174 replies to this topic

[Beazle]

Rush Maguin, on 28 June 2012 - 02:14 PM, said:

So it was a legit scenario? Straight from Fasa? Very interesting. That leads a little more cruelty to how they twisted it around. That dropship didn't drop off a single reinforcement - it hovered over the battlefield hosing down our side with all the clan weaponry in reach (naturally, everything it mounted). I don't think any of us would have minded more clan mechs jumping down - we were enjoying ourselves in spite of the cheating, for the most part - but a suddenly over-your-hide superarmored fire bunker cutting us off from the wounded clanners....well, I can think of some bloodnames that deserve a reaving!

It sounds like the one I remember, i'm not saying they didn't change it up though. FASA put out a series of scenarios that never appeared in any print books, specifically for the Mechforce convention guys. When they wanted to hype something, they'd put out a scenario that they thought would showcase the product. As you can imagine, they did this for the Clan Invasion in a pretty big way. Some guys who were big into Mechforce would travel through their region, hitting up con after con using the same setup.

The guy who ran my BT group at the time was a member, but not very hardcore. He'd just had his frst kid a bit before that, so he we just did the one, small time local convention.

The scenarios were supposed to involve the entire bidding process, to help showcase the Clans, and what made them different.

Honestly though, it's games like the one you described that drove me away from conventions, or game store groups. Not specifically for BT, but for any Mini or strategy game that had head to head play. I still played those games, but only with people i knew, occasionally bringing in one or two "outsiders".

I remember at the same Con i played a Mini game ( I don't remember what it was called, it's probably dead by now) that some guy was trying to showcase. Me, a friend and some guy i didn't know against the host. Just a few rounds in i realized that we were equipped with squads (it tracked single men, each player had a 4-8 man squad) that had only short range weapons, and low morale (my guys would break and run if they got hit at all) against a team of super snipers on the top of a tower across a wide open field. The only cover was at about twice our weapons range, but well within his.

I think that's the only time i've ever gotten up and walked away from a game in progress. I went and watched a game of Circus Imperium (sp?) and then signed up for one the next day and had a blast.

I still play BT to this day, with some of the same guys i played with back then. Only now we use MegaMek, and play online. I'm currently running two different campaigns that play on alternating weekends.

To me the real joy of BT has always been playing a campaign, where players have to decide what units to commit, how much damage they can afford to take, and if they should stop for repairs before pushing on. Conventions, and even online MekWars "campaigns" all seem to be just attack the enemy and fight until your dead type stuff.

Not my cup of tea.

[Rush Maguin]

There weren't any official clan OmniFighters published at the time that I'm personally aware of - I think we had to wait for 3055 for that one - so you can add that log to the fire. I'm pretty sure they weren't all that concerned about the rules, as we've seen already....

[Beazle]

The exploding silo's are what really tripped my memory.

I'm pretty sure they were put in the game specifically so that you could do more or less what you did, in fact, do. So it's pretty sad they got upset that you did what you were supposed to do.

Enviromental hazards were generally the way IS forces defeated the Clans in the early invasion.

[Rush Maguin]

Right? I didn't think they were put on the field just for show. Their fault in the end - they were not competent warriors to blunder into such a freeborn plot as that, quiaff?

[Agent CraZy DiP]

Someone get this man a [color=#959595]Marauder II[/color]

[Rush Maguin]

Agent CraZy DiP, on 28 June 2012 - 10:55 PM, said:

Someone get this man a [color=#959595]Marauder II[/color]

Actually, for several years after the con, I had an unseen Marauder II that my brother (mister expert miniature painter) painted up for me in urban camo (to reflect the Factory section of the map) for several years, until it was destroyed by accident in a move. Now I have a Mad-4S Miniature of it in desert camo with Davion symbols on it (thanks again to my bro) that I keep on the dashboard of my car. If they introduce a Mad-II into MWO, three guesses what mech HUD I'll be glued to for the next five years ....

[SideSt3p]

This was very inspirational to read. And it really did make me feel like I was there, and in way the Clan Invasion of Luthien was being played out IRL.

I've always wanted to get into the TT game, ever since High School, and I think that with this amazing story I will be buying the starter box set 7 years later.

I only wish I lived in the same area as you so that I could have a bud to game with

[Rush Maguin]

SideSt3p, on 29 June 2012 - 09:16 AM, said:

This was very inspirational to read. And it really did make me feel like I was there, and in way the Clan Invasion of Luthien was being played out IRL.

I've always wanted to get into the TT game, ever since High School, and I think that with this amazing story I will be buying the starter box set 7 years later.

I only wish I lived in the same area as you so that I could have a bud to game with

Hey, Sidestep, look around on Battletech.com's forums for a Commando near you who can run the game and demo it. You can meet cool people that way who'll be happy to show you the ropes. Also, don't be afraid to recruit your friends or post your interest at the game store. If you build it, they will come. Glad to hear you're getting in on it, too! The stater set, dollar for dollar, is the best boxed set in the business, IMHO. (They could beef up the sculpts for the minis but you -do- get like, 26 minis and sheets for all of them - including two clan mechs). I'd love to hear how it goes for you.

For what it's worth, you are Steiner, eh? Our houses are one in this era, so if nothing else, you're an esteemed countryman...for a while.

[SideSt3p]

Rush Maguin, on 29 June 2012 - 02:46 PM, said:

Hey, Sidestep, look around on Battletech.com's forums for a Commando near you who can run the game and demo it. You can meet cool people that way who'll be happy to show you the ropes. Also, don't be afraid to recruit your friends or post your interest at the game store. If you build it, they will come. Glad to hear you're getting in on it, too! The stater set, dollar for dollar, is the best boxed set in the business, IMHO. (They could beef up the sculpts for the minis but you -do- get like, 26 minis and sheets for all of them - including two clan mechs). I'd love to hear how it goes for you.

