Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: Mr. White on January 09, 2023, 09:20:46 PM
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A local bookstore was doing 50% off on all games in December. I went in there looking for Blitz Bowl, but walked out with an armful of Battletech. Here's the first 8 of my models painted.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/43c722f7-48a6-41d2-b015-689989997f4e.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/7e7d7e88-d70a-47cc-bb69-16ffe3256969.jpeg)
Short blog post on the proceedings: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2023/01/09/battletech-clan-mechs/
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They look great.
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Fantastic stuff!
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They look very nice!
Coincidentally, I was bought the big blue BT rulebook for Christmas, and my own orders of the various BT starter boxes (ordered back in September...) all finally arrived last week. I'm very new to BT still, so I think there'll be a fair bit of reading before I fully commit. Hopefully the Alphas Strike starter will ease me in.
Looking through your blog (I was actually on it just last night, looking at your Mordheim stuff...), I also liked your painting on the previous mechs you bought too - great schemes and tidy paintwork. :)
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Lovely black scheme; I especially like the cool, futuristic numbering 8)
the green, slightly glowing cockpits are nice too.
@ Major Gilbear: Big blue BT book? Is that the newest complete rulebook then? I have the Classic BT Total War and Alphastrike books (as well as some original ones from the eighties, which got me into BT at the time), but they're not blue...
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Thanks, all!
Lovely black scheme; I especially like the cool, futuristic numbering 8)
the green, slightly glowing cockpits are nice too.
The green was a happy little accident. I painted the cockpits ulthuan grey as a light colored base then splashed on warpstone contrast. Some of the contrast got on the darker grey of the cockpit frames tinting that green. It looked ok so I left it
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Those look fantastic.
As a diehard merc or Davion player (from 1988), I do have to insert the obligatory "Die Clanner!" here though :)
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@ Major Gilbear: Big blue BT book? Is that the newest complete rulebook then? I have the Classic BT Total War and Alphastrike books (as well as some original ones from the eighties, which got me into BT at the time), but they're not blue...
Yeah, sorry for the confusion; it's the current Battletech Total Warfare book I meant... The previous version (which I was tempted by many times previously) was blue.
Current:
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1540/0075/products/E-CAT35001V_BattleTechTotalWarfare7thPrt-1_1024x1024.png)
Previous "blue" one:
(https://i0.wp.com/www.gamersdungeon.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Total_Warfare_Cover_2018_1200x1200.png)
As the current "BT:AGOAC" starter box is also blue, I keep forgetting the new/current book cover is no longer blue...! :-X lol
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Those look fantastic.
As a diehard merc or Davion player (from 1988), I do have to insert the obligatory "Die Clanner!" here though :)
Ha! I'm a noob to the game with no love for the Clans or the Inner sphere, but I do understand old school players hold a grudge against the Clans. Knowing that, but _nothing_ more, i wanted this clan to appear cold and merciless. A foreboding threat stomping into the IS on my tabletop.
@ Major_Gilbear: thanks for checking out the ol' blog. I haven't decided if I'm going to repaint those mechs, that I've rebought, the same colors or go with something new. Probably something new
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Ha! I'm a noob to the game with no love for the Clans or the Inner sphere, but I do understand old school players hold a grudge against the Clans. Knowing that, but _nothing_ more, i wanted this clan to appear cold and merciless. A foreboding threat stomping into the IS on my tabletop.
In a nutshell, the Clans are the inheritors of the former regime. The Inner Sphere broke up into multiple factions and Kerensky took most of the military and scientist caste outside of known space. They formed various clans and plotted to return to their Inner Sphere in conquest. They arrived roughly in 3050 (though they were here before that in recon capacity) and tore through the Inner Sphere which had been weakened over the intervening centuries by 4 major conflicts (known as the Succession Wars).
They were narrowly stopped, and the Inner Sphere led a reprisal which wiped out Clan Smoke Jaguar (but like all comic book villains they have returned). This led to a stale mate for a long time with some clans integrating. In the most current timeline they returned again with a vengeance and captured Earth. It remains to be seen if they can hold it, as the various Houses and Powers aren't giving up their authority any time soon.
You either love or hate the Clans and their test tube babies (clans have a caste system of their generically bred warriors and naturally born citizens, which is very difficult to cross).
The Wolf's Dragoons are predominately clan, specifically Clan Wolf which is the current Il-Clan that rules Terra/Earth. They were part of the recon force that was in the Inner Sphere, sending back intel on the houses to support the invasion. They worked as a Mercenary faction, and initially sided against the invading clans having come to prefer the Inner Sphere (haven't read a ton of the most recent stuff, so not sure if they've since merged back in with Clan Wolf, which has merged the two halves of Clan Wolf that split around the time of the invasion)..
