INTRODUCTION Keeping Fit 51 6 Training 51 Maintenance 52 FORCE CREATIION Administration 53 Chaos Campaign Conversions 53 The Steps of Force Creation 8 Housing And Base Building 53 STAGE 1: DEFINE THE FORCE 9 Step 1: Obtain Land 54 Step 1: Select Force Type 9 Step 2: Base Construction 54 Step 2: Select Force Background 9 STAGE 2: SELECT FORCE SIZE 10 FORMATION BUILDING Step 1: Determine The Basic Budget 10 Step 2: Modify Budget 11 FORMATION BUILDING BASICS 56 STAGE 3: PROCURE EQUIPMENT AND HIRE PERSONNEL 12 Step 1: Select Battle Value Total 57 Step 1: Buy All The Stuff! 12 Step 2: Build a Formation 57 Step 2: Acquire Large Spacecraft 17 Step 3: Select Skills And Modify Unit’s BV 57 Step 3: Determine Special Abilities 20 Step 4: More Formations 57 Step 4: Leftover Funds 20 Step 5: Special Pilot Abilities 57 Step 5: Determine Support Personnel & Officers 20 Step 6: Special Command Abilities 57 Technical Personnel 20 UNIT ROLE 57 Administrative Personnel 21 Ground Unit Roles 57 Officers 21 Ambusher 57 STAGE 4: DETERMINE OPERATING EXPENSES 24 Brawler 57 Step 1: Complete the To&E 24 Juggernaut 57 Step 2: Calculate Peacetime Operating Costs 29 Missile Boat 58 58 OPTIONAL CONSTRUCTION RULES 30 Scout Skirmisher 58 Alternate Flexible Force Construction 30 Sniper 58 Player Character Influences 30 Striker 58 Dependents 30 Aerospace Unit Roles 58 Random Backgrounds 31 Attack Fighter 58 Taking On Debt 31 Dogfighter 58 FORCE OPERATIONS Fast Dogfighter 58 Fire Support 58 Interceptor 58 REPUTATION 32 Transport 58 Finding The Reputation Score 33 LANCES, STARS AND LEVEL IIS 58 HIRING AND CAMPAIGNS 38 FORMATIONS 60 Stage 1: Contract Offers 38 Formation Compositions 60 Stage 2: Determine Employer 39 Formation Requirements 60 Stage 3: Determine The Mission 40 Ideal Role 60 Stage 4: Negotiate Terms 40 Bonus Abilities 60 Base Payment 41 Variations 61 Length Of Mission 41 Naming Conventions 61 Operations Tempo 43 Ground Formation Types 61 Employer Multiplier 43 Air Lance 61 Reputation Factor 43 Anti-’Mech Lance 61 Transport Payment 43 Assault Lance 61 Support Payment 44 Battle Lance 62 Final Payment 45 Command Lance 63 Command Rights 45 Fire Lance 64 Salvage Rights 45 Nova 64 ADDITIONAL RULES 46 Pursuit Lance 65 Wartime Definition And Costs 46 Recon Lance 65 Contract Breaches And Mission Failures 46 Security Lance 65 Mission Failure & Partial Failure 47 Striker/Cavalry Lance 66 Contract Breach 47 Support Lance 66 Resolving Mercenary Contract Breaches 47 Urban Combat Lance 67 Resolving Government Contract Breaches 48 Aerospace Formation Types 67 Changing Force Type 48 Aerospace Superiority Squadron 67 Debt During A Campaign 48 Electronic Warfare Squadron 67 Loans 49 Fire Support Squadron 68 “Company Store” 50 Interceptor Squadron 68 Repaying Debts By Shorting Salaries 50 Strike Squadron 68 Procuring Equipment and Personnel During s Campaign 51 Transport Squadron 68 COMPANIES, BINARIES AND BEYOND 68 Enemy Specialization 84 SPECIAL PILOT ABILITIES 70 Environmental Specialization 84 Assigning Special Pilot Abilities 70 Esprit De Corps 84 Animal Mimicry 72 False Flag 84 Antagonizer 73 Forcing The Initiative 85 Blood Stalker 73 Ground Attack Specialists 85 INTRODUCTION Cluster Hitter 73 Highlander Burial 85 Combat Intuition 73 Hit And Run 85 Cross-Country 73 Off-Map Movement 85 Demoralizer 74 Overrun Combat 86 Dodge 74 Rapid Strike 86 FORCE Dust-Off 74 Savages 86 CREATION Eagle’s Eyes 74 Special Pilot Ability Specialization 86 Environmental Specialist 74 Sharp Shooters 86 Fist Fire 75 Tactical Adjustments 87 Forward Observer 75 Tactical Experts (Engineers) 87 Foot Cavalry 75 Tactical Experts (Hidden Units) 87 FORCE Golden Goose 75 Tactical Experts (Physical) 87 OPERATIONS Ground-Hugger 75 Tactical Specialization 87 Heavy Horse 75 Zone Of Control 87 Heavy Lifter 76 Hopper 76 INNER SPHERE AT WAR CONVERSIONS FORMATION Hot Dog 76 BUILDING Human Tro 76 Converting ISW Combat Commands Iron Will 76 to ACS Formations, Combat Units and Teams 88 Jumping Jack 76 Abstract Combat System Formations 88 Light Horseman 76 Determine ACS Combat Units 89 INNER SPHERE Lucky 77 Determine ACS Combat Teams 90 AT WAR Maneuvering Ace 77 