KickStarter BATTLETECH - turn-based mech combat from Harebrained Schemes

[Chippy]

I backed this, then read about it being shit, and can't even be bothered/remember how to reclaim my key. Fucking decline. Waiting for MW5 - if that's good, I'm hoping the entusiasm from that game might bleed into this title...

It's worth playing with RogueTech, then it becomes the game you backed for.
https://www.nexusmods.com/battletech/mods/79
Edit. I guess I should explain more. It removes the campaign and tedious tutorial system and gives you the whole map with Clan sectors to play with. Depending what planet you start at, you get different starting mechs. But the most important change I noticed, is that you can build good mele gladiator mechs using pirate tech.
Speaking of pirates, they have some of the amusing makeshift weapons that can do tons of damage but there is 5% it will blow up (think Orkz).
So yeah think the base game as platform and RogueTech as the main game.

Worth noting that RogueTech somehow chops the FPS in half whenever full UI is on screen, and the base game doesn't run too well to begin with. Can't imagine it's playable for someone without a GTX 970 at the very least.

Yeah, I do need to upgrade my vid card (amd5870) 1GB ram. Kinda embarassing when a game like Warhammer: Spacehulk catched my eye and it's recommending 4GB vid cards.

 

[PorkBarrellGuy]

Ah, yes. The legendary Shadow Hawk. A 'mech so great no one wants it in their lance. 55 tons of pure uselessness. Give me a Vindicator over a SHawk any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

I mean, yeah, Vindy is better than pretty much every Shitty Hawk variant I can think of but that's not hard to do.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

My pet theory is that it got the skin just to stick it a little to Harmony Gold for all the good times.

(Though if they'd really wanted to do that to full effect, should have been Phoenix Hawk, though I guess they might be a bit paranoid about that even on Piranha's end; Shadow Hawk is by far one of the safest in terms of the Unseen reseen looks because Dougram is ancient history)

 

[Cael]

Ah, yes. The legendary Shadow Hawk. A 'mech so great no one wants it in their lance. 55 tons of pure uselessness. Give me a Vindicator over a SHawk any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

I mean, yeah, Vindy is better than pretty much every Shitty Hawk variant I can think of but that's not hard to do.

For 10tons less weight.

 

[PorkBarrellGuy]

Ah, yes. The legendary Shadow Hawk. A 'mech so great no one wants it in their lance. 55 tons of pure uselessness. Give me a Vindicator over a SHawk any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

I mean, yeah, Vindy is better than pretty much every Shitty Hawk variant I can think of but that's not hard to do.

For 10tons less weight.

I honestly think there are a number of lights that would fucking brutalize a Shadow Hawk. For mediums I think the only generalist I really ever liked was the Centurion. Are battlefield conditions suitable for close-range brawlers? Hunchback will fucking wreck anything in front of it. Long-range scenario? Trebuchets, Whitworths, Dervishes, Blackjacks, Vindicators, take your fucking pick. Need a good hit-and-run medium? Starslayer, Crab.

 

[Cael]

Ah, yes. The legendary Shadow Hawk. A 'mech so great no one wants it in their lance. 55 tons of pure uselessness. Give me a Vindicator over a SHawk any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

I mean, yeah, Vindy is better than pretty much every Shitty Hawk variant I can think of but that's not hard to do.

For 10tons less weight.

I honestly think there are a number of lights that would fucking brutalize a Shadow Hawk. For mediums I think the only generalist I really ever liked was the Centurion. Are battlefield conditions suitable for close-range brawlers? Hunchback will fucking wreck anything in front of it. Long-range scenario? Trebuchets, Whitworths, Dervishes, Blackjacks, Vindicators, take your fucking pick. Need a good hit-and-run medium? Starslayer, Crab.

It depends on the terrain. In an open terrain, a Jenner would do quite a bit of damage on the SHawk. In a city, the Panther, Urbie or Commando would give it a good hiding.

As for mediums, just about any medium would level it. Good mediums include Vindicator, Starslayer (this is a Star League design, though), Marik version of the Wolverine (probably the best 3025-era medium), Crab (another Star League design), Dervish, Enforcer, Centurion, PHawk. Both the Enforcer and the Centurion would demolish a SHawk pretty quick at medium range.

I don't particularly like the Hunchback, iconic though it is. It doesn't really have enough ammo for the AC20 for my liking and that thing's range is far too limited for the amount of ammo it does have. Then again, I am a range fiend, so I tend not to like short-ranged 'mechs, especially slow short-ranged 'mechs.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

that awkward moment when you finally get to try the fabled roguetech and you find out the game is still slow and sluggish as shit and also you meet the "turn frozen" bug on the first mission.

