357th Infernal Division: Alpha Strikin' It

Now that we as a group are a couple of games into Alpha Strike, I definitely have to say that it is a great system. As much as I love Total Warfare BattleTech, it becomes hard to play on a regular basis with the amount of time that has to be devoted, especially with larger games. Alpha Strike allows a standard lance on lance or star on star type game to be played in less than an hour, with the potential for a company+ game to be played in the same amount of time as a Total Warfare lance match.

As we're still getting into how all of the 'Mech abilities work, we haven't branched out to vehicles or infantry yet, but given that every component uses the same base record card, we're looking forward to integrating them into our games.

Turn sequence works much in the same way - initiative, movement, shooty mcshooter, stabby o'stabberson, heat, etc. Since every 'Mech only has one or two movement choices (depending on jump), completing a move takes a lot less time and thought, and each card has a TMM (target movement modifier) which applies whether your 'Mech went one hex or 50 hexes, so less thought there as well. Shooting has almost the same amount of modifiers, except that range brackets are static so you aren't figuring two or three separate numbers to roll for your multiple weapons. And, since all weapons are grouped into one roll, it speeds that process up as well.

It does have a few weaknesses, however. Alpha Strike is far more of a strategic game than a tactical one. Individual piece positions don't matter nearly as much as the force as a whole, which takes away a bit of the BattleTech feel. Since there aren't hit locations, no more one shot kills (well, unless your assault 'Mech demolishes a light) and luck plays a lot less of a role. In my earliest days of BattleTech, I spent a lot of time playing BattleForce 2 and while Alpha Strike isn't as simplified as that system, it has a lot of the same conceptual idea to it. Pick up games, and by that nature, Operation: Nachtfalke games, are a little more difficult to do as the record sheet holding all of the force cards has to be generated from the Master Unit List website each time there is a force change. That's a small thing, but when you don't want to be printing every time a new node is hit in a campaign, it can be obnoxious.

Overall though, I really would like to see Alpha Strike become the new "starter box set" rules, with Total Warfare moving to the more advanced player section. I feel like, just the little simplifications such as shooting, critical hits, damage and whatnot, would help ease someone new to the universe into things. Herb and Ben did a great job during their time and BattleTech is lessened for their departure.

4 Sept 17 Game - Clan Wolf Omega Galaxy v Clan Cloud Cobra Pharaoh Keshik 275pts

The map;