BATTLETECHTM TOTAL WARFARE • CATALYST GAME LABS • RA Colonel John Marik-Johns leads an assault against ‘Emperor’ Baranov’s Fourth Tikonov Republican Guards on the contested world of Hall. INTRODUCTION COMPONENTS 8 20 Fiction 8 Units 20 Fiction vs. Rules 9 BattleMechs 20 Fiction and Art 9 IndustrialMechs 21 3-D Terrain vs. Paper Maps 9 ProtoMechs 21 Standard vs. Advanced Rules 10 Combat Vehicles 22 Rule Levels 10 Infantry 23 Reader Response 10 Conventional Fighters 23 BattleTech: More than a Game 10 Aerospace Fighters 23 Core Rulebooks 10 Small Craft 24 Technical Readouts 10 DropShips 24 The Jihad 11 Support Vehicles 25 Handbooks 11 Other Units 26 Historicals 11 Aerospace Units 26 Map Sets 11 Support Vehicles 26 Record Sheets 11 Mobile Structures 26 Where to Order? 11 Record Sheets 26 Other Avenues 12 ’Mech Record Sheet 27 Iron Wind Metals 12 IndustrialMech Record Sheet 27 Catalyst Demo Teams 12 ProtoMech Record Sheet 28 Classicbattletech.com 12 Combat Vehicle Records Sheets 28 Battlecorps 12 Generic Conventional Infantry Record Sheet 29 HeavyMetal Software 13 Battle Armor Record Sheet 29 Camo Specs Online 13 Aerospace Record Sheets 30 Fighting Pirannha Graphics 13 Support Vehicle Record Sheets 31 Virtual World Entertainment 13 Mapsheets 31 Armorcast 13 Clear 32 WizKids 13 Light Woods 32 Heavy Woods 32 Rough 32 A TIME OF WAR 14 Water 32 Pavement 32 Roads 32 Bridges 33 Buildings 33 Railroads 33 Piloting/Driving Skill Rolls 59 Counters 33 Making Piloting/Driving Skill Rolls 59 Buildings and Bridges 33 Movement on Pavement 61 Rubble 33 Bridge Movement 62 Dice 33 Skidding 62 INTRODUCTION Sideslipping 67 MILITARY ORGANIZATION 34 Falling 68 Determining Location After a Fall 68 Facing After a Fall 68 COMPONENTS PLAYING THE GAME Falling Damage to a ’Mech 68 36 Falling Damage to the MechWarrior 69 A Note on Scale and the Rules 36 PLAYING Individual Unit Rules 36 THE GAME Sequence of Play 37 TRIAL OF POSSESSION 70 Initiative Phase 37 Movement Phase (Ground) 37 AEROSPACE MOVEMENT GROUND Movement Phase (Aerospace) 37 74 Weapon Attack Phase 37 Game Terms 74 MOVEMENT Physical Attack Phase 38 Mapsheets 75 Heat Phase 38 Scale 76 AEROSPACE End Phase 38 Space Movement 76 Unequal Numbers of Units 39 Movement Direction 76 MOVEMENT Warriors 39 Movement Subphases 76 Skills 39 Thrust Points 76 Skill Improvement 40 Using Thrust Points 76 COMBAT Damaging a Warrior 41 Facing 77 Consciousness Rolls 41 Facing Change 77 Game Terms 42 Special Movement Modes 77 Base To-Hit Number 42 Evasive Action 77 HEAT Modifi ed To-Hit Number 42 Rolling 77 Modifi ed Piloting/Driving Skill 42 High-G Maneuvers 78 Target Number 42 Stacking 78 Modifi ed Target Number 42 Atmospheric Movement 78 BUILDINGS Attacker Movement Modifi er 42 Turn Sequence 78 Target 42 Space/Atmosphere Interface 78 Target Movement Modifi er 42 High-Altitude Movement 79 Margin of Success/Failure (MoS/MoF) 42 Gravity 80 PROTOMECHS Damage Value 43 Low-Altitude Movement 80 Armor Value 43 Launching/Recovering Fighters/Small Craft 86 Level, Elevation, Altitude 43 Landing and Liftoff 87 Attack Path/Flight Path 43 Carrying Units 89 COMBAT Mapsheet 43 Matching Mapsheets to Low-Altitude Hexes 91 VEHICLES Playing Area 43 Aerospace Units on Ground Mapsheets 91 Scenario 43 Control Rolls 92 Mechanized 43 