Mechwarrior 1e - Mercenary's Handbook Notes

Mercenaries don’t become a thing until after the Amaris Rebellion, when his battered forces start hiring out. Soon after, Kerensky leaves, and the 25% of the Star League that stays behind ends up with various houses—these are professional vets, a step above Amaris’s rebels. As house units grow disgruntled, they go mercenary.

Merc units fail not in war but economically, often because their employers are jerks. The handbook expands on the idea that a merc company isn’t just mechs—there’s infantry, jump infantry, motorized infantry, light tanks, etc. Makes me think about players running tanks at some point or at least controlling mixed units. All-mech could be the default, but if they want variety, I should be ready.

Infantry (7-man squads) are for garrison, riot control, and rough terrain. Jump troops and motorized infantry are great for recon but expensive. Tanks are cheap for houses to produce, with 50+ ton models acting as mech alternatives. Artillery is situational, mostly for defense, so not a big merc company thing. The mech breakdown: 30% light, 40% medium, 20% heavy, 10% assault. Land-air mechs (LAMS) exist but are rare—feels too Robotech for my taste.

Aerospace (which most mech companies start with) handle recon, strafing, bombing, and air superiority. Not sure how to make them matter in battles without overshadowing mech combat.

Terminology: a lance is 4 mechs, a company is 12 (3 lances), a battalion is 36 (3 companies), and a regiment is 120 (3 battalions + company HQ).

Wages: 250 c-bills per soldier/month (7 per squad, pricey), 500 for aerospace/mech pilots. Profit sharing instead of paying wages is an option, but it gives everyone a say in command decisions—seems like a bad idea. 

Mission types are expanded on —some don’t seem gameable. Garrison duty covers the entire planet. Riot duty is dangerous and underpaid, a last resort. Mercs can be hired per mission or on retainer (fixed term with certain missions covered, others negotiated separately). Retainers pay less. Command rights are negotiable—employers like embedding advisers to limit merc independence. Supply, transport, maintenance, and salvage rights can be traded for higher pay.

Pay is based on unit size, mission type, and length. Base fee: 2.5-25k per squad per week—garrison at the low end, diversionary assaults at the high. Reputation boosts pay. Handbook numbers so far are vague. You can take 25% of the fee upfront if using comstar as the contract handler. Raids and short missions get a month to complete (hire time includes travel to and from friendly territory). Offensive/defensive ops run 3-6 months, garrison duty a year, and retainers a minimum of a year with 3 months’ notice to quit.

Transport: Houses prefer to provide it for free, so owning your own jump/drop ship doesn’t necessarily mean extra pay. They also supply free supplies, but if you handle it yourself, it’s 500 c-bills per squad, doubling after a major battle. 

The handbook then lays out mercenary maxims. Plunder isn’t just cash—it can be art, resources (?), trade goods, or ransoming nobles and mech pilots. Also, jumpships, but not drop ships, are strictly off-limits. There’s mention of opting out if things go south, but breaking a contract tanks your rep and forfeits your pay. You can surrender but that puts the surrendered squad/lance out of action for 1-6 months. I don't understand what happens to your mechs if you surrender, are they returned to you? Do you pay a ransom, what's expected?

Relevant to where I want to set things, Steiner offers generous contracts but suffers from incompetent generals who love putting mercs under their command. They blame mercs for failures (of which they have plenty), and because they don’t win much don’t expect much loot. Kurita wins battles but pushes mercs to use their supplies and transport, making them dependent. They also don’t respect mercs. 

Comstar might hire for lost colony searches, but these jobs don’t boost your rep (not sure why) or offer plunder—mechanically, they count as garrison or security assignments. Merchants could hire you for garrison duty but expect low pay. 

Periphery states are poor, and bandit kingdoms are even worse. If you’re taking jobs here, it’s for plunder and salvage. The Oberon confederation is almost a periphery state - its pay will be poor regardless. I want it in the mix as an avenue for missions. 

So, my mission sources, at least in the starting conflict zone, seem to be Steiner (good pay but you chances of winning are worse), Kurita (average contract but win more), Merchants (garrison contracts = poor pay), Oberon (raids with rewards being mostly salvage), Bandit Kingdoms (salvage and I guess your rep ends up wrecked) and possibly Comstar. Of course, the players can move on to other conflict zones to mess with completely different houses/groups, but I hope they stay in the area I flesh out for a while first.

Creating a merc company produces stronger units than MW1e and gets granular. You can build your roster with salvaged gear at less than half the cost of new, though it doubles monthly maintenance. Seems worth it. Mech selection involves rolling for each unit, likely to reflect rarity, and you do the same for starting aerospace support. Jump and drop ships are expensive to maintain, and profit sharing is only for veteran or elite units—interestingly, it seems to help dodge those brutal drop/jump ship salaries, which probably isn’t intended.

Units start with reputation based on the makeup of your mercenary force (I don't like how the text handles reputation and will dump it), and morale is determined separately. Morale affects mutiny risk if the unit isn’t paid/fed. Morale is another thing to track and doesn't add enough; It's dropped. Hirelings are covered—I could see hiring a solo mech pilot to fill out numbers or add a high-value unit for a short-term contract; Necromunda hired-gun vibes.

