Classic Battletech: Master Rules (FPR35000)

If you're new to Battletech, I would consider buying the current Introductory Boxed Set and have a go with that.If you're an old player and trying to decide if you should invest money in the current editon of Battletech published by Catalyst Games, you should look into this book instead. Of all the rules compiled in this hardback tome are still 98% playable in the current edition.The Classic Battletech Master Rules give you the most comprehensive ruleset available in one book for playing Battletech. You have rules for using and creating mechs, infantry unit, protomechs, land and naval vehicles, VTOL aircraft and battle armoured infantry. What is missing are the rules for space and aerotech units. But as they play so radically different from the default battetech game, their exclusion from the master rules is understandable.The master rules isn't a really light reading experience. Is 99% rules and 1% of fluff, but it was designed with existing Battletech players in mind.

See my title.This game was my favorite tabletop wargame of my youth. If you havent played it before this is the best book to start with.

Great system. Have been playing for years and love it.

This is a review for Battletech, Master Rules REVISED edition. I say this because, at present, there is a re release of a lot of the battletech material in a new updated form (I believe now you need 3 guidebooks as opposed to this one, with a few different rule changes between the editions). Battletech is a table-top game where players take control of giant robots ("mechs"), and generally try to blast each other into smithereens. The game can be played that simple. However, it can also take on a great deal more depth: different infantry, vehicles, etc, can all be used. Extended scenarios or campaign games can be completed, and it is even possible to integrate the game with the mechwarrior RPG set in the battletech universe. The game universe also has an extremely rich tapestry of fiction and is very sophisticated. The Master Rules is not a book for beginners. To play battletech you need mapsheets, record sheets and counters (or miniatures, as the book advocates). None of these are included in the book. You can find some in the introductory box set or online here at amazon, they go for cheap. Though this review is for the REVISED edition of Battletech, as a game this edition of the rules is perfectly solid and extremely playable. All of the rules are concisely and clearly written, and there are a plethora of clear examples to illustrate the games concepts. There is also, let me underscore, a trove of information for the game. It has in depth construction rules to allow players to design any kind of mech or vehicle they want (not battle armor, however). This alone adds a whole dimension to replayability to the game. For the revised edition of the game, there are several other source books out there, but you don't really NEED them. You can get by just fine with this rule book, if you have the maps and counters. There are no blatant hold-outs for other guidebooks, and while there are some topics that are not covered (like true flying aircraft, not just VTOLs) you still can have a remarkably deep and varied game with the information presented in this book. Battletech is a great game, and even though this edition of the rules is not "current" it is not drastically different from the current edition, and unless you are super-serious about playing in tournaments (I don't see many of those... ever, actually) this will be more than enough for tons of varied gaming scenarios. The book is slim, but it contains a wealth of information and much variety in those pages. For self contained clear rules, I have seen no better example than this book.