First game in, nice alternate system!

[kinwolf]

Played a first game today with my 5 years old son, using hexes.  We usually play regular BT using the Quick-start rule, so, no heat, structural or critical hits. 

My only question is:  It felt alot easier to hit in ASCE then regular BT, is it the case or might I have overlooked something?   

As for the simplicity of the system, I think it speak for itself that my son had no problem understanding the rules difference and the structural hits + criticals.  Understanding/Using Overheating will probably take some years though :P   I used the optional rule for light/heavy woods so they would be the same as regular BT for move cost and cover. 

After the game I asked him how he liked it compared to the regular rules, and he said he likes both equals.   In ASCE, he loved being able to change facing without using MP(that's a part he always struggle with) and not having to decide btw walk and run.   But he said he kinda missed rolling for every weapons and knowing what weapon his mech had(kid loves knowing he got 2 lasers, one SRM and one canon)  He also liked that he could control 3 mechs, with one heavy in it. (With the regular rules, to keep the game around 1h, I only allow 1 medium and 1 light ).   

I'll probably plan every other game with him using ASCE from now on to allow for fast play with more mechs, but come back to regular BT for the other one(I missed location hits and rolling for every weapons too :P)

[Scotty]

My only question is:  It felt alot easier to hit in ASCE then regular BT, is it the case or might I have overlooked something?

In general?  Yes.  Many modifiers in Alpha Strike are lower than they are in Total Warfare.  Using ground movement is +0, there is no running for an additional modifier, TMMs are usually what you could get at a walk in Total Warfare instead of what's possible at a run.

Most of those decisions are to 1) prevent the game from taking too long because most 'Mechs are fully capable without having to track facing changes of reaching the end of the bell curve and 2) to account for Alpha Strike's usual all-or-nothing attack damage making a string of misses along your entire force - which may only be three or four units - feel less really shitty.

[Sartris]

though #2 still happens (it's the dice, not the game). i was doing a binary vs company AS game as part of an Op Bulldog campaign. The players' night gyr had been absolutely wrecking my shit for several games and i was eager to reduce it to slag. i played my hand carefully, luring the jags into an industrial complex... had the night gyr in my sights and went full violation of zell. eight misses. i lost five mechs in the next turn after the players rightly called shenanigans and abandoned zell.

but the TN was only 7s. unless your opponent is playing super defensively, you'll almost always have a shot in AS you feel like you have a chance of hitting on. you usually get fair numbers.

[Weirdo]

Yeah, Alpha Strike is very much a fast-play system, both in the simplified ruleset, and the increased lethality of th games. Certainly has the effect of making games feel more action-packed. :)

The only(very minor) downside to this is that it means you have to be very careful when using Alpha Strike to play out combat for RPG campaigns. Unless they're VERY good, or absolutely fanatical about forced withdrawal, it can be hard to keep player characters alive through a campaign(or at least avoiding becoming Dispossessed).

[Fear Factory]

Variable Damage helps the RPG.

[Elmoth]

Variable Damage helps the RPG.

+1