ScrapYard Armory

Alongside the Interstellar Operations (IO) Beta held last year was a scenario contest aimed at highlighting the new game modes created for the book.  The Abstract Combat System (ACS), pages 304-325 in IO, is a large scale strategic game meant to compliment the new Inner Sphere at War (ISW) rules, pages 344-368 in IO.  ACS covers regimental engagements over entire planets.

My scenario, The Battle for Altais, is set in the War of 3039 and features a combined force of the Mercenaries and the 8th Donegal Guards fighting it out against the mysterious Ghost Regiments.

In the end my scenario was the only entry.  Hurray for small victories!  I guess they could have not picked anyone at all.

With only a month allocated to the Beta period, I spent a lot of time trying to get a handle on the rules, providing feedback, and corralling individuals across the internet to help me test the ACS rules using some hastily created software utilities.  With the very little experience I had using the system, I made my best attempt at a balanced and interesting scenario for the contest.  Sadly, I was not able to playtest the entire thing prior to the entry deadline.  Now that IO is off to the printers and we have the final rules PDF there is no time like the present to get cracking and properly kick the tires on the ACS rules system.

Altais

The War of 3039 is familiar territory for me which worked well with the Succession Wars era focus of ISW.  The scenario is based on the planetary invasion of Altais, which takes place in the first wave of attacks on the Draconis Combine.  I used reference material from my well worn copy of Historical War of 3039 and tried my best to capture the essence of the battle while providing interesting strategic choices for both sides.

The scenario is a Victory Point race between Attacker and Defender.  There are three objectives worth points every turn, however the Defender gains points late in the game just for surviving.  The Attacker has the advantage in terms of force size and experience but they cannot bring all of their strength to bear at once.  Tough choices must be made by Attacker and Defender alike if they want to claim victory.

BattleforAltais

Bringing Altais to Life

In order to properly play Altais in person and in style, we are going to need a few things.

• Formation Tokens
• Maps
• Record Sheets

Formation Tokens

The Battle for Altais, and any other ACS game uses regiment sized formations.  The previous release of Strategic Operations gave us a view of what strategic level tokens should look like.  The good people at Catalyst even released a set of free print your own tokens which Custom BattleForce Tokens.

But for Altais, I wanted to step things up a notch.  Enter The Game Crafter (TGC). TGC is a print on demand board game component company.  Most importantly, you can design and print your own board game quality chits. These are thick, punch board type tokens that would work great for Altais.  Their “mini hex tile” is a nearly perfect 1.25×1.08″ which is slightly smaller than a standard BattleTech map hex.

Unfortunately I’ve never been great at artwork or design and I couldn’t just copy paste what CGL provided.  I had to find a way to make my own.  The answer I found was in a Ruby Design Specific Language (DSL) called Squib.  Squib allowed me to programmatically layout a design and use my own data to fill in the details.

Here is what I came up with.  Note that these will be cut at the printer to a hex size.  The art is designed to “bleed” to the edges to compensate for any possible drift between the print and the cut.  I’m looking forward to seeing these in person when the order comes in.

Maps

ACS uses two maps, the Star System Radar Map (SSRM) and the Planetary Combat Map (PCM).

The SSRM covers the space around the target planet including the Zenith and Nadir jump points.  IO includes a copy of the SSRM but it is a one page black and white bare bones version.  I wanted something I could custom print in a larger format.

Luckily the geometry that makes up a SSRM is fairly basic and easy to duplicate.  I leveraged Squib again along with some freely available NASA images to produce some nice looking images suitable for large format printing.

The PCM is an abstract view of the planet surface.  Rather than an accurate model of the planet, the PCM represents the usable area for movement and conflict.  There are no features of note on the PCM.  Each hex is 700km wide so terrain is abstracted to nothing. Yes, even oceans.

IO recommends using the back of a standard BattleTech map for the PCM.  That will work for most since the PCM is really only an abstraction.  I wanted to do something a bit more interesting.

I browsed a lot of gimp tutorials and freely available art for assets to make a PCM worth playing on.  Here is a short list of the possible solutions.  Once again, I am planning on having these printed in large format so the final files will be high resolution.  I am not completely thrilled with the final results so far.  I intend to do some tweaking before I make the final selection.

