Bosefius sent me here. if it needs to be moved, fire away.
In my
initial offering, I only covered a limited number of product series. Below (eventually) are all print and PDF products produced by Catalyst Game Labs, FanPro, and FASA. The aim is to allow new players to see how various materials fit within the structure of the product line. For a more in-depth look at what these books cover, I encourage you to take a look at the BattleTech Wiki (
www.sarna.net). There is A LOT here (I still have to add all the FASA stuff and outdated FanPro rules!). Don’t panic. BattleTech is a buffet. Don’t try to heap everything on your plate in one go.
If you are looking to see how these books fit within the established timeline, see my posts
here and
hereIf you are interested in which titles are currently available via print on demand, see
this threadFASA PRINT SOURCEBOOKSFIELD MANUALSPerhaps the most comprehensive looks at militaries to date, the FASA Field Manual series covered the structure, traditions, and history of various factional armies. This series was based in-universe chronologically between 3057 (Kurita) and 3064 (Periphery).
Capellan Confederation
ComStar
Crusader Clans
Draconis Combine
Federated Suns
Free Worlds League
Lyran Alliance
Mercenaries
Periphery
Warden Clans
MECHWARRIOR'S GUIDESMechWarrior's 3rd Edition added a trio of sourcebooks that fleshed out the game universe during the late clan invasion.
LosTech: The MechWarrior Equipment Guide
MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans
MechWarrior's Guide to Solaris VII
SCENARIO PACKSFASA released a number of scenario packs that recounted the actions of famous units, and later campaigns based on the fiction. Each book contains around a dozen fixed-roster scenarios. Depending on the book, various rule systems are supported.
UNIT-BASED
The Black Thorns
Cranston Snord's Irregulars
Day of Heroes
The Fox's Teeth
Gray Death Legion
The Kell Hounds
McCarron's Armored Cavalry
More Tales from the Black Widow
Rhonda's Irregulars
Rolling Thunder
Sorenson's Sabersck Widow
Northwind Highlanders
Tales of the Black Widow Company
CAMPAIGN/EVENT-BASED
The Battle for Coventry
The Battle for Twycross
BattlePack: Fourth Succession War
The Dragon Roars
The Falcon and the Wolf
The Fall of Terra
First Strike!
The Fourth Succession War Scenarios v1
The Galtor Campaign (BattleForce 1)
Luthien
Operation: Flashpoint
Operation: Stiletto
Tukayyid
Twilight of the Clans
SUCCESSION-WARS ERA SOURCEBOOKSFrom 1984-1989, FASA mostly focused mostly on the years 3025-3030. This saw the release of a number of seminal foundation-establishing volumes including the 3025 House Books. 20 Year Update fast-forwarded and provided a synopsis from the end of the Fourth Succession War in 3030 up to the beginning of the Clan Invasion in 3030.
STAR-LEAGUE ERA
The Star League
SUCCESSION WARS-ERA
20 Year Update
Camospecs: A Guide to Regimental Paint Scheme
Dropships and Jumpships
House Liao: The Capellan Confederation
House Kurita: The Draconis Combine
House Davion: The Federated Suns
House Marik: The Free Worlds League
House Steiner: The Lyran Commonwealth
Mercenary's Handbook
NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2
The Periphery
Wolf's Dragoons
CLAN INVASION-ERA SOURCEBOOKSUpon transitioning to the Clan Invasion in 1990, FASA released a a number of sourcebooks that bolstered the edges around the main storyline presented in the novels.
1st Somerset Strikers (Cartoon SB)
Chaos March
The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky
ComStar
Explorer Corps
The Fall of Terra
Inner Sphere
Intelligence Operations Handbook
Invading Clans
Jade Falcon Sourcebook
Mercenary's Handbook 3055
Objective Raids
The Periphery, 2nd Ed
Solaris: The Reaches
Wolf Clan Sourcebook
TECHNICAL READOUTSAs mentioned in the main guide, TROs represent the most fundamentally consistent entry into the BattleTech Universe, extending back to 1986. These volumes act as part hardware, part setting book. TROs that are named for a specific year are based (if you can believe it) in that year on the cover. The lore within is treated as the present tense, often giving a number of updates regarding technological progress or military actions.
