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BattleTech: BattleMech Manual

BattleTech: BattleMech Manual 2017

Expansion of BattleTech

Design Ray Arrastia , Randall N. Bills , Keith Hann Art Ray Arrastia , Doug Chaffee , Kenneth Fairclough +2 more Publisher Catalyst Game Labs
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Expansions & Promos

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BattleTech: Hot Spots – Draconis Reach 2026 BattleTech: MapPack – Volcanic 2026 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 24 2026 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 25 2026 Battletech: 1st Somerset Strikers ForcePack 2025 BattleTech: 21st Centauri Lancers Command Lance Forcepack 2025 Battletech: Battlefield Support – Assault & Cavalry Lances 2025 Battletech: Battlefield Support – Heavy Battle & Sweep Lances 2025 Battletech: Battlefield Support – Objectives 2025 Battletech: Battlefield Support – Rifle & Command Lances 2025 BattleTech: Cities Central Park/Shopping District Battlemat 2025 Battletech: Cities HPG Engineering/Business District Battlemat 2025 Battletech: Cities HPG Heliport/Plaza Battlemat 2025 BattleTech: City/Lunar BFM Battlemat 2025 Battletech: Clan Direct Fire Star 2025 BattleTech: Force Manual Kurita 2025 BattleTech: Gothic 2025 BattleTech: House Davion Cavalry Lance ForcePack 2025 BattleTech: House Davion Heavy Battle Lance ForcePack 2025 BattleTech: House Kurita Command Lance Forcepack 2025 BattleTech: House Kurita Ranger Lance Forcepack 2025 BattleTech: ilKhan's Eyes Only 2025 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Assault Lance 2025 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Heavy Recon Lance 2025 Battletech: Inner Sphere Pursuit Lance 2025 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Recon Lance 2025 Battletech: Inner Sphere Security Lance 2025 BattleTech: Legendary Mechwarriors II 2025 BattleTech: Legendary MechWarriors III 2025 Battletech: MapPack – Cities 2025 BattleTech: MechCommander's Handbook 2025 Battletech: Salvage Box – Blood Asp 2025 BattleTech: Salvage Box – Legendary II & III 2025 Battletech: Salvage Box – Mercenaries 2025 BattleTech: Savannahs Large Lakes/Box Canyon Battlemat 2025 Battletech: Savannahs River Delta/City Ruins Battlemat 2025 BattleTech: Savannahs Sinkholes/Mountain Lake Battlemat 2025 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 20 2025 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 21 2025 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 22 2025 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 23 2025 Battletech: Spotlight On Jade Warriors 2025 BattleTech: Turning Points – Oliver 2025 Battletech: Battlefield Support – Battle & Fire Lances 2024 Battletech: Battlefield Support – Recon & Hunter Lances 2024 BattleTech: Black Remnant Command Lance Forcepack 2024 Battletech: Clan Cavalry Star 2024 BattleTech: Clan Spaniel Sourcebook 2024 BattleTech: Force Manual Davion 2024 BattleTech: Hot Spots – Hinterlands 2024 Battletech: MapPack – Savannahs 2024 BattleTech: McCarron's Armored Cavalry Assault Lance 2024 Battletech: Mercenaries Box Set 2024 BattleTech: Misery & Thunder Rift Battlemat 2024 BattleTech: Recognition Guide vol 2 – Ilclan 2024 BattleTech: Second Star League Assault Lance 2024 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 16 2024 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 17 2024 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 18 2024 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 19 2024 BattleTech: Star League Command Lance 2024 Battletech: Third Star League Battle Group 2024 BattleTech: Third Star League Striker Team 2024 BattleTech: Twycross Battlemat 2024 BattleTech: Adventures – Ghosts of Obeedah 2023 BattleTech: Dominions Divided 2023 BattleTech: Eridani Light Horse Hunter Lance 2023 Battletech: ForcePack Proliferation Cycle 2023 Battletech: Force Packs Record Sheets – Eridani Light Horse 2023 Battletech: Force Packs Record Sheets – Hansen's Roughriders 2023 Battletech: Force Packs Record Sheets – Kell Hounds 2023 Battletech: Force Packs Record Sheets – Northwind Highlanders 2023 Battletech: Force Packs Record Sheets – Snord's Irregulars 2023 Battletech: Force Packs Record Sheets – Urbanmech Lance 2023 BattleTech: Gray Death Legion Heavy Battle Lance 2023 BattleTech: Kell Hounds Striker Lance 2023 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 29 2023 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 30 2023 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 31 2023 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 31 2023 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 32 2023 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 33 2023 Battletech: Recognition Guide vol 1 – Classics 2023 BattleTech: Record Sheets – Dark Age 2023 Battletech: Record Sheets – Jihad 2023 Battletech: Record Sheets – Technical Readout: 3145 2023 BattleTech: Record Sheets – Technical Readout: 3150 2023 Battletech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 13 2023 Battletech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 14 2023 Battletech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 15 2023 Battletech: Snord's Irregulars Assault Lance 2023 Battletech: Urbanmech Lance 2023 BattleTech: Alien Worlds – Caustic Valley/Mines Battlemat 2022 BattleTech: Alien Worlds – Crystalline Canyon/Badlands Battlemat 2022 BattleTech: Alien Worlds – Fungal Crevasse/Washout Battlemat 2022 BattleTech: Alien Worlds – Lunar Base/Sand Drifts Battlemat 2022 BattleTech: Battlefield Support Deck 2022 BattleTech: Clan Ad Hoc Star 2022 BattleTech: Clan Elemental Star 2022 BattleTech: Clan Striker Star 2022 BattleTech: ComStar Battle Level II 2022 BattleTech: ComStar Command Level II 2022 BattleTech: Empire Alone – An ilClan Era Sourcebook 2022 Battletech: Force Packs Record Sheets – Wolf's Dragoons 2022 BattleTech: Hansen's Roughriders Battle Lance 2022 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Support Lance 2022 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Urban Lance 2022 BattleTech: Interstellar Operations – Alternate Eras 2022 BattleTech: Interstellar Operations – BattleForce 2022 BattleTech: Northwind Highlanders Command Lance 2022 BattleTech: Pseudotech – Arcade Operations: Urbanfest 2022 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 25 2022 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 26 2022 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 27 2022 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 28 2022 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 10 2022 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 11 2022 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 8 2022 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 9 2022 BattleTech: Spotlight