18 replies to this topic

[Midian]

So I first got into battletech when I saw the cartoon as a kid. Played the games from Mechwarrior 2 up to MW4:Mercs and read 2 or 3 novels. That was all a long time ago and I really want to refresh my memory on the whole battletech universe. I know there is tonnes of info on-line but I am wondering what would be the best book to buy on battletech history? Not sure if such a book exists or if all the books around deal with different points of time/different factions etc. An overall view of the universe is what I am looking for I guess. Had a look about but couldn't find anything like that. Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks.

[Arctic Fox]

A comprehensive book on all BattleTech eras and factions doesn't really exist, unfortunately. The closest thing I can think of is the Inner Sphere at a Glance book that is found in the box set, which briefly sums up BattleTech history up to 3067 along with the various major factions. This PDF is nearly identical to it, so you can read it without buying the whole box set.

The BattleTech website also has a lot of information, especially here and here. And, of course, there's Sarna as well.

[Kris Morgahan]

Yes the best sorces are the box set for battle tech and the rule book for mechwarrior and the comstar expansion book.
there are some sources on line but they are unfortunately hard to find these days.

[Atomfire]

The house books were helpful, but the Battletech site only has House Laio.

[Dead Baron]

I'd say my history with BT is pretty similar to the OP.

Is there any particular reason why MechWarrior canon is so disjointed?

[Arctic Fox]

Dead Baron, on 18 June 2012 - 05:41 PM, said:

I'd say my history with BT is pretty similar to the OP.

Is there any particular reason why MechWarrior canon is so disjointed?

Disjointed? What do you mean...?

[Alexandr Britten]

Not sure what you mean by disjointed... Star League... Exodus... Succession Wars... Clans... WoB/Comstar... etc... I've followed it since the first GDL novel... Stackpole novels for the Third (?) Succession War were the best (Kai Allard-Liao, Hanse Davion, etc.). Other than Sarna.net, I can't think of any novel/book that can explain it all from beginning to end. If you've followed it from the beginning, it all makes perfect sense.

[Dead Baron]

Arctic Fox, on 18 June 2012 - 05:46 PM, said:

Disjointed? What do you mean...?

As in not able to be found in one place

Now I realise that it's a pretty damn vast canon but given how BT has been held together by its fans, you'd think there's be a one shop fits all for its canon.

[Midian]

Thanks for all the help guys. I know the universe canon is pretty massive so figured it would be difficult for one book to contain a complete history especially since it is ongoing.

Arctic Fox, on 18 June 2012 - 05:28 PM, said:

A comprehensive book on all BattleTech eras and factions doesn't really exist, unfortunately. The closest thing I can think of is the Inner Sphere at a Glance book that is found in the box set, which briefly sums up BattleTech history up to 3067 along with the various major factions. This PDF is nearly identical to it, so you can read it without buying the whole box set.

The BattleTech website also has a lot of information, especially here and here. And, of course, there's Sarna as well.

Thanks for the links, I recently saw a review of the 25th anniversary edition box set and Inner Sphere at a Glance book looked like the closest thing to what I am looking for. Was thinking of getting into the TT game too (although I doubt I would find anyone to play against where I am living) but I think might order the box set either way. It'll be worth it for the book and the idea of painting some miniatures sounds like fun :-)

Thanks again for your help guys.

[Colt Ward]

Problem is, a lot of those books are written from an IC universe perspective. So not everything you will read in a sourcebook is 100% true (or you may butcher the obvious Jedi quote), and the reason it is spread across the various sourcebooks is because some of them tell the same story from different sides. A lot of the materials are written as a narrative, telling a story offers more texture and facts than a simple list of dates with actions.

For the purposes of MWO . . . your best off with 3052 Era Report, it will summarize what will be going on at this time and draws from half a dozen books that cover that era.

[Arctic Fox]

Dead Baron, on 18 June 2012 - 05:48 PM, said:

As in not able to be found in one place

Now I realise that it's a pretty damn vast canon but given how BT has been held together by its fans, you'd think there's be a one shop fits all for its canon.

Ah, I see. Well, I suppose it's because that since the timeline started BattleTech has always moved forward and concentrated on whatever it was that was 'happening' in the universe at the time, and it quickly got so big that making a single book covering everything would have been a massive undertaking that would also have to be constantly updated somehow as the timeline moved forward. So things were left separate in various books covering different eras/factions (well, not so much the latter anymore since apparently faction-specific books don't sell too well).

Edited by Arctic Fox, 18 June 2012 - 06:22 PM.

[Dead Baron]

Appreciate all the thoughtful posts.

I've read a couple of books but need the refresher course.

BT books were hard to come by in my neck of the woods in the UK and now impossible in Central America.

I prefer the move forward idea to others, I've seen books written to tie everything up but manages to trample all over original canon in other MMOs.Whenever you have writer by committee, canon is always going to be difficult to combine,

And when you have singular writers, you rely on them being able to get their idea of the canon across.

[Praefectus]

Thanks for the information indeed !!

Edited by Praefectus, 20 June 2012 - 01:24 AM.

[Wales Grey]

Clearly the best Battletech novella is FAR COUNTRY! A book so loved that it causes Battletech fans to burst into flames at its very name.

[Texas Merc]

Wales Grey, on 21 June 2012 - 08:41 PM, said:

Clearly the best Battletech novella is FAR COUNTRY! A book so loved that it causes Battletech fans to burst into flames at its very name.

[BlakeAteIt]

Has anyone said Far Country yet?

















































Far Country.

[Mike Forst]

I've never read any of the Battletech books.

[SnagaDance]

Wales Grey, on 21 June 2012 - 08:41 PM, said:

Clearly the best Battletech novella is FAR COUNTRY! A book so loved that it causes Battletech fans to burst into flames at its very name.

"OH MY GOD!! THE FLAMES, THEY BURN!!!!!! I'll quickly jump in that bath of water named 'Star Lord'!!"

*WHOOOOOMPH*

(Turned out to be a bathtub of Inferno gel, who knew?)

[BlakeAteIt]

Actually, Metal Fire is pretty good, too.