I didn't play in the day, what would a new CityTech book include? What would make it stand out compared to up and coming starter and regular boxes?
CityTech 1st edition contained a rulebook that had the core BattleTech rules plus roads, buildings, rubble, vehicles and infantry. It redesignated the Autocannon to the AC/5 and added the 2,10 and 20. It had stats for the following mech deisgns: Archer, Crusader, Hunchback, Marauder, Ostroc, Ostscout, Ostsol, Rifleman, Shadow Hawk, Spider, Stalker, and Warhammer. It also has stats for the following vehicles: Condor, Demolisher, Hunter, J. Edgar, Vedette, Wheeled Scout. Like the Merlin is the example for BattleMech construction at this point, a hovertank called the Falcon is used as an example.
In terms of bits it had two copies of the CityTech map, counter sheets with buildings, mechs, vehicles, infantry and faction insignia, and the plastic standees and straight-edges common in BattleTech sets of the day.
CityTech 2nd edition also had rules for roads, buildings, rubble, vehicles and infantry, but added Star League and Clan technology (though some advanced systems such as C3 are omitted). Mech stats are the 3050 versions of the Javelin, Centurion, Orion, and Victor, and the Prime models of the Uller, Black Hawk, Mad Cat and Daishi. Vehicles statted are Condor, Hetzer, and Demolisher.
Included in the box are 2 awful minis for each of the 8 mechs, 2 of the CityTech map, and counter sheets including buildings, vehicles and infantry.