For what it's worth, you are Steiner, eh? Our houses are one in this era, so if nothing else, you're an esteemed countryman...for a while.

Haha, I'm pretty used to the bad quality sculpts coming from some of the crap I've gotten while playing WH40K. Gotten pretty good at the green stuff and 'making it work' mentality

And I am a Steiner at heart, since that's where I'm from. However a Mercenary is what I will always be because the freedom of the command structure is to much to give up. The ability for myself and my Highlander to travel to wherever we want is to much to simply let go

[Rush Maguin]

SideSt3p, on 29 June 2012 - 03:06 PM, said:

Haha, I'm pretty used to the bad quality sculpts coming from some of the crap I've gotten while playing WH40K. Gotten pretty good at the green stuff and 'making it work' mentality

And I am a Steiner at heart, since that's where I'm from. However a Mercenary is what I will always be because the freedom of the command structure is to much to give up. The ability for myself and my Highlander to travel to wherever we want is to much to simply let go

Done my time in 40K. My friend and I (a guy I just met a year ago) have spent six months of that year so angry at GW that we wouldn't touch the game at all. I told him I've spent 23 years very happy with Battletech and its quality of releases and I'd rather put my money there. Couldn't get him into it, though. Guess I'll have to train others.

[Bachman]

Rush Maguin, on 27 June 2012 - 07:42 PM, said:

It's been 21 years, though; maybe they've grown up since then.

I wouldnt hold your breath if I were you. And if memory serves they ran this thing at Origins a few years later, the tanks stick out in my mind as well. We refused to play because of the asshattery that was going on. It's wierd the stuff you remember.

Bachman

[Rush Maguin]

No shame in refusing a jerk his reign. Similar asshattery I take it? Some people never learn. I bet they tweaked the scenario to be a little more clan friendly somehow. Fits their profile.

[Aeryk Corsaer]

I am most impressed with your post and have had similar experiences at some tourneys. As a fellow Davion and honorable graduate of NAIS/NAMA, I look forward to fighting by your side.

[Urbancat]

Thank you for sharing this story, was inspiring to read.

[Rush Maguin]

For God and Davion!

[Kusak Snowtiger]

My Hat off to you sir. Your courage to stand up to stay in the fight is an example to be looked up to. The fact that you turned the battle against them in the end. Is even better. I cant say enough for your courage at your then current age to stay in the battle. I entered the BT world in 92 in columbus ohio. I have encountered more than my fair share of rule lawyers in those days. People who spoiled the game for so many. Ran so many new players off. In essence these people. the ones you dealt with. the one many of us have seen are the reason that Fasa did not surivive. the reason that the game we love. Mw. Battletech. has been a pale shadow for nearly a decade. Back in those days I went through several game store. was plenty of them in columbus then. I finally found a good home. With good player who encouraged new players to join. Who were willing to talk to people to educate. I was proud to be involved with that game store. But in recent years. Ive relocated to my Home state of Pennsylvania. And the one game store I find close. I find to be disapointing. Rule lawyers and people who arent willing to talk to you. dont get me wrong some of the folks are great. But a half an hour drive time one way to hope to maybe maybe get a game. Ive hung up the entire table top gamming thing. bt warhammer the whole nine yards.

People who are rule lawyers. who play unbalanced games to stroke their own ego. Who arent willing to talk about the game they play to be helpful. They damage the image of gamer's. They take from us our future generations of players. And they endanger the contiuned existance of the game stores. and the game designers.

so all in all. we may get our tail shot off. ive been doing it a lot in MWLL the recent weeks as I wait for MWO. but I never get upset. its a game.

Once again I salute you sir. I regret that at your age you had to face that. But you triumphed even if they bad mouthed you for some time to come.

[Rush Maguin]

Thanks. If you have no one playing in your area, consider starting a group. The boxed set and TRO:3039 can take you a long way by themselves and you can mentor people in how to look at the game as a game, and not a mind way against other players. The more people out there that think like us, the better....!

[Beazle]

I think one of the reasons i've stuck with BT so long is that we never played it as a contest. Our campaigns were always more of a RP story, run by a GM who expected the players to win more often than not. Players who didn't have active units in a particular fight, would fight as sub commanders on the side of the GM more often than not.

We were all more concerned with creating a story together than one-up'n each other.

Conventions and tournaments take that away, and replace it with competition that doesn't really fight the universe (everybody fights to the death, units do suicide tactics and nobody concerns themselves with the concept of a pyrrhic victory.)

[SiriusBeef]

IDK, the times where I've had overwhelming victories in any game including BT i generally feel guilty. Unless of coarse it's a slaughter of my friend Scott, He expects me to gloat. But seriously you see this a lot in the Table Top World. Some folks are just hell bent on the uber meta and will generally do anything to win a game. I've been a gamer for nearly 35 years and I've seen many people get completely turned off from a game because of a first experience like this. Thankfully I've always had great friends around for gaming that understand the virtues of the shared experience.

[Aequitas42]

I am glad I took the time to read this post. I haven't played much in the way of tabletop due to lack of interest from those around me, but I have always had an affinity for it and would love to get more invested in it. I greatly appreciate your accomplishment in this arena and would like to read more stories like these.

Honestly I would love to become a real battletech tabletop player. When I was a kid (I'm 28 now) my dad got me a very basic battletech tabletop game with cardboard cutouts and rudimentary rules, and while I did play and enjoy it I don't think I got anywhere near the full flavor of the game.

what would be a good product for a budding mechwarrior/battletech enthusiast to start learning tabletop?