Overall it is Game of Thrones, in Space, long before there was Game of Thrones.
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Dang! Awesome. Thanks for summing this up!
I'll have to decide what my IS mechs will be part of, but I did enjoy painting these Clan mechs and the lore seems pretty interesting. I guess I'll probably be in for the upcoming Mercenary KS...oof.
Are mercs part of the IS or both?
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Mercs are strictly employed by the Inner Sphere. The clans would view it as beneath them, although some clans do actively trade with them. The original 5 Mercenary groups were; Hansen's Roughriders (all assault/heavy with a good mix of infantry/vehicles), Linden's Battalion (currently destroyed, all light and medium), Eridani Light Horse (part of the army that didn't go with Kerensky, mostly light/medium, but with some heavy/assault), 21st Centauri Lancers (one of the most respected units in the Inner Sphere, predominantly heavy), and Wolf's Dragoons. They range the gamut from tiny lance plus to full regiment in size that control their own small sectors of space.
Of course, the benefit with mercenaries is that you can paint whatever you want, field whatever you want, and fight whoever you want. It's totally freeform there. Most of the video games have had players as parts of various merc companies (the original Crescent Hawk PC games in the 80s were about a merc unit).
If you want to pick a known unit, Camo Specs online is super helpful.
https://camospecs.com/
A short bit about mercenaries:
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Mercenary
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Nice work & thanks for the links.
Z
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Mercs are strictly employed by the Inner Sphere. The clans would view it as beneath them, although some clans do actively trade with them.
Things are getting a bit more complex in the current point in time (3145) - some clans now resident in the Inner Sphere are finding themselves using sellswords more and more...
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I haven't decided if I'm going to repaint those mechs, that I've rebought, the same colors or go with something new. Probably something new
Why not a bit of a mix? You have plenty of new mechs, so you can add a few to each of the original lances, and still have lots left over for doing some new lances in new schemes. Either way, I wouldn't repaint any of the mechs for now, and leaving them as-is frees up time better spent elsewhere. If you're unsure, maybe you could re-touch them a bit, perhaps adding a few more decals or a bit more basing, etc., but I do think they look very good already! :)
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Why not a bit of a mix? You have plenty of new mechs, so you can add a few to each of the original lances, and still have lots left over for doing some new lances in new schemes. Either way, I wouldn't repaint any of the mechs for now, and leaving them as-is frees up time better spent elsewhere. If you're unsure, maybe you could re-touch them a bit, perhaps adding a few more decals or a bit more basing, etc., but I do think they look very good already! :)
Except....I had sold off those models... :/
They've been re-obtained though as I've re-bought the core box sets for BT.
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Except....I had sold off those models... :/
They've been re-obtained though as I've re-bought the core box sets for BT.
I know I shouldn't laugh, but... lol lol
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Painted eight Inner Sphere mechs. I guess this is two full Lances? They’re real easy to paint. Good for a break between more complex minis.
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They look awesome but the black ones are still my favourite. Good job.
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Sweet! 8)
They're Kurita, I presume?
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Well done. I imagine them as a merc unit
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Thanks, all. I based these models on the Guncannon Gundam. I wasn’t pleased with my attempts at yellow, and even though I’ve already sealed these minis, I might go back and add a few yellow spots to better match the Guncannon. I’m also considering some chipped paint effects. I dunno.
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Lovely painting efforts, sir!
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Thanks, All!
I've added two more mechs to this Red Inner Sphere force and added a some slight yellow accents to the others.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/7f920efe-348a-4c0d-8817-8db34b5c1471.jpeg)
The final collection (for now) of this force:
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/a19d6d36-fc5c-4593-8078-c91b9891e192.jpeg)
a little more on the blog post: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2023/02/09/battletech-red-inner-sphere-mechs/
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Here come the blues...
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/5be6fa82-36a5-4508-866c-09b9f2f83aff.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/0899c96d-f16e-46b0-8df0-19cf250765d9.jpeg)
A little more on the blog: https://wyrdstonesandtacklezones.com/2023/02/11/battletech-blue-inner-sphere-mechs/
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Nice work on those! You have a great selection of classic mechs, too. I’m collecting some of the plastic ones (much prefer them to messing around with the metal ones), but don’t appreciate the box sets Catalyst sells - would much prefer to buy individual figs, even at a marked up price compared to unit boxes. Ah, well I should focus on the positives and be grateful the plastic figs are available at all!
I’m looking forward to seeing more of your collection as you paint them!
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Thanks!