On Hellion Keshik 2022 BattleTech: Spotlight on Manyfold Paths 2022 BattleTech: Tamar Rising 2022 BattleTech: Technical Readout – Dark Age 2022 BattleTech: Touring the Stars – Kandersteg 2022 BattleTech: Touring the Stars – Kerensky's Vision 2022 BattleTech: Touring the Stars – Rocky 2022 BattleTech: Clan Command Star 2021 BattleTech: Clan Fire Star 2021 BattleTech: Clan Heavy Battle Star 2021 BattleTech: Clan Heavy Star 2021 BattleTech: Clan Heavy Striker Star 2021 BattleTech: Clan Support Star 2021 Battletech: Force Packs Record Sheets – Wave One 2021 Battletech: Force Packs Record Sheets – Wave Two 2021 BattleTech: Grasslands/Desert BFM Battlemat 2021 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Battle Lance 2021 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Command Lance 2021 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Direct Fire Lance 2021 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Fire Lance 2021 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Heavy Lance 2021 BattleTech: Inner Sphere Striker Lance 2021 BattleTech: MapPack – Deserts 2021 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 20 2021 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 22 2021 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 23 2021 BattleTech: Recognition Guide – IlClan Volume 24 2021 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 4 2021 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 5 2021 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 6 2021 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 7 2021 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 1 2020 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 2 2020 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 3 2020 BattleTech: Tactical Operations – Advanced Rules 2020 BattleTech: Tactical Operations – Advanced Units & Equipment 2020 BattleTech: Shattered Fortress 2019 BattleTech: Campaign Operations 2016 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Primitives V 2016 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Most Wanted 2015 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Republic vol 1 2015 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Republic vol 2 2015 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Republic vol 3 2015 BattleTech: Handbook – House Kurita 2015 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Gunslingers 2014 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Primitives vol 4 2014 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Royal Fantasy 2014 BattleTech: Field Report 2765 – AFFS 2014 BattleTech: Field Report 2765 – FWLM 2014 BattleTech: Field Report 2765 – LCAF 2014 BattleTech: Field Report 2765 – Periphery 2014 BattleTech: Historical – Wars of the Republic Era 2014 BattleTech: Battleforce – MapPack 2013 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Boondoggles 2013 BattleTech: Field Report 2765 – CCAF 2013 BattleTech: Field Report 2765 – DCMS 2013 BattleTech: MapPack – Box Canyon 2013 BattleTech: MapPack – City Ruins 2013 BattleTech: MapPack – Citytech Map 2013 BattleTech: MapPack – Desert Hills 2013 BattleTech: MapPack – Open Terrain 1 2013 BattleTech: MapPack – Open Terrain 2 2013 BattleTech: MapPack – Rolling Hills 1 2013 BattleTech: MapPack – Rolling Hills 2 2013 BattleTech: MapPack – Scattered Woods 2013 BattleTech: MapPack – Woodland 2013 BattleTech: Objectives – The Clans 2013 BattleTech: Technical Readout – 3145 Capellan Confederation 2013 BattleTech: Technical Readout – 3145 Draconis Combine 2013 BattleTech: Technical Readout – 3145 Federated Suns 2013 BattleTech: Technical Readout – 3145 Free Worlds League 2013 BattleTech: Technical Readout – 3145 Lyran Commonwealth 2013 BattleTech: Technical Readout – 3145 Mercenaries 2013 BattleTech: Technical Readout – 3145 Republic of the Sphere 2013 BattleTech: Technical Readout – 3145 The Clans 2013 BattleTech: Dossiers – The Bounty Hunter 2012 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – ComStar 2012 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Phantoms 2012 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Primitives vol 2 2012 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Primitives vol 3 2012 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Succession Wars 2012 BattleTech: Field Manual – 3085 2012 BattleTech: Interstellar Expeditions – Interstellar Players 3 2012 BattleTech: Objectives – Free Worlds League 2012 BattleTech: Objectives – Lyran Alliance 2012 BattleTech: Objectives – The Periphery 2012 BattleTech: Dossiers – Jason Zaklan 2011 BattleTech: Dossiers – Youling Zhanshi 2011 BattleTech: Era Digest – Age of War 2011 BattleTech: Era Digest – Dark Age 2011 BattleTech: Era Report – 3062 2011 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Marik 2011 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Periphery 2011 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – RetroTech 2011 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Steiner 2011 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – The Clans 2011 BattleTech: HexPack – Promotion 1 2011 BattleTech: Historical – Reunification War 2011 BattleTech: Objectives – Capellan Confederation 2011 BattleTech: Objectives – Draconis Combine 2011 BattleTech: Objectives – Federated Suns 2011 BattleTech Starter: Fist and Falcon 2011 BattleTech: Technical Readout – Prototypes 2011 BattleTech: The Wars of Reaving 2011 BattleTech: Dossiers – Lamenkov's Liability 2010 BattleTech: Dossiers – Salazar Tsakalotos 2010 BattleTech: Era Digest – Golden Century 2010 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Boondocks 2010 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Corporations 2010 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Davion 2010 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Gladiators 2010 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Kurita 2010 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Liao 2010 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Pirates 2010 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Primitives vol 1 2010 BattleTech: Jihad Hot Spots – Terra 2010 BattleTech: Technical Readout – 3085 2010 BattleTech: Experimental Technical Readout – Mercs 2009 BattleTech: Handbook – Major Periphery States 2009 BattleTech: Strategic Operations – Advanced Aerospace Rules 2008 Classic BattleTech: Jihad Conspiracies – Interstellar Players 2 2008 Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake 2008 Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Sword and Dragon 2007 BattleTech: Technical Readout 3058 Upgrade 2006 BattleTech: Technical Readout – 3055 Upgrade 2005 BattleTech: Technical Readout 3067 2005 Classic BattleTech: Interstellar Players 2005 BattleTech: Shrapnel Magazine – Issue 12

