BattleTech: A look at the history and rules of the game

The massive Timber Wolf BattleMech stood before Seraphine in the hangar. Tension washed over her as she gazed at the giant metal machine. Her palms grew sweaty as she stepped into the elevator to reach the cockpit. She put on the neurohelmet, linking her mind to the mech. As she touched the controls, waves of nerve impulses began to surge through her spine. The machine slowly came to life.

Her commander's voice over the comms snapped her out of her thoughts. “Seraphine, are you ready?” She took a breath and replied in a firm voice: “Ready.” The mech lurched forward. Her stomach turned, but she knew it would pass soon. She exited the hangar, her heart pounding wildly as she saw a battlefield full of other mechs. At the same time, she felt a strange calm. She was ready. The battle was about to begin…

BattleTech is a sci-fi tabletop wargame set in the 31st and 32nd centuries. The game was originally developed by the American company FASA Corporation and first released in 1984 under the name “BattleDroids.” A legal dispute with Lucasfilm over the term “droids,” which appeared in Star Wars, led to the game being renamed BattleTech.

BattleTech itself didn't have it easy. FASA Corporation ceased publishing operations. After FASA Corporation closed in 2000, Wizkids bought the rights to the game in January 2001, significantly reworking it and launching it as MechWarrior: Dark Age.

Even this project eventually ended after a few years. In 2007, Catalyst Game Labs (CGL) acquired the license. CGL still holds the license today, and with the end of MechWarrior: Dark Age, the name of the traditional tabletop game returned to BattleTech. After so many changes and restarts, the situation has calmed down, and it's clear that CGL is truly putting in the effort.

The BattleTech game uses small miniatures to represent combat units on a hexagonal game board. These units represent giant walking combat robots known as mechs, along with other military units like tanks and aircraft. Pilots of BattleMechs are called MechWarriors in the BattleTech universe. These pilots have undergone intensive training and are capable of operating their giant combat machines with a high level of skill and tactical awareness. Everything works quite similarly to, for example, the movie Pacific Rim.

The Timber Wolf moved across the battlefield with a grace one wouldn't expect from such a machine. Seraphine felt as if she were dancing, her mind linked to the mech via the neurohelmet. Her eyes scanned for an enemy mech in the distance – a massive Centurion was approaching.

Seraphine readied her targeting system and pulled the trigger. But nothing happened. She tried to fire again, but still no response. Her pulse quickened. Her weapons were offline. She could either run or face the enemy.

“I'm no coward,” she whispered to herself, gripping the joystick tighter. She moved the Timber Wolf toward the Centurion, preparing for close-quarters combat.

The tension in the air was palpable as the two machines met face to face. The Centurion unleashed a volley of missiles, but Seraphine dodged quickly. Her heart hammered in her chest as she got into range and charged her mech into the attack…

The BattleTech brand is more than just the tabletop game. The theme and world are so attractive that it very quickly made its mark elsewhere. To date, there are over thirty video games, several tabletop RPGs, one now-defunct card game, and over a hundred novels and stories from this world. The fame of this brand was so great that the original game even received a Czech edition!

That's how I got into BattleTech back in my final years of elementary school. I had to choose a birthday present. The best things in Ostrava could only be found at Mr. Pilch's legendary Geralt bookstore, which was located on Stodolní Street back then. I chose this game perhaps only because there was a robot on the cover. :) That started a long period of reading really extensive and complex rules. Eventually, though, we actually got to playing.

It was definitely an experience, even though my version from Altar didn't have fancy miniatures, just paper cutouts with stands (it was the Czech edition of the fourth edition). I admit that a potential lifelong love was thwarted by a simple fact – I was around thirteen and spent most of my time calculating every possible event and combination. The richness of the rules simply broke our backs. What I regret most about it all is that over the years, my game box disappeared…

Using the Timber Wolf's hydraulic arm, she struck the Centurion, causing a deafening crash. The giant machine shuddered and tilted to the side. Seraphine didn't waste time and used her advantage, attacking again and again until the Centurion fell to the ground.

While her heart pounded wildly and adrenaline pulsed through her veins, Seraphine realized she had won. Even though her targeting system was offline, she managed to survive and prevail. A victory cry escaped her throat, echoing across the battlefield. It was a battle she would never forget.