Most of these plastic Catalyst mechs I have are from their recent intro box sets: A Game of Armored Combat, Clan Invasion, Alpha Strike. then I bought 2-3 lance boxes at half off when a store had them on sale. I lucked out there.
These three sets, the black clan mechs, the red and blue inner sphere mechs, pretty much complete my current collection. I'm holding on buying anything new for a few months, but I will back the upcoming Mercenaries KS in late March.
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Very nice start to a Steiner battalion.
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Lovely work on these - the bold schemes with striking accents look really good!
Very nice start to a Steiner battalion.
Yes, indeed; just a few more Atlas mechs, and you'd have a complete scout lance! ;)
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Thanks, all!
Lovely work on these - the bold schemes with striking accents look really good!
Yes, indeed; just a few more Atlas mechs, and you'd have a complete scout lance! ;)
I do have another Atlas in a different pose. I left it, and a few other spares, unpainted incase I decide to do another house/faction. Would it make more sense to just add it to these Steiners? I'm still learning the game and the setting.
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Thanks, all!
I do have another Atlas in a different pose. I left it, and a few other spares, unpainted incase I decide to do another house/faction. Would it make more sense to just add it to these Steiners? I'm still learning the game and the setting.
It's a meme more than anything (and the 'steiner scout lance' shorts on YouTube). Kurita use more Atlas's than Steiner (IIRC Kurita had the only remaining production line in 3025), the Lyrans most common assault mech is the 80-ton Zeus
It wouldn't be totally out of place of course thanks to battlefield salvage and the long history of antagonism between Steiner and Kurita (and I have one in my Steiner urban assault company alongside a Fafnir, a Banshee, and a Zeus as such)
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Thanks, all!
I do have another Atlas in a different pose. I left it, and a few other spares, unpainted incase I decide to do another house/faction. Would it make more sense to just add it to these Steiners? I'm still learning the game and the setting.
It's a joke on Steiner's love for heavy and assault mechs. That coupled with rich, idiot, leadership where it's all about the presentation. Thus folks like to joke about the all assault scout lance.
Though to be fair, all assault all the time is even more Hansen's Roughriders thing than Steiner. At one point they only had 4 non assault/heavy mechs.
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I’m collecting some of the plastic ones (much prefer them to messing around with the metal ones), but don’t appreciate the box sets Catalyst sells - would much prefer to buy individual figs, even at a marked up price compared to unit boxes. Ah, well I should focus on the positives and be grateful the plastic figs are available at all!
Besides eBay, this looks like a pretty reputable site to order BT from and they sell singles: https://www.fortressminiaturesandgames.com/collections/cgl-miniatures-loose
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Thanks for the heads up about that site, I will keep it in mind as I expand the collection!
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I forgot to mention… played my first game of BT Alpha Strike last weekend. It played fast and smooth. We didn’t really even need to reference the SATOR modifier references after about the second turn. It was a big hit with my gundam fan son. We’re gonna get the full hardback.
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Yeah, I've played two rounds of Alpha Strike now and it plays really well. Very easy to follow while still retaining just enough depth to make it feel like battletech. I also bought the hardback, and plan to incorporate aerospace and ground forces.
Glad you had fun, it's great when the kids enjoy it.
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I decided to go into a fourth faction, Comstar. And with them done...all of my Battletech Mechs are painted. Huzzah!
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/362e90f4-183f-480a-9458-afee79675da5.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/a0e77b08-3f68-4cca-b65d-1811f144f15d.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/28b48b3e-5dee-48b0-88f6-a84a1f1a7562.jpeg)
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I am glad you had a good time with Alpha strike. It really opened the door to a larger players base beyond the crunchies.
I am still half crunchie.
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Played another game of Alpha Strike. Two lances from the Dieron Regulars were able to fend off a Clan Jade Falcon star from extracting experiemental weapons out of a Kurita cargoship.
I’m a fan of the cardboard buildings from the Alpha Strike box, but for my table I’m thinking I might get some proper 3D buildings.
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cool stuff. TY for sharing
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Painted up a merc faction to join the other four.
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Nice addition to your existing forces.
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Very cool. Nice colours
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They came out great. Well done
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Thanks, All!
I picked up that Urban Mech lance and you can see one in the mercenary unit in my previous post. Here's the set of four and the other three with some of their mates.
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/08c82d15-55df-4879-bf9b-c9bfc8021cd1.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/fef6d120-d8c8-4143-9c63-778f6f5d14b4.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/f0da62b1-5f28-4724-9663-7fd2b7655883.jpeg)
(https://mikeyc222.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/2c513950-0c04-41f8-9407-e801ec414325.jpeg)
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Those look excellent! I like the variety in the paint jobs.