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Reactor: Online.  Sensors: Online.  Weapons: Online.  All systems nominal.

Poll

Should (and how) Alpha Strike be included in the "Feature Game" at cons?

NO!
- 0 (0%)
Replace the 12 hour "main table" with Alpha Strike
- 0 (0%)
Add it as an option for the "side missions"
- 1 (16.7%)
Add a battalion sized 12 hour Alpha Strike table
- 2 (33.3%)
Add single block 4 hour company sized missions
- 1 (16.7%)
Other (please describe)
- 2 (33.3%)

Total Members Voted: 0


Author Topic: Alpha Strike in Con "Feature Game"  (Read 2848 times)

Raven_X

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Alpha Strike in Con "Feature Game"
« on: August 06, 2015, 10:03:28 AM »

Holy crap look what I found.  Finally remembered my login, and well, where the boards are. So before I lose them again, wanted to post this.  I know some of you have dabbled in Alpha Strike, and some have participated in the Origins/Gen Con "Feature Game".  The push to grow Alpha Strike is a big one, and adding it to the feature game is part of that.  We finally have the game running smoothly and growing, and I would like to keep it on the up swing.  Let me know your thoughts!
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Death or Glory

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Re: Alpha Strike in Con "Feature Game"
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2015, 01:52:26 PM »

Integrating the Alpha Strike table into the feature game somehow would be a good way to help drive some interest in Alpha Strike.  However I prefer Battletech to Alpha Strike, so I certainly don't want to see an Alpha Strike feature game replace the Battletech feature game.
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Raven_X

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Re: Alpha Strike in Con "Feature Game"
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2015, 02:42:08 PM »

Integrating the Alpha Strike table into the feature game somehow would be a good way to help drive some interest in Alpha Strike.  However I prefer Battletech to Alpha Strike, so I certainly don't want to see an Alpha Strike feature game replace the Battletech feature game.

I feel the same way.  The original thought being pushed down from above was to have it replace the main table.  I think we have managed to push back on that enough to keep it from happening, but we need to have a good way to integrate the two together.  I think having a battalion sized engagement would be some nice eye candy to draw more people in, I just don't know how the logistics side of it would work out (total units needed w/ reinforcements, session turnover/continuity, how well a 12 hour game of Alpha will work in general, etc)
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Riegien

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Re: Alpha Strike in Con "Feature Game"
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2015, 07:49:29 PM »

I'm not sure that it would work in the battalion scale, for that period of time.  36 v 36 easily means a lance dead a turn per side, if the dice work out and its lighter things.  Just keeping reinforcements going through 12 hours would be kinda nuts. Also you do not want a player to jump in, lose all the things they're playing in 2 turns, say a 45min -1 hour, and then be out the 8 or 12 dollars that a 4 hour ticket costs for at least a turn or two.  It might work at, say, regimental scale.  120 units per side, say 10 players to a side each running a company, but that point the logistics have gone insane.  As has Dave for having to paint that many mechs.

I think a better option would be either 4 hour stand alone battalion fights, sorta like mini feature tables for 4-6 people per side, or 2 hour - 3 hour company level fights running as parallel ticketed events.  They may have x effect on the big game, or maybe the big game determines what conditions the companies are fighting in.  I dont see 2 companies being able to smash each others brains out for 4 hours in alpha strike.  Then again I dont see a pair of lances doing it very well in btech, and they seem to have made that work.
/ramble
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Raven_X

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Re: Alpha Strike in Con "Feature Game"
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2015, 08:33:55 AM »

I have some of the same concerns, but I don't know Alpha Strike well enough to truly know how it would play out.  I would like to get some games in to better get a feel.  Unfortunately the 22nd is out for me, I will be visiting the in-laws, but I am really going to try to do better at watching the boards.  But when I fail at that, you guys can get in touch with me by email, which is first.last at gmail.

Andy Holtkamp

see what I did there, screw spambots!
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serrate

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Re: Alpha Strike in Con "Feature Game"
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2015, 09:55:48 AM »

I'd like to see one entire day of the main event be switched out for AS. As mentioned already, the logistics might be pretty crazy, but the scene itself should put people straight on the path to the CGL booth.

Custom professional terrain (mountains, forests, waterfalls, etc) with more mechs than you could count. <drool>

As for making sure people get to play for more than a few minutes, I'm sure there are lots of ways to work that out. I'm not sure it's even that much of an issue. One thing that has kept me away from the canon event is that my (few) experiences there have involved excruciatingly slow turns. In a 4-hour time block, I didn't really feel as though I got to play that much Battletech anyway.

Would I rather play AS on a beautiful scenic map for a frenzied hour and half, or play regular BT on an ugly heroscape-terrain map at a rate of one turn an hour? That's an easy choice for me. If they did a MASSIVE Alpha Strike day with really well done tables to play on, I'm pretty sure I'd just sign up for the whole day.

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