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©2012 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. A Time of War Companion, A Time of War: The BattleTech RPG, BattleTech, BattleMech, ’Mech and MechWarrior are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of The Topps Company, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo are trademarks of InMediaRes Production, LLC. Printed in USA. WEBSITE: CATALYSTGAMELABS.COM
®
Launch yourself into the universe of BattleTech with new technologies and prove your heroism to House Lords and Khans alike! Visit strange and distant worlds, and battle alien beasts beyond your wildest dreams! Demonstrate new combat techniques both in and out of the cockpit while navigating the intricate layers of neo-feudal politics! Whether your are a House regular, a pirate smuggler, a noble scion, a deep space explorer, or just a thrill-seeking adventurer, bring your experience to a whole new level!
A Ti m e o f Wa r Co m p a n i o n i nt ro d u ce s advanced rules for BattleTech role-players and gamemasters alike. This core book expansion showcases advanced gameplay options including Advanced Tier martial arts, “hero-mode” gameplay, metaskills, Trait Checks, and more! Use character design templates to quickly generate new characters and NPCs, or even convert older characters from previous MechWarrior rule sets! Gamemasters, use the world-building rules to bring your players to exotic new locations, introduce them to equally exotic fauna you have created to greet them there, and give them the chance to fight for—or against—a host of new technologies rarely seen in the field! The tools to enhance your role-playing campaigns are here for the taking!
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BATTLETECHTM
A TIME OF WARCOMPANION
• CATALYST GAME LABS •
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MAN VS BOY 6
ADVANCED GAMEPLAY
Introduction 12Abbreviations 12
Basic Actions 13Edge Save Rule 13Bundling Skills 14Tiered Skills 15
Combat Actions 15Snap Shooting (Ranged Combat Only) 15Flurry Combat (Melee Combat only) 16Special Martial Arts Maneuvers (Melee Combat) 16Special Melee Weapons Maneuvers (Melee Combat) 19
Additional Personal Combat Rules 21Expanded Wound Effects 21“Hero Mode” 25
Advanced Trait Rules 27Rank (Expanded) 27House Davion Ranks 29House Kurita Ranks 30House Liao Ranks 31House Marik Ranks 32House Steiner Ranks 33Free Rasalhague Republic Ranks 34Major Periphery: Magistracy of Canopus Ranks 35Major Periphery: Taurian Concordat Ranks 35Major Periphery: Outworlds Alliance Ranks 36Major Periphery: Marian Hegemony Ranks 36Clan Ranks 37ComStar and Word of Blake Ranks 38Star League/Second Star League Ranks 39Title/Bloodname (Expanded) 40Rank-to-Title Equivalency 45Vehicle and Custom Vehicle Traits (Expanded) 47Implants/Prosthetics (Expanded) 49Mutation (New Trait) 53Wealth and Equipped Special Trait Checks 53
ADVANCED TACTICAL COMBAT
Tactical Terminology 56Advanced Battle Armor Basics 56Battle Armor Critical Hits 57Battle Armor Repairs 61Advanced ProtoMech Tactical Rules 62ProtoMech Movement 62ProtoMech Combat 62New Special Pilot Abilities 63
IT’S A JOB 72
ADVANCED CHARACTER CREATION
Advanced Option: Life Events 76Random Life Event Rolls 76
Character Archetypes 76Using the Archetypes 77Noble 78Mechwarrior 78Infantry 79Tanker 79Pilot 80
Explorer 80Ship’s Officer 81Mercenary 81Pirate 82Cop 82Diplomat 83Corporate Executive 83Journalist 84Professional (Scientist, Engineer, Tech) 84
Character Templates 85Using Character Templates 85Hot Shot 86Grizzled Veteran 87Chopper Pilot 88Communications Specialist 89Sniper 90Canine Soldier 91Battle Armor Specialist 92Information Broker 93Martial Artist 93
Conversions from Previous Role-Playing Editions 94Converting from MechWarrior, First Edition to A Time of War 94Converting from MechWarrior, Second Edition to A Time of War 97Converting from MechWarrior, Third Edition (CBT: RPG) to A Time of War 98
DON’T FEED THE ANIMALS 102
ADVANCED CREATURES
Advanced Creature Creation 106Creature Attributes 106Random Creature Creation 107Creature Traits 107Human Traits Also Available to Creatures 113Creature Skills 113Plant Forms 115Microbes 116Finishing Touches (All Creature Types) 117
Advanced Creature Combat Rules 118Creature Movement 118Creature Hit Locations and Effects 118Flee-or-Fight Check 119