Out-of-Control Eff ects 93 SUPPORT VEHICLES WOLF ON THE MOUNTAIN 44 FIGHTING WITHDRAWAL 94 GROUND MOVEMENT COMBAT INFANTRY 48 98 Movement Basics 48 Game Terms 98 Level Change 48 Attack Declaration 98 AEROSPACE Minimum Movement 49 Torso Twist/Turret Rotation 98 UNITS Prone ‘Mech Movement 49 Line of Sight 99 Stacked Terrain 49 Levels and Height 99 Movement Direction 49 Intervening Terrain 100 CREATING Dropping to the Ground 49 Partial Cover (’Mech Only) 102 SCENARIOS Lateral Shift 50 Water Hexes 102 Standing Up 50 WEAPON ATTACKS 103 Facing 50 Ammunition Expenditure 103 PAINTING Facing Change 50 Firing Arcs 104 MINIATURES Movement Modes 53 Forward Arc 105 Standing Still 53 Left Side Arc 105 Walking/Cruising 53 Right Side Arc 105 Running/Flanking 53 Rear Arc 105 INDEX Jumping 53 Rotating the Firing Arcs 105 VTOL Movement 54 Reversing (Flipping) Arms 106 Wing-in-Ground-Eff ect (WiGE) Movement 55 Firing Weapons 106 Naval Movement 56 Base To-Hit Number 106 Underwater Movement (Non-Naval Units) 56 Modifi ed To-Hit Number 106 Stacking 57 To-Hit Modifi ers 106 Unit and Terrain Rules 57 Specialized Attacks 110 Elevation and Depth Rules 58 Prone ’Mechs 113 3 Weapons and Equipment 113 Damage to Target 150 To-Hit Roll 114 Location After Attack 150 Hit Location 119 Falls 150 Damage 121 Diff erent Levels 150 Recording Damage 121 Physical Attacks by Prone ’Mechs 151 Damage Resolution 122 Physical Attacks Against Prone ’Mechs 151 Transferring Damage 123 Unit Displacement 151 Critical Damage 123 Accidental Falls From Above 152 ’Mech Critical Hits 124 Domino Eff ect 152 ’Mech Critical Hit Eff ects 125 Destroying a Unit 128 MUTUAL ADVANTAGE 154 ’Mechs 128 ProtoMechs 128 Vehicles 128 HEAT Infantry 128 158 Aerospace Units 128 Heat Points 158 Other Combat Weapons and Equipment 129 Building Up Heat 158 Active Probe 129 Recording Heat Build-Up 159 Anti-Missile System 129 Eff ects of Heat 159 Anti-Battle Armor Pods 130 Movement 159 Anti-Personnel Pods 130 Weapon Attacks 160 Artemis IV FCS 130 Shutdown 160 Backhoe 130 Ammunition 160 Bridge-layer 130 ICE-Powered ’Mechs 160 Bulldozers 131 Damage to MechWarriors 160 C3 Computer 131 Aerospace Units 160 Improved C3 Computer 133 Heat Eff ects 161 Cargo Bays 133 Large Craft 161 CASE 133 Chainsaw 134 JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE 162 Combine 134 Dual Saw 134 Dumper 134 BUILDINGS 166 ECM Suite 134 Endo Steel 134 Building Types 166 Extended Fuel Tanks/Cells 135 Construction Factor 166 Ferro-Fibrous Armor 135 Building Levels 167 Gauss Rifl e 135 Movement Eff ects 167 Heavy-Duty Pile Driver 136 Moving Through Buildings 167 Lift Hoists 136 Combat Eff ects 171 Machine Gun Array 137 Attacking Buildings 171 MASC 137 Attacking Units Inside Buildings 171 Mining Drill 138 Area Eff ect Weapons 172 Missile Launchers 138 Combat Within Buildings 175 Nail-Rivet Gun 138 Collapse 176 Narc Missile Beacon 138 Basements 179 Retractable Blade 139 Plasma Weapons 139 CHIAROSCURO 180 Rock Cutter 140 Rotary Autocannon 140 PROTOMECHS Special Munitions 140 184 Salvage Arm 142 Playing the Game 184 Spot Welder 142 Movement 184 Stealth Armor System 142 Combat 184 TAG 142 Damage 185 Targeting Computer 143 Frenzy 187 Tracks 143 Physical Attacks 187 TSM 143 Other Combat Equipment 187 Wrecking Ball 143 ProtoMech