Battletech (free rules online!)

[sunnyside]

Catalyst games seems to be providing everything you need to play online.

http://www.classicbattletech.com/index. ... nformation

Now granted those are just "quickstart" rules. But that's what you'd want to use your first few times anyway.

The advantage for forum based games is that all the hexes are numbered. SO you wouldn't have to post pics like I did for 40K. Instead just give you moves like you would for chess (Jagermech to hex 0234 face northeast).

The problem for forum play is that by the rules players alternate moving and firing mechs. So doing everything per the rules would take (#mechsforoneplayer + #ofmechsforotherplayer)*2 posts at least. And that's no good.

However if you just have each player move and fire all their mechs in one post instead than it drops down to 2 posts per turn which makes for nice fast games.

I think they do it the way they do to make it harder to get shots at the rear armor of mechs, and because people don't like waiting around while the other person does their turn. But this way the game would actually be more tactical as you'd have to consider the enemies moves more. And if it's forum based you aren't waiting anyway.

[Reliant121]

That looks even more complicated than your game to me.

[Deepcrush]

Battletech is fun but I don't see it being a very good game for forum play. Its still much better in person where each player can move in view of the others.

[sunnyside]

That looks even more complicated than your game to me.

You mean 40K? That was only simple because I wasn't handling all the rules. The actual rulebook for 40K is hundreds of pages long.

And the rules you need to play with in the battletech quickstart rules are only part of them. You wouldn't need to read the rules on using battlearmor, vehicles, or infantry at first. Since for the first few battles people would just use mechs.

[Deepcrush]

That and you can keep a mech pretty simple in terms of its use. Though you could do that with almost anything if you only use one type of battlegear.

[sunnyside]

Really for the quick start rules once you break it down it just amounts to:

Move mechs around the map. It costs 1 MP per hex facing change and 1 MP to move forward (plus a bit more if going through heavy terrain).

Then fire weapons at some other mech in your firing arc. roll 2d6 for each weapon. if you get 4+modifier or greater you hit.

Roll location for each hit and mark off the circles. When all the circles are filled that part of the mech is destroyed. If the center torso or head is destroyed the mech is done for. If a leg is destroyed the mech can still shoot but it becomes immobile.

[Reliant121]

I think part of the problem for me is i simply dont have the time to read through a rulebook.

[Deepcrush]

You can read most of it online, or atleast enough to get started.

http://www.classicbattletech.com/

Best site for BattleTech.

http://ppc.warhawkenterprises.com/theclans/

Second best.

[Mikey]

Pro: as Sunny said, it can be simplified enough for pretty easy forum play.

Con: when simplified so, it becomes, well, more simplistic than the actual map and paper game.

[Deepcrush]

We should have a Battletech subsection just like we do with the other scifi's.

[Johnny Starfleet]

I am crazy about Battletech. My wife and I named my son Phelan, for crying out loud!

The quickstart rules are not my favorite, but the actual rules can be quite complex to jump right in to. I also agree with the others here in that I don't think it would be too well suited for forum play. I think, however, that there are several programs that allow multiple players and PBE type turns.

[Deepcrush]

Does anyone here still play Battletech?

I know a few guys from my local Games Workshop do. Mostly Inner Sphere junkys. I was Clan Smoke Jaguar until they got knocked off then had too pick a new clan and went with Clan Ghost Bear. My friends Steve and Chris always fought for Clan Nova Cat.

[Mikey]

I haven't played in literally over 20 years. I'm sure I have no idea what the Battletech universe entails now.

[Deepcrush]

Damn, I feel so alone...