How to Play! - Battletech: Essentials - A beginners guide to this box

Breaking open the Battletech: Essentials box, I decided to go through and present the setup and gameplay for this basic introduction to Battletech. Let's check it out!
GMG is publicly supported. Become a backer on Patreon to ensure new content and that the Studio can continue: / guerrillaminiaturegames
Join us on DISCORD: / discord
Want to challenge Ash to a game? Email him at [e-mail] or message him through his Facebook Page!
Follow Ash on Facebook: / outofthebasementintoth...
GMG Measuring Gauges and Tokens available HERE: deathraydesigns...
GMG T-Shirts and Hoodies HERE: shop.spreadshi...
All Jingles and Music by Kevin McLeod: incompetech.com
TACTICAL AWARENESS - An Infinity Podcast
Join us on Discord HERE: / discord
Add us to your favourite Podcasting App using the RSS Feed: anchor.fm/s/cf...

[@lorcannagle]

So fun fact, in canon, Steiner Stadium, which is depicted on the box cover has a lostech defensive grid that protects the audience from stray rounds hitting them. All of the other arenas have people watching remotely on screens.

[@90sallthewaybaby]

The rulebook confused the hell out of me. Thank you so much for explaining the game so much better in the video

[@mal2ksc77]

Once again, Ash makes us Battletech grognards happy with more Battletech content. So good. so good.

[@erl7466]

my son and i are having a great time with this box; he loves the mech concept, as well he should. i immediately started using heat though, it’s too much fun managing the attack/ cooldown mechanic. he loves it. i can’t wait to move on to full battletech with him and his friends; the pc game story would be in order i think.

[@A88mph]

Plus, if new players wishing to see these mechs and Mechwarriors in action can read "Warrior: En Garde." (like I started reading just as the box was announced.

[@voodoochild1975az]

Scary to say this... need to check if I own it. I picked up a butt load of BT novels on Humble Bundle a few months back.

[@kcaudle52]

Excellent overall look at the new set. Love that it ended with a head capping!! So good!

[@usekungfu]

Excited to pick this set up. Nice quick bat rep, looking forward to the let's play and seeing what else comes in the box.

[@v3c7r0n]

Thanks Ash, I'm looking forward to getting this in once it's released. Like the beginner box, it looks like a great way to introduce people to tabletop battletech without having to go through the full rule sets. Let's be real, even alpha strike can be A LOT to throw at someone brand new to tabletop war games, and classic battletech is outright overwhelming for a lot of people. Also: "Hello Everybody, Duncan Fisher here. I've been invited to tell you about the wonderful tourism opportunities here. First off, we have legal murder! What? It's true! OK fine, I won't mention the murder" - Duncan Fisher on Solaris 7 Tourism

[@Hundmathr]

A nice way to ease new players into BattleTech. Canonically not the way the final showdown between Justin and Grey went down, but I think Justin would have prefered it this way.

[@Teizan0]

The record sheets provided are actually made to handle erasable markers without a sleeve, AFAIK. 4:50, the assertion that moving backwards costs 2 MP has gotta be wrong. It's no running backwards, not half MP backwards.

[@TabletopTurtle]

Always love your tutorials! Although most of the time I just use them as a way to see if I'd like the game. Good to see Battletech is back!

[@zippymctarget2770]

That would be Target in North America, NOT Target in Australia/New Zealand. Same name, same logo, different company. Currently this box set is unavailable outside the US

[@threeohm]

Battletech baby! Great starter set to get folks hooked. Not sure if I missed it, but I recall Catalyst saying that there was a $20USD coupon in this set so given the cost is $25USD you kind of only pay $5USD if you use the coupon to buy more BT stuff. Edit - you mentioned the coupon in your BT Essentials Review video.

[@ShadrackMeduson]

thats if you dont have to pay for shipping, i wanted to buy a 7 dollar clan blind box and i got a 200 dollar shipping. So i just used it to buy the ebooks.

[@whitardesigns7572]

Perfect box jumping into BT!

[@edwindrood2816]

Cool, wanted to see this bit a bit more

[@worlds-in-conflict]

Check out Grey Noton walking around with his totally unbroken neck...good times!

[@tomtricity]

Ran across this video and was wondering if anyone caught that. Should have thrown Capet in the box.

[@euansmith3699]

"How to Play: Battletech"? From the games I've seen on this channel, it appears to involve lots of cackling madly and yelling, "HEADSHOT!" 😂😂😂

[@Fartrellcluggins69]

That's regular. Alpha strike is faster and less detailed. More about fast paced combat rounds.

