Names given are Inner Sphere designation (Clan designation) because giving every Clan mech two names just makes things simpler. The product of more than twenty years of gaming experience, Total Warfare presents the rules of the Classic BattleTech game system as never before. For the first time, all the rules for various units that have a direct impact on the deadly battlefields of the thirty-first century appear in a unified rules set: from BattleMechs to ProtoMechs, Combat Vehicles to Support Vehicles, infantry to aerospace fighters and DropShips. Interwoven and meticulously updated, Total Warfare provides the most detailed and comprehensive rules set published to date for BattleTech—the perfect companion for standard tournament play. First published as Battledroids in 1985 and changed to BattleTech in the second edition a year later, this game provided the original scale and setting for the BattleTech universe. Featuring combat between individual 'Mechs, it was soon supplemented by CityTech to include infantry, vehicles and VTOLs. The BattleTech game board (or mapsheet) is based on a hexagonal grid with each hex representing 30m of ground space. Each turn represents 10 seconds of time. This scale of play still forms the core BattleTech setting, being the primary focus of the Total Warfare, TechManual and Tactical Operations rulebooks. How does a MechWarrior interface with a BattleMech? How does a ProtoMech really work? When was the Gauss rifle or the Particle Projector Cannon developed? Or how can I just make my own, cool and unique BattleMech design? If you’ve ever been plagued by these questions, then get on your coveralls and make sure you’ve got your astech certification, because you’re about to dive into BattleTech construction!

Representing the Inner Sphere on the eve of the Second Succession War, this map is the best way to start your path to becoming the First Lord as war once more consumes the Inner Sphere. In its earliest descriptions in the Battledroids rulebook the game was set around the year 3025 in the Succession Wars era, a dystopian future where centuries of warfare following the demise of the once mighty Star League had all but destroyed mankind's previous achievements. Advanced technology was not understood anymore. Vehicles and machinery could hardly be maintained, and ritualized wars were fought over ancient spare parts or even water.In addition to the aforementioned factions, mercenary units play an important role. Some prominent units have achieved considerable fame and power, to the point of ruling entire planets. They are effectively autonomous political entities. Beyond the Inner Sphere, on the fringes of the HPG network, lies the Periphery, a lawless region that has descended into barbarism. Numerous minor realms and pirate bands exist here. BattleTech was created by FASA, who held the IP rights to the universe up until they withdrew from the market in 2001. They licensed limited rights to a number of third parties (such as Ral Partha to produce miniatures, publishing houses for comics, and later Roc Books for the novels, among others). The rights to produce computer games were with FASA Interactive, which was eventually sold — including the IP rights to computer games — to Microsoft. Battletech is confusing to get into (that’s half the point of writing this article) and it’s coming at you with a lot of supplements and things tagged as rulebooks which are in fact optional/advanced rules.

North American/West European cultural template. Though outwardly espousing the virtues of freedom and democracy, the Federated Suns is often shown to possess a strongly militaristic bent. They are frequently the protagonists in BT fiction.Construction rules for the various units presented in Total Warfare can be found in Classic BattleTech TechManual. The Beginner box retails fairly cheaply (cheaper than the smallest current 40k starter), and contains a starter rulebook, 2 mechs, a map, set of cardboard terrain counters and standees, a set of mech sheets and a short fiction book. The Beginner Box is a complete game experience, and with the standees included you can play a Lance vs Lance game. This game gives a simpler experience than classic Battletech, and I’ll go into why this is important for reasons other than the obvious in a bit.

Vindicator-1R– A lighter mech than the Griffin, it carries a PPC, LRM-5, Medium Laser, and Small Laser. It has slightly less damage at range, but will do more up close, and has slightly less armor than the Griffin. To make up for it the pilot of the Vindicator is more skilled, so you’ll be landing more of those shots. We have also provided faction availability for most eras ranging from the foundation of the Star League up until the end of the Dark Age. DropShips: Most space traffic is handled with DropShips. Powered by fusion engines and highly efficient thrust drives, these are extremely rugged and versatile shuttlecraft ranging from anywhere between 200 to 100,000 tons in mass. They are generally easily capable of landing on planets and taking off into space again under their own power. In space, they can maintain acceleration of 1g or more for several days or weeks. The purpose of the product is to give you a taste of playing in the Clan Invasion era, and the models it includes are a force to take on the models in AGoAC. Mistakes happen, and sometimes players come up with situations the BattleTech designers, writers, and testers never imagined. If you believe you’ve found a problem, report it in the appropriate thread on our forum. Catalyst rolls in all approved errata every time a product is reprinted. See this post for a master index of links to individual errata threads.

Battlemaster-1G– 85 tons and carrying a profusion of different weapons. With it’s only long range firepower being a single PPC, the Battlemaster is all about close range engagements, with six Medium Lasers, two machine guns and an SRM-6. With potentially 32 heat from firing all weapons and only 18 heatsinks, you will very clearly have to manage heat on this mech, but you can mitigate this by planning ahead. Mech Variants Several publishers obtained the rights to publish comics set in the BattleTech universe. These, and at least two magazines ( BattleTechnology and Stardate/ StarDrive) were considered official products in their time just like the novels. In 2007, FanPro's BattleTech license ran out and was not renewed. In their stead, InMediaRes acquired the full license from Topps/WizKids, and created their Catalyst Game Labs subsidiary to continue the classic game line. Mad Cat (Timber Wolf)– This is the poster child mech for the clans. The Mad Cat pairs two LRM-20s with two sets of ER Large and Medium Lasers. To complete the picture you’ve got a Medium Pulse Laser and two Machine Guns and 17 double heatsinks. This mech has a lot of long range firepower and armour, and is fast for a heavy mech as well. Clan Invasion looks like a starter set, but it absolutely is not. The content is similar to the A Game of Armoured Combat box, but you need the A Game of Armoured Combat rulebook (and ideally the models) as this set contains only the additional rules for the Clan units and improved Inner Sphere tech of the Clan Invasion. It also contains updated record sheets for the models in AGoAC with variants for the period of the Clan Invasion.