Combat manuals, current era, and faction identity

[Thomas]

Can we ever expect to see more combat manuals? Does anyone have any new information on them?

What seems to me a good idea is if whenever the next official "timeline advance" comes about, appropriate combat manuals are simultaneously or very soon after released for all of the various factions. Doing so would provide a current sense of identity that could be more easily built on in the future, and hopefully sell a bit better than using combat manuals based on information over a hundred years prior to current timeine. The master unit list has options to filter by faction and era, which is handy, but a combat manual would be handier as the MUL can be kinda clunky to use sometimes.

I have the merc book, and there is nothing wrong with it at all, but mostly what it did was make me wish I could go full force in to Free Worlds League as a matter of personal preference and my own internal lore. Unfortunately, there is no Free Worlds League combat manual. Or Steiner, which would be my second-best option. I like the idea of having a faction identity, but the very nature and base concept of being a mercenary makes that difficult to do even with a combat manual. My homebrew merc unit is the Free Lyran Salvage company pulling from FWWL and Lyran sources, but I can't even try to get a FWWL or Lyran combat manual... very frustrating. I think the combat manuals are a fantastic idea for bringing together a sense of identity in factions similar to other systems such as Warhammer or WarmaHordes. I would really like to see it happen in Battletech/Alpha Strike set in current era, which is Dark Ages, or whatever the next era is going to be.

[JadedFalcon]

One of the forum members was kind enough to post a video from the Catalyst Games panel at GenCon this summer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw9P5ji0ous

The issue of Combat Manuals is addressed at some point in the video. The answer in there could be summarized by another disillusioned forum member as "the current management openly admits that they don't know how to market the product."

But there were honest steps taken towards bringing House Steiner and House Davion Combat Manuals to completion, but there is not indication that either will see publication, at least in the previously established format.

Personally, I was quite surprised that the management of the franchise chose to promote Alpha Strike with a past era and miniature derived from 1980s vintage sculpts for a move to revitalize and modernize the game, when the system provided by Alpha Strike lends itself quite well to making an easy to play game using the latest miniatures that Iron Wind Metals is producing and promoting. But my own opinions are quite deluded, so please disregard the commentary.

[Frabby]

My takeaway from the statements was that faction specific books such as the Housebooks and Combat Manuals don't sell well enough compared to products which aren't faction specific, no matter product quality. At the same time they are just as expensive to put together as other products.
The logical consequence is to stop putting out faction-specific books, or at least put their development on the back burner (though even if they're produced with low priority, they have to recoup their production costs to be viable and stocking up on print products that don't sell well is bad as it ties up your money; or you opt for a small print run that will be much more expensive and kill off your margin).

And as for eras... BattleTech (the game) really doesn't need yet another era with new stuff 'n rules. I'm already not using stuff from three out of six major tech eras as it is now (being a classic 3025 player with occasional forays into Star League or Clan tech). I'm not interested in a seventh tech level that I am fairly sure I wouldn't use either.
BattleTech fiction, on the other hand, must continue to advance. I'm just not keen for ever new game mechanics going with this to jump the shark; for me personally the rules have reached a critical threshold here already.

[ussenterprise]

If I play House Liao, where can I find sample formations, especially for the Warrior House Lances?

[worktroll]

If you're looking old-school, may I recommend my Army Report 3025 series? Shameless self-promotion, I know, but these pull on the old, out-of-print, and not-available-free-at-the-moment old House Books from the FASA era.

The Field Manual series (which should be available in e-form in the Battleshop, or via DriveThruRPG) have factional RATs for the FedCom Civil War era, and a ton of flavour text. The FM.Mercs Revised (FPR10977) has a lot on building & running a merc unit, which may well have been superseded by the contents of Campaign Operations.

Hope that is some help!

W.

[glitterboy2098]

i am still of the opinion that the next combat manuals should be Marik and Liao. Davion and Steiner we have a fairly complete image of across the timeframes, due ot how they've been a focus of so much of Battletech's history and materials. the FWL and CapCon not so much.
likewise the Davion and Stainer are fairly straight forward in terms of organizations and tactics. not much in the way of new formations or special rules to cover.

while the CapCon has its various augmented lances and special operations commands, and the FWL its various alternate vehicle organizations. A FWL book would also have to cover the various sub-factions a bit more as well, like the Andurians, or the WOB if it got into the 3050's.

[JadedFalcon]

If I play House Liao, where can I find sample formations, especially for the Warrior House Lances?

The Alpha Strike book has a sample Liao company on page 135. The mechs are from the late Clan Invasion era, after 3055. I'd also recommend starting a thread in the Inner Sphere subforum here asking for mech and/or lance ideas for the era you want to play. For mech selections, I'd recommend using the Master Unit List rather than a Random Assignment Table, particularly since the Warrior Houses were often better equipped than the average Capellan unit.

i am still of the opinion...

I don't disagree with you in regards to Marik and Liao supplements being more interesting, but at this point I'd be happy to see any product support for Alpha Strike.

[Revanche]

If you're looking old-school, may I recommend my Army Report 3025 series? Shameless self-promotion, I know, but these pull on the old, out-of-print, and not-available-free-at-the-moment old House Books from the FASA era.

I'm glad you linked to these; I've been looking thru them for the past hour. They are great, concise 3025 guides and I think great introductory material for new players and groups, also.

Any plans to finish the series (Periphery, Mercenaries, and ComStar)?

[Frabby]

What ComStar army? Move on, nothing to see...

[Major Headcase]

If you're looking old-school, may I recommend my Army Report 3025 series? Shameless self-promotion, I know, but these pull on the old, out-of-print, and not-available-free-at-the-moment old House Books from the FASA era.

The Field Manual series (which should be available in e-form in the Battleshop, or via DriveThruRPG) have factional RATs for the FedCom Civil War era, and a ton of flavour text. The FM.Mercs Revised (FPR10977) has a lot on building & running a merc unit, which may well have been superseded by the contents of Campaign Operations.

Hope that is some help!

W.

I love these little faction handbooks. Best most awesome new player aided EVER.... Thanks a ton Worktroll!! 😍