Sell me on Alpha Strike.

[Ben]

I always use Variable Damage as well (4+ on a D6 for each point of damage). The other rule that I find lends some small amount of CBT flavour to AS, for me at least, is giving every Mech the Multi-Trac Positive Design Quirk from the AS Companion. It gives me the feeling that I am actually choosing different weapons to fire at different targets, rather than Alpha Striking everyone. It can slightly slow the game down in some respects (more analysis paralysis and more rolling), however it can also speed the game up a little in other ways as some Heavies and Assaults can actually wreck a pair of Lights in a single turn, on occasion. This, or something similar may exist in the ASCE, and although I do own it in both PDF and hard copy, I've not thoroughly devoured it yet so I'm not sure...

Multi-Trac
A unit with this Quirk may choose to divide its ranged weapon damage in half (rounding the final value down, to a minimum of 1 point) and direct each “half-damage” attack
against a separate target in the same turn. Each attack is resolved using all of the modifiers applicable to that target; no secondary target modifiers will apply to either attack.

ASCE Has the "Multiple Attack Roll" optional rule. It's basically make a separate to-hit roll for each point of damage. It does have a +1 secondary attack modifier if you switch targets, but that's CBT flavor to me. The example it gives is a unit with a 3/3/2 attack. It could roll twice for a target at long range, and still have 1 roll left for another target at medium or short range. If it rolls twice for a target at short or medium range, it has "used up" two attack points, so that last point couldn't be used  for long range. So attack order does matter.

[Two Guns Blazing]

ASCE Has the "Multiple Attack Roll" optional rule. It's basically make a separate to-hit roll for each point of damage. It does have a +1 secondary attack modifier if you switch targets, but that's CBT flavor to me. The example it gives is a unit with a 3/3/2 attack. It could roll twice for a target at long range, and still have 1 roll left for another target at medium or short range. If it rolls twice for a target at short or medium range, it has "used up" two attack points, so that last point couldn't be used  for long range. So attack order does matter.

Cool, thanks Ben, I'll dive into the ASCE soon!

[Cache]

Pro: My opponent's Shadowhawk can't escape the board with 0 armor and 6 points of structure between both legs, the head, and the CT because I can't roll consistently on the hit location table.

Con: My Griffin can't do the same thing.  :D

I feel the flavor is still there, just with much less accounting. Plus I get to push more metal across the table due to quicker play.

[Holden]

The best thing about BT and AS is both. It's not an either or and sometimes for campaign reasons I even Run both for the same Mechs...

But AS lends itself much better to just bring s lot more models (including way more infantry and tanks...and VTOL) and  that's the main reason it's great to play. And it is GREAT to play!

[victor_shaw]

To me the biggest difference between BT and AS is feel and tactics.

BT: To me is about large robots beating each other into a blood pulp. Tactics wise it seems to be more like a royal rumble then a tactical simulator.
Which works well for gladiatorial combat and the chance meeting on the battlefield, but less well for tactical and strategic objective combat.

AS: To me brings what is missing from BT, true tactical and strategic objective combat. Units that serve a support roll come into their own and it becomes less about beating each other into a blood pulp and more about achieving an military objective.

[Crimson Dawn]

The group I play with just did a couple of Alpha Strike games and I rather enjoyed it.  My favorite parts were things that sped up the play such as the movement and range bands.  The movement was also a lot of fun to use because unlike in classic fast mechs seemed to really be able to get behind enemies where they could be safe which made them feel really nasty.  Also being able to decide which to dace after a move was great since you do not lose movement.  It made movement much less of a chore and made it feel even more important than it is in classic.

[Dissolv]

Battletech tends to have dueling, or small unit affairs.   Mech on mech, or lance on lance.

Alpha Strike gives the option of having large scale combined arms (or not) conflict within the same universe.   A reinforced company (often plus allies) is a very common side for our usual Monday night battles.  A reinforced Battalion (again, normally with allies such as local militia, etc.) is very typical "big game" side. 

Check out:

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=65558.msg1509144#msg1509144
and
https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=65509.msg1507953#msg1507953

and my own minor contribution.
https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=66680.0
(It isn't completely clear from the AAR, but this was over 30 missions, played in just 4 nights.  No more than 4 hours per night.)

These are fairly typical of what we do with Alpha Strike.  This week it's back to classic Battletech, and the scale of the game, the perceived importance on the larger world, and above all ability to finish in time....goes way way down.  We like both, but given time constraints and desire to see a "bigger picture" Alpha Strike has just dominated our actual playtime.