Supplies are a mini-game: pay upfront, then roll 1d6-1 months for arrival. Roll doubles, and they never show up due to various reasons. No supplies mean double maintenance costs and morale hits.

There’s a random mission generator and a one-page negotiation system. The latter took a few reads to understand—fiddlier than I wanted but still usable. Missions are usually 2d6-3 jumps away, with 0 meaning an in-system job. Mission parameters, including pay, are random, but modifiers from different missions smooth out extreme results—so no getting max c-bills for a simple garrison job.

The book provides two systems to track the overall conflict the merc unit is involved in, but both are overly complex. I’ll need a simpler substitute. Mercs does this a lot—overcomplicates things. I’ll strip it for parts, keeping maintenance, salaries, supply costs, the mission generator, and probably the negotiation system.

All up, the first 45 pages were useful. A short but worthwhile read.

Mechwarrior 1e - The Periphery

The Periphery is a big book of names and dates, a history lesson focused largely on four of the main Periphery states, their founding, and, in particular, Stefan Amaris' treachery—which is worth the read. It delves into the backstory with far more depth than the canned intro in MW1e, unfolding like a book with chapters written from different characters' perspectives, much like Game of Thrones. I ploughed the Taurian, Rim Worlds, and Outworlds Alliance sections but skipped the Canopus material - I hear they have cat-girls which is enough for me to steer clear. I found some of the cultural flip-flopping jarring - the pacifist Outworlds rising up with some Vietcong tactics against the Star League. The Rim Worlds being IRA ultranationalists then rolling over to Ameris and ultimately ending with all national pride extinguished with their worlds dissolving to piracy for no real reason. The Taurian stuff went on a little too long - which makes me think they were the authors favourite faction. Can you Mary Sue a faction? My eyes glazed over when it started detailing the various Star League armies, their composition, where they were based—on and on it goes. The peace-time summaries in the timelines also became a blur of endless names.

The writing itself is fine, probably one of the more readable histories, but make no mistake—this is the biggest lore dump I’ve tackled in a while. There are no rules, but there’s still some actionable material for my game. The bandit kingdoms and pirates in the zone I’ve picked get about three pages, including important details on how many regiments and battalions they have at their disposal. Red Jack Ryan gets some particularly brutal coverage, with a bit of torture-porn fiction making him out to be a nasty piece of work. The Valkyrate, meanwhile, use an ancient Nordic social structure—Karls, Jarls, and Thralls—but with only about a thousand people on their ice world, they’re hardly a major factor. Still, I like them and might put their raiders to use in the game.

Mechwarrior 1e - Man-to-Man Combat - Part VI

Man-to-man combat in MW1e is surprisingly crunchy. It follows structured phases: initiative, movement, reaction, ranged, melee, and damage. Winning initiative lets you move last, reacting to others. At first, this seems counterintuitive, but since all damage resolves at the end of the round, it mimics simultaneous action—no getting shot dead before you can retaliate. The Tactics skill is the best way to boost initiative. If you surprise your foe, you automatically win initiative.

Movement is overly detailed, with Movement Points (MP) based on action type—walking is 4 MP, dodging is 6, sprinting is 12. Terrain mostly halves movement. Aiming requires slow movement, dodging makes you harder to hit, and sprinters can’t shoot. Turning 60 degrees costs 1 MP. The Run skill boosts running and sprinting speed. Vehicles are mentioned but don’t seem fully integrated into this system.

The reaction phase gives everyone a free 60-degree turn, with the initiative winner turning first.

Ranged combat is a weapon skill check. Range penalties follow the familiar short (no penalty), medium (+2), and long (+4). A +4 penalty makes long shots barely worth attempting. Most fights will happen at close range—4-5 hexes (20-25 meters). Damage varies wildly: 2d6 for an auto-pistol, 5d6+6 for an SRM launcher. Burst fire sprays all adjacent hexes on a hit for 1d6 each. Double-barrel shotguns, as in many RPGs, feel absurdly strong doing 6d6 damage—why do designers do this? Stunners and tranq guns are highly effective, forcing a Body save or taking the target out of the fight. Additional penalties stack based on movement, cover, and target actions. Called shots are possible but punishing (+6 for a headshot). It looks tough to land hits with all these penalties. There’s a table for damaging ‘Mechs with small arms, but it’s clear you shouldn’t bother. 

Armor helps, with flak vests absorbing damage to your torso and arms, flak suits protect everywhere but the tradeoff is halved movement - probably worth it.

Melee is possible if you didn’t run or sprint, though runners and sprinters can tackle for non-lethal damage. Melee attacks suffer penalties similar to ranged combat, but opting to make an “All-Out Attack” provides a bonus, making melee viable. Brawling damage scales with Body, making it the best option for strong characters. Grappling seems powerful, but I can’t tell if the grappler can actually deal damage once they've successfully grappled someone. Shields exist and allow you to make a knock-down melee attack, but they slow movement and lower accuracy, making them a bad choice.

If you manage to land a hit, damage is brutal. A d66 roll determines hit location. Damage capacity is Body x10, divided across body parts. If you had a body of 6 your torso would have the capacity to take 18 damage and your head 6. A limb at 0 becomes useless, while a head or torso at 0 forces a Body save or death. Any location reduced below 0, as well as rolling doubles on hit location means a critical injury—permanent wounds like a blinded eye or torn-off foot. Taking damage also forces a roll to stay conscious, with increasing difficulty the more you’re hit. At half health, you start bleeding out unless treated. It’s grim, WFRP-style brutal.