[@euansmith3699]

@@Fartrellcluggins69 Indeed, Alpha Strike is more appealing to me. 👍 The regular rules are too crunchy for my brain. 👴 Battletech/Alphastrike has the best turn sequence. I really wish that 40k used something similar; unfortunately, it looks like 10th Edition is sticking to the swingy I-Go-U-Go turn sequence. I had hoped that GW might have changed the turn sequence after toying with it in "Apocalypse".

[@Fartrellcluggins69]

@@euansmith3699 I'm an alpha striker too lol. I like the system. It's more of a competitive mode imo also. The cards represent the pilots and their version of the mech well. I do wish we had more precise targeting but I get it.

[@worlds-in-conflict]

That's the PROPER way to play Battletech

[@euansmith3699]

@@worlds-in-conflict OOOOOOH, YEAH!

[@JimKalwaski]

Thanks, learned from you

[@xczechr]

24:19 What do we always say? Don't get eliminated!

[@Whitewing89]

I thought it was a picture frame you were rolling on

[@KaryudoDS]

Lore accurate how-to-play video lol. Looking at those cards setup like that makes me sort of wish they slapped a heat scale onto them and put the effects on a table and that'd just be perfect for me though I get leaving that out of beginner rules. Also a pity they give you stats for the CN9-A for balance but nothing for the CN9-YLW itself. Course you can go find that stuff if you know where it's at.

[@GuerrillaMiniatureGames]

Lore accurate COLOURS lol

[@KaryudoDS]

@@GuerrillaMiniatureGames I meant the headshot lol, but yeah I like the paint jobs. Just waiting for the box to hit shelves now.

[@ProBloggerWorld]

I support every attempt to bring back Solaris VII flavor to the map. Too sad that BT: E is not available in Europe.

[@patmanly3215]

Ummm, moving backwards only costs one movement point, not two. (See Total War pg. 49. under "Movement Direction")

[@xczechr]

Youi're dating yourself with that American Gladiators reference. :)

[@pelmen1294]

Im wondering where your getting it costs two to move backwards? far as I can tell it only costs one mp and you cant go up a level. Its been that way since 84 or 85. Is yen lo yang in the box as justin never used a cn9a he had a pontiac auto cannon.

[@NRSGuardian]

While the miniature is of Justin's Yen Lo Wang, the included beginner record sheet is of a standard CN9-A. Probably because even with the beginner rules YLW would be too much for a RFL-3N to handle.

[@gamer8567]

I was thinking the same and wondering if I have been playing wrong for years so I just did a double check of the rulebook and there is no mention of extra MP to move backwards. Just that you can only use walking MP.

[@andrewlaverghetta715]

I’m still extremely confused. I’m interested in the game though with all the toys I bought when I was younger. I found a mech of some sort on thingiverse and printed it, I don’t think it’s meant to be used with the game but I could be wrong. I totally want to make a diorama with it though. Do they all have hex bases and are there larger ones that single hex size bases? Does this game use terrain similar to warhammer at all, or is it all stuff like these hexes?

[@GuerrillaMiniatureGames]

Both. Classic is on Hexes, Alpha Strike is Mass combat and is played on a Warhammer style gaming table.

[@keanueraine]

A question. When figuring out GATOR I noticed there are gunnery skill numbers on the bottom middle of the Mech cards. do those factor in when using pilots or only use those if you are not using pilots?

[@1killer911]

Gunnery is a single value determined by your pilot. If you're not using special pilot cards the pilot will generally default to a 4/5 gunnery/piloting. Though changing your piloting and gunnery around is a good way to help balance games when you have more mechs or different weights

[@BlasterCA2000]

'NOTON', Gray Noton. No 'r' in Noton. [It matters!] & Walk/Run/Jump, no 'Sprint' die.

[@AlphaMike2k]

hmm... why did I think this had a Arena map? Something about a mechanic where the elevation changed thru the match?

[@AlphaMike2k]

Oh I see why that's the Target Exclusive box set that has the Arena map

[@GuerrillaMiniatureGames]

The Steiner stadium map is the reverse of this one. You’ll see it next week.

[@pelmen1294]

battleforce is better for mass combat. are we able to get that set in canada?

[@lalopacheco2614]

Can you link the card sleeves you used

[@spacefork7296]

Should have played the stadium map.

[@euansmith3699]

I think that's the next game in this series. 🥳

[@spacefork7296]

Yeah i heard that. But why make a video about this box without the stadium map and rules. Its basically just another beginner box video without using what makes it an exclusive box.

[@euansmith3699]

@@spacefork7296 I guess to keep things as simple as possible and follow the rules as laid out in the book? 🤔

[@user-jz8md8cc8s]

You go to fast

[@Upsideround]

I dont get why anyone plays. Way to confuse the new comers.