BattleTech BattlePack: Fourth Succession War (1998)

Overview

From the back of the book:

In the year 3028, the leaders of the Great Houses of the Inner Sphere gathered on the planet Terra as First Prince Hanse Davion of the Federated Suns and Heir-designate Melissa Steiner of the Lyran Commonwealth were joined in marriage. Historians prophesied that t heir union -- and the union of their two Houses -- would usher in an age of peace and prosperity not seen since the fall of the Star League. But they were wrong -- because even as the marriage ceremony took place, thousands of BattleMechs stood poised to launch one of the largest military campaigns in centuries!

The BattlePack is a new and innovative game supplement that requires only the contents of the BattleTech 4th Edition boxed set to play, making it ideal for the beginning player while offering seasoned players the opportunity to experience the BattleTech universe as it began. BattlePack: Fourth Succession War is based on events in Michael Stackpole's classic Warrior Trilogy novel series. From the opening salvos until the final shots ring out, this supplement takes you step-by-step through the titanic struggle known as the Fourth Succession War.

This expansion features:

Ten new, ready-to-play scenarios. The new, never-before-seen Woodland BattleTech map. Eight additional BattleMech record sheets, four of which are new variants:BJ-3 Blackjack, HOP-4B Hoplite, CTF-2X Cataphract and CGR-1A5 Charger. 20 full-color stand-up playing pieces.

User comment:

This BattlePack is out of print, and it's increasingly difficult to find a complete pack that includes the playing pieces and map. Although it's described by FASA as their first BattlePack, it was also the last.

The main sourcebook itself is still useable without the pieces although just over half of the scenarios in the pack use the Woodlands Map when setting up the map. It's unclear if the map will be re-released at any point by the current licence holder, although other heavily wooded maps with hills such as the two Rolling Hills maps re-released in the Classic BattleTech Map Compilation 1 are reasonable substitutes. The four new 'Mech variants described as new with this expansion have since been re-released in various other expansions.