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adamwehn
07/01/06 11:52 PM
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What would be recommended for me to buy to upgrade/replace my elder battletech books? Maximum Tech is in pretty good shape, Compendium "The rules of warfare" is in worse shape and I have some other miscellaneous field manuals and readouts books. For core rules what should I look for? For fluff/information books what should I get? I can provide a listing of books I currently have if that would help.
LordChaos
07/02/06 01:00 AM
66.188.192.19

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Wait till the new stuff comes out this fall, they are compiling a lot of it into a single set of manuals (and a new box set).
Real mechwariors pilot IS mechs.
adamwehn
07/02/06 10:58 PM
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Okay, could you explain to me further what they're compiling?
LordChaos
07/03/06 09:45 AM
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going from memory here..

all the game rules (btech and aerotech iirc) in one volume (total warfare I think was the name).

all construction rules in a 2nd.

supposedly some minor rule changes? not sure.

Happens this fall, so worth the wait if you have to buy new books.
Real mechwariors pilot IS mechs.
CrayModerator
07/03/06 10:42 AM
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Quote:

going from memory here..

all the game rules (btech and aerotech iirc) in one volume (total warfare I think was the name).

all construction rules in a 2nd.

supposedly some minor rule changes? not sure.




Some rule changes on the scale of the minor changes that always appear between new editions of BT.

Incidentally, there will be two game rules volumes:

Total War, which has all tournament-legal rules (roughly equivalent to L1-L2 rules)
[Something Else], which has all the advanced/optional rules (some of the rarer L2 material and L3 ideas). It'll be similar to MaxTech or the Tactical Handbook, plus include less-used L2 rules.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
Toontje
07/03/06 10:58 AM
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THB cheese included? Now those MPW could be something if reworked.. tho jammer inarc (iirc) is actually the same, but not as unbalanced.
Rather to blow up, then.
CrayModerator
07/04/06 09:05 AM
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Quote:

THB cheese included?




No. It was just an analogy.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
adamwehn
07/04/06 09:16 AM
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I may still buy some of the older books just for the informational purposes. I have the Warden clans manual, thinking of getting some more things like that.
adamwehn
07/06/06 09:35 AM
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I just ordered the following field manuals.

Draconis Combine
Federated Suns
Lyran Alliance

Looking at trying to find the Crusader Clans manual, and some others. Might go with the other parts of the inner sphere.
adamwehn
07/06/06 11:22 AM
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Any comments good or bad on the "Jihad" merc book?
CrayModerator
07/07/06 09:07 AM
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Quote:

Any comments good or bad on the "Jihad" merc book?




The Jihad merc book? I could think of several books that you might be referring to. Do you have a link?

Incidentally, the Field Manuals don't provide much background. They just give current military status. The new House Handbooks and the older House Sourcebooks are filled with background data. You can get the old House SBs here:
http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=downloads
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
adamwehn
07/07/06 06:50 PM
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The Mercenaries Supplemental Update is what I was referring to.

As for the Field Manuals, I liked the Mercenaries field manual as well as the Warden Clans manual.


Edited by adamwehn (07/07/06 06:56 PM)
CrayModerator
07/07/06 07:37 PM
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Quote:

The Mercenaries Supplemental Update is what I was referring to.




That is by no means a critical book. Entertaining and good stuff, but you might hold off on it until you pick up some of the newer core books.

Quote:

As for the Field Manuals, I liked the Mercenaries field manual as well as the Warden Clans manual.




Well...The House Steiner and Marik Handbooks may prove entertaining. They're fluff-heavy, in-depth looks at those Houses, and up to date just short of the Jihad.

If you're interested in the Jihad, the Hotspots books should illuminate you on what's going on with that. If you're not thrilled with the Jihad, nevermind.

