For a light 'Mech, Janis Nova Cat's Arbalest is extraordinary. Its first exceptional quality is the range of its secondary ballistic weaponry. A 14-inch range and huge 270° front arc gives the Arbalest an unparalleled ranged combat capability for a light 'Mech. Furthermore, the Spirit Cat-made Arbalest has incredible durability, better than many medium 'Mechs. Combine these attributes with a high speed and vent rating of 3 and this unique 'Mech offers outstanding value and versatility in any battleforce. Use it to hang back and provide long-range support or deploy it as you would a medium 'Mech to provide a superior response to any threat that presents itself.

"Pyro" Peterson's Firestarter is a very specialized 'Mech that can be difficult to use effectively. In the proper battleforce with sufficient support to allow him to focus on its strengths, though, Firestarter is lethal in combat against opposing 'Mechs. It's best to have "Pyro" hang back and engage lesser targets with his medium-range weapons initially. Given the opportunity, move him into base contact with an opposing 'Mech already engaged with your other units and open up with his Firestarter's Flamers special equipment. Inflicting multiple clicks of heat on most opposing 'Mechs severely impairs their combat effectiveness and allow your battleforce to overwhelm it. Watch out if things go badly for "Pyro"; his weak armor and shallow combat dial don't permit him to take very much damage before he is eliminated.

Fetanet Eryaman's Panther is an economical light 'Mech equipped with good armor protection for its size. Use the Panther in the traditional reconnaissance and harassment roles of a light 'Mech. Its modest top speed will limit its ability to flank opponents, but its exceptional weapon ranges and Jump Jet special equipment extend its area of influence and increase its usefulness in tight quarters. Watch the Panther's heat dial closely. The Swordsworn are notorious for over-arming their units at the expense of heat efficiency and this 'Mech is no exception. A single charge attack with the Panther will require two minor heat effects so make sure the target of the charge is worth the risk of overheating Eryaman's Panther.

Miguel V and his Pack Hunter are a terrific example of the Dragon's Fury combat ideals. The combination of a dedicated MechWarrior and a finely-tuned machine create a unit that is both blindingly fast and capable of surgical strikes both at range and in close combat. The Pack Hunter is an excellent flanking unit; use this 'Mech's speed and ranged weapons to create havoc in an opponent's backfield. Don't be afraid to get Migel V in close, as well. His Agility special equipment gives him an edge against other 'Mechs in melee and reduces ram and charge damage against him to a single click. The Pack Hunter's great heat dial allows you to push it several times before heat accumulation becomes an issue. If your rolls go badly in close combat, use Jump Jets to safely break away from your opponent.

Leena Cochrane's Hatchetman infighter 'Mech excels in the tight confines of a city fight. It lacks the blinding speed of other medium 'Mechs and needs the cover of hindering and blocking terrain to conceal its advance into base contact. Use Jump Jets to make a beeline for the enemy. Once there, a whopping 10 clicks (gasp!) of axe-wielding Hand-to-hand weapon special equipment ensures a quick demise to any opponent. In the absence of favorable terrain, the Hatchetman can be called upon for its stand-off capabilities; it sports decent medium-range ballistic weaponry to fill this role.

 

Caden Senns' Ryoken II is notable for its absence of offensive special equipment. Hardened Armor and Heavy Armor are typical special equipment for a Highlanders unit but aside from these defensive enhancements, this heavy 'Mech remains low tech. A side effect of this simplicity is the Ryoken's ease of repair; its first repair marker doesn't appear until its 8th slot allowing this 'Mech's armor protection to be restored by a Recover Vehicle during a game. Although he is highly mobile for a heavy 'Mech, don't be afraid to have Senn remain stationary and trade blows anyone. The awesome defenses of the Ryoken will protect it and allow you to deal more damage then you take.

Don't fall into the trap of using this aggressive-looking 'Mech too aggressively; its poor heat dial doesn't permit it. Use the Legionnaire as you would a light 'Mech: to scout and harass, but not for prolonged combat with opposing medium 'Mechs. Unfortunately, the Legionnaire's firepower often gets it dragged into such encounters. Use your orders judiciously and try not to push this 'Mech. Make use of its long range to avoid counter-fire. Avoid making Charge attacks with the Legionnaire unless the target has a very high priority; an ammunition explosion on an overheated full-strength Legionnaire will tear it apart and likely lose the battle.

The awesome Catapult has a long and glorious history and Meghann Tenclay now looks to attain fame with this heavy 'Mech in the Dark Age. The Catapult can unleash a powerful ballistic ranged attack out to 14 inches away and Heavy Armor reduces incoming damage permitting her to safely stay in one place and continue with the assault. The Catapult is at a disadvantage in close combat, where its lack of arms limits its melee potential. Shield Meghann with infantry to deal with close combat threats. Remember to consider a Recovery Vehicle in you battleforce with the Catapult; as a Bannson's Raiders unit, it has very few repair markers.

