65 replies to this topic

[Ghost]

The other tabletop game. It allows you to explore the rest of the universe that is not necessarily on the battlefield or in the cockpit of a Battlemech. It's a break from the last edition in several ways, least of which is the removal of the random lifepath system, leaving Traveler as the only one I'm aware of that has one still. Conversation about the game can start here. Spreadsheets and calculators aren't exactly optional...

[GreyGriffin]

The most unnecessarily complicated point buy system known to man. Still, it gets props for scalability.

[Rohan Pony]

I could never get started in any of the Battletech RPGs. Somehow the systems never appealed to me. I'm more of a Heavy Gear RPG player...

[itchies]

Since i'm an OCD Stat's kind of guy - these kinds of books are great. I have Traveller (most of the various versions) and i also have all of the Battletech and Mechwarrior books.

[Zendric]

I dont have AToW, but I do have MW3rd.

[DocBach]

Rohan Pony, on 20 November 2011 - 10:43 AM, said:

I could never get started in any of the Battletech RPGs. Somehow the systems never appealed to me. I'm more of a Heavy Gear RPG player...

The one thing I liked about Heavy Gear (not necessarily the roleplaying side of it) was how lethal it was - if a Gear got hit, you could be sure something bad was happening to it. You didn't need to blow through tons of armor to get critical hits like BattleTech - one good hit could cripple or kill even a Kodiak or King Cobra.

As for a Time of War, I ordered like the Beta version of the .pdf when they released it but never downloaded the full version. Last MechWarrior system I played was actually second edition because it was what I was use to and was introduce new players to the Battletech universe; This was in 2008-2009, way after 3rd Edition/CBTRPG was released.

Edited by DocBach, 20 November 2011 - 10:51 PM.

[Dihm]

I've got the 2nd Edition Mechwarrior RPG book. Haven't played since then. I always enjoyed the Mechwarrior/Shadowrun point-buy system.

[Alizabeth Aijou]

For some reason, I still prefer MechWarrior 3rd Edition aka CBT RPG.
Then again, one of the reasons is the lack varied lifepaths in AToW.
I hope that AToW Companion might change my mind.

[Threat Doc]

My preference also runs to CBTRPG. The point-buy system and all of the added charts and crap in there are too daunting for me to want to learn, anymore. I'll go play Millennium's End (aka Shadow Games, my variant) if I want complex. 5,000 points to do the very same thing the random rolls do in CBTRPG is just too much, it's too clunky. Besides, as long as a player doesn't go heavily overboard with their choices, I will go with the choice vs. roll option every time. That way, players have the characters they, more-or-less, want, and can be a bit more happy playing the game. The options that give a PC more money, too many points, etc., I either have them roll for, arbitrarily, case-by-case-style, or I'll develop problems for their character later, in-game.

To be honest, I've never played in a MechWarrior RPG that was well-done, well-run, and was kept interesting for me. You cannot have a proper mixture of character's unless you leave, off-limits, any vehicle (including 'Mechs) characters, or everyone's a vehicle character. Never really been able, or desirous, to find a balance. If I want a military combat game, I'll take Leading Edge Games' Living Steel, Aliens, or Terminator adventure games.

[Atlas3060]

I played a quick game with the QSR version of the characters during one session with my friends. We had a blast with ATOW!
However with our group a full campaign with multiple adventures and keeping track of characters probably wouldn't work.
We've compromised that maybe we'll play out a few weekends (3 max) as some adventure like an episode from a TV show, either that or we'll just use the Personal Combat Rules for a current Battletroops.

[Threat Doc]

The system for AToW would be absolutely perfect for use in developing characters for an MWO MMORPG, or for short adventures on the tabletop, hehe; it's just too complex for a campaign, I think.

[Aaron DeChavilier]

wait, AToW takes out the life-path system!? that was like the best part!
I love all the random stuff that happens, it realy ingrains into the player
who their character is and where they got their skills.

however I do admit the point system is clunky. I mean, I get where it's
coming from, and once you 'get it' it works fine. but trying to wrap your
head around it will throw a lot of people off from playing the game

I roll with the CBT:RPG book, I love it. I've run two games with roughly
the same players each time. Each adventure gets better than the last.
Also, you can balance vec/non-vec stuff easily, it means you have to
actually plot out major events, locales, etc to fit who your characters
are.

example: favorite thing I do, I generally have one player who loves to
be a mechwarrior, and most of the others are not. So I set up missions
where the mechwarrior has to do something tangent to the other players
like defend their car, attack an enemy installation. then the infantry players
do the 'wetwork' inside said complexes or something. Again, all how you
approach writing the scenarios. In fact I'm about to start a new campaign
with the returning mechwarrior player and some new players. takes place
in 3037.

[Alizabeth Aijou]

Quote

wait, AToW takes out the life-path system!? that was like the best part!
I love all the random stuff that happens, it realy ingrains into the player
who their character is and where they got their skills.

Lifepaths are still in, the event-rolls are out.

[Aaron DeChavilier]

Alizabeth Aijou, on 23 November 2011 - 09:59 AM, said:

Lifepaths are still in, the event-rolls are out.

boooo! life rolls were awesome!

[Alizabeth Aijou]

Yeah, especially when you roll 19 or 20. xD
I actually managed to roll 20 for the one in this thread (Stage 3 Lifepath: DDG).

[Aaron DeChavilier]

Alizabeth Aijou, on 23 November 2011 - 01:37 PM, said:

Yeah, especially when you roll 19 or 20. xD
I actually managed to roll 20 for the one in this thread (Stage 3 Lifepath: DDG).

as a GM its fun to watch how bad the rolls can go...

[Dihm]

I picked up AToW (and Total Warfare) just for the heck of it (and because I got my rebates from the computer rebuild today). We ever find anyone interested in GMing a campaign using MegaMek?

[Threat Doc]

If anyone wants to run a CBTRPG game on-line, let me know. I won't play AToW... too complex.

[Dihm]

lol, everyone wants to play, no one wants to GM.

[Aaron DeChavilier]

I would GM..if I wasnt already booked to GM CBT:RPG with my freinds