Wunderwelten

Wunderwelten
Product information
Type	Magazine
Pages	64-120/issue
Publication information
Publisher	Fantasy Productions GmbH
First published	1989-1999
Content

The German fantasy and role-playing magazine Wunderwelten was produced by FanPro Germany and ran for 50 issues, appearing first in April 1989. The discontinuation came as a surprise to many, including the staff, and was only announced in the final issue #50 in 1999.

This article is focused on the magazine's BattleTech-related content.

Overview

As a FanPro House Magazine, Wunderwelten naturally had a broad coverage of FanPro's products, most notably the Das Schwarze Auge, BattleTech and Shadowrun game lines. However, it was aimed at a greater audience and was not limited to FanPro products; it featured general reports and articles about fantasy and science fiction literature and gaming, short stories and reviews of other firms' products as well.

BattleTech content and translations from English sources were usually the work of Reinhold H. Mai, Hartwig Nieder-Gassel and Frank Lenzer.

Canonicity

FanPro held the license to produce the German edition of BattleTech while they published Wunderwelten, and later (from 2001 to 2006) for the entire BattleTech line including original English products. As such, their House Magazine can arguably be regarded as an official soure. However, since it was only published in German, it is not counted among the canonical sources. Original content from Wunderwelten can therefore be regarded as apocryphal at best. (Many articles were translation from articles in official English sources, most notably from BattleTechnology; their canonicity hinges on the canonicity of their original sources.)

Issue 1

• Portrayal of FASA and a lengthy 5-page interview with Jordan Weisman, L. Ross Babcock III and FASA President Morton Weisman, taken in August 1988 at the FASA offices in Chicago on the eve of the GenCon/Origins game fair. Since Jordan Weisman was called from the room 20 minutes into the interview, the answers were largely given by Ross Babcock and Mort Weisman. This is notable insofar as both of them rarely have had any information published about them otherwise.
• BTX-7K Battleaxe entry from BattleTechnology #0203 (STX-7K Streitaxt)
• BattleTech: The Crescent Hawks' Inception review

Issue 2

• "Natasha's Surprise": Scenario from The Spider and the Wolf
• "Worldbook - Mira": Article from BattleTechnology #0203
• "SPN-5V Spinne" (Spider): 'Mech writeup from Technical Readout: 3025

Issue 3

• "Natasha Kerensky: Bio-medical Report" from Shrapnel
• "Strike at Wittengate": Scenario from BattleTechnology #0202
• "Hiring Hall - The Dragonslayers" from BattleTechnology #0202
• "Cavalry Vehicles" (Whirlwind and Harrier scout tanks) from BattleTechnology #0202
• CityTech review

Issue 4

• Article about the Chicago Virtual World BattleTech Center
• "Hiring Hall - Hassid Ricol: The Red Duke" from BattleTechnology #0102
• Succession Wars (Board Game) review and match report
• "FLK-4E Falke" (FLC-4N Falcon): 'Mech writeup from BattleTechnology #0101
• "Tharkad on Guard" from BattleTechnology #0201
• MechWarrior (1989 Video Game) review

Issue 5

• BLP-KS Black Phantom: 'Mech writeup entry for a custom design that made first place in the Phancon tournament 1990 in Ratingen
• "On the Shores of a Sea on Gordo" from BattleTechnology #0201
• Optional low gravity and vacuum rules, compiled from "BattleMech combat in Vacuum" (BattleTechnology #0201) and "Low Gravity Combat" (BattleTechnology #11)
• Technical Readout: 3025 and Technical Readout: 3050 review

Issue 6

• Playing report from the BattleTech Center in Chicago

Issue 7

• Painting guide for BattleTech miniatures
• ODN-1M Odin: 'Mech writeup for a custom design
• "Die lange Flucht" (The long flight): Short story, set in early 3030. Kurita forces raid Helios 3, a secret Davion test facility, and are defeated by a MechWarrior piloting a prototype Odin.

Issue 8

• "Assault on St. Andre" and "Goliaths on St. Andre": Scenarios from BattleTechnology #0204
• BattleTech: The Crescent Hawks' Revenge review

Issue 9

• "Worldbook - Wheel" from BattleTechnology #0201
• "Black Luthien" from BattleTechnology #0102

Issue 10

• "Junk Yard Dogs" campaign part 1 (Scenarios 1 and 2) and Cranston Snord interview from Cranston Snord's Irregulars (scenario pack)

Issue 11

• "Junk Yard Dogs" campaign part 2 (Scenarios 3 and 4)

Issue 12

• ZE-4RR Zerstörer: 'Mech writeup for a custom design
• MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game, Solaris VII: The Game World and Clantroops review

Issue 13

• Interview with Robert N. Charrette (FreuCon 1992)
• DropShips and JumpShips presentation

Issue 14

• "Drachentrick": Campaign. Draconis Combine Warlord Ivan Sorenson sends the Tooth of Ymir on a clandestine mission to capture Suk II; the players have to defend the world together with Hansen's Roughriders. An expansion pack with additional maps, force listings, units and BattleForce stats could be ordered via FanPro and was shipped on a 3.5" floppy disk.

