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.

BattleTech Line Developer Herbert A. Beas II would later describe Battledroids as "BattleTech's predecessor", and its contents and scenarios were ruled to be not necessarily canonical for the BattleTech universe.

The game rules were different from the later (2nd Edition) BattleTech. Weapon firing and damage were a simplified system that combined all weapons into a single attack roll against the equally single armor rating of the target, forgoing hit locations in a fashion similar to the simplified combat in the later Alpha Strike ruleset. It was only the optional 'Advanced Battledroids Rules' that resembled what would become the classic BattleTech boardgame rules. Battledroids also had rules for tanks and armed jeeps that differed from the later BattleTech (CityTech) rules, and were more similar to the later rules for Elementals.

The Battledroids included with this first set as cutout playing pieces were the Stinger, Shadow Hawk, Archer, Griffin, Warhammer, Marauder, Crusader, Wasp, and Rifleman. All of these would later become Unseen. Rubber stands were included for the cutouts. In addition, the Merlin featured in the rulebook as a practical example for the construction rules, but it had no associated picture or cutout.

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. The map layout of this basic playing map would remain unchanged until the 2011 Anniversary Edition.

The box also contained two small model kits that were identified as Shadow Hawk and Griffin Battledroids; the models were in fact imported "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 mapsheet

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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 not included.

Background information for the setting, namely the Inner Sphere during the Succession Wars era around the year 3025, was expanded in the rulebook, 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 in the BattleTech 2nd Edition rulebook, no universe background was provided beyond 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

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  CityTech rulebook cover

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  CityTech mapsheet

1992: BattleTech, 3rd Edition (FASA 1604)

Main article: BattleTech, Third Edition

The third edition of the boxed set, released by FASA in 1992, replaced 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 record sheets for these fourteen 'Mechs, but not for 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 partiallly rewritten. It notes that BattleTech sourcebooks, scenarios and novels have brought the "present" year to 3055, but the associated technological advancements are "beyond the scope of basic BattleTech" and the rules remain at the 3025-era technology level. Four generic training scenarios were included.

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  BattleTech, 3rd Ed. boxed set contents

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  BattleTech, 3rd Ed. rulebook cover

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  BattleTech, 3rd Ed. miniatures

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, CityTech received a makeover for its second edition while retaining the product number.

FASA went a bit further here, calling the game "The Advanced BattleTech Game of 3050 Combat" in the tagline and explicitly expanding the rules to "Level 2" (Clan Invasion era) technology. The set came with a record sheets booklet, altogether sixteen plastic miniatures on two identical sprues of eight units each (Javelin, Centurion, Orion, Victor, Uller, Black Hawk, Mad Cat, Daishi), 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

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  CityTech, 2nd Ed. miniatures

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. This lineup would be used for all subsequent editions of the boxed set up until the 2019 edition, "A Game of Armored Combat". Because no plastic miniatures were readily available, FASA reverted to cardboard cutouts.

The fourth edition, calling itself BT4 in the rulebook, came with a redesigned rulebook and quick start rules. It was also the first box set to separate the background fluff from the rules, by including a separate booklet titled "Introduction to BattleTech".

The rulebook states that the "current" year of the BattleTech universe is 3058, while BT4 is set in 3049. It also makes reference to the Rules Levels previously seen CityTech, 2nd Ed., and states that the technology described in the BT4 game is Level 1 whereas Level 2 includes the technology available in 3058. The scenarios from the previous edition were replaced by three new scenarios that featured the new 'Mechs.

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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. Introduction to BattleTech book cover

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  BattleTech, 4th Ed. 'Mech counters

2003: Classic BattleTech (FanPro 10980)

Main article: Classic BattleTech Boxed Set

In 2001, Fantasy Productions (FanPro) acquired the license to what was now "Classic BattleTech", CBT for short. They created a new CBT boxed set, but aside from the rebranding as "Classic BattleTech" (subtitle: "A Game of Armored Combat") the changes from the 4th edition were minor. The featured 'Mechs remained the same, though the altogether 48 cutouts (two for each of the 24 'Mech designs) had new artwork for them. The arguably biggest change was that, besides the rulebook, universe background book and record sheets, a separate Quick Start Rules booklet and a poster map of the Inner Sphere were added to the box.