 

[PorkBarrellGuy]

Hunchie 4G is a little short on battlefield longevity compared to some other mediums, but I think unless you are badly outnumbered it will manage. Of course you could just take a 4P and fuck everything that looks at you crosseyed right the hell up. 4H will do a decent job as well and handles mid-range engagements a bit better. 4J does alright as part of a fire support lance. 4N is kind of meh, and 4SP is a bit of an also ran though it's still better than a fucking Shawk.

 

[Cael]

Hunchie 4G is a little short on battlefield longevity compared to some other mediums, but I think unless you are badly outnumbered it will manage. Of course you could just take a 4P and fuck everything that looks at you crosseyed right the hell up. 4H will do a decent job as well and handles mid-range engagements a bit better. 4J does alright as part of a fire support lance. 4N is kind of meh, and 4SP is a bit of an also ran though it's still better than a fucking Shawk.

Range is a problem for the Hunchback generally. 4H and 4J is OK in that regard, but, again, ballistic weaponry means that you would want to wait until the enemy is much nearer before opening fire to conserve ammo.

I actually prefer the SP over the P because of inferno rounds. Drop a few of those babies on an enemy and he is pretty much fucked in the 3025-era. Then you switch to the normal rounds. I agree that P is one of the best of the lot due to the all laser config and the volley-fire build. For a 50-tonner, though, I'd stick with the Centurion or the Enforcer, rather than the Hunchie. Or the Starslayer if I can get my hands on one on 3025.

 

[PorkBarrellGuy]

Starslayer is an absolutely fantastic robot with the caveat that those 11 DHS have their work cut out for them in a pitched fight. Most of the old TRO artwork for it looks really bad, though.

There are later Hunchie variants that are SHOCKINGLY brutal-sounding. There's one that manages to wedge an LB20X AC in with a damn 300XL (must be using critsplitting rules). Certainly a bit more fragile but an LB20X that can close to optimum that fast is fucking scary.

This variant uses an Endo Steel chassis and 300 rated XL Engine to save weight. The larger engine allows it to reach a top speed of 96km/h. It carries an ER Medium Laser in each arm and a single SRM-6 in the left torso. The main hitting power comes from an LB 20-X autocannon in the right torso. The SRM has a ton of ammunition, while the autocannon has two tons of ammo. It is protected by ten tons of armor and carries ten double heat sinks.

Lostech turns the Hunchie into an absolute monster.

 

[Cael]

Starslayer is an absolutely fantastic robot with the caveat that those 11 DHS have their work cut out for them in a pitched fight. Most of the old TRO artwork for it looks really bad, though.

There are later Hunchie variants that are SHOCKINGLY brutal-sounding. There's one that manages to wedge an LB20X AC in with a damn 300XL (must be using critsplitting rules). Certainly a bit more fragile but an LB20X that can close to optimum that fast is fucking scary.

This variant uses an Endo Steel chassis and 300 rated XL Engine to save weight. The larger engine allows it to reach a top speed of 96km/h. It carries an ER Medium Laser in each arm and a single SRM-6 in the left torso. The main hitting power comes from an LB 20-X autocannon in the right torso. The SRM has a ton of ammunition, while the autocannon has two tons of ammo. It is protected by ten tons of armor and carries ten double heat sinks.

Lostech turns the Hunchie into an absolute monster.

You always could split crits between the torso and associated arm for big autocannons and things like the Arrow IV. That was in the original rules.

There are reasons why the Gargoyle/Man o War is so scary. A massive autocannon married to a massive engine slaved to a MASC. In an assault grade 'mech.

 

[Hellraiser]

Urban Warfare has a release date (the 4th of June) and announcement trailer.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1047180/BATTLETECH_Urban_Warfare/?curator_clanid=28773467

Only thing of note besides urban maps and new mechs seems to be electronic warfare.

 

[Infinitron]

https://af.gog.com/game/battletech_urban_warfare?as=1649904300

Urban Warfare brings 'Mech combat to the vast cityscapes of the Inner Sphere! Electronic warfare, large-scale building destruction, environmental mechanics, new enemy units and more make the urban sprawl a whole new battlefield.

