23 replies to this topic

[Nerroth]

Over on Catalyst's BattleTech forums, there has been talk (mainly culled from recent BattleChats, as well as a video interview with Randall Bills) about an upcoming supplemental rulebook called Alpha Strike.

While details about AS are still thin on the ground for the time being, the book seems set to be a "grown-up" standalone version of the fast-play Quick-Strike rules currently buried in the Strategic Operations rulebook:

Quote

Alpha Strike
[17:45] <Pa_Weasley> Can you give any nuggets of information about the Alpha Strike book/product you mentioned in previous chats? (Sorry if that's already been asked.)
[17:48] <@Habeas2> At present, the book is well into writing, and is planned to release as a hardcover, full-color supplemental rulebook. The core writing is largely done or well underway, and we have ample material for a series of PDF-exclusive support products that simply wouldn't have fit in there without breaking the bank. Fans of miniature wargaming, in particular, should find it a great resource.

[17:55] <garydee> Is Alpha Strike Quick Strike renamed?
[17:58] <@Habeas2> Garydee - Mmmmmmmmmmaybe?

Quote

Alpha Strike:
[01:05] <Jo_Jo_Monkey> Is the Alpha Strike book considered a “core” rulebook?
[01:06] <@Habeas2> Jo_Jo_Monkey - It is core in the same way the A Time of War Companion is considered core, but it is not an actual part of the Total Warfare-Interstellar Ops thing.

[01:38] <Nerroth> Is there a particular era in which Alpha Strike will be set, or will it come with enough rules to allow it to cover all six currently-listed eras?
[01:39] <@Habeas2> Nerroth – Yes

[01:40] <Nerroth> So, if a new player were handed a copy of AS, along with a copy of a 3145 pdf (as and when such a file becomes available), he ir she would have all they need to get started with Quick Stike-level play in the Dark Age era?
[01:41] <Nerroth> I mean, a pdf QS set based on the units in TRO: 3145, akin to the sets already available for the likes of TRO: 3050.
[01:41] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - It is possible, yes.

At the moment, there are a lot of units which have Quick-Strike cards done up for them on the Master Unit List, as well as a series of PDFs with sets of unit cards keyed to certain Technical Readouts (such as this set based on TRO:3050U).

Hopefully, AS will allow for these cards, and more as they get added to the list, to be used with a dedicated rulebook. (Personally, I like the idea of being able to use the book with a future card set based on TRO:3145, and have what, in essence, would be a spiritual successor to MechWarrior: Dark Age/Age of Destruction; not in rule terms, but in being able to bring the Dark Age to life on the tabletop in a fast-play manner. But if AS also allowed for fast-play WarShip combat, that'd be good too.)


So, does Alpha Strike sound like it might be of interest, or would you rather wait and see more from Catalyst about what the book will (or will not) actually cover once it's ready for publication?


EDIT: Thread title changed to account for the new game tagline.

Edited by Nerroth, 29 July 2013 - 01:57 PM.

[Nerroth]

There is more data on Alpha Strike in today's first BattleChat:

Quote

Alpha Strike:
[18:20] <Nerroth> Apologies if this is covered by Quick-Strike already, but will Alpha Strike include rules for operating Land Air 'Mechs? With the recently-completed Spectral LAM project in mind, it would be welcome if those new minis (to include the Mk1 LAMs covered in stretch goals) were supported in the upcoming book.)
[18:23] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - Hmmm. Doesn't seem so.
[18:23] <Nerroth> In that case, is that something that could be added in a future expansion or supplemental file?
[18:24] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - Yup.


