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CO_17thRecon
Kell Hounds
Major
Joined: 10-Sep-2002 00:00
Posts: 1297
Location: United States
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 Posted: 24-Oct-2002 17:27 Post subject: Teaching The Game |
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Does anyone have a good outline or scenario for how to teach the game? I'd recommend people to read the rulebook, but they I prefer I teach them. Recently I tried that and prolly turned that person off to B-Tech forever. It was a rather dismal failure. I learned the game in about 5 minutes, but have no idea how to teach it effectively. Any suggestions?
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"What the...?! Where did you get THAT?!"
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Karagin
Imperial Karagin Army
Imperial General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4120
Location: United States
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| Posted: 24-Oct-2002 17:46 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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Best way to teach them is to give them a medium mech and then you take a light mech and then explain how things work, ie what happens when your fire, take damage etc...
Then if you want toss out the heat levels tell they have a couple of games under the belt.
I would say a one mech on one mech would be the best way to start. Average pilots and gunnery skills.
Use the original BT map since it has a good mix of terrain.
That should do it. Oh! Keep it all level 1 tech.
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Karagin
Only the dead have seen the end of war. - Plato
"Wasted trip Man. Nobody said nuthin' about lockin' horns with no tigers." Oddball
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AlexxKnight
Federated Suns
Colonel
Joined: 11-Feb-2002 00:00
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| Posted: 24-Oct-2002 18:01 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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I remember when I learned, I had joined a MechWarrior League, and they gave me a copy of the weapons/equipment list from the old Rule COmpendium which also had all of the modifiers on it, and had me go over the modifiers til I was comfortable with them, then introduced me to a simple one on one scenario involving medium mechs, I think I piloted a Phoenix Hawk.
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Command Company, Crimson Janissaries
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The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. . . And you
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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
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Location: United States
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| Posted: 24-Oct-2002 18:03 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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I would suggest a centurion for the newbie, and you a commando. both well rounded, but your not in a high end light.
as suggested, both at 4/5, no heat, no piloting skills and no pilot hits, and no optinal rules.
then next game introduce piloting skill rolls and pilot hits.
then heat.
then slowly begin introducing advanced rules, like ammo dump, reversing arms, and such.
thats how the third edition box set did it.
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Culverin
Draconis Combine
Gunsho
Joined: 15-Apr-2002 00:00
Posts: 97
Location: Canada
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| Posted: 24-Oct-2002 18:03 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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give them a modifiers sheet.
tell them why things work as they are
(random locations rolls = targeting systems got shot to hell in the future)
DON'T rush them.
let them consult their modifier sheet.
i taught a friend playing hot seat on megamek.
since it shows modifiers its handy to use.
what i did was play him megamek and give him a sheet to tick off as well.
that helped a little.
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Culverin's Domain
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Warmonger
Clan Blood Spirit
Star Commander
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 84
Location: United States
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| Posted: 24-Oct-2002 19:46 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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If you can get ahold of the fourth edition box, they had a neat little beginner's scenario in there. It ignored heat, min. ranges, piloting skills and rolls, and the critical hit chart. It put a Hunchback and Cicada against a Hermes II and an Enforcer, all baseline variants. Pretty good, I used it to teach myself years ago, and two of my roommates last year.
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Horhiro
Draconis Combine
Samurai
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
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Location: United States
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| Posted: 24-Oct-2002 20:43 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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I also suggest not using the heat scale right away. You could use 2 Chameleons, the ultimate training mech.
Or how I learned: Wasp vs Stinger on basic board. 4/5s, they jump and move around a lot at first, teaching the movement/phases and terrain. Then they finally close and blast, taking a while for someone to get a crit and eventually win.
If you have any mechwarrior video/computer games, show them the movies so they get an appreciation for how kewl this game really is!
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AlexxKnight
Federated Suns
Colonel
Joined: 11-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 787
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| Posted: 24-Oct-2002 20:48 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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The Chameleon is a great idea, it has just about everything on it to give the inexperienced a good taste of how everyting in the game works.
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Alexx Knight, Lance Sgt.
