Classic Battletech Total Warfare

Before I get started - this book flat out tells you it is not for new players. These rules will not help you learn how to play. That said this book is absolutely fantastic - the production work is beyond belief. Every page is full color with photos, the rules are organized in an intelligent manner (finally), and each chapter starts with a brief piece of fiction that covers the universe pretty throughly. Instead of the lineart of the previous editions full color photos of extremely well painted miniatures for the game - not only do you get nice looking pictures but it even helps explain some of the rules of the game. The rules of the game have been collected, cleaned up, organized in one style, and in general improved upon. These are much much better then the last edition put out by FASA. If you enjoy Battletech pick this up. If you enjoyed and of the Mechwarrior, Mechcommander, or MechAssault games go pick up the free pdfs from www.classicbattletech.com and see if you like it and then pick this up if you do.

This book is your one stop shop for all the Battletech rules. They ommited the construction rules, but if you have like me several different versions already, that isnt a problem at all. Even the fiction included was of a high level.

If you do not already know how to play Classic Battletech, this book will not help you learn. It assumes that you already know, and that you already own the rule books that will teach you how to play. That said, Total Warfare is very useful for the player who wants a single book with all the various charts and rules rather than a collection of several books. There is a nice index that makes it easy to find most things, and as with other CBT books it has all the rule sheets right at the back of the book. The Artwork is beautiful, and has a special section at the end devoted to a 'how to' of painting minitures and kit-bashing that give a good overview of the processes involved with each that provide some very nice tips for anyone who is thinking about getting into that particular hobby.

Fantastic book. Very well constructed. Great book for the advanced player, as the intro states. Well written and illustrated with lots of pictures to WOW the eye. All the fiction is another plus to the book. This is a must have for the Battletech player and/or collector. Top notch job done on this one.

Classic Battletech Total Warfare Here is my brief overview of the Classic Battletech Total Warfare (TW) book which is the most up to date version of the Classic Battletech game. Just for full disclosure- I play tested the material in this product. Classic Battletech is a game which takes place in 31st century where warriors pilot 30 foot humanoid robots called BattleMechs that reign supreme on the battlefield. There are other units as well such as Infantry, Vehicles, Fighters, etc. but the focus is on the BattleMechs. TW is a quantum leap above its predecessors with fantastic illustrations and periodic short stories to give you some flavor of the Battletech universe. The visual examples are extremely helpful and the right hand sidebar lets you know which section you are in. TW has a number of rules changes over previous editions although most seem aimed at giving a more distinctive feel for the different types of units. The TW edition also differs from previous editions in that it includes some Aerotech 2 (air/space combat) material although it does not contain construction rules which will be printed in TechManual. TW seems best suited for those who have already played the game or know someone who has already played the game (and preferably has access to maps and counters/miniatures). The hardcover for this hefty 312 page product will ensure years of gaming use (or abuse) Enjoy !!!