You can play BattleTech in two modes. The first is the full-fat A Game of Armored Combat, played on hex maps. It focuses on battles between a few machines. But it does so thoroughly. In the full rules, every tiny detail is addressed. Each mech has a range of equipment and weapons, and different terrains affect movement or line of sight. Every missile has a hit probability, every laser has its range, and it all generates heat that must be dissipated, or else it will fail. Heat also builds up from taking hits. Your ammo can start exploding. You can jump into the air using a jump pack. Fall off a hill or intentionally jump onto another mech. A lot can happen, and you can definitely expect a lot of dice rolling and calculating. Plus, you have to account for the fact that it's not impossible to spend an entire day on a single battle.

The second mode is Alpha Strike, which is closer to classic wargaming games like Warhammer. Thanks to the streamlined rules, a player can manage a larger group of mechs. The whole game is snappier and less hardcore. But it still offers plenty of tactical options.

There are also sophisticated campaigns available, which you can easily start by building your own mech from scratch. Do you want a light machine that doesn't have as much armor or heavy weapons but relies on speed and agility? Or a multi-ton monster that barely crawls across the map, but when it fires, it's worth it? As you wish! The rich customization and optimization options for machines are one of the main reasons why BattleTech is still so popular after all these years, and in principle, the original rules didn't need to be touched.

Seraphine still felt the adrenaline rush of victory when her mech was suddenly hit by a blast. Red warning lights in the cockpit began to flash, and the mech was thrown aside by the force of the explosion. The stabilizer was destroyed - the Timber Wolf fell to the ground like a giant metal colossus. Pain shot through Seraphine's body as she slammed against the cockpit controls. With effort, she regained control and unlocked the ejection seat. She was propelled from the mech, falling to the ground and watching her burning machine below.

The ground shook with explosions, but Seraphine managed to get to her feet. She was injured, but not broken. She took a first-aid kit and basic supplies from her emergency pack and headed toward the nearest base. It was a multi-kilometer journey full of danger, but she had a strong will.

“Survive,” she whispered to herself as she saw the contours of the base on the horizon. “Survive and fight again.” And so she walked on, her heart full of determination and her eyes fixed on her goal.

BattleTech authors Jordan Weisman (co-author of the equally iconic Shadowrun) and L. Ross Babcock III created something truly unique. What boy hasn't dreamed of having a giant robot bristling with weapons, with which he can head into battle and trample trees and houses? Above all, they created a world with a rich history, full of intrigue, clan wars, and heroic deeds that are reflected in popular books. Even the game system itself satisfies both casual players and lovers of very detailed rules and mechanics.

The design of the combat mechs themselves is also iconic. The miniatures come assembled but unpainted. This offers plenty of fun in painting them. You can expand the starter sets of both game modes with dozens of new models and gradually grow your army. In the starter sets themselves, you will find not only the first models and maps but also simplified rules. If you crave to expand the game, just get the book BattleTech: Total Warfare, where you will find the full rules (they have over 300 pages…), or a number of other manuals that will guide you through mech construction, bring a number of new scenarios, or expand the story itself. Very good news for those interested is the fact that the entire BattleTech is not as expensive as its competitors.

BattleTech still has a lot to offer today. Perhaps even more than before. The entire brand has avoided the threat of being forgotten, and Catalyst Game Labs has launched very decent support.

Seraphine arrived at the base exhausted but determined to continue. Her arrival was greeted with applause and recognition from the other MechWarriors. Her heart filled with pride, even though she felt sadness over the loss of her Timber Wolf. She could still feel its imprint in her mind.

The commander led her to the hangar and pointed to a huge silhouette standing in the darkness. When the lights came on, Seraphine was breathless for a moment. Standing before her was a giant mech, a new and improved model with the inscription “Atlas.” Its black steel plates shone, and power and might radiated from its body.

Seraphine caressed its robust construction with her eyes, thinking about the challenges that would come with operating such a machine. But in the midst of her sadness and fatigue, a new glimmer of hope appeared.

“Atlas, huh?” she said aloud, her voice full of determination. “Well, this is going to be fun…”

author Karel Krajča