BattleMech Manual

The BattleMech Manual is a hardcover BattleTech rulebook that covers game rules for BattleMechs (only) in a concise and clarified fashion.

This book is not to be confused with the 1987 BattleTech Manual rulebook.

A second printing was announced on the official BT forums in December 2018, and was released in PDF on 22 January 2019. The reprint features errata corrections and further rewordings and clarifications, as well as new cover art. A third printing was released on 17 March 2020: in addition to the usual errata corrections, this printing added an index.

The Manual is intended as a self-contained rulebook for players who wish to focus on BattleMech combat, with an emphasis on tabletop gameplay (as opposed to being a reference manual like previous core rulebooks). While it thus leaves out all other unit types, and was deliberately written to be as concise as possible and to eliminate rules vagaries, it is not intended to be a purely introductory product. It contains a few pieces of equipment from Interstellar Operations, many pieces of equipment taken from Tactical Operations, and a few of the optional rules found in that book and Strategic Operations. No construction rules are included. In terms of product progression, it is meant to slot in between the introductory box set (either the 25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set or its replacement, A Game of Armored Combat) and the full tournament ruleset of Total Warfare.

New rules appearing in the book are limited to simplified rulesets for fire and smoke; artillery, mines, and airstrikes; and a few terrain or weather conditions. Additionally, the BattleMech Manual features a Design Quirks section that brings together all 'Mech-based quirks published to date, updates them, adds nine new ones, and then applies the result to an included list of all 'Mech units in the game released prior to Technical Readout: Prototypes (when quirks first began being added to each Technical Readout unit entry). As such, the BattleMech Manual provides an official quirk listing for all 'Mechs published prior to TRO: Prototypes (though it only lists quirks present on every example of a machine; quirks applicable only to individual variants were left out).

While the rules were reworded and their layout changed, the base ruleset included in the BattleMech Manual matches the fourth printing of Total Warfare (plus all errata through to the June 2017 errata releases). The rules were not altered beyond the addition of the aforementioned optional simplifications.

From the Back Cover
"''
 * Standing from seven to sixteen meters tall, and weighing from twenty to one hundred tons
 * Powered by an armored and shielded fusion reactor
 * Skeleton of honeycombed, foamed aluminum core wrapped with stressed silicon carbide monofilament and sheathed by a rigid, titanium-steel shell
 * Locomotion generated via bundles of polyacetylene-fiber myomer muscles
 * Protected by aligned-crystal steel over a layer of boron nitride impregnated with diamond monofilaments
 * Mounting a swath of powerful weapons from charged particle beams to lasers, missiles to rapid-fire autocannons
 * All at the command of the noble elite, the MechWarriors

The modern BattleMech is the end result of more than three thousand years of battlefield technology development. Combining awesome destructive power and unparalleled maneuverability, the BattleMech is perhaps the most complex machine ever produced. The undisputed master of thirty-first century warfare, the BattleMech seems destined to reign supreme for centuries to come.

—Excerpts from a promotional pamphlet originally distributed by Defiance Industries of Hesperus, Lyran Commonwealth, 3007

Using the most up-to-date rules text, the BattleMech Manual has been designed from the ground up to cater to the BattleTech player wanting to engage in an all-’Mech battle. Includes a variety of optional rules, terrain and more.

Welcome to the most table-usage-friendly BattleTech rulebook ever published!"