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  Classic BattleTech boxed set contents

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  CBT Rulebook cover

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  CBT Universe book cover

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  CBT Quick Start Rules 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. Most importantly, the cardboard counters were once again replaced by twenty-four plastic miniatures that required no cutting or assembly. The 'Mechs featured remained the same since the 4th edition.

The rulebook was expanded to 80 pages, and abandoned the Rules Levels approach of previous rulebooks; instead, it referred to introductory, standard (tournament), and advanced (non-tournament) rulesets. Brief rules for vehicles and infantry were added back in, with additional training scenarios for these unit types. The rules by and large remain at the technology level of the year 3049, with some individual advanced rules provided, while the "current" year of the BattleTech universe was now given as 3085.

The universe book was retitled to "Inner Sphere at a Glance", and covers the universe through the year 3067. A "Painting and Tactics Guide" booklet was added that taught miniatures painting and some boardgame tactics.

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  CBT Introductory Box Set contents

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  CBT Introductory rulebook cover

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  Inner Sphere at a Glance book cover

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  CBT Introductory Box Set miniatures

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

Main article: 25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set

Delayed in production so that it actually came out 26 years after the BattleTech, 2nd Edition boxed set, this anniversary edition was redesigned from the ground up. Added in on top of the "standard" miniatures were two high-quality extra miniatures of a Hellbringer (Loki) and a Summoner (Thor), though unlike the other miniatures these two had to be assembled from parts that came on sprues.

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2013: BattleTech Introductory Box Set (CGL 3500B)

Main article: BattleTech Introductory Box Set

Essentially a re-release of the Anniversary Edition boxed set, the most important changes in this box were the new cover and better quality plastic miniatures, albeit the 'Mechs as such remained the same. Only the two high-quality extra miniatures were changed to a BattleMaster and a Timber Wolf (Mad Cat).

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2019: BattleTech Beginner Box (CGL 35020)

Main article: BattleTech: Beginner Box

In 2019 CGL released two new box sets in tandem. A "Beginner Box" was sold more or less at cost, to lower the price barrier for new players to enter the BattleTech hobby.

The Beginner Box includes two fully-assembled un-painted miniatures, nine cardboard standees to act as additional BattleMechs, one double-sided mapsheet, cardboard hex terrain meant to be used with the maps, the "Quick-Start Rules" for the game, color record sheets for several variants of the included BattleMechs, a set of MechWarrior cards, a short novella titled Golden Rule written by William H. Keith, a booklet explaining the BattleTech universe during the Succession Wars era and two six-sided dice. The included Quick-Start Rules describe the fundamentals of standard BattleTech gameplay including turn structure, simplified movement and attack rules for BattleMechs and tables for movement and attacks on the back cover for easy reference by players.

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2019: A Game of Armored Combat (CGL 3500D)

Main article: BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat

Released in 2019 together with the BattleTech: Beginner Box, this revised basic box set was redesigned from the ground up. The set includes eight plastic un-painted miniatures of the Awesome, BattleMaster, Catapult, Commando, Locust, Shadow Hawk, Thunderbolt and Wolverine, a 56-page rulebook, a 16-page booklet containing record sheets for several variations of the included BattleMechs (meant to be photocopied), a 16-page universe primer describing the factions during the Succession Wars, a 24-page novella titled Eyestorm written by William H. Keith continuing the story from Golden Rule, 8 MechWarrior cards describing the unique abilities of MechWarriors, a heavy-stock reference sheet containing all tables needed to play under the included ruleset, two full-color double-sided mapsheets for a total of four maps, a punchboard containing additional BattleMechs and terrain, one Alpha Strike card for each miniature and two six-sided dice. This box set's mapsheets, miniatures and punchboard terrain are fully compatible with those included in the Beginner Box. The set also includes an advertisement for Iron Wind Metals.

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