ScrapYard Armory

The Turning Points series has come full circle and is bravely delving into BattleTech’s future.  Seeing a Dark Age edition was an unexpected surprise and I am anxious to learn more about what I assume to be a wildly misunderstood era.  It can’t be all industrialMechs and TonkaTrucks running around in the ill fated future of our beloved universe, can it?

Newcomer Patrick Wynn is at the helm for this adventure into the unknown.  Will Liao lift our expectations of the future or will the Dark Age continue to be so aptly named?  Let’s dive in to find out!

Harsh Reality

In an instant the reader is thrust into the clustered and confused aftermath of a battle from within the cockpit of an elite warrior of the Republic.  The enemy?  Gone.   The Objective?  Destroyed.

No tears for lost comrades, just a jumbled collection of thoughts from a mind racing to make sense of the mess.

Harsh Reality is an excellent short intro despite the fact that the main action is long past.  The writing is good and we have our first introduction of the Dark Age and the warriors of the Republic.

Liao

A gorgeous full size atlas is followed by a planetary history section.  I am pleased to find that within two paragraphs, the details go from the origins to the more recent history within the Dark Ages.  This is what we wanted to know more about and I am happy to see the writers dive in early.

Mapsheet tables are provided for those wishing to be true to the terrain features of the planet.  Also included are special terrain rules from Tactical Operations to provide additional spice to the gaming table.

The Liberation of Liao

All of this is par for the course up to now.  Turning the page we find a new one page section which describes in more detail the events covered in this Dark Age Turning Point.  The Liberation takes place around 3134 and involves the Big MAC (McCarron’s Armored Cavalry), student uprisings, ambushes and last stands.  Everything a growing story arc needs.

I’m glad to see this new section.  Every bit of information is welcome, especially when there are no official source books to base our thoughts on yet.  This section almost seems like it deserves to be in an Operational Turning Points book.  I’m very happy to see it under the more affordable Turning Points label.

RAT

Random assignment tables are provided for the Capellans, insurgents, and the Republic.  The tables are very complete and include infantry and vehicles.  I really appreciate the extra time taken to provide these.  It is a joy to see combined arms encouraged in official content.  These lists will make it even easier to make combined arms a reality.  Combined with the newly minted Master Unit List, finding corresponding record sheets will be a breeze.

I find it interesting how prevalent Clan technology is in each side of this particular conflict.  Also, ConstructionTech is alive and well in the Liao Insurgents RAT who have a wide selection of AgroMechs, DemoMechs, and LoaderMechs to choose from when they enter battle.  I am curious to see how these will come into play in the Tracks.

Combatants

The combatants section lists a small bio for all forces who saw action on Liao during the time covered.  Forces include iconic units like MAC as well as the lowly student militia and other insurgent elements.

Each unit has a commander, unit experience (Green through Elite), RAT, unit abilities for use in game, notes that add extra detail to the story, and a logo.  Soup to nuts.  Everything you need to know in a few lines of text.  It is a bit condensed but that’s why we love the Turning Points series.

Best unit ability goes to the Liao Republic Standing Guard.  The double edged sword of long ranged expertise is well implemented and makes for interesting choices and strategy in future games with the unit.  I applaud the mix of unit abilities which are varied and personal.  Each feels right for the unit in question and does not rely on boiler plate elements to fill in the blanks.

Tracks

Dark Age Liao provides nine tracks, well above average for the series.

Throughout the tracks, the plethora of special rules and interesting twists and turns make each track unique.  Even when the objectives are the usual suspects the game setup or the special rules come to the rescue to provide a compelling and interesting group of tracks.

The Crisis of Conscious special rule is seen in more than a couple tracks and instantly provides a depth of play that I find very interesting.  All of a sudden it becomes important to rethink how you attack your enemies.  Winning is not possible if you pursue it at all costs.

At times, the special rules become a tad too special for their own good.  The stampedes of Eridani stallions in Country Clamor will take more than one read through to understand fully and will be hell to track in the middle of a ‘Mech battle.  Never-the-less, I do not want to discourage risk taking when making innovative and interesting game mechanics.  All together, the Dark Age Liao tracks scream fun.

Liao has plenty to offer, from combat dropping troops, reinforcements, artillery, mine fields, defecting forces, wild fires and many more Tactical and Strategic Operations add-ins.  I applaud the excellent inventive take on making each track and would love to see more in the future.  Dark Age Liao stands among the best of the Turning Points series and only fails to top them all when it over reaches at times.  Well worth the price of entry.

Record Sheets

Named characters in custom ‘Mechs and special scenario specific vehicles are generously sprinkled throughout the tracks.  The record sheet section of Liao responds appropriately with eight record sheets to make getting your game on easier than ever.

There are cargo vehicles, command centers, and industrial ‘Mechs to fill specific tracks as well as Dark Age era mods for the Koshi, BlackHawk, Yu Huang, and MadCat III.

The Koshi and BlackHawk fit nicely into the Clan stereotype of big weapons and sparse armor.  The Yu Huang is a beastly assault packing dual Gauss Rifles and ancillary medium range weaponry.  The MadCat III packs dual LRM10 with an ERPPC and 2 medium lasers backed by a targeting computer and an excellent speed profile.

The Bottom Line

Dark Age Turning Point Liao is an excellent addition to the new and currently lonely Dark Age era.  BattleTech may have on it’s hands an accidental antagonist by way of the Republic.  There is little love out there for the bold and brave new world of Delvin Stone.