Technical Readout: 3025
Technical Readout: 3026
Technical Readout: 2750
Technical Readout: 3050
Technical Readout: 3055
Technical Readout: 3057
Technical Readout: 3058
Technical Readout: 3060
FANPRO AND CATALYST PRINT SOURCEBOOKSILCLAN ERA SOURCEBOOKSWith the fall of Terra to Clan Wolf, we see the end of the Dark Age (first launched as the setting for the MechWarrior: Dark Age collectable miniatures game in 2002) and the beginning of the first era with a truly unknown outcome since the outbreak of the FedCom Civil War around 2000.
Shattered Fortress (not technically part of this era but if nothing else the prologue)
ilClan
Tamar Rising
Empire Alone ('22)
Dominions Divided ('22)
A TIME OF WAR - FREE RPG DAY ADVENTURES From 2012-2015, CGL released an intro RPG scenario for A Time of War in a dual flip book that also included the Shadowrun QS rules. They were not widely distributed, but can be found on the secondary market occasionally.
Quick Plans (BT) / A Night on the Town (SR) (2012)
Plan B (BT) / Fast Food Fight (SR) (2013)
Character Assassination! (BT) / Spoiled Rotten! (SR) (2014)
Down and out in the Barrens (BT) / Return to Sender! (SR) (2015)
COMBAT MANUALSAh, Combat Manuals, we barely knew ye. A pair of these books were produced for use with the Alpha Strike rules set in 2016, bringing a more traditional army book format to a franchise known for its total disregard for force building norms. Several were planned but the series was shelved indefinitely. Pity. They’re outstanding.
Combat Manual: Mercenaries
Combat Manual: Kurita
Last Entry: 2016
ERA REPORTSThese books serve as synopsis of events leading up to the year on the cover and a replacement for the House Handbook Series (see below) that gives socio-political and military updates for each faction active in the universe at the time. Also included are Chaos Campaign rules for playing scenarios and games with more flavor specific to that timeframe as well as roleplaying rules for era-specific characters using the Time of War RPG system.
Last Entry: 2013
Era Report: 2750
Era Report: 3052
Era Report: 3062
Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents (this is not a true ER, but its formatting ostensively makes it ER: 3075)
ER: 3145
FIELD MANUALSField Manuals began in the late 90s as a means of delivering a comprehensive overview of factional militaries. Those single-faction volumes remain among the most thorough insights into the various armies in the BattleTech universe yet printed and remain an invaluable resource. After the closing of FASA, the format switched from single faction to a complete universe overview by era. The original series will be listed in the FASA books section.
Last Entry: 2013
Field Manual: SLDF (ca 2766)
Field Manual: Periphery (Reprint) (ca 3063)
Field Manual: Update (ca 3067)
Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised (ca 3067)
Field Manual: 3085
Field Manual: 3145
There are also a few volumes that serve as updates to FM: Mercs with additional unit profiles and the fates of the more prominent commands during the early years of the Jihad.
Mercenaries Supplemental
Mercenaries Supplemental II
Mercenaries Supplemental Update
HISTORICALSThe Historical series began as a way to explore events that occurred previous to the “rolling front” of the expanding timeline. Eventually Historicals would be released on events spanning between 2550 and 3100. The more fluid coverage throughout the timeline provided by CGL has largely made the title Historical anachronistic and will no longer be used as a product series. Rather, sourcebooks will simply be published without attachment to a particular categorization.