Record Sheets

IO comes with two record sheets for ACS.  The first is a Formation Tracking Sheet which lists the details of up to 14 Formations and the bare minimum stats of each of their constituent Combat Units.

The second sheet pertains to those Combat Units with details on the Combat Teams that make up that unit.

I find the format of these sheets to be severely lacking when it comes to actually playing the game. There are a number of charts and additional details left off the record sheet which will require frequent cross referencing of the tables within IO.

Also, why list Combat Teams?  Perhaps this is done to aid construction, but for actual game play, there is no point since all combat takes place at the Combat Unit level.

So I went about making my own set of record sheets with a focus on gameplay and making it easier to get ACS to the table.

My goals were to simplify gameplay with aids baked into the record sheet.  One sheet would hold information on a Formation and its Combat Units.  I brought back bubbles, because why break with tradition?

I’m not totally sold on the layout just yet and I am still contemplating doing full page record sheets for Formations and Combat Units alike to support more tables and game play information.  There is certainly a trade-off between complexity and playability.

For what its worth here is my first cut, subject to change based on my own testing and game play feedback.  I hope they are an upgrade to the current offerings in IO. Please leave a comment below with any suggestions.

Formation Record Sheet

More to Come

Stay tuned for more as material comes in and we finally get to some serious play testing.  I am very excited about the new ACS rules and can’t wait to get them to the table in style.

We are back with another addition to the expanded Operational Turning Points series.  For those of you unfamiliar with the term, Operational Turning Points PDFs are bigger and larger cousins of the normal Turning Points series and features a larger campaign centered around a group of planets.

We are treated to a Succession Wars era Clan Homeworlds campaign.  If that combination does not get you excited I don’t know what else will.  The familiar Philip A. Lee is at the helm for this Widowmaker Absorption adventure.  Lets see how he does.

The Day that Greatness and Vision Died…

A great piece of fiction opens up the PDF in the hours following the death of the ilKhan.  We follow Khan Jerome Winson as he runs his ‘Mech hard to kill as many Widowmaker warriors as he can before good judgement can finally turn him away for repairs.

I found this bit of fiction very entertaining and among the most engaging I’ve read in the OTP or TP series.  Very well put together and a worthy introduction to the chaos that hopefully awaits in later pages.

Atlas

The atlas section covers three worlds, each with their own set of map tables, as well as common terrain features and optional weather conditions.  Each planet has a brief description covering basic system stats and history.

Very nice section with the added bits of information connecting each planet with the Trial of Absorption.

RATs

RAT tables are provided for three Clans, Wolf, Widowmaker, and Other.  ‘Mechs and Aerospace fighters are provided for each as well as a common Vehicle table.

I am very glad to see combined arms as an option.  Always makes things better.

The BattleMech list is a very interesting one.  It can seem a bit unorthodox at first to see so much old technology in a Clan RAT table (Marauders, Catapults, Locusts, etc).  Don’t fear because mixed in are a few Star League designs (Hussar, Wyvern, Lancelot, etc.).  Further examination will reveal a few scary options like the Thunder Hawk, Pillager, and Wakazashi.

Untangling the Web

This two page section details the nitty gritty of the events leading up to the Trial of Absorption and subsequent near annihilation of the Widowmaker Clan.  Treachery and sacrifice permeate the story which ultimately leads to the rise of Clan Wolf as the strongest of the Clans.

A very good write up with a lot of action across relatively few worlds.  I am excited to see how these events are translated into the campaign missions later on in the book.  There appears to be ample stock for conflict.

Personalities

The personality section gives a brief overview of the major players within Clan Wolf, Widowmaker, and Goliath Scorpion.  Each leader is also given a set of A Time of War attributes and skills for use in an RPG campaign for those wishing to tread that particular path.

Tragedy seems to follow most leaders in the Clans.  If you are not killed horribly on the battlefield then you live to be a disfigured and mentally damaged warrior until you are shot out of your cockpit while stuck in a swamp.  What a way to go.  The BattleTech universe can be a cruel place to live.

Combatants

The combatants section features the notable combat units involved in the Widowmaker Absorption which includes those from Clan Wolf, Clan Widowmaker, Clan Jade Falcon, Clan Burrock, and Clan Goliath Scorpion.  Obviously Wolf and Widowmaker are the main contenders but the other three Clans are presented for their bit roles in the conflict.

