MechWarrior Second Edition RPG
MW is the role-playing game version of Battletech, a tactical board-game of 31st Century combat. After the fall of a great interstellar empire, the remaining nations of far-flung humanity have entered the second dark age of mankind. They battle over the smoking ruins of hundreds of planets in centuries-old machines that their current technology can no longer produce, dreaming of finding a hidden cache of Lostech to finally make it big. (For a more detailed explanation, take a look at the basic history of the Inner Sphere)

The 213th Squadron is an example of a Mechwarrior campaign that I am running using a combination of the 2nd Edition Mechwarrior and the "4th Succession War" era Battletech rules. While most of the action takes place with the characters using MW, I "zoom in" to the 'mech combat scenes using the standard BT rules. To quickly create the opposition, I utilize the 'mech design and printing program Mechworks 1.1. The flip-flopping of systems between BT and MW takes a bit of tweaking to make it fit properly with your specific game group, but once you find the right percentages the action tends to move quickly. The players realize that their actions in combat have direct relevance to the RPG and are usually fired to open up a can o' whoop ass in the name of the team.

Most campaigns of this style I've run are Merc or Pirate groups. The 213th is the first House unit that I've tried this with and it seems to work quite well. I'm fortunate that this group enjoys delving into the politics behind the wars as well as the actual combat sequences. Thus far it has been a very enjoyable game. I've run and are running a few other similar campaigns: The Derelicts are from an old 3rd Succession War campaign that I was a major player in. While it has long-since concluded, the old team still makes an occasional appearance in the current universe. The Northwind Irregulars and Team 3 are both green groups to both MW and BT. I eventually plan on teaching them the ropes during the 4th Succession War and then jumping thirty years to their sons and daughters for the Clan Invasion.

You're probably asking "Why aren't you using the Clans now?" Well, I started playing back when the 4th Succession War hadn't even been published yet and the Steiner-Davion marriage was still a rumor. Back then we all thought that the Wolf's Dragoons just had an SLDF manufacturing center or Star League depot somewhere outside of the Inner Sphere--boy were we wrong... I'm still not sure whether I like the direction FASA took the Kerensky Exodus fleet, but do plan on working with the Clans at some point in the future.

Feel free to e-mail me with questions on the campaign, what books I use, payscales, dropship management, plots, politics, repair and ammo costs, scenario help, whatever! I'm always glad to assist a fellow gamer,

Captain J. Ryan Decker
Decker's Derelicts, New Earth
The 213th Squadron, Beware the Sleepers!

The Northwind Irregulars, Davion Privateers

Decker's Derelicts, Mercenary Unit

Maria's Muties
Programs that I use:

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Last Updated: 5/23/00
Maintained by: ComStar