Contents

 * INTRODUCTION
 * Vs Total Warfare
 * Optional Rules
 * Game Terms
 * 'Mech
 * Four-Legged 'Mech
 * Movement Points
 * Target
 * Target Number
 * Modified Target Number
 * Attacker Movement Modifier
 * Target Movement Modifier
 * Margin of Success/Failure (MoS/MoF)
 * Armor Value
 * Damage Value
 * Location
 * Slot
 * Level
 * Mapsheet
 * Playing Area
 * Scenario
 * Components
 * Counters
 * Dice
 * Mapsheets
 * 'Mech Record Sheet
 * Scale
 * A Note on Realism and Scale
 * Level
 * The MechWarrior
 * Skills
 * Damaging A Warrior
 * PLAYING THE GAME
 * Deploying 'Mechs
 * Sequence of Play
 * Initiative Phase
 * Movement Phase
 * Weapon Attack Phase
 * Alternate Initiative
 * Moving Multiple ’Mechs
 * Segmented Fire
 * Physical Attack Phase
 * Heat Phase
 * End Phase
 * Victory Conditions
 * Unequal Numbers Of 'Mechs
 * MOVEMENT
 * Movement of Modes
 * Standing Still
 * Walking
 * Running
 * Piloting Skill Rolls
 * Movement Dice
 * Jumping
 * Sprinting (Optional)
 * Movement Basics
 * Facing
 * Ground Movement
 * Terrain
 * Level Change
 * Stacked Terrain
 * Minimum Movement
 * Immobile
 * Stacking
 * Jumping Movement
 * Prone BattleMechs
 * Dropping to the Ground
 * Moving While Prone
 * Standing Up
 * Movement in Water
 * Movement on Pavement
 * Road Movement
 * Bridge Movement
 * Skidding
 * Reckless Movement
 * Other Actions
 * Hidden 'Mechs
 * Lifting Items (Simplified)
 * TAG Designation
 * COMBAT
 * Line of Sight
 * Levels and Height
 * Intervening Terrain
 * Intervening 'Mechs
 * Water Hexes
 * Firing Arcs
 * Forward Arcs
 * Left Side Arc
 * Right Side Arc
 * Rear Arc
 * Arcs and Torso Twists
 * Arcs and Reversing (Flipping) Arms
 * Attack Declaration
 * Reversing (Flipping) Arms
 * Expended Arm Flipping (Optional)
 * Torso Twists
 * Firing Weapons
 * Making the Attack
 * G.A.T.O.R.
 * Base Target Number
 * Target Number Modifiers
 * Combat in Water
 * Prone 'Mechs
 * Specialized Attacks
 * Rolling to Hit
 * Ammunition Expenditure
 * Hit Location
 * Attack Direction
 * Determining Hit Location
 * Damage Resolution
 * Physical Attacks
 * Making A Physical Attack
 * Different Levels
 * Physical Attacks And Prone 'Mechs
 * Physical Attacks And Water
 * Charge Attacks
 * Club Attacks
 * Death From Above Attacks
 * Kick Attacks
 * Physical Weapon Attacks
 * Punch Attacks
 * Push Attacks
 * Damage Resolution
 * DAMAGE
 * Damage Resolution
 * Step-By-Step Damage
 * Damage Timing
 * Hull Integrity And Breaches
 * Location Destruction
 * Transferring Damage
 * Head Destruction
 * Leg Destruction
 * Torso Destruction
 * Critical Hits
 * Floating Criticals (Optional)
 * Applying Critical Hits
 * Critical Hit Effects
 * Ammunition
 * Arm Blown Off (Arm)
 * Cockpit (Head)
 * Engine (Torso)
 * Foot Actuator (Leg)
 * Gyro (Torso)
 * Hand Actuator (Arm)
 * Head Blown Off (Head)
 * Heat Sinks
 * Hip (Leg)
 * Jump Jet/UMU (Leg/Torso)
 * Leg Blown Off (Leg)
 * Life Support (Head)
 * Lower Arm Actuator (Arm)
 * Lower Leg Actuator (Leg)
 * Sensors (Head)
 * Shoulder (Arm)
 * Upper Arm Actuator (Arm)
 * Lower Leg Actuator (Arm)
 * Weapons and Equipment
 * Destroying A 'Mech
 * HEAT
 * Heat Points
 * Building Up Heat
 * Dissipating Heat
 * Recording Heat Building-Up
 * Effects Of Heat
 * Movement
 * Weapons Attack
 * Shutdown
 * Ammunition
 * Damaging To MechWarriors
 * OTHER ACTIONS
 * Piloting Skill Rolls (PSR)
 * Making Piloting Skill Rolls
 * Piloting Skill Roll Timing
 * Displacement
 * Domino Effect
 * Falling
 * Location After a Fall
 * Facing After a Fall
 * Falling Damage to a 'Mech
 * Falling Damage to a MechWarrior
 * Accidental Falls From Above
 * Damaging a MechWarrior
 * Dumping Ammunition
 * TAG Designation
 * THE BATTLEFIELD
 * Planetary Conditions
 * Terrain Types
 * Clear
 * Jungle, Light
 * Jungle, Heavy
 * Pavement
 * Rough
 * Rubble
 * Sand
 * Water (Depth 0)
 * Water (Depth 1)
 * Water (Depth 2)
 * Water (Depth 3+)
 * Woods, Light
 * Woods, Heavy
 * Terrain Modifications
 * Ice (Simplified)
 * Mud (Simplified)
 * Smoke, Light
 * Smoke, Heavy
 * Snow, Deep
 * Swamp (Simplified)
 * Weather Conditions
 * Extreme Temperatures
 * Fog
 * Light
 * Rain
 * Snow
 * Wind
 * Fire and Smoke (Simplified)
 * Wind Direction
 * Starting a Fire
 * Effects of Fire
 * Spreading Fire
 * Extinguishing Fire
 * Underwater Combat
 * Attacking Underwater
 * Hull Integrity and Breaches
 * URBAN COMBAT
 * Building Types
 * Construction Factors
 * Building Levels
 * Basements
 * Simplified Buildings
 * Movement Effects
 * Moving into Buildings
 * Changing Levels in Building
 * Skidding
 * Combat Effects
 * Attacking Building
 * Attacking 'Mechs Inside Buildings
 * Combat Within Buildings
 * Collapse
 * SPECIAL CASE RULES
 * Battlefield Support
 * Before Play Begins
