5 replies to this topic

[Nesutizale]

I want to introduce my friends to the classic Battletech and was thinking about ways to do it.
Note that most of these people have very to no experiance with boardgames of this kind.
One of them has at least played MWDA a little but thats it.

So what could be a fun experiance to them but covers most of the basic rules. As it is at the moment we would be a group of 6-7 and 2 experianced players while the rest are new.

1) One of my ideas was to do a free for all scenario with everyone piloting the same mech.
As a mech I picked the Shadowhawk as it has weapons for all ranges and types. It can also jump, so that this mechanic is also covered.

2) The other idea was to create a scenario where the new players go into one group, attacking an outpost/base with only little defance.
Each of the new players would choose a mech with a specific role, like LRM support, Assault and so on.
The more experianced players would take on the role of the defenders with only two or three mechs, some tanks and maybe infantrie.
The attackers would have a lot more firepower and mechs so hopefully that would balance out things.

Which of these scenarios would you prefere as a new player?
Do you have any other idea/suggestion on a simple way to introduce new players thats not overloaded with ideas and will be quite some fun for others?

Edited by Nesutizale, 29 October 2015 - 10:03 AM.

[Verstaka]

I would say get the Introductory Box Set (or if you have all of the equivalent stuff that's fine as well)

http://www.amazon.co...99VER18SPBNDTT4

I would then do a slight variation of scenario 2 that you recommended. Do NOT include non-mech units. New players can be intimidated by a lot of rules, learned that teaching warmahordes to people at my FLGS. Just let each of the new players chose a mech based on asthetics or if they want a playstyle help direct them. Tonnage totals be damned this is a tutorial not a tourny. I found that it's best to let newbies win the first game or two to try and get them in as well.

Hope you have better luck getting your friends into CBT than I did. It is a rather well designed game even if the models do show their age.

[Nesutizale]

I have two of the old basic sets..man the price has gone up for these. Nearly doubled from what I rember.

Anyway. I asked the group for their opinion and they voted for the free for all version. Telling me that managing one mech plus learning all the rules would be enough for the beginning but if they like it they would go with the second scenario.

Not using other units then mechs is a good point. Didn't thought about how confusing this might be for new players.

[ice trey]

Nesutizale, on 30 October 2015 - 03:56 AM, said:

I have two of the old basic sets..man the price has gone up for these. Nearly doubled from what I rember.

Anyway. I asked the group for their opinion and they voted for the free for all version. Telling me that managing one mech plus learning all the rules would be enough for the beginning but if they like it they would go with the second scenario.

Not using other units then mechs is a good point. Didn't thought about how confusing this might be for new players.

On the point of the price... it HAS been about 30 years since the boxed set most people started with was released. In those days, the price point for an expensive pair of sneakers was $50... The current price is better than I remember, as the introbox was $75 back in the 90s, for me. You can thank the tender mercies of the 90s Canadian/US exchange rate for that.

But as for the scenario, yeah... A free-for-all works well. Have you ever seen the demo team run a "Grinder" scenario at a con? That game format works really well.

How it's played:

• 'mechs are divided up into four "Classes". This isn't by tonnage, but by overall value. Make the low-value designs in the "Green" category, The next level up the "Regular", The next level "Veteran" and highest level "Elite". I suggest using the standard plastic 24, splitting them into 4 groups of 6. Use the Gunnery/Piloting BV mods in order to beef up the mechs on the lower end of each classes' spectrum. Try to keep the worst G/P to no worse than 3/4. An experienced player recognizes that they're not going to hit everything, but for new players, if their To-hit is regularly 10 or worse, they can get frustrated and lose interest. So long as all the mechs in a given "Level" are balanced with each other, you're fine. Don't include any of the clan mechs, though. That's a powder keg you don't want to touch.
  
• At the beginning of the game, all players choose one mech from level 1. Roll for initiative, and the winner rolls 1D6 to decide the direction initiative resolves. 123 is right, 456 is left. You're also teaching the kick table in so doing. Let them deploy anywhere on the edge of the map, so long as they're not too close to another player.
  
• Players continue playing and learning the rules until they die. When they die, they get to choose their next mech, and come back at the beginning of the next turn, treating their "Deployment" as their first movement point.
  
• If "Bragging rights" aren't incentive enough, fun-sized candy for anyone that gets the kill.

Also, just my suggestion, but with your first intro box, try to avoid the urge to immediately make them into "Armies". Giving every mech an individual paint job is hugely useful. It allows you to practice new painting ideas, it lets you mix and match however you like, and most of all, it allows you to call that Whitworth on the board "The orange one" or something akin.

Edited by ice trey, 30 October 2015 - 07:27 AM.

[Sizzles]

I think my introduction was both brutal and brutally fun.

My cousin sat me down when I was 14 and had me play a setup of conventional units defending a factory from an attacking 'Mech force.

Needles to say I lost as it was the first time I had ever seen the game, but it was fun.

I also think I can blame him and the double lance of 'Mech Buster aircraft I was given for starting my addiction to the AC-20.

[Nesutizale]

@ice trey

Interesting idea. It gives people who died the option to just jump in again so they don't feel to bad about loosing a mech.
About the candy...I would take shorts (small drinks, what that in english?) instead of candy...allways works to lift the spirit

@Sizzles
My love for the AC20 came in the form of the "Von Luckner" tank. Beeing shot immobile I was stuck in between two buildings. After one another I managed to shot down an Awesome and a Huchback. Both kills thanks to the AC20. Killed the Awesomes with a headshot and the Hunchback was cored out (he was allready damaged).
After that they just left me there to rot....