Editing Classic BattleTech Universe

{{otheruses|the [[universe book]]let that came with the boxed set|the BattleTech universe as such|BattleTech Universe}}
{{InfoBoxProduct
| image               = Classic_BattleTech_Universe.jpg
| name                = Classic BattleTech Universe<br>(stand-alone PDF publication cover)
| type                = Sourcebook, Technical Readout
| author              = 
| development         = 
| primarywriting      = 
| pages               = 48
| cover               = [[Franz Vohwinkel]]
| interiorart         = Franz Vohwinkel
| illustrations       = 
| publisher           = [[FanPro]]
| productioncode      = 10980a
| year                = 2003
| ISBN10              = 
| ISBN13              = 
| MSRP                = 
| content             = 
| era                 = 
| agency              =
| universedate        =
| timeline            = 
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
| series              = [[Universe book]]
| precededby          = [[Introduction to BattleTech]]
| followedby          = [[Inner Sphere at a Glance]]
}}

'''''Classic BattleTech Universe''''' was the successor of the ''[[Introduction to BattleTech]]'' booklet, when [[FanPro]] published a [[Classic BattleTech Boxed Set|new edition]] of the [[BattleTech boxed set|boxed set]] after having acquired the license to what was now "[[Classic BattleTech]]". The title is somewhat arbitrary, as the classic BattleTech boardgame had just been rebranded as "[[Classic BattleTech]]", and it is unclear if this moniker should be considered part of the title proper. Indeed, after the name of "Classic BattleTech" had reverted to "BattleTech", [[CGL]] would offer an otherwise identical version of the booklet for download where the title just read "''BattleTech Universe''" accordingly.<ref>[https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/BattleTechUniverseGuide.pdf Download link] for the (Classic) BattleTech Universe booklet from the BattleTech.com website as provided by CGL</ref>

The booklet was retitled to ''[[Inner Sphere at a Glance]]'' and slightly expanded for the 2007 [[Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set]], and would go on to see several editions under that name.

==Description==
The ''Classic BattleTech Universe'' booklet was included with the 2003 [[Classic BattleTech Boxed Set]] by [[FanPro]], and was also offered for free PDF download as a promotional product first by FanPro's and later by [[Catalyst Game Labs]] from their respective BattleTech website, the now defunct classicbattletech.com site.<ref>The download URL used to be http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=products&mode=full&id=210 but classicbattletech.com is now defunct.</ref>

There was a brief Introduction followed by an in-universe document titled A Time of War that introduced the BattleTech universe from an in-universe point of view; however, the order was switched around in the table of contents.

The history section is based (verbatim) on the text from ''Introduction to BattleTech'' (which was attributed to [[Michael Stackpole]]), but was expanded by adding several paragraphs. Where the earlier version ended in [[3049]], just short of the [[Clan Invasion era]], this booklet's history section continues through the [[Civil War era]] and up to the year [[3067]], on the brink of the [[Jihad era]].

The write-ups on BattleMech technology and the Technical Readout section were similarly taken from the previous booklet, while the descriptions of the [[Great Houses]] and other powers were rewritten and greatly expanded. The section about MechWarriors and all artwork in the book is completely new.

==Contents==
<div class="desktop-3-col">
* INTRODUCTION
* A TIME OF WAR
* [[Perpetual War|PERPETUAL WAR]]
* A BIEF HISTORY OF THE INNER SPHERE
** Rise of the [[Terran Hegemony|Hegemony]]
** The [[Star League]] Era
** Centuries of War
*** Steps Towards Peace
*** [[Fourth Succession War]]
*** Skirmishes and Plots
** Enemies From Beyond
*** The [[Clans|Warriors of Kerensky]]
*** [[Clan Invasion]]
** Victory and Change
** The Universe Turned Upside Down
*** The Star League Reborn
** Civil Wars
* FACTIONS
** [[House Kurita]] [[Draconis Combine]]
** [[House Davion]] [[Federated Suns]]
** [[House Liao]] [[Capellan Confederation]]
** [[House Marik]] [[Free Worlds League]]
** [[House Steiner]] [[Lyran Alliance]]
** [[Mercenaries]]
** Other Powers
* THE [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MECHWARRIOR]]
* THE [[BattleMech|BATTLEMECH]]
** [[Chassis]]
** Locomotion/Movement Systems
** [[Armor (BattleMechs & Combat Vehicles)|Armor]] and [[Weapons]]
** [[Fusion engine|Power Systems]]
** Defining Characteristic
*** Movement Capabilities
*** Heat Dissipation Systems and Strategies
* TECHNICAL READOUT
** [[Commando|COM-2D ''Commando'']]
** [[Spider|SDR-5V ''Spider'']]
** [[Jenner|JR7-D ''Jenner'']]
** [[Panther|PNT-9R ''Panther'']]
** [[Assassin|ASN-21 ''Assassin'']]
** [[Cicada|CDA-2A ''Cicada'']]
** [[Clint|CLNT-2-3T ''Clint'']]
** [[Hermes II|HER-2S ''Hermes II'']]
** [[Whitworth|WTH-1 ''Whitworth'']]
** [[Vindicator|VND-1R ''Vindicator'']]
** [[Enforcer|ENF-4R ''Enforcer'']]
** [[Hunchback|HBK-4G ''Hunchback'']]
** [[Trebuchet|TBT-5N ''Trebuchet'']]
** [[Dervish|DV-6M ''Dervish'']]
** [[Dragon|DRG-1N ''Dragon'']]
** [[Quickdraw|QKD-4G ''Quickdraw'']]
** [[Catapult|CPLT-C1 ''Catapult'']]
** [[JagerMech|JM6-S ''JagerMech'']]
** [[Grasshopper|GHR-5H ''Grasshopper'']]
** [[Awesome|AWS-8Q ''Awesome'']]
** [[Zeus|ZEU-6S ''Zeus'']]
** [[Cyclops|CP-10-Z ''Cyclops'']]
** [[Banshee (BattleMech)|BNC-3E ''Banshee'']]
** [[Atlas (BattleMech)|AS7-D ''Atlas'']]
</div>

==Covers==
<gallery>
Image:CBT10980UniverseCover.jpg|Booklet cover from 2003 [[Classic BattleTech Boxed Set]]
Image:Classic_BattleTech_Universe.jpg|PDF edition 'cover'
Image:BT_Universe_Cover.jpg|PDF edition 'cover' after rebranding
</gallery>

==Notes==
* The use of the newer BattleTech logo suggests that free PDF download from FanPro's website was made available some time after the release of the hardcopy edition in the boxed set. For the purpose of this article the PDF edition is considered the "lead" edition because, unlike the physical booklet, it was a stand-alone publication. For this reason, the PDF edition's cover image is depicted in this article's Infobox. Front cover graphics, namely the BattleTech logo and the color of the title lettering, appears to be the only difference between editions of this booklet, be they print or PDF.

* FanPro and Catalyst versions with the updated logo lacked copyright information.

==References==
<references/>


[[Category:Sourcebooks]]