Difference between revisions of "Classic BattleTech Universe"

m (Frabby moved page Inner Sphere at a Glance to Classic BattleTech Universe over redirect: Using title of standalone promotional PDF as lead product of the series)
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{{underconstruction}}
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{{otheruses|the [[universe book]]let that came with the boxed set|the BattleTech universe as such|BattleTech Universe}}
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:'''''Inner Sphere at a Glance''' redirects here.''
 
 
{{InfoBoxProduct
 
{{InfoBoxProduct
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| image = Classic_BattleTech_Universe.jpg
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| image               = Classic_BattleTech_Universe.jpg
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| name = Classic BattleTech Universe<br>(standalone PDF publication cover)
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| name               = Classic BattleTech Universe<br>(stand-alone PDF publication cover)
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| development =  
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| type                = Sourcebook, Technical Readout
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| primarywriting =  
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| author              =
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| cover = [[Franz Vohwinkel]]
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| development         =  
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| illustrations = [[Franz Vohwinkel]]
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| primarywriting     =
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| era = [[Civil War era]]
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| pages              = 48
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| type = Sourcebook
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| cover               = [[Franz Vohwinkel]]
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| publisher = [[FanPro]]
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| interiorart        = Franz Vohwinkel
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| year = 2003
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| illustrations      =  
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| pages = 48
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| publisher           = [[FanPro]]
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| productioncode = [http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=products&mode=full&id=210 10980a]
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| productioncode      = 10980a
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| ISBN10 =  
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| year               = 2003
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| ISBN10              =
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| ISBN13              =
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| MSRP                =
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| content            =
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| era                =
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| agency              =
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| universedate        =
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| timeline            =  
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| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
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| series              = [[Universe book]]
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| precededby          = [[Introduction to BattleTech]]
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| followedby          = [[Inner Sphere at a Glance]]
 
}}
 
}}
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A booklet titled '''''Classic BattleTech Universe''''' was included with the 2003 [[Classic BattleTech Boxed Set]] by [[FanPro]], and was also offered for free PDF download as a promotional product first by FanPro's and later by [[Catalyst Game Labs]] from their respective BattleTech website, the now defunct classicbattletech.com site.<ref>The download URL used to be http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=products&mode=full&id=210 but classicbattletech.com is now defunct.</ref>
 
  
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The booklet remained essentially unchanged for the 2007 [[Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set]] except for being retitled to '''''Inner Sphere at a Glance''''', and it is arguably better known under that name now.
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'''''Classic BattleTech Universe''''' was the successor of the ''[[Introduction to BattleTech]]'' booklet, when [[FanPro]] published a [[Classic BattleTech Boxed Set|new edition]] of the [[BattleTech boxed set|boxed set]] after having acquired the license to what was now "[[Classic BattleTech]]". The title is somewhat arbitrary, as the classic BattleTech boardgame had just been rebranded as "[[Classic BattleTech]]", and it is unclear if this moniker should be considered part of the title proper. Indeed, after the name of "Classic BattleTech" had reverted to "BattleTech", [[CGL]] would offer an otherwise identical version of the booklet for download where the title just read "''BattleTech Universe''" accordingly.<ref>[https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/BattleTechUniverseGuide.pdf Download link] for the (Classic) BattleTech Universe booklet from the BattleTech.com website as provided by CGL</ref>
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The booklet was retitled to ''[[Inner Sphere at a Glance]]'' and slightly expanded for the 2007 [[Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set]], and would go on to see several editions under that name.
  
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
−
Beginning with the ''[[Introduction to BattleTech]]'' booklet that [[FASA]] had included in the 1996 [[BattleTech, Fourth Edition]] boxed set, a second booklet besides the actual BattleTech rulebook was included with the game's core boxed set that contained background information about the BattleTech universe. While the booklet in FASA's fourth edition also contained the [[quick start rules]], it was revised by FanPro for their new 2003 edition of the boxed set to be purely a setting book. Despite minor changes to its layout and being renamed after 2007, it has remained essentailly unchanged ever since.
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The ''Classic BattleTech Universe'' booklet was included with the 2003 [[Classic BattleTech Boxed Set]] by [[FanPro]], and was also offered for free PDF download as a promotional product first by FanPro and later by [[Catalyst Game Labs]] from their respective BattleTech website, the now defunct classicbattletech.com site.<ref>The download URL used to be http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=products&mode=full&id=210 but classicbattletech.com is now defunct.</ref>
 +
 
 +
There was a brief Introduction followed by an in-universe document titled A Time of War that introduced the BattleTech universe from an in-universe point of view; however, the order was switched around in the table of contents.
 +
 
 +
The history section is based (verbatim) on the text from ''Introduction to BattleTech'' (which was attributed to [[Michael Stackpole]]), but was expanded by adding several paragraphs. Where the earlier version ended in [[3049]], just short of the [[Clan Invasion era]], this booklet's history section continues through the [[Civil War era]] and up to the year [[3067]], on the brink of the [[Jihad era]].
 +
 
 +
The write-ups on BattleMech technology and the Technical Readout section were similarly taken from the previous booklet, while the descriptions of the [[Great Houses]] and other powers were rewritten and greatly expanded. The section about MechWarriors and all artwork in the book is completely new.
  
