The Tech Factory

The Tech Factory
Product information
Type	Magazine
Development	Gregg Dieckhaus
Primary writing	Gregg Dieckhaus, Jay Clendenny, Allen Phelps
Cover Artwork	Kent Logsdon (many CAD illustrated covers)
Publication information
Publisher	Tech Factory
First published	1993
Content

The Tech Factory was a fan-made, unofficial BattleTech publication that ran for 13 issues. The first 3 issues were entitled The Mech Factory, but the publisher was contacted by Sam Lewis of FASA requiring a name change. In issue #4, the publisher claims that "all along we have been talking to FASA and had been told it was OK to print The Mech Factory." Sam Lewis explained by phone that when The Mech Factory transitioned from a Fanzine to a more proper nationally distributed magazine that they would need to become a generic science-fiction magazine and change names. The magazine was altered into the nearly identical The Tech Factory product with added coverage of Legions of Steel and Star Fleet Battles.

Known content

Issue 1 (The Mech Factory)

Light Blue Cover: B&W Illustration of 'Mech identified as the Warlord WLD-1P.

ARTICLES: Scenarios, Play Aids, The Tech Lab, QUADS-A close look at four-legged Battlemechs. 12 New BattleMechs including two Goliath variants, the Yellow Jacket YJ-3A Quad BattleMech and the Cricket CRK-7J Quad BattleMech.

Note: Two of the Introductory Level technology Goliath variants in this issue might be of notable interest to some players. The GOL-1C is a variant with an AC/10 rather than a PPC. It also mounts two SRM-6 launchers. The GOL-1E mounts a Large Laser, AC/10 and two SRM-4s.

Issue 2 (The Mech Factory)

Light Orange Cover (first print): B&W Illustration of 'Mech identified as the "ALN-ASSAULT-2" (1993) Price $4.00 (upper left) and Volume #1 Issue #2 (upper right) black binding and "Infinite Game Products" logo

Deep Orange Cover (second print): B&W Illustration of 'Mech identified as the ALN-ASSAULT-2 (1993) Price $4.25 (upper left) and Issue #2 (upper right) staple binding and "Mech Factory" logo

Note: First page is different between the copies as well with the only first print having a shaded inset block of "The Mech Factory" and only the second printing adding text for "Subscription Rates"

Issue 3 (The Mech Factory)

Green Cover: B&W Illustration of 'Mech identified as the Fullback A.

ARTICLES: "The Defense of Gateway Bridge, Arctic Force Revisited"

Issue 4 (The Tech Factory)

Yellow Cover: B&W Illustration of Pioneer Commando from Legions of Steel game.

ARTICLES: SFB & Legions of Steel content (10 pages); Ask FASA (1 page of Q&A from the support area of the GEnie online service): ammo dump, TSM, water jumping, quad turret, smoke, DFA, underwater;

'Mechs:

• Nitro NTO-1B
• Caddy CAD-1C
• Hunter HNT-5VK
• Annihilator ANH-TD
• Pioneer PNR-2
• Ryoken-W

Vehicles:

• Sniper Attack Sub
• Mtn. Lion Armored Car
• Stormhawk VTOL
• LRM Hover

Sticky Situations (Scenario); Face-off at Numur (Underwater Scenario); Table of Vehicle statistics (3 pages); Review: Solaris: The Reaches; Review: Dune II Computer Game

Issue 5 (The Tech Factory)

Pink Cover: B&W Illustration of 'Mech identified as a JagerMech JM6-TD. (Some covers are brown.)

Issue 6 (The Tech Factory)

Red Cover: Illustration of some form of battle armor holding a flamer. Issue price of $4.25.

Issue 7 (The Tech Factory)

Blue Cover: B&W Illustration of an Unseen Locust featuring arms with hands. A detachable gun appears to be grasped in the right hand. (1995)

Mechs:

• Whizzer WZR-7L (30 tons)
• Bowman BMN-4H (55 tons)
• TigerShark TS-4 (55 tons)
• Drake DKE-7Z (90 tons)
• Gargantuan (100 tons)

Issue 8 (The Tech Factory)

Light Lime Green Cover: B&W Illustration of an Unseen Phoenix Hawk taking cover behind a rocky outcropping. (1995)

ARTICLES: "Seven New BattleMechs, 2 New Vehicles, Weather Rules, Two Scenarios... one featuring the Banshee-S, BattleTech BPV System, and three non-BattleTech articles."