Each unit is described with a Commanding Officer, experience level, unit abilities, and notes.  The notes section gives additional fluff about the unit and tidbits of information on the conflict with the Widowmakers.  The Widowmaker unit insignia are very cool… first time I think I’ve ever come across them before.

Unit abilities were varied and provided a good mix.  While the usual suspects form Tactical Operations and Initiative bonuses were present, some new pilot abilities were thrown in in interesting combinations to mix things up.  Certain forces abhor ammunition based weapons.  Others are (gasp) geared for physical combat.  There are some very interesting forces in this campaign.

Most Interesting Force has to go to the elite 1st Spinners.  They suffer Communication Disruption but take advantage of the Brawler special ability as well as a sprinkling of Melee Specialist and Demoralizer.  Quite the combination. I would hate to see them across the battle field.

The Campaign

A quick campaign primer is provided to outline how the campaign is supposed to work and also give some guidelines for creating a force.

I may have missed it, but I did not see where it states how many Warchest Points to start with.  I assume it is the standard 1,000, but it is curious that such a note is absent.

Missions

Three generic missions are provided for the campaign.  They include Trial of Possession, Trial of Grievance, and Pursuit.  All of them follow a basic formula and provide the bare minimum of variety while staying open enough for interpretation.

For generic missions they do the job.

Touchpoints

Seven Touchpoint tracks provide the main course of OTP: Widowmaker Absorption.  Only seven Touchpoints is in line with previous offerings while falling short of the immense and well received OTP: Falcon Incursion.

I found the bulk of the Touchpoint missions to be very good.  Individually I think I may have fallen back on my familiar criticism of being too predictable and formulaic variations on the theme of “Go Kill the Other Team”.  However, taken as a whole, there is a lot to like.  From dense urban landscapes to magma field laden cliff faces there is a good variety of locations.  Objectives will most always have you shooting up the other ‘Mechs as best you can, but sprinkled in are alternative motivations like supply depots, HPG stations, and massive wall fortifications.

A little more thought could have been put into the choice of Optional Bonuses, which tend to always be weather related.  It is a common pet peeve of mine.

The Touchpoints really shined in the highly thematic and almost scripted elements found in Ironhold (Trial of Refusal) and Roche (Spiderholm).  The circle of equals in Ironhold followed by the inevitable chaos resulting from the end of zellbrigen is something I am really dying to try out.  It sounds like a great scenario to play out even outside the confines of the greater campaign.

Roche (Spiderholm) showcases the last defense of the Widowmaker homeworld.  A triple layer of hardened walls topped with defensive turrets greet the attackers who must find a way to assault the last vestige of Widowmaker power on the planet.

Great stuff.  The more I go over the missions I see a lot to look forward to.

Record Sheets

Only two record sheets are provided but they are good ones!

The first is none other than Kerensky’s Atlas II.  This behemoth assault ‘Mech is modest at first glance.  Dual ERLLs, an LB10-X, and an LRM20 make up the long range threat.  Once closer in, a pair of Medium Pulse Lasers and SRM6s add additional firepower.  Curiously, we see an ECM and Active Probe.  This Altas seems a bit more geared for a leadership or defensive position than a close in Brawler type of ‘Mech.

The second ‘Mech is the Highlander used by Khan Jorgensson.  This ‘Mech does all of its damage at distance with 2 ERLL, Gauss Rifle, and LRM20.  Once again, a bit under armed at first glance compared to more modern units.  Still with standard engines, both these ‘Mechs could stick around for a while on the battlefield.  Better be ready for a long slog to beat these ‘Mechs into submission.

Final Thoughts

OTP:WA is a very good read and provides an excellent campaign suitable for an epic string of gaming sessions or a simpler one-off event.  While some tracks play it safe with regards to objective and bonus selections, players should find enough variety to keep them interested, especially the centerpiece missions on Ironhold and Roche.

This PDF is well worth the price of admission.  Fans of the Clans should be doubly delighted.  Even if you are not a fan of the Wolves or Widowmakers in the current timeline, seeing them in this earlier time, prior to the Clan Invasion, is worth a second look.

I have not had much time to game these days so when I do get a chance I savor every minute.

My last venture to the battlefields was with two local gamers.  We broke out my Grinder terrain, took control of two units each, and proceeded to blast away at each other until dinner time.

