech.

I would have to consider how well a new player may take to the change of having to use BV2 to design a force. Some might not have an issue, but there will be those that take it harder then the rest and may reconsider playing the game because they are not going to get the instant gratification of destroying other peoples' mechs with ease. They might get frustrated at the speed of the game once they realize that 4/5s are the free pilots and that the speed of the game at the demo is not typical.

I have not run a demo before, but I did teach my friends to play back in high school and we used 4/5s when we first got into the game. There were no problems with people liking the game because of the time and care needed to land shots using a 4/5. i would have to agree with others that messing with the pilots can cause problems, but I have to suggest that it can cause problems down the road, assuming they pick up the game.

[landryan]

Okay, so sounds like Veteran pilots at most. I think the mech suggestions are good. The fewer units thing was something I was already thinking about - assuming four players, let a player play just one mech to start with, and re-spawn with the same or different mech as required. It's likely I'll be working as a neutral referee/advisor unless there's an odd number of players, in which case I can play a mech "NPC style".

Would anyone suggest the use of Forced Withdrawal rules? I can't remember if they're in the boxed set or not but I found this a good way to speed up combat and also be more realistic to the setting.