Classic Battletech: Total Warfare
From: Fanpro
Reviewed by: Ron McClung
Battletech: Total Warfare is a new War Game Core Rulebook from Fanpro.
From the web site: “It is the 31st century, a time of endless wars that rage across human-occupied space.“
Battletech is a long-time classic, and I have to admit that I was intimidated with the prospect of reviewing the game. I wanted to do it justice. It has been a staple in gaming for so long, despite the turmoil it has gone through all these years. From the board game to computer games, metal miniatures to click-minis, the world of Battletech has gone through many incarnations but has stayed very consistent in story and quality. The fans are very dedicated and are very respectable gamers.
My background with Battletech is somewhat tangential. I bought the first box set back in the 80s because I thought it was cool. I could not find anyone to play it with me, however. So I left it on the shelf until I sold it to someone else. I never really played it. I did play many of the PC Mechwarrior games, which is the heart of my Battletech experience. I also played their futuristic tank combat game Centurion of FASA’s Renegade Legion line, which had similar mechanics.
Since I have been coordinating gaming for conventions in the Carolinas, I have seen a lot of Battletech played. For a long time, it has been one of my cornerstone games. I am not referring to Mechwarrior in this instance (although that too is a cornerstone game). I am talking about true classic Battletech. I have talked to a few veteran players of Battletech and most have been happy and encouraged by the work that Fanpro has done. This book seems to be the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication to the game.
As I am not a veteran player, I can not personally comment on this book from that point of view. I have however recruited the help of a veteran player of 12 years, Dale Sission, who has agreed to answer a few questions about the book and give his perspective. His comments appear at the end. First I will give you my review of the book and the game as a relative novice to the game.
From page #44: “The jagged side of the mountain betrayed her as she stepped to the left along the ninety-degree slope with her Linebacker Prime.”
Content: Battletech: Total Warfare (BT: TW) is a large tome that brings together much of the originals rules of Battletech and many of its supplements, addendums, and errata. It is a hefty book with full color pages and a lot of material. It is a complete and comprehensive core rulebook for the game of Classic Battletech, good for veterans as well as beginners.
The Introduction gives the reader a detailed rundown of what this product is, what other products of the Battletech line are, and how they fit in the grand scheme of things. This is invaluable for a newbie. It really gives you a good perspective on the enormity of the game line and its history. From the complete line of Fanpro books, Technical Readouts, maps and record sheets to other lines by other manufacturers including Armorcast minis and Wizkids collectible miniatures, most if not all of the products for Battletech are explained. Also provided are ways to order any of these products. Just after the Introduction is a 3-page rundown of the Great Houses and Clans of the galaxy.
One of the important things that the introduction stressed to some degree is that Battletech started out as a board game. All you needed was a map and some counters. This is true still today. Some people do not play it because when they see the minis and complex terrain, they are intimidated. In my opinion, this is a mistake. All you need is the record sheets, maps and counters and you are good to go.
The Components section gives the reader a rundown of the units that make up Battletech including the different sized mechs, other ground vehicles, aerospace vehicles, drop ships and sea vessels. All are accompanied with a nice full color picture of a sample. This is a basic lesson in Battletech technology. It ends with a explanation of the vehicle record sheets (which is not included in the book but all are available on the web site) as well as maps sheets and other game components (also sold separately). Between this chapter and the next is a 2-page section on Military Organization of the Battletech universe.
Playing the Game is the first chapter in a series about the rules of the game. I will review those in a little more detail in the system section. It is safe to say that these rules of Battletech are a tried and true system that has not change much over its 20+ years of play.
Included in the chapters that follow the system are sections on weapons and equipment. Not only are there quite a few weapons described, there is also a wide array of other equipment options supplied in the combat system. What options are present is dependent on the ‘mech you are piloting. From anti-missile systems to ECM suites; from an interesting array of physical weapons (pile drivers to retractable blades) to different types of computer aids for targeting and tactics. This is truly a very nice array of options and is well explained. Following this are combat options for ‘mechs like charge attacks, death from above maneuver, and other miscellaneous combat rules. They cover everything. Very comprehensive.
What follows this are several sections on special units like Protomechs and combat vehicles and other special items like buildings. Also included are special sections on support vehicles and infantry units as well as aerospace units. Once again, I can not help but comment on how comprehensive this is.