The Mercenaries Supplemental II (not the update) has some useful rules on gaming in pre-modern times, like 3025, mid-Succession Wars, Star League-era, and Age of War...even pre-Age of War. It includes a list of when various L2 gear was introduced, too.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
adamwehn
07/07/06 09:09 PM
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Okay, Mostly I'm interested in catching up information, trying to learn what the timeline of the universe is from whence I last made a purchase. But I want to get the stuff around the pre Jihad time first then go into Jihad and then the modern 3130 or so time? I think 3130 or so is where the current timeline sits?
CrayModerator
07/08/06 11:10 AM
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Quote:

Okay, Mostly I'm interested in catching up information, trying to learn what the timeline of the universe is from whence I last made a purchase. But I want to get the stuff around the pre Jihad time first then go into Jihad and then the modern 3130 or so time?




Field Manual Updates,
FedCom Civil War SB,
Dawn of the Jihad, and
Hotspots: 3070

Should catch you up on the state of the universe.

Quote:

I think 3130 or so is where the current timeline sits?




Well, that's a tricky question.

There are effectively two "current" times.

Wizkids jumped ahead into the 3130s as a setting for its Mechwarrior Dark Age game. It didn't detail the jump from 3067 to 3130 other than in the vaguest way. It is now providing great detail for the 3130 era. It left the details out so that FanPro could fill in the period between 3067 and 3130.

FanPro is carefully moving forward with the Battletech timeline from 3050 to (currently) 3070ish. It is in the process of covering the Jihad in detail. For most regular BT players, the current era is about 3070. (FanPro has released a record sheet book that covers 3130-era mechs so that you can play BT in the 3130 period, but it is focused on the earlier era).

Think of it like...Old Star Trek and the New Generation being shown at the same time, and both shows producing new episodes in their respective eras. The New Generation is being careful not to release any big spoilers for the Old show. Which is the current era? Well, it depends on which show you normally watch.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
adamwehn
07/08/06 09:37 PM
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Okay, sounds like I should stick more to what I know. I just read something from Wikipedia about Clan Snow Raven mergin with the Outworlds Alliance, anyone got any information on it other than the basics provided at Wiki? Personally I like Clan Snow Raven, but not knowing when they merged with Outworlds Alliance makes it difficult for me to set a timeline for a game I'm working up.
CrayModerator
07/08/06 09:43 PM
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Quote:

Okay, sounds like I should stick more to what I know. I just read something from Wikipedia about Clan Snow Raven mergin with the Outworlds Alliance, anyone got any information on it other than the basics provided at Wiki? Personally I like Clan Snow Raven, but not knowing when they merged with Outworlds Alliance makes it difficult for me to set a timeline for a game I'm working up.




The merge has not happened as of about 3070, but it's about to happen. Snow Raven just started appearing in the Inner Sphere in force (as of Hotspots 3070) and is acting to clear out pirates and WoBblies from near the Outworld's Alliance. It finds the OA semi-honorable and is thinking of settling amongst them, pretty much taking the place over.

The details you're looking for are in Hotspots 3070, though they're not complete.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
Karagin
07/09/06 04:03 PM
214.13.130.100

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Nothing in Hotspots or Dawn was complete...
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
CrayModerator
07/09/06 04:30 PM
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Quote:

Nothing in Hotspots or Dawn was complete...




Correct. They're part of an unfolding, in-character story.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
Karagin
07/09/06 04:55 PM
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Which isn't telling us anything since none of it is actual fact all of it is rumor and media stories...not hard game facts.

They need an actual sourcebook that gives us the facts and goes from there not this wanna be CNN style they are currently running with.
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
CrayModerator
07/09/06 05:49 PM
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Quote:

Which isn't telling us anything since none of it is actual fact all of it is rumor and media stories...not hard game facts.




If you can't get "anything" out of it, you can't get anything out of it, but don't presume to speak for other gamers' abilities to pull facts out of DotJ and related books. Some of the deductions players have made from DotJ and HS3070 have been so on-target that the writers got worried there was a leak among TPTB.

Also, that quality of information seems to be plenty for Dubya to make executive decisions. Do roleplayers need better info than world leaders to run a fictional campaign?

Quote:

They need an actual sourcebook that gives us the facts




Frankly, I look forward to some sort of condensed summary book, too.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
Greyslayer
07/09/06 06:46 PM
216.14.198.49

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Quote:

As for the Field Manuals, I liked the Mercenaries field manual as well as the Warden Clans manual.




