Interstellar Operations

Insterstellar Operations
Product information
Type	Rulebook
Primary writing	Matt Alexander Ray Arrastia Joel Bancroft-Connors Herbert A. Beas II Randall N. Bills Joshua Franklin Keith Hann John Haward Johannes Heidler Chris Marti Ben Rome Paul Sjardijn Joel Steverson
Pages	386
Cover Artwork	Alex Iglesias
Illustrations	Jeff Porter
Publication information
Publisher	Catalyst Game Labs
Product code	E-CAT35006
First published	July 24, 2015 [Beta] July, 2016 [Printed Edition]
Content
Era	Age of War to Dark Age
Timeline	Total Warfare
Series	Core Rulebooks
Preceded by	Strategic Operations
Followed by	Campaign Operations

Description

Interstellar Operations is the last of a series of core rulebooks written for BattleTech. The book is broken up in sections which covers era-specific experimental technologies from the Age of War to the Late Dark Age Era. It also provides rules for use and construction of unusual and rare combat units such as Land-Air Mechs, superheavy BattleMechs, and QuadVees.

The last section of the book has various rules that allows large scale campaigns on interplanetary levels. They are broken up on size scaling of force from Company/Trinary size units to multiregiment task forces to be used to conquer entire solar systems.

Initially, Interstellar Operations was released as a Beta version. This article covers this particular release until the finalized product is released.

On 21 March 2022 the content of Interstellar Operations was split into two new books that are sold separately: Interstellar Operations: Alternate Eras and Interstellar Operations: BattleForce. The original joined edition is no longer available.

From the back cover

Forces Across the Stars!

“

Marshal your forces and prepare to conquer the Inner Sphere! Interstellar Operations is the next long-awaited rules installment to the series begun with Total Warfare and carried through the award-winning Tactical Operations and Strategic Operations. The former focuses on a whole new level of excitement directly on your gaming table while the later focuses on moving from a single scenario to a multipart campaigns and how to take an entire solar system. Interstellar Operations zooms up to the final level, allowing players to assume the roles of House Lord or Clan Khans and dominate the galaxy. Interstellar Operations contains rules for running an entire faction’s military as a player tries to conquer numerous solar systems, including rules for how to conduct warfare through any of the various scales represented within the core line of rulebooks. Finally, perhaps one of the most anticipated portions of the book, the Alternate Eras section introduces a huge swath of rules for playing across the thousand years of BattleTech history, including weapons and equipment mostly unique to a given era, such as complete rules for building and playing with LAMs.

”

Contents

INTRODUCTION

• Advanced Rules

• Tactical Operations
• Strategic Operations
• Interstellar Operations

• Choose What You Like

• Player Adjudication

• Fiction

• Fiction Vs. Rules
• Fiction Vs. Art

Charge Of The Light (short story by Jason Schmetzer)

ALTERNATE ERAS

• Star League Era (2300-2780)

• Sub-Era: Age of War (2300-2570)
• Sub-Era: Age of the Star League (2571-2780)

• Succession Wars Era (2781-3049)

• Sub-Era: Early Succession Wars (2781-2900)
• Sub-Era: Late Succession Wars (2901-3049)
• Clan Sub-Eras (2800-3049)

• Clan Invasion Era (3050-3061)

• Sub-Eras

• Civil War Era (3062-3067)

• Sub-Eras

• Jihad Era (3068-3085)

• Sub-Eras

• The Dark Age Era (3086-3150)

• Sub-Era: The Republic Age (3086-3130)
• Sub-Era: Late Dark Age (3131-3150)
• Clan Sub-Era: The Post-Reaving (3086-3150)

• General Era Rules Expansions

• Star League Era
• Succession Wars Era
• Clan Invasion Era
• Civil War Era
• Jihad Era
• Dark Age Era

• The Universal Technology Advancement Table

• Evolving Technology in Campaign Play

ALTERNATE ERAS UNITS & EQUIPMENT

• Advanced Clan Equipment (Wars of Reaving)

