In this post we unbox the BattleTech A Game of Armored Combat Starter Set. As you would expect, we will be looking at the components of the box and take a close look at the miniatures within.
As a note, this is the current BattleTech A Game of Armored Combat Starter Set, but the same contents will be in the repackaged 40th anniversary box when it comes out soon.
I must say that those boxes look awesome!!! That’s some amazing artwork! Now, let’s look at what is inside!
Table of Contents
So Much Content!!!
When I open the box, I am greeted with a ton of content. Look at all this stuff!!!
Contents include…
- 8 High Quality Mechs.
- A Primer to get you into the gaming world.
- The Rule book.
- Mech Record Sheets.
- Two double Sided Paper Hex Maps.
- Some Hex Terrain and Mech Standies.
- A thick Quick Reference Sheet.
- The Mech Record Sheets for the included miniatures. In most cases, these sheets have a couple of variants for the included miniatures.
- Alpha Strike Cards. For use if you want to play Alpha Strike with the included miniatures.
- Other Materials such as a Novella, a recognition card showing you the mechs, and coupons to both Catalyst Game Labs and Iron Wind Miniatures.
A Note about the Coupons… Although a nice touch, the coupon in the box is likely of more value to my American readers than to those in other countries.
I live in Canada. The Coupon in my box was an individual code for $20 off at the Catalyst Website. I went there to check it out and put two blind buy mech boxes in my cart. Shipping for that item was almost three times the $20 I was saving by using the coupon. Yikes!!! As a result, I abandoned my purchase, but will likely go back in the future to try and buy some PDFs from them.
The BattleTech Rules look similar to how I remember them, and you can download them for free from the web. I also found a free PDF of the mechs in this box so feel free to download those and print them off when you need them too.
There are no Alpha Strike Rules in this box, but there are quick start rules to the game available free and you get the Alpha Stike Cards too. You get enough mechs in this box for two Inner Sphere Lances. That means you could get started with either Classic BattleTech or Alpha Strike using this boxed set.
Find the free rules and resources I mentioned earlier here.
Now, to what I wanted to look at the most when I bought this starter box – The Miniatures!
Miniatures in the BattleTech A Game of Armored Combat Starter Set
This is what I am about. I love miniatures of all sorts. When I started Must Contain Minis, I had planned to focus on just Board Games with Miniatures in them. I found my focus pivot towards miniatures games in general shortly after I started the site though.
In the BattleTech A Game of Armored Combat boxed set, you’ll find eight high-quality, fully assembled (unpainted) miniatures representing various Battle Mechs. Let’s take a closer look at each one (click on the images to see them larger):
Awesome: The Awesome is a heavy BattleMech known for its long-range firepower. It excels in sniping enemies from a distance with its large energy weapons.
BattleMaster: The BattleMaster is another heavy ‘Mech, well-balanced and versatile. It can engage in both long-range and close combat, making it adaptable on the battlefield.
Catapult: The Catapult is a medium ‘Mech designed for indirect fire support. It carries missile launchers and can rain down salvos of missiles on opponents from a safe distance.
Commando: The Commando is a light ‘Mech built for speed and reconnaissance. It’s agile and can quickly scout enemy positions or harass foes with hit-and-run tactics.
Locust: The Locust is an ultra-light ‘Mech, incredibly fast but lightly armored. It’s ideal for scouting missions and flanking maneuvers.
Shadow Hawk: The Shadow Hawk is a versatile medium ‘Mech that can engage in both ranged and close combat. It’s a jack-of-all-trades on the battlefield.
Thunderbolt: The Thunderbolt is a heavy ‘Mech with a focus on energy weapons. It can deal significant damage at medium to long ranges.
Wolverine: The Wolverine is a medium ‘Mech known for its balanced loadout. It can handle various combat situations effectively.
When playing, remember that each Battle Mech has differing levels of armor, speed, weapons, and heat dissipation. Their roles on the battlefield vary, from lumbering Assault platforms to speedy Strikers. How you use them and which mechs you choose will make a big difference. Choose wisely and lead your ‘Mechs to victory!
Looking at the 25th Anniversary BattleTech A Game of Armored Combat Set vs the 40th Anniversary BattleTech Introductory Box Set
Although not as plentiful as the miniatures that came in the 25th Anniversary Introductory Set that I previously owned, the quality of the mechs has skyrocketed in comparison! Below are some painted samples from that 25th Anniversary Set I used to own.
I must say that I prefer the modern box over the older one.
Where to Get BattleTech
I bought BattleTech A Game of Armored Combat from Forbes Hobbies in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Many of my Friendly Local Gaming Stores carry BattleTech, but stock seems to be running low at this point in time. Hopefully they will all be due for restocks soon.
You can also check Amazon [Affiliate Link], or even Catalyst Game Labs themselves. For those of you in Canada, I found the shipping price from Catalyst to be high, so I will likely be looking at other ways to acquire their products. If you are overseas, you can check Wayland Games [Affiliate Link] or wherever else you normally get your miniatures from.
I like to buy my BattleTech PDFs from DriveThruRPGs [Affiliate Link]. They have tons of resources available and some of them are free too!
Catalyst Game Labs has a section of Free PDFs and I found some treat resources at the BattleTech Website too on their free PDF page.
Wrapping it up…
Overall, I am impressed with the contents of BattleTech A Game of Armored Combat. It makes for a good introductory boxed set. I still haven’t checked out the beginner box, by this new Armored Combat one is just right for me.
For more on the Mechs and boxes that I have collected so far this time around, take a look at my Getting into BattleTech in 2024 article.
Until Next Time, Happy Gaming Everyone!!!
