Tactical Handbook

Description

The BattleTech Tactical Handbook was the first expansion to the BattleTech board game that included so called Level 3 optional rules and equipment. These rules included the much-maligned Combat Value system for balancing force and the Double-Blind rules that enable players and a gamemaster to allow both sides the use of hidden units. Plenty of new arms, armor, and ammunition debuted. Some of the equipment and rules were later included in Maximum Tech.

Contents

• Introduction
• New Rules
  • Thunder LRMs
  • Double-Blind Rules
  • Operational Game
  • Combat Values

• Level Three Rules
  • Modified Movement Sequence
  • Artillery
  • BattleMech Engine Explosions
  • BattleMech Sensors
  • Craters
  • Disengaging PPC field inhibitors
  • Four-Legged 'Mechs
  • Hidden Placement
  • Hot Loading LRMs
  • Interlocking Streak Missiles
  • Jumping Fire
  • Land Air 'Mechs
  • Line of Sight
  • Partial Cover
  • MechWarrior Damage
  • Selecting Terrain Elevation

• New Equipment
  • Ballistic Weapons
    • Caseless Ammunition
    • Hyper-Velocity Autocannons
    • LB-X Autocannons
    • 'Mech Mortars
    • Ultra Autocannons
  • Missile Systems
    • Acid (AX) Warhead
    • Anti-Personnel (AP) Warhead
    • Dead-Fire Missiles
    • Extended Long-Range Missiles
    • HS (Heat Seeking) Warhead
    • Magnetic-Pulse Warhead
    • Smoke Warhead
    • Streak Missile Systems
    • TC (Tandem-Charge) Warhead
    • Thunderbolt Launcher
  • Physical Weapons
    • Claw
    • Mace
  • BattleMech Accessories
    • Angel ECM Suite
    • Bloodhound Active Probe
    • Command Console
    • Coolant System
    • Mechanical Jump Boosters
    • Watchdog System
  • Defensive Armaments
    • Blazer Armor
    • Glazed Armor
    • Laser Anti-Missile System
  • Static Defenses
    • Bunkers
    • Field Works
    • Fortifications
    • Installations
  • MechWarrior Gear
    • Ablative/Flak Cooling Suit and Vest
    • Computer Voice Circuit
    • SLDF Neurohelmet

• Weapon and Equipment Tables

Notes

• A number of pieces of optional equipment are carried over from Unbound, an earlier book with optional tech.
• The Tactical Handbook was the last official publication to include the rules for construction and use of Land Air 'Mechs, the previously tournament legal designs moved to optional/non-legal status with this book, signaling their decline and removal from the BattleTech universe.
• The book was written from perspective of the early to mid 3050's, including still non-tournament legal "prototype" Inner Sphere versions of the previously Clan-only LB-X and Ultra Autocannons and Streak launchers which would later become Level 2 with the Field Manual: Draconis Combine and Field Manual: Free Worlds League prior to their "official" inclusion in BattleTech Master Rules.