BattleTech Boxed Set

See also: BattleTech (board game), BattleTech rulebooks, and BattleTech Universe

The BattleTech boxed set is the core product of the BattleTech board game that spawned the BattleTech universe.

1984: Battledroids (FASA 1604)

Main article: Battledroids

There is no proper "First Edition" of BattleTech. The inaugural game was instead called Battledroids, and was released by FASA in 1984.

Battledroids was described as "BattleTech's predecessor" by Herbert A. Beas, and the units and scenarios are not necessarily considered canonical for the BattleTech universe.

The game had different rules from the later 2nd Edition. Most importantly, the firing and damage rules was a simplified system that combined all weapons into a single attack roll against the equally single armor rating of the target, similar to the simplified combat in the Alpha Strike ruleset. It was only the optional "Advanced Battledroids Rules" that resembled the later classic BattleTech combat rules. There were also rules for tanks and armed jeeps.

The Battledroids included with this set (as cutout pieces, and also depicted on the back of the box) were the Stinger, Shadow Hawk, Archer, Griffin, Warhammer, Marauder, Crusader, Wasp, and Rifleman. All of these would later become unseen. In addition, the Merlin was featured in the rulebook, but not depicted.

Like all subsequent boxed sets, the Battledroids box contained a rulebook, a pair of dice, and two (identical) fold-out paper mapsheets with a hex grid. It also contained two small model kits that were identified as Shadow Hawk and Griffin Battledroids; the models were in fact the Fang of the Sun Dougram "Dougram Combat Armor" and "Soltic H8 Roundfacer" models imported by Twentieth Century Imports. These models were out of scale and too large to fit on the gameboard's hex fields, and were not included with later editions of the boxed sets.

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  Battledroids boxed set contents

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  Battledroids back cover art

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  Battledroids hex map

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  Griffin model from Battledroids box

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  Shadow Hawk model from Battledroids box

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  Battledroids cutouts 1

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  Battledroids cutouts 2

1985: BattleTech, 2nd Edition (FASA 1604)

Main article: BattleTech, Second Edition

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The first product to be named "BattleTech", the BattleTech, Second Edition boxed set kept the FASA product number (1604) from Battledroids, and is generally regarded as the quintessential BattleTech product. Unlike Battledroids, it included a rulebook (with a proper cover) that contained revised gaming and 'Mech construction rules based off the "Advanced" Battledroids rules, and expanded background information for the setting, namely the Inner Sphere during the Succession Wars era. ComStar is first mentioned here, and crests for the five Great Houses (and three Bandit Kings) make their first appearance as colored faction counters to go with the 'Mech cutout playing pieces. The vehicle rules from Battledroids were dropped altogether.

The game stats for all but two Battledroids–now called BattleMechs–were changed to some degree to account for errors or changes in the construction rules, and four new designs were introduced: Locust, Wolverine, Thunderbolt, and BattleMaster. All of these, too, would later become Unseen. A fifth new addition was the Chameleon TrainingMech.

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  BattleTech, 2nd Ed. boxed set contents

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  BattleTech, 2nd Ed. rulebook cover

1986: CityTech (FASA 1608)

Main article: CityTech

Although often mistaken for a mere BattleTech supplement or expansion, the CityTech boxed set was in fact a complete game unto itself. Its 44-page rulebook reiterated and expanded the BattleTech rules by adding different kinds of vehicles (substantially different from the Battledroids vehicle rules), infantry, buildings, and movement rules for paved ground. Stats were provided for six 'Mechs previously featured in BattleTech (Archer, Rifleman, Shadow Hawk, Crusader, Marauder, Warhammer), six new 'Mechs (Stalker, Ostsol, Hunchback, Ostroc, Spider, Ostscout) and six combat vehicles (Condor, J. Edgar, Hunter, Vedette, Demolisher, Wheeled Scout). It also included blank record sheets for vehicles and infantry platoons. Unlike the BattleTech 2nd Edition rulebook, no universe background information was given except for a short story, Life in the Big City.

The CityTech box contained a slew of cutout counters for various tanks, infantry and buildings, and two (identical) mapsheets that were different from the previous BattleTech mapsheets.

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  CityTech boxed set contents (cutouts not depicted)

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  CityTech rulebook cover

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  CityTech mapsheet

1992: BattleTech, 3rd Edition (FASA 1604)

Main article: BattleTech, Third Edition

In 1992 FASA released a third edition of the successful game, the major chage being the replacement of the paper cutout playing pieces with plastic miniatures, one each of the fourteen standard 'Mechs from the previous edition (excluding the Merlin and Chameleon, for which neither miniatures nor record sheets were provided). The new edition also contained a booklet with pre-made official record sheets.

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  BattleTech, 3rd Ed. boxed set contents

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  BattleTech, 3rd Ed. rulebook cover

1994: CityTech, 2nd Edition (FASA 1608)

Main article: CityTech, Second Edition

In the same fashion as the new (3rd) edition of the BattleTech boxed set, the CityTech boxed set received a makeover for its 2nd edition with plastic miniatures, though FASA went a bit further here, expanding the rules to "Level Two" (Clan Invasion era) technology.

1996: BattleTech, 4th Edition (FASA 1604)

Main article: BattleTech, Fourth Edition

The Unseen lawsuits from 1994/1995 required FASA to redesign the BattleTech boxed set with a new lineup of 'Mechs that were not affected by the Unseen situation. These were the Commando, Spider, Jenner, Panther, Assassin, Cicada, Clint, Hermes II, Whitworth, Vindicator, Enforcer, Hunchback, Trebuchet, Dervish, Dragon, Quickdraw, Catapult, JagerMech, Grasshopper, Awesome, Zeus, Cyclops, Banshee, and Atlas. Because no plastic miniatures were readily available, FASA reverted to paper cutouts, and also added faction markers again. The fourth edition came with a redesigned rulebook including new training scenarios, and also included a "Universe book" with background information and simplified quick start rules.

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  BattleTech, 4th Ed. boxed set contents

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  BattleTech, 4th Ed. rulebook cover

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  BattleTech, 4th Ed. Universe Book cover

2003: Classic BattleTech (FanPro 10980)

Main article: Classic BattleTech Boxed Set

In 2002, FASA transferred ownership of the BattleTech IP to Wizkids, who rebranded it as "Classic BattleTech" and licensed it to FanPro. Thus, the game's fifth edition was rebranded accordingly.

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  Classic BattleTech boxed set contents

2007: Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set (CGL 35000)

Main article: Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set

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2011: 25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set

Main article: 25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set

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2013: BattleTech Introductory Box Set

Main article: BattleTech Introductory Box Set

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2019: BattleTech Beginner Box & A Game of Armored Combat

Main articles: BattleTech: Beginner Box and BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat

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