Converting ACS Combat Teams To SBF Formations and Units 90 CONVERSIONS Marksman 77 Determine SBF Formations 90 Melee Master 77 Determine SBF Units 90 Melee Specialist 77 Converting SBF Units To Battleforce, Multi-Tasker 78 Alpha Strike and Total Warfare Elements 91 SOLAR SYSTEM Natural Grace 78 Random Method 91 GENERATION Oblique Artilleryman 78 PV Method 91 Oblique Attacker 78 Converting Back From Battleforce, Range Master 78 Alpha Strike And Total Warfare To SBF and ACS 91 Ride The Wash 79 Sandblaster 79 SOLAR SYSTEM GENERATION NARRATIVE Shaky Stick 79 CAMPAIGNS Sharpshooter 79 The Primary 98 Slugger 80 Star Type 99 Sniper 80 Stellar Subtype 102 Speed Demon 80 The Planets 102 MAP-BASED Stand-Aside 80 Step 1: Generating Number Of Orbits 102 CAMPAIGNS Street Fighter 80 Step 2: Placing Orbits 102 Swordsman 80 Step 3: Filling Orbital Slots 103 Tactical Genius 80 Step 4: Planetary Details 104 Terrain Master 81 Common Details 104 CHAOS Urban Guerrilla 82 Asteroid Belts 106 CAMPAIGN Weapon Specialist 82 Moons And Rings 106 CREATION Wind Walker 82 Size Of Moons 107 Zweihander 82 Distribution Of Moons And Rings 107 SPECIAL COMMAND ABILITIES 83 Atmospheric Pressure And Composition 108 Determining Experience Rating 83 Planetary Temperatures 110 Commanders And Command Abilities 83 Habitable Planet Details 111 RECORD SHEETS Anti-Aircraft Specialists 83 Special Features And Occupancy 114 Banking Initiative 83 Options 115 Berserkers 83 Brown Dwarfs 115 Brawlers 83 Exotic Moons 115 Camouflage 83 Eccentric Planetary Orbits 116 Combat Drop Specialists 84 High Axial Tilts 116 Communications Disruption 84 Hot, Hot, Hot! 116 3 “It’s Life, But Not As We Know It” 117 Multi-Star Systems 117 Realistic Planetary Placement 118 Variable Stars 118 Very Young And Very Old Systems 118 Water, Water Everywhere 119 Planetary Location Versus Density And Exotic Densities 119 Math Guidance 120 Transit Times 120 Density Calculations 120 Surface Gravity Calculations 120 Escape Velocity Calculation 120 Planetary Year Length 121 Planetary Temperatures 121 COLONY CREATION 122 Step 1: Population 122 Population 122 CUSTOM CHAOS: CAMPAIGN CREATION Step 2: Usilr Codes 123 HOW TO USE THE CHAOS CAMPAIGN RULESET 157 Exceptions 129 Tracks 157 Step 3: Governments 129 Situation And Game Setup 157 Government Definitions 130 Player Force Size 158 Step 4: Other Features 132 Opposing Forces 158 NARRATIVE CAMPAIGNS Warchest And Objectives 160 Special Rules 160 Aftermath And Next Track 160 CAMPAIGN BACKGROUND 134 Warchest Point System 160 Player Unit Rosters 135 Getting Started 160 WEBBING THE CAMPAIGN 135 Warchest Debt 160 SCENARIO HOOKS 137 Warchest Points Between Tracks 160 Mission Balancing 139 Optional Rule: Support Points 161 Mission Creation & Webbing 139 Purchase/Repair 162 MISSION WRAP UP 139 Skill Advancement 164 Salvage 139 Changing Force Commands And Formation Types 164 Repair Cost And Time 140 Warchest Campaign Record Sheet 164 Results And Follow Up 140 CUSTOM CHAOS: BUILDING YOUR OWN CAMPAIGN 165 NARRATIVE AND MAP-BASED CAMPAIGNS 141 Game Setup 165 FINAL TIPS & TRICKS 141 Additional Forces 165 MAP-BASED CAMPAIGN Objectives 166 Victory Conditions (Optional) 169 OPTIONS 169 CAMPAIGN SCALE 142 Warchest 174 RULES COMPLEXITY 143 Special Rules 174 CAMPAIGN SETUP 143 Situation 180 Determining Campaign Objectives 143 Aftermath 180 Determining Map Objectives 144 Next Track 180 Valuing Map Objectives 147 BUILDING A TRACK 180 Force Building 147 Game Setup 182 147 Deployment Attacker 182 PLAYING/RUNNING THE CAMPAIGN 148 Defender 182 Map-Scale Turns 148 Warchest 182 Formation Orders 148 Options: 182 Battles 149 Objectives: 182 Choosing Mapsheets or Terrain 150 Special Rules 182 Scenarios 150 Forced Withdrawal 182 Battle Wrap-Up 153 Tinderbox 182 Key Locations 154 Aftermath 182 WINNING THE CAMPAIGN 154 Victory 182 OPTIONAL RULES 155 Failure 182 Multi-Force Campaigns 155 Next Tracks 182 Double-Blind Rules 155 Dynamic Campaign Scaling 155 RECORD SHEETS & TABLES CREDITS