Creature Compendium: Addendum 120Bithinian Dirt Grinder 120Black Reaper 120Blood Limpet 120Brighton Gremlin 120Clamp Leech 121Crana 121Denkaika 121Diamond Shark 121Ghost Bear 122Hell’s Horse 122Isesakian Kodama 122Jade Falcon 123Jardinian Firecat 123Kaumberg Eichhornchen 123Khog 123Ki-rian 124Kladnistan Gryphid 124Kountze Arctic Horror 124Leech Locust 125Lesser Branth 125
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ADVANCEDGAMEPLAY
ADVANCED TACTICAL COMBAT
CHARACTER CREATION
ADVANCED CREATURES
BASIC WORLD
BUILDING
EQUIPMENT EXPANSION
ROLEPLAYING CAMPAIGNS
POWER PLAYERS
INDEX
’Mech Marten 125Megasaur 125Meinradian Unicorn 125Mkuranga Titanodon 126Mother of the Ocean 126Neopithecanthropus 126Nova Cat 127Plasco Walking Tree 127Randall’s Rose 127Rock Gila 127Sea Fox 127Snow Raven 128Stone Lion 128Strana Mechty Wolf 128Surat 128Tagan Medusa 129Trachazoi 129Vodnik/Toorima 130
Converting Creatures for use in Total Warfare 133Beast-Mounted Infantry 133Using Smaller Creatures with Infantry (“K9 Units”) 135
MAELSTROM 136
BASIC WORLD BUILDING
Stage 1: Generate Primary Star 140Stage 2: Generating the Planets 142
Number of Orbital Slots 142Determining Planetary Bodies 142Planetary Body Types 142Stage 3: Detailing the Planets (Optional) 142
Random Planetary Governments 146Common Government Types 146Using the Random Government Table 149
Outnumbered, outgunned, and out of time: A day in the life for the resistance.
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Example Worlds 149Euclid 149Karachi 152
ALWAYS CHECK REFERENCES 154
EQUIPMENT EXPANSION
Gear Maintenance and Effects 158Weapons 158Armor 159Electronics 159Prosthetics 159
Modifying Personal Gear 160Modifying Weapons 160Modifying Personal Armor 161Other Equipment 163
Style Over Substance 163The Social Battlefield 163Class and Cost Modifiers 164
Advanced Legality Ratings 166Gray Areas: The Bigger Picture 166Legality and Permits 167
Converting Personal Equipment to Total Warfare 168Converting Personal Weapons 168Converting Personal Armor 171
Additional Personal Equipment 172Equipment Data 172
Archaic and Vintage Weapons 173Vintage Armor 173
First Star League Infantry Armor Kit 173Cutting Edge Weapons 173Specialty Munitions and Ordnance 177Advanced Implants and Prosthetics 178
General Advanced Implants and Prosthetics Game Rules 178Hostile Environment Implants 178Black Operations Implants 181Combat Operations Implants 182Extreme Cybernetics and Prosthetics 184Prosthetic Enhancements 186
Exotic Cosmetic Implants and Prosthetics 189Advanced Combat Practice Equipment 190Light Support Vehicles 191
Hover Vehicles 191Wheeled and Tracked Vehicles 191VTOL Vehicles 191Water Vehicles 191
Total Warfare Conventional Infantry Construction Addendum 195
WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES … 196
ROLEPLAYING CAMPAIGNS
Campaign Type: Renegades and Rogues 200Adventure Seed: Falsely Accused? 201Adventure Seed: Surviving the Hunters 202Adventure Seed: Turf War 202Adventure Seed: Vigilante Justice! 203
Campaign Type: Black Ops 204Adventure Seed: Deep Cover Assignment 205Adventure Seed: Guerilla War 205Adventure Seed: Terror Tactics 206
Campaign Type: Explorer Corps 207Adventure Seed: Strange New Worlds 208Adventure Seed: Lost Colonies 208Adventure Seed: Hidden Bases 209Adventure Seed: Lost in Space 209
Campaign Type: Working Solo 210Adventure Seed: Knight Errant 211Adventure Seed: Hunted Fugitive 211Adventure Seed: Divine Missionary 212Adventure Seed: In Too Deep 212
Campaign Type: Frontier Life 213Adventure Seed: We’re on Our Own 214Adventure Seed: Who’s The Savage Here? 214Adventure Seed: When Enemies Attack 215Adventure Seed: Scavenger Society 215
’Mech-less Warriors 216Character Creation 216’Mechs In Your ’Mech-less Campaign 216Keeping It Interesting 217
Work For Hire: Mercenary Life 217Landing a Mission 217Mission Types 220Mission Terms 224Contract Negotiations 228Reputation Gain and Loss 229
… ANOTHER DOOR OPENS 230
POWER PLAYERS
Creating High Power Non-Player Characters 234Power NPC Templates 234Heroic Noble 235Heroic Officer 236Master Politician 237Corporate Mogul 237High Lord 238Spymaster 238Made Man 239Complete Power Character Creation System 240General Notes on High Power NPCs 240
Underworld Connections 241Mafia 241Yakuza 242Tongs and Triads 243Political Subversives 243The Dark Caste 244Pirate Groups 245Other Outlaw Organizations 246