While none of us managed to climb into our heavies in the time we had, we had a lot of fun and rolled a lot of dice.  There was lots of jumping and maneuvering to keep us on our toes.  I started with a RAC5 on one of my ‘Mechs which I managed to jam three times.

I hope my guests had fun and look forward to more games in the future.  Keep those dice rolling.

For those of you living under a rock, you may not have heard about a little Kickstarter being run right now.  Harebrained Schemes, a company led by one of the founders of BattleTech Jordan Weisman, is collecting funding for a turn based tactical game set in the 3025 era.

Given the previous success of the Shadowrun video games I am looking forward to seeing what this ultimately turns into.  Mr. Weisman’s company has a good track record for success and delivering well polished and well received games.  I also think that the previous work on Shadowrun has helped this Battletech game by showing the way and giving confidence to potential backers.

A Slow Burn

The first thing that pops up when I looked at the campaign was the expected delivery.  May 2017.  Thats right, we are looking at a year and a half development cycle for this game.  That is a long time to wait.

Granted there is expected to be a Beta period (available at the $50 pledge level and up) that may get players into the game earlier but be forewarned that this campaign is going to require patience as the Harebrained Schemes crew cooks up the full game.

And perhaps this is only being honest.  Software takes time.  Most kickstarters are late to deliver by some degree due to aggressive schedules.  Perhaps this is about as honest a schedule as we have ever seen on a Kickstarter this size.

Not Much to Show, Yet…

From what I am able to discern it looks like nothing is currently completed for the game except for concept art and general planning.  Nothing wrong with that but it gives us an appreciation for the amount of work yet to be completed.  I recall Shadowrun Returns had some basic movement, action, and combat demos working at the time of the Kickstarter.

Swag Galore

I’m going to admit that some of the swag levels look really cool.  Totally useless but cool none the less.  Kinda like dice at GenCon.  You don’t need it but it feels great to hold in your hand.

I’m going to be a late backer as I try to scrounge what I can to possibly afford the $125 level.

Looking Forward

I am going to guess that we will end up in the $4.5 Million range when all is said and done.  Right now we are in the bottom of the bathtub curve but if history is any guide we should see a large upswing as we come to the last few days.

Games like Shadowrun Returns have helped pave the way for this Battletech game to be a success.  I’m certainly looking forward to seeing the final product.

This battle was part of the Battle of Tukayyid fought at GenCon 2015.  This was a break out game which featured a smaller side battle that would have an impact on the main game depending on who won.  My thanks go out to my opponent and the Catalyst Demo Agents for putting on a great show and allowing us to participate in this great battle.

Choke Point – Canyon Pass

This canyon is a vital pass to extend supply lines.  Whoever controls this pass will have a distinct advantage, moving supplies and troops easily.

Which ever side wins the scenario controls the pass, allowing 1 lance not currently involved in a scenario to be restored to it’s original strength.

Clan Wolf

• MadCat
• Vulture
• Cauldon-Born
• Blackhawk
• Huntsman

Comstar

• Flashman
• Shootist
• Thug
• Crab
• Black Knight
• Rommel Tank

Turn 1 – Clans Win Initiative

The opening turn has both sides move forward but do not find line of sight among the canyon walls.  Comstar splits its forces between the high and low ground.  The Shootist, Black Knight, and Rommel take the low road leaving the Crab, Flashman, and Thug to cover the high ground.  The Clans overload the high ground, leaving only the Blackhawk to contest low.

No shots fired as there was no line of sight.

Turn 2 – Clans Win Initiative

All forces advance and begin to jockey for position among the tall cliffs and abutments of the canyon.  Both players do their best to hug the walls for cover while attempting to group long range shots against those caught even slightly out of position.

The resulting barrage of long range shots is sporadic and ineffective.  A bit of paint gets scratched but both forces shrug off the damage.

Turn 3 – Clans Win Initiative

Being cautious, the Clans actually back up, attempting to rely on long range shots to whittle the Comstar forces down.  Comstar returns the favor and keeps its distance while opening up some firing lines.

Weapons fire is again only semi effective.  The Black Hawk is able to score two hits against the Shootist while suffering only minor arm damage in reply.  Up top, the Vulture takes the brunt of the Comstar attack but looks no worse for wear.  The Flashman is brutalized by concentrated Clan weapons fire.  The right torso is stripped of armor and a medium laser is blasted into scrap.

