BattleTech Trading Card Game: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Collectible card game}}

{{Unreferenced|date=March 2008}}

{{italic title}}

{{Infobox_Game | subject_name= BattleTech

| image_link= File:BattleTech cardbackBattleTech_cardback.jpg

| image_caption=Card back to BattleTech CCGTCG

| designer= [[Richard Garfield]]

| publisher= [[Wizards of the Coast]]

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| playing_time= Approx 20 min

| random_chance= Some

| skills= [[Collectibletrading card game|Card playing]]<br>[[Mathematics|Arithmetic]]<br>Basic Reading Ability

| footnotes=

}}

The '''''BattleTech CollectibleTrading 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]] using a similar style of gameplay and cardreleased distributionin as WotC's ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]''1996. It waswent designedout byof [[Richardprint Garfield]].after Itsits productionlast ran from 1996 through 2001. The ''BattleTech CCG'' featured [[BattleMech]]sexpansion, charactersCrusade, andin technology1998.<ref fromname=":0">{{Cite theweb original|title=Battletech boardCCG game,– withVery newCool artworkCard doneGames by various artists|url=https://www.vintageccg.com/battletech-ccg/ Currently, the ''BattleTech CCG'' is [[out|access-ofdate=2024-print09-10 |nolanguage=en-US}}</ref> longer in print]].

==Description==

The goal of the game is to make your opponent run out of cards from his or her stockpile (deck of cards). The one without any cards left, loses the game. The most basic way of achieving this, is to attack your enemy's stockpile with mechs and other units.

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==

The goal of the game is to make your opponent run out of cards from his or hertheir stockpile (deck of cards).<ref name="Duelist">{{Citation | title = Wizards of the Coast News| page = 11 | newspaper = The Duelist | date = September 1996 | issue =#12}}</ref> The one without any cards left, loses the game. The most basic way of achieving this, is to attack your enemy's stockpile with mechs and other units.

Each player will need a deck with a maximum of 60 cards. Those decks can consist of any combination of cards the player desires, although when playing with official FASA rules, choosing cards for your deck will be limited, e.g. only cards from one faction/clan. The right assortment of cards can prove vital to victory and is mostly linked to certain tactics.

===Turn sequence===

The turn sequence is divided into 6 phases, played in the following order.

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During the deploy phase, you will use special command cards (Command Resource) to buy off the costs of units and other command cards like pilots, political personalities and structures. Once they are paid for, they are put into play (deploy) and can be used to attack your opponents or gain tactical advantages. While attacking certain targets during a mission, your units can be aided by mission cards (which may be played as an instant) that give them the edge in fighting your enemy and his or her units.

===Card types===

* Unit, including mechs, battlesuits and vehicles

* Command, including resource, structures and pilots

* Mission, aka instants

==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" />

After that, the game released several [[expansion set]]s:

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

Steve Faragher reviewed ''BattleTech'' for ''[[Arcane (magazine)|Arcane]]'' magazine, rating it a 7 out of 10 overall, and stated that "Not one of Richard Garfield's best games, this is over-reliant on previous successes and not any better than the original ''BattleTech''. It's still jolly clever, though, and good fun to play."<ref name="Arcane15">{{cite journal | last = Faragher |first = Steve | title = Games Reviews | journal = [[Arcane (magazine)|Arcane]] | issue = 15 | pages =62-63 |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==

*''[[: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==

{{Reflist}}

*[http://sarna.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/rules/ccg/bt_players_guide.pdf BattleTech Rulebook], 1998

==Further reading==

*{{cite magazine|title=BattleTech: 'Meching it happen|last=Ryan|first=Michael G.|magazine=[[The Duelist (magazine)|The Duelist]]|issue=14|publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]]|pages=64–66|date=December 1996}}

*{{cite magazine|title=Ar-se-nal! Ar-sen-al!|last=Gutschera|first=Robert|magazine=The Duelist|issue=24|publisher=Wizards of the Coast|pages=88–90|date=April 1998}}

*{{cite magazine|title=Command performance|last=Carnes|first=Shawn F.|magazine=The Duelist|issue=28|publisher=Wizards of the Coast|pages=86–87|date=August 1998}}

*{{cite magazine|title=Vehicular 'mechslaughter|last=Schiwmmer|first=Dave|magazine=The Duelist|issue=29|publisher=Wizards of the Coast|page=91|date=September 1998}}<!-- about broken Vehicle cards and errata-->

*{{cite magazine|title=Commander's crusade|last=Carnes|first=Shawn F.|magazine=The Duelist|issue=34|publisher=Wizards of the Coast|pages=80–81|date=February 1999}}<!-- Crusade card set -->

==External links==

*[http://sarna.net/bt-ccg.shtml An unofficial ''BattleTech CCGTCG'' card database]

*[http://sarna.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/rules/ccg/bt_players_guide.pdf BattleTech Rulebook], 1998

*{{bgg|3487|''BattleTech CollectibleTrading Card Game''}}

*[http://www.gamecabinet.com/reviews/BattletechCCG.html Review] at www.gamecabinet.com

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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]]