Man-to-man combat is intensely detailed—I've heard it called "meat-mech" as it seems to copy the Battletech combat rules. I think I could run this if I used tokens to record people's movement during the round - otherwise tracking all this stuff will be a nightmare. 

I think I like the way combat works apart from all the modifiers and movement mode selection. A single lucky shot to the head will kill you while it might take 3 hits to the torso, 6 if you have a flak vest. I'd be willing to give it a go.

Mechwarrior 1e - Scenarios - Part V

Scenarios are where MW1e shows its potential as an adventure game. Every scenario starts as a combat assignment. If the group are mercs, the GM can prepare multiple assignments for players to choose from before the session - that way you can prep it. House-affiliated units, on the other hand, seem to have assignments dictated to them, limiting player choice. 

Assignments should give players a way to gauge risk, reward, and time investment, much like selecting a dungeon level to delve. Garrison and Riot Duty are the level one equivalent—like clearing rats from a basement. Then again, a GRN-class unit might not even be considered for the high-stakes assault missions.

Combat assignments include Garrison Duty (low risk/reward, months-long), Short-term Assault (medium risk/reward, variable duration), Raid/Sabotage (high risk, 2-5 days), Relief Duty (high risk, undefined reward, variable duration), and Riot Duty (low risk/reward, short-term, rebels unlikely to have ‘Mechs).

Once the assignment is set, the GM rolls on tables for general encounters (like friendly forces or Star League facilities) and battlefield encounters. The mission type dictates encounter frequency, with more battlefield encounters increasing risk but also XP, renown, and salvage opportunities. The GM would work out the length of the combat assignment and pre-roll on these tables and interpret them in a way that makes sense, chaining the encounters together. Each encounter is given a helpful paragraph or two of explanation.

A table for enemy ‘Mech forces is included, and enemy pilot experience is randomly rolled—oddly, they tend to outmatch players until the group reaches VET class. Enemy skill matters since it affects gunnery and piloting rolls.

There’s also a Major Events table for system-shaping events like the fall of a major world or the death of a key figure. These are monthly events, and you should roll a years' worth in advance and then work out how they would impact future combat assignments. 

This system lets merc players choose their engagements and thus the amount of time they want to invest as well as their risk/reward, while giving GMs tables to generate encounters, enemy mech forces, and unfolding system events.

Mechwarrior encounter and battlefield tables!

Mechwarrior 1e - Creating a 'Mech Unit - Part IV

The game sets some baseline assumptions around a typical Battletech campaign—you start with mostly medium ‘Mechs and maybe a few lights. After character creation, it’s time to generate your ‘Mech unit.

Unit size is determined by a 2d6 roll based on the number of players. For 2-4 players, the most likely result is two lances, implying the second lance consists of secondary characters, often on separate missions. It also gives players backup ‘Mechs if their main ride gets totaled. With 5+ players, odds are they’re in a company, with another roll deciding if they belong to a battalion or regiment. I’d rather keep things small-scale and might nix starting in a company altogether.

From there, you roll for aerospace support, dropship and jumpship status, then determine affiliation—mercenary or house-aligned. Smaller units are more likely to be mercs, and for some reason, the tables favor House Davion or the vague “Unaffiliated” result. What does unaffiliated mean if you’re rolling on a house affiliation table? If you land on mercenary, you roll again for a chance to be part of an in-world company like Wolf’s Dragoons. You're more likely to be an independent merc unit.

House affiliation comes with perks, though they aren’t strictly gamified. Davion, Steiner, and Kurita have the most ‘Mechs, and Davion and Steiner offer training at the University of New Avalon. But being part of a major house means getting lost in the shuffle and stuck with unglamorous garrison duty. Marik and Liao, being more desperate, offer riskier but more lucrative work that builds reputation. House affiliation limits mission variety and player choice, making mercenary work far more appealing for an adventure game.

The game suggests affiliations aren’t permanent—house units can go rogue and become mercs. I like that you aren’t locked into your initial roll.

Support personnel and their key skill ratings are randomly generated, and each lance receives credits for non ‘Mech support gear. Affiliation modifies this—rich houses like Davion provide 30% more credits, while unaffiliated merc groups get hit with a brutal -80%. The randomness is wild. These credits can be spent on ‘Mech repair stores (which seem cheaper to buy now than later with C-bills), aerospace units (if you didn’t roll any during unit creation), and backup ‘Mechs—which raises the question, why spend CP at character creation for a backup ‘Mech when you can just buy one here? They can also be used for personal gear, noble titles, and house commissions or converted into C-bills for the company’s coffers.

I don’t hate any of this, but for my game, I’ll likely keep things small, so players aren’t starting with a battalion at their backs. I like that affiliation rolls give an instant hook, though MW2e tied house affiliation to your starting ‘Mech roll—I’m not sure I’ll do the same. I feel like I’ll curate the campaign’s starting setup, making the Unit Creation chapter redundant… but I’m still feeling things out. Maybe I should let players roll this stuff pre-game and use it to shape the first session. Still undecided.

