Technical Readout: Project Phoenix

Technical Readout: Project Phoenix
Product information
Type	Technical readout
Author	Loren L. Coleman (Stalking the Legends)
Development	Randall Bills
Primary writing	Randall N. Bills Warner Doles David L. McCulloch Christoffer Trossen
Pages	104
Cover Artwork	Chris Lewis
Illustrations	Chris Lewis
Publication information
Publisher	FanPro (Original)
Product code	[1] 35032 (corrected 2nd printing)
First published	2003 2005 (corrected 2nd printing)
ISBN-10	3890649912
ISBN-13	978-3890649917
MSRP	19.99
Content
Era	Civil War era
Timeline	3067
Series	Technical Readouts

Description

The Technical Readout: Project Phoenix (TRO:Phoenix) is a special release by then-license-holder FanPro to address and solve the so called Unseen-issue. The TRO contained new artwork for various of the oldest BattleMech designs, to allow their graphical use back into publication. The variants presented originate from FedCom Civil War era. The in-character explanation is, that the designs had been modernized (and, hence, been brought back into the spotlight with a different outer appearance).

The TRO is unique with its comparatively few unit designs and a focus on artwork, as it contains 55 additional illustrations of design variants, without delivering any specifications for these. In delivering new artwork for old designs, the book is a belated companion to the Technical Readout: 3025 Revised. The game data for included illustrations on the other hand can mostly be found in Record Sheets: 3067.

The TRO:Phoenix was first released in 2003 under product code FPR 10991 and received a 2nd corrected printing under product code FPR 35032 in 2005. It was announced to be replaced by Record Sheets: 3085 Unabridged — Project Phoenix in 2010.

From the back cover

“

As the FedCom Civil War swung into high gear and conflict swept through the Inner Sphere, the need for additional war materials was paramount. However, unlike many companies, which produced new, but expensive, BattleMechs, a new upstart company, Vicore Industries, took a different route. By taking centuries old machines and upgrading both their physical as well as technological capabilities, Vicore almost single handedly started a revolution that provided a cheap means to bring 'new' BattleMechs to the field commanders desperate for more assets. Classic BattleTech Technical Readout: Project Phoenix provides descriptions, game statistics and illustrations for twenty-nine classic BattleMechs that have been upgraded both in appearance and technology. Also, for the first time in any technical readout, additional illustrations representing all the variants for every design in the book are also included.

”

Table of Contents

Short Story

Introduction

Inner Sphere BattleMechs

Locust

Stinger

Wasp

Valkyrie

Ostscout

Phoenix Hawk

Griffin

Scorpion

Shadow Hawk

Wolverine

Ostroc

Ostsol

Rifleman

Crusader

Thunderbolt

Archer

Warhammer

Marauder

Goliath

BattleMaster

Longbow

Marauder II

Clan BattleMechs

Locust IIC 4

Griffin IIC 4

Shadow Hawk IIC 4

Rifleman IIC 3

Phoenix Hawk IIC 4

Warhammer IIC 4

Marauder IIC 2

Battlemech Variant Illustrations

LCT-1V2 Locust/LCT-5V2 Locust

STG-6L Stinger/WSP-3S Wasp

VLK-QD3 Valkyrie/OTT-9S Ostscout

PHX-3PL Phoenix Hawk/PHX-6D Phoenix Hawk

PHX-7CS Phoenix Hawk/PHX-7S Phoenix Hawk

GRF-5M Griffin/GRF-6CS Griffin

SCP-12C Scorpion/SHD-7CS Shadow Hawk

SHD-7M Shadow Hawk/WVR-8C Wolverine

WVR-8D Wolverine/WVR-9D Wolverine

OSR-3C Ostroc/OTL-5D Ostsol

OTL-7M Ostsol/OTL-8M Ostsol

RFL-6X Rifleman/RFL-7M Rifleman

CRD-7L Crusader/CRD-8M Crusader

TDR-7SE Thunderbolt/TDR-9NAIS Thunderbolt

TDR-10SE Thunderbolt/ARC-6S Archer

ARC-6W Archer/ARC-7L Archer

WHM-4L Warhammer/WHM-9D Warhammer

WHM-9S Warhammer/MAD-5R Marauder

MAD-5T Marauder/MAD-7D Marauder

MAD-9M Marauder/MAD-9S Marauder

GOL-2H Goliath/GOL-3S Goliath

GOL-5D Goliath/BLR-5M BattleMaster

BLR-CM BattleMaster/BLR-K3 BattleMaster

MAD-4H Marauder II/Marauder IIC/Locust IIC 5/Griffin IIC 3

Shadow Hawk IIC 3/Rifleman IIC 4

Phoenix Hawk IIC 3/Warhammer IIC 3

Marauder IIC 3

Remarks on content

• The title comprises descriptions of 29 BattleMech units in total, all from FedCom Civil War era. All presented units were prior subject to Unseen-issue and received new artwork to reallow their usage in publications. It contains:
  • 22 Inner Sphere designs and
  • 7 Clan designs,
  • with additional 55 illustrations of different variants of presented units, without any further stats or informations on them.
• The title comes with various in-character introductions, these are
  • Precenter(sic!) XIV-Delta Tempest Stryker, ComStar, to Precentor ROM Victoria Parrdeau, 1 August 3067
  • Demi-Precentor X-Omega Martin Overstreet, ComStar, 1 October, 3067
  • Demi-Precentor Rochelle Capetturn, Explorer Corps, to Precentor XXIV Padraig O Bhaoil, Director, Explorer Corps, along with notes from Precentor XXIV Padraig O Bhaoil to Precentor Parrdeau, ComStar
• On page 11 the title states in a Game Note, that the Record Sheets for the designs presented can be found in Record Sheets: 3067, with the exception of the Longbow design, whose record sheet is included in Record Sheets: Upgrades.
• The title is the first TRO to present fiction in addition to information on unit designs, the short story Stalking the Legends.

Notes

• Though controversial in its commissioning, the title provided relief (of sorts) for which a vocal majority of fans had been clamoring. By incorporating features that suggested evolution of similar features on the Unseen, the Reseen, as they are colloquially known, were able to sidestep the issue of artwork outside of FASA/FanPro's studios. Debate still simmered from two camps: that from those who saw new miniatures lessening the 'value' of their limited Unseen figures and from those looking for relief from the ban of artwork from historical period (i.e., occurring before the Clan Invasion).