BattleTech

   

BattleTech (MechWarrior) is a science-fiction board game, wargame, and role playing game (designed by FASA); which simulates warfare in a future with giant robots (known as BattleMechs), spaceships, fusion reactors, and lasers. Several computer games and forum games have been based off the game, as well as a collectible card game, a televised animation, and numerous books.

After FASA ceased active operations, the rights to BattleTech were sold to WizKids, a game company founded by one of the BattleTech creators, Jordan K Weissman. A new version of BattleTech, known as MechWarrior:Dark Age, was released in 2002. It uses the same "Clix" system as Mage Knight. The original BattleTech, now known by the moniker Classic Battletech, has been licensed by WizKids to FanPro, who continue to release rules updates and new Technical Readouts to Classic BattleTech.

Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

Political entities of BattleTech

BattleTech's universe is comprised of numerous interstellar human governments; these remnants of the effectively defunct Star League are fighting a war over the Inner Sphere.

The Great Houses and Successor States

The five principle Great Houses of the Inner Sphere, and the names of each Successor State they rule:

  • ComStar is a relatively powerful group, which controls Terra. ComStar (which claims to be a neutral power) maintains a monopoly over nearly all FTL HyperPulse Generators.
  • Word of Blake a radical splinter group of comstar created after the death of Primus Myndo Waterly. Conquered Terra in 3058
    • Initiated a jihad in 3067 ending the classic battletech storyline and starting the mechwarrior: dark age storyline
  • Rasalhague Dominion
    • Formerly the Free Rasalhague Republic (FRR) and Ghost Bear occupation zone
  • St.Ives Compact
    • Short lived independence from the Capellan Confederation, created after the 4th succession war, absorbed back into the Confederation in 3062
  • Terran Hegemony
    • The first star spanning government, ended with the fall of the Star League
  • Republic of the Sphere
    • Formed from the ashes of the Word of Blake jihad. Devlin Stone asked for and received all worlds with 120 light years of Terra in his effort to once and for all end war. The collapse of the HPG grid in 3130 lead to the Dark Age and the splintering of the Republic into several factions including:
      • Banson's Raiders: Mercenary unit. Possibly might fold into House Liao.
      • Dragon's Fury: Draconis Combine allied faction.
      • Highlanders: Republic allied mercenary unit. Possibly might fold back into Republic military.
      • Swordsworn: Federated Suns allied faction.
      • Spirit Cats: Clan Nova Cat allied faction.
      • Stormhammers: Lyran Commonwealth allied faction.
      • Steel Wolves: Clan Wolf allied faction.

The Clans

Furthermore, invaders from beyond the Inner Sphere have been added to the mix; the Clans, who seek to conquer the Inner Sphere and capture Terra for their own.

The Clans, descendants of the Star League's army, were led from the Inner Sphere by general Aleksandr Kerensky. From 3049 to 3052 the Clan Invasion was an attempt to conquer the Inner Sphere and retake Terra. The invasion was halted in the Battle of Tukayyid and a 15 year truce ensued. Following the Word of Blake jihad, and the Clan Civil War and many other fracturous events, the clanners have in one way or another, made an uneasy peace with their spheroid bretheren.

The Periphery States

Along the outer edges of the Innersphere reside independent collection of worlds, mostly colonized back in the days of the Star League, these small states range from pirate kingdoms to merchant alliances.

  • Marian Hegemony
  • Magistracy of Canopus
  • Taurian Concordat
  • Rim Collection
  • Rim Territories
  • Circinus Federation (annihilated during the jihad)
  • Lothian League
  • Outworlds Alliance (conquered and renamed to Ravens Alliance)
  • Niops Association
  • Filtvelt Coalition
  • Tortuga Dominions
  • Mica Majority
  • Randis IV
  • Oberon Confederation, Greater Valkyrate, Elysian Fields (all conquered during the initial clan invasion)

Technology of BattleTech

Notable Battletech artists, designers, and writers

  • Jim Nelson
  • Bryan Nystul
  • Loren L. Coleman
  • Michael Stackpole
  • Randall Bills
  • Franz Vohwinkel
  • Herbert Beas III
  • Chris Hartford
  • Christoffer Trossen
  • Øystein Tvedten
  • Chris Smith
  • Robert Thurston
  • Rick Raisley
  • Thomas Gressman
  • Blaine Pardoe
  • Andreas Zuber
  • Robert Charrette
  • William H. Keith, Jr.
  • Peter Smith
  • Warner Doles
  • Peter LaCasse
  • Ardath Mayhar

See also


de:BattleTech

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