BattleTech Trading Card Game

Downloads

The BattleTech Trading Card Game is a collectible card game set in the BattleTech universe developed by Wizards of the Coast (WotC) for FASA, using the same style of gameplay and card distribution as WotC's Magic: The Gathering. It was designed by Richard Garfield. Its production ran from 1996 through 2001. The BattleTech TCG featured BattleMechs, characters, and technology from the original board game, with new artwork done by various artists. Currently, the BattleTech TCG is no longer in print.

The goal of the game is to make your opponent run out of cards from their stockpile (deck of cards). The most basic way of achieving this is to attack your enemy's stockpile with 'Mechs and other units.

Each player will need a deck with a maximum of 60 cards. Those decks can consist of any combination of cards the player desires, although when playing with official FASA rules, choosing cards for your deck will be limited, e.g. only cards from one faction/clan. The right assortment of cards can prove vital to victory and is mostly linked to certain tactics.

Canonicity[edit]

Although produced under a valid license, the BattleTech TCG cards have expressly been declared to be not canonical.[1] As such, appearance on a card or its associated fluff text does not prove that something or someone really exists within the BattleTech universe, or that any events referenced there ever happened. However, as an official licensed product, the cards can be regarded as apocryphal.

Turn Sequence[edit]

The turn sequence is divided into 6 phases, played in the following order.

  • Untap
  • Draw
  • Repair/reload
  • Deploy
  • Mission
  • End of turn

During the deploy phase, you will use special command cards (Command Resource) to buy off the costs of units and other command cards like pilots, political personalities and structures. Once they are paid for they are put into play (deployed) and can be used to attack your opponents or gain tactical advantages. While attacking certain targets during a mission, your units can be aided by mission cards (which may be played as an instant) that give them the edge in fighting your enemy and his or her units.

Card Types[edit]

  • Unit, including 'Mechs, battle armor and Combat Vehicles
  • Command, including resources, structures and pilots
  • Mission, as opportunities to influence the combatants

Card Lists[edit]

Card Lists By Set:

By Type:

Rules[edit]

Box Powers[edit]

The BattleTech trading card game introduced box power with the release of the Commander's Edition. Box powers were, "....a special ability offered to the user of a deck through its affiliation with a Clan or a House." [2][3] The rule for this ability was printed on the outside of the preconstructed decks for each represented Clan & House. This allowed the player to trade in "useless" cards in the present hand for the referenced ability. The box power was not to be considered "in play" as a card nor was the box something that could be targeted by the opponent or scrapped by the player. Box powers for Clans and Houses without preconstructed decks could be received directly from Wizards of the Coast, the game's publisher.[4][5]

The accumulated box power rules are provided here. The "tap" symbol proceeded each rule.

Clan[edit]

Ghost Bear (Alshain)
Scrap a card from your hand to activate a 'Mech in your Construction Region that is fully constructed. Put a +1 attack counter on it for every 3 construction counters above its cost. Use this ability only during your Deploy phase.[6]
Jade Falcon (Ironhold)
Scrap a card from your hand to repair up to 3 damage to each of your Units. Use this ability only during your Repair/Reload phase.[7]
Smoke Jaguar (Huntress)
Scrap a card from your hand to choose one of your 'Mechs. Reroll all of the missile dice for that 'Mech. Use this ability only after all of the missile dice for that 'Mech have been rolled.[8]
Steel Viper
Scrap a card from your hand to search your Stockpile for any Unit card. Show that card to all players, put it into your hand, and shuffle your Stockpile. Then choose any Unit card in your hand, show it to all players, and restock it. Use this ability only during your Deploy phase.[9]
Wolf (Strana Mechty)
Scrap a card from your hand to choose one of your 'Mechs. That 'Mech may attack as if it were one speed faster this turn. Use this ability during your Missions phase, but not during a mission.[10]

Inner Sphere[edit]

ComStar (Terra)
Scrap a card from your hand to look at your opponent's hand and discard one card at random from his or her hand. Use this ability during your Missions phase, but not during a mission.[11]
Davion (New Avalon)
Scrap a card from your hand to get +2 initiative. Use this ability only during a mission.[12]
Marik
Scrap a card from your hand to give one of your Units Long-Range 2. (If that Unit is blocked, it may deal 2 of its damage to the target.) Use this ability only during a mission.[9]
Kurita (Luthien)
Scrap a card from your hand to give your attacking 'Mech +1 attack. Use this ability only during a Mission, and only if that 'Mech is attacking alone.[13]
Liao
Scrap a card from your hand to give your opponent -1 initiative. Use this ability only during a mission.[9]
Rasalhague
Scrap a card from your hand to have a Command card that deals damage deal +1 total damage. Use this ability only when you activate that card.[9]
St. Ives
Scrap a card from your hand to gain A, L, M, P, and T until end of turn. Use this ability only during your Deploy phase.[9]
Steiner (Tharkad)
Scrap a card from your hand to gain {R}. Use this ability only during your Deploy phase.[14]

Gallery[edit]

Limited[edit]

Unlimited[edit]

Arsenal[edit]

Commander's Edition[edit]

Clan[edit]

Inner Sphere[edit]

Counterstrike[edit]

Crusade[edit]

MechWarrior[edit]

Mercenaries[edit]

References[edit]

  1. In this thread on the official BattleTech Forum
  2. Clan: Rules of Engagement, p. 48, "Box power": booklet provided with the Clan starter decks
  3. Inner Sphere: Rules of Engagement, p. 48, "Box power": booklet provided with the Inner Sphere starter decks
  4. Clan: Rules of Engagement, p. 37, "Box Powers"
  5. Inner Sphere: Rules of Engagement, p. 37, "Box Powers"
  6. Clan Ghost Bear - Commander's Edition: preconstructed deck
  7. Clan Jade Falcon - Commander's Edition: preconstructed deck
  8. Clan Smoke Jaguar - Commander's Edition: preconstructed deck
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Wizards of the Coast (product support) (dead link)
  10. Clan Wolf - Commander's Edition: preconstructed deck
  11. ComStar - Commander's Edition: preconstructed deck
  12. House Davion - Commander's Edition: preconstructed deck
  13. House Kurita - Commander's Edition: preconstructed deck
  14. House Steiner - Commander's Edition: preconstructed deck