Turn 4 – Inner Sphere Win Initiative

The action begins in earnest as the Comstar forces in the bottom of the canyon are set upon by a daring Blackhawk pilot riding high on it’s jump jets.  On the upper level, the Clan forces rush forward and tighten up to line up shots on the forward leaning Flashman.

Both forces unleash hell.  The Blackhawk eats an AC20 slug to the right torso, losing a medium pulse laser and a heatsink in the process.  The Vulture is brutalized by accurate and concentrated fire from the Comstar forces.  Armor is slagged off in tons.  While the spread of damage is quite even, internal damage claims an SRM launcher and a hip actuator.

Return fire from the Clans is awful.  Shots go wide early and often.  Only a few shots land true only to find fresh armor.

The Blackhawk falls under the onslaught and is kicked in the leg.

Turn 5 – Clans Win Initiative

The Clan Vulture digs deep and rushes the Comstar line.  He positions himself against the canyon walls and a perilous cliff edge to block off any possible forward movement.  Remaining Clan forces follow up behind and form a line to assault the Comstar forces.

The Blackhawk uses the initiative win to back off behind a rock formation to lick its wounds.  The Shootist and Black Knight position themselves as best they can while the Rommel plows forward hoping to find a ramp to join the battle at the top of the canyon.

The relative position of forces against the varied canyon terrain forces the Clans to split fire against targets of opportunity.

The MadCat and Cauldron-Born target the Shootist and slag armor but find no crits.  The Shootist replies back and lands an AC20 slug to the Cauldron-Born.  Staggered, the Cauldron-Born falls.

Leading the charge, the Vulture takes more damage scattered against its already battered frame.  A final shot manages to find both ammunition and engine criticals, silencing the great machine.

Turn 6 – Inner Sphere Win Initiative

The Clans charge forward, maintaining a tight conga line facing the bulk of the Comstar forces in the top of the canyon.  By now the Shootist and Black Knight are circling back into the battle and collapsing into the flank of the charging Clan force.  Even the Rommel has located a suitable ramp (albiet further out of the way than desirable) to enable it to join the high ground.

The Cauldron-Born takes a ferocious pounding and slags off armor leaving only its center torso in decent shape.  A LRM launcher and an engine take critical hits.  The Black Knight lines up shots on the MadCat and finds a kink in the armor (TAC) in the left torso which ignites machine gun ammunition.  As a final insult to injury, even the Rommel scores a long range autocannon hit against the reeling Blackhawk.

The Clans focus all possible fire on the Flashman and decimate it.  The torso crumples and explodes under the deadly barrage.  Other opportunity fire targets the Crab and crits a shoulder actuator.

Turn 7 – Clans Win Initiative

The Clans force the issue and continue to press against the Comstar forces.  In return the Comstar forces dance around and end up in a semi circle with guns at the ready.  The Blackhawk takes a chance and jumps behind the Shootist.

Comstar splits fire on the MadCat and Cauldorn born.  Weapons fire is on the mark and pummels the MadCat.  An AC20 slug at medium range is the last straw and sees the Clan ‘Mech crumple in a heap.  The Cauldorn-Born suffers a similar fate and succumbs to multiple criticals and a final ammo explosion.

The Clans rain fire into the Crab but somehow find only armor to slag off.  Both side torsos are crushed but the ‘Mech remains operational.

The Blackhawk suffers some damage from the Rommel while it unloads into the Shootist.  No criticals despite a few new holes in the Shootist’s rear.

Both the Crab and Shootist fall.  The Blackhawk takes the opportunity to kick the downed ‘Mech but finds only armor for his trouble.

Turn 8 – Inner Sphere Win Initiative

Sensing the end, the Clan forces muster their final courage and stand their ground against the quickly enveloping Comstar forces.

The remaining Clan forces concentrate all fire power on the Shootist.  The Clan weapons finally seem to begin hitting their mark.  A double through armor critical combines for 4 torso criticals yielding a gyro and 3 engines.

Return fire from Comstar buries the Blackhawk.  The Huntsman is almost cored out leaving only a shell of a ‘Mech left standing.