 * During Game Play
 * Dropping 'Mechs (Simplified)
 * Drop Times
 * Arrival
 * Ejection (Simplified)
 * Forced Withdrawal
 * Crippling Damage
 * Broken Moral (Simplified - Optional)
 * Hidden 'Mechs
 * Point-Blank Shots
 * Design Quirks
 * Positive Design Quirks
 * Negative Design Quirks
 * BattleMech Quirk Listing
 * Master Unit List
 * WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT
 * Basic Information
 * Weapon Types
 * Artillery
 * Arrow IV Homing Missiles (Simplified)
 * Autocannons
 * Autocannon
 * LB-X Autocannon (LB-X)
 * Light Autocannon (LAC)
 * ProtoMech Autocannon (PAC)
 * Rotary Autocannon (RAC)
 * Ultra Autocannon (UAC)
 * Flamers
 * Flamer
 * ER Flamer
 * Heavy Flamer
 * Gauss Rifles
 * Gauss Rifle
 * Anti-Personnel Gauss Rifle
 * Heavy Gauss Rifle
 * Hyper Assault Gauss Rifle
 * Improved Heavy Gauss Rifle
 * Light Gauss Rifle
 * Magshot Gauss Rifle
 * Silver Bullet Gauss Rifle
 * Lasers
 * Laser
 * Binary Laser (Blazer) Cannon
 * Chemical Laser
 * Extended-Range (ER) Laser
 * Extended-Range (ER) Pulse Laser
 * Heavy Laser
 * Improved Heavy Laser
 * Pulse Laser
 * Variable-Speed Pulse (VSP) Laser
 * X-Pulse Laser
 * M-Pod
 * Machine Guns
 * Machine Gun (MG)
 * Heavy Machine Gun (HMG)
 * Light Machine Gun (LMG)
 * Machine Gun Array (MGA)
 * Missile Launchers
 * Advanced Tactical Missile (ATM) Launcher
 * Enhanced LRM Launcher (NLRM)
 * Extended LRM Launcher (ELRM)
 * Improved One Shot (I-OS) Missile Launcher
 * Long Range Missile Launcher (LRM)
 * Medium Range Missile (MRM) Launcher
 * Multi-Missile Launcher (MML)
 * One-Shot (OS) Missile Launcher
 * Rocket Launcher (RL)
 * Short Range Missile (SRM) Launcher
 * Streak LRM (SLRM) Launcher
 * Streak SRM (SSRM) Launcher
 * Thunderbolt Missile Launcher
 * Torpedo (SRT, LRT, NLRT) Launcher
 * Narc Missile Beacon
 * Narc Missile Beacon
 * INarc Launcher
 * Particle Projector Cannons
 * PPC
 * ER PPC
 * Heavy PPC
 * Light PPC
 * Snub-Nose PPC
 * PPC Capacitor
 * Plasma Weapons
 * Plasma Cannon
 * Plasma Rifle
 * Rifles (Cannons)
 * Special Munitions
 * Autocannon Munitions
 * Missile Munitions
 * Narc / iNarc Pods
 * Physical Weapons
 * Claws
 * Flail
 * Hatchet
 * Lance
 * Mace
 * Retractable Blade
 * Sword
 * Talons
 * Vibroblade
 * Electronics
 * Active Probes
 * Artemis IV Fire-Control System
 * Artemis V Fire-Control System
 * C3 Computer System
 * C3 Boosted System
 * C3I Computer System
 * ECM Suites
 * MRM “Apollo” Fire Control System
 * Target Acquisition Gear (TAG)
 * Targeting Computer
 * Watchdog Composite Electronic Warfare System (CEWS)
 * Structural Components
 * Armor
 * Cockpit Systems
 * Engines
 * Gyros
 * Maneuverability Aids
 * Structure
 * Miscellaneous Equipment
 * Actuator Enhancement System (AES)
 * Anti-Missile System (AMS)
 * Armored Component
 * Laser Anti-Missile System (L-AMS)
 * Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment (CASE)
 * CASE II
 * Coolant Pod
 * WEAPONS & EQUIPMENT TABLES
 * Weapon Types
 * COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
 * Playing The Game
 * Movement
 * Combat
 * Damage
 * Heat
 * Other Actions
 * Special-Case Rules
 * Weapons and Equipment
 * RECORD SHEETS AND TABLES

Development Notes

 * The Catalyst Game Labs Tumblr featured a series of posts explaining the concept and some of the design steps behind the BattleMech Manual: 1 2 3 4 5
 * An article explaining what the Manual does and why was posted to the official BattleTech website in January 2017.
 * The Manual was pre-released as a Beta PDF version in January 2017. This 'Open Beta' version cost $10, but for the the first month of its release was coupled with an electronic survey that gave a $5 coupon for use at the Catalyst Game Labs webstore. Purchasing the beta did not provide an automatic free upgrade to the final PDF release, unlike previous Catalyst beta offerings. The beta closed in July 2017.


 * A follow-up article detailing some of the results of feedback collected in the Beta to date was posted to the CGL official Tumblr in March 2017. As a result of user feedback, additional advanced equipment from Tactical Operations and Interstellar Operations was added to the final release.
 * A further follow-up article published immediately following the book's final release detailed more of the specific changes made between the Beta and the final.

Errata
CGL maintains an errata forum thread for this book as well as an errata document for download from their website's Errata section.

When the first printing had sold out and a second, updated printing was prepared, Keith "Xotl" Hann offered a FDF document to go with the PDF release of the first printing that would include most of the changes included in the second printing. (Download link)