• Electric Discharge ProtoMech (EDP) Armor
• Extended Jump Jet (XJJ) System
• Fusillade Launcher
• Improved Advanced Tactical Missile (iATM) Launchers
• Magnetic Clamp System
• Nova Combined Electronic Warfare System (CEWS)
• ProtoMech Quad Melee Weapon System
• Specialty Munitions: Improved Magnetic Pulse Ammunition (IMP) Missiles
• Specialty Munitions: Improved Inferno Ammunition (IIW) Missiles

• Advanced Pilot Interfaces (Multiple Eras)

• Damage Interrupt Circuit
• Direct Neural Interface Cockpit Modification
• SLDF Advanced Neurohelmet
• Virtual Reality Piloting Pod

• Advanced Prototype Systems (Age Of War)

• General Advanced Prototype Systems Rules
• Arrow IV (Arrow-P)
• Artemis IV FCS (Artemis-P)
• Beagle Active Probe (BAP-P)
• CASE (CASE-P)
• Double Heat Sinks (DHS-P)
• Endo Steel (ES-P)
• Extralight Fusion Engine (XL-P)
• Ferro-fibrous armor (FF-P)
• Gauss rifle (GR-P)
• Guardian ECM (ECM-P)
• LB 10-X (LB 10-X-P)
• Narc Missile Beacon (NARC-P)
• Pulse Lasers (PL-P)
• Remote Sensors (RS-P)
• Rocket Launchers (RL-P)
• TAG (TAG-P)

• Augmented Warriors (Multiple Eras)

• General Augmented Warrior Rules
• Belter Augmentations
• Clan Enhanced Imaging Neural Implant
• Cybernetic and Prosthetic Augmentations

• Centurion Weapon System (Star League)

• Centurion Weapon System Game Rules
• Centurion Weapon System Construction Rules

• Dark Age Equipment (Dark Age)

• Anti-Penetrative Ablation Armor (ABA)
• Ballistic-Reinforced Armor
• Heat-Dissipating Armor
• Impact-Resistant Armor
• HarJel Repair Systems
• Radical Heat Sinks
• Re-engineered Lasers [sic]
• Remote Drone Command Console
• Tight-Stream Electro-Magnetic Pulse (TSEMP) Weapons

• Dark Age RISC Equipment (Dark Age)

• RISC Advanced Point Defense System
• RISC Emergency Coolant System
• RISC Heat Sink Override Kit
• RISC Hyper Laser
• RISC Laser Pulse Module
• RISC Repeating TSEMP
• RISC Super-Cooled Myomer
• RISC Viral Jammers

• Early Clan Improved Equipment (Early Clan)

• General Early Clan Improved Weapons Rules
• Improved Lasers
• Improved and Enhanced PPCs
• Improved Autocannon
• Improved Gauss Rifle
• Improved Standard Missile Launchers

• Early Clan Prototype Systems (Early Clan)

• General Early Clan Prototype Systems Rules
• ER Lasers (ER-CP)
• LB-X Autocannon (LB-X-CP)
• Streak SRM (Streak-CP)
• Ultra Autocannon (UAC-CP)

• Expanded ProtoMechs (Wars of Reaving)

• Expanded ProtoMech Game Rules
• Expanded ProtoMech Construction Rules

• Inner Sphere ProtoMech Interface (Jihad)

• Inner Sphere ProtoMech Interface Game Rules
• Inner Sphere ProtoMech Interface Construction Rules

• Inner Sphere Recovered Prototypes (Late Succession Wars)

• General Inner Sphere Recovered Prototypes Rules
• Double Heat Sinks (Freezers)
• Endo Steel (ES-P)
• ER and Pulse Lasers (ER-LL-P and MPL-P)
• Ferro-fibrous armor (FF-P)
• Gauss rifle (Gauss-X)
• LB 10-X (LB-X-P)
• Triple Strength Myomer (TSM-X)
• Ultra Autocannon (UAC/P) 104
• Specialty Munitions: Anti-TSM ("Green Smoke") Missiles
• Specialty Munitions: Listen-Kill Missiles
• Space Station K-F Adapter

• Land-Air BattleMechs (Multiple Eras)

• Bimodal LAMs
• Standard LAMs
• General Land-Air 'Mech Game Rules
• LAM Conversion
• Movement Phase
• Combat Phase
• Heat Phase
• Going In
• Land-Air 'Mech Construction

• Machina Domini Interface (Jihad)

• Machina Domini Interface Game Rules
• Machina Domini Interface Construction Rules

• Modular Space Stations (Multiple Eras)

• Modular Space Station Game Rules
• Modular Space Station Construction Rules

• Primitive Prototype Equipment (Age of War)

• Primitive Prototype Equipment Rules
• Primitive Prototype DropShip and JumpShip Equipment
• DropShuttle Bays
• Prototype DropShip K-F Boom
• Primitive Prototype Jump Jets

• Primitive Units and RetroTech (Multiple Eras)

• Primitive Units Overview
• Primitive Units Game Rules
• Restricted Technologies
• Primitive ’Mech Construction
• Primitive Combat Vehicle Construction
• Primitive Conventional Fighter Construction
• Primitive Aerospace Fighter Construction
• Primitive Small Craft Construction
• Primitive DropShip Construction
• Primitive JumpShip Construction

• Prototype Specialty Missiles (Clan Invasion)

• Specialty Munitions: Dead-Fire (DF) Missiles
• Specialty Munitions: Retro-Streak (RS) Missiles
• Specialty Munitions: Shoot-and-Sit (SS) Missiles

• QuadVees (Dark Age)

• QuadVee Game Rules
• QuadVee Construction Rules

• Robotic and Drone Systems (Multiple Eras)

• General Robotic Unit Game Rules
• Smart Robotic Control System (SRCS)
• Shielded Aerospace Smart Robotic Control Systems
• SDS (Caspar) Drone Control System (SDS-DCS)
• Caspar II Advanced Smart Robotic Control System
• Autonomous Tactical Analysis Computer (ATAC)
• Direct Tactical Analysis Control System (DTAC)
• Advanced Robotic Transport System (ARTS)
• SDS Self-Destruct System
• SLDF SDS Jammer System
• Word of Blake Dragon's Breath Multi-Missile Launch System
• Robotic Independent Command Rules
• Ground Operations RIC Decision Tree

• Superheavy 'Mechs (Multiple Eras)

• Superheavy 'Mech Game Rules
• Superheavy 'Mech Construction Rules

• Tripod 'Mechs (Multiple Eras)

• Tripod 'Mech Game Rules
• Tripod 'Mech Construction Rules

• Thermobaric Weapons (Multiple Eras)

• Fuel-Air Munitions Game Rules

• Weapons of Mass Destruction (Multiple Eras)

• General Weapons of Mass Destruction Rules

• Nuclear Weapons

• Nuclear Weapons Game Rules
• Resolving a Nuclear Detonation
• Standard Nuclear Weapons

• Biological and Chemical Weapons

• Biological and Chemical Weapon Game Rules
• Biological and Chemical Weapon Construction Rules
• Chemical and Biological Weapon Classes

• Word of Blake Super-Jump Drive (Jihad)

• Word of Blake Super-Jump System Game Rules
• Word of Blake Super-Jump System Construction Rules

ALTERNATE ERAS COST AND AVAILABILITY

• Costs

• Advanced Clan Equipment (Wars of Reaving)
• Advanced Pilot Interfaces (Multiple Eras)
• Advanced Prototype Systems (Age of War)
• Augmented Warrriors (Multiple Eras)
• Centurion Weapon System (Star League)
• Dark Age and RISC Equipment (Dark Age)
• Early Clan Improved Equipment (Early Clan)
• Early Clan Prototype Systems (Early Clan)
• Expanded ProtoMechs (Wars of Reaving)
• Inner Sphere ProtoMech Interface (Jihad)
• Inner Sphere Recovered Prototypes (Late Succession Wars)
• Land-Air BattleMechs (Multiple Eras)
• Machina Domini Interface (Jihad)
• Modular Space Stations (Multiple Eras)
• Primitive Prototype Equipment (Age of War)
• Primitive Units and RetroTech (Multiple Eras)
• Prototype Specialty Munitions (Clan Invasion)
• QuadVees (Dark Age)
• Robotic and Drone Systems (Multiple Eras)
• Superheavy ’Mechs (Multiple Eras)
• Tripod ’Mechs (Multiple Eras)
• Thermobaric Weapons (Multiple Eras)
• Weapons of Mass Destruction (Multiple Eras)
• Word of Blake Super-Jump Drive (Jihad)

