Karagin
05/03/19 09:04 PM
72.176.171.47
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Okay I just left a local game store, new one in my area, and after hearing this conversation I am a bit baffled and confused at how some folks act about things.
Guy was there demoing Battletech, he had eight mechs, aka lance on lance, and had about 6 folks learning the game, so far so go. I was very happy to see this happening, hell most folks in the area are either WH40K or one of the card game players.
So as I am buying the comics and paints, I hear these two guys talking, note they are watching NOT playing, and their biggest beef was that the guy running things had a mech that wasn't an official mech on the table, and some how this was like a flogging offense to these two and their reason, because it's not how the game should is played. So I ask out curiosity, how having a "home made" mech is not how the game is played?
Their answer was only official mechs are allowed in demo games. So I asked them are you Commandos (or what ever CGL calls their group) or affiliated with CGL in any shape or form? They said no, but then go on tell me it's in the rules. So hearing that, and I freely admit some of the new rules I am not up to speed on, and many of the new "toys" and such I don't agree with, I watch the demo game for about 25 minutes.
Yes the guy running the game was using a home made mech, a mere 20 ton mech that has two small lasers a MG and a SRM2. Here is the part the two missed, ALL of the players were using 40 tons or heavier mechs. Break down of the other mechs, three Chameleons (Oh gee, the original mech to learn the game with, gosh), a Vindicator, and two Panthers and he had a Wasp in case of eight people wanted to play. His mech was there so he could play and teach. So after watching the game and not seeing any thing that was crazy or not following the rules, I left. They were having fun and thus to me that is what matters, hope we see more of this locally.
Now my question(s) is did the rules change? Is it stated that you must use book aka official mechs for demo games?
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Frabby
05/04/19 04:29 AM
84.185.65.76
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Official representatives of CGL cannot use unseen miniatures.
Other than that, I think they can do what they want.
Customisation and construction rules for homebrew designs have, in my opinion, been one key pillar of BattleTech's success and enduring popularity. The gentlemen you quoted seem to apply another game's mindset to their line of reasoning.
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Karagin
05/04/19 09:53 AM
72.176.171.47
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I thought that was the case and I agree the customization and ability to make your own mechs is a major part of what makes BT fun.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Carns
05/06/19 02:07 PM
168.9.128.5
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Custom Designs are one of the pillars of Battletech. It's not really fun if every Mech on the table is custom, or hugely modified, but it definitely adds to the experience if you give each player one.
Generally, regardless of your pet peeves, it is extremely bad form to bring them up in the presence of new players.
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Karagin
05/06/19 08:25 PM
72.176.171.47
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Quote:
Custom Designs are one of the pillars of Battletech. It's not really fun if every Mech on the table is custom, or hugely modified, but it definitely adds to the experience if you give each player one.
Generally, regardless of your pet peeves, it is extremely bad form to bring them up in the presence of new players.
How so? It's part of the game, how is a bad idea to show them that the game offers them a chance to have fun and design their own mech to take into the fight? I am curious as to why you would say this.
And it is fun when folks have their custom mechs, since you can get the chance to teach them that alpha strikers aren't the best things around, or laser boats have their draw backs or that mech that works so well for them in the computer game doesn't work all that well in the real game. Or maybe the their mech does work well in both, that is what you find out when you play.
Custom mechs are the selling point, since it allows the new players to see that they can have something personal in the game and are not stuck playing generic items over and over.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Wick
05/10/19 08:27 PM
45.43.104.179
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My only problem with the 20 ton 'mech he brought to the table was that it didn't generate enough heat to showcase heat management, which at least before double heat sinks came along was generally the foremost concern during gameplay after armor. I worry he left that to the Chameleon players to figure out.
I also wish he had a unit mounting an autocannon/2 or autocannon/5 in play, to describe the differences in these types of weapons over the lasers and missiles the other units had (high weight, long range, moderate damage, low heat.) If he'd swapped a Chameleon for a Vulcan he'd have all the basic weapon types covered (including flamers)
I can't possibly recall the 'mechs we played with the first time i was introduced to it in 1989 (so 3025 tech only.) For all I know, we created our own 100 ton monstrosities on paper that were very poorly balanced against canon mechs. But we enjoyed it all the same and don't really have a problem if a homebrew 'mech was used for introduction purposes if it got the point across to the potential players.
But if I was demoing a game for newbies, I'd go for a standard 'mech that showcased all three major weapon types and jumped, with the Shadow Hawk SHD-2H being an excellent example for all but heat management. (Rectified if assumption of one point of engine damage at game start.) Yes, custom 'mechs are part of the game, but for demo purposes an instructor has more than enough options available to able to get the point across without the need for one. This was likely the opinion of the two spectators as well.
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Carns
05/14/19 03:18 PM
168.9.128.5
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Quote:
Quote:
Generally, regardless of your pet peeves, it is extremely bad form to bring them up in the presence of new players.
How so? It's part of the game, how is a bad idea to show them that the game offers them a chance to have fun and design their own mech to take into the fight? I am curious as to why you would say this.
It is bad form to bring up your Pet Peeves in the presence of new players. There is nothing wrong with custom mechs.
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