Creating Scenarios helps the reader create battle scenarios for Battletech. It introduces the reader to the Battle Value system used to measure up all Mechs in a particular scenario to ensure fairness and balance. It also reviews types of scenarios and presents options for the scenario for mapsheet use. It also provides several tools and tables to help design a random scenario.
What I think is a very valuable section is the Painting Miniatures chapter. This is the kind of thing I needed years ago. It is a great guide on the tricks of the trade for miniature painting. This along with the multiple full color pictures of painted mechs throughout the book really gives the newbie something to work with. It also has guides on how to make map elements and buildings. This is an outstanding feature to this book.
From page # 94: “The powerful crump of Tai-sa Esau Olivares’ heavy artillery rolled over the sparkling blue water of Carantha like a peal of thunder heralding the coming of a great storm.”
System: One thing I decided to do when I received this book in the mail from GR was to learn how to play Battletech from it. I do not remember a lot from when I had the box set, so I wanted to learn it as a newbie. Already the book impressed me from that perspective because of the layout and the introduction. With the basics about ‘mechs and the Battletech universe down, I dove into the rules. As I said with the introduction, these rules are tried and true, with 20+ years worth of play-testing and millions of players. However, this book sought to be a comprehensive collection of all the rules, so I wanted to put that to the test.
At the heart of game play is the basic sequence of play: initiative, ground movement, aerospace movement, weapon attack, physical attack, heat phase, and the end of the phase. Each phase (other than initiative phase, which is simple enough) has a chapter dedicated to it, detailing it further. The primary focus of all the rules is the standard ‘Mech, but special rules for aerospace units, protomechs, support vehicles and other special units are supplied later.
The basic dice of the system are 2 six-sided dice. Combat rolls, skill rolls and other important checks like consciousness check and initiative are made with those dice. Each task has a target number and if the roll is equal to or above that number, it is a success. Nice open-ended system.
The system is fairly simple, but the devil is in the details, especially if you bring in special units other than ‘mechs. For example, bringing in aerospace units opens up a whole new chapter of movement and attack options. Movement is based on movement points on the ground. For aerospace, movement depends on the location – space, high atmosphere or low atmosphere. In any case, the aerospace unit expends thrust points. The system attempts to simulate the physics of velocity, zero or low-G, and drag in the simplest ways possible. I saw this in the Renegade Legion line of games. It is a a rather elegant and smooth system and it is only as complicated as you want to make it.
Combat is a matter of putting together a target number based on warrior skill, the weapon being fired, range and other standard combat elements like range, elevation, line of sight and terrain, cover, and firing arcs. Airborne aerospace units have special rules for their attacks. There are rules for specialized attacks including aiming, firing at airborne units from the ground, and indirect fire. As you would expect from a game with this kind of history, there is nothing left out. It is thoroughly laid out and easy to follow. The tables are well done and very comprehensive. Damage is done on the record sheet for the unit, after hit location is determined. Every weapon has a fixed amount of damage (some vary based on range or rate of fire). The record sheet has armor spaces and critical hit spaces to record damage. Critical hits are a major thing in Battletech and they are heavily detailed in the Combat section. There are a number of internal critical areas that can be destroyed after armor is penetrated.
In the gaming industry today, a product can not last 20+ years with out being a solid and elegant system, and without a doubt that this is that and more.
Layout: The art is outstanding, the layout is good. The index is very handy, although I think perhaps a glossary would help. The plethora of tables in the back make up for it, though. The tabs on the side of each page helps greatly in navigation. Between the full color photographs of battlemechs and the many color illustrations of rules mechanics, this book makes sure you understand each facet in the game.
A very nice touch is the intermittent short stories between each section. Battletech has always had a rich universe with lots of opportunity for stories, and it is nice to know that the publishers left room for this. Each short story is from a certain faction and is done up with art representing that faction. Very colorful and attractive.
Now that I have given my opinion, here is a veterans take on the game:
Words from a veteran: Dale Sission
Ron McClung (RM): How long have you been playing Battletech?
