BattleTech: Shrapnel, Issue #12:

BattleTech Universe #Mag12

by Philip A. Lee

SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE…

The Official BattleTech Magazine puts your loyalty to the test amid unrelenting BattleMech combat that spans the war-torn battlefields of the 31st century and beyond!

The head of a security team must seek unusual allies to keep the First Prince of the Federated Suns safe from assassination. An aging Elemental warrior imparts lasting lessons to a young cadet when pirates threaten everything he holds dear. A young IndustrialMech pilot must use the only weapon he knows in the face of rampaging occupiers.

In this issue, you’ll visit the Unwearied Second’s 1,000th birthday celebration, a gala attended by the upper crust of Lyran society. Then roll up your sleeves and dive into testing a dangerous but powerful experimental weapon system. Stand firm with the Nova Cats, who try to hold back the inevitable tide of destiny, and travel to the Mercenary’s Star to navigate through scams and con artists in order to find the right outfit to call home.

Sign your contract and seek victory, with the help of mercenary-advice articles, technical readouts, unit digests, an in-depth look at the true nature of the “Death to Mercenaries” edict, and more—all by BattleTech veterans and new

Tom Leveen
Geoff “Doc” Swift
Charles Gideon
Robert Schubert
James Bixby
Alan Brundage
Kelvin Casing
Jason DeSouza
James Kirtley
Craig A. Reed, Jr.
Alayna M. Weathers
Alex Fauth
Jason Hansa
Ken’ Horner
Chris Hussey
Daniel Isberner
Ben Klinefelter
Matt Larson
Wunji Lau
Lorcan Nagle
Eric Salzman
Stephen Toropov

Genres: Science Fiction

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 13, 2023

Reviews

[StevevetS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Individual story ratings:

Without Warning: 3
Voices of the Sphere: Mercenary Dependents: 1.5
It Ends in Fire: 4
JN-G9B JINGGAU: 4
The Shoulders of Giants: 3
Unit Digest: Steel Wolves: 3
Death to Mercenaries: Rhetoric vs. Reality: 3
Winning the Battle, Losing the War: 1.5
Unit Digest: Old Guard (Hansen’s Roughriders): 3.5
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Homeland: 2
Dying Breed: 1.5
Mercenary Entertainment Network Digest: December 3151: 2
Sea*List Ads: The Kandersteg Catalog: 2
Everything Up There: 1
Three Ways Home PART 4 (of 4): 1
No Hard Feelings: How to Maintain Professionalism When You Kill People for a Living: 2
Planet Digest: Rahway II: 2.5
Foolproof: 3
A Game of Armored Combat: Celebrating 700 Years of BattleMech Warfare: 2
The Graceland Gaffe: A MechWarrior: Destiny Mission Briefing: 1.5
Making Them Pay: Mercenary Logistics and Finances for the Freebooting Quartermaster: 2.5
Three White Roses: 4.5
Unit Digest: Killer Bees: 3
One Thousand: 1.5
Chaos Campaign Scenario: Am I My Brother’s Keeper?: 2.5
Never Trust the Recruitment Posters: 3.5

[Kevin K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent Battletech anthology. My personal preference is less ilClan era more 4th Succession Wars / Clan Invasion, but I'll take what I can get. Decent stories, some gameplay background info, as well as a Chaos Campaign mission.

All in all 3.5 /5 (rounded up!)

[Walter Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Great read I love these short stories as they cover so many different views of the battletech universe from all the different era's great fun.

[Tim Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good stories, strictly for those who like Battletech.

[Valerie Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a fun read.

I don't have much time to read physical books so the vignettes in Shrapnel make a fun read right before bed.