My First Battletech Game in three decades of Gaming!

[Easy E]

I have had the Battletech 25th Anniversary box set sitting on my shelf for a long time.  I remember getting it, reading the rules, and then deciding that Battletech just wasn't the game for me.  I was a bit daunted by all the lore, the Mech builds, hex maps, the old-school mechanics and the very knowledgeable and passionate community itself.  In truth, I was not "in love" with the mech designs or the mechanics.  Therefore, I painted some mechs and used them in other games instead!  The boxed set sat on the shelf and collected dust.  I was not convinced I wanted to take the plunge into another "Life style" game like 40K had been.

Then, one day out of the blue, my daughter and I pulled it down off the shelf and decided to give it a go.  She didn't know anything about it, and I didn't remember much about it either.  I pulled out the Quick Start rules and gave it a read.  The rules focused exclusively on the basics (so no Heat, Crits, Pilot Checks, etc), and even had some special "beginner" Mech record sheets.  We set-up for the initial Green Training Scenario.   



This pit an Enforcer vs. a Hunchback on a relatively flat map with some woods on each side.  My daughter played aggressively with the Enforcer, as I hung back behind some woods.  She did some damage closing, but I let her approach.  Then, I burst around the edge of the woods and pummeled her at close range with all my weapons.  I blew the arm straight off the Enforcer, and it was all down hill from there.  We chased each other around the board a bit, before I finally destroyed her.  Her hits ended up mostly scattered across my mech, while mine pretty consistently hit her in the right arm/torso until it transferred over into her Center Torso. 

To be honest, it really wasn't that much fun.  There were not enough decisions, too many dice rolls, and we spent more time calculating mods and filling in bubbles then actually playing the game.  Plus, one-on-one meant there were no synergies and we were at the whims of the dice.  It was a game of stacking or unstacking mods.

Despite this, we decided that I would go back and read the fuller intro rules and come back and try again with a few more mechs.  I went off and read up and did my homework.  I skipped the fluff and what not and just focused on the rules.  Therefore, this battle will just be an extension of my previous Mech games that used other rules. 




Polanksi's Lancers were contracted to harass operations on the Planet of Mundos.  The primary export was timber and wood products.  Therefore, the Lancers were focused on attacking executives, storage facilities, and other infrastructure.  Their employer Lacstar Inc, was in negotiations to purchase the timber rights from the VolSaab Corporation, and any disruption to supply would cause the stock price to drop.  This would make buying the rights much easier. 

VolSaab was wise to such actions. Therefore, they had contracted out to two mercenary units to operate on Mundos to help protect their investment and get the best sale price of the rights.  The Rose Guard and Thor's Hammers were providing security on Mundos. 

Careful recon by Polanski's Lancers allowed them to map multiple patrol routes taken by Thor's Hammers.  The Hammers adjusted their routes regularly, but eventually an algorithmic analysis allowed the Lancers to predict likely paths of travel.  The Manager-Commander of the 14th Uhlans of the Lancers decided to try and set an ambush for the Hammers patrol using this intel.

Forces:

Polanski's Lancers- 14th "Uhlans"

Quickdraw
Enforcer
Hermes II
Trebuchet

Thor's Hammers- Elements of the 3rd "Hard Strikers"

Dragon
Hunchback
Zeus

All pilots will be assumed to have Pilot Ratings of 5.  I could not find in the rules where it dictated starting or how to generate starting Pilot Ratings.

Both of us got our Mech record sheets ready, our quick play sheets, pencils, and our own sets of dice.  The Introductory rulebook was handy and ready to play.   

Mission:

Today's battle will be a straight forward fight to the death.  Units that leave the board will be considered retreating and destroyed.  Otherwise, the normal rules apply. 

Set-up:

I will be using Hex Map #2, the same one we used for the Green Training Scenario.  Pretty much flat with some light and heavy woods on both sides. 

Dragon is placed in the center with the Hunchback and the Zeus within 3 hexes of it.  The Lancers can be placed anywhere behind the tree lines, on either side of the board.  We assume that the Mechs were prone, but have successfully stood up to begin the attack.   



You can read all about my first real game of Battletech that I have ever played in my three decades of gaming on my blog....

https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2021/04/battle-report-classic-battletech-ambush.html