Alpha Strike and alternate era support

[Nerroth]

While I already have a thread looking at how Alpha Strike might handle certin units in 3145 (something I hope to see more fully supported in the not-too-distant future), there was one thing I wanted to ask; in terms of actually playing the game, how much if a difference in complexity is there between the current eras of play that can be supported in BattleForce/Quick-Strike right now?

Currently, the MUL includes a range of technology levels, from the early Primitive Mackie to the (late) Star League Lancelot, and from the iconic Timber Wolf Prime to the infamous Archangel Invictus. But in terms of how the various distinctions transfer from Record Sheet to Unit Card, are these Elements any more of a hassle to use in this scale of play than any other?


I noticed in some of the 3145 discussions how some players are somewhat daunted at the prospect of learning the new rules and weapons needed to master some of the more advanced toys of the Dark Age. But (leaving aside the "new" conversion rules we'd need to get done up, such as for the Colossi and QuadVees), would Alpha Strike allow for an easier "in" to the latter eras of play; or is it still more of a problem to try and fully integrate the most advanced known (and supported) technology levels in this scale?

[glitterboy2098]

i find myself curious about this as well.. i do not have a copy of Strategic ops to learn the quickstrike rules, but from the discussions of how it works and how Alpha Strike will work, i find myself thinking that Alphastrike might be something that will be easier to teach to new players. (since i've found many struggle with the complexities of even introductory tech BT, and find Total war and Techmanual to be overly intimidating)

and i would point out that earlier era's of play have some elements that probably need adaption as well.. Land Air Mechs for one probably need some adjustment to a quickstrike/alphastrike level of play.. frankly that is an element i'd use even in the Republic and Post-Republic Era. (no reason some old LAM's couldn't have been brought out of mothballs by one of the smaller factions, or a group of WOB/Royal ones uncovered in time for everything to go pear shaped in the IS.)

for the Jihad Era, quickstrike/alphastrike level of play is probably more suited to scenario's where Nukes show up as well.. the more abstract damage system would seem to make such use less time consuming to determine effect, and the larger scale battles mean it is less of a "rocks fall, everyone dies" situation..