What sort of war crime should my Merc company enact on this Cappy lawn dart that we took as a POW?

Piloting re-education to teach them how to run a nuke strapped trash can straight in the direction of the nearest Cappellan world?

Handed off to a periphery broker who staffs Canopian pleasure cruises in order to cover my insurance deductible on this now melted Archer?

I got a hold of an Atlas yesterday, it was my first assault mech since I just have the starter box, I painted it took it to go a game and a rakshasa took out the cockpit turn 2. What a great first showing. Its supposed to be painted in the Eridani Light horse colors I just dont have transfers yet.

EDIT 2: I FIGURED IT OUT, I had selected gunnery and piloting skills so the values were Modified BV (original BV2) not BV (BV2) like I initially thought. Mea culpa.

EDIT: I think I was hallucinating or I clicked something silly, for a moment I could swear the app was using BV1 but a refresh has proved me wrong so… idk. But now it seems to be working fine, please ignore my nothingpost.

—

Mekbay seems to use BV1 for its various features (BV force limit and the calculator), but me personally I’ve never even played a game in BV1.

Is there a way to set it to use BV2? I couldn’t see a setting, maybe it he devs should add it if not!! Idk if they are on Reddit.

I'm coming back to Classic BattleTech after years of Warhammer 40k, where both armies always have equal points. Now I'm running a two-player campaign with a friend, and I'm not sure how to handle balance.

Setup:

• 3028, Succession Wars era
• I play a small mercenary unit (a Kell Hounds offshoot), he plays the Federated Suns
• We each have about three lances, but his force has a lot more BV than mine. That makes sense in the setting: a Great House line unit is simply richer than a merc outfit.
• We track units, pilots, damage and C-Bills across games, so the rosters are more or less fixed

What I've found so far:

• Total Warfare has a scenario table where the attacker and defender bring different amounts of force depending on the mission, e.g. Hold the Line or Breakthrough
• Campaign Operations has a section on mission balancing and force creation, with a starting budget plus era and faction multipliers
• Alpha Strike mentions a 5% PV tolerance for pickup games (we play classic))

So my understanding is that a campaign isn't balanced at the force level. It's balanced per game, through the scenario: objectives, BV caps, reserves, and the fact that the weaker side doesn't have to win by wiping the enemy out.

My questions:

1. How do you handle this in practice? Do you set a BV cap per scenario and let both sides pick from their roster, or do you deliberately let one side bring far more because the objective makes up for it?

2. Are there other official rules or guidelines I've missed, e.g. in the Chaos Campaign, Hinterlands or the Mercenaries book?

3. How do you deal with pilot skill? Elite pilots make the BV gap even bigger, but it feels wrong to have the command lance crewed by 4/5 rookies.

4. If you've run a campaign with a "poor" faction against a "rich" one: did it stay fun for both players over many games?

I'd love to hear about your experiences, house rules and things that went wrong.

Back around 1991–92, when I was a teenager, my gaming group discovered BattleTech. There were six of us, armed with a few FASA rulebooks, a BattleTech pawn box, and entirely too much free time. We played a campaign for roughly 18 months, often twice a week. To this day, it remains one of my fondest tabletop gaming memories.

Fast-forward about 35 years. My current gaming group has been together for around eight years. There are five of us, most of us take turns GMing, and we've played a lot of D&D, Pathfinder, and Savage Worlds. Good times, but I was getting tired of fantasy settings. I wanted something different.

Our group has a simple philosophy: We play whatever the GM is excited to run. An enthusiastic GM generally means a better game. So I announced that I wanted to run BattleTech.

None of the other four had ever played it. One had at least heard of it. Another didn't even know what BattleTech was. But they trusted me, so off we went.

I decided to use the same rules I remembered from my teenage years: classic BattleTech and MechWarrior 2nd Edition. Why not? Well, things got complicated pretty quickly.

Our campaign is essentially three games rolled into one:

• Classic BattleTech tactical combat.
• MechWarrior 2e for the actual roleplaying.
• A mercenary company simulator covering contracts, finances, salvage, repairs, and all the other headaches of running a small military outfit.

Unfortunately, Roll20 didn't support what I wanted to do, and the alternatives I investigated weren't much better for combining all three. So I ended up writing my own custom BattleTech/MechWarrior character sheet for Roll20. It's still evolving.

I also borrowed some ideas from the HBS BattleTech video game and expanded them into my own mercenary management systems. I particularly liked how HBS handled salvage, so I developed a system where contracts establish a C-bill payment, a number of choice salvage picks, and a percentage of what's left. It's been working pretty well so far, and the players seem to enjoy it.