Mechwarrior 1e - XP and Character Advancement - Part III

You earn XP for passing skill rolls and making saves that genuinely contribute to the adventure—the harder the roll, the more XP you get. Damage dealt in combat also grants XP: ½ XP per point in vehicle/’Mech combat and 2 XP per point in personal combat.

XP is also awarded at the group level and ideally split among players. Winning an engagement grants XP equal to the enemy’s BODY ×5 and the total tonnage of defeated vehicles/’Mechs. Objectives also provide XP: 1-10 for simple tasks, 20-100 for major subtasks, and 100-500 for the overall mission. There’s also XP for roleplaying with NPCs, seemingly as a reward for avoiding conflict (e.g., talking down drunken thugs), which thankfully isn’t just “XP for roleplaying.”

Tracking skill-use XP feels like a DM nightmare. If I used this system, I’d put the responsibility on players—if they’re racking up skill checks, they can track their own XP. But I know they’d forget, it would fall apart, and I’d end up wanting a different skill system. I don’t hate it, but the bookkeeping worries me.

XP converts into CP at 10 XP per 1 CP and can boost attributes (despite character creation saying they couldn't be raised, only lowered by injury), improve skills, buy Shadowrun-style contacts, and even purchase noble titles. XP can also be spent to modify rolls—before rolling, you can spend 50 XP per +1 (max +5) to boost your own or an ally’s roll or penalize an enemy’s. I initially hated this, but now I'm not so sure. XP as a meta-currency to modify rolls... I don't know.

The XP system put me off at first, but I’m willing to give it a shot and see how it plays. 

The game uses Experience Classes (levels) based on the total XP earned by all team members across their careers. These ranks apply to the group as a whole, starting at GRN and advancing to REG at 3,001 XP, VET at 15,001 XP, and EL at 100,000 XP. Every time the team reaches a new tier, they gain a free attribute boost and two skill bumps.

For every additional 100,000 XP beyond EL, the team levels up again, presumably becoming Elite+ and continuing to improve.

Mechwarrior 1e - Creating Mechwarriors - Part II

Characters are all part of the same 'Mech unit, ranging from a four 'Mech lance to a full battalion or regiment. Everyone creates a mech-pilot, but you can also use character creation rules for secondary roles like Techs, Aerospace pilots, Dropship/Jumpship crew, scouts, or spies. Not sure how spies would fit—would everyone be a Kurita ninja? Some roles feel restrictive. Everyone should have a character who can always participate in the action. Play your mech-pilot during ‘Mech missions—not your Tech. You don’t want to be sidelined or stuck sitting out. At the end of the day its clear your meant to create and play a mechwarrior, the other roles are setting/flavour and not really meant to be played.

First, build your characters (including secondaries), then design the ‘Mech unit, establish NPCs, and define your unit’s affiliation, status, and special abilities. Regarding secondaries I don't see the point other than generating another mechwarrior that might be in the units other lance - so you have a back-up character. Generating a tech or aerospace pilot secondary isn't needed as you are assigned a random skill level tech & aerospace pilot when creating your 'Mech unit later.

You're given 150 CP to build your pilot, which feels like Shadowrun. There are four attributes—BODY, DEX, LRN, and CHA—ranging from 2-12. A score of 6 costs nothing, boosting costs CP, and lowering earns extra points. Raising CHA to 7 costs 10 CP, while maxing it at 12 costs 300 CP. Mechwarriors need at least DEX 5 and LRN 5. BODY is expected to be robust, but there’s no set minimum. It says attributes don’t change unless altered by accidents or campaign events but later you find out this is wrong - you can boost attributes by advancing in class (i.e. from GRN to VET) as well as boosting attributes with XP.

BODY affects hits-to-kill (HP by another name), brawling, and athletics. DEX governs mech gunnery, piloting, and rogue skills. LRN controls smart skills and dictates both the number of skills you can take and their max level. CHA handles diplomacy, leadership, and reaction rolls, similar to AD&D’s reaction system.

For attribute saves, your score determines the target number on 2d6. A DEX 6 means rolling 8+ to dodge an explosion. It’s a simple, intuitive way to handle checks.

Hopefully, you’ve got some CP left for skills. Each level in a skill lowers the target number for checks by 1, so our DEX 6 character with Pistol 2 would need a 7 instead of a 9 to hit. There are 25 skills, but LRN limits selection—you can take as many skills as your LRN score, and total skill levels are capped at 4 × LRN. Mechwarriors get Pilot and Gunnery/Mech 1 for free. The max skill level is 8, which costs a hefty 490 CP.

Skills unlock special abilities at certain levels—Pistols 3+ grants “Quick Draw,” and at 5, you get “Trick Shot.” I like how this ties abilities to skill progression. No skill seems broken, though some feel niche, like “Land Management.” High LRN lets Mechwarriors qualify for Academy or University packages, which offer a discounted skill bundle for 75-100 CP, but the rigid skill selection feels like a trap.

There are other CP spends: Handedness, though I’m not sure what Natural Right/Left does, and Inborn Abilities like Thick Skin for 20 CP or Glass Jaw, which refunds 15 CP. Sixth Sense seems strong, but most abilities don’t feel useful in a ‘Mech. You roll 2d6 for your starting ‘Mech, with the option to spend 20 CP per +1 (max +9) before rolling. If you don’t spend CP, the best possible roll lands you a 70-ton Warhammer or Archer. Maxing CP here and rolling high could start you in a 90-ton Cyclops. Strangely, you can spend 50 CP for a terrible backup ‘Mech—I don’t know why you would. The most likely result is that you end up with a light 40-ton medium mech.