 
==Contents==
 
==Contents==
 +
<div class="desktop-3-col">
 +
* INTRODUCTION
 
* A TIME OF WAR
 
* A TIME OF WAR
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* INTRODUCTION
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* [[Perpetual War|PERPETUAL WAR]]
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* PERPETUAL WAR
 
 
* A BIEF HISTORY OF THE INNER SPHERE
 
* A BIEF HISTORY OF THE INNER SPHERE
 
** Rise of the [[Terran Hegemony|Hegemony]]
 
** Rise of the [[Terran Hegemony|Hegemony]]
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** [[Chassis]]
 
** [[Chassis]]
 
** Locomotion/Movement Systems
 
** Locomotion/Movement Systems
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** [[Armor - BattleMechs & Vehicles|Armor]] and [[Weapons]]
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** [[Armor (BattleMechs & Combat Vehicles)|Armor]] and [[Weapons]]
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** [[Fusion Engine|Power Systems]]
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** [[Fusion engine|Power Systems]]
 
** Defining Characteristic
 
** Defining Characteristic
 
*** Movement Capabilities
 
*** Movement Capabilities
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** [[Banshee (BattleMech)|BNC-3E ''Banshee'']]
 
** [[Banshee (BattleMech)|BNC-3E ''Banshee'']]
 
** [[Atlas (BattleMech)|AS7-D ''Atlas'']]
 
** [[Atlas (BattleMech)|AS7-D ''Atlas'']]
 +
</div>
 +
 
==Covers==
 
==Covers==
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
 
Image:CBT10980UniverseCover.jpg|Booklet cover from 2003 [[Classic BattleTech Boxed Set]]
 
Image:CBT10980UniverseCover.jpg|Booklet cover from 2003 [[Classic BattleTech Boxed Set]]
 
Image:Classic_BattleTech_Universe.jpg|PDF edition 'cover'
 
Image:Classic_BattleTech_Universe.jpg|PDF edition 'cover'
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Image:CBT35000ISaaGCover.jpg|Booklet cover from 2007 [[Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set]]
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Image:BT_Universe_Cover.jpg|PDF edition 'cover' after rebranding
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Image:BT3500AISaaGCover.jpg|Booklet cover from 2011 [[25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set]]
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
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[[Category:Books]]
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* The use of the newer BattleTech logo suggests that free PDF download from FanPro's website was made available some time after the release of the hardcopy edition in the boxed set. For the purpose of this article the PDF edition is considered the "lead" edition because, unlike the physical booklet, it was a stand-alone publication. For this reason, the PDF edition's cover image is depicted in this article's Infobox. Front cover graphics, namely the BattleTech logo and the color of the title lettering, appears to be the only difference between editions of this booklet, be they print or PDF.
 +
 
 +
* FanPro and Catalyst versions with the updated logo lacked copyright information.
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
<references/>
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 +
 
 
[[Category:Sourcebooks]]
 
[[Category:Sourcebooks]]

Latest revision as of 20:54, 10 January 2024

This article is about the universe booklet that came with the boxed set. For the BattleTech universe as such, see BattleTech Universe.
Classic BattleTech Universe.jpg
Classic BattleTech Universe
(stand-alone PDF publication cover)
Product information
Type Sourcebook, Technical Readout
Pages 48
Cover Artwork Franz Vohwinkel
Interior Artwork Franz Vohwinkel
Publication information
Publisher FanPro
Product code 10980a
First published 2003
Content
Series Universe book
Preceded by Introduction to BattleTech
Followed by Inner Sphere at a Glance

Classic BattleTech Universe was the successor of the Introduction to BattleTech booklet, when FanPro published a new edition of the boxed set after having acquired the license to what was now "Classic BattleTech". The title is somewhat arbitrary, as the classic BattleTech boardgame had just been rebranded as "Classic BattleTech", and it is unclear if this moniker should be considered part of the title proper. Indeed, after the name of "Classic BattleTech" had reverted to "BattleTech", CGL would offer an otherwise identical version of the booklet for download where the title just read "BattleTech Universe" accordingly.[1]

The booklet was retitled to Inner Sphere at a Glance and slightly expanded for the 2007 Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set, and would go on to see several editions under that name.

Description[edit]

The Classic BattleTech Universe booklet was included with the 2003 Classic BattleTech Boxed Set by FanPro, and was also offered for free PDF download as a promotional product first by FanPro and later by Catalyst Game Labs from their respective BattleTech website, the now defunct classicbattletech.com site.[2]

There was a brief Introduction followed by an in-universe document titled A Time of War that introduced the BattleTech universe from an in-universe point of view; however, the order was switched around in the table of contents.

The history section is based (verbatim) on the text from Introduction to BattleTech (which was attributed to Michael Stackpole), but was expanded by adding several paragraphs. Where the earlier version ended in 3049, just short of the Clan Invasion era, this booklet's history section continues through the Civil War era and up to the year 3067, on the brink of the Jihad era.

The write-ups on BattleMech technology and the Technical Readout section were similarly taken from the previous booklet, while the descriptions of the Great Houses and other powers were rewritten and greatly expanded. The section about MechWarriors and all artwork in the book is completely new.

Contents[edit]

Covers[edit]

Notes[edit]

  • The use of the newer BattleTech logo suggests that free PDF download from FanPro's website was made available some time after the release of the hardcopy edition in the boxed set. For the purpose of this article the PDF edition is considered the "lead" edition because, unlike the physical booklet, it was a stand-alone publication. For this reason, the PDF edition's cover image is depicted in this article's Infobox. Front cover graphics, namely the BattleTech logo and the color of the title lettering, appears to be the only difference between editions of this booklet, be they print or PDF.
  • FanPro and Catalyst versions with the updated logo lacked copyright information.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Download link for the (Classic) BattleTech Universe booklet from the BattleTech.com website as provided by CGL
  2. ↑ The download URL used to be http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=products&mode=full&id=210 but classicbattletech.com is now defunct.

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