9 replies to this topic

[Burned_Follower]

For the longest time i wanted to play the Battletech TT game. I've never played a TT RPG game in my life. I first was introduced to this concept by my uncle who used to play some TT RPG called D&D. But like D&D i never got around to playing it because according to what little understanding i do know about TT RPG games is that i can't play it by myself or at least if i did it would be boring and pointless because it's not designed like that. Not to mention i rarely meet a fellow BT/MW fan in person since i live in georgia and i'm always surrounded by rednecks who would rather shoot a deer than shoot an urbie.

From what i can tell, Mech Warrior: Tactics seems to be some digital version of BT TT games. Am i right about that? if so, if i got an ipad and played MWT when it's released will i be able to accomplish what i wanted to do with BT for so long but couldn't cuz it requires more than one RL person to play?

Just curious.

Also i guess you could consider this a double-post since considering the fact that i've never played a TT RPG in my life, how does it work(mechanics wise) if you were to compare how BT works compared to how D&D works.

[Derick Cruisaire]

Battletech itself really isn't an RPG per se. It is a table top miniatures game. That being said, there was (is?) an RPG called Mechwarrior. In Battletech you filled out your Mechsheets, set your miniatures on the mapboard, and moved them around while you shot at your opponents and recorded the results. In Mechwarrior you actually created a Mechwarrior character, with more stats than just piloting and gunnery, and went on adventures, which often resulted in a game of Battletech.

As far as having to have another person to play Battletech. When I was younger, and had more free time, I would set up scenarios and play both sides. (Kinda of like playing yourself in Chess) The dice roles would make the outcomes random.

[Arctic Fox]

As Derick Cruisaire says, BattleTech is at its base a wargame, not an RPG. The BattleTech RPG's latest edition is called A Time of War and is closer in concept, but I haven't played either that or D&D in so long that I can't really compare them.

I'm not sure how close MWT will be to the original tabletop game, but if you're looking for a way of playing the game without real life people (Damn them. How are they allowed to not share our interests?!) look up MegaMek. It's a direct computer adaptation of the tabletop game, and is pretty much up to date on most rules and equipment (including the space battles, which I was always a fan of) except some of the very recent stuff.

[Threat Doc]

If you ever get the chance to play BattleTech TT, be warned that it takes a while, potentially a LONG while, to finish a game, unless you go to play at a local gaming convention and there's an Ambassador to help you become familiar with the game -notice I said familiar, not indoctrinated- and you'll get a good experience and taste for it. However, if you're not ADD or ADHD, and have some modicum of patience beyond the norm, you'll enjoy the game, I think. The fact that you're asking about whether MWO will sate your desire to play in a TT game tells me you might have that patience.

To answer your question, finally, no. MWO will not sate your desire to play TT one time, at least, but the way these guys are developing it, you might gain a yen to learn far more than just the tabletop game, and that would be to your benefit, I think.

[Sychodemus]

Mechwarrior Tactics might very well be be an acceptable method of getting your Tabletop itch scratched. I believe that it still requires other people to play but it is a staggered response concept as far as I can tell. But like all of the MW games coming this year it is too early to tell.

There is another Mechwarrior title coming out as well specifically for iOS, called Mechwarrior Tactical Command.

But if you want the Tabletop experience, MegaMek is still the best alternative at this time.



Oops, missed the BT v D&D question.

Fundamentally, it uses a very similar method to that of 1st/2nd ed D&D;

You roll for initiative: lowest roll moves first, higher roll moves in response.

Once movement is complete you determine a target number; you start with a number based on skill and modify it for range (weapon dependant), weapon bonuses, terrain and your target's defensive modifiers (plus some other stuff) and roll that number or higher on 2d6. This "attack" phase is simultaneous so it doesn't matter who shoots first.

If you hit, you then roll to see where you hit (right arm, head, center torso, etc)

Damage is sort of like hit points but each location on a mech has its own amount, both as armor and the structure underneath. Once the armor is gone, the internal hit points can then be gradually depleted, the difference being that internal hit point damage allows for components like weapons, ammunition or other equipment to be knocked out of operation. Other effects may occur depending on what component was damaged: ammunition explodes, for example.

Mechanically speaking, BT and D&D share alot of the same concepts and principles since they are both "relaxed" war games.

Edited by Sychodemus, 21 March 2012 - 01:52 AM.

[Demi-Precentor Konev]

Have you tried out MegaMek?

[Ulric Kell]

Mechwarrior Tactics will combine MegaMek (digital version of BT TT) with an inventory system to keep tabs on your mechs/weapons. There maybe some RPG-ish elements in the more you play the more mechs/weapons you unlock.

At the end of the day it won't be a true RPG, but will instead be a Virtualized TT game of BT.

[John Wolf]

lahyenne, on 21 March 2012 - 03:57 AM, said:

Have you tried out MegaMek?

Indeed! Megamek is the online companion to the tabletop itch. It allows you to play with people that aren't local to you, and run some pretty massive battles. I have hosted servers in the past for RPG groups using megamek to run the combat systems when not roleplaying offline. It even has its own internal chat system for RP if necessary.

I am looking forward to seeing how Tactics turns out as well.

[Pht]

I'll drop in another +1 for megamek.

[ice trey]

I can also vouch that Megamek is a great option. I actually started learning the Tabletop by buying the core rules and reading them as I played Megamek. In fact, having them helped me to understand how to use the Megamek interface.

As for whether or not you'll be able to find players of the Tabletop, it's possible that you'll have players nearby, but more than likely, you'll have to do like I did and hunt for them. Not only are players of tabletop games often not playing, but there is no one place to hunt them down. Expect to have to teach people, but it's so much more satisfying (in my books) to play in person than over Megamek.

As for how Mechwarrior Tactics goes... we really haven't been given a very good look at it yet. It looks very similar to the TT Mechanics, but from what I can tell from the numbers, I think that it's going to be very forgiving with weapons fire, making light 'mechs much more vulnerable. In Tabletop, you miss more often than not. In this, it seems like you hit more often than not.

We'll have to see how true to the boardgame it is. As it stands, MWTactics stands a very high chance of winning my interest over MWO. I prefer turn based thinking to real-time reflexes, anyway.