Last Entry: now are just standard sourcebooks without the branding
Historical: War of 3039
Historical: Brush Wars
Historical: Operation Klondike
Historical: Reunification War
Historical: Liberation of Terra v1
Historical: Liberation of Terra v2
Historical: Wars of the Republic Era
First Succession War*
Second Succession War*
*these two books do not carry the Historical title but do follow with the sequential product codes of the Historical series.
HOUSE HANDBOOKSIn a reprise of the original housebooks released in the mid 80s, FanPro and CGL updated the series for the then-current date of 3067, just before the outbreak of the Word of Blake Jihad. Extremely poor sales prevented the series from being completed until 2015 (though arguably HB: House Kurita by Ben Rome was the superior entry of the series… best for last, I suppose). Each contains an extensive socio-political overview of the Great State in question. Also included are roleplaying rules for more specialized characters from that faction – unfortunately the RPG rules changed editions halfway through the series and the FanPro volumes especially have unusable rules under A Time of War.
Last Entry: 2015
Handbook: House Steiner (FanPro)
Handbook: House Marik (FanPro)
Handbook: House Davion (FanPro)
Handbook: Major Periphery States (CGL)
Handbook: House Liao (CGL)
Handbook: House Kurita (CGL)
JIHAD-ERA SOURCEBOOKSCatalyst took over for FanPro soon after the launch of the Jihad and as such is their first well-canvased time period. There are two types of sourcebooks from this era: In-character, on-the-ground accounts of the unfolding conflict known as Hot Spots, and more traditional sourcebooks. The existence of the Hotspots volumes was a compromise by the development staff as, at the time, no new novels could be produced.
Current Status: Since the Jihad is no longer the “present” era, they are no longer needed. Interstellar Players would be the most likely to see reincarnation in some form.
Hot SpotsAs mentioned, these attempted to walk a line between true sourcebooks and in-character storytelling – generally over a two year period. Included in each are a number of scenarios that allow you to play a Chaos Campaign for the years covered in the book. These scenarios were adjusted and compiled into the campaign book
Total Chaos near the end of CGL’s Jihad coverage.
Dawn of the Jihad (3068-3069) (FanPro)
Hot Spots: 3070 (FanPro)
Blake Ascending (CGL-produced omnibus of DotJ and HS:3070)
Hot Spots: 3076
Hot Spots: Terra (3077-78)
Interstellar PlayersThese books serve as plothook ideas based around rumors and conspiracy theories for campaigns set just before, during, and after the Jihad. The format allows GMs to explore the possibility that the rumors are, in fact, true.
Interstellar Players
Jihad Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2
Interstellar Players 3: Interstellar Expeditions
Traditional SourcebooksThe Jihad also featured a number of more traditional sourcebooks that presented information in a less fictionalized manner (I say less because all BT sourcebooks are presented as documents created by people living within the universe with a specific epoch and perspective)
Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents (a synopsis of events up to ca 3075 with a state of the universe synopsis for that date)
Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers
The Wars of Reaving (what was going on in the Clan Homeworlds during the Jihad. Spoilers: it was not good)
Jihad: Final Reckoning (this is how the world ends… definitely with a bang)
RECORD SHEETS: PRINT EDITIONThis relatively short-lived series was designed as part record sheet book with a datasheet for each of the ‘Mechs included in a particular TRO, and part rules expansion with selections from Total Warfare and Tactical Operations to expand gameplay. These are not to be confused with the
Unabridged PDF record sheet volumes.
Here you see the example of 3039 (Print) vs 3039 Unabridged. PDF record sheet books show a mech on a white background vs the old print volumes that use the TRO’s cover art. NOTE the exception to this are the PDF books Record Sheets: Succession Wars and Record Sheets: Clan Invasion.