Issue 15

• Instructions for kitbashing a ODN-1M Odin (see Issue 7) from a Marauder II miniature

Issue 16

• "Mechwerkstatt: BattleTech-Logistik für Fortgeschrittene" ('Mech garage: Advanced logistics rules): Ruleset and tips for the Game Master to include logistics into a BattleTech campaign, including aspects of the Company Store ploy. Anecdotes from the Cameron's Legion mercenary unit illustrate the application of the rules and procedures.

Issue 17

• Interview with Detlef "Major" Howe, founding member of MechForce Germany (1st incarnation).

Issue 18

(no BattleTech-specific content)

Issue 19

• Errata section for the German edition of the BattleTech Compendium

Issue 20

• Detailed rules for double-blind play
• "Schwarzer Tag": Campaign. A series of sophisticated company-vs.-company training scenarios simulating an objective raid (hostage rescue) under double-blind rules. Designed to teach units how to deal with poor intelligence and adapt to a new tactical situation, the scenarios feature minefields, ambushes, unexpected weather extremes and traps. They are presented as a training run carried out by Cameron's Legion during their garrison duty on Suk II against mock opponents from Hansen's Roughriders. Like with Drachentrick, an expansion pack was offered for sale on disk through FanPro with supplements, BattleForce rules and a MechWarrior RPG scenario.

Issue 21

(no BattleTech-specific content)

Issue 22

• "Inselhüpfen": Extended scenario/mini-campaign, designed for double-blind campaign play. A medium 'Mech company from the 26th Lyran Guards has to find and destroy a submarine base in a Lyran attempt to re-capture the ocean moon Muddy in the Engadin system from the Draconis Combine. The defenders field hovercraft, ships, submarines and water-mobile infantry on water scooters. There is only one island large enough to land a DropShip on, and numerous archipelagos of small, muddy islands that have to be reconnoitered. A strategic world map is provided for strategic movement of units between archipelagos, as are special weather rules including rain season rules.

Issue 23

• "Cargo Queen": MechWarrior RPG Scenario/annotated short story, detailing the many pitfalls of boarding of a JumpShip by narrating a boarding action by Cameron's Legion's infantry.

Issue 24

• Mächte der Inneren Sphäre and Technical Readout: 3050 (translated as "Hardware-Handbuch 3052") review

Issue 25

(no BattleTech-specific content)

Issue 26

• "Operation Zitadelle": Campaign, part 1. The small world No Return decides to split from the Capellan Confederation in the face of the Confederation's apparent weakness after the Fourth Succession War. Romano Liao hires a company-sized mercenary unit to abduct the revolution leader from his stronghold; the Liao leadership insists on including a small infantry contingent and a modified [[Striker (Combat Vehicle). In the face of civilian protesters, the mercenaries must make some tough moral decisions.
• Sorenson's Sabres (scenario pack) and The Battle for Twycross review

Issue 27

• "Operation Striker": Part 2 of the "Operation Zitadelle" campaign
• 1st Somerset Strikers (sourcebook) and Chaos March (sourcebook) reviews

Issue 28

• MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game, Second Edition, Atlas der Inneren Sphäre, MechWarrior Companion and MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat review

Issue 29

• Record Sheets: 3055 & 3058, Star Lord (novel) and Living Legends announcement

Issue 30

• Technical Readout: 3058 review

Issue 31

• CityTech, Second Edition, Living Legends and The Periphery, 2nd Edition (sourcebook) review
• FASA vs. Playmates (Exosquad Lawsuit) report

Issue 32

• "SpielMechaniken", part 1: A guide to playing BattleTech as a boardgame, role-playing game or mixed-type game campaign
• Ronin! preview

Issue 33

• "SpielMechaniken", part 2
• "Der erste Kontakt" (First contact), four loosely related scenarios during Clan Jade Falcon's invasion of Black Earth against defending forces from the 17th Skye RCT and the 1st Grave Walkers.