• Battle Value

• Advanced Clan Equipment (Wars of Reaving)
• Advanced Pilot Interfaces (Multiple Eras)
• Advanced Prototype Systems (Age of War)
• Augmented Warriors (Multiple Eras)
• Centurion Weapon System (Star League)
• Dark Age and RISC Equipment (Dark Age)
• Early Clan Improved Systems (Early Clan)
• Early Clan Prototype Systems (Early Clan)
• Expanded ProtoMechs (Wars of Reaving)
• Inner Sphere ProtoMech Interface (Jihad)
• Inner Sphere Recovered Prototypes (Late Succession Wars)
• Land-Air BattleMechs (Multiple Eras)
• Machina Domini Interface (Jihad)
• Modular Space Stations (Multiple Eras)
• Primitive Prototype Equipment (Age of War)
• Primitive Units and RetroTech (Multiple Eras)
• Prototype Specialty Missiles (Clan Invasion)
• QuadVees (Dark Age)
• Robotic and Drone Systems (Multiple Eras)
• Superheavy 'Mechs (Multiple Eras)
• Tripod 'Mechs (Multiple Eras)
• Thermobaric Weapons (Multiple Eras)
• Weapons of Mass Destruction (Multiple-Eras)
• Word of Blake Super-Jump Drive (Jihad)
• Alternate Era Weapons and Equipment Battle Value Table

• BattleForce Addendum

• Advanced Clan Equipment (Wars of Reaving)
• Advanced Pilot Interfaces (Multiple Eras)
• Advanced Prototype Systems (Age of War)
• Augmented Warriors (Multiple Eras)
• Centurion Weapon System (Star League)
• Dark Age and RISC Equipment (Dark Age)
• Early Clan Improved Systems (Early Clan)
• Early Clan Prototype Systems (Early Clan)
• Expanded ProtoMechs (Wars of Reaving)
• Inner Sphere ProtoMech Interface (Jihad)
• Inner Sphere Recovered Prototypes (Late Succession Wars)
• Land-Air BattleMechs (Multiple Eras)
• Machina Domini Interface (Jihad)
• Modular Space Stations (Multiple Eras)
• Primitive Prototype Equipment (Age of War)
• Primitivie Units and RetroTech (Multiple Eras)
• Prototype Specialty Munitions (Clan Invasion)
• QuadVees (Dark Age)
• Robotic and Drone Systems (Multiple Eras)
• Superheavy ’Mechs (Multiple Eras)
• Thermobaric Weapons (Multiple Eras)
• Tripod ’Mechs (Multiple Eras)
• Weapons of Mass Destruction (Multiple Eras)
• Word of Blake Super-Jump Drive (Jihad)

• Additional BattleForce Special Unit Abilities
• Additional Alternate Era Weapons and Equipment Tables

Falling Into Fire (short story by Herbert A. Beas II)

STRATEGIC BATTLEFORCE

• Standard Rules

• Game Terms

• Components

• Record Sheets
• Maps and Miniatures

• Scale

• Map Scale
• Turn Length
• Force Structure
• Visual and Sensor Range

• Setup

• Choosing Maps
• Force Commander and Formation Leaders
• Deployment

• Playing the Game
• Initiative Phase
• Movement Phase

• Facing
• Stacking
• Unequal Number of Formations
• Terrain
• Movement Modes and Unit Types
• Additional Movement Rules
• Engagement Control

• Combat Phase

• Types of Attacks
• Attack Declaration
• Resolving Attacks
• Underwater Combat

• End Phase

• Ending Engagements
• Forced Withdrawal
• Damage
• Morale
• Salvage
• Victory Conditions

STRATEGIC AEROSPACE RULES

• Expanded Game Terms
• Turn Scale

• Aerospace Setup

• Deploying Forces
• The Atmospheric Radar Map
• Placing Aerospace Forces on the Atmospheric Radar Map