Needless to say, what started as a nostalgic return to an old favorite has turned into a rather substantial GM project.

Our campaign follows Iron Tale, a small mercenary company operating in the Inner Sphere, beginning in January 3048, just before the Clan Invasion.

Because none of my players know much of anything about the Inner Sphere, I thought this would be a fantastic starting point. They have absolutely no idea what's coming. Getting to experience something as significant as the Clan Invasion through the eyes of characters who are just as clueless as their players should be a hell of a lot of fun.

I thought it might be interesting to document the experience here. Not just campaign recaps, but the challenges of returning to a 35-year-old game, introducing four experienced roleplayers to an unfamiliar universe, figuring out what works, and occasionally making things up because I can't find a rule that does what I need.

I'll share our adventures, the systems I've cobbled together, what works, what doesn't, and whatever lessons I pick up along the way. I'm certainly not claiming to have all the answers. I'm just an old GM dusting off some old games and having a hell of a time doing it.

We've been playing for several sessions over the past few months, and I've developed an overarching storyline that's already taken on a life of its own. Along the way, the players have unknowingly helped me create a major villain, made more than a few rivals, and generally given me plenty of material to work with.

Currently, Iron Tale is working alongside Wolf's Dragoons, investigating a conspiracy that threatens the HPG network.

And that's where things stand. More to come!

Hi, i just recently updated MegaMekLab and I'm manually remaking my old Warship Designs, and after i finished adding the Ammo for my LRM20s (they have Artemis 4s don't worry about that) it seems to not have registered? i tried to see if its just a data update problem and added a Mobile HPG and it didn't fix it. Help?

I am not the original artist.I made this to see what the Mech looks like without the cross section.

How do we feel about protomechs? Any ppl like or that have strong rules in classic? I was considering getting some

I painted the Shiro, wife painted the Catapult. I will eventually repaint the Shiro.

My take on a Hermit Crab, scaled more towards the IWM ral partha size of miniatures.

Next to the CGL scale king crab and Stinger, the hermit feels small.

Might need to make it bit bigger, but I like what I could model.

This was a very fun commission to paint, by far one of the most complex paintings I've done. The owner of the Viking submitted the story behind this painting to the excellent folks over at Battletopia so go give them a listen.

King Viking was just the name that occurred to me while working on this piece. It wasn't requested by the commissioner nor mentioned in the battletopia

I felt previous iterations I’d done of this scheme were a bit bland and the blueness of the gray-blue didn’t show up well in many lighting contortions, so painted in some Donegl Guards emblems and used an all over dry brush pass for the first time. Had variable results from mini to mini, but definitely helped overall and I’m pretty happy with how the Highlander turned out. Also modified the Archer from a 5R to a 5W.

Found this in my screenshots as I was replaying Battletech by HBS, figured this sub would like it. The memory leaks caused by a long session made my mechbay lag, and caused a Stalker and a Centurion to clip together when selecting them. The result?

A Stalker with Centurion arms.

Well Battletech was the big thing coming out of Pax Australia last weekend for me, for a week now ive been joking that "unfortunately " i loved the demo.

I have the Alpha Strike box on the way and Scouring Sands wont be far behind. This video talks about more than just my battletech experience but thought some might appreciate the video

House rules for objectives, had a 2" inch zone of control, and in order to hold an objective a mech or unit needed to be within that zone. And would award a point on turn end.

If it left then the objective would be counted as unoccupied.

Two opposing mechs within the zone counted as contesting, awarding no points for either side.

Infantry have primacy with objective control over mechs which i believe would negate contesting. ( I didn't get the chance to put my jump infantry within a zone of control)

Factions:

3 player team:

Clan Sea Fox, Star

Melon's Regulators Merc Co., mercs

Wreckers for Hire,1st Artillery Lance, mercs

2 player team:

Clan Hells Horses

Gilded Royals, mercs

Hydra's Heads, mercs

Misfit Inter-Galactic, mercs

Battle context:

Hells horses and Sea Fox batchall'd for who could conquer the old partially bombed out Star league mech factory, and the surrounding area and near by small city and abandoned orbital gun.

Clan Sea Fox would hire the Wreckers for Hire and the MRMC. Who they had worked with (shot at for a commercial) before.

Hells horses would contract the Hydra's Heads, Misfit Inter-galactic, and Gilded Royals, who the MRMC had fought against during their last deployment. Creating a minor grudge match to form within the battle as a whole.

