Alan Tyndall Ltd T/A Antics, Unit 1 Springfield Business Centre, Brunel Way, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire GL10 3SX

Initially published over thirty years ago as a tabletop board game, BattleTech has gone on to become one of the gaming industry’s most important and longest-lasting science-fiction universes. Before we get too far into this, I want to thank Catalyst Game Labs for sending over a copy of this box for us to review.

Special Offers

BattleTech is the world's greatest armored combat game. In Alpha Strike, you take command of large-scale engagements, fueled by tabletop miniatures gameplay designed for the modern wargamer. Inside is everything you need to start tossing dice and moving miniatures on your game table. In addition, most advertising networks offer you a way to opt out of targeted advertising. If you would like to find out more information, please visit http://www.aboutads.info/choices/or http://www.youronlinechoices.com. Together with the game rules, the 2022 starter box provides 13 high-quality, fully assembled and unpainted miniatures together with their unit and pilot cards. Two of these Mechs have been fully redesigned (Wraith and Pouncer) while other seven are provided as new variants in new poses. At the dawn of the 31st century, take control of a towering, mechanised avatar of destruction and do battle across a thousand worlds! In the year 3050, the true heirs of the lost Star League thunder forth from the depths of the far Periphery and carve deep into the quarreling Successor States. As the Clan juggernaut rolls across the core ward realms of the Inner Sphere, the House Lords scramble to shore up their defenses and devise some way to halt the invaders.

It is the 32nd century. For a millennia, mankind has waged wars across thousands of worlds in human-occupied space. The Great Houses. The Clans. The Periphery. A myriad of star empires claiming ascendance, as others wane or fall. They marshal MechWarriors who owe them fealty, each one the master of a towering avatar of destruction: the BattleMech.The first of two included sample scenarios is here just before some of the more advanced rules, using about half the included mechs. It includes specifically what terrain you should use for it, so its easy to get running. After adding rules on buildings and battlefield support, the second scenario adds those to the game, as well as expanding out to run all the mechs included in the box. These two work very well as your first two games, as they’re not doing anything complicated with mission objectives and holding your hands through setting up terrain and extra rules.

The fourth edition redesigned the rulebook again. Calling itself 'BT4', it states that the "current" year of the BattleTech universe is 3058, while BT4 is set in 3049. It also makes reference to the Rules Levels previously seen in CityTech, Second Edition, and states that the technology described in the BT4 game is Level 1, whereas Level 2 includes the technology available in 3058. Three of the previous edition's four scenarios ("Final Exam", "Trial by Fire", and "Divide and Conquer") were included in the rulebook, with small changes; most importantly, the original (now Unseen) 'Mechs in these scenarios were exchanged for different 'Mechs from BT4's new lineup. It is the thirty-second century. Mankind has waged a millennia of war across thousands of worlds of human-occupied space. The Great Houses. The Clans. The Periphery. A myriad of star empires claim ascendance, as others wane or fall. Fighting and dying for their ambitions are the MechWarriors who owe them fealty, each the master of a towering avatar of destruction: the BattleMech. It is the dawn of the 31st century. You are a mech-warrior: master of a multi-ton towering avatar of destruction that is the culmination of more than 3000 years of battlefield technology development. A precious heirloom passed from parent to child across centuries, an unassailable mark of your station. Whether a soldier of fortune or a true blue patriot, you drop into hot zones across a thousand worlds to expand the star spanning empire of one of the noble great houses. Battletech is the world's greatest armored combat game. In 2001, Fantasy Productions (FanPro) acquired the license to what was now " Classic BattleTech", CBT for short. They created a new CBT boxed set, but aside from the rebranding and new cover image the changes from the 4th edition were minor. The featured 'Mechs and scenarios remained the same as in the previous (fourth) edition, though the 48 cutout playing pieces (two for each of the 24 'Mech designs) had new artwork for them. In the preface, the current year of the BattleTech universe is given as 3067 while the basic (Level 1) rules remain at the 3025 level.

The Quick-Start Rules

An in-universe look at the major factions, their histories and their status quo as of 3130. Republic of the Sphere

In 2023 the BattleTech: Essentials boxset was announced for release as part of an exclusivity arrangement with the retailer Target. This essentially served as another version of the Beginners Box. Wraith: The second mech completely new to plastic, the Wraith is broadly a better Phoenix Hawk. While they don’t have any ability to do damage at long range, they’re faster and more durable. The TR5 variant can run 2″ further than the TR1. While it has no in-game effect, it also has an absolutely fantastic model. The current ETA from Australian distributors shows us receiving our (HUGE) opening delivery in the middle of March. This premium variantuses new modeling techniques beingemployed to updateall BattleMech designs. Itcomes unassembled and unpainted.You command a detachment of these brave warriors dropped onto an unforgiving battlefield: only your wits and tactical acumen will bring victory, or leave you a casualty on a forgotten world. Battletech Alpha Strike Box Set Contents: Catalyst Web Store: https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-recognition-guide-ilclan-vol-27