• Aerospace Gameplay

• Abstract Aerospace Movement

• Aerospace Combat

• Squadron Attacks
• Resolving Aerospace Air-to-Air Attacks
• Resolving Aerospace Air-to-Ground Attacks
• Resolving Ground-to-Air Combat

• End Phase

• Ending Air-to-Air Engagements
• Aerospace Damage

ADVANCED STRATEGIC AEROSPACE

• Expanded game terms

• Expanded Aerospace Setup

• The Capital Radar Map
• Placing Aerospace Forces on the Capital Radar Map

• Aerospace Squadrons on the Ground Map

• Aerodyne Squadrons
• Spheroid Squadrons and Airships
• Landing Rolls
• Aerospace Squadron Transports

• Capital-Scale Strategic Aerospace

• Turn Scale
• Squadrons

• Capital-Scale Aerospace Movement

• Calculating Movement Rates
• Spheroid Elements Operating in the Atmosphere
• Station Keeping and Zero Thrust
• Stacking Limits
• Facing
• Entering and Leaving the Central Zone
• Aerospace Engagements
• Exiting the Capital Radar Map
• Fuel Endurance (Fighters Only)
• Gravity
• Engagement Maps

• Capital-Scale Aerospace Combat

• Large Aerospace Firing Arcs and Attacks
• Resolving Aerospace Attacks

• Capital-Scale Aerospace End Phase

• Ending Aerospace Engagements
• Capital-Scale Aerospace Damage

• Strategic Aerospace Special Actions

• Advanced Capital Missile Attacks
• Orbit-to-Surface and Air-to-Ground Capital Combat
• Space Bombers
• Aerospace Boarding Actions
• High-Speed Attacks
• Docking/Undocking
• Hyperspace Jumps

ADVANCED STRATEGIC BATTLEFORCE

• Advanced Initiative
• Detection and Reconnaissance Phase

• Playing the Game
• Visual Ranges
• Step 1: Detection
• Step 2: Reconnaissance
• Step 3: Recon Scan
• Losing Contact

• Advanced Movement Options

• Adjusting Formations
• Evading
• Hull Down
• Sprinting
• Movement Dice
• Transporting Non-Infantry Forces

• Advanced Terrain

• Bridges
• Buildings (Urban Hexes)
• Deep Snow
• Heavy Industrial
• Ice
• Jungle
• Mud
• Rails
• Rough, Ultra
• Rubble, Ultra
• Swamp
• Tundra
• Water (Extreme Depth)
• Woods (Expanded)
• Bogging Down

• Advanced Combat Options

• Artillery
• Artillery Counter-Battery Fire
• Artillery Flak
• Alternate Munitions
• Battlefield Intelligence
• Battlefield Intelligence Benefits
• Boarding Actions
• C3 networks
• Dropping Troops
• Environmental Conditions
• Exceptionally Large Elements
• Hidden Formations
• Expanded Ground Ranges
• Minefields
• Urban Hexes (Buildings)

VTOL Special Attacks

• Additional Advanced Options

• Advanced Buildings and Urban Terrain
• Advanced Infantry Options
• Fortified Positions
• Terrain Conversion

• New Unit Types

• Robotic Drones
• Four-Legged and Three-Legged Elements
• Glider ProtoMechs
• Superheavy 'Mechs
• Land-Air BattleMechs
• Quad-Vees

• Special Command Abilities
• Piloting Special Abilities and Design Quirks

• Unit Abilities
• Design Quirks

Pressure Play (short story by Herbert A. Beas II)

ABSTRACT COMBAT SYSTEM

• Game Terms
• Components

• Record Sheets

• Scale

• Map Scale
• Turn Length
• Force Structure

• Setup

• Force Commander and Combat Unit Leaders
• Force Record Sheets
• Leadership Rating

• Playing the Game

• Master Modifiers Table
• Sequence of Play

• Initiative Phase
• Deployment Phase

• Formation Setup
• Adjusting Formations
• Switching Formation Role
• Deploy Forces

• Detection and Reconnaissance Phase

• Step 1: Detection
• Step 2: Reconnaissance

• Movement Phase

• Movement Basics
• Facing
• Stacking Limits
• Terrain
• Transporting Infantry Units
• Engagement Control
• Losing Contact
• Hidden Formations