Depends on which version you are talking of. FM: Mercenaries the original was an absolute terrible write-up. The revised edition I have never laid eyes on but I don't hold much hopes of either. I prefer playing mercenaries myself so to see such a strong area for battletech being butchered the way it was certainly disenfranchised me more than what was already happening.

If for example I was to write a field manual for mercs I would use it as a guide of what NOT to write in it.
CrayModerator
07/09/06 06:55 PM
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Quote:

If for example I was to write a field manual for mercs I would use it as a guide of what NOT to write in it.




Heh. So you're not thrilled with it.

In the interest of avoiding repeat mistakes, what problems did you find in the writing of FM:Mercs?
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
Greyslayer
07/09/06 07:45 PM
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Quote:

Heh. So you're not thrilled with it.




Just a little.

Quote:

In the interest of avoiding repeat mistakes, what problems did you find in the writing of FM:Mercs?




They seemed to write a majority from the aspect of an employer. This might help the gm a little but in the end there is nothing to help either group (gm or player) out in the fluff parts which is greater than 50% of the book. If they had perhaps written the Merc Units up from the perspective of the employer and mercenary then it would probably feel more complete than the half-baked job the unit write-ups ended up.

The unit generation system was amazingly bad. Nearly every other mercenary unit generation system predating this one created by Fasa was better in nearly every aspect. It fails to take into account many of the merc units they talked of worked specifically for houses so how on earth would any Liao or Marik merc unit have equal access to clan tech etc?

It doesn't talk of replacement parts, or much else of value to a player trying to design their own unit. It uses a very pathetic cost factors for maintaining mechs. i.e a 3025 locust costs near or the same as a Dire Wolf "widowmaker" for a mercenary to maintain though may require 1 more tech than the locust or something (this also means a company travelling in a Union class cannot fit their required number of technicians in the same dropship as their mechs if using this field manual).

The only half-decent thing in this whole book is the negotiation part at the end in contracts.... needs a bit of revision but as a whole about the best thing to come out of the whole pathetic book.
CrayModerator
07/09/06 07:47 PM
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Quote:

The only half-decent thing in this whole book is the negotiation part at the end in contracts.... needs a bit of revision but as a whole about the best thing to come out of the whole pathetic book.




Points noted.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
adamwehn
07/09/06 11:35 PM
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The one I have is the 1997 Mercs FM.
Karagin
07/11/06 12:59 PM
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If you so Cray.

And please do me a favor, if you want to complain about the President, do so, but how about this, run for office or come over here and do something to fix things here in Iraq. Otherwise you are doing what you complained about a lot of us doing with the whole Jihad thing, Monday morning quaterbacking...

Were you there when all the info was given to the President? No I don't think you were. So how about stopping with the slams on the leadership of the nation.

As I saw on a bumper sticker while home 3 weeks ago:

If you don't stand behind our soliders, please stand in front of them.

Now if they want folks to get over their dislike of the Jihad, then move on with the actual sourcebook and save the RPG stuff for oh I don't know the non-selling scenario books that seemed to sell out, and give us a sourcebook that explains everything fully and covers all of the areas that have been used to shoot the Jihad full of holes.

And I never said I spoke for other gamers, I said based on the comments of others, a lot of folks don't like the current format of the books. So again why are you trying to spin this into other things?
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
Toontje
07/11/06 07:07 PM
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Hmm, where did he complain? Nowhere in this tread...

Now about politicians, never trust them to tell the truth if it might harm their position. I just give the example Palpatine: Perfect politician in my book.
Rather to blow up, then.
Karagin
07/12/06 02:24 PM
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Read again from the start where he has comment on things which can be taken as complaints...
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
CrayModerator
07/12/06 02:56 PM
147.160.136.10

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Quote:

Read again from the start where he has comment on things which can be taken as complaints...




Actually...which posts of mine look like complaints?

Other than, "Frankly, I look forward to some sort of condensed summary book, too", I mean.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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