There were a lot of big announcements at AdeptiCon this year, and one of the biggest was about BattleTech. But it’s important to understand what was, and what wasn’t, announced.
First, BattleTech is not getting a new edition. It is getting a new Core Rulebook. Why? Because by 2024, there were seven books in the “Core” line. That needed to be cleaned up and brought under a single pair of covers. In addition, after extensive playtesting, some tweaks were made to the game (which you can learn more about here). But even with these changes, nearly none of the ‘Mech Record Sheets published in 40 years of the game need any changes; the only ones that do are those with Watchdog CEWS and Bombast Lasers, which, according to Catalyst, make up fewer than 0.05% of the published record sheets.
But the best news is about the new boxes. The Starter Box comes with the tanky Hammerhead and the DPS-monster Kontio, giving new players a taste of different strategies. Flip the ‘Mechs record sheets over, and you get a peek at the expanded rules for the full game with additional gear and rules for after you’ve mastered the Starter Box.
The new Core Box includes a Sagas lore booklet with new art that seamlessly merges BattleTech lore with the options players have in factions and styles of play. The eight ‘Mech models that come in the box cover three decades of the game’s history, from the Rakshasa (from Technical Readout: 3055), to the Mad Cat MkII (from the computer game MechWarrior 4: Vengeance), to the ilClan Era Regent.
If it’s been a while since you’ve dropped some heavy metal mayhem on a hex grid, now is a great time to dust your old ‘Mechs off and get them back in the fight, as they’re almost certainly still covered by the rules. And if you’ve never given MechWarrior a try, there’s 40 years of models and lore for you to discover. Talk to the ace pilots are your local Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy® today about getting your own lance of 31st century metal might.
