Solaris7, the resource site

Solaris7 went online in 1998 and grew into one of the large homes of the tabletop community. Members posted fiction and their own 'Mechs, fighters, battle armour and vehicles, kept armouries of unit designs, and used the forums, a gallery, a planetary database and a download section. Sarna describes a large group of veterans who helped new players design their units, and regular design contests.

The site left traces elsewhere too: Solaris Skunk Werks, the free unit designer, was written for the users of the Solaris7 community. The resource site ran until 2016; by May 2017 only the forum was left, and it is still there today.

The earliest snapshot from November 1998 shows nothing but a notice about technical difficulties. The October 2007 snapshot is the fullest picture: armouries, fiction, message boards, IRC chat and a list of BattleMechs posted between 2004 and 2007.