Tabletop mech rpg

[NotanNPC]

I'm looking into getting into something like Battletech. Would anyone have any suggestions on a good place to start? You know...other than their website? Here's what I'm looking for:

• 
  What do I need to start

• Suggestions on a site that really dumbs down the rules

• Would you suggest a different game other than Battletech

• Any clue on running costs for these types of games

I'm still really new to tabletop rpgs (Only 6-7 sessions of 4E played). Do you think I'm getting a little in over my head? Should I get more gaming XP under my belt first?

 

[garrowolf]

Try Heavy Gear

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Battletech and Heavy Gear are two of the best supported mecha games, and generally have decently attractive minis & supplements.

There are others that were also good but went under- I liked the minis from Rackham's AT-43, for instance- but it has more mixed units and fewer mecha. It may be tough to find, though, since Rackham folded late last year.

You can find a decent list here: List of miniature wargames

Just scroll down to where it says "Science Fiction".

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

As for the rest:

What do I need to start

Friends who want to play, dice and a copy of the rules. Minis help, but aren't necessary.

Suggestions on a site that really dumbs down the rules

Not really, but war-games vary in complexity. One of my favorites is also quite simple: O.G.R.E., which paired with it's sequel, G.E.V., form a very simple war-game with clear & easy rules and decent replay value. There are numerous editions, having cardboard counters, large metal minis, and even a computer version. The same company that did that (Steve Jackson Games) also did the classic Car Wars games, which is medium difficult.

On the other end of the complexity scale is something like Star Fleet Battles, which is about ship vs ship combat in the world of Star Trek.

(Another fave is the out of print Crimson Skies, which has mechanics similar to Battletech, and is set in an alternate history 1930s-40s.)

Any clue on running costs for these types of games

You can probably get started as cheaply as $20- you can get O.G.R.E./G.E.V. online quite cheaply, and you only need d6s to play- but none really has an upper limit. The more you buy, the more options you have.

I'm still really new to tabletop rpgs (Only 6-7 sessions of 4E played). Do you think I'm getting a little in over my head? Should I get more gaming XP under my belt first?

If you can handle D&D- any edition- then you can handle most war-games. O.G.R.E./G.E.V. is very simple, but fun, and even the most complex game I listed is playable without using all the rules.

Of course, the more you get into these games, the more tactical options you have at your disposal...

 

[Slickam]

For Battletech, you can start with the rulebooks that are available for download at the official site.

There's a quick start rulebook (http://classicbattletech.com/downloads/QSR_BattleTech_EN.pdf 10MB) that has a simplified version of the rules meant for new players. It includes record sheets for 4 different mechs, 4 vehicles, battle armor and conventional infantry, with paper standups for all of them.

Then there's the introductory rulebook (http://classicbattletech.com/downloads/CBT_Introductory_Rulebook.pdf 5.5MB) which has the full basic rules for the game, including construction rules for designing your own mechs and suggestions for tactics. There are no record sheets in this file, but http://classicbattletech.com/downloads/CBT_Introductory_Record_Sheets.pdf (5.5MB) has record sheets for 24 mechs (that only use rules from this rulebook) and paper standups for all 24. The universe book (http://classicbattletech.com/downloads/CBTUniverse.pdf 7MB) gives a brief history of the setting and in game description of the 24 mechs.

There's a box set being released at the end of the month for $50 that includes 26 miniatures (the 24 mechs from the above PDF and 2 that use more advanced rules), new versions of the above rule books and 2 double sided map sheets.

If you like the game and want more, there are 4 rule books with more advanced rules, books with hundreds of new units, and miniatures for most of them (you don't need the actual miniature for a mech to use it though). You can have a lot of fun with just the basic rules though.

 

[lrsach01]

You could always try Iron Tyrants. It's all in one book.... inexpensive. Quick and fun.

Iron Tyrants

 

[NotanNPC]

Thanks to everyone for their replies. You've helped me focus what I'm wanting to do. It felt a little daunting with all the different options out there.

(Another fave is the out of print Crimson Skies, which has mechanics similar to Battletech, and is set in an alternate history 1930s-40s.)

Isn't this one based off the original Xbox game? I saw a few minis for this at my FLGS and almost bought one (I was buying my first set of dice at the time for my first DnD game). It looked pretty cool.

Do you know if the game play on that is similar to Wing of War?

Wings of War: Famous Aces | Board Game | BoardGameGeek

 

[thedungeondelver]

Isn't this one based off the original Xbox game? I saw a few minis for this at my FLGS and almost bought one (I was buying my first set of dice at the time for my first DnD game). It looked pretty cool.

Do you know if the game play on that is similar to Wing of War?

Wings of War: Famous Aces | Board Game | BoardGameGeek

CRIMSON SKIES was supposed to be FASA's "next big thing" in tabletop games before they went kablooey back in 2000. The property was quickly picked up for computer and console games though.

As far as actual mecha themed games go, go with HEAVY GEAR. This is from a guy who used to bag on it back in the day. It's a truly great game!

 

[jedavis]

I'd like to suggest Wardogs ( Wardogs - Majestic Twelve Games | RPGNow.com ). MJ12 produces fairly simple, universal products at reasonable prices, with support from the authors available quickly on their forums ( mj12games.com • Index page ). I have yet to be disappointed by any of their games.

 

[Wik]

I have a special place in my heart for battletech. And it's easy enough that, if you've been playing D&D and grokking it, you'll have no problem with battletech. It's a great game, and the layers of play are particularly enjoyable - you can play single-mech scenarios, or one-off games where all the players get a set amount of tonnage (say, 200 tons) and have to field at least three mechs each, and no more than five.

And you can also play campaigns, with rules for scavenging battlemechs, repairing your mechs in the field, and the like. It becomes fun when you start fielding crappy mechs in missions you don't really need to win, simply because they're easier to repair and find parts for. I remember using a Hollander mech to take out all the little Locusts and Jenners my enemy was fielding, and then realizing that the Hollander's Gauss cannon was too difficult to keep in good repair. I wound up paying for an expensive refit in the game, giving the mech a PPC cannon and some more armour. And of course it was blown up in the very next fight.

You can even worry about individual pilots, who can "level up" between fights. You start to protect your "aces", because they can die or be knocked out in fights. One of my favourite tactics was to use a super-fast mech like a locust, and load it up with a weapons loadout filled with machine guns or small lasers (or, better, a combo of both). I'd hide it behind cover and sneak up on my target, and then when I won initiative, I'd charge up behind him and unleash about twelve shot's worth of attacks. Each hit had a 1 in 6 chance of hitting the head if you attacked from the back, and each hit autotmatically did one point of damage to the pilot and could potentially knock him out. You just had to hope you'd hit the head the three times in one round, because it was a pretty good chance of a knockout.

Do that a few times, and it's very rewarding... because your enemies start firing at your cheap throwaway mechs before shooting at your real mechs.

Long story short, Battletech's a lot of fun, and it's the type of game that you can grow with. I'd personally look at playing an Inner Spheres only campaign (you'll see what I mean if you start playing the game) to start, simply because mixing the Inner Sphere and the Clans will tend to piss off the poor guy stuck with the Inner Sphere, unless you have some good pre-made scenarios done up.