Challenge Magazine

Challenge Magazine
Product information
Type	Magazine
Development	Loren K. Wiseman, Michelle Sturgeon
Primary writing	Kevin Stein Vincent J. Tognarelli Dale L. Kemper Michael C. LaBossiere and others
Publication information
Publisher	Game Designers' Workshop
First published	1986–1996
Content
Preceded by	Journal of the Travellers Aid Society

Challenge, often called Challenge Magazine, was a gaming magazine published by Game Designers' Workshop that contained articles covering GDW's own games as well as those of other companies. Challenge replaced the earlier Journal of the Travellers Aid Society, retaining the numbering of JTAS but moving to a larger format; JTAS continued as a regular feature in Challenge. Publication ended with issue 77.

Approximately a third of issues had at least one BattleTech article, often the final article in the magazine. Only BattleTech-related material is listed here.

Issue 30

Building the Perfect 'Mech by Kevin Stein. Art by Tim Bradstreet.

A how-to guide resulting in the 85-ton Lucien.

Issue 35

AFT 1B "Afterburner"' by C.W. Hess and Mike A. Bozulich. Art by Janet Aulisio, Rick Lowry, and Rick Harris, with two images unsigned.

A light 'Mech with a number of house rules, including standing and "crouching" (quad) modes and limited-use jump jets. The stats for the AFT-1K Kuritan variant are also given.

Issue 36

'Mech Alternatives by Kevin Stein. Art by Duane Loose.

Jump Vehicles built using CityTech design rules for hovercraft. TROs for three vehicles are included:

• Silhouette Jump Tank
• Worker Bee Jump Engineer
• FreeFall Drop APC

Issue 38

Direct Fire Artillery by C.W. Hess. Art by Rick Harris, with an unsigned TOE diagram.

New rules for towing and deploying artillery in direct-fire mode, with fire rates for machine guns and various sizes of autocannon and long- and short-range missiles. Mobile emplacements are towed artillery with a turret.

A Place in the Sun by David L. Pulver. Art by A.C. Farley.

A pair of scenarios for BattleTech and CityTech, set on a world similar to Mercury.

Issue 39

Sky Eyes by Dale L. Kemper. Art is an unsigned hexmap.

A raid on Patinir by Sorenson's Sabres, using maps from CityTech. This scenario was republished with some changes in BattleTechnology: The Lost Issues.

The Waco Rangers: An In-Depth Look by Dale L. Kemper. Art by Rick Lowry.

A complete roster of the Rangers at the start of 3028.

Issue 44 (April/May 1990)

CST-3S Cestus: Technical Data Readout for a Heavy BattleMech by Dale L. Kemper. Art by Rick Harris.

An ancient long-range fire support design by Technicron Manufacturing, only 5% remain in operation. Similar to a Rifleman with the movement profile of a Panther, the arms paired an AC/2 with a medium laser, with an LRM-5 in each side torso. A variant sacrifices the jump jets, some armor, and extra heat sinks to mount larger missile racks.

• This is not the canon Cestus BattleMech, but rather statistics intended for the Cestus figure produced by Ral Partha Enterprises, commonly called the Battledroid Cestus. The text and 'Mech profile is identical to that previously published in Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer #79. Ral Partha's catalog number for this 'Mech, referenced explicitly in the Space Gamer article, was 20-814. The jump jets were not included in the stats, producing a 'Mech two tons underweight, two tons overweight with the jump jets included.

Issue 47 (December 1990)

Psychology of 'Mech Warriors by Marcus L. Rowland. Art by Rick Harris.

A one-page article that defines the concept of "Identification Psychosis", with which a MechWarrior can suffer psychosomatic effects from their 'Mech being damaged.

Challenge Briefs

The BattleTech Center now open in Chicago.

Issue 48 (January/February 1991)

Wolftrap: Harrow's Sun, June 25, 3029 by Dale L. Kemper. Art is a hexmap diagram.

A scenario with Gamma Regiment of Wolf's Dragoons defending against the Eighth Galedon Regulars.

Issue 51 (July 1991)

The Warrior's End: A 'MechWarrior Roleplaying Table by James Beane. Art by Earl Geier.

Random encounters and gambling at a bar on Gard, a conveniently located asteroid. No 'Mechs or military vehicles allowed.

Issue 54 (November 1991)

Ghosts in the Machines by Michael C. LaBossiere.

A scenario with a lance of 'Mechs and four Scorpion-Us (ultra AC/5 replaces standard autocannon) versus an AI battle computer controlling a Phoenix Hawk, some combat vehicles, and an armed compound. Two designs are introduced for the scenario:

• Laumer-class Heavy Tank, a Star League–era 80-ton tank with appropriate technology.
• ACH-1 Achilles, a heavy command 'Mech with a C3 master. A variant without the C3 is also listed.

Challenge Briefs

FASA's recent releases include BattleTech: Falcon Guard, ClanTroops and Unbound.

Issue 55 (December 1991)

Conner's World by Michael C. LaBossiere. Art by Earl Geier.

Conner's World is a balkanized earthlike Periphery planet with a working HPG and several operational Star League factories capable of producing weapons and 'Mech parts, a perfect site for three scenarios. In "Border Incident", a mixed force of 'Mechs and combat vehicles attacks a border station. In "Rumble During the Rumble", an earthquake has uncovered a Star League supply vault in a desolate area between two polities, who react predictably. In "Guard Duty", a mercenary unit contracted by ComStar to protect the HPG station is simultaneously attacked by two local powers. Many of the 'Mechs and combat vehicles have modifications and two locally produced hovertanks are statted.