[18:25] <Nerroth> Speaking of Alpha Strike, how far in scale will the actions it will cover go? For example, will WarShips be supported in the starter book; and if not, could they be added to a future expansion?
[18:29] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - Looks like there's minimal WarShip support. WOuld likely be a later supplement


[18:30] <Nerroth> Will AS include rules for both hex-based and hexless play?
[18:30] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - Yes


[18:34] <Nerroth> Will the first AS book include the rules needed to support the "new" units and technologies (such as Nova CEWS) from the Wars of Reaving or the upcoming TRO3145 PDFs, or would those have to wait for later expansions?
[18:37] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - Later expansions


[18:40] <Nerroth> Has there been any thought put in as to what era the presentation/cover art/etc for AS will be put in? I'm thinking of how StratOps has a Jihad-era cover, and how TW is currently presented as being in the midst of that era.
[18:44] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - Likely Clan Invasion


[18:45] <Nerroth> I see. When it comes to AS expansions, woudl they be pdf-based, or could there be print books which further build upon the game engine?
[18:46] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - The first batch of Alpha Strike supplements are planned for PDF-exclusive release.


[18:48] <Nerroth> In the longer run, will the existence of AS as a product line in its own right have an affect on future TROs or sourcebooks? Will any of those latter books be more likely to include the AS unit cards included within, or would they have to go into the same queue as those currently waiting to go into the MUL?
[18:51] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - Yes


[18:52] <Nerroth> How far along is Alpha Strike in terms of its development process?
[18:56] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - The core rules are done and are undergoing a crash playtest to verify workability. SUpplemental rules and other writing continue as we speak. Art, fortunately, is not that big an issue.


[18:59] <Nerroth> Is there a particular design choice that is making the Clan Invasion the most likely starting point for AS? (Is it as simple as there being unit card pdfs for the 3039 and 3050 TROs, or would there not have been enough room to start in the Jihad or Dark Age at this point?)
[19:00] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - Not enough hard data on Dark Age units was available when production started, and art/miniatures are not yet up to Dark Age needs. Also, the fact is that the electronic properties out there are focused on roughly the Clan era of play, so we felt it would be more recognizable to new-ish players.


[19:02] <Nerroth> That leads me to a semi-related question; is there any particular issue with using the MW:DA/AoD minis/stands with the AS rules, or would those minis have to be re-based before they were compatible?
[19:06] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - Legally speaking, the click-dial base concept is a property of WizKids Games, so we try to stay clear of using Dark Age minis in our present-day artwork.
[19:07] <SpaceCowboy1701> To clarify, though, N-scale miniatures will work with the new AS rules, then?


[19:07] <Nerroth> So, the large-scale adoption of AS to the Dark Age would be dependent on IWM getting more of the 3145 units done up in mini form? (And is there any word from that quarter on that happening in the near future?)
[19:08] <@Habeas2> Nerroth - Not really, since we continue to alow proxy minis. Just don't expect a lot of mini-based art support for the Dark Age before we have enough DA-era figures to show.

Edited by Nerroth, 20 April 2013 - 09:43 AM.

[Pht]

I figured they were going to try and fill out quick strike.

[Nerroth]

Indeed.

If it helps, this is a list I tried to put together of what we know at this point regarding AS:

• It will be a full-colour supplemental rulebook, in a similar vein as A Time of War Companion (in terms of its relation to the Total Warfare through whatever Interstellar Operations will end up being axis) but as a stand-alone introduction to the Quick-Strike game engine.

• It will have support for both hex-based and hexless play.

• It will most likely be initially presented as a Clan Invasion product.

• The first batch of pdf expansions are in the works.

• Certain unit types, such as LAMs (and whatever "new" toys we may get in 3145), are not covered in the first book, but are options for later expansions.

• There is a somewhat limited WarShip presence in the core book, but they are more likely to show up in force in a later expansion.

• More in-depth support for other eras (such as the Dark Age) might also be fodder for later expansions.

• The core rules are done, and "crash" playtesting is afoot. Work on other written material for the project is in progress.

• It should be released (fingers crossed) before the end of the year.

• In the longer run, the existence of AS as "its own thing" may have an effect on future sourcebooks and TROs, in terms of how the unit cards for new toys might be presented.

Hopefully I haven't missed anything so far.

Edited by Nerroth, 25 April 2013 - 10:40 AM.

[Nerroth]

Here's the first "official" announcement for Alpha Strike!

Alpha Strike: The TableTop Miniatures Rulebook

Quote

[Cover "in progress" by the brilliant Alex Iglesias.]