The final character creation rule allows CP transfers between characters on a 1-for-1 basis, though no one can start with more than 250 CP this way. It’s unusual for someone to nerf their own character just to boost someone else, but it does allow one player to be an ace pilot or a crack leader right from the start. I didn’t like it at first, but I’m not going to rule it out.

I'm not sure if I’ll use the random ‘Mech roll. Part of me wants the party to start in lightly armored light ‘Mechs and work their way up, but it depends on how I want to kick things off. I'm still thinking things over.

Mechwarrior 1e - Background - Part I

Some games become foundational to who you are. MechWarrior is one of mine—it’s a core memory and the reason I met my best friend in primary school.

I owned the Red Box D&D set but had “played” it for maybe 30 minutes total at lunchtime. I devoured Fighting Fantasy books, loved Star Wars, The Dark Crystal, and the classic cartoons of Robotech and Star Blazers. Then, in grade 6, I changed schools. Everything was new, I had no friends, and I felt awkward.

One of the kids had a copy of MechWarrior - its spine breaking from wear, but he didn’t understand what it was. I did. I had the Red Box, I had read Fighting Fantasy, and I kind of knew what roleplaying was about. So we sat down, made characters, marveled at the color insert art and the cover, and dreamed of stompy robotech robots.

Almost 40 years later, we still haven’t played it.

That needs to change. I'm going to run Mechwarrior. I know only a little about the setting, never played any of the computer games and worst of all have never played Battletech. But I'm going to learn as much as I can and run this.

I'm starting with a read through of MechWarrior 1E—getting a feel for the setting, picking out what I like, and figuring out which rules work and which need more effort to understand before deciding whether to keep or change them. The setting stays as-is—only clunky rules get adjusted if I can’t make peace with them.

Prelude (2001-2100):

The Soviet Union collapses in 2011. By 2024, most nations, including former Soviet states, form an Alliance Parliament with a unified military. Trade booms, and by 2086, this evolves into the Terran Alliance with 120 nations. Fusion power fuels scientific progress, making long-distance space travel viable. We find habitable worlds, and private companies jump into space exploration, driving tech innovation.

Exodus (2102-2313):

By 2102, humanity develops FTL drives and begins settling the stars. Terra controls the colonies, but water shortages are a major issue, leading to ice ships trucking across space. The further out colonies are, the harder they are to govern. Many start self-ruling, and some declare independence. Lacking the political will to fight them, Terra undergoes a political crisis and shifts to isolationism, granting all colonies independence—whether they wanted it or not. Earth stagnates, and the smartest minds leave for the colonies.

Consolidation (2314-2398):

The Terran Alliance collapses into internal conflict. The Alliance fleet commander stages what reads like a coup, restoring control over 100 of 1500+ colonies. Now with colonial resources, Terra refocuses on tech, inventing WorkMechs using artificial muscle. Other colonies form their own alliances and fight over border worlds, water, and minerals. As hereditary rule stabilizes Terra, the colonies follow suit, seeing dynasties as a source of order. 

The Age of War (2398-2550):

The major states go to war. The Ares Conventions establish rules of engagement to limit destruction—wars should be fought away from civilians and economic centers. War remains frequent but less devastating. Hereditary rule persists, except in the Rim Worlds, where a coup installs the Amaris family. I'm not sure how I feel about the major characters driving the through story - so far I think its interesting. Meanwhile, the Terran Hegemony, usually reluctant to fight, unveils BattleMechs—dominating the battlefield. The other states scramble to copy the tech, and soon, everyone has 'Mechs. 

Imperium and Reunification (2551-2600):

After 150 years of war, Terra brokers peace, forming the Star League with the five Inner Sphere states. They share tech, while the Periphery, independent for 300 years, refuses to join. Star League crushes them in war, then spins it as a victory for peace, winning hearts and minds through PR.

The Good Years (2601-2750):

Under Star League, everything prospers. Hyper-Pulse Generators (HPGs) revolutionize interstellar communication—though a message from Terra to the Periphery still takes five months (faster options exist but are prohibitively expensive). Water purifiers eliminate scarcity. A universal currency (C-bill?) fuels a trade boom. Meanwhile, the Amaris family of the Rim Worlds starts scheming—building up troops, getting caught, and backing down.

Crisis and Civil War (2751-2784):

When eight-year-old Richard Cameron inherits the Star League throne, a regency council takes over—and mismanages everything. As Richard matures, he provokes the council, made up of Terra and the five Inner Sphere states. Meanwhile, unrest in the Periphery pulls away the Star League army.

The Amaris family offers Richard military support to defend Terra—but it’s a trap. Amaris seizes power in a bloody coup, wiping out Richard’s entire bloodline. Kerensky, head of the Star League military, declares war on Amaris. They fight across several star systems, and by the end, 100 million people are dead.

The Star League Council takes charge, kicks out Kerensky, then squabbles over the throne. The council never reconvenes—each of the five Inner Sphere rulers goes home to prepare for war. Kerensky, disillusioned, takes ¾ of the Star League army beyond the Periphery—never to be seen again. Quitter. 