• Combat Phase

• Types of Attacks
• Attack Declaration
• Combat Tactics
• Resolving Attacks
• Step 1: Determine Range
• Step 3: Determine To-Hit Number
• Step 3: Roll To-Hit
• Step 4: Determine and Apply Damage
• Step 5: Determine Critical Hits

• End Phase

• Fatigue
• Morale
• Retreat and Surrender
• Victory Conditions

ABSTRACT COMBAT AEROSPACE

• Hyperspace Travel

• Space Combat

• Jump Point Combat
• Aerospace Ground Support
• Orbit-to-Surface and Surface-to-Orbit

• Advanced Abstract Combat Rules

• Combat Drop
• Fortress Hexes
• Capitals and Industry

• Abstract Combat with Planetary Maps

• Scale
• Movement Phase

• Scaled Strategic BattleForce

• Scale
• Detection and Reconnaissance Phase
• Movement Phase
• Combat Phase
• End Phase
• Strategic Aerospace
• Advanced Rules

CONVERSION RULES

• Phase 1: Create Strategic BattleForce Units from Alpha Strike

• Step 1A: Choose Elements
• Step 1B: Determine Type
• Step 1C: Determine Size Value
• Step 1D: Determine Movement Stats
• Step 1E: Determine Armor Value
• Step 1F: Determine Damage Value
• Step 1G: Determine Skill Value
• Step 1H: Determine Point Value (PV)

• Phase 2: Create SBF Formations or ACS Combat Teams

• Step 2A: Select Units
• Step 2B: Determine Size
• Step 2C: Determine Movement Stats
• Step 2D: Determine Combat Team Armor Value
• Step 2E: Determine Combat Team Damage Value
• Step 2F: Determine Formation Skill Value
• Step 2G: Determine Formation Tactics Value
• Step 2H: Determine Formation Morale Value
• Step 2I: Determine Formation Point Value

• Phase 3: Create ACS Combat Units

• Step 3A: Choose Combat Teams
• Step 3B: Determine Type
• Step 3C: Determine Size Value
• Step 3D: Determine Movement Stats
• Step 3E: Determine Combat Unit’s Armor Value
• Step 3F: Determine Combat Unit’s Attack Values
• Step 3G: Determine Combat Unit’s Tactics Value
• Step 3H: Determine Combat Unit’s Morale Value
• Step 3I: Determine Skill Value
• Step 3J: Determine Point Value

• Phase 4: Create ACS Formations

• Step 4A: Choose Combat Units
• Step 4B: Determine Type
• Step 4C: Determine ACS Formation’s Movement
• Step 4D: Determine ACS Formation’s Tactics Value
• Step 4E: Determine ACS Formation’s Morale Value
• Step 4F: Determine ACS Formation’s Skill Value

• Phase 5: Assign Special Abilities

• Converting Special Abilities to SBF and ACS
• Special Abilities Details

• Examples

Cutting Losses (short story by Herbert A. Beas II)

INNER SPHERE AT WAR

• Terminology
• Object of the Game
• Scope of the Game
• Sequence of Play

• GAME SETUP

• Choose Campaign Size
• Setup the Map
• Choose Factions
• Faction Abilities and Flaws

• Starting Setup

• Starting Economy
• Starting Military

PLAYING THE GAME

• Order Writing Phase
• Economics and Logistics Phase
• Calculating Resource Points
• Banking Resource Points
• Infrastructure
• Supply
• Mercenary Supply and Hiring

• Military Development Phase

• Creating Combat Commands
• Fortifications

• Commerce and Diplomacy Phase

• Diplomacy

• Military Phase

Military Phase Basics

• Orders
• Military Actions
• Combat Resolution

• End Phase

• Damage
• Salvage
• Repair
• Retreat
• Surrender
• Fatigue
• Morale
• Experience

RECORD SHEETS AND TABLES

Notes

• Initially, Interstellar Operations was released in beta version in July 2015. The first printed edition was released in July 2016, the year after.

Gallery

• 

  Cover of Interstellar Operations Beta