Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine

Picking up the battle-standard for BattleTech fiction, Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine continues the tradition of hard-hitting stories set in the war-torn interstellar future of the 31st century and beyond. Fire up your ‘Mech’s fusion reactor, secure your neurohelmet, and wade into battle with stories from the merciless front lines of the Clan invasion, conspiracy theory articles, game scenarios, and more–from veteran BattleTech authors, fan favorites, and some new recruits.

Originally funded by the BattleTech: Clan Invasion Kickstarter campaign, Shrapnel will be published on an ongoing basis several times per year.

Interested in pitching to Shrapnel? Check out our Submission Guidelines!

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Shrapnel #1 – June 2020

Order Issue #1 now in e-publication and print-on-demand!

Featuring stories and game content from:

Michael A. Stackpole • Blaine Lee Pardoe
Kevin Killiany • Craig A. Reed, Jr.
Chris Hussey • Jason Hansa
Lance Scarinci • Michael J. Ciaravella

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Shrapnel #2 – September 2020

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Featuring stories and game content from veteran BattleTech authors, fan favorites, and our latest enlistees:

Download the record sheets for the Centurion CN10-B, CN10-J, and CN10-W as well as Aleksandr Hazen’s Gyrfalcon 5 here.

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Shrapnel #3 – December 2020

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Featuring stories and game content from BattleTech veterans, fan favorites, and new authors:

Michael A. Stackpole • Loren L. Coleman • Blaine Lee Pardoe • Bryan Young • Bryn Bills • Charles Dalmas • Chris Hussey • Daniel Isberner • Alex Kaempen • Craig A. Reed, Jr. • Eric Salzman • Lance Scarinci • David Smith • Tom Stanley

Download the record sheet for the Thunder Stallion 4 here.

Shrapnel #4 – March 2021

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HEROES OF ALL STRIPES

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine celebrates bravery in all its forms on the triumphant, BattleMech-dominated battlefields of 31st century and beyond! Witness the birth of a new mercenary command in the late Third Succession War, follow a combat medic tackling a precarious injury, learn the true meaning of loyalty during the FedCom Civil War, and track down pirates on a forgotten world in the Periphery. Then don your neurohelmet and push back against the enemy with technical readouts, ghost ship sightings, in-depth technology articles, unit digests, playable scenarios, and more—all from BattleTech veterans and a squad of new authors:

Jason Schmetzer • Harper Brand • Faith McClosky • Giles Gammage • Charles Gideon • David Razi • Marc Follin • James Lee • Aaron Cahall • Michael J. Ciaravella • Matthew Cross • Ken’ Horner • Craig A. Reed, Jr. • Eric Salzman • Joel Steverson • Stephen Toropov

Download the record sheet for two variants of the UM-R90 SuburbanMech here.

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Shrapnel #5 – June 2021

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CONTINUING THE FIGHT…

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine charges toward victory on the war-ravaged, BattleMech-dominated battlefields of 31st century! In these tales, a Republic of the Sphere operative undertakes a personal quest to track down a missing family member, a small, untested mercenary command faces off against vicious pirate raiders, an aging soldier strives to protect an idyllic village on a forgotten world, and Colonel Wayne Waco seeks to exact his revenge against the legendary commander of Wolf’s Dragoons. Configure your target-interlock circuits and hold the line with technical readouts, conspiracy theories, in-depth equipment and tactics articles, a planetary digest, and a glimpse into the future of the new ilClan era—all from BattleTech veterans and new authors:

Michael A. Stackpole • Tom Leveen
Lance Scarinci • Bryan Young
Matt Alexander • Craig A. Reed, Jr.
Paul Sjardijn • Aaron Cahall
Michael J. Ciaravella • Johannes Heidler
Chris Hussey • Daniel Isberner
Mike Miller • Eric Salzman
Joel Steverson

Download the record sheets for the Crusader CRD-9S, the Crusader CRD-10S, and the SM5 Field Commander Prime here.

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Shrapnel #6 – September 2021

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FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE!

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine surges onward, waging wars that will decide the fate of the BattleMech-dominated future of the 31st century and beyond! Follow a quest for quick cash that yields unusual Star League relics. Commiserate with an aging MechWarrior convinced he is cursed with the devil’s luck—which is about to run out. Listen to the tale of how mercenary commander Ace Darwin obtained his iconic ‘Mech—but how much of his story is true? Within these pages, you will visit Terra after the dawn of the ilClan era, venture into the postwar period of the Aurigan Coalition, and travel to the far-flung worlds of the Scorpion Empire in the Deep Periphery. Then you will dive into the intrigue and vice of Solaris VII in the beginning of a new, four-part serial novel.

Choose your plan of attack with technical readouts, after-action reports, a deep dive into plasma technology, a treatise on covert-ops poisons, and a look at Free Worlds League politics, along with playable scenarios and more—all loaded into your autocannon by both BattleTech veterans and new voices from the Inner Sphere:

Blaine Lee Pardoe • Craig A. Reed, Jr.
E. Clark Avery • Jason Schmetzer
James Bixby • M. W. Hayden
Mark Hill • Daniel Isberner
Alexander J. Roth • Ken’ Horner
James Kirtley • Wunji Lau
Eric Salzman • Joel Steverson
Stephen Toropov

Download the record sheet for the Victor C here.

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Shrapnel #7 – December 2021

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Never Surrender!

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine brings you more heavy-hitting action and heroism in the war-torn BattleMech-dominated future of the 31st century and beyond!

A young Periphery volunteer struggles against marauding pirates who have long overstayed their welcome. A small-but-growing mercenary unit faces off against a formidable foe capable of destroying their dreams. A Star League MechWarrior wrestles with an exciting career opportunity on the eve of the war that will change the face of the Inner Sphere forever. Experience the costly Jade Falcon assault on Arc-Royal, return to an idyllic paradise haunted by a specter of the past, and follow a Clan Wolf bondsman’s quest to reunite with his son. Then lurk in the shadows with more cloak-and-dagger plots in the continuation of the four-part serial novel set on the game world of Solaris VII.

Arm yourself with technical readouts, playable scenarios, an in-depth look at the weaponization of gift giving in the Draconis Combine, a glimpse into Clan Sea Fox’s customer service, an article on the importance of battlefield salvage, and more—all from elite BattleTech authors and recruits who have earned their stripes:

Craig A. Reed, Jr. • Tom Leveen
Bryan Young • Julian Michael Carver
E. Stephenson Auerbach • Charles Gideon
J. D. Neal • Curtis O. Thompson
Aaron Cahall • Étienne Charron-Willard
Matthew Cross • Jim Hauser
Wunji Lau • Eric Salzman
Paul Sjardijn • Tom Stanley
Joel Steverson • Chris Wheeler

Download the record sheets for the Hatchetman variants presented in this issue of Shrapnel here.

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Shrapnel #8 – March 2022

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STAY FROSTY!

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine delivers tales of tragedy and triumph amid the struggles of BattleMechs on the battlefields of the 31st century and beyond! A spurned Solaris gladiator enacts a unique brand of payback. A Federated Suns mission to take down the infamous “Lady Death” Trevaline runs afoul of pirate ingenuity. A ex-mercenary on Outreach must risk everything during the Fourth Succession War to protect those who cannot protect themselves. In this issue, you’ll venture into the jungles and avoid native predators while racing to recover lost Star League-era data; discover the truth lurking behind a seemingly unbeatable Word of Blake ‘Mech; and fight to preserve a MechWarrior’s right to crack open a cold, frosty beverage after the battle is done. Then return to the shadows and danger of the Game World with the penultimate part of our Solaris VII serial.

Keep cool under fire with technical readouts, a playable campaign, glimpses at the Malthus Confederation and Canopian pleasure circuses, a guide for new citizens of the Federated Suns, a report on dangerous alien plant life, and much more—all from BattleTech veterans and a few new faces:

Craig A. Reed, Jr. • Jason Hansa
James Bixby • Eric Salzman
Douglas Carruthers • Jeremy Ciccone
Keith R. A. DeCandido • Daniel Isberner
John-David Karnitz • Joshua Franklin
Johannes Heidler • Ken’ Horner
Wunji Lau • Mike Miller
Tom Stanley • Joel Steverson
Stephen Toropov

Download the record sheets for the Gladiator variants and Gray Death Scout armor presented in this issue of Shrapnel here.

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Shrapnel #9 – June 2022

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FIGHT WITH CONFIDENCE

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine delivers tales of tragedy and triumph amid the struggles of BattleMechs on the battlefields of the 31st century and beyond! A spurned Solaris gladiator enacts a unique brand of payback.A rookie MechWarrior fights for independence during the Andurien Wars. The Fox Patrol finds itself on the Mercenary’s Star—and in the middle of a deal gone wrong. In these pages, you’ll travel to a distant Periphery world where a young boy pursues his dreams and witness a rare moment of unity for Clan Fire Mandrill in the Clan Homeworlds. Then return to Solaris VII once more for the conclusion of our Vengeance Games serial, and a close look at a different but familiar kind of competition on the Game World..

No matter your skill at the controls, you can wade confidently into battle with technical readouts, a unit and planet digest, a playable scenario of an unusual Hell’s Horses competition, advice for aging warriors, and a historical look at the capital of the first Star League—brought to you by BattleTech veterans and a handful of new enlistees:

Craig A. Reed, Jr. • Bryan Young
David G. Martin • Étienne Charron-Willard
Alex Fairbanks • Phillip Johnston
Olli Rosnell • David Smith
Alayna M. Weathers • Matthew Cross
Alex Fauth • James Hauser
Daniel Isberner • Ben Klinefelter
Joshua Perian • Eric Salzman

Download the record sheets for the Rattlesnake variants and Longshot variant presented in this issue of Shrapnel here.

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Shrapnel #10 – September 2022

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FIGHT WITH CONFIDENCE

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine hits harder than ever before, launching a double-size issue filled with more BattleMechs and star-spanning conflicts from the 31st century and beyond! Venture into the Reunification War as the Taurian Concordat fights for freedom against the relentless Star League. Wander through libraries filled with forbidden knowledge lost through centuries of constant warfare. Witness the aftermath of House Arano’s bitter civil war, and face down the infamous, unbeatable, all-black Marauder—if you dare…

In this issue, you’ll hunt for a missing DropShip in the distant Periphery, and fight for survival during the most pivotal battle in the Clan Invasion. You’ll brave the chaotic nuclear fires of the Word of Blake’s Jihad and claw your way through Draconis Combine troops threatening your family, determined to survive at any cost.

Fill your double-capacity magazine with a complete novella, technical readouts, a planet and unit digest, playable scenarios, a Clan Invasion campaign, a treatise on troublesome native wildlife, some tips for downtrodden Taurian citizens, and more—all by BattleTech veterans and the next squad of new recruits:

Tom Leveen • Jason Hansa
Lance Scarinci • Jennifer Bixby
Giles Gammage • Geoff Swift
Julian Michael Carver • Matthew Cross
Donavan Dufault • Daniel Isberner
James Lee • Harvey Roberts
Steve P. Vincent • Alayna M. Weathers
James Bixby • Étienne Charron-Willard
Alex Fauth • Joshua Franklin
Ken’ Horner • Wunji Lau
Eric Salzman • Jason Schmetzer
Tom Stanley • Joel Steverson
Stephen Toropov

Download the record sheets for the Hel, Tiburon, and Toro variants presented in this issue of Shrapnel here.

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Shrapnel #11 – December 2022

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RECRUITS WANTED!

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine transports you to the blistering, hard-hitting BattleMech conflicts that ravage the war-torn future of the 31st century and beyond!

A young Jade Falcon cadet must prove her mettle in a Trial of Position against a cunning opponent if she is going to become part of her struggling Clan’s future. Elite aerospace pilots from the Outworlds Alliance and the Snow Ravens meet in a clash for the ages, and a veteran wielding only an implement of peace stands up to defend his home against unusual invaders.

In this issue, you’ll sign up for a notorious mercenary unit and fight through your first day on the job. You’ll jockey to be first across the finish line in a hovertank race fraught with danger. You’ll chase the glory days of a once-noted BattleMech manufacturer in a quest to reinvigorate a declining enterprise and secure your birthright. Will you defeat your demons from the Battle of Tukayyid during battle with would-be conquerors? Will you escape from murderous cartel members, or succumb to the elements in the unrelenting, sun-beaten desert?

Load your chamber with technical articles, a Northwind Highlanders unit digest, a MechWarrior’s catalog of cockpit must-haves, a snow-filled RPG adventure, a BattleForce scenario, and more—all by BattleTech veterans and new enlistees:

Tom Leveen • Bryan Young
Russell Zimmerman • D. G. P. Rector
W. T. Brown • James Hauser
Chris G. Lane • R. J. Thomas
Phillip Johnston • Alayna M. Weathers
James Bixby • Étienne Charron-Willard
Matthew Cross • Wunji Lau
Eric Salzman • Tom Stanley
Stephen Toropov

Download the record sheets for the Battle Cobra variants presented in this issue of Shrapnel here and here.

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Shrapnel #12 – March 2023

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SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE…

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine puts your loyalty to the test amid unrelenting BattleMech combat that spans the war-torn battlefields of the 31st century and beyond!

The head of a security team must seek unusual allies to keep the First Prince of the Federated Suns safe from assassination. An aging Elemental warrior imparts lasting lessons to a young cadet when pirates threaten everything he holds dear. A young IndustrialMech pilot must use the only weapon he knows in the face of rampaging occupiers.

