BattleTech Trading Card Game: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Collectible card game}}

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{{Infobox_Game | subject_name= BattleTech

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The '''''BattleTech Trading Card Game''''' is an out-of-print [[collectible card game]] (CCG) set in the ''[[BattleTech]]'' universe. The game was developed by [[Wizards of the Coast]] (WotC) for [[FASA Corporation|FASA]] and released in 1996. It went out of print after its last expansion, Crusade, in 1998.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Battletech CCG – Very Cool Card Games |url=https://www.vintageccg.com/battletech-ccg/ |access-date=2024-09-10 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Description==

The ''BattleTech Trading Card Game'' was designed by [[Richard Garfield]], the designer of ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]''; both games use a similar style of gameplay and card distribution. It was produced from November 1996 through 2001{{Dubious|date=September 2024}},<ref name="MILLER2">{{Citation |last=Miller |first=John Jackson |title=Scrye Collectible Card Game Checklist & Price Guide, Second Edition | year=2003 |pages=87–95 |postscript=.}}</ref> and features BattleMechs, characters, and technology from the original ''BattleTech'' board game, with new artwork done by various artists.

==Gameplay==

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==Sets==

The game was released in November 1996 with a Limited base set (with black bordered cards), followed by Unlimited base set in February 1997 (with teal-blue border).<ref name=":0" />

In July 1998, Wizards of the Coast released ''Commander's Edition'', a redesign of the base set and its third release following the limited and unlimited sets.<ref name="Hannes">{{cite magazine|title=building a better BattleTech|last=Hannes|first=Jeff|issue=39|magazine=[[InQuest Gamer|InQuest]]|publisher=[[Wizard Entertainment]]|pages=14|date=July 1998}}</ref> The company's assistant brand manager Michael Brooks stated that ''Commander's Edition'' was the game the company "ideally would have put out the first time around".<ref name="Hannes" /> This was not a reprint, though, as it included cards from expansion sets and removed cards that were not useful or otherwise "broken".<ref name="Hannes" /> It was sold in 60-card starter decks and 15-card [[booster pack]]s.<ref name="Hannes" />

TheAfter that, the game's released several [[expansion set]]s were:

* [[BattleTech: Counterstrike|Counterstrike]] (April 1997)<ref name="Duelist4">{{Citation | last = Cyznyk | first =Ace Ace| title = More Bang for Your Buck | pages date=October 58–591997 | newspaper = The Duelist | date issue= October 1997#19 | issue pages=#1958–59}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

* Mercenaries (August 1997) <ref name="Duelist4" /><ref name=":0" />

* Mechwarrior (August 1997) <ref name=":0" />

* Arsenal (March 1998)<ref name=":0" />

* Crusade (November 1998)<ref name=":0" />

In July<ref name=":0" /> or August 1998,<ref name="Hannes" /> Wizards of the Coast released ''Commander's Edition'', a redesign of the base set and its third release following the limited and unlimited sets.<ref name="Hannes">{{cite magazine|title=building a better BattleTech|last=Hannes|first=Jeff|issue=39|magazine=[[InQuest Gamer|InQuest]]|publisher=[[Wizard Entertainment]]|pages=14|date=July 1998}}</ref> The company's assistant brand manager Michael Brooks stated that ''Commander's Edition'' was the game the company "ideally would have put out the first time around".<ref name="Hannes" /> This was not a reprint, though, as it included cards from expansion sets and removed cards that were not useful or otherwise "broken".<ref name="Hannes" /> It was sold in 60-card starter decks and 15-card [[booster pack]]s.<ref name="Hannes" />

==Reception==

InSteve theFaragher Octoberreviewed 1997''BattleTech'' edition offor ''[[DragonArcane (magazine)|DragonArcane]]'' (Issue 240)magazine, [[Rickrating Swan]]it likeda this7 collectibleout of card10 gameoverall, callingand itstated that "simpleNot (muchone easier,of inRichard factGarfield's best games, thanthis theis ''Magic:over-reliant Theon Gathering''previous game,successes designedand bynot theany samebetter guy)than andthe addictiveoriginal (which''BattleTech''. meansIt's youstill betterjolly startclever, savingthough, upand forgood thefun boosters)to play."<ref name=dragon240"Arcane15">{{cite journal | last =Swan Faragher |first=Rick|author-link=Rick Swan| date=October 1997Steve | title =Roleplaying Games Reviews | journal = [[DragonArcane (magazine)|DragonArcane]]|publisher=[[TSR (company)|TSR, Inc.]]|issue =240 15 | pages =11462-63 |date=January 1997}}</ref>

In Issue 1 of ''Backstab'', Stéphane Bura liked some of the game mechanics, but ultimately found that the game's biggest fault was the "poor quality of the composition and design of the cards" compared to rival CCGs ''[[Netrunner]]'' and ''[[Mirage (Magic: The Gathering)|Mirage]]''. Bura concluded by giving the game a below average rating of 6 out of 10.<ref name="bs">{{cite magazine|last=Bura|first=Stéphane |date=January–February 1997|title=Critiques|magazine=Backstab|issue=1|pages=51|url =https://archive.org/details/backstab-magazine-french-01/page/n49/mode/2up | access-date=2021-07-21|language=fr}}</ref>

In the October 1997 edition of ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' (Issue 240), [[Rick Swan]] liked this collectible card game, calling it "simple (much easier, in fact, than the ''Magic: The Gathering'' game, designed by the same guy) and addictive (which means you better start saving up for the boosters)."<ref name=dragon240>{{cite journal|last=Swan|first=Rick|author-link=Rick Swan| date=October 1997 |title=Roleplaying Reviews|journal=[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]|publisher=[[TSR (company)|TSR, Inc.]]|issue=240|pages=114}}</ref>

The ''Arsenal'' expansion, which introduced a new card type, vehicles, resulted in the need for extensive errata and has been credited with bringing the game to its end.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Seavey|first=John|date=2009-10-22|title=Fraggmented: Games Past: Battletech TCG|url=https://fraggmented.blogspot.com/2009/10/games-past-battletech-tcg.html|access-date=2021-04-16|website=Fraggmented}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=July 2021}}

==Reviews==

*''Arcane'' #15 (January 1997)

*''[[:fr:Backstab|Backstab]]'' #9 (Arsenal)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/backstab-magazine-french-09/page/n23/mode/2up | title=Backstab Magazine (French) Issue 09 }}</ref>

*''[[:fr:Backstab|Backstab]]'' #11 (Commander's Edition)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/backstab-011/page/70/mode/2up | title=Backstab #011 | date=1998 }}</ref>

==References==

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[[Category:BattleTech games]]

[[Category:Card games introduced in 1996]]

[[Category:CollectibleDiscontinued collectible card games]]

[[Category:Richard Garfield games]]

[[Category:Wizards of the Coast games]]

[[Category:Products and services discontinued in 1998]]