8 replies to this topic

[Erev]

So I played MW2 long long ago and I've seen snippets of Battletech played at various game days I've attended (being very much the geek). I have since ended up here at MWO with the rest of you, hoping for the best - but I can't help but want to delve in more. I want to experience the tabletop game and delve into the lore a bit.

I am, however, utterly at a loss of how or where to start in both cases. I've gone through a fair little bit of Sarna, finding mechs I enjoy and reading up on the various groups (leaning towards Steiner as my favorite). Could anyone suggest some reading, on the book end. Or perhaps a BT tabletop group in the southern California area that I could try things out for size with?

Thanks a ton!

[Duncan Aravain]

http://en.wikipedia....ttleTech_novels


Here is a list of books in regards to lore.

I would start with the Stackpole trilogies; first three books deal with the background for MWO. The second three deal with the near future for MWO. There are a couple good threads already on the boards for what you should read...I'm too lazy at the moment to use search..sorry.

[Erev]

No worries. I tried to use search and I didn't really come up with much. Certainly nothing labelled 'new to the universe, look here!'. I've seen book lists, but at something like 300 books I've heard, I was hoping to find something to pare the list down some.

[Duncan Aravain]

Try the Stackpole books then. His original trilogy was the "flagship" that really started to get the franchise going. It explains the different Houses and political setup for the inner sphere. It is told from the point of view of the Federated Suns/Steiner, but is a good read. It will give you a feel for what it was to be a mechwarrior and the general culture of the "world". Of course, none of this is needed to put the targeting icon on an enemy mech............

Edited by Duncan Aravain, 15 July 2012 - 06:34 PM.

[Congzilla]

To get started out all need is the boxed set, it has everything you need. I would also get the Starterbook: Sword & Dragon, it is an introductory rules companion and gives you a campaign to play through and introduces the warchest points system for campaigns. From there you would get the Total Warfare book which is the full rules. Starterbook: Wolf & Blake gives you another campaign to play through using the more advanced rules.

For pure setting info the Starcorps Dossiers book is really good. It gives you a rundown on every group during the Jihad era. If you want some historical with some campaign stuff the Blake Ascending omnibus is a great book.

[Beazle]

I guess it kinda depends on what part of the universe you want to get into.

Some people enjoy the fiction, others the video games, and others the TT game.

Since you've expressed interest in the TT game, you might want to look into the Role Playing book. It adds another dimension to the TT game (running it as a roleplaying game, with character advancement instead of just BV-matched fights), and also has a TON of background information in it. My only real complaint with the current version is that it's set in an era i don't like much, and uses a life-path method of character creation that is specific to that era (although there is a point based methed included too, which is what i use).

My next suggestion would be to narrow down the choices by deciding which era of play your interested in. Then you can try to find books/novels that fit your era. For example, if your gung-ho about the Dark Ages, then ignore my pervious suggestion, since it doesn't cover that at all. You might want to ask the players in your area what Era they prefer, and start there.

[Congzilla]

Beazle, on 16 July 2012 - 02:46 PM, said:

My only real complaint with the current version is that it's set in an era i don't like much, and uses a life-path method of character creation that is specific to that era (although there is a point based methed included too, which is what i use).

The life-path system uses the same points as the point buy so how does it even matter? It seems to create more interesting characters than most game systems. The era doesn't matter much since there are fluff books aimed at it during later years like the Starcorps Dossiers.

Edited by Congzilla, 16 July 2012 - 04:49 PM.

[Beazle]

Congzilla, on 16 July 2012 - 04:49 PM, said:

The life-path system uses the same points as the point buy so how does it even matter? It seems to create more interesting characters than most game systems. The era doesn't matter much since there are fluff books aimed at it during later years like the Starcorps Dossiers.

Because the factions change over time, what's true in a Jihad campaign isn't true in 3025. So i just paid money for a big section of a book that's only useful if your playing 1 part of BT's long, playable history.

I disagree with it making characters more interesting. To me it seems to pidgeon hole people into playing stereotypes.

[shuboy]

Try here:
http://bg.battletech.com/

There's a set of free introductory rules if you follow the New to Battletech button at the top. Then I'd recommend getting a copy of the Introductory Box Set and a copy of Total Warfare.