In this issue, you’ll visit the Unwearied Second’s 1,000th birthday celebration, a gala attended by the upper crust of Lyran society. Then roll up your sleeves and dive into testing a dangerous but poweful experimental weapon system. Stand firm with the Nova Cats, who try to hold back the inevitable tide of destiny, and travel to the Mercenary’s Star to navigate through scams and con artists in order to find the right outfit to call home.

Sign your contract and seek victory, with the help of mercenary-advice articles, technical readouts, unit digests, an in-depth look at the true nature of the “Death to Mercenaries” edict, and more—all by BattleTech veterans and new recruits

Tom Leveen • Geoff “Doc” Swift
Charles Gideon • Robert Schubert
James Bixby • Alan Brundage
Kelvin Casing • Jason DeSouza
James Kirtley • Craig A. Reed, Jr.
Alayna M. Weathers • Alex Fauth
Jason Hansa • Ken’ Horner
Chris Hussey • Daniel Isberner
Ben Klinefelter • Matt Larson
Wunji Lau • Lorcan Nagle
Eric Salzman • Stephen Toropov

Download the record sheets for the Jinggau variants presented in this issue of Shrapnel here.

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Shrapnel #13 – June 2023

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Push Your Luck!

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine gives you the weapons you need to triumph when battlefield tragedy strikes and the odds are stacked against you. Forge on through the unforgiving BattleMech warfare of the 31st century and beyond!

Two brothers on opposite sides of an Inner Sphere-wide war run into each other at the flashpoint of a local struggle. A captured wet-navy vessel patrolling a critical river stands alone against the Draconis Combine’s oppressive occupation of Verthandi. A group of friends on a dying planet in the Davion Outback undertake a risky and dangerous mission to escape the system on the last departing DropShip, and a young mercenary on his first assignment must choose which inevitable losses will weigh less on his conscience.

In this issue, you’ll charge headlong into danger in the cockpit of a fragile but fleet ’Mech that loves to run at full throttle. Then you’ll confront incredible four-against-one odds in a vicious gladiatorial event that will be talked about for decades to come. Wander into a vast megaforest where brutal Marian Hegemony troops could spring an ambush at any moment, then wade through a mist-filled city guarded a mysterious protector who will stop at nothing to defend their home.

Burn some sage, grab your rabbit’s foot, and knock on wood as you march on through bad luck with a look at a cursed cooling suit, the logs of a JumpShip that misjumped on Friday the 13th, a guide to unique battlefield geography, a peek at the culture and Machiavellian politics of the Raven Alliance, a Unit Digest for the hard-luck mercenaries of Wilson’s Hussars, along with technical readouts, playable scenarios, RPG adventures, and more—all by BattleTech veterans and some newcomers:

Tom Leveen • Geoff “Doc” Swift
Charles Gideon • Robert Schubert
James Bixby • Alan Brundage
Kelvin Casing • Jason DeSouza
James Kirtley • Craig A. Reed, Jr.
Alayna M. Weathers • Alex Fauth
Jason Hansa • Ken’ Horner
Chris Hussey • Daniel Isberner
Ben Klinefelter • Matt Larson
Wunji Lau • Lorcan Nagle
Eric Salzman • Stephen Toropov

Download the record sheets for the Albatross variants presented in this issue of Shrapnel here.

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Shrapnel #14 – September 2023

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WATCH YOUR SIX!

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine brings you more hard-hitting BattleMech action from the heavy-metal wars of the 31st century and beyond—but don’t let your guard down!

A loyal Republic of the Sphere MechWarrior must make a life-or-death decision when catastrophic news from Terra throws everything into chaos. A sheriff on a Periphery backwater planet investigates mysterious murders terrorizing a community. A desperate survivor of the Clan Invasion seeks revenge against the Jade Falcons while he still has the chance…

In this issue, you’ll travel to the Hanseatic League in the Deep Periphery, where the Scorpion Empire will stop at nothing to obtain a priceless Star League-era relic. Then witness the first Marauder built in the new millennium walk off the assembly line, face a so-called zombie ’Mech arisen from the grave, and discover how to effectively weaponize a BattleMech’s operating system.

