BattleTech Boxed Set

See also: BattleTech (board game), BattleTech rulebooks, and BattleTech Universe

The BattleTech boxed set is the core product of the BattleTech board game that spawned the BattleTech universe.

1984: Battledroids (FASA 1604)

Main article: Battledroids

There is no proper "First Edition" of BattleTech. The inaugural game was instead called Battledroids, and was released by FASA in 1984.

Battledroids was described as "BattleTech's predecessor" by Herbert A. Beas, and its contents and scenarios are not necessarily considered canonical for the BattleTech universe.

The game had different rules from the later 2nd Edition. Most importantly, the firing and damage rules was a simplified system that combined all weapons into a single attack roll against the equally single armor rating of the target, similar to the simplified combat in the Alpha Strike ruleset. It was only the optional "Advanced Battledroids Rules" that resembled the later classic BattleTech combat rules. There were also rules for tanks and armed jeeps.

The Battledroids included with this set (as cutout pieces, and also depicted on the back of the box) were the Stinger, Shadow Hawk, Archer, Griffin, Warhammer, Marauder, Crusader, Wasp, and Rifleman. All of these would later become unseen. In addition, the Merlin was featured in the rulebook, but not depicted. Rubber stands were included for the cutouts.

The rulebook was just a 26-page booklet without cover, and its last six pages were flip-sided and contained information about the universe. Like all subsequent boxed sets, the Battledroids box contained a pair of dice, and two (identical) fold-out paper mapsheets with a hex grid. It also contained two small model kits that were identified as Shadow Hawk and Griffin Battledroids; the models were in fact the "Dougram Combat Armor" and "Soltic H8 Roundfacer" models from Fang of the Sun Dougram. These models were out of scale and too large to fit on the gameboard's hex fields, and were not included with later editions of the boxed sets.

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  Battledroids boxed set contents

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  Battledroids back cover art

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  Battledroids hex map

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  Griffin model from Battledroids box

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  Shadow Hawk model from Battledroids box

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  Battledroids cutouts 1

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  Battledroids cutouts 2

1985: BattleTech, 2nd Edition (FASA 1604)

Main article: BattleTech, Second Edition

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The first product to be named "BattleTech", the BattleTech, Second Edition boxed set is generally regarded as the quintessential BattleTech product. It kept the same FASA product number (1604) as Battledroids.

BattleTech came with a rulebook (with a proper cover) with gaming and 'Mech construction rules. These were based off the "Advanced" Battledroids rules, and form the core of the BattleTech boardgame to this day with minimal changes. The vehicle rules from Battledroids were dropped altogether.

Background information for the setting, namely the Inner Sphere during the Succession Wars era, was expanded, including the first mentioning of ComStar. Crests for the five Great Houses (plus three Bandit Kingdoms and five mercenary units) made their first appearance as colored faction counters to go with the 'Mech cutout playing pieces.

The game stats for all but two Battledroids–now called BattleMechs–were changed to some degree to account for errors or changes in the construction rules, and four new designs were introduced: Locust, Wolverine, Thunderbolt, and BattleMaster. All of these, too, would later become Unseen. A fifth new addition was the Chameleon TrainingMech.

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  BattleTech, 2nd Ed. boxed set contents

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  BattleTech, 2nd Ed. rulebook cover

1986: CityTech (FASA 1608)

Main article: CityTech

Although often mistaken for a mere BattleTech supplement or expansion, the CityTech boxed set was in fact a complete standalone game unto itself. Its rulebook reiterated the BattleTech rules and expanded them by adding playing and construction rules for different kinds of vehicles (substantially different from the Battledroids vehicle rules), as well as infantry, buildings, and paved ground as a new terrain feature.

Stats were provided for six 'Mechs previously featured in BattleTech (Archer, Rifleman, Shadow Hawk, Crusader, Marauder, Warhammer), six new 'Mechs (Stalker, Ostsol, Hunchback, Ostroc, Spider, Ostscout) and six combat vehicles (Condor, J. Edgar, Hunter, Vedette, Demolisher, Wheeled Scout). Unlike the BattleTech 2nd Edition rulebook, no universe background information was given except for a short story, Life in the Big City.