The End

At this point the game is called in favor of the victorious Comstar forces.  A great game with a lot of interesting interaction with the terrain.  The way the canyon dictated line of sight made for several very strategic moves by both sides.  I don’t think either of us expected such a tactical treat on such a map.

Congrats to my winning opponent and a well played game!

The last day of GenCon is always a little bitter sweet.  It’s been a great convention.  I’ve played lots of great games, saw some old friends, and made a few new ones.

Iron Wind Metals

I finally got around to doing my shopping at the Iron Wind Metals booth.  They had an impressive display as always.  LAMs were in abundant.  Convention exclusives lined the shelves.  TRO Lance Packs were packaged and waiting to be bought.

Also on hand were lots of different resin terrain packs.  Some from XMarxs and more from other sources.  Always good to see a variety of options.

I ended up picking up a Poseidon PSD-V2, a few Rabid Coyotes, a Mortis, and a few shipping containing/building models that looked interesting and easy to paint. Expect to see a few future posts on these hobby projects.

A Friendly Sign

One thing I forgot to mention, while playing in the Alpha Strike game I was admiring the paint jobs on the ‘Mechs we were using.  Honestly it looked almost familiar if you could say such a thing about painted ‘Mechs.  Sure enough I flip over the ‘Mech to see the underside of the hex base and I see the signature of a friend from New Jersey, Friedrich Haas.  If you are are reading this, it was great to play with your minis at GenCon!

Wrapping Up

I spent what little time I had remaining in Indy to playtest a game in the First Exposure room.  I played a quick little card game called Farms and Factories.  It was fast playing and had some very satisfying game play.  On that note, I have to say that this playtest area was a fantastic idea fantastically executed.  That room was well organized and run.  I love the idea and to see it done so well really felt good.  I would love to see this similar concept spread to other conventions.

After that, I got a chance to demo a few more games prior to heading off to the airport.  I got to sample the Portal game from Cryptozoic (fast paced game with some interesting mechanics, I’ll be watching for it in the fall), Dark Moon by Stronghold Games (fun but requires a good bit of skill to avoid suiciding as the non-infected), and M.E.R.Cs Recon from MegaCon Games (Co-operative objective based urban combat with loads of minis).

I had a great time and I only hope I can make it out again soon.  Time will tell.

Saturday is often the longest and most rewarding day of GenCon.  I started bright and early and took in a playtest game in a special area of the con devoted to games that are not yet fully baked.  This was a great idea.  I had a blast playing The Coterie, an in-development dungeon crawler with a rather unique combat dice resolution mechanic.

I managed to play a lot of games today and had a lot of fun.  GenCon never seems to disappoint.

Alpha Strike

Around mid day I took in a game of Alpha Strike.  A Marik and Kurita company faced off to take over a bridge in the center of the battlefield.  For a two hour time slot I felt the game went wonderfully.  The Marik side lost on the last turn by a single point.  From the force balance to the objective based scenario we were able to battle things out to a very satisfying conclusion inside of the two hours we were scheduled.  Kudos to the demo team for a great event.

Tukayyid

In the evening I settled down for a side mission in support of the Tukayyid storyline game.  I played a Clan Wolf star against a reinforced ComStar lance.  I fought bravely but alas, the dice were not with the poor Clans.  Congrats to my opponent Elliot for securing victory and allowing the Inner Sphere forces on the main board to receive a repair action (even though it was too late in the evening to make use of it.).

Expect to see a full After Action Report in the near future once I have some time to catch my breath from the weekend.

Battle the Masters

The Masters were on hand to take on the best and brightest the fan world could muster. I did not stay late enough to see the conclusion but everyone seemed to be having a blast.  Add to that an ample supply of free pizza supplied by Catalyst and you have a recipe for a memorable end to the convention.

All the Rest

I spent a good amount of my time wandering the exhibit hall taking in the sights and demoing new games that caught my eye.  There were lots of neat looking miniature games but I feel I don’t have the time to play what I have to justify bringing in any other minis into the mix.  There is only so much time for BattleTech as it is so I tried to keep my eye out for board games and the like which did not have the same need for hobby time.

There were a lot of new companies and unique games to see.  The one board game that I felt really stood out was Fantasy Flight Games’ Mission to Mars.  It is a secret role selection and worker placement/manipulation game where you are flinging astronauts into space and moving them around to conquer the vital resources on the planet Mars.  Lots of fun and ample opportunity for shenanigans.

