ScrapYard Armory

A recent post on the official Classic Battletech forums got me thinking today. The Click-tech Mechwarior game is on the ropes. No new products have been released at all in 2008. Supported organized play is also coming to an end this July.

Mechwarriors troubles can be to our benefit however as the market floods with cheap miniatures that can be used to play out games with Classic Battletech.

I have personally converted over a battalion worth of Mechwarrior miniatures to use in Grinders. And all of them are ‘Mechs! There is a wealth of infantry and vehicles that can be easily used for a combined arms experience.

Lets look at some of the reasons Mechwarrior figures can be a worthwhile addition to your Classic Battletech collection.

Cheap and Plentiful

The market is flooded. eBay is ripe with good deals and lots of online resellers are flush with unsold Mechwarrior inventory. Flea markets at the last several conventions I have attended all had Mechwarrior figures for sale for pocket change.

When I decided to brew up a Grinder with Mechwarrior figures for NJCon08, I paid out $60 for a full batallion of ‘Mechs from an online reseller. An equivalent number of figures from Iron Wind Metals would cost well above $300.

No offense intended to Iron Wind. Metal miniatures are always going to be of superior quality and detail.

Easy to Throw into a Game

They are already pre-painted and ready to go. If you wanted to get fancy as I did, then you can pop them off their click-base and mount them on a hex base but that is all extra. All you really need are the figures, a 2″ hex map, and your usual Classic Battletech utensils.

A Bridge for Potential New Players

There are going to be disenfranchised Mechwarrior players out there potentially searching for a new game. What better way to get them into Classic Battletech than presenting them with something familiar to wet their appetite?

They are walking around a convention or friendly local gaming store and instantly recognize figures they used to play with, being used in an entirely new way. Their curiosity is piqued, and they ask a few questions. The rest is history. The snowball has started down the hill. Before they know it, they are on the Classic Battletech leap page, then picking up an Introductory Box Set, then Total Warfare. Another gamer joins the ranks!

Mechwarrior figures can be an invaluable tool for the Classic Battletech community. Mechwarriors loss can be our gain if we are conscious enough to take advantage of the opportunity.