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
Content
Timeline	1986-1996
Preceded by	Journal of the Travellers Aid Society

This gaming magazine contained periodic BattleTech content. Fifty-three issues of the magazine were printed beginning with issue #25. The last issue was issue #77. Approximately one-third of the issues had a single BattleTech article.

Known content

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:

• 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)

• TRO: Cestus CST-3S Heavy BattleMech by Dale L. Kemper.
•  : Note: 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 the previously published one from Space Gamer magazine issue #79. Ral Partha's catalog number… referenced explicitly in the Space Gamer article... for this 'Mech was 20-814. The unattributed artwork in the Challenge article looks more like a Rifleman than the artwork from Space Gamer magazine by John Bridges which was clearly based on the Ral Partha figure.
•  : The Introductory Level technology 'Mech was 65 tons and moved like a Panther. It relied on dual AC/2s, MLs and LRM-5s for weaponry. It is 2 tons overweight.

Issue 47 (December 1990)

Features a one page article that theorises the concept of "Identification Psychosis" amongst MechWarriors.

• Article: The Psychology of MechWarriors by Marcus L. Rowland. 'What happens if your 'Mech is damaged or destroyed?'

Issue 48 (January/February 1991)

• Scenario: Wolftrap by Dale L. Kemper. 'Wolf's Dragoons struggle to hold their ground.'

Issue 51 (July 1991)

• Game Aid: The Warriors' End by James Beane. This article profiles a well-known bar catering to MechWarriors.

Issue 54 (November 1991)

Featured two single page articles.

• Fiction and Scenario: Ghosts in the Machine by Michael C. LaBossiere.
• Mini-TRO: Laumer heavy tank and the Achilles BattleMech plus record sheets.

Issue 55 (December 1991)

• Game Aid & Scenarios: Connor's World by Michael C. LaBossiere.
• TRO: Agni & Rudra Hovertanks

Issue 60 (May 1992)

• It Takes All Kinds by Patrick Sheats. A MechWarrior Social structure. An empowered society within a society.

Issue 61 (June 1992)

• Scenario: Low Desert Kill by Michael C. LaBossiere. 'Kenseng 4 is an excellent example of what mankind can do to a world.'
• TRO: Yellow Jacket YJ-5K & Mosquito MS-5Q BattleMechs
• Kelson Support Vehicle (Hovercraft)

Issue 67 (December 1992)

• Game Aid: On the Cutting Edge by Vincent J. Tognarelli and Ryan Gore. Features a targeting system "Apple Churchill Hawkeye 4077 weapon linkage system", which allows you to link identical weapon systems to fire together, with one "To Hit" roll.

Issue 68

• Scenario: Fire on the Mountain by Vincent J. Tognarelli. 'Ivan's Marauders are on a nonsanctioned raiding mission...'

Issue 69 (February 1993)

• Game Aid: Infantry and Field Weapons by Michael C. LaBossiere. This article introduces rules for towed field guns, along with a table to determine the Experience Level of an Infantry unit, PLUS rules for Armored Infantry. Designed to enhance the BattleTech Compendium

Issue 70

• Vehicles TRO: Echidna, Porcupine, Tapir, Infantry Transport, Mule & Medusa tanks by Vincent J. Tognarelli.

Issue 71

• Maxed Out! by Dan Snuffin. An Armor Construction Table.
• Scenario: Ant Hill by Michael C. LaBossiere. 'Bandit forces stumble onto a society with Star League-era technology.'

Issue 73

• New Technologies by Aaron Braskin.
• TRO: Pulse Leader PLS-5A, Pulsar & Ranger BattleMechs

External Links

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