Battletech Shrapnel Issue 16

BRACE FOR IMPACT! Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine is your ultimate target for tales of hard-hitting, explosive BattleMech action across the battlefields of the 31st century and beyond! Trapped on a forgotten planet, a lone MechWarrior fighting to survive must stay one step ahead of the relentless barbarians hunting her down. Amid a naval battle for the ages, a damage-control technician will do his part to put an end to the greatest evil in human-habited space. And during the Wars of Reaving, a Clan technician given the opportunity of a lifetime must guard her secret, even if it leads to her grave… In this issue, you’ll travel to the edge of the Periphery, where a dying, sun-baked world breathes its last gasp; you’ll follow a daring criminal cult in search of dangerous victims in the Capellan Confederation; and you’ll have to outsmart or outfight other pirates to keep them from stealing the perfect score out from beneath you… Plus, brace yourself for the exciting conclusion of the serial novel Lone Wolf and Fox, by Bryan Young. No matter where you go in the Inner Sphere, conflict will inevitably find you, and the surefire way to defend yourself against it is with articles on arms dealers to either buy from or hunt down, spacefaring threats both real and imagined, and the best methods for transporting your weapons of war. Then go deeper into the trenches with unit and planet digests, technical readouts, a cautionary tale of ten playable pilots, and more—all by BattleTech authors both new and old: Bryan Young Craig A. Reed, Jr. Steve P. Vincent Devin Ramsey Benjamin Joseph David Razi Russell Zimmerman Jennifer Bixby Alex Fauth Ken’ Horner Wunji Lau Jamie Kaiju Marriage Mike Miller Lance Scarinci Zac Schwartz Tom Stanley Jaymie Wagner Chris Wheeler

BRACE FOR IMPACT! Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine is your ultimate target for tales of hard-hitting, explosive BattleMech action across the battlefields of the 31st century and beyond! Trapped on a forgotten planet, a lone MechWarrior fighting to survive must stay one step ahead of the relentless barbarians hunting her down. Amid a naval battle for the ages, a damage-control technician will do his part to put an end to the ultimate evil in human-habited space. And during the Wars of Reaving, a Clan technician given the ultimate opportunity must guard her secret, even if it leads to her grave... In this issue, you'll travel to the edge of the Periphery, where a dying, sun-baked world breathes its last gasp; you'll follow a daring criminal cult in search of the ultimate victims in the Capellan Confederation; and you'll have to outsmart or outfight other pirates to keep them from stealing your ultimate score out from beneath you... Plus, brace yourself for the exciting conclusion of the serial novel Lone Wolf and Fox, by Bryan Young. No matter where you go in the Inner Sphere, conflict will inevitably find you, and the surefire way to defend yourself against it is with articles on arms dealers to either buy from or hunt down, spacefaring threats both real and imagined, and the best methods for transporting your weapons of war. Then go deeper into the trenches with unit and planet digests, technical readouts, a cautionary tale of ten playable pilots, and more-all by BattleTech authors both new and old: Bryan Young Craig A. Reed, Jr. Steve P. Vincent Devin Ramsey Benjamin Joseph David Razi Russell Zimmerman Jennifer Bixby Alex Fauth Ken' Horner Wunji Lau Jamie Kaiju Marriage Mike Miller Lance Scarinci Zac Schwartz Tom Stanley Jaymie Wagner Chris Wheeler

JUMP BACK INTO THE COCKPIT! Picking up the battle standard for BattleTech fiction, Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine continues the tradition of hard-hitting stories set in the war-torn interstellar future of the 31st century and beyond. Fire up your ’Mech’s fusion reactor, secure your neurohelmet, and wade into battle with stories from the merciless front lines of the Clan Invasion and other eras, conspiracy theory articles, game scenarios, and more from veteran BattleTech authors, fan favorites, and some new recruits. Featuring: Michael A. Stackpole • Blaine Lee Pardoe Kevin Killiany • Craig A. Reed, Jr. • Chris Hussey Jason Hansa • Lance Scarinci • Michael J. Ciaravella Patrick Wynne • Aaron Cahall

FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE! Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine surges onward, waging wars that will decide the fate of the BattleMech-dominated future of the 31st century and beyond! Follow a quest for quick cash that yields unusual Star League relics. Commiserate with an aging MechWarrior convinced he is cursed with the devil’s luck—which is about to run out. Listen to the tale of how mercenary commander Ace Darwin obtained his iconic ’Mech—but how much of his story is true? Within these pages, you will visit Terra after the dawn of the ilClan era, venture into the postwar period of the Aurigan Coalition, and travel to the far-flung worlds of the Scorpion Empire in the Deep Periphery. Then you will dive into the intrigue and vice of Solaris VII in the beginning of a new, four-part serial novel. Choose your plan of attack with technical readouts, after-action reports, a deep dive into plasma technology, a treatise on covert-ops poisons, and a look at Free Worlds League politics, along with playable scenarios and more—all loaded into your autocannon by both BattleTech veterans and new voices from the Inner Sphere: Blaine Lee Pardoe Craig A. Reed, Jr. E. Clark Avery Jason Schmetzer James Bixby M. W. Hayden Mark Hill Daniel Isberner Alexander J. Roth Ken’ Horner James Kirtley Wunji Lau Eric Salzman Joel Steverson Stephen Toropov

NEVER SURRENDER… Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine brings you more heavy-hitting action and heroism in the war-torn BattleMech-dominated future of the 31st century and beyond! A young Periphery volunteer struggles against marauding pirates who have long overstayed their welcome. A small-but-growing mercenary unit faces off against a formidable foe capable of destroying their dreams. A Star League MechWarrior wrestles with an exciting career opportunity on the eve of the war that will change the face of the Inner Sphere forever. Experience the costly Jade Falcon assault on Arc-Royal, return to an idyllic paradise haunted by a specter of the past, and follow a Clan Wolf bondsman’s quest to reunite with his son. Then lurk in the shadows with more cloak-and-dagger plots in the continuation of the four-part serial novel set on the game world of Solaris VII. Arm yourself with technical readouts, playable scenarios, an in-depth look at the weaponization of gift giving in the Draconis Combine, a glimpse into Clan Sea Fox’s customer service, an article on the importance of battlefield salvage, and more—all from elite BattleTech authors and recruits who have earned their stripes: Craig A. Reed, Jr. Tom Leveen Bryan Young Julian Michael Carver E. Stephenson Auerbach Charles Gideon J. D. Neal Curtis O. Thompson Aaron Cahall Étienne Charron-Willard Matthew Cross Jim Hauser Wunji Lau Eric Salzman Paul Sjardijn Tom Stanley Joel Steverson Chris Wheeler

THE WAR RAGES ON! Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine returns with more explosive BattleMech action from the 31st century! Experience tales of hard-won survival from the gaming world of Solaris VII, the wilds of the Deep Periphery, and the annals of Clan history. Dive deep into in-depth technology articles, technical readouts, conspiracy theories, war-game and role-playing adventures, and more—all from veteran BattleTech authors, fan favorites, and our latest enlistees: Michael A. Stackpole • Jason Schmetzer Michael J. Ciaravella • Travis Heermann Alan Brundage • James Simakas John-David Karnitz • Aaron Cahall Matthew Cross • Daniel Isberner Alex Kaempen • Tom Stanley • Chris Wheeler

A UNIVERSE GONE DARK… Months have passed since the interplanetary communications net was destroyed, isolating planets across the Republic of the Sphere and beyond. Achernar is one of the few worlds that still possesses a working Hyperpulse Generator Station, a device that enables communications across the galaxy—and a highly sought-after prize for the splintering factions of the Republic... After failing to qualify as an active MechWarrior, Raul Ortega finds solace in the Republic’s military reserves on Archenar, and dreams of the day he might know the adventure and glory of real combat. The planet’s Republic-loyal forces are supported by a loose alliance with the Swordsworn, a faction pledged to House Davion—whose leaders have an agenda all their own. When the planet falls under siege by yet another splinter group, the Steel Wolves, who are intent on capturing the HPG station, Raul is called up to active duty. But when the Swordsworn desert Archenar in its time of need, Raul discovers there’s little honor in the subtle schemes of treachery and the brutal realities of war...

THE INNER SPHERE UNDER ASSAULT… Since the failure of the interplanetary communications system, the decades-long peace brokered by the Republic of the Sphere has begun to splinter. Power-hungry factions—such as the Steel Wolves—are invading vulnerable worlds to establish their own rule. As a gateway to Terra, the planet of Northwind has strategic value—making it a fiercely-contested target for the emerging factions springing up across the Republic—and Duchess Tara Campbell will not allow her home to fall into enemy hands. Offering military assistance, the Republic sends Paladin Ezekiel Crow and his fully armed BattleMech to help defend Northwind. MechWarrior Anastasia Kerensky, of the infamous Clan Bloodline, has set her sights on Northwind—and what Anastasia wants, Anastasia usually gets. But first, she must contend with the deadly politics of the Steel Wolves before embarking on a conquest that could lead to the very heart of The Republic itself...