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

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. 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.

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)

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