BattleTech Alpha Strike is amazing. Seriously, it is the best wargame I have played since I got into this hobby. I have played one game of BattleTech in my life before Alpha Strike. It was a crunchy but fun time and then I forgot about it. I mostly bought the mini’s cause mechs are cool. But this BattleTech Alpha Strike box set has changed my mind. I have since played 5 games of Alpha Strike and cannot stop praising it. It is a super simple yet surprisingly fun game that makes you realize a wargame that can sometimes take under an hour to play can be the best part of your day.
Whats in the Alpha Strike Box
Surprisingly enough, there is enough mini’s and terrain to play a full game of Alpha Strike right away. Even though it is cardboard terrain, I will still be using it a lot as it is stable, good looking and easy to use. It also comes with 13 amazing mechs, and a rulebook that includes enough to get you started in Alpha Strike.
The Mechs themselves are absolutely fantastic, and a great fun to paint and play with. Atlas especially is a classic BattleTech mech that I loved painting so his inclusion is welcome.
The Game
It is fantastic! Really, I can’t praise this enough. This is the game you can get your friend who says they don’t have time to play a wargame to play. The rules are simple, easy to do once you get used to it and surprisingly deep! Despite the face that it can be swingy to rely on two dice for everything, every game I have played has been close. Tactics still play a giant part of this game and that deserves recognition.
The movement, and all relevant stats are on a card that come with all BattleTech mechs! So expanding the box is super easy, and with the full rulebook you can do much more customizing as well! I cannot stress this enough, this box is worth every penny. It is a complete starter set, for half the price of most other starter sets you can find.
The only drawback is that the table size is 6×4, however nothing is stopping you from temporarily playing on smaller tables until you get a bigger one. I have primarily been playing on a 6×3 and it is still serviceable.
Not Like Normal Battletech
Normal BattleTech is a fun but very number crunchy game. This is not the case with Alpha Strike. It is a simple, tactics based wargame that can get you used to systems and idea’s that you will use in BattleTech. So if you are worried about trying this because you don’t like normal BattleTech, don’t be.
The Perfect Introduction
BattleTech Alpha Strike is the way to get people into wargaming. It is a simple, fun time for cheap that can be understood by anyone. If you are looking for a new wargame, or want an easy way to introduce it this is for you. With only one drawback I can even think of, being the size, it is an easy recommend.
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Battletech has been a big part of my life for more than a few decades. Some business partners of mine were part of its genesis from Battledroids up through the 4th Succession War box set. I’ve played all the table top and electronic versions all along. Knowing the guy who wrote the military history and background gave me a lot of insight into its origin. Very much my favorite game universe. I hope everyone gets to know and enjoy it as well. RIP Forest Brown