The 'Crisis and Civil War' era is the first viable timeline to run a mech game simply because mechs don't enter the timeline until then. I think the succession wars offer better support and is where I will end up setting the campaign. I am starting to understand the importance of all the names in the setting given the core hereditary themes running through everything. 

The Succession Wars (2785–Present):

With Kerensky and the Star League army gone, civil war erupts.

The First Wave is brutal—most FTL shipbuilding capacity is destroyed, crippling trade. Water purifiers fail, but ice-ship tech keeps some colonies alive. Water worlds suddenly become valuable again.

The Second Wave is just as bad but even more devastating—it wipes out scientists and engineers. Tech is lost, regressing to 21st-century levels in most places. Equipment is cannibalized to keep the war machine going.

The Third Wave fizzles out—not because anyone wants peace, but because no one has the resources to keep going. The economy shifts to scavenging.

To prevent total collapse, new rules of war emerge—limiting destruction of key infrastructure. Surrendering and paying ransom become standard, and feudalism takes hold as central governments fail. Warlords rule planetary nobles, trading 'Mech service for loyalty.

On the Periphery, Bandit Kingdoms rise. The Inner Sphere balkanizes, and raids and piracy become a way of life.

***

It seems clear to me that the Succession Wars is the setting for me. But I'm not super interested in the inner sphere houses. I think the periphery has the most potential, particualry the bandit kingdoms. 1e Mechwarrior gives you more setting material later in the book but the 'History of Human Space' opening chapter is a great taste of what the setting is all about. 

Next up character creation. I haven't made a mechwarrior character in nearly 40 years!

Thieves’ Den

(Imagine #24)

Imagine magazine targeted young novice players, and its main legacy is the rich city setting, Pelinore. Venetia Lee’s take on Thieves Guilds stood out enough that I figured I would take a look.

What’s it about?

Lee presents a thieves' guild not as a centralized location—too vulnerable—but as a decentralized network of mutual aid and exploitation. A cell structure ensures survival even if a branch is eradicated. She explores the guild’s use of child thieves, drawing inspiration from Oliver Twist, and suggests pairing PCs with young apprentices.

She emphasizes the importance of a legitimate cover and examines how thieves operate in lawless cities, including the role of street gangs. The guild exists for training, information sharing, leadership enrichment, and organizing bribes. When designing a guild, she advises considering law enforcement strength, societal attitudes toward crime, city corruption, and the guild’s alignment.

Lee advocates a secretive cell system where members know only their immediate contacts. She estimates 5-15% of the population is involved in or adjacent to the guild, with most being child pickpockets or fences; only a small fraction are true thieves. She recommends detailing only the branch the party interacts with. The article also covers meeting places, spell use in crime, and how authorities counteract/control magic.

Finally, she provides a structured pickpocketing system with five tables covering opportunity frequency, target selection, failure consequences, pursuit mechanics, and hiding attempts. The system works well in practice.

Is this a keeper?

It’s fine. Some solid historical research and a useful pickpocketing system, but the article is long and padded. It’s not a ‘best of’.

Crude But Effective. Simple tactics for humanoids

(Dragon #199)

Derek Jensen explores humanoid tactics with a side of fiction. I loved the Uruk Hai battle manual, so this kind of article is right up my alley.

What’s it about?

It opens with fiction—something I don’t like in my RPGs. Derek argues that most DMs treat humanoids as disposable, but since they live in a constant state of war, they should rely on patrols, ambushes, traps, and tricks with a complexity that varies based on intelligence.

Scouts should be stealthy, fast-moving pairs or trios focused on discovering threats and sounding alarms. Smart monsters might lure enemies into ambushes. Patrols, about a dozen strong leading animals with keen senses, engage intruders while sending a runner to sound the alarm. With the runner away they should disperse. Lawful humanoids execute these plans well, while chaotic ones take a sloppier approach.

Lawful creatures set up permanent ambush sites and consider the approach, height, accessibility, cover, concealment and retreat. Lures and clear trails encourage the enemy to the ambush site. Pits, nets and rockslides prevent escape. Attacks from the dark on torch wielding parties are encouraged.

Humanoid traps are simple like pits, nets and deadfalls. Place them away from daily tribe activity. A few clever tricks are included like using smoke from a fire to disrupt invaders vision—use these sparingly.

The article provides a few tactics covering numbers advantage, ganking casters, reach weapons, defensive terrain (tight tunnels), hit and runs, keeping the pressure up, using fodder and dumb monsters, and the role of a strong leader - perhaps an evil wizard. A smart leader will elevate the humanoids tactics. Always plan an escape or surrender.

Is this a keeper?

Yes. The fiction was a turnoff but the patrol and ambush guidance are solid and feel fitting for humanoids. I love monster tactics, so this one’s a ‘best of’.

A Guide to Dungeon Mastering. Part II: Monsters & Magic & Part III: Some conclusions

(White Dwarf #35 & #36)

I’m combining two articles to wrap up the Lew Pulsipher articles I picked out to read. High hopes!

What’s it about?

In Monsters & Magic, Lew advises against random monster and magic item placement. Avoid homogenous monster groups—balance encounters as you would a party. Consider how monsters interact—slaves, allies, enemies—and place them accordingly. Intelligent monsters should use light to see beyond infravision. While you can kill PCs anytime, that’s not the point - stick to the game's increasing level of difficulty inherent in the dungeon. Monsters should use their magic items, not stash them in chests, and magic should be rare to prevent PCs becoming overpowered headaches. Lastly, don’t be too generous with spell interpretations—high-level magic-users can dominate if unchecked.