Record Sheets: 3039
Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrade
Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrade
Record Sheets: 3058 Upgrade
Record Sheets: 3060
Record Sheets: 3075
Record Sheets: 3085
Record Sheets: Prototypes
*There was no print record sheet book for TRO: 3067 and the series is almost certainly discontinued
CAMPAIGN BOOKSStarting with the Jihad, FanPro introduced the Warchest system, aka the Chaos Campaign, which introduced a flexible, abstracted campaign system. While these "tracks," or missions, can be found in a variety of sourcebooks including Jihad Hotspots and Era Reports, a number of dedicated campaign books have been produced.
Starterbook: Sword and Dragon
Starterbook: Wolf and Blake
Total Chaos (a compilation of the CC tracks in the Hot Spots and other Jihad books)
Battle of Tukayyid
TECHNICAL READOUTSWhen FanPro took over the BattleTech license in 2002, one of the main focuses was to reprint as many of the extant TROs with new branding. They would also release two new TROs - 3067 and Vehicle Annex. Additionally, three volumes received “Upgrade” editions where the text within was rewritten to reflect the current date (at the time of publication) within the universe’s moving timeline – in this case, the 3070s. Catalyst continued the tradition with several new volumes between 3075 and 3150. Recently, two new entries have covered "historical" periods - the nascent Clan's emerging supertech in the early 2800s (Golden Century) and a collection of militarized industrialmechs that became common in the early Dark Age (Irregulars).
Last Entry: The last "Year on the Cover" TRO was released in 2015 while the last three have been compilations. The Recognition Guide: ilClan series is now serving a similar purpose
CATALYST
TRO 3039 (Combined the venerable TRO 3025 and 3026 into one volume with new text)
TRO 3050 Upgrade
TRO 3055 Upgrade (Reprint)
TRO 3058 Upgrade (Reprint)
TRO 3060 (Reprint)
TRO 3067 (Reprint)
TRO Vehicle Annex, Revised (PDF (now), PoD (Soon))
TRO 3075
TRO 3085
TRO 3085, Supplemental (PDF Only)
TRO Prototypes
TRO 3145
TRO 3145, Faction Series (PDF Only)
TRO 3150
TRO: Golden Century (PDF/PoD)
TRO: Irregulars (PDF/PoD)
FANPRO
TRO 3025, Revised (Reprint)
TRO 3026 (Reprint)
TRO 3055 Upgrade
TRO 3057, Revised
TRO 3058 Upgrade
TRO 3060 (Reprint)
TRO Project Phoenix
TRO 3067 (there are two FanPro printings with two different product codes)
TRO Vehicle Annex
Technical Readouts – CompilationsTo reduce the number of TROs that need to remain in print and also the burden on the consumer, CGL began amalgamating various TROs by official era rather than by year with a more limited selection of mechs. There are currently three such TROs. Each increases the technological sophistication used in your games. Note that there will not be a FedCom Civil War volume to match the era progression because of the relatively short length. Those units have been split between Clan Invasion and Jihad volumes.
TRO: Succession Wars (designs from 2500s-3030)
TRO: Clan Invasion
TRO: Jihad
OTHER SOURCEBOOKSThese didn’t have a home =(
House Arano
FedCom Civil War
CGL PDF-EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTSBATTLETECH ADVENTURESA Time of War RPG adventures released on Halloween from 2013-2015 and on April Fool's in 2021. They are the only stand-alone modules for the RPG scale.
Necromo Nightmare
Empires Aflame
War of the Tripods
Escape from Castle Wolfensteiner
CHAOS CAMPAIGNSThe most current stand-alone ruleset to run Chaos Campaign / Warchest system scenarios. Succession Wars (free in PDF) is designed to demonstrate how to construct mini campaigns in the same era as the Box Set takes place)
Chaos Campaign: Succession Wars
DOSSIERSDesigned as accompanying products for certain Iron Wind Metals lance packs. They provide histories for the pilots of the specialized machines contained in the pack. Also included are full A Time of War stats for each MechWarrior
Last Entry: 2012
Dossiers: Jason Zaklan
Dossiers: Lamenkov’s Liability
Dossiers: Salazar Tsakalotos
Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter
Dossiers: Youling Zhanshi
Era DigestsLike the larger Era Reports, digests were designed to give an overall picture of a specific era. Due to their smaller size, they did not attempt to give coverage to every faction, but did give a macro picture of the time period in question and introduced some new units.
