INVADERS FROM BEYOND BATTLETECH TECHNICAL READOUT: CLAN INVASION • 35136 On 27 September 3048, the ComStar Explorer Corps JumpShip Outbound Light stumbled onto the Clan Homeworlds, setting in motion a massive invasion of the Inner Sphere by the Clans. At first sweeping all before them with their advanced technologies, the Clans met defeat at the Battle of Tukayyid and were stymied by a 15- year truce. With the clock ticking, the Inner Sphere’s elite took the battle directly to the Clan Homeworlds. There, the destruction of Clan Smoke Jaguar and the defeat of the Clans in the Great Refusal ended the invasion.

In their absence, political machinations continued across the Inner Sphere. As the victorious forces returned home, the mighty Federated Commonwealth tore itself apart in a titanic Civil War spanning a thousand light years as Houses Davion and Steiner pitted brother against sister. These large-scale conflicts accelerated technical advancements, as a new generation of BattleMechs and weapons appeared on a hundred worlds of conflict.

Technical Readout: Clan Invasion builds on Technical Readout: Succession Wars with ’Mechs previously found in Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade , Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade , Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade , Technical Readout: 3060 , Technical Readout: 3067 , and Technical Readout: Project Phoenix . This volume features some of the most common ’Mechs from the Clan Invasion and Civil War Eras, each illustrated in detail and accompanied by a description of its history, capabilities, and game stats, along with their most famous pilots.

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SampleCATALYST GAME LABS file TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

INTRODUCTION 4 Marauder IIC 66 Bushwacker 130 BATTLEMECHS 6 Masakari (Warhawk) 68 Wolverine 132 Dasher (Fire Moth) 6 Highlander IIC 70 Wraith 134 Piranha 8 Kingfisher 72 Anvil 136 Commando IIC 10 Supernova 74 Argus 138 Fire Falcon 12 Gladiator (Executioner) 76 Black Hawk-KU 140 Koshi (Mist Lynx) 14 Turkina 78 Rifleman 142 Hankyu (Arctic Cheetah) 16 Kodiak 80 Axman 144 Hellion 18 Daishi (Dire Wolf) 82 Thunderbolt 146 Uller (Kit Fox) 20 Fireball 84 Archer 148 Cougar 22 Locust 86 Avatar 150 Puma (Adder) 24 Stinger 88 Caesar 152 Battle Cobra 26 Wasp 90 Gallowglas 154 Dragonfly (Viper) 28 Dart 92 Hercules 156 Fenris (Ice Ferret) 30 Raptor 94 No-Dachi 158 Grendel (Mongrel) 32 Battle Hawk 96 Warhammer 160 Shadow Cat 34 Scarabus 98 Dragon Fire 162 Black Hawk (Nova) 36 Valkyrie 100 Falconer 164 Hunchback IIC 38 Falcon Hawk 102 Marauder 166 Nobori-Nin (Huntsman) 40 Hollander 104 Penetrator 168 Black Lanner 42 Owens 106 War Dog 170 Ryoken (Stormcrow) 44 Venom 108 O-Bakemono 172 Vulture (Mad Dog) 46 Strider 110 BattleMaster 174 Cauldron-Born (Ebon Jaguar) 48 Watchman 112 Gunslinger 176 Crossbow 50 Firestarter 114 Akuma 178 Loki (Hellbringer) 52 Phoenix Hawk 116 Mauler 180 Grizzly 54 Wolf Trap (Tora) 118 Sunder 182 Nova Cat 56 Blackjack 120 Albatross 184 Thor (Summoner) 58 Enforcer III 122 Cerberus 186 Mad Cat (Timber Wolf) 60 Huron Warrior 124 Berserker 188 Man O’ War (Gargoyle) 62 Nightsky 126 Marauder II 190 Warhammer IIC Sample64 Starslayer 128 file CREDITS 3

TECHNICAL READOUT: CLAN INVASION

TECHNICAL READOUT: TECHNICAL READOUT: TECHNICAL READOUT: TECHNICAL READOUT: TECHNICAL READOUT: TECHNICAL READOUT: TECHNICAL READOUT: 3050 UPGRADE 3055 UPGRADE 3058 UPGRADE 3060 3067 PROJECT PHOENIX CLAN INVASION

