EdmondDantes224
12/17/13 04:03 AM
172.243.164.137
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So it's actually kinda funny...
I'm not a mecha enthusiast. Before Battletech, the only mecha franchises I liked were Robotech and Transformers (and I'm not sure the latter really counts), and in both cases it wasn't because of admiring the designs or anything like that.
Battletech itself I discovered first thru the cartoon, which I used to watch every Saturday, and it was honestly one of my favorite cartoons growing up (even now, I find it holds up fairly well and wish it would get a proper DVD release). Later I played the Sega Genesis game, which I didn't like at the time because I had read about the Mechwarrior games and had thought the Genesis game would be just like that, when it was completely different.
Fast forward to this year. In rapid succession I finally got to play Mechwarrior 2 (no, seriously--I never got to play this in its heyday) and Mechwarrior 3 (which I actually *did* play when it was new but couldn't understand because I was more used to Armored Core), which helped pique an interest in the Battletech universe.
Then, a week ago, I took a trip to a flea market, and while searching shelves for Doctor Who novels, I wound up spotting Battletech: the Sword and the Dagger. It was in pretty nice condition, and I could tell from its cover art that it must've been printed in the 1980s. I saw it had a prologue that basically set up the entire Battletech universe. "This must be the very first Battletech novel," I thought, and when I learned it was only fifty cents, I instantly plucked down cash for it.
Imagine my surprise when I researched it on the internet, found out it was actually the second book, and also that it goes for insane prices online @_@ Seriously, $40 for a paperback?
But instead of putting my copy on ebay, I read it, being very careful not to crease the spine or otherwise damage the book, now that I knew it was hard to get.
I loved it.
And since then, I've wanted more. Unfortunately it seems like Battletech stuff isn't easy to happen upon in the wild in my area (That same flea market had only one other Battletech book that I happened to notice, one of the ROC editions, but I can't remember the title).
Anyway, personally, my plan is to focus first on getting the novels originally published by FASA (I don't mind getting the ROC reprints but because I'm partly a collector and partly because I like the 80s look of those books, I would love to have the original FASA editions). If I'm still interested after reading all of those, then I'd move on to collect the ROC books. Although my plans are flexible on this front, since I'm willing to grab anything that seems like a good deal.
Anyway, I suppose I'll give this uber-long post an actual point:
TL;DR - If anyone happens to have any of the first twelve Battletech books (the ones published by FASA) and they're willing to part with them, contact me. Note that I might have to ask you to wait until January since Christmas will drain my funds.
(If the above paragraph is against the rules, the below can act as an alternate TLDR):
So, guys, how did you get into Battletech? What were your experiences and memories? And what advice do you have to give a relative newcomer (who has yet to play the actual game, by the way--though I have played with MegaMek a bit)?
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YSIM
01/22/14 03:21 AM
71.62.9.14
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I first found Battletech when it was then called Battledroids, before Lucas Arts sued over the use of the name 'droids'. I saved up all the money I had and bought the game, I was only 11 or 12 at the time. The year later I found they had rereleased the game as Battletech with the Warhammer cover. By then, I was already hooked on Robotech and had just about all the Robotech Defenders models. I again saved up $20 and got the first Battletech box set. When Citytech and Aerotech were released, I got those for my birthday that year.
I was a pretty hardcore Btech player, I roped in my cousins and one of my friends to play. We played it a lot until I moved out into the country... Even though I didn't have players where we now lived, I still played games with myself. It being the early to mid 80s and the hayday of the Satanic Panic (D&D and all associated games were evil), Battletech was one of the few games I was able to own as it wasn't a Roleplaying game. I kept up with the game, buying any and every book or box set I could. And then the Clans came out....
And I pretty much stopped playing the game... I couldn't stand it after that... Even today, I will only grudgingly play 3039 era. My one true love will always be 3025-3026.
And that's my story. I've not played Btech much in the last 14 years. While I like the new version of the rules, they have however stayed mostly the same since 1984... I think I am one of the few diehard fans than feels the game needs a remake both in its rules and expecially in its mech designs... But, that's just me.
Welcome to the hobby!
Of the older books, The Sword and the Dagger is my favorite.
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ATN082268
01/22/14 04:13 AM
69.128.58.222
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Ah, what memories... I remember a friend of mine taught me how to play Battletech in the summer of 1992. I think it was me and two other friends against him, each of us using one 'Mech against his giant surface ship. I don't remember all the specifics but we blew up his ship and all had a lot of fun. I played pretty regularly since then until around 2008. After that playing the game less wasn't because of the game, just real life  One of the most worthwhile and longest lasting hobbies I ever got into.
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BobTheZombie
04/14/14 09:27 PM
184.63.108.73
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I got into BattleTech via the video games, namely MW4:V and MCX when they first came out. I've since expanded from there and have played more of the games and read some of the books. I haven't gone as in-depth in my devotion to BT as most people on Sarna but have a good grasp of the universe.
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