Issue 34

• Technical Readout: 2750, BattleTech 4th Edition, Field Manual: Draconis Combine and The Fall of Terra (scenario pack) review

Issue 35

• "Volles Rohr!": Artillery in BattleTech
• Reviews of the German editions of Technical Readout: 3055 ("Hardware-Handbuch 3055"), Mercenary's Handbook 3055 ("Söldner-Handbuch 3055") and Tactical Handbook ("Taktik-Handbuch")
• Réunion: BattleTech RPG adventure/mini-campaign set on Laconis

Issue 36

• BattleTech Trading Card Game, Explorer Corps (sourcebook), Technical Readout: 3025 Revised and Star Lord (novel) review

Issue 37

• "AstroTech-3D": Optional rules for 3-dimensional AeroTech play
• Solaris VII: The Game World, The Battle of Coventry (scenario pack) and First Strike review

Issue 38

• "Solaris VII - Auf die harte Tour!" (Solaris VII - The hard way!): Essay and house rules for running a Solaris VII championship tournament
• Geschichte der Inneren Sphäre, GeoTech IV and Shrapnel review

Issue 39

• "Testfall": Scenarions. In 3058, Bromley Stables have received the LNC-X05 Lancer HybridMech of mixed Inner Sphere and Clan technology from the Free Worlds League for testing. They put the new design through an urban mock fight (under regular rules) and a debut match against the Fitzhugh Stables (under 'Mech Duel Rules).
• LNC-X05 Lancer: Custom 'Mech record sheet
• Exodus Road (novel) and miniatures (Vixen, Vedette, Thunder Hawk and Battle Cobra) presentation
• Technical Readout: 3058, Record Sheets: 3055 & 3058, Field Manual: Free Worlds League and Maximum Tech review
• "Solaris VII - Auf die harte Tour!" addendum with additional rules and clarifications

Issue 40

• Field Manual: Mercenaries review
• Interview with Hartwig Nieder-Gassel and Frank Lenzer about the upcoming German edition of BattleSpace
• Miniatures presentation (Buccaneer (BattleMech), Hercules (BattleMech) and Chameleon)
• BCN-3R Buccaneer: 'Mech stats
• Errata for Owens entry in Technical Readout: 3058, presenting missing stats for two variants
• Errata for the LNC-X05 Lancer record sheet from Issue 39

Issue 41

• "BattleMania": A tongue-in-cheek presentation of rules for BattleTech live-action-play as BattleMechs (not MechWarriors)

Issue 42

• BattleSpace quick-start rules and introduction
• "Alte Feindschaften" (Old enmities): Scenario "Hide and Seek" from the BattleSpace rulebook
• BattleTech 4th Edition, Record Sheets: 3025 & 3026, Impetus of War and Northwind Highlanders (scenario pack) review
• Miniatures presentation (Toyama (BattleMech), Hankyu, Emperor, Challenger and Goblin)
• TYM-1A Toyama: 'Mech stats

Issue 43

• "Kickstart-Regeln"-booklet (Classic BattleTech Quick Start Rules) included
• First Strike, BattleForce 2 and No Limits review

Issue 44

• "Die BattleTech-Kampagne - Interaktive Feldzüge im Vierten Nachfolgekrieg" (The BattleTech Campaign - Interactive campaigns in the Fourth Succession War): A ruleset vaguely resembling the Chaos Campaign rules and the campaign rules from Tactical Handbook
• Miniatures presentation (Zhukov, Batu, Lineholder and Marshal)

Issue 45

• BattleSpace, Technical Readout: 3057, BattlePack: Fourth Succession War, BattleTech Master Rules, Double-Blind review
• Miniatures presentation (Skulker, Supernova, Black Lanner, Devastator, Maelstrom, Strider, Alacorn, Cauldron-Born, Badger and Akuma)
• Advertisment/presentation of MechForce Germany (3rd incarnation)

Issue 46

• BattleTech Master Rules preview

Issue 47

• BattleTech Master Rules review
• Miniatures presentation (Jagatai, Pillager, Enfield, Night Gyr, Cicada and Mobile HQ)
• "Schrottplatz oder Siegertreppchen" (Scrap yard or rostrum): Rules for BattleTech league play

Issue 48

• "Das Kanonenfutter schlägt zurück" (The cannon fodder strikes back): Article about infantry and infantry tactics in BattleTech
• Technical Readout: 3060 and Twilight of the Clans review
• Black Watch stats
• Miniatures presentation (Black Watch, Spartan, Spector, J-27 w/ Thumper Artillery Piece, Inner Sphere Battle Armor, Raijin, Excalibur, Charger, Lynx and Behemoth (Combat Vehicle))
• MechWarrior 3 preview

Issue 49

• Field Manual: Crusader Clans, Field Manual: Warden Clans and Record Sheets: 3060 review
• Miniatures presentation (O-Bakemono, Kingfisher, Ontos, Thresher, Karnov UR, Trebuchet, Cougar, Dragon Fire, Longinus and Blackjack)
• "Männer aus Stahl" (Men of steel): Short story/interview with a Battlearmor trooper on Schuyler in August 3059 during Operation Bulldog by embedded reporters. During the interview, the troopers swarm a Mad Cat and accidentially trigger an ammunition explosion. The camera man is killed in the process, ending the interview.

Issue 50

• "Ein neues Zeitalter" (A new age): Rundown of the state of the Inner Sphere and Clans as of 3060, and an outlook to the near future
• Shattered Sphere and The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky review