Talk:BattleTech Reinforcements 2

Mystery Version

A few years ago, I obtained a BattleTech Reinforcements box second-hand. The box cover was File:BattleTech-Reinforcements-cover.png but the back was File:BattleTech-Reinforcements-2-back.jpg, which is listed here as the back for BattleTech Reinforcements 2. As I obtained it second-hand (and as the interior contained some portions of ClanTroops) I assumed that it may have simply been the prior owner mixing up the parts of two boxes and consolidating various items of their collection into a single box. (It also contained some miscellaneous marketing materials from 1992.) So I have not given it much mind. However, I recently came across this exact same box cover combination on Ebay, which has stirred some further examination on this.

I also obtained a copy of BattleTech Reinforcements 2 (also second-hand). For that, the cover of that was File:BattleTech-Reinforcements-2-cover.jpg and the back was File:Alternative BattleTech-Reinforcements-2-back.jpg. The standees and faction counters seems to correspond to those shown here (with some key hallmarks being the blue elementals and high number of FedCom faction tokens.)

There are some other oddities about the mystery hybrid box. The ISBN (which is on the bottom edge of the front cover) is the exact same as that for BattleTech Reinforcements 2, but they have different five digit codes after the ISBN. Also the MSRP listed by the ISBN is $20.00. See this photo to see that. Also it contained a set of three counter sheets similar to those appearing in BattleTech Reinforcements 2, but with slightly different art for the 'Mechs and certain faction tokens. The 'Mechs include a mix of Clan and Inner Sphere 'Mechs. The included elementals are green, not blue. The faction tokens also a lot fewer FedCom tokens. The listed copyright on the counter sheets is 1992. These definitely differ from what is described under BattleTech Reinforcements and BattleTech Reinforcements 2, though it closer to the latter. The stock code on the cover is 1625, not 1625A.

I may try to upload some photos of the counter sheets (with various provisios on the image files) and simply link to them from this talk page for the time being (until a better home for them becomes clear). If anyone has any light they might be able to shed on this, please feel free to do so. --Dude RB (talk) 21:53, 12 January 2023 (EST)

Wow, good find. It looks as if there were different editions of the Reinfocements 2 pack. I don't think anyone from the FASA days is still around at CGL for any official statement; but it can't hurt to push this research onto the BT forum and ask around if any forumites can provide additional info. In any case, my recommendation would be to pull as many photos and info off Ebay as you can and expand the article with that info. I'd do it myself, but I don't have time for anything anymore and way too much on my plate already. Frabby (talk) 04:22, 13 January 2023 (EST)

That Ebay auction you linked calls it a "2 box set" - it seems they're selling both the BattleTech Reinforcements and the BattleTech Reinforcements 2 box there, not a hybrid box. The original Reinforcements box was from 1987 so it cannot possibly have contained any Clan 'Mechs. That would all be in the second box, which however also contained the IS 'Mechs so it is quite possible the boxes had different art for their respective IS 'Mech standees. It remains odd though that the boxes have the same ISBN and that the retail price given on Sarna seems to be off. Frabby (talk) 04:31, 13 January 2023 (EST)

There will be a few different mysteries to unravel. The ebay listing is for a 'Reinforcements 2 Box Set'. As the box back says 'Reinforcements 2' (and also the isbn pulls up a 'reinforcements 2' entry under certain isbn lookups, I beleive that the seller means '(Reinforcements 2) Box Set' as opposed to 'Reinforcements (2 Box Set)'. I will follow up with images, hopefully today or tomorrow. --Dude RB (talk) 06:59, 13 January 2023 (EST)

So here is a gallery of the mystery version I obtained.

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  Barcode and corner view of front cover of unknown version.

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  Back of unknown version.

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  Counter sheet 1 from unknown version.

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  Counter sheet 2 from unknown version.

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  Counter sheet 3 from unknown version.

The front cover is the same as that of BattleTech Reinforcements (see File:BattleTech-Reinforcements-Barcode-Corner.jpg) but with a different ISBN and price. (Note: The five digit extension of the bar code is a price code I believe.) This is the same ISBN for BattleTech Reinforcements (see File:BattleTech-Reinforcements-2-Barcode-Corner.jpg) The back is titled Reinforcements 2. The counter sheets have a 1992 copyright. The first two I suspect are simply taken from BattleTech Reinforcements, as the 'Mechs appear identical, but the faction counters have been changed (and include Clan factions). (see File:BattleTech-Reinforcements-SheetB.jpg). These first two only include Inner Sphere 'Mechs. The third counter sheet contains Clan 'Mechs. The style of the 'Mechs and faction counters differs from File:Reinforcements 2 Sheet A.jpg, File:Reinforcements 2 Sheet B.jpg, File:Reinforcements 2 Sheet C.jpg, and File:Reinforcements 2 Sheet D.jpg. Also the color of the Elementals is green not blue. I suspect that this unknown version is a 1992 version, while the counter sheets posted on this article are 1990 versions.

The box also contained a incomplete copy of ClanTroops (which seems to be clearly an addition by the prior owner), a 1992 FASA catalog, and the following order form

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The order form reports that a revised version of Reinforcements 2 was selling for $20.00. I suspected that this front and back cover combination might have been due to the prior owner mixing and matching. However, the aforementioned discovery of an Ebay listing with a reportedly factory sealed copy showing a same combination is further corroboration.

But I discovered online the following set.

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It has a Reinforcements 2 cover, but appears to have the set of counters shown in the unknown version (with only 3 sheets, like what I encountered), and has a Fall 1992 order form. But if you zoom you see the blue card indicates that there was some printer error so the number of 'Mechs' does not match what is advertised on the back of the box. FYI: it says 82 'Mechs. With three sheets having 28 'Mechs each, that would come ot 84 'standees. But the Locust and Mad Cat are duplicated. So there are 82 distinct 'Mechs.

I will pause here. This seems to give some interesting data, but opens some questions as well. --Dude RB (talk) 00:17, 17 January 2023 (EST)

Again, wow. All I can say is that you've blazed a trail ahead with your research there. Since you know more than anyone else at this point, you're probably the best person to rework the article accordingly. I've toyed with the idea of splitting the 1992 reprint edition off into a separate article, but given that it's the same product name, front cover, same article number and ISBN, I think we should summarily cover the two editions in one article. However, you may want to divide it into two sections and actually use two infoboxes. Framing elements should be an overview section, and a gallery at the bottom of the article. Frabby (talk) 09:02, 17 January 2023 (EST)

Your thought of an internally dividing the article to treat each separately would seem to be the healthiest step to take now. (Splitting the article might make sense eventually.) There are somethings that I can confidently say about the 1992 version, but there are also some things that don't seem 100% resolved or consistent. This due in part to the nature of the data (coming in partial layers). But also if there were printer issues that caused the box back to not faithfully describe what was in in, then that raises the question of what other data might be unreliable in this case. I will plan to create a dedicated section, but as I will add only what seems truly vetted and documented, it will be a gradual process. --Dude RB (talk) 21:04, 17 January 2023 (EST)