The Modern Landhold 246Holdings 247Entailment 248
Maintaining a Landhold 249Landhold Administration 249
INDEX
RECORD SHEETS
TABLES
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ADVANCEDGAMEPLAY
ADVANCED TACTICAL COMBAT
CHARACTER CREATION
ADVANCED CREATURES
BASIC WORLD
BUILDING
EQUIPMENT EXPANSION
ROLEPLAYING CAMPAIGNS
POWER PLAYERS
INDEX
Project Development Herbert A. Beas II Development Assistance Randall N. Bills Paul Sjardijn
Writing Sons of Janus (Fiction) Jason Schmetzer Rules Herbert A. Beas II Additional Rules Joel Bancroft-Connors Ken’ Horner Mike Miller Paul Sjardijn Joel Steverson Additional Writing Johannes Heidler Chris Wheeler
Product Editing Herbert A. Beas II Editorial Assistance Peter M Andrew, Jr. Katharyn Putz
BattleTech Line Developer Herbert A. Beas II Assistant Line Developer Ben H. Rome
Production Staff Art Direction Brent Evans Cover Art Mark Winters Cover Design Ray Arrastia BattleTech Logo Design Shane Hartley and Steve Walker
Evolved Faction Logos Design Jason Vargas Layout Ray Arrastia New Illustrations Justin Adams Jason Juta John E. Kaufmann Igor Kieryluk David Lecossu Randall Mackey Jason Cheeseman-Meyer Matt Plog Mark Poole Jeff Porter Matt Stawicki Alex Williamson
Herb’s Thanks and DedicationOnce again, I would like to thank the fans, for their endless
patience and tolerance of my weirdness, even when I chose to “playtest” material via Facebook, Twitter, and random forum posts. And to my parents, for giving me shelter once again in time of need. And, always, to “the kids”—Oscar, Annie, Meggie, Blaze, Kurita, and Logan—many of whom were as much a hindrance to this project as they were a welcome break.
To the last minute suggestions of Jean-Marc Comeau, Brent Dill, Bruce Ford, Jason Hansa, Michael “Cray” Miller, Blaine Pardoe, Craig Reed, Chris Wheeler—enjoy the new special pilot abilities!
And to my fellow local gamers: the “Fundamentally Doomed”: Jamie “Damon” Amirault, Jeff “Fletchi” Fletcher, Jay Fletcher, Alex Fletcher (Damn-That’s-A-Lotta Fletchers), Kevin Dwelley, Jason “Jay” Bouchard, Rich “Not ANOTHER Marauder!” Putz, Kate Putz, and Paul Witek – Thanks!
And to Amy Michalenka, our esteemed Controller, who also volunteered and authorized me to use her husband on this project when things started getting really desperate. And to Randall Bills for taking Interstellar Operations off my plate, only to let me muck it up with A Time of War Companion crossovers.
Playtesters/Proofers/Fact CheckersRandall N. Bills, Jean-Marc Comeau, Brent Dill, Bruce Ford,
Jason Hansa, Chris Hartford, Chris Lewis, Nick Marsala, Blaine Pardoe, Diane Piron-Gelman, Richard Putz, Craig Reed, Eric Salzman, Adam Sherwood, Øystein Tvedten. Chris Wheeler, Patrick “Roosterboy” Wynne, Andreas Zuber
…And a special thanks to all the players whose help and feedback on Facebook also helped make it possible to polish its contents better while the deadlines loomed:
Jonathan B. Andrus, James Bixby, James Blair, Hal Brown, Brian Bunch, Roy Carl, Bill Derer, Josh Ellis, Dru Eubanks, Renée Flores,
Christopher French, Paul Gibbens, Charles Neil Ikerd, James Eyres McLean Miller, John Hengist Morford, Allen Nilles, Thomas Parker, William Pennington, Aaron Pollyea, Fred Richards, David Shell, Dave Talley, Scott Taylor, Dale Thomas, Orin Thomas, Daryll Thompson, Michael Tegner Thompson, Colin Toenjes,
©2012 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. A Time of War Companion, Classic BattleTech, BattleTech, ’Mech, BattleMech, MechWarrior and Topps logo are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of The Topps Company, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the Copyright Owner, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published. Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo are trademarks of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.
Printed in USA
Published by Catalyst Game Labs,an imprint of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.
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FIND US ONLINE: [email protected] (e-mail address for any BattleTech questions) http://bg.battletech.com/ (official BattleTech web pages) http://www.CatalystGameLabs.com (Catalyst web pages) http://www.battlecorps.com/catalog (online ordering)
CREDITS
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