Issue 9 (The Tech Factory)

Blue Cover: B&W Illustration featuring an Unseen Marauder. Female MechWarrior standing in foreground. Federated Suns logo in background. Issue price of $4.75.

ARTICLES: 7 New BattleMechs & 2 New Vehicles; Playing the Percentages; BattleTech Mini Campaign (Chaos March Scenarios); The Body Shop (Solaris VII construction advice); MechWarrior 2 Review and Strategy Discussion; Star Fire (non-BattleTech); Legions of Steel (3 non-BattleTech articles)

Issue 10 (The Tech Factory)

Pink Cover: A Hatchetman and a Wolverine engaging in fierce physical combat. The Wolverine has just had the left arm severed by the hatchet.

ARTICLES: 7 New BattleMechs & 2 New Vehicles; C3 Computers (advice); Bear Hunt (scenario featuring C3 technology and fending off the Clans); Review: Technical Readout 3058; Star Fleet Battles (non-BattleTech); Legions of Steel (non-BattleTech, Computer Corner (Review and Strategy for MechWarrior 2 - Ghost Bear Legacy)

Issue 12 (The Tech Factory)

"BattleTech and Starfleet Battles"

Orange Cover: B&W Illustration featuring two Clan Elementals. Issue price of $4.75. (1997)

ARTICLES: 7 New BattleMechs including Skyblazer and Star Hawk, Infantry & Elementals, "Pirates" (fiction), Dune Mini-Campaign (What-if Scenario), Review: First Strike, Review: BattleTech Collectible Card Game, Review: Starfleet Battles Campaign Designers Handbook

Issue 13 (The Tech Factory)

"BattleTech Desert Force 500" (1997)

BattleMechs Presented in The Tech Factory

• Aerator ART-2B
• Annihilator ANH-TD
• Arachnoid AAC-1
• Assault ALN-1
• Assault ALN-2
• Aurora ARA Prime
• Aurora ARA A
• Aurora ARA B
• Awesome AWS-MB
• Awesome Jr. AWS-JR
• Bandersnatch BNDR-TD
• Barracuda Prime
• Barracuda A
• Barracuda B
• BattleMaster BLR-TD
• BattleMaster IID
• Behemoth IS
• Big Red
• Black Shark
• Bowman BWM-4H
• Bug Out BUG-1B
• Caddy CAD-1C
• Charger CGR-9ZJ
• Cheeta CHT-2P
• Commando COM-3H
• Cricket CRK-7J
• Cricket CRK-9B
• Cyclone CYC Prime
• Cyclone CYC A
• Cyclone CYC A2
• Cyclone CYC B
• Deceiver VR-1
• Deceiver VR-2
• Drake DKE-7Z
• Eagle EGL-1E
• Field Marshal CMD-2FM
• Fullback Prime
• Fullback A
• Fullback B
• Gargantuan
• Gator (Clan)
• Gator GTR-42
• General CMD-1G
• Goliath GOL-1C
• Goliath GOL-1E
• Goliath GOL-TD
• Grand Panther PNT-9G
• Halfback Prime
• Halfback A
• Halfback B
• Hunchback HBK-TD
• Hunter HNT-5VK
• JagerMech JM6-TD
• Jaguar JAG-4U
• Katyusha KSA-30M
• King Necromancer KNCO-3G
• Komodo IIC
• Macho MCO-4A
• Microhammer MCH-2F
• Necromancer NCO-13
• Nitro NTO-1B
• Path Finder PF-1A
• Pioneer PNR-S2
• Pioneer PNR-S3
• Pixie PIX-3
• Playmaker PM5
• Pocket Titan PKT-1
• Predator PCA-1
• Predator PCA-2
• Reaper RPR-Y5
• Rifleman RFL-4L
• Roadrunner BBP-01
• Sandpiper SDP-2O
• Sky Blazer Prime
• Sky Blazer A
• Sky Blazer B
• Sledgehammer SLH-2A
• Slug SLG-3S
• Star Hawk STR-6B
• Stormcrow W
• Taskmaster
• Thantos THS-4A
• Thrasher THR-5T
• ThunderHawk
• Thunderstrike TDS-5S
• Tight End
• Timber Wolf E
• Timber Wolf Hydra
• Turbo Hunchback HBK-4T
• Viper VPR-3X
• Wakizashi WKS-3X
• Warhammer WHM-TD
• Warlord WLD-1P
• Whizzer WZR-7L
• Wolf Spider 2
• Wolf Spider
• Wolverine WVR-TD
• Yellow Jacket YJ-3A