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 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"

ARTICLES: 9 New BattleMechs; 2 New Vehicles; Three Scenarios; Play Aids - Quick Reference Summary Sheets of Every 2050/3055 Inner Spher Mech published by FASA; Ask FASA; BattleTech Blind Combat - hidden opponent rules; The Body Shop - Tactical Notes to Help You Build Better BattleMechs.

Issue 3 (The Mech Factory)

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

ARTICLES: 10 New BattleMechs; 2 New Vehicles; The Defense of Gateway Bridge (scenario) - Clan Invasion; Ice Planet Revisited (scenario); Counterstrike (scenario) - features Victor Davion; House Rules; Play Aids - Every Clam Mech published by FASA to date; Ask FASA, The Body Shop.

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.)

ARTICLES: Seven New BattleMechs; 2 New Vehicles; Raid on the Water Refinery (scenario) - Star League Defense Forces vs. pirates; City Force 500 (scenario) - Choose two historical forces and fight it out on your favorite city maps; Errat for The Tactical Handbook; The Body Shop - Star League designs and implications of The Tactical Handbook.; A sneak peek of the upcoming BattleTech cartoon.

Star Fleet Battles Frax Submarines - three new SSD's and rules for firing while cloaked; Review of Legions of Steel Advanced Rules; Pinning Action Scenario (LoS); Rule Clarification for LoS from Global Games; Master of Orion (Computer Corner).

Issue 6 (The Tech Factory)

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

ARTICLES: 7 New BattleMechs; 2 New Vehicles; Fight to the Last Drop (scenario) - FedSuns attack Capellan planet; Poor Conditions (scenario) - Tarrgin's Planet's atmosphere make mech sensors useless forcing visual sighting only in this hidden forces scenario; The Body Shop - BattleTech Tactics; an update on BattleTech: The Animated Series; Star Fleet Battles Alliance War Cruiser Maulers; Review Legion of Steel Alien Sourcebook; Power Grid Lock (Legion of Steel scenario); XCOM, UFO Defense (Computer Corner).

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)

ARTICLES: Seven New BattleMechs; 2 New Vehicles; Flak Attack (scenario) - two mercenary units in a vacuum; Deep Raid (scenario) - Theodore Kurita orders an ambush of 2 Clan Stars with LAM's; The Body Shop — LAM construction; BattleTech BPV System (an alternate point-cost model); Star Fleet Battles Module C4 Sneak Peek with 3 new races - The Barbarians, The Britanians, and the Canadi'ens; New Units and Equipment for Legions of Steel; Clash of Titans (scenario for LoS with force of U.N.E. troopers, the Dark Legion and Infranites attacking a heavily fortified Machine position; Master of Magic (Computer Corner).

Issue 8 (The Tech Factory)

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

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)

Purple Cover: A Hatchetman and a Wolverine engaging in fierce physical combat. The Wolverine has just had the left arm severed by the hatchet. (Some covers are pink.)

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 11 (The Tech Factory)

Beige Cover: Illustration of a Zeus firing an autocannon 5.

ARTICLES: 9 New BattleMechs featuring both Clan and Inner Sphere Omnimechs; Article on Omnimech Construction; Scenario: War Game Exercise with the Kell Hounds and Wolf Clan; Babylon 5 Wars (preview of starship combat game); BattleTech Collectable Card Game by WoTC coverage; PlanetStorm- An overview of the tabletop version of Global Games Legion of Steel game; Master of Orion II - Battle of Atares (Computer Corner).

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)

Yellow Cover: What appears to be a Hatchetman under attack. (1997)

ARTICLES: 9 New BattleMechs; Review of the new BattleTech supplement; Review of equipment from Maximum Tech; Scenario: BattleTech Desert Force 500 (desert environment with 6 Inner Sphere forces and 5 Clan forces to choose from; A new race for Star Fleet Battles - The Federal Republic (The Omega Sector), Two new units for Legions of Steel's The Black Empire; Legions of Steel scenario pitting The Black Empire against a desperate Machine force.

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