Dominions Divided, the third "post-IlClan" sourcebook for BattleTech, was recently released.

This time around, the focus shifts to the Federated Suns, the Draconis Combine, and the Rasalhague Dominion.

Much of the Davion/Kurita side of things in this sourcebook is dramatized in the also-recently-published IlClan Era novel The Damocles Sanction.

Between new sourcebooks, new "spine" novels, and new short stories (to include those being offered in Shrapnel magazine), there's a steady stream of new BattleTech fiction to delve into.

By Alex Chobot (Alendrel) on Monday, January 30, 2023 - 12:15 am: Edit

The ilClan era sourcebooks are absolutely great stuff, introducing some very interesting changes and developments as well as (intentionally) setting up huge sandboxes for players and groups to stage their own battles and campaigns.

By Dal Downing (Rambler) on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 - 08:13 am: Edit

Just a heads up the Battletech Mercenary Kickstarter is down to its last 36 hours.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Thursday, April 20, 2023 - 07:10 am: Edit

Did look at the Mercenary stuff, alas being in the UK, Shipping and Taxes made even the modest pledges fairly expensive.

By Dal Downing (Rambler) on Thursday, April 20, 2023 - 09:28 pm: Edit

Paul Howard yes VAT is a chunk but you would only pay local shipping. CGL would cover freight to the English Hub and Import Taxes.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Sunday, October 22, 2023 - 08:05 pm: Edit

A few days ago, the Catalyst Game Labs YouTube channel posted a preview of the upcoming BattleTech Universe sourcebook - which is set to provide a detailed overview of the BT setting, through to the onset of the current IlClan Era.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 - 07:53 pm: Edit

After years of reading BattleTech-related sourcebooks and story fiction, I had never gotten around to picking up any of the "box sets" with which to actually play any of the tabletop games.

Until just recently, that is!

As shown in the FC forum thread linked to just above, the Alpha Strike Boxed Set includes miniatures for eight Inner Sphere BattleMechs and five Clan OnniMechs.

Beyond this, the universe primer included is set in the current IlClan Era, complete with an Inner Sphere and near periphery map set ca. 3151. Ironically, one faction not covered in the primer is the Scorpion Empire - who, as of this time period, are the only ones building new Warhawks, of the kind offered in this very box set!

Of course, the minis can be used for Total Warfare (or "classic" BattleTech) game play - but the main focus here is on getting players up and running with the Alpha Strike game system.

Speaking of the Scorpion Empire: if or when I get around to actually painting any of these miniatures, I'll probably try to go with something to do with Clan Goliath Scorpion, and/or with their now-former opponents in the Hanseatic League.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 - 10:34 pm: Edit

The Mercenaries kickstarter includes an automa system being tested for solitaire play. This will give me the excuse to paint those 100 or so mechs I picked up last year.

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 - 03:24 am: Edit

Did I not offer the 60+ Seen/Unseen mechs I sold off late last year on here....
Sorry Nick.....

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Thursday, November 30, 2023 - 03:31 pm: Edit

It's okay, I have more than enough.

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Thursday, November 30, 2023 - 11:32 pm: Edit

When it comes to game minis, can one ever have "enough"?? That'd be like asking an F&E player if he has "enough" counters.


Garth L. Getgen

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Friday, December 01, 2023 - 09:39 am: Edit

After retiring from US Army, moved to hicksville,
gaming was "Magic" and such, so held on to the 1,000s I had until last year (BattleTech, Modern Micro Armor, 1/2400 WWII Naval) ...

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Friday, December 01, 2023 - 02:10 pm: Edit

Garth, I wouldn't think so, but the wife says "yes".

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Friday, December 01, 2023 - 03:17 pm: Edit

My wife is a quilter and has NO room to talk. She also has very little room left to buy more for her fabric stash.


Garth L. Getgen

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Friday, December 01, 2023 - 08:01 pm: Edit

I have to remember to slow down and actually READ these posts.

First time through Garth’s post, I read a word incorrectly.

What I thought I read was “Quitter “

I KNOW for a fact that Garth is not a Quitter, and that if anything, part of Garth’s character shows that SOMEONE has helped him to develop an inner strength of character.

Perhaps quilting has helped Garth’s spouse influence his development in some way?

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Thursday, December 14, 2023 - 10:19 am: Edit

I recently started the process of trying to figure out how to paint the minis which I got in the Alpha Strike Boxed Set.

To start things off, I wanted to use one of the Inner Sphere BattleMechs and one of the Clan OmniMechs as test cases for... whatever the paint schemes for these units end up being. so, I volunteered the Wasp and the Pouncer for this duty.

My idea - such as it is - would be to give both types of 'Mech a mostly shared colour scheme, but with one key difference to distinguish the Omnis from the rest. In this, I was minded of the paint schemes I gave my Mæsron and Vulpa ships from my ADB Shapeways collection, as shown over on the FC forum.

Long story short: the wolf-like Vulpa are a former member species of the Mæsron Alliance; their ships are "post-Mæsron" designs. I tried to reflect this by changing the red on the Mæsron ships to a kind of "blood orange", yet otherwise keeping the rest of the colour scheme more or less the same. Compare the Mæsron light cruiser to the Vulpa blockade runner.

So far, my (very) rough WIP BattleTech minis follow a somewhat similar pattern.

By no means is this intended to be a "final" decision on the respective paint schemes. But, if or when I settle on what (I hope) works for these 'Mechs, I can then consider painting up the rest of the box set's minis to match.

Any thoughts thus far?

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Saturday, February 10, 2024 - 02:20 pm: Edit

I mentioned earlier that a book called BattleTech Universe, which is set to be a one-stop-shop means of bringing players new and old up to speed through to 3150 - is on the way.

The folks at Guerrilla Miniature Games have just posted a video review of this book, if anyone here wants to get a better sense of what it entails.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Saturday, February 10, 2024 - 11:15 pm: Edit

I can't decide how to paint up my mechs. I thought of painting to equal sides in two paint schemes to have coherent looking armies but then thought it would be boring to paint that way.

I leaned towards painting each mech different and also using the alpha strike card art but then there is something to be said about a force with a coherent paint scheme which is also less confusing in bigger battles.

For now they remain in storage unpainted.

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Sunday, February 11, 2024 - 12:11 pm: Edit

There was a reference in the Ogre Miniatures rulebook that suggested finding heraldric colors from the Renaissance Era, finding a pattern that you like, and using that as the basis for a paintjob.

Never tried it myself, but you never know.

By A David Merritt (Adm) on Sunday, February 11, 2024 - 12:17 pm: Edit

On paint schemes, look at WW I German Circuses (Air plane squadrons), they had common colors, not same patterns.

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Sunday, February 11, 2024 - 04:04 pm: Edit

Dazzle paint "Camoflage" was also used on freighters and warships in WWI as a defense against subs.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Sunday, February 11, 2024 - 06:05 pm: Edit

It's not finding a pattern I struggle with, it's deciding to field unified looking mechs (boring) or have them all look individually looking different. The latter is more fun to paint.

By A David Merritt (Adm) on Sunday, February 11, 2024 - 06:34 pm: Edit

Hence the German Circus suggestion.

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Monday, February 12, 2024 - 07:46 am: Edit

Alternately, they just have a common color head.

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Monday, February 12, 2024 - 08:20 am: Edit

About 20 years since I painted Mechs...
Some pastel camo, some bright Red with gold highlights, others some form of woodland camo...

Mostly by what mood I was in at the time.....