Just got an interesting update email from Paradox about the upcoming Flashpoint expansion, and also some hints on future expansions to the game -



BATTLETECH FLASHPOINT adds new gameplay, depth, and over 30 hours of new content to your mercenary experience. Introducing Flashpoints: high-stakes, branching short stories that link together mercenary missions, crew conversations, special events, critical choices, and rare bonus rewards to take BATTLETECH's endgame and Career-Mode gameplay to the next level.

FLASHPOINTS
Here's just a few examples of the many new stories and challenges you'll face as a mercenary commander in Flashpoint:

Extracurricular Activities — The petty squabbling of political rivals takes a deadly turn when civilians are caught in the crossfire. Will you escort them to safety at the risk of your MechWarriors and their 'Mechs… even if they can't pay?

Criminal Minds — The routine capture of a criminal syndicate’s warehouse uncovers the resting place of an ancient BattleMech. Will you share this information with your employer or keep the ‘Mech for yourself?

Headhunting — The Zhao twins are a thorn in the side of your employer and it’s time to terminate their command. But when their forces are routed and the siblings flee in two directions you’ll need to choose which commander - and which unique salvage - you’ll pursue.

NEW BATTLEMECHS
Expand your 'Mech arsenal with the armor-chopping power of the Hatchetman, the speed and versatility of the Crab, and the battle-computer-equipped Cyclops.

NEW ENCOUNTER
Target Acquisition is an exciting new mission type that challenges you to put your light and medium 'Mechs to the test. Take control of three locations to triangulate fire an enemy installation before time runs out.

NEW BIOME
Take the fight to all-new lush, tropical environments - but watch out for the spore clouds (or use them to your advantage!)


SEASON PASS

The BATTLETECH Season Pass includes all future BATTLETECH expansions at a discounted price. In addition to all the current game content, Season Pass holders will have access to three upcoming expansions.

Flashpoint (Winter 2018) - Exciting multi-mission contracts draw you into the machinations and feuds of the Great Houses. New ‘Mechs, a new mission type, a new tropical biome and more!

Urban Warfare (2019) - Combat drops into metropolitan territory, with explosive results. Fight through urban sprawl with new ‘Mechs and mechanics.

Third Expansion (2019) - To be confirmed.

BATTLETECH Mercenary Collection is the ultimate BATTLETECH bundle, including the Digital Deluxe Edition and the Season Pass, which gives players access to all future expansions, in addition to all current game content.

Even though it's not a 'page by page' recreation of all the original Battletech tabletop rules, it gets the 'feel' of playing the game very well indeed. Not run into any gamestopping, or even annoying, bugs so far, though some missions (regardless of the supposed' ratings) are incredibly hard or for me at least outright impossible.

Searching the map, early game, for extra missions to train up the pilots, chose one that taught me I needed to read the mission brief much more carefully than I had been doing! 2 skulls mission, but it just mentions 'by the way' in the briefing you are going to take on a heavy lance.... that turned out to be a full four mech heavy lance with experienced pilots. Needless to say with my newbie squad things did not go well!

I'm really enjoying playing so far, despite the occasional unfortunate fluke results (those were true of the tabletop game so I can't complain too much about them!) - it's not 'exactly' Battletech as in the tabletop miniatures game but it certainly gets the feel of it pretty well.

Probably inspiring me to go back to running a Mechwarrior RPG game for my friends as well, if I can get myself organised enough again to do it!

I'd also suggest Star Trek : Ascendancy, more details about it are here -

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/193949/star-trek-ascendancy

I've found it very good at bringing in 'non-boardgamers' who know the franchise so feel slightly less nervous about playing a complicated looking game.