13 replies to this topic

[mechchao999]

I'm pretty new to BattleTech Tabletop (I've been a fan of MW for a long time, but I just recently got into BT), I've already played the Catalyst Quick-Start Rules. Now I'm looking into playing more, with the expanded rules and tech. I opened up the Tactical Operations manual (that's the next rulebook I should go to, right?) and it's 400 confusing pages. I can't even read it for more than 20 minutes without getting lost, or completely forgetting what the movement rules for gravel piles were. Not only that, but the organization of the Technical Readout or whatever it's called is really confusing. How do you experienced BT players juggle all of these rules? Am I doing something wrong? Any help at all would be appreciated.

[JHare]

The Master Rules and TacOps books were written with the intent that someone with a decent understanding of BT would be reading them. They're intended to be reference, not teaching material. Or at least that was my understanding.

They way I got back up to speed after a long absence was downloading megamek and just playing the AI. The AI is limited so you can't do complicated ops. But you can learn what requires PSR, what movement costs are, calculating the required to-hit, etc. Megamek almost always explains what numbers are required for rolls and where they come from.

If you go on the mekwars servers, you can get and understanding of artillery and some more advanced stuff playing on those

[Slade Deleportas]

Oh man mech, I feel for your brain. You got the wrong book sadly, Tac Ops has all the advanced rules etc. The book you want is Total Warfare. That has all the rules for moving/combat of mechs and all the other vehicles of Battletech.

And to build custom rides go for Solaris Skunk Werks, and awesome program.

Edited by Slade Deleportas, 07 July 2012 - 05:46 AM.

[StoneRhino]

"Total Warfare" is the current edition of the rules for Battletech. The free rules pdf, as well as the rules found in starter boxes are not the full set of rules. Those rules are designed to get you started quickly without all of the complexity of the full rules found in "Total Warfare".


Total Warfare= complete rules set for tournament legal Battletech

Tac Ops= A big collection of optional rules and gear to add even more depth to Battletech.

Strategic Operations= Rules for a higher scale of Battletech where each unit is now a lance/star of mechs instead of a single mech.

A Time of War= Paper and dice RPG game set in the Battletech Universe.


A path you and others could follow to get into BT could be:

1)Free pdfs off of catalyst's site designed to get you sampling the game for free!

2) If you liked what you tried in #1, then go for a BT starter box. You get enough minis to support a 4 player game with 4 mechs each. If each of you get a starter box then each person is set for minis for some times. More indepth rules I believe, and map boards.

3)Got some BT starter box games under your belt and want to go all in? Get "Total Warfare" and start getting used to the full set of tourney legal rules.

4) Get a Technical Readout 3039, and if you are into the clans, go for TRO:3050 and build up from there.

5) If you guys want to add more to the game crack open Tac Ops and start looking over the additional stuff you can add. Talk to your group and see what people are willing to add to the game, agree upon it and make sure everyone knows X rule is in effect before each game.

[Stormwolf]

Here's a tip, play megamek, you can see how the rules are being executed if you don't have anybody to teach you.

http://megamek.info/

[Kaelin]

IIRC one of the clever aspects were that the tech and rule levels were linked, meaning the more complex weapons meant you had to play the more sophisticated rules.

think I mostly played L2 rules (if memory serves) this gave the best balance of available tech without getting bogged down in rules too much.

[mechchao999]

Thanks everyone for your help, I had a feeling I was reading the wrong book. I'll see if I have a copy of the Total Warfare book, and I'll read that. That megamek thing looks like it could help a lot too, I'm downloading it now.



EDIT: I got a copy, this looks much better, and much easier to remember all of the rules, and no tables to determine how gravel piles react to a dropship parking on top of it.

Edited by mechchao999, 07 July 2012 - 08:31 PM.

[Rush Maguin]

Hah. The gravel loses. Dropships have right of way. ;P

[mechchao999]

I also played MegaMek, it's a great practice game, thanks a lot for showing it to me.

[Wrayeth]

Rush Maguin, on 08 July 2012 - 09:23 AM, said:

Hah. The gravel loses. Dropships have right of way. ;P

Only in atmosphere. In space, warships have right-of-way, though assault dropships and pocket warships can play chicken pretty effectively.

Edited by Wrayeth, 08 July 2012 - 10:11 PM.

[Congzilla]

I would start with the new boxed set and Starterbook: Sword & Dragon (this is a scenario / campaign book designed to be used with the boxed set's introductory rules). From there you would move on to the Total Warfare book (the full rules), Starterbook: Wolf & Blake along with Tech Readout 3050.

The other "core" rule books are:
1. TechManual combines all the construction rules for the various units presented in that core rules set.
2. Tactical Operations is the one-source reference for advanced rules that apply to on-world operations.
3. Strategic Operations is the one-source rulebook for advanced rules aerospace assets that open the entire conquest of a solar system.
4. A Time of War is the Battletech roleplaying game.

[Sept Wolfke]

I know this may be totally out of left field, but I too found the new books over-complicated and hard to read, so I returned to using the books I loved so much in my younger years and got the battletech compendium off the used book rack for $5. pretty much the same rules, and it's waaay easier to read/utilize. It's been a success so far in my gaming circle, but I only really bust it out when my friends get bogged down in finding a rule in those massive maze-like books which are the new edition stuff.

I definately don't recommend this if you play with lawyers or if you are intending to do tournaments or some official event, but for a friendly game, I've found it very handy and easy to use.

[Beazle]

Sept Wolfke, on 09 July 2012 - 01:59 PM, said:

I know this may be totally out of left field, but I too found the new books over-complicated and hard to read, so I returned to using the books I loved so much in my younger years and got the battletech compendium off the used book rack for $5. pretty much the same rules, and it's waaay easier to read/utilize. It's been a success so far in my gaming circle, but I only really bust it out when my friends get bogged down in finding a rule in those massive maze-like books which are the new edition stuff.

I definately don't recommend this if you play with lawyers or if you are intending to do tournaments or some official event, but for a friendly game, I've found it very handy and easy to use.

I agree completely. I found the latests books to be laid out in a very conter-intuitive manner.

I kinda got the impression that they were doing it on purpose to spread out the rules you really want over as many books as possible. I mean, you have how to fight in one book, how to build the mechs in another, and rules for salage and repair in a third? Come on.

Out of the 9 people in my current 2 gaming groups (mostly middle aged family guys) I'm the only one who bought all the core books. Most of my players didn't buy any of the new ones at all. A couple bought TW, and TacOps. Nobody (but me) thought the Tech Manual was worth it, considering how many free build-a-mech programs are out there. Even i regret forking out the dough for Strategic Operations. If it didn't have the rules for repairs and salvage in it, i wouldn't use it at all. (we rarely use Aero.)

All of that could have easily been condensed into one 40-50 dollar hardcover.

[Mordlum]

I have to agree the old thin books are much easier to read/use than the new ones. Can find them pretty cheap too.