My HPG station 3D printing project for BattleTech Alpha Strike

My HPG station 3D printing project for BattleTech Alpha Strike

Every tabletop playing field needs a centerpiece – a piece of terrain that immediately catches the eye and around which the battle revolves. For my latest project, I fired up the 3D printer and treated myself to something very special: The Interstellar Communications Facility from Thunderhead Studios.

Anyone who plays BattleTech will immediately know what this represents: A Hyperpulse Generator (HPG).

What actually is an HPG?

Before we get to printing, a little excursion into the Lore (thanks to Sarna.net for the details).

In the BattleTech universe, communication across light years is not a matter of course. An HPG (Hyperpulse Generator) is basically a huge artillery cannon that fires bundled RF signals through hyperspace rather than projectiles. This technology is based on the Kearny-Fuchida drive, which also enables jumpships to travel.

These stations are massive installations. They require enormous amounts of energy and are strategically vital. Whoever controls the HPG station controls the information flow of the galaxy – a role that has made ComStar the most powerful faction for centuries. This is exactly the feeling of power and importance I wanted to have on my gaming table.

The model & the printing process

The file from Thunderhead Studios is a monster – in the best sense of the word. The design perfectly captures the industrial, brutalist aesthetic of BattleTech.

Here are a few “hard facts” about my printing project: I realized the model on my Bambu Lab A1. This was definitely not a small project for in-between, but a real marathon for the printer. I used a total of 1.3 kg of PLA – a little more than a standard roll. The model was so large that I had to divide it into three full printing plates. In the end, the pure printing time was an impressive 42 hours. But when you see the finished part on the table, you know that every hour and every gram of filament was worth it.

The design also offers great features:

• Modularity & storage: Thanks to interlocking sections, the station can be dismantled for transportation.
• The dice tower: My highlight is the huge communication bowl. It acts as a dice tower for D6s, which roll out of the base at the bottom.

Use in BattleTech: Alpha Strike

The HPG station is absolutely brilliant for Alpha Strike. It’s tall and massive enough to give even the biggest mechs full cover (blocking the LOS – Line of Sight), which makes the playing field much more tactically challenging.

I have designed two scenarios here so that you can use the terrain directly:

Mission 1: “Priority Message Alpha” (King of the Hill)

The HPG station is inactive, but the memory banks contain critical data on troop movements. Both sides attempt to secure the facility to send a final message to their high command.

Army size (PV): 350 PV per side

Positioning: Place the HPG station exactly in the middle of the playing field.

Objective: To control the HPG station at the end of the game (round 8).

Special rules:

• Hacking zone: Any unit (mech, vehicle or infantry) that is in direct base contact with the HPG station is considered to be “on uplink”.
• Infantry Advantage: Infantry and Battle Armor are better suited to operating terminals. They count double in determining who controls the station when units from both sides are in contact.
• Interference: Due to the strong energy signatures, all attacks whose LOS are within 6 inches gain a +1 modifier to the target roll.

Victory conditions: The player who has more units (taking into account the infantry bonus) in base contact with the station at the end of the 8th round wins the scenario.

Mission 2: “Network blackout” (sabotage)

The defender holds the HPG station and uses it to coordinate the defense of the entire sector. The attacker has strict orders: Destroy the facility at all costs to isolate the sector.

Army size (PV):

• Attacker: 400 PV (Requires high firepower to crack the building)
• Defender: 300 PV (Dug in, defends “The Last Stand”)

Deployment: The defender deploys his troops within 12 inches of the HPG station. The attacker comes from any edge of the table.

The target object (HPG station): The station is treated as a building (see Alpha Strike Commander’s Edition, p. 104 ff.).

• Type: Hardened building (Fortress/Hardened)
• CF (Construction Factor / structure points): 100 (This thing is massive!)
• Defense: The building is considered an immobile target (target number -4 modifier).

Victory conditions:

• Attacker: Wins immediately if the HPG station is reduced to 0 CF (destroyed).
• Defender: Wins if the HPG station is still standing after round 8 or the opposing force has been destroyed/forced to retreat.

Conclusion

The print of the Interstellar Communications Facility massively enhances the visual impression of the playing field. Now I just have to paint it – probably in classic ComStar white!