Last Entry: 2014
Era Digest: Age of War
Era Digest: Golden Century
Era Digest: Dark Age
Field ReportsMiniaturized Field Manuals designed as a check-in with a specific faction’s overall forces and deployment. Two series were produced: Field Reports, which covered the condition of various militaries near the end of the Jihad in 3079 and Era Report 2765, which covered each faction on the even of the Amaris Civil War that led to the downfall of the Star League.
Last Entry: 2014
Field Report 2765: AFFS
Field Report 2765: CCAF
Field Report 2765: DCMS
Field Report 2765: FWLM
Field Report 2765: LCAF
Field Report 2765: Periphery
Field Report: AFFS (all ca 3079)
Field Report: CCAF
Field Report: Clans
Field Report: DCMS
Field Report: FWLM
Field Report: LAAF
Field Report: Periphery
OBJECTIVESStyled after the FASA sourcebook Objective Raids, the Objectives series sought to catalog the industrial capabilities of each major faction around the same time as the above Field Report series: 3079 right at the end of the Jihad. In many ways, this series served as a damage report for the Jihad at large, which saw the destruction of dozens of ‘Mech factories. While a hugely valuable resource, the series was incredibly difficult to produce and sold extremely poorly - but still serves as one of the most complete pictures of military industry in the game’s history.
Last Entry: 2013
Objectives: AFFS (all ca 3079)
Objectives: CCAF
Objectives: Clans
Objectives: DCMS
Objectives: FWLM
Objectives: LAAF
Objectives: Periphery
RECOGNITION GUIDE: ILCLANIn order to bring a number of machines up to speed technologically for the ilClan era beginning in 3151, CGL has developed a PDF series to bring new variants to old chasses. Special focus is being given to ‘Mechs in the Clan Invasion Kickstarter, though others will make appearances. Each volume of the twenty-two planned will include six to nine ‘Mechs complete with new record sheets to plug the new variants right away into your games. A print on demand compilation of a selection of ‘Mechs from these guides will be released upon the completion of the series.
Recognition Guide: ilClan v01
Recognition Guide: ilClan v02
Recognition Guide: ilClan v03
Recognition Guide: ilClan v04
Recognition Guide: ilClan v05
Recognition Guide: ilClan v06
Recognition Guide: ilClan v07
Recognition Guide: ilClan v08
Recognition Guide: ilClan v09
Recognition Guide: ilClan v10
Recognition Guide: ilClan v11
Recognition Guide: ilClan v12
Recognition Guide: ilClan v13
Recognition Guide: ilClan v14
Recognition Guide: ilClan v15
Recognition Guide: ilClan v16
Recognition Guide: ilClan v17
Recognition Guide: ilClan v18
Recognition Guide: ilClan v19
Recognition Guide: ilClan v20
Recognition Guide: ilClan v21
Recognition Guide: ilClan v22
Recognition Guide: ilClan v23
Recognition Guide: ilClan v24
RECORD SHEETS (PDF)These record sheet books are designed to provide all of the variants (at the time of the publication) for each unit in the matching TRO. Many have multiple volumes and most provide several hundred record sheets for all unit types present including vehicles, battle armor, and aerospace fighters.