This medium 'Mech is a very well-balanced unit with several unusual qualities. In its starting position and second slot, the Mad Cat III has Anti-personnel special equipment and multiple target capabilities. This combination of abilities means that Fetladral can target two units and deliver a full 3 points of damage to each target successfully hit. Furthermore, any infantry in base contact with either of the targets also takes 3 clicks of damage if successfully hit. Opposing players will be punished for approaching Fetladral with formations of infantry. The Mad Cat III has unusual defensive equipment, as well. Reactive Armor protects it against the ballistic weapons often used to attack 'Mechs at long ranges.

Kriya Wolf is a tenacious MechWarrior and her versatile Tundra Wolf gives her a battlefield presence second to none! The Tundra Wolf is exceedingly fast and agile for a heavy 'Mech. Its mobility is augmented by Jump Jets which give it the ability to perform lethal death from above attacks. Use the initial single-use Armor Piercing special equipment to work Kriya into a battle fury and get to her best slots in her combat dial. Once in slot 3 or 4, remember to turn any single-use optional special equipment off if you want to avoid taking an unwanted click of damage from using the ability. Expect to do most of your damage with the Tundra Wolf's ballistic weapons, as Steel Wolf energy weapons are prone to overheating.

Dereck Hasbani pilots this awesome assault 'Mech. As a Swordsworn unit, this Atlas boasts outstanding damage values and offensive special equipment like Streak Missiles and Alpha Strike to make short work of any targets within range. Players are cautioned against using the Atlas too aggressively, though. A poor heat dial makes pushing hazardous, and the Atlas' high point cost means support units will likely be sparse. With its Hardened Armor and slow speed, it is best to let the fight come to you. Shrug off initial enemy attacks and make effective counterattacks. Consider an Alpha Strike only if you can afford to be shutdown for the three turns it will take to vent back to startup.

The Jupiter is a brute, but this Dragon's Fury 'Mech maintains the elements of speed and precision characteristic of all units of this faction. Erin is capable of tremendous damage output with the Jupiter given its weapons loadout and Improved Targeting special equipment. Once her targeting equipment has been destroyed, Erin shows off her gunnery skills by posting an attack value of 11. Impressive defense values and defensive special equipment make the Jupiter very difficult to hit, let alone destroy; expect the Jupiter to survive most engagements. Use Erin for indirect fire if no targets make themselves available in direct line of fire.

 

Read the Rules

The MiningMech is one tough customer. When this 'Mech gets in close, its Brawling and Hand-to-hand Weaponry special equipment will do a lot of damage in a hurry. What the MiningMech will not do in a hurry, however, is move into base contact with an unwilling opposing unit. This 'Mech is very slow. The green MiningMech should not run; its poor heat dial and vent rating of 1 make it hard to keep this 'Mech functional once it heats up. Use other units to engage your opponent and occupy their attention until you can move your MiningMech up and into the battle.

The ConstructionMech has all the qualities of an excellent IndustrialMech: great attack values, strong close combat values and good speed. Another strong point about this 'Mech is its ease of repair; the green version has just a single repair marker late in its dial, while the veteran version has no repair markers at all. Because it lacks ranged weaponry and will likely take a hit before its close combat battle is over, ease of repair is a great asset. Don't be shy pushing the veteran ConstructionMech; a vent rating of 3 means it is easy to cool this 'Mech if it accumulates too much heat.

Take care when using your AgroMechs. Sure, if you get one into base contact with an opposing unit, it will serve you well. Rapid Strike special equipment and high attack values mean this unit offers big damage output. However, AgroMechs are frail. Low defense values and short combat dials means a fast trip to the scrap heap if they come under fire. They are very inexpensive for 'Mechs, but you can't afford to lose a 60-point unit without delivering some serious damage first. To help this 'Mech survive a battle, make use of hindering and blocking terrain to screen the AgroMech's advance and prevent it from being targeted by ranged combat attacks while moving into base contact with opposing units. Engage opposing vehicle units with high minimum ranges to eliminate the chance of a counterattack.

Offering stellar combat values and a wide range of special equipment, the ForestryMech is the premier IndustrialMech. Aside from the common disadvantage of no ranged attack potential, this 'Mech has it all. Camouflage gives this 'Mech terrific defense against ranged attacks when hindering terrain is used to your advantage, plus it has the speed to contact the enemy. Its high attack values mean a charge with a ForestryMech will likely result in a successful initial attack. Once in base contact, Grapple special equipment keeps the opponent from disengaging and allows you to continue your close combat attacks with Hand-to-hand Weaponry. The veteran ForestryMech has an exceptionally lenient heat dial and a game-best vent rating of 3 to make pushing it painless.

