From Warhammer to BattleTech Alpha Strike

Alpha Strike for Warhammer 40k players: What “Herohammer” means here and why your units die like flies.

So you’ve swapped your servo armor for 100 tons of ferro-fibrous armor? And you’ve probably just finished your first game and are wondering, “Why the hell did my indestructible 100-ton mech explode on turn 2?”

Switching from Warhammer 40k to BattleTech: Alpha Strike is less a step sideways and more a leap into a completely different mathematical reality. Before we explain why your units are dying, let’s take a quick look at what you’re actually playing.

The system comparison: Grim Dark vs. Big Stompy Robots

Before we go into detail, here is the “elevator pitch” of the differences:

The misunderstanding of “Herohammer”

In Warhammer 40k we are familiar with the concept of “Herohammer”. A character model such as a Primarch, a C’tan or a Hive Tyrant is often a one-man army.

In 40k, a “hero” means:

• He has a 2+ armor.
• He has a 4+ saving throw (Invuln).
• He may be allowed to repeat the first blown save.
• It halves incoming damage.

You can often put a 40k hero out in the open and he’ll eat firepower that would destroy an entire company simply because he’s “cool” and has Armor.

This kind of heroism does not exist in BattleTech.

If you play a legendary Mechwarrior (skill 0 or 1) in a Dire Wolf (Daishi) in Alpha Strike, he is a monster offensively. He will almost always hit. But defensively?

Armor is ablative, not magical

This is culture shock number 1: There are no armor rolls.

In Alpha Strike you have armor points (Armor) and structure points (Structure). If the opponent hits you and does 5 damage, you lose 5 points. Period. End.

There is no dice roll that saves you. There is no “Oh, bounced off my armor”. When the laser hits, metal melts.

A “hero” in BattleTech dies just as quickly as a recruit if he stands stupidly. He has no extra health points just because he has a name.

Why your units are dying like flies (and how you can prevent it)

You’re losing your mechs because you’re playing them like Space Marines. Here are the two main reasons for your quick demise:

1. you are not moving enough (TMM is God)

For a long time in 40k there were rules that rewarded stationary units (heavy weapons hit better, bolter discipline, etc.). In Alpha Strike, standstill is death.

Your defense is based almost exclusively on the Target Movement Modifier (TMM).

• A fast mech that jumps far gains +1 or +2 to its defense (TMM value).
• A stationary mech has a TMM of 0.

Since we’re playing with 2D6, any +1 modifier is massive. Increasing the required number of hits from 7 to 8 drastically reduces the hit probability. If you stop to “aim better” (which in AS often gives no bonus at all unless you have special rules), you are a target.

2. you underestimate the flanking (Arc of Fire)

In modern 40k editions, the alignment often doesn’t matter. In BattleTech, the “rear arc” (back) is deadly. A shot in the back really hurts. What’s more, you usually can’t shoot back.

Since Alpha Strike is activated alternately, it’s a game of chess. If you move your fat Atlas too early, a small, agile Light Mech will run behind him and shoot him in the unprotected back.

In 40k, you tank with your face. In BattleTech, you die if you turn your back on your opponent – or if you allow yourself to be outmaneuvered.

Conclusion: Rethinking is the order of the day

If you’re coming from Warhammer 40k, you need to change your definition of “durability”. Durability in BattleTech doesn’t come from luck on the armor roll, it comes from:

1. Use cover (+1 modifier).
2. Speed (maintain high TMM by moving or jumping).
3. Positioning (blocking lines of sight, managing ranges).

A mech is not a Terminator squad with assault shields. A mech is more like a Leman Russ tank without a saving throw: it has a lot of health points, but every hit hurts and brings it closer to the end.

Get used to the fact that damage is permanent. There is no healing, no “revive”. However, a mech with 1 structure point left will (usually) fight just as effectively as one with full points. Use it until it bursts!

Beginner list (Lance)

Here is a beginner’s list (lance) for BattleTech: Alpha Strike, compiled specifically to help Warhammer 40k players make the transition.

I call this list the “Iron Wall” lance.

• Target score (PV): approx. 130 – 150 points (depending on skill level, for skill 4: 136 PV).
• Focus: High armor, forgiveness, clear roll distribution.

This list is not a fragile “glass cannon” Eldar list. This is Death Guard or Iron Warriors: tough, direct and brutal.

1. the anchor: Awesome (AWS-8Q – 39 PV)

• Role: Juggernaut / Sniper
• 40k analogy: A Land Raider or a squad of Terminators.
• Why for switchers?
  • Armor: He has a massive amount of armor points. He can stand still and eat fire while shooting back.
  • Weapons: It does a constant 3 damage at all ranges (short/medium/long). You don’t have to think about optimal ranges – it always hurts.
  • Lesson: He is slow (move 6″ without jumping). You will learn that he will be quickly outmaneuvered if you don’t protect him.

2. the all-rounder: Thunderbolt (TDR-5S – 36 PV)

• Role: Brawler (melee fighter)
• 40k analogy: A classic Castraferrum Dreadnought or Redemptor.
• Why for switchers?
  • Durability: Very well armored for its weight class.
  • Damage: It is most lethal at medium range.
  • Overheat (OV): It often has the value “OV 1” (Overheat). This allows you to do 1 point more damage in exchange for heat. This is the perfect mech to learn risk management (“heat management“) without exploding immediately.

3. the jumper: Wolverine (WVR-6R – 30 PV)

• Role: Skirmisher / Flanker
• 40k analogy: Primaris Inceptors or Assault Marines.
• Why for switchers?
  • Jump jets (jump jets): It has “10j”. The “j” is your life insurance. When he jumps, he gets +1 to his TMM (defense modifier).
  • Lesson: Use it to jump over cover and fall on your opponent’s back (rear arc). He teaches you that movement saves lives.

4. the artillery: Catapult (CPLT-A1 – 31 PV)

• Role: Missile Boat
• 40k analogy: Whirlwind or Desolation Marines.
• Why for switchers?
  • Indirect Fire (IF): This mech has the “IF” special rule. You can shoot at enemies that you cannot see as long as another of your mechs (e.g. the fast Wolverine) can see them (spotting).
  • Lesson: This breaks the usual 40k True Line of Sight mechanic and shows you the importance of synergy between units.

How to play this list (The 40k mindset shift)

1. The Awesome is the bait: place it in a clearly visible position. Your 40k instinct says “Hide!”. In Alpha Strike you say: “Come here!”. The opponent will try to focus on him. It takes forever to kill him.
2. The Wolverine is the annoying scout: While the opponent shoots at the Awesome, the Wolverine jumps every turn (jumping gives a defense bonus!). Take him to the flank.
3. The Thunderbolt is the bodyguard: keep it close to the Catapult or Awesome to intercept fast enemy units that want to get in your back.
4. The Catapult is hiding: place it completely out of sight (behind a hill). It shoots its missiles “over the hill”(indirect fire) while the Awesome and Wolverine mark targets. This often frustrates 40k players massively because they can’t shoot back.

Next step for you

Print these four unit cards from the Master Unit List (MUL) (available online for free) and get started!