I was first introduced to the BattleTech universe in 1994. Twelve years old at the time, my family would often take vacations from our home in Grand Rapids (Michigan) to Chicago, only a three-hour drive away. On one of these trips, we stumbled upon the BattleTech Center at Chicago’s North Pier. I was instantly hooked and made my parents take me back to play in the pods every time we went to Chicago. During one of the visits I noticed a BattleTech: Third Edition boxed set on the counter and asked a bit about it. I had never played a tabletop miniatures game before, but I convinced my parents that I had enough allowance to buy it and spent the next few weeks playing against myself and anyone I could trick into playing with me.
Modern BattleTech Pod
Going on twenty years later, I still remember how excited I was the first time I played in a BattleTech pod.
For those of you that have never heard of or experience a pod, you’re missing out. BattleTech pods are fully-enclosed cockpits with multiple screens, joysticks, and rudder. You play in a heavily-modified version of MechWarrior 4 (called BattleTech: Firestorm) against a dozen others at the same location. The fighting is intense and a whole lot of fun — you really feel like you’re in a ‘Mech once you step into the cockpit. It’s an experience everyone should try.
Continue reading →