Last Entry: 2020
FOR TROS BY YEAR
Record Sheets: 3039 Unabridged
Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrade Unabridged Clan and Star League
Record Sheets: 3050 Upgrade Unabridged Inner Sphere
Record Sheets: 3055 Upgrade Unabridged
Record Sheets: 3058 Upgrade Unabridged Clan
Record Sheets: 3058 Upgrade Unabridged Inner Sphere
Record Sheets: 3060 Unabridged
Record Sheets: 3067 Unabridged
Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged Age of War
Record Sheets: 3075 Unabridged The Cutting Edge
Record Sheets: 3085 Old is the New New
Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged Project Phoenix
Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged The Cutting Edge
Record Sheets: 3145 New Tech New Upgrades
Record Sheets: 3145 Unabridged
FOR COMPILATION TROS
Record Sheets: Clan Invasion
Record Sheets: Succession Wars
Record Sheets: Jihad (presumably coming soon)
FOR OTHER SOURCEBOOKS
Record Sheets: Operation Klondike
Record Sheets: Sword and Dragon
Record Sheets: Vehicle Annex Industrial ‘Mechs and Exoskeletons
SPOTLIGHT ONUnit histories for some of the more colorful and interesting combat commands. Besides tracing the origins and catching up with involvement in current events, each volume also provides an order of battle and record sheets for both standard and Alpha Strike level play over at least two eras.
Last Enry: 2022
Spotlight On: Crescent Hawks
Spotlight On: Crimson Seeker Star
Spotlight On: First Marik Protectors
Spotlight On: Holt’s Hilltoppers
Spotlight On: Nakayama’s Blood
Spotlight On: Stone’s Trackers
Spotlight On: The Crazy Eights
Spotlight On: Unending Faith
Spotlight On: Thermo Police
Spotlight On: Schmidt's Petaries
Spotlight On: Hellion Keshik
SUPPLEMENTALSTRO 3085 and the Wars of Reaving both received a PDF exclusive supplemental that introduced more units. The WoR volume also serves as an epilogue to the sourcebook that details the state of the Clan Homeworlds and survivors.
Battle of Tukkayid Supplemental
TRO 3085 Supplemental
Wars of Reaving Supplemental
TECHNICAL READOUTS - 3145 FACTION SERIES (PDF EXCLUSIVE)TRO 3145 debuted in two formats: a traditional print edition and a series of faction-specific PDFs. Fans became ornery when they discovered that not all of the units included in the PDFs were in the print volume. Whether in response to criticism or as part of the plan, CGL then released TRO: 3150 a year and a half, which contained the missing units.
TRO 3145: Capellan Confederation
TRO 3145: Draconis Combine
TRO 3145: Federated Suns
TRO 3145: Free Worlds League
TRO 3145: Lyran Commonwealth
TRO 3145: Mercenaries
TRO 3145: Republic of the Sphere
TRO 3145: The Clans
Touring the StarsThe BattleTech Universe is home to over 3,000 inhabited planets that possess a dizzying array of environments, cultures, and histories. Touring the Stars seeks to fill in some of the gaps on a variety of planets from luxuriously wealth worlds to barely sustainable hellholes. Also included are roleplaying plothooks specific to the planet’s unique circumstances. A PoD compilation of current and planned upcoming entries is scheduled for late 2020/early 2021.
Last Entry: 2020
Touring the Stars: Benet III
Touring the Stars: Bob
Touring the Stars: Bone-Norman
Touring the Stars: Braunschweig
Touring the Stars: Brownsville
Touring the Stars: Butte Hold
Touring the Stars: Granada
Touring the Stars: Gulf Breeze
Touring the Stars: Hall
Touring the Stars: Herotitus
Touring the Stars: Inglesmond
Touring the Stars: Ionus
Touring the Stars: Iron Land
Touring the Stars: Jardine
Touring the Stars: Kandersteg
Touring the Stars: Kaumberg
Touring the Stars: Kerensky's Vision
Touring the Stars: Lone Star
Touring the Stars: Manassas
Touring the Stars: McEvedy’s Folly
Touring the Stars: Mizar
Touring the Stars: Noisiel
Touring the Stars: Old Kentucky
Touring the Stars: Promised Land
Touring the Stars: Regis Roost
Touring the Stars: Rigil Kentarus
Touring the Stars: Sherwood
Touring the Stars: Stotzing
Touring the Stars: Tortuga Prime
Touring the Stars: Tyrfing
Touring the Stars: Valencia
Touring the Stars: Wynn’s Roost
Turning PointsThese scenarios allow players to replicate famous and obscure conflicts alike throughout BattleTech’s history. Unlike FASA’s traditional scenario books, these entries use the Chaos Campaign system to allow players a free hand in determining the size and depth of their games. Originally, prefixes were added to designate the time period in which these modules took place. Starting in 2015 with TP: Irian, all entries in the series simply took the standard name Turning Points. A subseries entitled Operational Turning Points allows players to play through larger campaigns based on a several worlds rather than the single-world campaigns conventional Turning Points offer.