Dale Sission (DS): I have been involved in Battletech as a player and as a fan for about 12 years now. I have played incarnations of the game from ‘classic’ Battletech to MegaMek, as well as the numerous computer simulations that have been made. I have even played the Dark Age ‘clicky’ incarnation of the game.
RM: What is Battletech: Total Warfare to you as a player?
DS: As a player, Total Warfare is a revitalization of a great game with a deep and rich history. I saw it as a revitalization because it is not really a re-birth or the creation of something new. This is still the same Battletech, but with a few tweaks. Veteran players can turn to the charts and look at the modifiers and be able to play almost immediately. After a quick glance through the book, I was able to dust off the Mechs and get them in the fight. As far as veteran players are concerned, BT: TW has incorporated all of the MaxTech rules into it already. If you were familiar with Classic Battletech (CBT) and MaxTech, this is it with a few minor changes, mostly to some modifiers.
RM: As a player, what is it not to you?
DS: It isn’t a ‘dumbed down’ version of Battletech. BT: TW is true to its roots. The same tactical decisions need to be made as they always have. The rules have not changed very much at all. Instead of trying to re-invent a great game into something new, it has stayed true to the form that players have loved and enjoyed since it was first released.
RM: Can you name and explain a few things you like most about the book?
DS: Well, there are a number of ‘bonus’ items besides the rules in the book. First off, there are lots of pretty color photos of mechs. Secondly, there is a nice modeling and painting section in the back. There are also tons of short stories throughout for some really well-written fluff. Those are the nice touches that make the hardbound book worthwhile.
RM: Can you name and explain a few things that you do not like about it?
DS: Not really. There isn’t much to dislike about the book, in my opinion.
RM: Why would a player new to Battletech want this book?
DS: It is all there. All of the rules, fluff, painting and modeling guides, web links for more resources, all of it. If you had no idea what Battltech was about and you grabbed this book up, you would have some fundamental knowledge on the rich background of the CBT universe, as well as have a firm grasp on the rules.
RM: Why would a veteran player of Battletech want this book?
DS: Convenience, plain and simple. BT: TW is your one stop shopping experience for Battletech. TW already incorporated MaxTech into the rules as standard as opposed to optional and the new TW book also include AeroTech. The rules are there for your fighters to fight it out in space or to run strafing runs on enemy mechs.
RM: How is the book layout for you?
DS: The book layout is pretty good. The index is a little bit on the weak side, but you can usually find what you are looking for fairly quickly.
RM: Final comments?
DS: As I have already said, BT: TW is a great value for Battletech fans, be they new players or veterans. It is laid out to allow new players to easily transition into the game and allows the convenience of having one tome of knowledge for the veteran players. All in all, it is a great revitalization of wonderful system with a background and diversity that rivals any other game on the market.
In conclusion, if this is a sign of a revival of Battletech under Fanpro, then this is a good sign. This book is outstanding, and Dale is right, it is all there. After going through the book, I did feel like I could comfortably play a game of Battletech, and it is presented in a simple and non-intimidating way. I should note that when we say it is all there, I means the rules. There are no record sheets and no ‘mechs stats sheets included. You have to get those separately.
For more details on Fanpro and their new War Game Core Rulebook “Battletech: Total Warfare” check them out at their website http://www.classicbattletech.com, and at all of your local game stores.
Battletech: Total Warfare
From: Fanpro
Type of Game: War Game Core Rulebook
Original Game Design by: Jordan Weisman, L. Ross Babcock III, Sam Lewis
Project Development: Randall N. Bills, Herb Beas
Contributing Authors: Dan Duval, Kevin Killany, Jason M Hardy, David L. McCulloch, Steve Mohan, Jr., Jason Schmetzer, Phaedra M. Weldon.
Cover Art by: Fanz Vohwinkel
Additional Art by: Adam Jury, David M Stansel-Garner, Troy Stansel-Garner, Jason Vargas, Shane Hartley, Steve Walker, Chris Lewis, Klaus Scherwinski
Number of Pages: 311
Game Components Included: Core rule book
Game Components Not Included: maps, mech counters or miniatures
Retail Price: $ 39.99 (US)
Item Number: 35101
ISBN: 1-932564-77-2
Email: precentor_martial@classicbattletech.com
Website: www.classicbattletech.com
Reviewed by: Ron McClung