Battletech Public Playtest Thread

[Celebrim]

So, playtest round 1 is labeled "Survival Package". Its pretty simple with just two major rule changes.

• Remove side hit location tables. Only Front and rear tables for playtest.
• Ammo explosions do a maximum of the following;
  • 20 damage with transfer to a location without CASE.
  • 10 damage without transfer to a location with CASE
  • 1 Damage and no transfer with a location with CASE II

I don't like removing the side hit locations, it makes the mech feel too much like a vehicle.

But I am very much in favor of reducing damage from an ammo explosion, as the existing rules very much favored not fielding mechs that carried ammo because an ammo critical was just too big of a risk given all the other problems involved with carrying ammo-based weapons (low damage for their weight, for example). The flat damage feels a little weird given Btech's usual granularity, but I can't think of a simple rule I like better. Damage based on payload size feels like it should be the rule with CASE, whereas a scaled down ammo explosion feels OK generally because most ammo has flat damage per ton but has edge case problems like MGs.

 

[kronovan]

..I mean, you can play modern minis wargame with Alpha Strike, but i'm after a granular detailed experience. So, if it speeds up play but keeps that detail, im all for it, if it gets removed simply because its complex, im not for that....

Alpha Strike are the rules I use for the vast majority of my SciFi minis play. The reason being, is I use Alpha Strike's ground, abstract aerospace and abstract capital ship rules for the combat enounters for my SciFi TTRPG sessiosn. I have forumlas for Savage Worlds, Cepheus Engine, Traveller and True20 that convert the pertinent PC skills to the unified Mech skill for Alpha Strike.

I've used the Total Warfare rules in the past for TTRPGs too, but often even encounters with just lance Vs lance could take the entire session to run. With Alpha Strike a combat encounter can be over in less than 2 hours, which gives me the rest of the session for the players to do other types of RP. And with most of my players having only played TTRPGs, even the simpler Alpha Strike rules are much more crunchy and complex then anything they've played.

I only started playing Total Warfare/Classic Battletech about 15 years ago, but TBH I've become a bit jaded with it. I live in a city with one of the largest CGL demo teams (also host city for Mech Con), so I've had lots of opportunity to play. Some of the players I game with have been playing for 30+ years, without many interuptions. Even though they often hand me my helmut on a platter, I'm OK occasionally going up against them with the TW rules. I don't know if I'd play more often, or enjoy play more if the rules were more streamlined. I definitely find TW crunchy, but it's sweet crunch like peanut brittle. If I want streamlined I've got AS and if I want a 4 hour session of intense play with all the bells and whistles, I've got TW.

That said, I'm well aware the TW rules have a steep learning curve and I've seem many a new player struggle with them. So, I can appreciate others wanting them streamlined. I'm just not sure I'd buy into such an edition.

 

[payn]

Alpha Strike are the rules I use for the vast majority of my SciFi minis play. The reason being, is I use Alpha Strike's ground, abstract aerospace and abstract capital ship rules for the combat enounters for my SciFi TTRPG sessiosn. I have forumlas for Savage Worlds, Cepheus Engine, Traveller and True20 that convert the pertinent PC skills to the unified Mech skill for Alpha Strike.

I've used the Total Warfare rules in the past for TTRPGs too, but often even encounters with just lance Vs lance could take the entire session to run. With Alpha Strike a combat encounter can be over in less than 2 hours, which gives me the rest of the session for the players to do other types of RP. And with most of my players having only played TTRPGs, even the simpler Alpha Strike rules are much more crunchy and complex then anything they've played.

I only started playing Total Warfare/Classic Battletech about 15 years ago, but TBH I've become a bit jaded with it. I live in a city with one of the largest CGL demo teams (also host city for Mech Con), so I've had lots of opportunity to play. Some of the players I game with have been playing for 30+ years, without many interuptions. Even though they often hand me my helmut on a platter, I'm OK occasionally going up against them with the TW rules. I don't know if I'd play more often, or enjoy play more if the rules were more streamlined. I definitely find TW crunchy, but it's sweet crunch like peanut brittle. If I want streamlined I've got AS and if I want a 4 hour session of intense play with all the bells and whistles, I've got TW.

That said, I'm well aware the TW rules have a steep learning curve and I've seem many a new player struggle with them. So, I can appreciate others wanting them streamlined. I'm just not sure I'd buy into such an edition.

That’s awesome! The reason I think they need to be very conservative with Classic Battletech is the existence of Alpha Strike. I think it’s the streamlined answer for folks who think CBT is too much.

I’m fact, there have been a few stealth attempts to make CBT elements like AS and my local play groups have wholesale rejected them.

 

[LordEntrails]

Didn't Alpha Strike simplify the rules? So is this supposed to be something in between?