The CityTech box contained a slew of cutout counters for various tanks, infantry units and buildings, and two (identical) mapsheets that were different from the previous BattleTech mapsheets.

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  CityTech boxed set contents (cutouts not depicted)

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  CityTech rulebook cover

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  CityTech mapsheet

1992: BattleTech, 3rd Edition (FASA 1604)

Main article: BattleTech, Third Edition

In 1992 FASA released a third edition of the boxed set, the major chage being the replacement of the paper cutout playing pieces with plastic miniatures. One was provided for each of the fourteen standard 'Mechs from the second edition. The new edition also contained a booklet with pre-made official record sheets (excluding the Merlin and Chameleon, for which neither miniatures nor record sheets were provided).

Although the rules as such remained unchanged, the rulebook was reorganized and partly rewritten and included four training scenarios. The CityTech rules expansions are not included.

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  BattleTech, 3rd Ed. boxed set contents

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  BattleTech, 3rd Ed. rulebook cover

1994: CityTech, 2nd Edition (FASA 1608)

Main article: CityTech, Second Edition

In the same fashion as the new (third) edition of the BattleTech boxed set, the CityTech boxed set received a makeover for its second edition while retaining the product number.

FASA went a bit further here than with the first edition, explicitly expanding the rules to "Level 2" (Clan Invasion era) technology. The set also contained a record sheets booklet, sixteen plastic miniatures and two double-sided sheets of color counters (with black-and-white backside) for buildings, vehicles, infantry, and effects. The mapsheets remained the same as in the first edition of CityTech.

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  CityTech, 2nd Ed. boxed set contents

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  CityTech, 2nd Ed. rulebook cover

1996: BattleTech, 4th Edition (FASA 1604)

Main article: BattleTech, Fourth Edition

In the wake of the Unseen lawsuits FASA redesigned the basic BattleTech boxed set with a new lineup of 'Mechs that were not affected by the Unseen situation. These were the Commando, Spider, Jenner, Panther, Assassin, Cicada, Clint, Hermes II, Whitworth, Vindicator, Enforcer, Hunchback, Trebuchet, Dervish, Dragon, Quickdraw, Catapult, JagerMech, Grasshopper, Awesome, Zeus, Cyclops, Banshee, and Atlas. Because no plastic miniatures were readily available, FASA reverted to paper cutouts, and also added faction markers again. The fourth edition came with a redesigned rulebook, and also included a "Universe book" with background information and simplified quick start rules.

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  BattleTech, 4th Ed. boxed set contents

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  BattleTech, 4th Ed. rulebook cover

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  BattleTech, 4th Ed. Universe Book cover

2003: Classic BattleTech (FanPro 10980)

Main article: Classic BattleTech Boxed Set

In 2001, FASA withdrew from the market and transferred ownership of the BattleTech IP to Wizkids. Wizkids in turn created an entirely new game, MechWarrior: Dark Age in the setting. The original game was rebranded as "Classic BattleTech" (CBT) and licensed it to FanPro, who had previously been the licensee for the German edition of BattleTech since 1988. FanPro produced the game's fifth edition, which was rebranded accordingly. Aside from the rebranding, there were few changes over the fourth edition.

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  Classic BattleTech boxed set contents

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  CBT rulebook cover

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  CBT universe book cover

2007: Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set (CGL 35000)

Main article: Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set

After FanPro's license expired in 2007, the Classic BattleTech license went to Catalyst Game Labs who created yet another new edition of the boxed set.

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2011: 25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set (CGL 3500A)

Main article: 25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set

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2013: BattleTech Introductory Box Set (CGL 3500B)

Main article: BattleTech Introductory Box Set

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2019: BattleTech Beginner Box (CGL 35020) & A Game of Armored Combat (CGL 3500D)

Main articles: BattleTech: Beginner Box and BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat

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