Command Company, Crimson Janissaries
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The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. . . And you
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Horhiro
Draconis Combine
Samurai
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1625
Location: United States
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| Posted: 24-Oct-2002 20:50 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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oh one more thing. make a chart on the back of the mech sheet listing the base to hit number at every hex for each weapon. something like this (extremely helpful to understanding sweet spots and penalties for minimum ranges:
Griffin
Hexes: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 etc
PPC
to hit 7 6 5 4 4 4 4 6 etc
LRM
to hit 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 5 etc
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"I have lived my life trying to be a virtuous man. The Dragon admires tenacity, and the code of the samurai upholds it as well." -Minobu Tetsuhara
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 24-Oct-2002 21:09 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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A few years back, a manual known as 'First Strike' appeared. The manual's entire focus was to serve as a brief historical and tactical intro for newbies and those unfamiliar with certain aspects of the game. It even classified several mech types based on mission and gave examples.
As a first mech for new players, I'd suggest a light or a medium with some balance. The 3025 Shadow Hawk, the Panther, the Talon, the 3050 Clint, the Commando, the Chemeleon, and the Locust come to mind.
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
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Location: United States
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| Posted: 24-Oct-2002 22:02 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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I haven't read all the replies to the thread so if this has been suggested forgive me...
Having taught literally hundreds of people to play this game I suggest giving them an Atlas 7D. It has every type of weapon you need to teach someone the game (LRMs for minimum range, SRMs for the missile table, an autocannon, and lasers). I would suggest you take a mech that jumps so they can see the benefits of jumping.
Then explain EVERYTHING that is happening and what their options are.
I've never seen this "system" fail for teaching...
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Gunslinger Patch
Royal Black Watch Regiment
Major
Joined: 04-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 1611
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| Posted: 25-Oct-2002 00:55 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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The times I've taught somebody I've preferred to use lightmechs, locust, wasps, stingers. But if you want to introduce them with a medium mech, I would say the Shadow Hawk. It jumps, and has energy, SRM, LRM, and autocannon weapons so after playing a couple of games with one, the newbie would become familiar with the missile tables and various hit and piloting modifiers as well.
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jymset
Scavenger
in pursuit of LosTech
Joined: 05-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 956
Location: Germany
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| Posted: 25-Oct-2002 02:50 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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Quote:
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Having taught literally hundreds of people to play this game I suggest giving them an Atlas 7D. It has every type of weapon you need to teach someone the game (LRMs for minimum range, SRMs for the missile table, an autocannon, and lasers). I would suggest you take a mech that jumps so they can see the benefits of jumping.
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Ok, have to chip in here. I'm still on this board, but much more of a reader than poster these days.
I totally have to agree with chihawk. This stems from my very first game: I had the said Atlas, and my teacher/opponent had a Victor (ie, a 'mech with jj). Basically, after that game, I knew BT (apart from the blasted LOS rules). And I won! It all added up to a very good experience that got me hooked.
So yeah, people, listen to chihawk!
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"Rear armour is defeatist!" - unknown Kuritan Mechwarrior
The AC5 is a great gun!
On heat, 3025 style:
A Rifleman knows no heat.
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Jade_Dragon
8th Sword of Light
Sho-sho
Joined: 05-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1326
Location: United States
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| Posted: 25-Oct-2002 09:44 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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Depends on whether you want the guy to turn into a Lyran fan or not. If you do, use chihawks idea. If not grab some mediums and lights and go at it 
My recommendations are, keep things small, keep it simple. Explain everything, let them do lookup of rules and charts [hard for me as I like to play fast]. Give them an advantage and a decent chance to win.
I did loose my first BT match, but that only made me want to come back and win. The friend that taught me has accused me of winning every game since then. Not true, but I have made up for my first loss several times over
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Sir Henry
Team Bansai
Senior Tech Specialist
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4899
Location: United States
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| Posted: 25-Oct-2002 11:44 Post subject: RE: Teaching The Game |
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I learned on a Battlemaster, Archer, Wolverine and Valkrie. A Good rounded Start....
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A Dragon in the disguise of a bunny, is still a Dragon.
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