Myomer Booster 187 PHYSICAL ATTACKS 144 Base To-Hit Number 144 Modifi ed To-Hit number 144 EISENJÄGER 188 Punch Attacks 145 Club Attacks 145 COMBAT VEHICLES Finding a Club 146 192 Physical Weapon Attacks 146 Movement 192 Push Attack 147 Combat 192 Kick Attacks 147 Ground Combat Vehicles 192 Charge Attacks 148 VTOL Combat Vehicles 196 Damage 148 Naval Combat Vehicles 198 Location after Attack 148 WiGE Combat Vehicles 199 Falls 148 Death from Above Attacks 149 Weapon Attack Phase 149 SIMPLE FARMER 200 THE CIRCLE 252 SUPPORT VEHICLES CREATING SCENARIOS 204 256 INTRODUCTION Special Movement Rules 204 General Rules 256 Airships 204 Number of Players 256 Tractors 205 Set-Up 256 Trailers 205 Movement and Retreat 257 COMPONENTS Additional Combat Rules 206 Ending the Game 257 To-Hit Modifi ers 206 Determining Victory 257 Hit Location 206 Forced Withdrawal 258 Damage 206 Crippling Damage 258 PLAYING Carrying Units 207 Types of Scenarios 258 THE GAME Mounting 207 Standup Fight 259 Dismounting 207 Hide and Seek 260 Hold the Line 260 GROUND MOVEMENT PROPER WORK 208 Extraction 260 Breakthrough 261 Chase 262 INFANTRY Selecting Mapsheets 262 AEROSPACE 212 Using the Mapsheet Tables 262 MOVEMENT Infantry Movement 214 Unit Generation 264 Infantry Combat 214 Force Composition 264 Conventional Infantry 214 Assigning ’Mechs 266 COMBAT Battle Armor 217 Experience Rating and Skills 272 Anti-’Mech Attacks 220 Finishing Touches 273 Leg Attacks 220 Clan Honor 273 Swarm Attacks 220 Honor Levels 273 HEAT Infantry Carriers 223 Zellbrigen 274 Mounting 223 Dismounting 225 Mechanized Battle Armor 226 BACK END OF NOWHERE 276 BUILDINGS Other Combat Weapons and Equipment 228 Active Probe 228 PAINTING MINIATURES Armor 228 288 Bomb Rack 228 Materials and Tools 280 Camo System 228 Painting to Match Cover Art 281 PROTOMECHS ECM Suite 228 The BattleMaster and Battle Armor 281 Improved Sensors 228 The Harasser 284 Magnetic Clamps 228 The Infantry 285 COMBAT Manipulators 228 Additional Advice 286 VEHICLES Narc 229 Paints and Brushes 286 Pop-up Mine 229 Hobby Knife Safety Tips 286 Special Munitions 229 Using Spray Primer 286 SUPPORT Squad Support Weapon 229 Basic Techniques 286 VEHICLES TAG, Light 229 Finishing Touches 288 Mistakes 288 ANGELS ON OUR SHOULDERS 230 A Final Note 288 Kitbashing 289 INFANTRY Concept and Planning 289 AEROSPACE UNITS Tools and Equipment 290 234 Techniques 291 AEROSPACE Scale 234 Finishing 295 UNITS Large Craft Weapon Bays 234 Preparing Terrain 296 Aerospace Units vs. Ground Units 234 Clear 296 Space Combat 235 Hills 296 Line of Sight 235 CREATING Trees 296 SCENARIOS Firing Arcs 235 Water 297 Firing Weapons 235 Roads/Bridges 297 Damage 238 Buildings 298 PAINTING Collisions and Ramming 241 Rubble 298 MINIATURES Ramming Attacks 241 Rough Ground 299 Damage from Collisions 241 Assembling the Playing Area 299 Atmospheric Combat 241 Air-to-Air Attacks 241 INDEX Air-to-Ground Attacks 242 INDEX Ground-to-Air Attacks 247 300 Attacks By and Against Spheroid DropShips in Atmosphere 248 Damage to Aerospace Units in Atmosphere 249 TABLES Attacks by Grounded Aerospace Units 249 303 Other Combat Weapons and Equipment 251 Screen Launchers 251 Tele-Operated Missiles 251 5 CREDITS BattleTech Original Design Miniatures Painting & Photography Jordan K.