1993 Update Flyer

1993 Update Flyer
Product information
Type	Promotional booklet/flyer
Primary writing	Scott Jenkins
Pages	8
Cover Artwork	Les Dorscheid Steve Venters (back)
Publication information
Publisher	FASA
First published	1993
MSRP	(free)
Content
Era	Clan Invasion era
Timeline	ca. 3055

Colloquially known as the 1993 Update Flyer, this booklet does not appear to have a proper title. It was released by FASA as a free advertisment handout to promote the BattleTech universe in 1993.

It is 8 pages including the front and back cover.

Contents

• Down & Out in Temp Town (by Scott Jenkins), a short story of just over 2 pages depicting a down-on-his-luck Wolverine pilot being recruited by a fellow MechWarrior for Theodore Kurita and the Explorer Corps around the time when they began searching for the Clan capital world of Strana Mechty (ca. 3055).
• A centerfold section advertising various new or upcoming (as of 1993) BattleTech products:
  • Novels:
    • Assumption of Risk
    • Blood of Heroes
    • Main Event
    • The Far Country {sic}
  • Boxed products:
    • BattleSpace
    • CityTech Second Edition
    • Explorer Corps Campaign Set
  • Game Supports:
    • BattleTech Mech Recognition Cards
    • BattleTech Tactical Handbook
  • Sourcebooks:
    • Solaris: The Reaches
    • MechWarrior Companion
    • Mercenary's Handbook: 3055
  • Scenarios:
    • Day of Heroes
    • Hot Spots
    • Luthien
• New 'Mechs:
  • RD-1R Roadrunner
  • TZ-1 Devil

The Explorer Corps Campaign Set that was advertised here as a boxed set was never published in this form. The project was instead reduced to what became the Explorer Corps sourcebook. In a similar vein, the summary given for (The) Far Country is markedly different from the actual content of the novel that was ultimately published under this name.

Canonicity

Technically, the 1993 Update Flyer meets all criteria for a canonical product as laid out by the Line Developer. However, in typical FASA fashion the two new 'Mechs featured were thinly veiled references to another intellectual property (the Looney Tunes characters of The Road Runner and The Tasmanian Devil), and apparently pose a possible copyright problem for BattleTech. They have both been expressly declared apocryphal by the Line Developer. It may be more accurate to describe the existence of these two 'Mechs as described as Canon Rumors instead.

The Devil has since been re-introduced as a variant of the Howler (Baboon), with significantly different stats compared to the version published in the Update Flyer.

Notes

• The illustration for the cover was re-used from the Luthien (scenario pack).