The MiningMech MOD is a typical IndustrialMech. Inexpensive to field, it sports a ballistic weapons system and lethal Melee weapons to deliver massive damage in close combat. In MechWarrior: Dark Age, energy weapons only deal a single point of damage to infantry units with a successful hit, but the ballistic weapons on the MiningMech MOD allow it to be effectively used against infantry units at range, useful in any battleforce.

 

The addition of a medium-range ballistic weapon to this exceptional IndustrialMech creates a potent weapons platform. The ConstructionMech MOD maintains its strong close combat capabilities with its savage Hand-to-hand Weaponry special equipment. Instead of having to engage in close combat to deliver the damage, though, this modified 'Mech has the option to perform standoff duties on the battlefield. The veteran and elite variants of this 'Mech have terrific defense values and can trade shots with opposing medium 'Mechs. As a general rule, use the ConstructionMech to support your battleforce's primary units. If this 'Mech is your primary unit, you are likely to find yourself outgunned.

The AgroMech MOD deserves attention when it is on the battlefield. For an IndustrialMech, it has outstanding ballistic damage values and its veteran and elite versions can target units up to 12 inches away. This ranged offensive prowess is unusual in an IndustrialMech and this element of surprise can be used to your advantage. If you notice your opponent ignoring your IndustrialMechs, take advantage of his oversight and launch a ranged attack with the AgroMech MOD. There's a good chance he won't make the same mistake a second time!

The ForestryMech MOD is the fastest of the notoriously slow IndustrialMechs. The addition of a medium autocannon to this already potent close combat unit gives this 'Mech exceptional versatility. It is one of the few 'Mechs with a vent rating of 3, allowing it to be used repeatedly over several turns and quickly cool back to its full capabilities. Park it in hindering terrain to improve its effectiveness, where Camouflage will add +2 to its defense value.

This speedy light 'Mech offers a wide range of special abilities in its three different ranks. The well-armored green variant sports a high defense value and Decoy special equipment to further improve its defenses. Although the green varient Koshi is the slowest of the bunch, it is also the most durable, allowing it to shrug off some damage and still harass the enemy. The veteran Koshi is very fast and hard-hitting, fulfilling the traditional role of a fast recon 'Mech. The elite Koshi is the premier anti-infantry unit, boasting 7 slots of Anti-personnel special equipment. Watch for its third slot, where its Anti-personnel equipment and damage value of 4 will swiftly devour formations of opposing infantry.

The Spider is an infighter. Its assortment of melee special equipment and short range values means it must be close to opposing units to be effective. Because it is a light 'Mech with low defense values and an unfriendly heat dial, the Spider can be difficult to successfully deploy against heavier opponents with long ranges. The Spider is best used to attack vehicles, preferably in close combat where the vehicle may not be able to return fire due to minimum range restrictions. Avoid Charge attacks with this unit, as even a fully-cooled Spider will require a heat effects roll after a Charge attack

Another versatile medium 'Mech capable of multiple duties, each rank of the Centurion offers a specific strength. The green variant is very well defended and is equipped with Streak Missiles. This Centurion makes an outstanding standoff 'Mech given that it has a 14-inch maximum range. The veteran Swordsworn unit delivers outstanding ballistic damage. Its damage value of 5 makes it a heavy hitter at medium ranges. Pair this variant up against opposing units with energy weaponry when possible to make the best use of its Reflective Armor. A weak heat dial prevents the veteran Centurion from aggressive use, but the elite Centurion is equipped to move! Evade special equipment means this 'Mech can run without accumulating heat, making it an outstanding mobile response unit with terrific close combat and ranged combat potential.

As a medium 'Mech, the Black Hawk is a versatile, competent unit. Your tactics with this 'Mech will depend on the variant you deploy. The green variant has powerful offensive abilities and the best range of any of the Black Hawks, giving it stand-off capabilities. An early Alpha Strike with the green Black Hawk will deliver an awesome 8 clicks of damage to a target at a range of 12 inches! The veteran Black Hawk is equipped with Agility, but no long range weapon, making it an infighter Good speed and Jump Jets special equipment permit this 'Mech to stay close to the opposition where it can deliver the most damage. The elite version of this 'Mech has outstanding balance with both ballistic and energy weaponry. Use the elite Black Hawk in a battleforce where a truly versatile medium 'Mech is required to deal with a wide variety of threats.