BF vs QS

[WarHammer Willy]

Hi All,

I've been away from the game for about a decade. Getting back into it now.

Anyway, I used to like BattleForce. I like the scale of it over the regular BT. I know all the rulebooks were recompiled and reissued. I've been doing my homework. :)

What is the difference between BF and Quick Strike and how does that relate to the Strategic Operations rulebook?

I apologize for my ignorance. Thanks in advance.

[YingJanshi]

Well basically in BattleForce is the same as its always been (okay at least since BF2), in QuickStrike you use the BattleForce stats for units in miniatures play. So it kinda merges BattleTech and BattleForce for faster miniature games.
   I'm sure someone here can give you a better description than that, but that's the basic.

[WarHammer Willy]

Gotcha. BattleForce 2 came out when I was on my hiatus.

Is BF2 and the BF in SO the same?

[YingJanshi]

Um mostly as far as I know. Granted, I don't play much BF.

[Sartris]

Gotcha. BattleForce 2 came out when I was on my hiatus.

Is BF2 and the BF in SO the same?

Same concepts at least. The rules have been tweaked.

[George_Labour]

They added a host of new abilities and integrated almost all possible units into a more coherent rule set. So you can use everything in one game using similar rules instead of focusing mostly on the ground side of things as in BF2. They also added in more options for command units as well as refining special abilities and making adjustments to recent additions to the technologies and optional elements sch as weather and special equipment.

But if you played BF2 then you've probably got a good handle on how to play bot the Stategic Operations version and quick Strike. Though I suggest at least reading over and playing the basic rules first in order to adjust to some of the minor adjustments they did. Then add in the advanced rules bit by bit to see how they work.

[William J. Pennington]

Hi All,

I've been away from the game for about a decade. Getting back into it now.

Anyway, I used to like BattleForce. I like the scale of it over the regular BT. I know all the rulebooks were recompiled and reissued. I've been doing my homework. :)

What is the difference between BF and Quick Strike and how does that relate to the Strategic Operations rulebook?

I apologize for my ignorance. Thanks in advance.

Strategic Operations has (in addition to all sorts of other goodies) the rules for Battleforce, (basic and advanced) the rules for adapting Total Warfare rules for Miniatures play, and then rules for Quick Strike (the love child of those two). Quickstrike uses Battleforce stats, but using individual miniatures on 3d terrain (and incorperating the necessary adaptations for such play from the Miniatures rules) instead of counters representing an entire unit, and using ranges closer to miniatures style play than the abstracted Battleforce version.

Rules exist to translate Battletech units back and forth to BF/QS play, including current damage statuses, how to conert units, etc.  So all of that (plus the abstract aerospace rules) make me a big fan of Strat Ops, lots of bang for the buck.

This is a very bare bones description, but hopefulyl enough to get you started.

Also, a peek at the table of contents and first few pagesof Strat Ops at

http://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/10%20Previews/CAT35004_Strategic%20Operations_Preview.pdf

[Atlas3060]

In the Download page of this site there's a quick start set of rules, mostly a sampling really, of Battleforce.

http://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/BattleForce_QSR.pdf

Now these aren't the Quick Strike rules, but if you play units out individually like you would in Total Warfare scale you get the sense of quick abstract fun that people have tasted with Quick Strike.

One thing I've always done was treat woods and partial cover like Total Warfare, but since Quick Strike is miniatures based gameplay I think everyone has a few tweaks here and there for hex play.

[WarHammer Willy]

Thanks for all the responses, fellas (or ladies, if applicable).

Quick Strike was confusing me because I was trying to figure it out by reading the product descriptions and forums here. But got it now. Basically BF + BT (or TW now) + I don't have all weekend! = Quick Strike.

So Strat Ops sounds like a lot of fun then. Is it just the book or does it come with the counters and pieces (ala BF 1 & 2)? Seems like not since you can get as a pdf.

[Son of Kerenski]

Just use your minis. One mini can represent one mech or an entire lance.

Generally if you are using a mini to represent a lance then you add up all the sizes for each mech and divide by 4 or 5 or 6 depending on faction.

Lights are 1, medium 2, etc. So if i had a lance of 2 lights 1 medium and one heavy I would use a medium mini to represent that lance. 1+1+2+3=7 / 4 = 1.75 which rounded up to 2

[Atlas3060]

So Strat Ops sounds like a lot of fun then. Is it just the book or does it come with the counters and pieces (ala BF 1 & 2)? Seems like not since you can get as a pdf.

Strat Ops is more than just the Battleforce game, the book has gameplay (and I think construction) rules for Jumpships, Warships, Space Stations. There's also rules for squadrons, space play is expanded in this book, all sorts of good stuff!

You are correct that Strategic Operations is just the book.
If you're itching for counters though CGL has provided some you an download.
They're in the Download section of this site and in Battlecorps.
http://bg.battletech.com/?page_id=27

Now that first file of Counters is rather plain, made for Mercenaries according to CGL. You can still use them for anybody though!
They do offer, for a small price, counters that are colored more closely to a faction's colors.
For example the Lyrans are a dark blue, the Davions are a yellow color, Dracs are red counters, etc....

[Trailblazer]

Fair warning: Strat Ops BattleForce is a fair bit slower than BF2, with more dice rolls required at every step.  It's closer to ordinary BattleTech in that way.  For my part, I still prefer to play BF2 (But Strategic Ops is a good book and worth getting anyway).

[Nerroth]

There has been talk of there being a dedicated file covering Quick Strike directly (without requiring the use of StratOps), but nothing concrete laid out just yet. For now, there are a number of pdf collections of QS cards based on various Technical Readouts, which are listed further down this page. (The BattleMechs from the Introductory Box Set have a free QS pdf available on the download page.)

Also, some newer (and older) units have cards done up for them on the Master Unit List website, though not every unit has its QS stats worked up there just yet.

[Medron Pryde]

I also created a large number of QuickStrike cards for use as well.  Just cut them out and play with them.  :)

http://www.pryderockindustries.com/dl_game_aids.php#BFC