When we published Strategic Operations several years ago, a lot of people instantly fell in love with what is really a pretty small part of the book…the Quick-Strike Rules. And we immediately began getting questions of “when will you release a stand-alone rulebook of that?”

For those wondering what Quick-Strike is, the easiest answer is that it is the truest form yet published for being able to play BattleTech in a true “tabletop miniatures” style and speed, while still feeling like your playing BattleTech.

At the start of the year I had been thinking heavily about this, especially after years, at this point, of seeing plenty of people playing BattleTech in this manner at conventions. I then pitched the concept to Herb of a complete, stand-alone rulebook that would be the “table-top miniatures game” play of BattleTech. As it happened, great minds think alike and Herb had already been working an an epub release. I felt we shouldn’t only go half way on that and instead should embrace a full print book, full-color, hardback…the works (I know…shocking I wanted the kitchen sink in there…).

With that we got to work. The original outline, unfortunately, even for us, was way, way too much data as we wanted to cover every Era and even provide samples armies for all such Eras…the book might have been one of the biggest we’ve ever published…not to mention being crazy intimidating for other tabletop miniatures players that might want to give this a try.

So we immediately started trimming back, while still ensuring the book will provide a complete, full BattleTech experience that would have players coming back for more. This also allows for the creation of a series of great epubs to build upon the solid framework of Alpha Strike.

But wait…if they were called Quick-Srike why are we calling this Alpha Strike?! Well, to be honest, in hindsight the former is just too close to “Quick-Start” and we’ve gotten a fair bit of confusion along the way…hence a more unique name this time around.

We’re currently on track to have this at Gen Con with the book available to the public in September…or at least that’s the current plans…will see if it survives drop insertion….

In the meantime, this is the first of several blogs where I’ll discuss this great project…the drive flare of an incoming DropShip, announcing its coming…we’ll start getting into the bowels of what the ship carries in the coming weeks and months.

See ya there…

Randall

That WIP cover art looks great so far. I do hope that Alex's take on the Savage Wolf ends up on the cover of whichever AS expansion takes us forward into the Dark Age!

Edited by Nerroth, 02 May 2013 - 08:22 AM.

[Nerroth]

Here's a look at the provisional table of contents:

Quote

BattleTech: Alpha Strike Table of Contents

On June 6, 2013
Herb and his great crew continue to pound on Alpha Strike to get it ready for heading to the printer in the near future. In the meantime, thought I’d share the current Table of Contents (subject to change, of course).

Welcome to Alpha Strike!

Alpha Strike Basics

What’s Needed to Play Alpha Strike

Alpha Strike vs. Total Warfare

Alpha Strike at a Glance

Additional Material

Introductory Alpha Strike


Components

The Unit Card

Setup

Placing Terrain

Choosing Army Lists

Playing the Game

Victory Conditions

Sequence of Play

Movement Phase

Jumping

Terrain

Combat Phase

Resolving Physical Attacks
Overheating

Resolving Weapon Attacks

End Phase

Heat

Damage

Special Abilities

Special Ability Descriptions

Standard Alpha Strike


Components

Additional Game Terms for Standard Alpha Strike

Setup

Choosing Forces
Placing Terrain

Choosing Scenario Types

Playing the Game

Victory Conditions
Forced Withdrawal (Optional)

Sequence of Play

Movement Phase

Terrain
Additional Movement Rules

Unequal Number of Units

Combat Phase

Resolving Physical Attacks
Overheating

Resolving Weapon Attacks

End Phase

Heat

Damage

Special Abilities

C3 Networks

Special Ability Descriptions

Abstract Aerospace System

Control Rolls

Aerospace Setup

Placing Aerospace Forces on the Radar Map

The Radar Map

Abstract Aerospace Gameplay

Abstract Aerospace Movement

Abstract Aerospace Combat

Resolving Aerospace Air-to-Air Attacks
Resolving Ground-to-Air Combat

Resolving Aerospace Air-to-Ground Attacks

Aerospace End Phase

Aerospace Damage

Ending Air-to-Air Engagements

Advanced Options


Advanced Movement Modes

Evading
Leaping
Intentional Falls from Above
Sprinting
Transporting Non-Infantry Units

