In this BattleTech BattleReview I’m going to take a look at the newly published Technical Readout Jihad (TROJ) a 190 page physical book/PDF by Catalyst Game Labs. I’ll take a look starting from the point of view of new players and then from an experienced players point of view and looking at what this release might mean for the future direction of BattleTech.
TROJ is the third in Catalysts Game Labs new series of Technical Readouts, after TRO: Succession Wars (TROSW) and TRO: Clan Invasion (TROCI). As with the other TRO’s this document is written with the design theme of a real in universe document (or what is referred to as The Fluff). It starts with a preface all the way from 3250…. No wait – we’ll get to that later! The document is split into InnerSphere and then Clan ‘Mechs and then by Class (Light, Medium, Heavy and Assault)/Tonnage (from 20-100).
In total TROJ contained 94 BattleMech designs. There are 18 Clan ‘Mechs and 74 InnerSphere ‘Mechs (which includes some of the infamous Word of Blake Celestial Series: Malak, Deva, Seraph, Archangel). While most ‘Mechs are completely new designs, there are also some updates to classics such as the GRF-6S Griffin and the SHD-12C Shadow Hawk. Each 2 page entry includes a page of fluff and a page of game play data to allow you to write these ‘Mechs onto a blank sheet (If you still do this I would suggest using an online service like MekFactory before you go blind filling in little dots!), and an image of the ‘Mech done as a black and white line drawing. The fluff includes key in universe data (Speed, manufacturers etc), an overview, capacities and deployment (and some include alternate configurations and famous MechWarriors).
As with TROCI, to fully use the BattleMechs in TROJ you do need to have a copy of Total War as this includes the rules for many advanced technologies, such as Heavy Lasers, Heavy/Light Gause Rifles, Angel ECM etc. It doesn’t however contain the “Experimental” Tech found in the TechManual.
What was the Jihad? Here’s a 30 second primer!
In 3067 the Federated Commonwealth Civil War of 3062-3067 ended with Prince Victor Steiner-Davion deposing his ambitious usurping sister Katherine Steiner-Davion. Victor immediately abdicated from his title and left the now split Lyran Alliance in the hands of his younger brother Peter and the Federated Suns in the hands of his younger sister Yvonne. The great houses one again met to discuss the future of the Second Star League, which had been responsible for the complete destruction of Clan Smoke Jaguar in 3061 (OK… Maybe not complete….). Even with the new admission of the Word of Blake and the Taurian Concordat the talks soon broke down when several houses including the Federated Suns and Lyran Alliance, withdrew from the League. The enraged Word of Blake took this moment to act decisively! [To save the InnerSphere from political infighting and bring a final defeat to the Clans – Unknown user.]
The Word of Blake (WOB or WOBies), named after legendary ComStar founder Jerome Blake, was a quasi-religious off shoot of ComStar led by Demona Aziz (Precentor Atreus). In 3052 they split from ComStar after the First Circuit elected Sharilar Mori (Precentor Dieron) as Primus with Anastasius Focht’s backing. Mori strongly favoured making ComStar a more open, secular organization rather than the quasi-religious order that it had been in the past and the Primus lead reforms to secularise the order and remove the move radical ideologies, so those members with said radical ideologies got up and left – invited by Captain-General Thomas Marik, they found sanctuary on several worlds in the Free World’s League where they took over running the HPG network there. In 3058 they launched Operation Odysseus and succeeded in a surprise assault in retaking Terra (Earth) from ComStar.
On seeing the collapse of the Second Star League, the WOB acted. Nuclear devices were dropped on the capital cities of Tharkad (Lyran Alliance) and New Avalon (Federated Suns). Their aim, to sweep away the Successor Houses and take control of the InnerSphere and to defeat the Clans once and for all. The next 15 years of war saw the unrestrained used of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear and biological) and numerous war crimes, once again destroying much of the InnerSphere’s factories and technology base. By the end of the war, ‘Mechs not seen in centuries such as the Mackie and original/primitive models of classics such as the Shadow Hawk and Griffin were pushed into service as the factories and technologies to make newer designs of ‘Mechs (and other things like WarShips) were destroyed.
Eventually, a mysterious figure called Devlin Stone arose. Escaping from a WOB prison on Kittery along with David Lear (Son of the legendary Kai Allard-Liao and Deirdre Lear), Devlin Stone went on to form an alliance of InnerSphere and Clan forces to finally defeat the WOB in 3082 an usher in a new era of peace and prosperity under the Republic of the Sphere for the next 50 years (except of course for those duplicitous Capellans).
If you want to find out more about the Jihad era, the following are available as PDF’s from the Catalyst Game Labs online store:
- Blake Ascending (Omnibus of Dawn of the Jihad and Jihad Hotspots: 3070)
- Total Chaos
- Jihad Conspiracies
- Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents
- Jihad Hotspots: 3072
- Jihad Hotspots: 3074
- Jihad Hotspots: 3076
- Jihad Hotspots: Terra
- Jihad: Final Reckoning
- (Plus several scenario/turning point books)
Let’s take a more detailed look at this from the veteran BattleTech players point of view without opening the can of worms of people’s opinion on the Jihad (Marthe Pryde – you will be avenged!)
Over the course of the new series of TRO’s Catalyst has set a firm path for the franchise in making BattleMechs the centre of the game.
