Total Warfare Q & A

Q: What is Total Warfare?

A: Previously, a new book would introduce new information, equipment and rules for using that equipment, and each new book would add a few items. As a result, tournament-legal rules and equipment will be found in literally dozens of books, scattered around in a manner difficult, or for some, impossible, to find.

Total Warfare is the first in a series of Classic BattleTech books which changes the manner in which information is presented. Total Warfare is the rulebook in this series, and contains the basic rules for playing Classic BattleTech using all tournament-legal rules. These aren't called Level 1 or Level 2 anymore; as far as rules levels are concerned, there is only standard, or tournament-legal rules, and advanced rules. Advanced rules will be the subject of future books in the series.

Notice I stated that Total Warfare is a rulebook, and I used that wording for a reason: It has rules for using all the tournament-legal equipment, but not for designing with it. For example, some new equipment is included in Total Warfare, but the size (crits) and mass (tons) for that equipment is not given; those will be the subject of the Classic BattleTech TechManual, which was released in PDF format in March 2007.

Q: Are Classic BattleTech rules and equipment changing?

A: Not really. Over 95% of the rules and equipment will be the same as they've been for a very long time. The main thing that Total Warfare does is to clarify rules that have been ambiguous, and put all standard rules into a single publication. However, there are some new or revised rules, some of which have been adopted from Maximum Tech and other sources. In addition, there are some new weapons and equipment. Again, some have been adopted from MaxTech, while others are new to the game. But the vast majority of rules and equipment are not changing. 

Q: When was Total Warfare released?

A: Just released in August of 2006, this book will take a while to even reach dealers' shelves, due to some production delays. The next in the series, the TechManual, was released in March 2007 in PDF format, and has yet to reach print (as of July 2007), with other books in the series spread out over a year after that.

Q: How will Total Warfare affect the HeavyMetal programs?

A: In the short term, not much. As most of the rules and equipment are the same as previous, the HeavyMetal programs, such as HeavyMetal Pro, can be used as they are. All Level 2 equipment (by the old rules) are still legal as tournament-legal in Total Warfare. However, starting with HMPro, the programs will have major upgrades to add a wealth of new features and improvements, and when doing that, any changes in Total Warfare that affect the programs, such as new record sheet designs, will be done at that time.

Q: Do the HeavyMetal programs have Total Warfare rules and equipment in them?

A: The programs don't really have rules as such in them, so that isn't very applicable. But in the short term, the current HeavyMetal programs will not have the new Total Warfare equipment in them. With the TechManual, only recently released, it will take a while for those changes to be included in the programs.

All of the programs will be rewritten to include all the new equipment, and as applicable, the rules as well. For example, Total Warfare includes new and updated record sheet designs. Those new record sheets will be a part of the new series of programs. What with all the other projects I have to work on, it makes no sense to go back and change the current programs to include this and some other data; some changes are more radical, and the only way of doing Total Warfare justice is to have a major rewrite of the programs.

Q: Will the new programs with Total Warfare rules be free updates to those who own the programs now?

A: No, they won't. Since the introduction of HeavyMetal Pro in July of 2000, updates, which often included new features, weapons and equipment, have been free. However, with the major rewrite required for the new programs, due to both Total Warfare and the TechManual, in addition to all the new and improved program features that will be included, I simply cannot provide the new updates at no cost. A new version of the programs (such as HMPro6, in the case of HMPro) will be released at a somewhat higher price. However, anyone who currently owns the a previous version of the program, will be able to purchase the new one at an upgrade price of approximately one-half the new price. As this is the first time an upgrade fee has been charged since introduction of the programs, I think that's fair.

Q: When will the new programs, such as HMPro6, be available?

A: I can't say for sure. I will be devoting most of my time to the HMPro6 project, but for such a major rewrite, it will take time. So, the earliest that HMPro6 could be released would probably be the middle of 2008. Other HeavyMetal programs rewritten to the new rules and equipment would follow that.

Q: Are you saying that I can't use the Total Warfare rules until the new programs come out??