Project Concept Additional Design and Development Randall N. Bills The following people have been involved in the creation and development of BattleTech rules, either by writing material that was assimilated into the main body of the rules, serving as the BattleTech line Project Development developer in the past, or otherwise contributing to the game in a major way. INTRODUCTION Ray Arrastia Ray Arrastia, Samuel B. Baker, Herb Beas, Randall N. Bills, Forest G. Brown, Chuck Crain, Ben H. Rome Chris Hartford, Clare Hess, Scott Jenkins, J. Andrew Keith, James R. Kellar, Dale Kemper, L.R. “Butch” Leeper, Bryan Li- Brandi, Jim Long, David McCulloch, Jim Musser, Bryan Nystul, Mike Nystul, Blaine Pardoe, Writing Boy F. Peterson Jr., Rick Raisley, Ben H. Rome, Paul Sjardijn, Jerry Stenson, Christoffer Trossen, Wm. John Wheeler. Ray Arrastia FORCE Randall N. Bills CREATION Brian Bunch Playtesters/Proofers/Fact Checkers In addition, the following people have been involved in the thankless task of playtesting, proofing, Johannes Heidler and factchecking BattleTech rules since the start of the core rulebook series, beginning with Total Joshua K. Franklin Warfare. Anyone we may have missed, we apologize in advance. Mike Miller Matt Alexander, Sebastian Brocks, Brian Bunch, Aaron Cahall, Rich Cencarik, Bill Derer, Brent Ben H. Rome FORCE “Moonsword” Ezell, Bruce Ford, Eugen Fournes, Stephan Frabartolo, Joshua K. Franklin, William OPERATIONS Elliotte Want “MadCapellan” Gauthier, Keith Hann, Jason Hansa, Térence Harris, John “Worktroll” Haward, Matt Heerdt, Johannes Heidler, Ross Hines, Ken’ Horner, Daniel Isberner, Alex Kaempen, David Kerber, Stephen C. Product Editing King, Chris Marti, Mike Miller, Jan Prowell, Craig “Turboturtle” Reed, Luke Robertson, Andreas Rudolf, Eric Aaron Cahall Salzman, Chris Sheldon, Cameron Smith, Lee Thoms, Mike Timbers, Drew Triebe, Øystein Tvedten, John Unchelenko, Elliotte Want, Chris Wheeler, Matthew Wilsbacher, Andreas Zuber. FORMATION BattleTech Line Developer BUILDING Randall N. Bills Special Thanks Assistant Line Developer To BattleTech fans worldwide, your neverending addiction to this venerable game never ceases to Ben H. Rome amaze. The clamor for building campaigns has been constant for several years, and we’re glad to finally Products Developer present them to you in the last of the core rulebook lineup. INNER SPHERE Ray Arrastia A special thanks to Paul Sjardijn, who helped develop the initial Chaos Campaign ruleset that debuted AT WAR in Dawn of the Jihad and has morphed into an essential game aid for fans wanting to participate in CONVERSIONS Production Staff iconic universe-setting campaigns. Art Director Ben wishes to thank Randall for taking a chance way back when, giving him the chance to play Brent Evans “behind the scenes” with the game line and universe for so many years. And he also thanks his wife Ri, who continues to provide support and encouragement with all his creative endeavors. Assistant Art Director SOLAR SYSTEM Ray Arrastia GENERATION Cover Art Dedication Marco Mazzoni To all the BattleTech fans that have kept the faith for so many years…thank you. Keep watch for the Cover Design “next big thing!” Ray Arrastia ©2016 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Campaign Operations, Classic BattleTech, BattleTech, NARRATIVE BattleTech Logo Design ’Mech, BattleMech, MechWarrior and Topps logo are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of The Topps Shane Hartley, Matt Heerdt Company, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in CAMPAIGNS and Steve Walker a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the Evolved Faction Logos Design Copyright Owner, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published. Catalyst Game Jason Vargas Labs and the logo are trademarks of InMediaRes Productions, LLC. Layout Printed in USA MAP-BASED Ray Arrastia CAMPAIGNS David Allen Kerber Published by Catalyst Game Labs, Illustrations an imprint of InMediaRes Productions, LLC. Jeff Porter PMB 202 303 91st Ave NE E502 Miniatures Painting & Photography Lake Stevens, WA 98258 CHAOS Camospecs Online CAMPAIGN FIND US ONLINE: CREATION [email protected] (e-mail address for any BattleTech questions) http://bg.battletech.com/ (official BattleTech web pages) http://www.CatalystGameLabs.com RECORD SHEETS (Catalyst web pages) http://www.battlecorps.com/catalog (online ordering)