Whereas previous TRO’s had vehicles, aerospace, infantry, Battle Armor, ProtoMechs, IndustrialMechs, Dropships, Jumpships and Warships – TROSW, TROCI and the new TROJ are all BattleMechs, and only BattleMechs. TROJ collects BattleMech designs (not all) from the following books: TRO3050 Upgrade, TRO 3055 Upgrade, TRO 3058 Upgrade, TRO 3060, TRO 3067, TRO Phoenix, TRO 3075, and TRO 3085. All of these are still however available as PDF’s on the Catalyst Game Labs web store and still have useful extra units.
For new players this can make the game a little more accessible without the need to think about all the rules for combined arms warfare, but for the experience player may seem an oversight.
None of the ‘Mech’s in TROJ are new to BattleTech and most of the fluff text is recycled from prior editions although some of the unseen designs have been included which had disappeared from the TRO Upgrade’s such as the Griffin IIC and GRF-6SGriffin. The layout of the book has reverted to a more simple and clean format, without the background/edging templates seen in TRO 3075 and 3085. The publish PDF is also very optimised for use due to the more clean layout and also has a hyperlinked contents page.
The game data does lack a couple of items seen in prior TRO’s. Firstly, as with TROSW and TROCI there are no BattleValues (BV2) values as seen in the prior series. This is probably a good thing as now days it’s easy to look them up on the Master Unit List and if the BV ever needed to be updated it wouldn’t make the book out of date. One item I would like to see more is the date first fielded. You can sometimes find this in the fluff but it’s not always clear (You can find this on programs like MegaMek). Lastly it would be nice to have some clear dividing pages between the InnerSphere and Clan ‘Mechs, with maybe a preface for each.
If you’re a new player this is a great way to get all those ‘Mechs is one easy reference book. If you’re an experience player who owns every edition of TRO since the dawn of the Star League then there isn’t much new to be had (although only the FASA 1st editions of some TRO’s have the original unseen entries), but the crisp formatting and easy accessibility may make it worth the buy. Players who want to delve deeper into the game with vehicles, Battle Armour etc may find that they still need the other BattleTech TRO’s as well.
Finally, there is that preface! It is written in 3250 by Star League Lore Master Stephan Roshak and that name and other things give some very interesting glimpses into the future IlKhan source book set in 3150.
Here is a complete listing of all the BattleMechs in TROJ and their prior TRO below. You can also access this spreadsheet from this link https://1drv.ms/x/s!Asv8Dn0xvFQPipRHmzDLMeKB0oy19Q?e=nNNRWV.
| 3025 (1996) | Phoenix (2002) | 3039 (2008) | 3050U (2007) | 3055U (2012) | 3058 (1995) | 3060 (1998) | 3063 (2012) | 3067 (2002) | 3075 (2008) | 3085 (2010) | |
| Solitaire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ocelot | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Griffin IIC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Phantom | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pouncer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hellfire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arcas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ha Otoko | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Linebaker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Flamberge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Night Gyr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryoken II | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Phoenix Hawk IIC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deimos | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Savage Coyote | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mad Cat MK II | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Cygnus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Hellstar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| KBO-7A Kabuto | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RDS-2A Red Shift | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| JKR-8T Jackrabbit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| NXS2-A Nexus II | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| HM-1 Hitman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C-MK-O Malak | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| NX-80 Nyx | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| OSR-3D Osiris | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| V4-LNT-K7 Valiant | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| GUR-2G Gurkha | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| STO-4A Stiletto | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| TR-A-6 Toro | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| WGT-1LAW/SC Wight | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| CMA-1S Chimera | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| DMO-1K Daimya | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| INI-02 Initiate | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RPT-3X Raptor II | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SYU-2B Sha Yu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| BEO-12 Beowulf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BLF-21 Blue Flame | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| CBR-02 Cobra | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EFT-7X Eisenfaust | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| HSN-7D Hellspawn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| KIM-2 Komodo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C-PRT-O Preta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| SNK-1V Snake | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STH-1D Stealth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BTZ-3F Blitzkrieg | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GST-10 Ghost | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| LGN-2D Legionnaire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| RJN-200-A Raijin II | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UZL-3S Uziel | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| BCN-3R Buccaneer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GRF-6S Griffin | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GRM-R-PR29 Grim Reaper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LGH-4W Lightray | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| MS1-O Men Shen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OSP-26 Osprey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NH-2 Rook | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SCP-12S Scorpion | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SHD-12C Shadow Hawk | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| CRS-6B Crossbow | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| GLH-2D Galahad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| C-GRG-O Grigori | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| HEL-3D Helios | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OSR-4L Ostroc | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OTL-6D Ostsol | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TSG-9H Ti Ts’ang | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OWR-3M Ostwar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SHY-3B Shen Yi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| TMP-3M Tempest | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C-DVA-O Deva | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| THR-1L Thunder | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHF-3B White Flame | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| BNDR-01A Bandersnatch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LHU-2B Lao Hu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| P1 Perseus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| TNS-4S Thanatos | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| TYM-1A Toyama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GOL-4S Goliath | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GRN-D-04 Grand Crusader II | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LGC-01 Legacy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| PPR-5S Salamander | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BLR-2D Warlord | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| C-SRO-O Seraph | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TSH-7A Tai-Sho | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TLR1-O Templar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hai-O Hauptmann | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SGT-8R Sagittaire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| C-ANG-O Archangel | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| AS7-D-H Atlas II | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FNR-5 Fafnir | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| T-IT-N10M Grand Titan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TI-2P Titan II | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VQR-2A Vanquisher | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
ComStar 