IO Development: More Alternate Eras work

There are absolutely times when Herb and I take a look at the Core Rulebook line and shrink back at the shear magnitude of all we’ve wrought. And as I’m diving into IO and working hard to successfully cap-off the previous 5 books as thoroughly as possible, I’m quelling a little at the scope of it and how many more words and rules will go into this.

At the same time, I’ve always said that unlike previous rulebooks, this current line was about the “whole-kitchen-sink”. It means there’s a lot of rules that not every playing group is going to enjoy or even want on their game table. But hopefully, the depth of everything we’re trying to cover means that for every single gaming group there’s some very cool, new material that’ll be put to use.

As I watch the fifth Historical book publish and see the community’s great reactions to Liberation of Terra, Vol 1, I’m struck again at the coolness of providing not just more fleshed out universe details, but actual rules for playing in any of the eras of BattleTech. And as much as the last 4 years have seen us flesh out the back history of BattleTech more than at any previous time, there’s even a time before the Age of War. As I’m working on the Primitive Construction Rules for the Alternate Eras section of IO, I’ve run into my absolutely favorite table so far in this section.

In 27 years of BatteTech, I don’t believe there’s been any hard rules that not only go back that far in time, but to see the Terran Alliance on a table…just makes me smile. Reminds me all over again that while some players may look at these rules and decide it’s just not for them, there are other groups that will be bouncing in their seat, excited to finally have rules that mesh with continuity and our current rules set for this most obscure era. I know I am…

See ya next time.

Randall