Total Warfare
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 | This article is about a BattleTech product that either is or contains a rulebook. |
| |
| Total Warfare (7th printing cover) | |
|---|---|
| Product information | |
| Type | Rulebook |
| Development | Randall Bills Herb Beas |
| Primary writing | Herb Beas Randall Bills Dan Duval Kevin Killiany Jason Hardy David McCulloch Steven Mohan Jr. Jason Schmetzer Phaedra Weldon |
| Pages | 312 |
| Cover Artwork | Marco Mazzoni (7th printing) |
| Illustrations | Chris Lewis Klaus Scherwinski |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | FanPro Catalyst Game Labs |
| Product code | 35101 (FanPro) 35001 (CGL) |
| First published | 2006 |
| ISBN-10 | 1932564772 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1932564778 |
| MSRP | $39.99 (Print) $14.99 (PDF) |
| Content | |
| Content | Standard rules |
| Preceded by | BattleTech Master Rules, Revised |
Description[edit]
Total Warfare is the current primary sourcebook for tournament play of the classic boardgame BattleTech. The organization of the book has been significantly altered from the previous twenty-plus years of prior editions (of the core rulebook). The intent of the title is to present all current tournament-level rules for play in one tome. The book is not intended for novices, but for dedicated players and judges.
Collector's Editions[edit]
FanPro produced a limited "Collector's Edition" of 1,000 numbered items of the Total Warfare rulebook with a different cover for regular sale, and another special edition of 250 numbered items with another cover that was handed out to the FanPro Commandos.
Collector's Edition cover
Collector's Edition book numbering
Special Commando Edition cover
Special Commando Edition book numbering
From the back cover[edit]
| “ | It is the 31st century, a time of endless wars that rage across human-occupied space. As star empires clash, these epic wars are won and lost by BattleMechs, 30-foot-tall humanoid metal titans bristling with lasers, autocannons and dozens of other lethal weapons; enough firepower to level entire city blocks. Your elite force of MechWarriors drives these juggernauts into battle, proudly holding your faction’s flag high, intent on expanding the power and glory of your realm. At their beck and call are the support units of armored vehicles, power armored infantry, aerospace fighters, and more, wielded by a MechWarrior’s skillful command to aid him in ultimate victory. Will they become legends, or forgotten casualties? Only your skill and luck will determine their fate!
The product of more than twenty years of gaming experience, Total Warfare presents the rules of the Classic BattleTech game system as never before. For the first time, all the rules for various units that have a direct impact on the deadly battlefields of the thirty-first century appear in a unified rules set: from BattleMechs to ProtoMechs, Combat Vehicles to Support Vehicles, Infantry to aerospace fighters and DropShips. Interwoven and meticulously updated, Total Warfare provides the most detailed and comprehensive rules set published to date for BattleTech—the perfect companion for standard tournament play. Total Warfare is the single-source rulebook for people who play Classic BattleTech. It is not intended to teach new players the game, but rather to serve as a reference work for people who know the game, while introducing more technologies and expansive rules than appear in the basic box set. The introductory game in the BattleTech line is the Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set. New players should pick up that product before diving into this one. Construction rules for the various units presented in Total Warfare can be found in Classic BattleTech TechManual. |
” |
Contents[edit]
Guardians (short story; FanPro edition only)
- Introduction
- Fiction vs. Rules and Art (a discussion)
- 3-D Terrain vs. Paper Maps (a discussion)
- Standard Vs. Advanced Rules (a discussion)
- Classic BattleTech (a tour of the basic book types)
- Where to Order and Other Sources of Gaming Support
- Components
- Units - a discussion of:
- BattleMechs
- IndustrialMechs
- ProtoMechs
- Combat Vehicles
- Infantry
- Conventional Fighters
- Aerospace fighters
- Small Craft
- DropShips
- Support Vehicles
- Other Units - a discussion of:
- Record Sheets
- Mapsheets
- Counters
- Dice
- Units - a discussion of:
- Playing the Game
- Sequence of Play
- Unequal Numbers of Units
- Warriors
- Skills and Skill Improvements
- Damaging a Warrior and Consciousness Rolls
- Game Terms
Wolf on the Mountain (short story)
- Ground Movement
- Movement Basics
- Facing
- Movement Modes
- Stacking
- Piloting/Driving Skill Rolls
- Movement on Pavement
- Falling
Trial of Possession (short story)
- Aerospace Movement
- Space Movement
- Thrust Points
- Facing
- Special Movement Modes
- High-G Maneuvers
- Stacking
- Atmospheric Movement
- Matching Mapsheets to Low-Altitude Hexes
- Control Rolls
Fighting Withdrawal (short story)
- Combat
- Attack Declaration
- Line of Sight
- Weapon Attacks
- Physical Attacks
Mutual Advantage (short story)
- Heat
- Heat Points
- Effects of Heat
- Aerospace Units
Just Another Day at the Office (short story)
- Buildings
- Building Types
- Movement Effects
- Combat Effects
- Basements
Chiaroscuro (short story)
- ProtoMechs
Eisenjäger (short story)
- Combat Vehicles
Simple Farmer (short story)
- Support Vehicles
Proper Work (short story)
- Infantry
Angels on Our Shoulders (short story)
- Aerospace Units
The Circle (short story)
- Creating Scenarios
Back End of Nowhere (short story)
- Painting Miniatures
- Tables
- Inner Sphere & Clan Weapons & Equipment
- Additional Inner Sphere & Clan Weapons & Equipment for Battle Armor
- Ground Movement
- Combat
- ProtoMechs and Vehicles
- Buildings & Infantry
- Aerospace
Gallery[edit]
1st printing
2nd to 4th printings
5th and 6th printings
7th to 11th printings
Notes[edit]
- Most major sections of the book are preceded by a short story that is relevant to that section. For example, the rules for infantry use are preceded by a story about infantry guarding a checkpoint.
- The title was originally printed by FanPro with production code 35101, then reprinted by CGL with production code 35001.
- The first CGL reprint is labeled on p. 7 as, "Version 1.2 based on Corrected Second Printing."
- The second CGL reprint is labeled on p. 7 as, "Corrected Third Printing. Second Printing by Catalyst Game Labs."
- The trademarked title on the 2006 FanPro printing was Classic BattleTech Total Warfare. The 2010 third printing had it shortened to BattleTech Total Warfare.
- In 2018, a new printing of Total Warfare was released (the fifth) which replaced the cover art used on the first four printings with the cover art from the 1987 BattleTech Manual.