Runner up was Nevermore, a fast playing set collection card game where your death may be only the beginning of your opportunities to screw with your buddies.

GenCon ramped up for Friday and I kept super busy as the weekend marched along.  I scheduled myself for some more non-BattleTech events during the day but stopped by to check out the Catalyst game section from time to time so keep an eye on what was going on.

Events (Grinders, Boot Camps, Tukayyid, Oh my!)

All of the Catalyst events seemed very well attended.  I was glad to have gotten the chance to enter the VR Pods on Thursday because the line to get a mission was steadily increasing over Friday.

The terrain looked great and the BattleTech tables looked busy as ever.  I am looking forward to doing some gaming Saturday night as the convention reaches its apex.

Iron Wind Metals

I plan on having a more in depth review of IWMs presence after the convention closes.  I did get a chance to chat up some of the IWM insiders and there is a lot of great stuff on tap at the booth.

Tri-Pod super heavies are in ample supply as well as certain primitive designs, LAMs, and the LE Mortis.  I do love the jumping LE variants and the dynamic poses they bring to the table.

Behind the tables you can find a cornucopia of small scale LE or online exclusive content in the form of infantry, Battle Armor, and micro aerospace.  IWM puts on a great show everywhere I see them and I could not be happier to have the chance to shop with them.

More Diorama

Because reasons.

All the Rest

I started my day playing in a DoomTown Reloaded qualifying tournament.  I went 2-3 with a Sloane Gang hex deck.  Regardless I had a lot of fun and finally had the chance to play against some really great competition.  I had a blast,  If you have not taken a look at this game you should.  It is an under appreciated gem in the gaming industry today.

I followed up my travels with a game of Giant Urbania and an hour of Two Rooms and a Boom.  I will probably have more to add to these titles after the con comes to a close.  For now here are some shots of the action today.

Day one in Indy is in the books.  What a day.  I had a lot of fun exploring the con and playing in some great games.

My day started at the Catalyst Booth where I was able to snag one of the limited Beta versions of Interstellar Operations.  I am really impressed with how big this book is.  It is a certified monster.  Flipping through the PDF is one thing but when you finally get to hold it in your hands you really appreciate the work that must have gone in creating it.

Catalyst Game Labs

The Catalyst booth was hoping all day and there were some products that were flying off the shelves.  Wrath of Dragons was down to about a dozen or so copies, The IO Beta were cleaned out, and other various product lines were being whittled down to low quantities.

Convention exclusives included faction dice, metal faction dice, pins, and T-shirts.  I was pleased to see an ample supply of dice available.  Even later in the day there seemed to be an opportunity to grab a few for those who wanted a pair.

Diorama

The crew from CamoSpecs were showing off this years diorama set in the Succession Wars.  Really great work and a few easter eggs thrown in for good measure.  The pictures speak for themselves so here you go.

What’s Up With Catalyst

The What’s Up with Catalyst was missing more than a few notable personalities.  Loren Coleman headlined the discussion and Q and A.  Randall Bills did not end up making it due to some prior commitments which I was disappointed in.

I would have taken notes but I was busy holding a video camera.  When I get a few more moments of down time I will upload the whole chat to YouTube for everyone to see for themselves.

All the Rest

Ah yes, there is all the rest.  GenCon has a lot to do besides BattleTech (not that there is anything wrong with that).  I saw a lot of cool stuff in the Exhibit hall, played in a M.E.R.Cs tournament (and lost), played a seven player BattleStar Galactica game with ALL expansions, demo’d Wrath of Dragons, and even took a ride in the Virtual Pods.

After a long hiatus I have finally found my way back to Indy for the best four days in gaming.  I have not been able to get out to conventions as much as I like lately so I am very excited about this year.

On the BattleTech front there is a lot to be excited about.  The Interstellar Operations Beta will be available in soft cover form while supplies last.  I have my eye on scoring a copy for myself.  Iron Wind Metals never dissapoints and I’m sure to drop some heard earned cash on some new miniatures to add to the collection.

And of course there is all the rest.  I will be participating in a few tournaments this year (M.E.R.Cs and Doomtown Reloaded) as well as a smattering of board games.

Here’s to a great convention and all the fun and people who will be a part of it.  Stay tuned for daily debriefs as the convention continues.

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