• The local Agni and Rudra are based on the same chassis, with the Agni carrying medium lasers and SRM-6s in its turret, the Rudra replacing the lasers, an SRM-6, and some ammo with a PPC.
• Wheeled APC – Nietzchen variant with three machine guns and a half-ton of ammo.
• Modified versions of the Bulldog, Hunter Light Support Tank, J. Edgar, and Scimitar.
• Modified versions of the ARC-2R Archer, CN9-A Centurion, CLNT-2-3T Clint, HER-2S Hermes, LCT-1V Locust, MAD-3R Marauder,, RFL-3N Rifleman, SHD-2DH Shadow Hawk, STG-3R Stinger, TBT-5N Trebuchet, and WSP-1A Wasp.

Challenge Briefs

FASA's recent BattleTech releases are the same ones list in the previous issue.

Issue 60 (May 1992)

It Takes All Kinds: 'MechWarriors and Society by Patrick Sheats.

Five archetypes of MechWarriors with three inborn abilities for the MechWarrior RPG.

Issue 61 (June 1992)

Cover by Jim Nelson.

A Goliath in combat.

Low Desert Kill by Michael C. LaBossiere.

A Clan Trinary raids a Kerek Arms factory on the Draconis Combine world of Kenseng 4. The defenders have a mixed bag of 'Mechs, combat vehicles, and infantry, with some of the vehicles locally produced.

• YJ-5K "Yellow Jacket". A 25-ton VTOL with eight medium lasers. Not the canonical Yellow Jacket VTOL.
• MS-5Q "Mosquito". A 35-ton VTOL with four medium lasers and four LRM-5s.
• Kelson Support Vehicle. A 35-ton hovercraft with a large laser, two small lasers, and LRM-5s, capable of carrying extra ammo internally and externally.

Issue 64 (September 1992)

Challenge Reviews

BattleTech OmniMechs four-packs from Ral Partha. No reviewer credit.

Issue 67 (December 1992)

On the Cutting Edge: Apple Churchill Hawkeye 4077 Weapon Linkage System by Vincent J. Tognarelli and Ryan Gore.

A Capellan Confederation technology similar to a machine gun array, allowing any number of identical weapons in one location to use a single attack roll when activated. A scenario using the system appears in the next issue.

Issue 68

Fire on the Mountain by Vincent J. Tognarelli. Art by LaMont Fullerton.

A lance of the Sarna Reserves on Ward defends against an unsanctioned raid by a lance of Ivan's Marauders, a unit of Longwood's Bluecoats. The Marauders are on a tight schedule and only get one shot at their smash-and-grab. This scenario uses the Apple Churchill weapon linkage system profiled in Issue 67.

Issue 69 (February 1993)

Infantry and Field Weapons by Michael C. LaBossiere.

Rules for constructing and using field weapons, towed chassis with common weapons. And new infantry types – optional modifiers for infantry experience and armored infantry.

Issue 70

Infantry & Field Weapon Vehicles by Michael C. LaBossiere.

Technical readouts for vehicles designed for infantry transport, anti-infantry work, and supporting field weapons.

• Echidna. A late Star League–era anti-infantry tracked vehicle with sixteen machine guns, two medium lasers, and four small lasers. Several variants are briefly described.
• Porcupine. An infantry fighting vehicle common to all the Successor States, tracked and carrying missiles, machine guns, and flamers. Variants are common.
• Tapir. A modified Echidna hull that uses the same laser setup in the turret; the three machine guns are modular and can be removed to increase the infantry compartment's capacity. Variants replace the fusion engine with an internal combustion engine.
• Jump Troop Transport. A VTOL for deploying jump infantry. Some armor and weapons are sacrificed to allow more space for troops.
• Infantry Transport. A standard infantry transport VTOL. Variants range from removing all weapons to carry more troops to gunship versions which remove abandon the troop transport role.
• Mule. A 20-ton wheeled vehicle for towing things and carrying cargo. Light armor and three machine guns.
• Medusa. Designed to operate eight remote field weapons while remaining out of sight. It does a fine Sir Robin impression if spotted.

Issue 71

Maxed Out! by Dan Snuffin.

A table showing maximum possible armor by location, for use in 'Mech construction.

Ant Hill by Michael C. LaBossiere.

The JumpShip Grant, part of Kerensky's Exodus, suffered an overloaded drive system when reentering normal space; the bridge crew released all DropShips minutes before the Grant exploded. Without any alternative, the DropShips colonized a convenient world. After decades of peace, bandits discovered a juicy target with Star League technology. Three scenarios detail attacks by bandits in 3021, the Draconis Combine in 3029, and Clan Smoke Jaguar in 3052. These scenarios include weapons and machines described in issues 69 and 70.

Issue 73

Cover by Jeff Laubenstein.

A Firestarter reflects flames in its visor.

New Technologies and Tactics by Aaron Braskin.

New Avalon Tactics Research Think Tank Paper #FCH145-AS describes three new 'Mechs that combine pulse lasers with C3 computers. Record sheets are included but should be proofread before using.

• PLS-5A Pulse Leader. A 50-ton machine with jump jets and two large pulse lasers.
• PLR-6A Pulsar. Five tons lighter and slightly faster than the Pulse Leader.
• RGR-7A Ranger. A 60-ton ax-wielder with MASC as well as jump jets.

Reviews

Technical Readout 3055 and Medium OmniMechs reviewed by Craig Sheeley.

Issue 76

BattleTech is listed on the cover but there is no BattleTech material.

External Links

• Challenge Magazine
• Jal Phoenix's Inventory of Challenge Magazine
• Index to Challenge Magazine
• Purchase nominally priced PDFs of this Magazine