In Some Conclusions he reiterates that monsters can do whatever players do. Don’t expect player self-restraint—rein them in. If an item or ability unbalances the game, talk to the player and persuade them to give it up. He also pushes for high-level characters to retire into landownership, then spends too much time discussing ways to get people to stop playing high-level PCs. Clearly, high-level play isn’t his thing, but actively discouraging it seems unnecessary.

Is this a keeper?

Yes—Monsters & Magic is the stronger article, but neither is a “best of.” Too much focus on dismissing high-level play. You can see the groundwork for his Beyond the Rule Book – Procedure and Style Tips, which is the better read.

A Guide to Dungeon Mastering. Part I: Setting up Adventures

(White Dwarf #34)

Lew Pulsipher tends to repeat his advice, making it hard to track where certain tips originated. Hopefully, this Dungeon Mastering series offers some fresh insights.

What’s it about?

Lew suggests generating ideas by reading the rules and considering their implications—what would you do as a beholder? He recommends carrying a notebook to capture ideas immediately, even if they sit unused for months, and reading fiction and folklore voraciously. Borrowing from other DMs and players is encouraged.

He describes two types of adventures: scenarios built around the characters and site-based environments like dungeons. He advises novices to stick with site-based adventures since they’re more resilient to mistakes. I agree they’re more robust, lacking even the hint of rails.

Preparation is key. He recommends pre-rolling wandering monsters, tracking time carefully, and using index cards for quick reference. Status effects should be noted in advance, and miniatures help clarify combat.

For treasure and experience, he suggests adding variety with ancient coins, art objects, and valuable information. Heavy treasure creates logistical challenges. He notes that few use the DMG’s leveling system due to its high gold costs, so he only applies training fees from levels 5+. For advancement he recommends 2 adventures x the level you're going to as about right and believes high level play is broken. In his view, a good DM maintains control with slow advancement and low character deaths.

In closing, he replaces the initiative system with a custom approach and advises against using burning oil.

Is this a keeper?

Yes. Lew’s advice on keeping a notebook, reading widely, favoring site-based adventures, and varying treasure is all solid. While I don’t agree with everything, this is a ‘best of’.

Oldhammer Rogue Trader - Imperial Guard

My first army was Space Orks, but I foolishly sold them to a mate I lost touch with decades ago. Along with them went my Imperial Guard—something I now realize I really liked, especially the early 'Army' labeled models from the Rogue Trader era. A few years back, some of those old minis popped up for sale, and I managed to grab a few—should have bought the whole lot in hindsight. Batch painting them wasn’t exactly fun, but I’m happy with how they turned out. Here are the first couple; I’ll post the rest later.

Command Squad

Astropath

Iron Bonce

Rogue Trader Robot - A friend brough this back from Boil.

That’s life in the big city

(Dragon #99)

The Town Planner series in White Dwarf has worn me down—hopefully, Dragon’s take on cities is an easier read.

What’s it about?

The article emphasizes that fantasy cities shouldn't resemble modern ones but should still be grounded in historical reality. It provides population benchmarks: towns at 2,000 people, cities between 20,000 and 100,000. Russian villages and towns are occasionally cited as examples.

Settlements arise for religious, economic, or political reasons, often forming around crossroads, keeps, or fords. Geography and trade drive their growth—merchants cluster near shrines to attract pilgrims, while villagers take pride in defensive walls of stone or wood, sometimes with moats guarded bridges/drawbridge. Over time, towns outgrow their walls with suburbs forming outside. Tradespeople settle near water, while nobles claim the most defensible spots.

Cities are noisy, with bells tolling, town criers, street vendors singing their wares, and entertainment like jugglers or cockfights. Upper stories overhang streets, turning them into dim, stuffy tunnels. Streets are narrow (8–10 feet), alleys even tighter (3 feet), and traffic accidents frequent. Encounters and hazards are suggested, with piles of refuse in the street and loose pigs, dogs and chickens. A daily disease roll from the DMG is recommended. Stone is reserved for castles and temples—everyone else lives in fire hazards. The description of a medieval inn stay makes it sound miserable. The article closes with an explanation of the guilds' stranglehold on trade and discussion about trade quarters.

Is this a keeper?

Yes. It's an easier read than the Town Planner series and covers similar ground. It helps simulate a medieval European town/city but lacks any nod towards fantasy and doesn’t give adventure ideas. I’m not sure if it's a ‘best of’.

Banditry Inc - A Referee’s Guide to Thieves Guilds

 

(White Dwarf #76)

White Dwarf’s best era for AD&D-focused content spans issues 10–40, with later issues featuring broader system-agnostic material. Here, Olivier Legrand explores thieves guilds—an underdeveloped aspect of the core game.

What’s it about?

The article frames thieves guilds as medieval mafias. Not all thieves are members—muggers operate independently—but specialists like locksmiths and burglars are typically involved. PC thieves, unless incognito, are approached within 24 hours and blindfolded before meeting the guild. Membership requires signing a contract outlining duties and benefits; betrayal means assassination, refusal means exile.  

