Getting into BattleTech
What is the difference between BattleTech and MechWarrior?
BattleTech is the universe and the tabletop wargame, where you command your 'Mechs from above. MechWarrior is the name of the video games in which you pilot a single 'Mech from the cockpit, and of the roleplaying game. Both share the same setting, the same units and the same history.
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What is the difference between Classic BattleTech and Alpha Strike?
Classic BattleTech is the detailed game on a hex map: every 'Mech has a record sheet with armour per location, heat and critical hits, and a lance-sized battle fills an evening. Alpha Strike uses one card per unit and simpler rules, so larger forces fit into the same time, on hexes or open terrain.
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Where do I start with BattleTech?
With the free quick-start rules on battletech.com and the Sarna wiki. The Catalyst Demo Team runs games for newcomers at conventions and in shops, and many of the communities listed here welcome beginners' questions.
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Is there a free way to try BattleTech?
Yes, several. The publisher offers the quick-start rules as a free download, MegaMek plays the tabletop game on the computer for free, and MechWarrior Online is free to play. Nearly every tool listed here, from force builders to record sheets, costs nothing as well.
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Playing on the computer
Which BattleTech video game should I start with?
It depends on what you want. For action from the cockpit, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, alone or in a co-op lance. For turn-based tactics and running a mercenary company, BATTLETECH by Harebrained Schemes. For the tabletop rules on the computer, at no cost, MegaMek.
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Can I play BattleTech online for free?
Yes. MegaMek plays the tabletop game against friends over the network, MechWarrior Online offers free-to-play team battles from the cockpit, and MechWarrior: Living Legends is a fan-made multiplayer game. Inner Sphere Online is a newer turn-based game in the browser, playable as a demo.
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What are popular mods for MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries?
Two well-known ones: YAML (Yet Another Mechlab) unlocks the mechlab and adds weapon upgrades and salvage, and MercTech overhauls combat with through-armour criticals, knockdowns and component damage. Both need the original game. For the BATTLETECH tactics game, RogueTech is the big overhaul.
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Can I still play MechCommander?
Yes. MechCommander OmniTech is a free standalone game built on the MechCommander 2 source code that Microsoft released, so you need neither the disc nor the original game. Fans have written new campaigns for it.
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At the table
Where do I get BattleTech record sheets?
The official Master Unit List has record sheets for its units, free. MegaMekLab prints record sheets for any unit, including your own designs, and Flechs Sheets keeps them in the browser, with damage tracking during the game.
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How do I build a force for Alpha Strike?
With a force builder that adds up the point values for you. The official Master Unit List has one; MekBay and Jeff's BattleTech Tools cover Alpha Strike and Classic BattleTech, and The Tactical Screen prints ready-to-use unit cards.
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How do I design my own 'Mech?
With a unit designer that follows the construction rules and checks that a design is legal. MegaMekLab builds every unit type and prints the record sheet, Solaris Skunk Werks is a desktop designer for BattleMechs and more, and Jeff's BattleTech Tools has a 'Mech creator in the browser.
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Is there a campaign manager for BattleTech?
Yes. MekHQ runs a mercenary command on the computer: personnel, finances, repairs and contracts, with the battles fought in MegaMek. The BattleTech Campaign Engine is made for groups that meet every week, with contracts, chained missions and live record sheets on every player's phone.
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Where can I find paint schemes for my miniatures?
Camo Specs Online sorts regimental paint schemes by faction, with more than 5000 painted miniatures as examples, and the Unit Color Compendium collects colour schemes and palettes in a searchable list.
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About HPGnet
What is HPGnet?
HPGnet is an unofficial, non-commercial directory of BattleTech fan projects: maps, games, tools, wikis, events and communities, with the latest posts from their own sites. It gathers what is otherwise spread over many Discords, subreddits and forums, and every link goes straight to the project.
Is HPGnet official?
No. HPGnet is a fan project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by The Topps Company, Microsoft, Catalyst Game Labs or any other rights holder. What the rights holders make or license, such as the Master Unit List or the MechWarrior games, is listed first and marked as official, because newcomers look for it.
What does HPG stand for?
In BattleTech, a hyperpulse generator (HPG) sends messages across light years in an instant, and ComStar runs the network that links the Inner Sphere. HPGnet borrows the name for a hub that links the fan scene.
How do I get my project listed?
Write to info@hpgnet.org with the link and a sentence about what it does. We list free fan projects about BattleTech in any language, as long as they are alive, or worth keeping as an archive.
Can I have my project removed?
Yes. Write to info@hpgnet.org and the entry comes down, no questions asked. The same address takes corrections, for example a new link or a better description.
Where do the latest posts come from?
From the projects' own sites: their news feeds or, for a few sites, the title, date and link of their newest posts. We show the headline and link to the original; the full text stays with the project.
What are the pictures on the entries?
The image a site names for sharing, the same one a messenger shows when you share the link. We keep a small copy, so your browser loads nothing from third parties. Sites that name no such image appear without one.
Does HPGnet use cookies or track me?
No cookies and no tracking across sites. We count page views with our own anonymous measurement on our own server, and your browser keeps two small settings on your device. The privacy page has the details.
Who runs HPGnet?
A single BattleTech fan from Germany, in their spare time and without any income from the site. The imprint has the details.