I'm starting to sit down and really think about which MW I want to use – and you know I'm all about rules light. My goal is to find a version of MW that is easy to switch from the boardgame to the RPG and back. So far, my quick glance through ToW doesn't lend me to think that's true. It feels heavy, and a lot of comments make it sound like it's not so good. We'll see. I still need some actual game time, it's been 25 years since I really jumped into MW.
.-= Chgowiz´s last blog ..Bits and pieces =-.

From what I've seen so far ToW doesn't look that bad. I especially like the character creation system. But of course, your mileage may vary.

But I think your best guess is probably to use Mechwarrior 1st or 2nd Edition. From what I remember those systems were pretty easy and close to the boardgame rules.

From what I'm reading, there is complaining about the "balancing" aspects of characters (that you can be a rich Inner Sphere Mechwarrior, but you can't survive a fight [glass jaw] or your mech is always Light) and it seems that Clans again take up the biggest chunk of the issues.

Me, I'm a pre-3050 kinda guy. Give me the end of the Third Succession War or right before the Fourth and I'm a happy camper.

I was reading a thread on the Catalyst Forums for a "character build" and ye gods, it's like Traveller all over again. That's … ridiculous to me. 😀 I wish I could have enough time to sit down and grok Savage Worlds – someone mentioned that SW would make a great MW-style RPG.
.-= Chgowiz´s last blog ..Bits and pieces =-.

That's my favorite time period, too. I definitely want to run ToW but I will just ignore all that Clan stuff and set the campaign into 3025 or something.

Agreed. I am thinking that when I finally sit down with ToW with some time to chargen, I'm going to approach it from a 3025 perspective and see if I can make it work. Character builds like this scare me, frankly, because I get bored too easily. Give me 3d6, 6 stats, 3d6x10 money and I'm good! 😀
.-= Chgowiz´s last blog ..Bits and pieces =-.

Why not use a modified S&W for your BT roleplaying game then? I am sure you could come up with something.

Time, and really, why reinvent it if ToW will work (somehow) or I can step back to MW2 or MW1. Settembrini recommends MW2, which I've added to my "find it cheap!" list.

Edited to add – I should say that what I really want is transparency from moving from the cockpit (or vehicle) to the RPG and back is what I'm looking for. An S&W hybrid could work, but if MW1 or 2 can do the trick easily, I'd rather do that.

.-= Chgowiz´s last blog ..Bits and pieces =-.

True. I would recommend MW2, too. I got my copy just a couple of months from amazon.de for just €10. I am pretty sure you can get it for around the same price.

We have quite the thread going!

I vaguely remember MW1.

I was going to list a series of questions, but I think I'm going to do it on my blog… and I want to give some love to some lonely MW blogs out there. 🙂
.-= Chgowiz´s last blog ..Bits and pieces =-.

Sounds like a good idea. I am looking forward to your next MW post! And there's actually a blog dedicated to Mechwarrior? Can you please share the URL?

I guess I am guilty of a little post-necromancy, but my demon familiar (google) has brought up surprisingly few links for any of the Mechwarrior RPGs, and I have recently set myself the tasks of getting reacquainted with the universe, and charting out a campaign which balances the roleplaying opportunities with the wargaming opportunities.

The first task seems to be the same as what you were discussing with Chgowiz: which version of the rpg to use. I will blog about my reactions to the 3rd Edition and Time of War, and the progress of the campaign design, but I am curious if you have had further reactions to ToW since last you commented on this thread… a year ago.