First off: I’m very happy to have this. I have enjoyed reading the rules, the background, fawning over the models, the map, the dice etc. All very nice, very well put together. But it is, perhaps, not the most exciting purchase I have ever made. Especially as Catalyst already provides pretty much all the printed material for a free PDF download.
It is important to remember that this is the introductory box set – it is meant as a teaser into the whole game. For that reason, the rules provided do not include those for tanks, infantry or aerial units. However, for an introductory set, the offering is significant. The rules presented are not “rules light,” they are the official, full ruleset for ‘Mech combat. If that is all the player wants to get from the game, then they shall not be disappointed at all.
Unfortunately, for those who wish to go further in the hobby, the book of rules will become largely superfluous upon the purchase of the main rulebook, Total Warfare. Perhaps a good use for the book at that point would be to try to tease a friend into the hobby. To be honest, the beginning of the rulebook is also somewhat disappointing – it spends the first section, approximately 10-15 pages, trying to justify its own existence and describing the various other products available on the market. As the first written words a new player encounters, this is not an auspicious start. However, the rest of the rules are organised methodically and lucidly. The illustrations are of painted models – an interesting choice; personally I have always found gaming art to be a better option than photos of models, although this would ramp up the price somewhat and maybe make the introductory box set less of an appealing buy.
The rest of the contents will be of use and interest for many years to come. Each ‘Mech model – and there are 24 of them – come with no assembly required. A clever decision for an introductory box. The last thing you want to do when you get a new game is have to muck about with sticking on little arms and scraping off flash. You’d much rather be reading the book or simply getting down to the gritty business of blowing each other up. To that end, the quick-start rules are also a good addition to the package – although I must admit to not having read the thing myself. Cut down rules are not my thing.
This has not been a problem. With the help of the cheat sheet and the graphics (and armed with having at least read an earlier version of the rules in the distant past – here’s a spoiler: there’s not much change) it was easy enough to quickly throw together a satisfying combat a few minutes after I’d ripped the packaging open. The game itself is excellent – and I’m by far not the first person to say so. It has been around for a while, and looks to be going strong into a new phase under the guidance of Catalyst Labs. May they grow and prosper.
One last drawback – although it is possible and fun to play the game simply as a tabletop wargame, Battletech really comes into it’s own when played in conjunction with it’s roleplaying rules. We are currently still waiting for a modern version to be published by Catalyst. Until then, it’s e-bay and 80′s hairstyles only!
Similar Posts:
