''MechWarrior'' is a

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...

set in the fictional ''

BattleTech ''BattleTech'' is a wargaming and military science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2001, which was in turn acquired by Topps in 2003; and published since 2007 by Catalyst Game Labs. The trademark ...

'' universe.

Description

''MechWarrior'' is set in the fictional ''

'' universe in which players can assume the roles of MechWarriors (

BattleMech BattleMechs (often abbreviated 'Mechs) are large walking war machines that feature prominently in the fictional universe of ''BattleTech''. 'Mechs, which are generally either bipedal or quadrupedal in configuration, are controlled by human pilot ...

pilots) or other individuals in the 31st century.

Publication history

There have been three editions and many expansions and adventures, the first of which was published in 1986 by

FASA Corporation Fasa ( fa, فسا, Fasā, also Romanized as Fassa) is a city and capital of Fasa County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2016 census, its population was 110,825, in 33,379 families. Fasa is the fourth most populous city of the province. The city date ...

. In addition, numerous novels by such authors as Michael A. Stackpole flesh out the game's fictional world. There is also an animated series.

Editions

All three editions were created by

authors. A second printing of the third edition of the game was published by

FanPro Fantasy Productions Medienvertriebsgesellschaft GmbH (a.k.a. FanPro) is a German publishing company based in Erkrath. History The company was founded in 1983 by Ulrich Kiesow, Werner Fuchs and Hans Joachim Alpers to produce small metal miniatu ...

, LLC (in November 2006). To reduce confusion between WizKids' '' MechWarrior: Dark Age'' games and the ''MechWarrior'' roleplaying game, FanPro renamed this reprint as ''

Classic BattleTech ''Classic BattleTech'' is a table-top wargame set in the fictional ''BattleTech'' universe that simulates combat between futuristic mechanized forces. Originally published by FASA Corporation, the game is now produced by Catalyst Game Labs under ...

RPG''. The newest edition released by ''Catalyst Game Labs'' in the line of ''Total Warfare'' is ''A Time of War'': * ''MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game'' (first edition: 1986) * ''MechWarrior: Second Edition'' (second edition: 1991) * ''MechWarrior: Third Edition'' (third edition: 1999) * ''Classic BattleTech RPG'' (second printing of ''MechWarriors third edition: 2007) * ''A Time of War'' (released in Dec 2010)

Translations

Finnish

The first edition of ''MechWarrior'' was translated into

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

by Meyer Richards and

Jaakko Mäntyjärvi Jaakko Mäntyjärvi (born 1963) is a Finnish composer of classical music, and a professional translator. Early life Mäntyjärvi was born in Turku. He studied musicology, English philology and linguistics at the University of Helsinki, graduating ...

for the

publishing house Pro-Games, a successor of

Protocol Productions Protocol may refer to: Sociology and politics * Protocol (politics), a formal agreement between nation states * Protocol (diplomacy), the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state * Etiquette, a code of personal behavior Science and technology ...

. The game was published on 1991 under the title ''Mechwarrior: Battletech roolipeli''.

French

The first edition of ''MechWarrior'' was translated into French by Michel Serrat for the French publishing house

Hexagonal In geometry, a hexagon (from Greek , , meaning "six", and , , meaning "corner, angle") is a six-sided polygon. The total of the internal angles of any simple (non-self-intersecting) hexagon is 720°. Regular hexagon A '' regular hexagon'' has ...

. Serrat's translation was published in 1989 under the title of ''Technoguerriers'', which loosely translates the original English title.

Japanese

Fujimi Shobo , formerly , was a Japanese publisher that specialized in light novels, manga, role-playing games and collectible card games. Founded in 1972 and reorganized three times, it was at times an independent company and at times an imprint of Kadokawa F ...

published a translation of ''MechWarrior'' in 1993. It was supported by the scenario collection ''Tamar'' and four replays.

Spanish

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

the two first editions of the game were translated into

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

and published: the first edition in 1990 by the nowadays defunct Diseños Orbitales publishing house and the second edition in 1994 by

Ediciones Zinco Ediciones Zinco was a Spanish publisher based in Barcelona dedicated to the publication of literature and entertainment material, from coloring booklets or books intended for children to western novels and espionage, comics, role playing and board ...

, also defunct. Both publishing houses were from

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

Reception

Scott Tanner reviewed ''Mechwarrior'' in '' Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer'' No. 78. Tanner commented that "I found this supplement very useful, for not only did it provide a roleplaying side to the game, but the background material was useful in setting up scenarios and the like." ''MechWarrior'' was ranked 49th in the 1996 reader poll of ''Arcane'' magazine to determine the 50 most popular roleplaying games of all time. The UK magazine's editor Paul Pettengale commented: "Over the years since its original release, FASA has developed every aspect of the background and history of the ''Battle Tech'' setting. The result is a detailed universe overflowing with potential for adventure."

Reviews

*''

White Wolf A white wolf or Arctic wolf is a mammal of the ''Canidae'' family and a subspecies of the gray wolf. It may also refer to: Organizations * White Wolf (band), a Canadian heavy metal band * White Wolf (band), white power oi band from the USA * Whi ...

'' #7 (1987) *''Envoyer'' (German) (Issue 62 - Dec 2001)

References

{{BattleTech Universe BattleTech games Jordan Weisman games Mecha role-playing games Role-playing games introduced in 1986