In last issue's editorial, I outlined the various columns and departments that are featured in BattleTechnology Magazine and stressed that, as a new magazine, we are actively soliciting contributions from BattleTech enthusiasts across the Inner Sphere. BattleTechnology's departments and sub-departments constitute only one of three basic divisions in the magazine. The second part of this triad consists of the feature articles. Every issue of BattleTechnology will have two or more feature articles which are presented to show some aspect of life and combat in the 31st Century. These can range from "I Was There" type stories describing combat or other experiences (see: Drop Into Hell: Combat Drop on Scheat V, Issue 0101) to political articles (What is Hanse Up To Z Issue 0101; Black Luthien, Issue 0102) to travelogues and commentaries (Pleasure Planet, in this issue). The purpose of these articles is partly to inform, and partly to help create and elaborate on the flavor of the rich and interesting background of the BattleTech universe. Writers who would like to submit feature articles to BattleTechnology are certainly encouraged to do so. Keep in mind, however, that all of our material must be approved by FASA before we can print it. Only histories, politics, worlds, and notions which can fit comfortably into the BattleTech universe--as revealed in the various FASA BattleTech games and modules--can be accepted. No How the Evil Hanse Davion Alien BattleMechs Conquered the Universe stories, please! It it doesn't fit in the familiar BattleTech universe, we can't take it, however... er... entertaining it may be! Writers are encouraged to consult the various House Books from FASA. As of this printing, two are available now, House Steiner, and House Kurita. Each is loaded with material which could generate endless scenarios, articles, and stories, and there are more House Books to come. The third part of the BattleTechnology triad is the Simulator Section. This is the one part of the magazine where writers can-at least partly-step outside the BattleTech universe and write directly to BattleTech gamers. BattleTech and the various BattleTech products are presented as combat simulation systems (which they are) used to sharpen the skills of MechWarriors (which they do). Each issue will present one or more scenarios, written in exactly the same style and with the same layout as scenarios in the various BattleTech modules--The Black Widow, The Grey Death Legion, and others. Where possible, these will be linked to stories or articles in that issue of the magazine. In this issue, for example, the Simulator Section includes an AeroTech scenario which recreates the tactical situation described in the short story Fifth Kill, and a BattleTech scenario which recreates the action on the moon Gordo described in the BattleTips column. Writers are welcome to submit scenarios to go with their story and article submissions if they wish. Independent battle scenarios are welcome as well. The Simulator Section is also where we present rules variants for BattleTech. These are designed to extend the realism of the game (such as the rules for combat at extended ranges in this and the last issues of the magazine), and to extend the scope of the game (as with the rules variant in this issue for combat in a vacuum environment). Again, these rules must be approved by FASA as well as by BattleTechnology Magazine and that means that they cannot rewrite BattleTech or its companion games. Again, new rules must fit comfortably into the current FASA universe. No laser-guided homing missiles with fusion warheads, thank you! Each set of new rules variants should be a logical extension of rules already published by FASA, and not constitute new rules which replace the old. So, if you think you might like to share in the shaping of the 31st Century, get out your BattleTech rules, your word processor Mechs, and your neurohelmets, and put something together you think we and other BattleTech fans might like to see. Writers guidelines are now (finally!) becoming available. We'll be happy to send them to you in exchange for a stamped, self-addressed envelope. We'll look forward to hearing from you! Back to BattleTechnology 3 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1988 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com