Objectives for key areas to lockdown and strategic asset to hold were marked, and the batchall was sealed.

Both forces would walk onto the area of battle, the sea Fox and Wreckers for hire would focus on the center and right flank(enemies left flank), while the MRMC would focus on the left flank and have a couple supporting hover craft on the left to help harass the enemy.

With the MRMC bringing mostly tanks, a vtol and a platoon of Infantry their targets were the long abandoned city and orbital gun were. Backed up by two LRM carriers and the scouting Vtol the MRMC cautiously pushed onto the orbital gun and close to the city.

Unfortunately a majority of the mercs under the hells horses would occupy the city, leading to an urban slug fest as the two sides closed into engagement range.

Sea Fox and wreckers for hire would quickly secure the mech factory, and outlying jungle river crossing on the right flank.

Though Hells Horses would quickly start a battle of guerilla warfare within the jungle. While a continent of the Hydra's heads and Gilded Royals pushed onto the mech factory.

Fire was exchanged but only minor damage was sustained in both sides.

As the next hour(turn) of battle rolled in the combat quickly turned to that of attrition. While outnumbering the hells horses and their hired mercs, clan Sea fox and their contracted killers were outgunned by a small amount.

The next two hours of brutal combat, saw the mech factory switch hands and the center of the Sea Fox coalition being nearly broken, the left flank itself was gutted leaving the two hover craft zibler tanks to harass and contest objectives (clan Sea fox and friends were down two points, and the enemy forces had objective control for these couple turns)

The MRMC during this time managed to get a single APC out of the two and its Jump INF platoon into the city, the jump infantry would spend the rest of the battle moving from building to building chipping away and harassing at the Gilded Royals and other merc units within the city. Though at the cost of their APC.

The Vtol warrior would also move into the city to contest the objective, and provide spotting for the LRM carriers, (though one would be destroyed).

The Misfit inter-galactic and Hydra's Heads would over extend during their push to break the center leading to the wrecker for hire to contest, then retake the mech factory, while the remaining sea Fox mechs would start hunting in the enemies backline with a piranha contesting those rear objectives and pulling attention away from the city fight, allowing the MRMC and Wreckers for hire to contest and ultimately secure the city and orbital gun.

The jungle flank was tentatively held by the zibler tanks as their speed kept them alive as they contested the jungle objectives. (By now both side had lost a good chunk of mechs as both sides were badly bloodied, and were tied points wise)

The push by the enemy mercs was beaten back at the cost of several friendly Wreckers for hire and the Vtol warrior as it tried to aid the piranha on its task to draw attention away from the front.

Another push by forces of the hells horses and their mercs saw the mech factory and city contested once more, the attacks from the MRMC wounded marauder and fresh LRM carrier would secure the city once more, while a trade of kills near the mech factory would leave the wreckers for higher in control of the factory.

The zibler tanks contesting the jungle objectives would see to the Hells Horses and their mercs conceding the battle.

Victory goes to Clan Sea fox, Wreckers for Higher and the MRMC. By the narrowest of margins (if the enemy mech by the factory didn't die the game would have ended in a tie).

HIGHLIGHTS:

The APC of the MRMC that delivered the infantry into the city, would nearly get a rear arc motive crit on the Behemoth Tank fielded by the Gilded Royals, and was one dice number off of ammo racking it or immobilizing it.

The Sea Fox piranha was playing "the tress speak clanner" with a rakshasa, at the border of the jungle and the factory.

Hells horses who occupied the jungle for the majority of the fight, absolutely blasted the sea Fox mech I was supporting with my Ziblers, on turn 2-3.

A running theme of the dice was always being off by one number when shooting for the entire match on both sides, and would be what decided the game, as the final shot to try and kill my zibler tank contesting the jungle river crossing objective missed by one.

NOTES: mostly for my play style this match, I need to refresh my hover craft knowledge, I accidently cheesed a jungle objective do to tunnel vision onto the city.

That and it was my second time and the groups first time playing Alpha Strike, so I was unfamiliar with hover craft rules on going up terrain. I fixed it eventually after a full turn(ish).

I know better now, but for anyone who reads, hover craft as far as I know cannot in fact scale higher than the standard of mechs (2" up from zero).

Hovercraft does not mean fly, don't make that mistake.

I also forgot that hover craft cant enter woods, so had a flub on turn 1 and leading into turn to.

