Hello all, I've played Mechwarrior as a kid since my dad brought home a computer during the old windows 95 time, I played mechwarrior 2 as a 8 year old back then was just mind blowing.
But never really knew about the table top game. Or much experience in it either.
But any ways, I've spent many months finally getting into it and setting up my minis, and collection.
Have almost all the new edition CGL rule books.
I also got the pdf for the companion threw drivethruRPG.
But I love having the book it's self for my own library. So found a hardcover book.
I've doing my best to learn how to convert CBT sheets to alpha cards.. kinda getting the hang of it.
I just want to know if.. despite being from 2014, how accurate are the conversion rules in the companion book
And if there are any actual plans for a new updated one. So that I'm not wasting my time learning a system that will be bunk in a year or less
I started with Original BT back in the FASA days but continued wirh my sons through Mechwarrior, Mechcommander and some classic Battletech, flirting with some of the quick start systems.
Now a commited Alpha Strike player with friends and Family (Sons now 26-38, though middle one was slightly miffed that I converted his abandoned mechwarrior infantry to battletech bases for AS).
Starting with the Quick Start rules (the rules in the AS 2022 boxed are set far more comprehensive and detailed than the free version available on line, though CGl do not make that clear to potential newbies), progressing to the Main Rukes and the Companion book, which was great but superseded by The Commanders Edition 5 years ago and now on it's 6th Edition, which includes the Companions advanced rules.
Recently published 6th edition Tables are a great edition to any AS rules set.
https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Alpha-Strike-Commanders-Edition-Tables-6th-printing.pdfMy advice is to use the Commanders Edition and the Master Unit List in Alpha Strike mode for conversion of unit stats. Though I have the laminated Alpha Strike Unit Deck expansions and cards included in Force Packs and BT sets,plus more coming from Mercenaries.
http://www.masterunitlist.info/Force/Buildand the excellent Jeff's Tools
https://jdgwf.github.io/battletech-tools/alpha-strike/rosterTo build stat cards.
The Commanders Edition IMO is a far better take on converting BT to AS as it starts from Alpha Strike being a compete game not a hacked BT game. Conversion being for unit costs to allow CBT mussions, campaigns to be utilised for AS.
I personaly prefer to use BT maps, though not for all games, with a scale of half hex = 1" and half hex movement, I even place the hex terrain from CGL and others on the maps (looks good to), half hex movement allows mechs and non-mechs to hug terrain and field company sized games.
I find CBT ends up via combat attrition with units in a bookkeeping state similar to where AS starts e.g. just 10-15 boxes to tick off. Using advanced rules, ammo types, SPAs, Strike Cards, Formation bonuses(see below) etc it has enough detail to differentiate units without over burdensome bookkeeping and multiple games can be played per session facilitating the bigger campaigns like Tukayyid and Succession Wars for a deeper experience.
Formation Cards by Jarhead on Reddit u/J4H3AD
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ocv6SmBYe4AHY3dLstuN7vnv7qMH4Sejigzlie44mW4/edit
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