The Proliferation Cycle

The Proliferation Cycle
Product information
Type	Anthology
Development	John Helfers, Philip A. Lee (editors)
Pages	396 (POD)
Cover Artwork	Eldon Cowgur (cover art)
First Publication
Publisher	Catalyst Game Labs
Published	13 May 2021
ISBN-10	1-63861-019-3
ISBN-13	978-1-63861-019-9
MSRP	$4.99 (EPUB) $14.95 (Softcover) $24.95 (Hardcover)
Content
Era	Multiple eras
Timeline	22 December 2438 — 2863

The Proliferation Cycle, subtitled A BattleTech Anthology, is a collection of seven novellas about the proliferation of BattleMech technology among the Great Houses of the Inner Sphere during the Age of War, and OmniMech technology among the Clans during the Golden Century. It was published in EPUB and POD formats on 13 May 2021.

Five of the six planned stories were published online on BattleCorps between November 2004 and May 2005. The sixth part was delayed until 2011, when it was published together with a re-release of the first five stories.^{(see notes)}

In August 2019, Catalyst Game Labs republished the six original novellas in EPUB format as digital rewards for backers of the successful BattleTech: Clan Invasion crowdfunding campaign in 2019. A seventh novella, covering the first proliferation of OmniMech technology beyond its creators, Clan Coyote, during the Golden Century, was published in April 2021.

Contents

1. Break-Away, by Ilsa J. Bick (published on: 30 November 2004)
2. Prometheus Unbound, by Herbert A. Beas II (published on: 10 January 2005)
3. Nothing Ventured, by Christoffer M. Trossen (published on: 18 February 2005)
4. Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight, by Randall N. Bills (published on: 12 April 2005)
5. A Dish Served Cold, by Chris Hartford and Jason Hardy (published on: 19 May 2005)
6. The Spider Dances, by Jason Schmetzer (published on: 18 May 2011)
7. The Trickster, by Blaine Lee Pardoe (published on: 30 April 2021)

From the Back Cover

“

THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE… In the 25th century, humankind is locked in a seemingly endless cycle of warfare as each of the Great Houses seeks to expand their holdings at the cost of the others. But in 2438, the Terran Hegemony perfects a battle system unlike anything seen in combat before—the Mackie, the very first BattleMech. With it, the Hegemony quickly reigns supreme on the battlefield. The Mackie's arrival sets off a desperate arms race among the Great Houses, each desperate to possess the BattleMech's secrets. Some houses will use military force to steal them, others resort to stealthy espionage teams to infiltrate highly secured BattleMech facilities. Still other Houses will use diplomacy, or even corporate espionage to get their hands on the coveted plans or the men and women who can build a BattleMech. Now, collected for the first time, stories by celebrated BattleTech authors Ilsa J. Bick, Herbert A. Beas II, Christoffer Trossen, Randall N. Bills, Chris Hartford and Jason M. Hardy, Jason Schmetzer, and Blaine Lee Pardoe—who wrote a brand-new novella about the creation of the Coyotl, the first OmniMech—tell how BattleMechs were invented in one complete volume.

”

Notes

• Machine Nations by Loren L. Coleman (the originally planned sixth story of the series):
  • Slated for publication around June 2005, Machine Nations was never published and became one of the most prominent cases of vaporware on BattleCorps. This left The Proliferation Cycle unfinished for years, to the frustration of both fans and staff. A first draft of the story had been submitted but was rejected for fact-checking and continuity issues; the story as written could not be salvaged.
  • On 7 May 2011, an announcement in the BattleCorps General News Section stated that Machine Nations, "a title without a story", had been consigned to history. Jason Schmetzer instead had written a new novella, titled The Spider Dances, to tell how the Capellan Confederation obtained BattleMech technology and to complete the cycle. The original five stories were re-released one per day starting on 13 May 2011, leading up to The Spider Dances.
  • BattleCorps published an exclusive Technical Readout Supplement on 18 May 2011 featuring the Dragonfire, an early aerospace fighter design, "as a small bonus to our subscribers for sticking with us until the long-awaited end of the Proliferation Cycle".
• In 2023, the BattleTech: Proliferation Cycle ForcePack was released, featuring seven miniatures of the key 'Mechs from the stories and and a redemption code for a digital copy of the anthology from the CGL online store.
• Two more short stories have been published on BattleCorps that can be considered part of the series, if not by name, then at least in spirit:
  • Goliath out of the Box, by Randall N. Bills (published on: 23 October 2004): First encounter of Capellan troops with BattleMechs.
  • The Top of the Scrap Heap, by Jason M. Hardy (published on: 10 September 2007): Outworlds Alliance obtains 'Mech technology.