Last Entry: 2020
Dark Age Turning Points: Liao
Dark Age Turning Points: Vega
Historical Turning Points: Antallos
Historical Turning Points: Galtor
Historical Turning Points: Glengarry
Historical Turning Points: Luzerne
Historical Turning Points: Mallory’s World
Historical Turning Points: Misery
Historical Turning Points: New Dallas
Historical Turning Points: Tortuga
Jihad Turning Points: Atreus
Jihad Turning Points: Dieron
Jihad Turning Points: Hesperus II
Jihad Turning Points: Luthien
Jihad Turning Points: New Avalon
Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad
Jihad Turning Points: Sian
Operational Turning Points: Capellan Crusades
Operational Turning Points: Death to Mercenaries!
Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade
Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion
Operational Turning Points: Fronc Reaches
Operational Turning Points: Revival Trials
Operational Turning Points: The Red Corsair
Operational Turning Points: Widowmaker Absorption
Turning Points: Arcturus
Turning Points: Epsilon Eridani
Turning Points: Irian
Turning Points: Orbisonia
Turning Points: Tokasha
Turning Points: Tyrfing
Turning Points: War of 3039 Vega
EXPERIMENTAL TECHNICAL READOUTS (XTROs)Since the days of the Tactical Handbook, FASA kept experimental technology largely separated from conventional play. Indeed the bulk of canon variants that used such equipment were literally confined to the arenas of Solaris VII. As the timeline advanced into the late 3070s, CGL decided to break that barrier and begin integrating more advanced technology into the mainstream. XTROs represented the steps being taken by every faction to prototype advanced gear as quickly as possible against their enemies (principally the Word of Blake, who unleashed their own shenanigans). Most volumes are set in the late 3070s, but a number of entries in the series would extend backwards into the Age of War and Star League eras. This five-volume set known as the Primitives series chronicles the efforts of Terran Hegemony and other nations’ scientists to bring forth BattleMech and other groundbreaking technologies in the 2300-2500s. Later, three volumes detailed the bleeding-edge tech being unleashed by the Republic of the Sphere and their enemies in the 3130s and 3140s.
Last Entry: 2021
AGE OF WAR AND STAR LEAGUE
XTRO: Primitives v1
XTRO: Primitives v2
XTRO: Primitives v3
XTRO: Primitives v4
XTRO: Primitives v5
XTRO: Gunslingers (Star League)
JIHAD
XTRO: Boondocks
XTRO: Clans
XTRO: ComStar
XTRO: Corporations
XTRO: Davion
XTRO: Gladiators
XTRO: Kurita
XTRO: Liao
XTRO: Marik
XTRO: Mercenaries
XTRO: Most Wanted
XTRO: Periphery
XTRO: Phantoms
XTRO: Pirates
XTRO: RetroTech
XTRO: Steiner
REPUBLIC / DARK AGE
XTRO: Royal Fantasy (April Fool’s Day 2014)
XTRO: Republic v1
XTRO: Republic v2
XTRO: Republic v3
XTRO: Caveat Emptor (April Fool's Day 2021)
OTHERS/MULTI-ERA
XTRO: 1945 (April Fool’s day 2013)
XTRO: Boondoggles
XTRO: Succession Wars