Guild members owe a 20% cut of all thefts, though it’s unclear if dungeon loot applies. I’d prefer this fee folded into training costs to avoid bookkeeping and player frustration. The guild offers jobs, but this feels best suited to one-on-one sessions, as many party members are not suited to a guild job session. Interestingly, the guild won’t rescue captured members—though I’d allow the guild to have jailers ‘on the take’.

Legrand details guild hierarchy: lieutenants oversee districts or operations (kidnapping, racketeering, recruitment), and the Guildmaster could be anything from a noble with a double life to a crime lord who is either feared or praised by the poorer townsfolk based on how cruel and ruthless they are. The article covers street-urchin apprentices, instructors, specialists, and the make-up of a spy network, with contacts in inns and shops to protect informants. It also explores guild headquarters, political ties, rival factions (merchant guilds, local authorities, assassins), and internal power struggles.

It's worth noting that the guild structure outlined feels less secretive than a cell-based one that I often see. 

Is this a keeper?

Yes. This article not only explains a guilds operation and structure but also provides neat guild based adventure hooks. This is a ‘best of’.

The 7-sentence NPC

(Dragon #184)

I’m wary - Dragon #184 is deep into 2e. C. M. Cline’s short article on creating gameable NPCs gets lots of love online. Is it deserved?

What’s it about?

We put effort into major antagonists and allies but neglect minor NPCs, defaulting to repetitive stereotypes. Guilty as charged—my town watch, innkeepers, and blacksmiths all blend together. Cline offers a fix that keeps the workload manageable: 7 sentences to define an NPC.

• Occupation and History - Consider what the NPC did before their current occupation.
• Physical Description - Hinting at occupation
• Attributes and skills - High and low attributes should figure in the description with numbers called out. Skills seem to be about occupation/interests but seem to be subtly referencing the awful idea of non-weapon proficiencies.
• Values and motivations - This is described as something players can exploit to get the NPC to do a thing. They also help the DM decide how the NPC reacts.
• Interactions with others - Roleplaying cues (loud, obnoxious, condescending etc.).
• Useful Knowledge - Feels more relevant for investigative games.
• Distinguishing feature - Players forget NPC names, but not the bad Irish accent.

Cline provides four examples that prove his point but are too long to use at the table with gameable information hard to find. If implementing his advice brevity and relevance to the game should be front of mind.

Is this a keeper?

No. The 7-sentence technique delivers a long paragraph that could be useful for major protagonists, henchmen, and key town NPCs. My players enjoy engaging with factions in my megadungeon game, so I see its value for factional NPCs. However, I find rolling/picking random personality, mannerism, appearance, and physical detail to be more useful - particularly as it delivers a punchy easy to parse single sentence. This is not making the best-of list—there are simpler ways to make NPCs.

***

I applied the 7-sentence approach to an NPC the party will be dealing with in tonight's session. For select NPC's you're sure the party will interact with I can see its use as its too long to use for every tavern keeper and beggar the group interact with - oddly it's the bit part NPCs that the article encourages you to use the 7-sentence approach - that will produce a padded adventure and be a ton of extra work for the DM - it's a bad idea. On further reflection I don't like it anymore. I'd rather roll or pick a random personality, mannerism, appearance and physical detail. You end up with a single punchy sentence rather than the paragraph+ of the 7-sentence NPC. Anyway, here's my 7-sentence effort with Minor Arden Vul spoilers:

Killik

Occupation: Killik is a trusted lieutenant of King Weskenim and charged with running the ‘Wet Caves’. 

Physical: Wiry and battle-scarred, with eyes that gleam with intelligence and a snaggle tooth grin, Killik carries himself with the pride of a ruler.

Attributes: Killik has a wiry strength (attacks as a gnoll) and is a shrewd negotiator.

Values/Motivation: Killik values respect, diplomacy, and the strength of cooperation, striving for stability in the Wet Caves.

Interaction: He speaks in the third person, interacts with charm, confidence, calculation and authority.

Knowledge: He knows about Gog (5-2), Riglon the Varumani (5-54), the troll lifts, goblin town and King Weskenim.

Distinguishing Feature: Speaking in the third person.

Monsters Have Feelings Too

(White Dwarf #38)

Oliver opens with a story showing a contrast: a dull goblin ambush versus a well-planned evil party assaulting a merchant caravan. His point? There's no reason monsters shouldn’t be as tactical as players.

What’s it about?

Monsters—aside from the undead and constructs—value their lives and shouldn’t attack without reason, whether it's racial hatred or sadism. Oliver states 'If a monster can achieve its aims without resorting to out-and-out violence, and therefore putting its life at risk, it should do so'.  Animals are noted as not attacking things that aren’t easy kills. He makes the oft repeated point - if players use oil and poison, so can monsters. He concludes by suggesting you bring the monsters to life just as the players bring life to the PCs.

The article then shifts as Graeme Davis presents ‘Extracts from the Uruk-Hai Battle Manual’. It's a fun brief read and the heart of the article. This well-written, practical guide covers lair defense: terrain, sentries, alarms, force composition, morale, spellcasters, and traps.

Is this a keeper?

Yes. The opening is fine, but the Uruk-Hai Battle Manual is essential, packed with actionable advice for organizing humanoid lairs. A definite ‘best of’.