No matter the situation, you can stay out of harm’s way by reviewing a most-wanted list of criminals and assassins, a roster of the Marian Hegemony’s Legion of the Dead, technical readouts, unit and planet digests, playable scenarios, a campaign set in the resource-poor wilds of the Third Succession War, and more—all by battle-hardened BattleTech authors and some new boot-camp graduates:

Bryan Young • Chris Hussey
Marc Follin • Jaymie Wagner
James Bixby • J. D. Neal
Jeremy A. Reynolds • David Stier
Geoff “Doc” Swift • Étienne Charron-Willard
James Kirtley • Matt Larson
Lorcan Nagle • Eric Salzman
Zac Schwartz • Tom Stanley
Stephen Toropov • Chris Wheeler

Download the record sheets for the Shadow Hawk variants presented in this issue of Shrapnel here.

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Shrapnel #15 – December 2023

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Always Read the Fine Print

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine is your go-to source for brutal, heavy-metal BattleMech action across the battlefields of the 31st century and beyond — and now it’s bigger than ever before! This special double-size issue is jam-packed with the true currency of the Inner Sphere: mercenary troops!

To reclaim a priceless personal memento, the Gray Death Legion must teach a young noble an invaluable lesson. The Northwind Highlanders, facing the loss of everything they hold dear, must defend their homeworld by forcing House Davion to pay in blood for every centimeter they gain. When the Crescent Hawks discover a lost family member might still be alive, they will stop at nothing to find her and bring her home.

In this issue, you’ll search for the fabled city of gold in the former Rim Worlds Republic, witness the Kell Hounds interview a new recruit with an unusual connection to Morgan Kell himself, and learn the trials and tribulations of a novice mercenary on a long-haul space journey for the first time. Experience the true cost of losing a personal ’Mech in battle, evade competing mercenary units fighting over your secret cargo, and raid a lost vault for invaluable treasure on behalf of a prestigious collector.

Whatever the job, there’s always soldiers of fortune ready to sign on the dotted line, and they can build their legend with content such as advice articles on how to run a mercenary unit and negotiate favorable contracts; Unit and Planet Digests for intel on the competition; technical readouts on unique ’Mechs; various downtime entertainment options; playable scenarios to test your tactical chops; and much more—all by veteran BattleTech authors and a new addition to the roster:

Michael A. Stackpole • Bryan Young
Chris Purnell • Jason Schmetzer
Daniel Isberner • Alan Brundage
James Kirtley • Robin Briseño
James Bixby • Giles Gammage
Jason Hansa • James Hauser
Tom Leveen • David Martin
Lance Scarinci • Jaymie Wagner
Russell Zimmerman • Alex Fauth
Stephan Frabartolo • Johannes Heidler
Ken’ Horner • Wunji Lau
Lorcan Nagle • Eric Salzman
Zac Schwartz • Ed Stephens
Stephen Toropov

Download the record sheets for the BattleMech variants presented in this issue of Shrapnel here.

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Shrapnel #16 – March 2024

Order Issue #16 in e-publication and print-on-demand!

Brace for Impact!

Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine is your ultimate target for tales of hard-hitting, explosive BattleMech action across the battlefields of the 31st century and beyond!

Trapped on a forgotten planet, a lone MechWarrior fighting to survive must stay one step ahead of the relentless barbarians hunting her down. Amid a naval battle for the ages, a damage-control technician will do his part to put an end to the ultimate evil in human-habited space. And during the Wars of Reaving, a Clan technician given the ultimate opportunity must guard her secret, even if it leads to her grave…

In this issue, you’ll travel to the edge of the Periphery, where a dying, sun-baked world breathes its last gasp; you’ll follow a daring criminal cult in search of the ultimate victims in the Capellan Confederation; and you’ll have to outsmart or outfight other pirates to keep them from stealing your ultimate score out from beneath you… Plus, brace yourself for the exciting conclusion of the serial novel Lone Wolf and Fox, by Bryan Young.

No matter where you go in the Inner Sphere, conflict will inevitably find you, and the surefire way to defend yourself against it is with articles on arms dealers to either buy from or hunt down, spacefaring threats both real and imagined, and the best methods for transporting your weapons of war. Then go deeper into the trenches with unit and planet digests, technical readouts, a cautionary tale of ten playable pilots, and more—all by BattleTech authors both new and old:

Bryan Young • Craig A. Reed, Jr.
Steve P. Vincent • Devin Ramsey
Benjamin Joseph • David Razi
Russell Zimmerman • Jennifer Bixby
Alex Fauth • Ken’ Horner
Wunji Lau • Jamie Kaiju Marriage
Mike Miller • Lance Scarinci
Zac Schwartz • Tom Stanley
Jaymie Wagner • Chris Wheeler

Download the record sheets for the BattleMech variants presented in this issue of Shrapnel here.