Climbing

Advanced Terrain

Deep Snow
Gravel Piles
Hazardous Liquid Pools
Heavy Industrial
Ice
Jungle
Magma
Mud
Planted Fields
Rails
Rough, Ultra
Rubble, Ultra
Sand
Swamp
Tundra
Water (Expanded)
Woods (Expanded)
Bogging Down

Buildings

Aerospace Units on the Ground Map

Spheroid Units and Airships
Landing Rolls
Aerospace Unit Transports
Partial Cover

Aerodyne Units

Artillery

Resolving Artillery Attacks

On-Board Artillery vs. Off-Board Artillery

Alternate Munitions

Alternate Autocannon Munitions
Alternate Bomb Munitions (Bombs/Aerospace Missiles)
Alternate Narc/iNarc Pods
Alternate LRM Munitions
Alternate SRM Munitions

Alternate Artillery Munitions

Battlefield Intelligence

Buildings

Movement Effects
Attacking Buildings
Walls

Building Types

Concealing Unit Composition

Concealing Record Sheets
Concealing Unit Capabilities

Blip Counters

Coordinate System

Creating a Coordinate

Dropping Troops

Low-Altitude Drop
Zipline Drop

High-Altitude Drop

ECM/ECCM

Ejection/Abandoning Units
Environmental Conditions

Darkness
Earthquake
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)
Fissures
Gravity
Temperature
Tornado
Wind
All Other Conditions

Atmospheric Density

Fire and Smoke

Smoke
Spreading Fires
Fire and Units

Fires

Hidden Units

Surprise Attacks from Hidden Units

Hiding on the Ground

Large Support Vehicles, Mobile Structures, and DropShips

Boarding and Repelling

Minefields

Targeting and Tracking Systems
Terrain Conversion
Special Abilities

Special Ability Descriptions

Converting Alpha Strike to Hex Maps

Line of Sight

Converting Movement and Distances

Campaign Play


Setting Up the Campaign

Campaign Turns
Determine Outcome Phase

Force Creation

Logistics

Tracks
Situation and Game Setup
Warchest and Objectives
Special Rules
Aftermath and Next Track
Warchest Point System
Warchest Points Between Tracks
Skill Advancement
Warchest Campaign Record Sheet

The Total Chaos Campaign

Meeting Engagement

Game Setup
Warchest
Objective
Special Rules
Next Track

Situation

Breakthrough

Game Setup
Warchest
Objective
Special Rules
Next Track

Situation

Assault

Game Setup
Warchest
Objective
Special Rules
Next Track

Situation

Counterattack

Game Setup
Warchest
Objective
Special Rules
Next Track

Situation

Pursuit

Game Setup
Warchest
Objective
Special Rules
Next Track

Situation

Defense

Game Setup
Warchest
Objective
Special Rules
Next Track

Situation

Era Setting: Clan Invasion (3048-3062)


The Marik-Liao Offensive
The Refusal War
The Second Star League
The St. Ives War
The First Combine-Dominion War

The Clan Invasion

Key Conflicts and Campaigns

The Marik-Liao Offensive
The Refusal War
Operation BULLDOG
The St. Ives War
The First Combine-Dominion War

The Clan Invasion

Factional Overview: Clan Invasion Era

Factional Special Abilities (Optional)

Special Alliances and Enmities

The BattleTech Universe


House Kurita (Draconis Combine)
House Liao (Capellan Confederation)
House Marik (Free Worlds League)
House Steiner (Lyran Commonwealth)
ComStar
Word of Blake
The Clans
The Periphery

House Davion (Federated Suns)

A History of War

The Age of War
The Star League
The Succession Wars
The Clan Invasion
Civil War Era
The Word of Blake Jihad
The Dark Age

Colonizing the Stars

BattleTech Resources

Technical Readouts
Historical Sourcebooks
Maps, Terrain, and Miniatures
Fiction

Core Rulebooks

Choose Your Rules

Fiction vs. Rules
Gamemaster Adjudication

There ya go! Very deep look into this coming book…hopefully next time we’ll have a final cover to show off!