Writing Writing Writing Writing Writing Writing Writing Herb A. Beas II Herbert A. Beas II Herbert A. Beas II Herb A. Beas II Herb A. Beas II Randall N. Bills Aaron Cahall Randall N. Bills Randall N. Bills Randall N. Bills Randall N. Bills Randall N. Bills Warner Doles Geoff Swift Chris Hartford Loren L. Coleman Warner Doles Hugh Browne Loren L. Coleman David L. McCulloch Ken’ Horner Warner Doles Chris Hartford Loren L. Coleman Dan “Flake” Grendell Christoffer “Bones” Trossen Product Development Kevin Killiany Chris Hartford Kevin Killiany Dan “Flake” Grendell Chris Hartford Ray Arrastia Nick Marsala David L. McCulloch Nick Marsala Chris Hartford Christoffer “Bones” Trossen Product Development Randall N. Bills David McCulloch Christoffer “Bones” Trossen David L. McCulloch Christopher Hussey Additional Writing Randall N. Bills Brent Evans Ben Rome Ben Rome Patrick Kirkland Christopher Hussey Jason Schmetzer Product Development Paul Sjardijn Bryan Nystul Bryan Nystul Production Editing Production Editing Christoffer Trossen Randall N. Bills Christoffer “Bones” Trossen Christoffer “Bones” Trossen Michelle Lyons Ray Arrastia Additional Contribution Andreas Zuber Product Development Jack Mc Crary Production Editing Additional Writing Product Development Randall N. Bills BattleTech Line Developer BattleTech Line Developer Diane Piron-Gelman Mike Nelson Randall N. Bills Randall N. Bills Brent Evans Product Development Heiko Oertel Bryan Nystul Production Editing Assistant Line Developer Randall N. Bills BattleTech Line Developer Michelle Lyons Production Staff Ray Arrastia Assistant Development Randall N. Bills Product Development Production Editing Christoffer “Bones” Trossen Art Direction Mike Miller Randall N. Bills Tara Gallagher Randall N. Bills Production Staff Chris Wheeler Production Staff Sharon Tuner Mulvihill BattleTech Line Developer Cover Art Cover Art Art Direction Production Editing Diane Piron-Gelman Randall N. Bills Chris Lewis Anthony Scroggins Production Editing Randall N. Bills Jason M. Hardy Cover Design Cover Design Jason Hardy Cover Art BattleTech Line Developer Production Staff Jason Vargas Ray Arrastia Klaus Scherwinski BattleTech Line Developer Bryan Nystul Cover Art Layout Layout BattleTech Line Developer Cover Design Randall N. Bills Franz Vohwinkel Jason Vargas David Kerber Randall N. Bills Jason Vargas Production Staff Cover Design Illustrations Layout Production Staff Art Direction John Bridegroom Chris Lewis Production Staff Jason Vargas Art Direction Jim Nelson Layout Art Direction Illustrations Randall N. Bills Cover Art Jason Vargas Randall N. Bills Doug Chaffee Cover Art Doug Chaffee Illustrations Cover Art Earl Geier Doug Chaffee Cover Design Doug Chaffee Doug Chaffee Chris Lewis Cover Design Jim Nelson Matt Plog FIND US ONLINE: Cover Design Matt Plog Michaela Eaves John Bridegroom Franz Vohwinkel [email protected] Ray Arrastia Layout Layout (e-mail address for any BattleTech questions) http://bg.battletech.com/ Layout Michaela Eaves John Bridegroom (official BattleTech web pages) Ray Arrastia Illustrations Illustrations http://www.CatalystGameLabs.com Illustrations Earl Geier Doug Chaffee (Catalyst web pages) Doug Chafee Chris Lewis Kevin Long http://www.store.catalystgamelabs.com (online ordering) Brent Evans Duane Loose Matt Plog Chris Lewis John Paul Lona Brian Snoddy Jim Nelson Franz Vohwinkel Printed in USA. Corrected Second Printing

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lKhan, i The opportunity to view oneself through an enemy’s perspective is a way for a warrior to better know themselves. And, as Sun-Tzu wrote, the warrior who knows their enemy and themselves need not fear the result of a hundred battles. In that vein, this follow-up report to my earlier document detailing the ’Mechs of the Succession Wars retains the original text of the Inner Sphere analysts who grappled with our forebears during Operation REVIVAL. Those first encounters with our OmniMechs set the tone for the ensuing 200 years of conflict, and I feel the initial reactions and evaluations to the front-line ’Mechs of the Invading Clans provides some useful insight into current affairs. Also included are ’Mechs developed by both the Inner Sphere and our Clans in the decade and a half following the Battle of Tukayyid. The invasion of the Inner Sphere was a watershed moment for both sides. Understanding the ways in which each evolved their technology in response to that moment may yield insight into how similar sea-changes might be reflected in modern technology. Finally, I have enclosed several of the “so-called” Project Phoenix ’Mechs resurrected and updated by the Inner Sphere during this era. Though most of these variants are long obsolete, the thought processes that went into their rebuilding is worth understanding. Amid these current troubled times, we are already seeing efforts to update the weapons of old for the battlefields of today. In reviewing archival material for this volume, I was struck by several things. First, iconic though they are, the original sixteen OmniMechs which formed the front line of REVIVAL were not cast in amber. While Inner Sphere eyes will always group them together as a single contingent, the various designs were all at different stages of their life cycle. Some, like the Adder, were introduced just a few decades before the invasion—practically new by Clan standards of the time, when front-line clusters fielded OmniMechs first developed in the thirtieth or even twenty-ninth centuries. Others were common during REVIVAL, but disappeared soon after—the Warhawk has not been a presence on the battlefields of the Inner Sphere since the 3070s. Second, the vast gulf between the Inner Sphere and Clan technology bases was particularly jarring, especially to today’s readers for whom such distinctions have become basically meaningless. The gulf between the frontline OmniMechs of REVIVAL and even the best of the Inner Sphere’s forces in 3050 was substantial. But equally impressive was the speed with which that gap was closed. The later ’Mechs detailed in this volume represent marked strides in adapting to and incorporating new technologies—a valuable lesson in the ephemeral nature of any technological advantage. Nonetheless, the ’Mechs contained within this report have not been consigned fully to military history, and carry with them plenty of modern relevancy. Some designs carry on thematically under new names; others are the reverse, linked by name but nothing else. But all of them inspired to some degree the ceaseless development of the tools of war. Interestingly, some of these same ’Mechs are still in active combat today. A few turn up in the arenas, in the hands of warriors just beginning their careers, or too poor to afford anything better. Rarely, a Gunslinger will use one, either to signal some form of loyalty, to send a message to an opponent, or just as part of a themed march. One of Jάzen Marik’s early victories came during a recreation of the Battle of Satalice, at the controls of a Stormcrow. Marik continued to use that ’Mech with some success for the remainder of the season, proof that a 300-year-old design in the right hands can take on some of the League’s best and win. More disturbingly, a few of the ’Mechs within this report have recently been seen among Renegade forces, particularly in cells connected to the Merit Kelswa cluster. Though I did not compile this report to serve as a current field manual, it appears that the lessons of the past may yet have more to teach us.

—Star League Loremaster Stephan Roshak 24 October 3250 Sample file 5

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