2300AD/2320AD/Full Thrust/Battletech and Other Games

There are just some things that grab hold of my attention and will not let go. Now I might go through some phases where such items do not hold on as tight as they did before, but I will eventually go back to them.

Such is the case with some role playing games and other wargames. Not so much as the mechanics of how the game is played, but the universe that was created as the backdrop to the events that one is playing with in the game.

Now I am in my late forties and do not get to play any of these games any more even though I really wish too. No, for me now, just buying a game module to read it just to keep up with what is happening in the gameverse is about all I can do. Such is the case with games like Battletech and Traveller. In others, such as the 2300AD created by GDW as a folow on to their Twilight 2000 role playing game. Or the recent attempt to relauch the 2300AD game with 2320AD. It is the story ideas and the universe that each is set against that now catches my attention.

When it comes to 2300/2320AD, I also have to lump in the kinda sorta wargame known as Full Thrust. In summary for all three of them, about 300+ years after the Third World War, mankind is back on its feet and has discovered the means of travelling to other solar systems. Once out there, they do meet other civilizations, and with one known as the Kafers, almost lost a war with them. Even twenty years later (i.e. 2320AD) there are still rogue Kafers that have to be delt with.

The Battletech universe is just as interesting. Set in the 31st century (or more recently under Wizkids ownership, they have moved the timeline up to the 32nd century). When that game first came out, the influx into America from Japan of all the different robot war machine (Battlemechs) models and manga. Back then, the company was FASA and they had a great cash cow (So I thought at the time) with Battletech.

I got into that game with the metal miniatures. In fact, that is how I got into most of my wargaming hobby is with collecting the metal figures first, then with other friends, actually playing the game. I still have several fishing tackle boxes full of the original metal and plastic miniatures. I use to keep a spreadsheet of just what type and how many of that type of miniature I had in my collection. There where that many that I had to have some means of keeping track of them. Painting the battlemechs (as they were called in different nations, mercenary, etc., paint schemes) became one of my hobbies.

The reader can do their own google search for those games for more information. This article is just a set piece for my blog to let anyone who reads it know a little bit more about me. Thankyou.