Till next time…
Randall

Edited by Nerroth, 06 June 2013 - 01:33 PM.

[TehSBGX]

I'm gonna want to check this out, I loved Age of Destruction.

[Nerroth]

The pre-final cover!

[SteelWarrior]

im looking forward to it. theres times when i want a more relaxed, less math intensive gaming expirence.

at the same time i will definitly stay be playing CBT long form

[Nerroth]

The first preview PDF for AS is up.

Edited by Nerroth, 22 July 2013 - 05:59 PM.

[Karl Streiger]

Hm I dunno, its read like the Quick - Strike rules - a couple of time ago... both systems came from the BattleForce system... I didn't have read anything new.
Not sure if that book is a must have, when you have allready the Quick Strike rules.

[Elyam]

We'll see if they'll be demoing it at GenCon and what the response is like. I don't mind them trying to formalize and advertise this alternative system a bit more.

[Nerroth]

And here is preview 2, with a revised MSRP. (Reportedly, the first preview's price listing was an error.)

EDIT:

A new blog update.

One part in particular stood out:

Quote

“Are you going to support Alpha Strike further?” I can hear you asking. Sure. Ideas are already being jotted down for what we could put into an “Alpha Strike Companion” for print down the line, Era Faction Army List PDFs (cause we’ve got a pile of factions and Eras), we’re even looking into what full-color Alpha Strike Unit Cards sold as decks of cards might look like…

Edited by Nerroth, 26 July 2013 - 04:01 PM.

[Nerroth]

The PDF release of Alpha Strike went up today.

Edited by Nerroth, 29 July 2013 - 03:54 PM.

[Karl Streiger]

First look into the PDF looks good. Would be interesting to learn things a new.
Have to test some matches - company size battle for the beginning....however i have to find the quick strike cards first...

I really like the blip counter - "concealing" issue.
I can remember that a player had those idea some years ago and posted it into the official battletech forum.

Its a easy system - although not real double blind its a good way for two players - as long as you trust your opponent.
(although when you need a game master you can play double blind as well)

[Nerroth]

It might be worth keeping an eye on the Master Unit List website. Reportedly, a major update has been in the works, which will revise a large portion of the Unit Cards on the MUL to the "new" Alpha Strike standard. (The BattleForce rules in StratOps are set to be errata-ed to follow suit.)

Edited by Nerroth, 30 July 2013 - 08:37 AM.

[Karl Streiger]

Nerroth, on 30 July 2013 - 08:36 AM, said:

It might be worth keeping an eye on the Master Unit List website. Reportedly, a major update has been in the works, which will revise a large portion of the Unit Cards on the MUL to the "new" Alpha Strike standard. (The BattleForce rules in StratOps are set to be errata-ed to follow suit.)

I have some QS 3050U cards and checked it with the example units.
The banshee has the same stats- only hex has to turned for inch,

[Nerroth]

A one-off mockup, or a hint at a future addition for AS?

[Nerroth]

The above is one of a set of Alpha Strike Ad Hoc Unit Cards, which will be sold at GenCon for US$15 per set of 90 colour laminated cards.

Edited by Nerroth, 01 August 2013 - 01:01 PM.

[RecklessFable]

So, I played the demo at GenCon and have to admit, I liked it more than I expected. I had a 1v1 duel and finished in just a few minutes. There are still enough special rules that it feels like big, customized mechs. I was afraid it would be streamlined down to essentially just dudes in four sizes.

The only thing I didn't like was that getting behind someone didn't have a benefit other than not getting shot at. At least, it didn't in the demo. For the demo a lot of the rules were dropped in favor of letting more people play.

What I like about the system is the potential for campaign play. It will be great actually seeing your company develop over a weekend instead of a year (or never getting your group back together).

Oh, and they sold our of the cards FAST! So, at GenCon at least, their only problem was keeping up with demand!

Edited by RecklessFable, 09 September 2013 - 04:37 AM.