I believe that the Dark Age will be a polarizing era for fans just as the Clans and the Word of Blake have been before.  For those willing to take a chance on this new and misunderstood era, you will find ample support within these pages.  Maybe it was intentional, maybe not, but Catalyst has produced a barn burner with Dark Age Liao.  Nine tracks, eight record sheets and all the trimming we have come to expect from the Turning Points line.  It seems bigger and bolder than Turning Point PDFs before it.

Armorcast, the creator of battlefield scenery, and the unique cinematic effect line of miniature accessories is sponsoring a contest that is right up BattleTech’s alley.

BattleTech fans who frequent the CamoSpecs website already know how cool these effects can be.  From the GenCon dioramas to the Starterbook stock images the artists of CamoSpecs are magicians at crafting the cinematic effects into creative and imaginative pieces.

You don’t have to be a CamoSpecs artist to enter.  The more BattleTech entries the better.  Anything to advance the game and put it into the public spotlight.

See the full details at the ArmorCast blog.  You have until June 1 to submit an entry which is plenty of time to cook up something good.

I hope that a lot of the CamoSpecs guys enter but I hope most of all to get my own entry in and to see the works of others included in the mix.  Don’t be shy.  Give it a try and help raise BattleTech up a notch!

The first convention of the year is complete.  Lots of great games and fun with friends.

This year more than others, the Lancaster Host seemed to show it’s age.  The secluded corner where the BattleTech games were being held  was constantly overheated with very poor ventilation.  Added into the mix was poor lighting and water stained fixtures that made the venue appear more like a mildewed basement than a proper convention hall.

Poor lighting and bad ventilation aside, the crew did a fantastic job as they always do.  We had a great selection of games to select from BattleTech to BattleForce to A Time of War.  Demo Agent Speck and his minions are an example for other demo agents out there.

About Those Minions…

Most of my readers know that the ScrapYard is a two man operation.  My partner in crime is SaxyWolf who is often behind the scenes but is a vital component to making this blog possible.  I couldn’t ask for a better minion and I really owe him big this time around.

We got to the parking lot at the Lancaster Host around 11 and started fetching supplies for our noon game.  I looked around the back of the car and to my horror, I could not find my minis.  We have a full set of miniatures for our Twilight of the Clans game and I left then in SaxyWolf’s garage.

The trip to Cold Wars is a two hour drive.

Without missing a beat, we touched base with “Speck” to switch our game to the evening slot and SaxyWolf volunteered to hit the road while I sat in on the afternoon BattleTech games to generate after action report material.

SaxyWolf gets a gold star this convention.  Thanks for taking one for the team.

Iron Wind Metals

Iron Wind was in attendance as usual with a plethora of blisters on sale.  The selection of available units included many fan-funded, online-exclusives, and archive items, all at regular prices.

I love seeing Iron Wind at conventions because you are always able to find something for your collection.

Also on display were a few samples of the mini-mech line due to appear within the next month or so.

BattleTech Gaming

We had games from the animated series to the depths of the Jihad on the agenda.  The ScrapYard will have no less than three after action reports from the con.  Before the full featured reports are prepared, here is a sneak peek at some of what’s in store.

And All the Rest

There is always more to conventions than BattleTech.  I didn’t get around to play any other games this con but I did sneak away from running or recording games to snap pictures of some of the coolest set-ups out there.  Enjoy the visual goodness!

Is it really that time again?  Time to shake off the snow and persistent cold temperatures to shake the dice once more with good friends.

I’m a big fan on gaming year round but there is something special about conventions.  Here is a quick run down of the events I am planning on attending.

Cold Wars, March 11 – 13, Lancaster Pa

http://www.coldwars.org/

The Lancaster Host is a staple of wargaming on the east coast.  The venue is great despite it’s age and the Catalyst crew running the BattleTech show are the best out there.

Despite recent HMGS drama, the gaming is good and the dealer room is excellent.  You will not be disappointed, especially if you are a BattleTech fan.

NJCon, May 13-14, Somerset NJ

http://njcon.org/

NJCon is back after a hiatus when they ran into venue difficulties.  This convention has a distinctly cozy and familiar feel.  Despite it’s small size there is plenty of great games from a dedicated and varied group of gamers.

The convention price is the most affordable on the list making it a great choice for gamers on a budget.

Historicon, July 7 – 10, Valley Forge Pa

http://www.historicon.org/

The big daddy of wargaming is back at Valley Forge.  While the venue missed a few steps last year, the familiar HMGS crew will be in full force with ample reasons to take in the weekend to smash ‘Mechs for king and country.

GenCon, August 4 – 7, Indianapolis IN

http://www.gencon.com/2011/indy

While HMGS conventions are a laser focused on wargaming, GenCon remains a perennial melting pot of every gaming variety under the sun.  If you like gaming, GenCon will have it.  Catalyst always puts on a good show and is sure to have a few tricks up it’s sleeve for eager fans to snap up.  Being the epicenter of the gaming world has many perks, and it is worth a trip at least once for every gamer.

For the first time since I have begun attending back in 2008 GenCon is in flux for me.  I still have to figure out my schedule in August.  I’m hopeful, but can’t say for certain just yet.

CarnageCon, November 4 – 6, Fairlee VT

http://www.carnagecon.com

This is a new convention for me and is uncharacteristically well into the colder winter months.  It is a bit farther North than I usually wander but from what I’ve heard it is worth the trip.  Unfortunately the on-site hotel is already sold out but there are more than a few alternatives within an easy driving distance.  I’m looking forward to the opportunity to try something new.