Goodman Games

DragonMech has a lot of cool things going for it: Fascinating steam-driven equipment. Creepy lunar monsters. Richly detailed setting. But what's the coolest part of DragonMech? Fifty-foot-tall mechs swinging axes at each other while catapult shots fly by and spells thunder. So we're making a game all about that. Prepare yourself for DragonMech Battles.

A setting with mechs screams for a tabletop combat game. We're happy to oblige. DragonMech Battles drops you into the mech jockey's seat, makes you the chief coglayer, and gives you command of the boarding parties. You'll stomp all over the landscape of Highpoint, battling other mechs and building your own. With simple rules and detailed outcomes, DragonMech Battles lets you turn steam engines, arcane power, and pure muscle into victory.

So much for the marketing copy. You true fans on the message board might like knowing that this game is a joint effort between Dieter "mythfish" Zimmerman and me (Matt "walrusjester" Sprengeler). We're working under the guidance of Joseph "goodmangames" Goodman, creator of Dragonmech and the driving force behind DragonMech Battles. These designers' diaries let us tell you about it in advance, and let you watch how we build it.

For example, we're trying to do two things with our design. We want a simple game. Lots of tabletop combat games have rules with too many details and exceptions, forcing you to spend your time looking things up instead of playing the game. And we want a detailed game. You should have enough options, both in combat and in mech design, that it can be different every time you play. How will we do both things at once? Well, keep watching this space and see. Next time, maybe I'll talk about how I'm reversing all my usual game-designing habits for DragonMech Battles. Or maybe Dieter will explain his combat system. What do you think, sirs?

I've been waiting for this since I bought my first DragonMech book. I cannot WAIT to see the real thing.

Any chance we'll get sweet mech minis to go on our hex maps?

//H

Me too! Me too!

I assume there will be miniatures for this.

Will they be 28mm scale?

I am PSYCHED!

-Tom

My understanding is that there will be no minis with the first release. The box will come with cardboard standups in classic Battletech fashion. But I do recall Joseph saying that minis were a possibility in the future if the game does well...and, you know, if enough people keep bugging him about them.

This is awesome

The world has needed a new battletech for a long time. I hope this is it.

Can't wait to hear more.

Mouse

PS I loved the cardboard cut outs from the original box battletech, but you still need to have mini's.

add me to list that thinks the game screams for minis

without minis it misses juge potential I think

It's great to see all this enthusiasm, but tell me - do any of you want minis?

I'd actually only buy it if it had mini's.

Thanks for asking.

Just had a thought...!

What if this game had minis?

Pretty cool idea, hunh?







Even so, minis would be cool.

*grin* I can't promise minis. We have to work within our budget for the initial release, and we don't want to include minis unless we know we can afford to make them cool. The more people who buy the game, the more money we can put toward production values. Not that I'm hinting or anything.

Hmm... while we're waiting, it might be cool to try to make some of our own. *gets out epoxy, old minis & hobby knife*

I'll let you guys know when the lead poisoning sets in.

//H

I am really looking forward to this. This is a great idea and from a great company! My store will have a blast with this game. I work for a FLGS in Northern California and we have an active Battletech group. Many of the players are looking to get into another Mech-style game that has quick execution and a relatively inexpensive buy-in. Which is what this game sounds like it has. Plus it has that awesome steam-punk fantasy feel, which is a huge bonus. Need any help with the playtesting?

Oh, definitely. For me, minis are part of the tabletop experience. I'd pick them up in a heartbeat if they were available.

Minis are a must! I would totally want some cool minis for this game. Have you given it any thought to partnering with an existing minis manufacturer and having them produce the minis for the game? That way you guys don't have to worry about the overhead of producing minis.

I'd imagine GG would still need to think about the overhead, just in a round about way....

The plastic minis in the new BattleTech box set are pretty well done, as are a lot of the figs that come with FFG's big box games like StarCraft and World of WarCraft.

Of course a line of separate DragonMech resin minis would kick arse also.