APCs are surprisingly versatile and if in the rear arc can be mean, even the MG version which is what I fielded.

The MVP of my force at least was the APCs and Vtol for objective contesting, control and chipping away at enemy armour pips.

The LRM carriers did work to.

Was my first victory out of thirteen games since I started playing Battletech, so that was cool.

Had a fun time despite some minor hiccups with all of us still being new to alpha strike.

Would play a near battalion level battle again.

My girlfriend and I had another paint date today. She decided that a raven is "too emo" and made hers a macaw instead. I painted my Madcat as a tortie. My sister's cat really doesn't like company, especially when its my battletech buddy. So I've turned a madcat into a mad cat (pictured slide 3). Both mechs are still WIP, but not by much.

I've finally tackled one of the most iconic mechs that I've loved since my days with MechAssault, and holy crap did it have a lot of edges to highlight. In place of a standard torso with smaller cockpit, the volume of work was effectively shifted to the head and missile pods, but that left it with an absolute ton of crevices to handle. I kept finding little spots post-wash where I'd missed the basecoat and needed to do some touch up. All in all though, I'm very happy with the final product, both for the miniature and the base.

At some point I'll paint up another in the MechAssault colors, but that day is a ways off right now. Next project is looking like it'll be the (IS) Gladiator.

If you'd like to make your own base tags, see my post here: Name and Tonnage Base Stickers - Files, Instructions and Notes : r/battletech

These are all in stock at my LGS and I wanna look cool for my first in-store Battletech event next Sunday. I want my dice to get as many compliments as my mech paintjobs 🙏 thanks pals

With the recent improvement of both MRM and Apollo technology, a brand new model has rolled off the assembly line for any and all to purchase! With the addition of a compact gyro and clan FerroFibrous, the mech can now support a suitable amount of ammo while retaining the durability and cost it was known for. The machine was recently field tested, showcasing its' performance against a King Crab KCG-000, where it outperformed the machine in close range. Additionally, we at Canopium Institutes have realized that we have let all of you down and neglected to provide a closer view of our flagship product, the very first Mud Crab design. So we have provided! We hope this will be a product you consider purchasing in the future. (Artist u/Cromwell300, excellent work, absolutely recommend them)

Im coming from Warhammer 40k and Cruel Seas. I have recently bought the 40th Aniversary box and want to understand all the different types of game mode and what units I can take when and were. Im quite interested in the little tanks and helicopters, will this box provide me fundermental starter in adding them into a roster? Any and all new start advice is real appreciated from units, systems, gameplay and the like. Thank you.

I finished the details on the 3 Gothic mechs I've got so far for my Kurita lance. So these three are done! Now I'm waiting for a Gothic Scorpion to show up on eBay for a reasonable price to finish the final mech.

I added a few small extras to all three to make them unique. The PHawk got the plasticard Bat Wings on its Jump Jets. No rules changed, just aesthetic fun! The King Crab got the tusks under the cockpit window and the ridge of shark fin plates running down the center of the back. And the Awesome, a converted standard Awesome, got lots of bits!!

The demon skull head and winged back banner are the most obvious! But it's also got a honking big vibro-axe in its left hand!! And a bunch of curved hooks on its shoulders and knees. Do NOT get charged by this one!!

Awaiting on my work table are more hooks and a curved mechanical tail made from GW Necron Mechadendrites and blades! I plan to remove the Scorpion's PPC from the torso, once I get one, and mount it on the end of an actual scorpions tail rising over the back of the mechs torso! The SRM launcher will stay where it is. 😁 Plus some hooked blades on the skinny legs made from GW Dark Eldar rifle bayonets, will finish the customization on the lance!

Hopefully I'll have an update soon on the fully complete lance!!

It appears that the battletech.com website has let their SSL certificate expire. Anyone else having the same issue?

Strangers in a strange land

A bizarre spacial anomaly transported the Lyran Overlord dropship, LCS Iron Lion, carrying the 10th Arcturan Assault Battalion and 112th Donagal air wing, from the universe they knew to one entirely unfamiliar.

They landed on a world called Damaetus III/II ruled over by the Imperial Knight House Vyronii. After a brief moment of hostilities, the Lyrans were brought into House Vyronii as new members and their mechs as well as other assets incorporated into the house assets. After 5 years and some sanctioned integration of technology by Vyronii Sacristans (who in turn take great effort to make sure the Adeptus Mechanicus do not pry too much), the former Lyran mechwarriors have fully acclimated as Knights of House Vyronii.