5 The Total Warfare (TW) and TechManual (TM) rulebooks present the Building on Total Warfare and TechManual, Tactical Operations core game and construction rules for BattleTech (BT), otherwise referred conveys numerous advanced rules for movement and combat to as the standard rules. These two volumes encompass eight core across various units, while expanding core rules such as those unit types—several of which contain numerous subunit types—and for buildings, and implementing a host of advanced terrain and a host of weapons and rules, as well as covering many different game weather rules. Rules for the construction and use of advanced situations. However, despite the breadth of play covered, many game Support Vehicles are presented, as well as advanced and prototype situations still fall outside those rules, not to mention a plethora of construction options and weapons for use by almost every unit. more advanced equipment, as well as a few advanced units. STRATEGIC OPERATIONS SitRep: Forces in solar system. ADVANCED RULES Beginning burn to planet. Conflict expected to last weeks to achieve object. Beyond the standard rules, a legion of advanced rules exists, allowing players to expand their games in any direction they desire. Strategic Operations (SO) is the second “staging” Advanced In an effort to bring these rules to players in the most logical form Rulebook. It stages a player up to the next logical area of play, possible, the advanced rules are contained in three “staging” core focusing on “in a solar system” and multi-game play; its rules rulebooks, each one staging up and building off of the previous represent weeks within the BattleTech universe, the time frame rules set. Additionally, each one focuses on a particular “in-universe needed for several battles to conquer an entire solar system. time frame” that will allow players to easily grasp where a given Strategic Operations contains advanced movement and combat rulebook will “plug into” their existing game play. operations emphasizing the importance of aerospace units, while extensive rules cover combat drops of numerous troop types into any TACTICAL OPERATIONS situation. Linked scenarios and comprehensive maintenance, salvage, SitRep: repair and customization rules provide an easy format for players to Forces on-world. turn multiple games into an interconnected campaign to capture a Conflict expected to last mere hours to achieve object. target system, where the support crew of technicians and doctors and their skills can be just as important as any warrior. Complete Tactical Operations (TO) is the is the first in the “staging” Advanced game play and construction rules for advanced aerospace units are Rulebooks. Its focus is during game play, and applies directly to a also included. Finally, a complete game system—BattleForce—allows game as it unfolds on a world in the BattleTech universe; its rules players to use their existing miniatures and mapsheets to play quick, represent hours in-universe, the time frame it takes for a single, fast-paced BattleTech games, from small-scale skirmishes to large- moderate-sized battle to play out on a gaming table. scale planetary invasions. INTERSTELLAR OPERATIONS SitRep: CHOOSE WHAT Forces marshaled. Flotillas assigned to target solar systems. YOU LIKE Conflict expected to last months to achieve objectives. As previously noted, Campaign Operations encapsulates INTRODUCTION Interstellar Operations (IO) is the final “staging” Advanced a myriad of advanced rules. In effect, all the rules in this Rulebook. Players are staged up to the final level of play, volume are optional. This means you can use as many or as where they can assume the roles of a House Lord or Clan Khan few of the rules in this book as you want. (In fact, this book and dominate the galaxy; IO rules represent months in the contains so many new rules that we recommend you try them BattleTech universe, the time frame for conquering numerous out a few at a time, rather than attempting to use them all at FORCE star systems. once.) Furthermore, most