Urban Warfare
Street brawls introduce new tactical gameplay challenges as ‘Mech combat moves from wide-open natural landscapes to vast urban sprawls. Every building in the new urban biome is fully destructible, so you’re never more than a few salvos away from a new line of sight, or the defensive cover of high-rise rubble. Abandoned explosive fuel trucks, destroyed coolant exchanger buildings, and broken electrical transformers that disrupt targeting will drastically change the battle as you go.

Electronic Warfare
The return of these lost technologies will forever change the 31st century battlefield. ‘Mechs equipped with Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) and nearby friendly units are obscured from enemy targeting systems and immune to indirect fire. Meanwhile, ‘Mechs equipped with Active Probe can reveal, locate, and target enemy units that would otherwise be hidden.

Two New BattleMechs
The experimental Raven 1X sports an advanced electronic warfare package that combines ECM and Active Probe systems into a lightweight component. The Javelin is a compromise between speed and firepower, with close-range knockout power.

New Flashpoints
A wide variety of new branching short stories that link together mercenary missions, crew conversations, special events, critical choices, and rare bonus rewards.

Three New Enemy Vehicles
The Gallant Urban Assault Tank sports a variety of weapons to fight at all ranges with speed and agility, the Packrat is a battlefield support vehicle equipped with a prototype version of ECM, and the Rotunda is a reconnaissance vehicle equipped with a prototype version of Active Probe.

New Encounter
Attack and Defend is a challenging new mission type where your mercenaries must destroy an enemy’s base to stop a steady stream of attackers before they can overcome your forces and knock out your employer’s base.

 

[Galdred]

Urban Warfare has a release date (the 4th of June) and announcement trailer.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1047180/BATTLETECH_Urban_Warfare/?curator_clanid=28773467

Only thing of note besides urban maps and new mechs seems to be electronic warfare.

Actually, electronic warfare could be a chance to make light somewhat interesting, and leveling cities could have potential, if they don't botch these features.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

so for 20 euros they're selling a bunch of maps for roguetech? hell no.

 

[Spark Mandriller]

I remember the Raven was meant to be in at release but they said they were delaying it until they figured out a good way to make ECM work, and they'd patch it in later.
They never said it was going to cost $20 back then. Funny how they forgot to mention that little detail.

 

[Hellraiser]

I remember the Raven was meant to be in at release but they said they were delaying it until they figured out a good way to make ECM work, and they'd patch it in later.
They never said it was going to cost $20 back then. Funny how they forgot to mention that little detail.

Just like they forgot to mention to kickstarter backers that they will release DLC less than six months after the game? Without any season pass for backers or discount?

 

[ArchAngel]

That trailer didn't show much except some new models for buildings.

 

[Werdna's Revenge]

Electronic warfare could make things more interesting. Might grab the DLC once it's discounted.

 

[Cael]

I remember the Raven was meant to be in at release but they said they were delaying it until they figured out a good way to make ECM work, and they'd patch it in later.
They never said it was going to cost $20 back then. Funny how they forgot to mention that little detail.

Just like they forgot to mention to kickstarter backers that they will release DLC less than six months after the game? Without any season pass for backers or discount?

"Oh my god! HBS lied! How dare they???"
"Where were you when they released the game?"

 

[Lyrique]

20$ for only that ? at 5 $ maybe but not 20 $.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

roguetech.
black market is a huge slice of the decent equipment availability.
prices on black market depend on your relations with "local pirate" faction.
"local pirate" faction is a common enemy on every planet.
NO ways to improve relations with "local pirate" faction.

retardation plagued even the mod which should have been the "1.13 for battletech".

 

[lightbane]

Shit game has shit modders.

 

[Mazisky]

I like Xcoms, both old and new ones. Should i play this? it's better or worse?

 

[Hellraiser]

I like Xcoms, both old and new ones. Should i play this? it's better or worse?

Worse. If you need a squad tactical game go play Warhammer 40k Mechanicus first if you have not yet done so already - if they patched in difficulty levels yet (game was easy after the first quarter or third of it, but it is fun as hell). There's also BSG: Deadlock although it suffers from weak strategic level mechanics and monotony in tactical battles after a while (there's only so much you can do with space ship combat, ok maybe nexus: the jupiter incident it is not). Also they patched in a lot of mechanics that should have been in the game from the beginning over the two years, like veterancy and persistent damage.

What both of those games have in common with each other but not with Battletech is that I actually finished them and couldn't be arsed to finish Battletech. Half of the problem was the poor state the game was released in though.

As for Battletech, I would wait for DLC and a sale and play something else first.