MechWarrior (role-playing game)

MechWarrior is a role-playing game set in the fictional BattleTech universe.

MechWarrior
MechWarrior cover (first edition, 1986)
Publisher(s)FASA Corporation, Fantasy Productions LLC
Publication date1986

Description

MechWarrior is set in the fictional BattleTech universe in which players can assume the roles of MechWarriors (BattleMech pilots) or other individuals in the 31st century.

Publication history

The game has had three editions and many expansions and adventures, the first of which was published in 1986 by FASA Corporation. In addition, numerous novels by such authors as Michael A. Stackpole flesh out the game's fictional world. There is also an animated series.

Editions

All of the three editions have been created by FASA Corporation authors. A second printing of the third edition of the game was published by FanPro, LLC (on November 2006). To reduce confusion between WizKids' MechWarrior: Dark Age games and the MechWarrior roleplaying game, FanPro renamed this reprint as Classic BattleTech RPG. The newest edition released by Catalyst Game Labs in the line of Total Warfare is A Time of War:

  • MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game (first edition: 1986)[1]
  • MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game (second edition: 1991)[2]
  • MechWarrior: Third Edition (third edition: 1999)[3]
  • Classic BattleTech RPG (second printing of MechWarrior's third edition: 2007)[4]
  • A Time of War (released in Dec 2010)[5]

Translations

French

The first edition of MechWarrior was translated into French by Michel Serrat for the French publishing house Hexagonal. Serrat's translation was published in 1989 under the title of Technoguerriers, which loosely translates the original English title.[6]

Japanese

Fujimi Shobo published a translation of MechWarrior in 1993. It was supported by the scenario collection Tamar and four replays.

Spanish

In Spain the two first editions of the game were translated into Spanish and published: the first edition in 1990 by the nowadays defunct Diseños Orbitales publishing house[7] and the second edition in 1994 by Ediciones Zinco,[8] also defunct. Both publishing houses were from Barcelona.

Reception

Scott Tanner reviewed Mechwarrior in Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer No. 78.[9] Tanner commented that "I found this supplement very useful, for not only did it provide a roleplaying side to the game, but the background material was useful in setting up scenarios and the like."[9]

MechWarrior was ranked 49th in the 1996 reader poll of Arcane magazine to determine the 50 most popular roleplaying games of all time. The UK magazine's editor Paul Pettengale commented: "Over the years since its original release, FASA has developed every aspect of the background and history of the Battle Tech setting. The result is a detailed universe overflowing with potential for adventure."[10]

Reviews

See also

References
  1. MEYER Richard K., HUNT Walter H., JAMIESON Evan, STEIN Kevin, BABCOCK III L. Ross, WEISMAN Jordan K., LARKIN Patrick, KEITH JR William H., BOYLE David and FRAZEE D. Brad, MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game, FASA Corporation, first edition: 1986, 144 p. il. soft cover, ISBN 0-931787-58-0
  2. NYSTUL Michael, SMITH Lester W., IPPOLITO Donna and LEWIS Sam, MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game, FASA Corporation, second edition: 1991, 164 p. il. soft cover, ISBN 1-55560-129-4
  3. PIRON-GELMAN Diane, HARTFORD Chris, NYSTUL Bryan, HUSSEY Chris, TROSSEN Christoffer, GRENDELL Dan, BEAS II Herbert A., COLEMAN Loren L., STACKPOLE Michael A. y BILLS Randall N., MechWarrior: Third Edition, FASA Corporation, third edition: 1999, 224 p. il. soft cover, ISBN 1-55560-386-6
  4. PIRON-GELMAN Diane, HARTFORD Chris, NYSTUL Bryan, HUSSEY Chris, TROSSEN Christoffer, GRENDELL Dan, BEAS II Herbert A., COLEMAN Loren L., STACKPOLE Michael A. y BILLS Randall N., Classic BattleTech RPG, Fantasy Productions LLC, third edition (second printing): November 2006, ISBN 1-932564-35-7
  5. BEAS II Herbert A., ROBERTS Neil, SCHERWINSKI Klaus, CURTNER Liam, LEWIS Chris, NICHOLS Will, A Time of War, Catalyst Game Labs: December 2010, ISBN 978-1-934857-65-6
  6. Technoguerriers as described on Le Grog, a French website specialized on role-playing games
  7. NYSTUL Michael, SMITH Lester W., IPPOLITO Donna and LEWIS Sam, MechWarrior, el juego de rol del universo de BattleTech, Diseños Orbitales, Barcelona, first Spanish edition: 1990, il. soft cov., ISBN 84-87423-55-8
  8. NYSTUL Michael, SMITH Lester W., IPPOLITO Donna and LEWIS Sam, MechWarrior, el juego de rol del universo de BattleTech, Ediciones Zinco, Barcelona, second Spanish edition: 1994, 185 p. il. soft cov., ISBN 84-468-0235-X
  9. Tanner, Scott (April–May 1987). "Infotech on Battletech". Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer. Diverse Talents, Incorporated (78): 16.
  10. Pettengale, Paul (Christmas 1996). "Arcane Presents the Top 50 Roleplaying Games 1996". Arcane. Future Publishing (14): 25–35.
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