of the new rules here can be added CREATION Interstellar Operations contains rules for the running of an individually to a standard game—most of the rules do not rely entire faction’s military as a player tries to conquer (or defend) on other rules in this book to work in existing BattleTech games. numerous solar systems. More importantly, the system contains This allows you to tailor your BattleTech game to your taste rules that allow players to stage any large-scale conflict back by including only those rules that you find make the game FORCE through the various rule sets, as they desire—from BattleForce more interesting or fun. Use whatever new rules you want and OPERATIONS or Alpha Strike as detailed in Strategic Operations, Alpha Strike disregard the rest. Given the scope of the rules and the fact that and the Alpha Strike Companion, all the way up to the simple, they are optional, all players in a group should read through and easy-to-use rules of conflict at the largest scale. Players have agree to the use of any of these rules and weapons/equipment. complete flexibility for any type of conflict in which they wish to engage. PLAYER ADJUDICATION FORMATION BUILDING An advanced-rules book for any game is, almost by definition, CAMPAIGN OPERATIONS more complex. In a game system with such a long and rich SitRep: heritage as BattleTech—this rulebook alone draws from Prepare forces. dozens of different sources across a large number of years— INNER SPHERE Assign objectives, targets, and plans of attack across a that complexity is even greater. Developers and writers have AT WAR world or a swath of interstellar space. gone to great effort to make these rules as comprehensive as CONVERSIONS Wage war to achieve your final objective. possible—not only from one section to the next in this book, but in how such advanced weapons and rules interact with the core Campaign Operations (CO) is the rulebook you are holding game and construction rules as presented in Total Warfare and in your hands and the foundational book to prepare players TechManual. However, the sheer scope of Campaign Operations SOLAR SYSTEM for campaigns that can encompass all of the three (as with Tactical Operations, Strategic Operations, and Interstellar GENERATION “staging” Advanced Rulebooks. Operations) and the plethora of options provided means Incorporating elements from that it is not possible to cover all potential situations. Once all of the previous rulebooks, as this product reaches the players’ hands, they’ll envision well as Alpha Strike and the Alpha scenarios and create situations on a game board that NARRATIVE Strike Companion, CO represents never crossed the minds of the developers or the CAMPAIGNS an entire campaign, scenario, or legion of authors and playtesters that thoroughly story arc within the BattleTech worked over this product. universe. Players can assume the With that in mind, when players encounter roles of any unit within the situations not covered in the rules as universe or create their own they integrate the contents of MAP-BASED iconic force. Campaign Operations into CAMPAIGNS Campaign Operations their playing group, contains rules for the they are encouraged to construction and detailing adjudicate each situation CHAOS of solar systems, building an appropriately; make up the rules that work for you. If CAMPAIGN opposing force to put in conflict in the process a playing group runs into an argument, CREATION with the players, crafting specialized feel free to let a die roll resolve any disputes so you scenario and campaign arcs, and can return to playing the game and having fun. constructing a stylized Chaos Campaign Finally, the forums on bg..com are an that fits a group’s play style. Players excellent resource. Players can tap into a strong and gamemasters can use these rules and vibrant online community, tapping a wide RECORD SHEETS with Total Warfare (and subsequent selection of players for different ideas on how Advanced Rulebooks), A Time of War best to adjudicate a particular situation. RPG, and the Alpha Strike system.

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