About the Game

A self-contained hardcover, the BattleMech Manual is intended to be a mech-only up-to-date rulebook for tabletop use. It contains the majority of the most-used equipment and rules expansions from Total Warfare, Tactical Operations, Strategic Operations, and Interstellar Operations that are relevant to typical mech-only games. However, the most niche equipment and optional rules are not included, making those books still necessary if you're a completist. Construction rules are not included.

New material is limited to nine new Quirks, a complete lists of quirks for all mechs that had not yet had any assigned, a variety of simplified advanced terrain and fire rules, and a new quick-play system called Battlefield Support, which allows you to add artillery, air strikes, and minefields in an abstracted quick-play fashion.

While the rules in the Manual follow the standard BattleTech ruleset as presented in Total Warfare, in response to complaints from players they were rewritten and re-laid out from scratch in order to focus on clarity and ease of use at the tabletop. As such, the Manual is much easier to reference than Total Warfare.

With reference to the 2019 box sets, the BattleMech Manual is suggested as a follow-on to the "A Game of Armored Combat" box set.

Publisher ad-copy: "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!"

The 2019 second printing incorporated errata and changed the cover art to a blue background with a red Marauder mech in the centre. The 2020 third printing incorporated errata and added an index. The fourth printing and later (in addition to further errata corrections in each) change the cover art yet again, featuring a Crusader against a jungle backdrop.

Filed Under

Categories
Book Expansion for Base-game Science Fiction Wargame
Mechanics
Dice Rolling Grid Movement Hexagon Grid Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game
Family
BattleTech
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54 · geek rating 5.56
BGG data
refreshed Sep 7, 2026