Classic Battletech: the campaign?
It's called Megamek. I've never been able to get it to work properly, but - to be fair - I haven't tried very hard.
Cheers!
Bullgrit
Adventurer
I *love* Classic Battletech -- 3025. Love it.
I've run a couple of campaigns, and I've played a mechwarrior in three campaigns, using just the Classic Battletech material (box set, 3025 Readout) -- no Mechwarrior RPG stuff. The PCs had names and backgrounds, but the only stats were piloting and gunnery. We never played anything outside the mech combat where we needed character stats.
I usually just managed the campaign stuff in a general way. Mechwarriors gained skill by surviving battles, (not necessarily winning the battles). One campaign in which I was a player, as a mechwarrior, the GM used all kinds of campaign books and he and the commander PC tracked money, parts, costs, etc. in detail. This was way, way, way more complicated than I'd ever want to do.
I really like the idea of each player is an individual warrior with his personal mech which he brings to each battle. If they capture an enemy mech, they can cannibalize for parts or even upgrade to the new machine. It's pretty cool to be able to upgrade from a medium to a heavy mech after "serving the time" in the medium.
As a Player, in three campaigns, I have fond memories of my personal mechs: an Archer, an Enforcer, and an Orion. There is a thrill in campaign play with painting kill markers on your mech, and a panic when you have to go into the next battle with lingering battle damage from the previous.
And though it's not common, sometimes a mechwarrior dies -- my Orion driver took a hit in the cockpit, and died.
I wholeheartedly support campaign play in Classic Battletech, without any of the actual campaign rules.
Bullgrit
I've run a couple of campaigns, and I've played a mechwarrior in three campaigns, using just the Classic Battletech material (box set, 3025 Readout) -- no Mechwarrior RPG stuff. The PCs had names and backgrounds, but the only stats were piloting and gunnery. We never played anything outside the mech combat where we needed character stats.
I usually just managed the campaign stuff in a general way. Mechwarriors gained skill by surviving battles, (not necessarily winning the battles). One campaign in which I was a player, as a mechwarrior, the GM used all kinds of campaign books and he and the commander PC tracked money, parts, costs, etc. in detail. This was way, way, way more complicated than I'd ever want to do.
I really like the idea of each player is an individual warrior with his personal mech which he brings to each battle. If they capture an enemy mech, they can cannibalize for parts or even upgrade to the new machine. It's pretty cool to be able to upgrade from a medium to a heavy mech after "serving the time" in the medium.
As a Player, in three campaigns, I have fond memories of my personal mechs: an Archer, an Enforcer, and an Orion. There is a thrill in campaign play with painting kill markers on your mech, and a panic when you have to go into the next battle with lingering battle damage from the previous.
And though it's not common, sometimes a mechwarrior dies -- my Orion driver took a hit in the cockpit, and died.
I wholeheartedly support campaign play in Classic Battletech, without any of the actual campaign rules.
Bullgrit
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
I completely agree with Bullgrit. I think it is best to start out with class BattleTech at the year 3025 and have the party start out as a light mech lance of mercenaries. It gives a lot of leeway to allow the PCs to join various factions and types of campaigns, both in the Inner Sphere and along the border worlds. You can also have the PCs practice salvaging and selling/buying to gradually increase their wealth and buy bigger mechs and weapons.
Also, the clan invasion of 3050 can be looked at as a epic level finale to a campaign. Your mercenary company has been fighting for 25 years, and at the end of their careers, here come the more advanced clans and a retooling of the entire political system that served as the backdrop of the first 20 years of the campaign.
Finally, I have tried Mechwarrior and liked it if the PCs play hybrid mechwarriors/adventurers. Sometimes mechwarriors have adventures outside of their mechs. I remember some of my PCs panicking because they were exploring the ruins of a recently war-ravaged city for some data disks, when a lone enemy scout mech appeared. It was a 20 ton locust that was chasing them, but they panicked and fled into a building, having felt more terror than they had ever felt on the battlefield.
Also, the clan invasion of 3050 can be looked at as a epic level finale to a campaign. Your mercenary company has been fighting for 25 years, and at the end of their careers, here come the more advanced clans and a retooling of the entire political system that served as the backdrop of the first 20 years of the campaign.
Finally, I have tried Mechwarrior and liked it if the PCs play hybrid mechwarriors/adventurers. Sometimes mechwarriors have adventures outside of their mechs. I remember some of my PCs panicking because they were exploring the ruins of a recently war-ravaged city for some data disks, when a lone enemy scout mech appeared. It was a 20 ton locust that was chasing them, but they panicked and fled into a building, having felt more terror than they had ever felt on the battlefield.
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