Rating:    Reviewed by:  David "MacAttack" McCulloch

The Fourth Succession War Scenarios: Volume One FASA 1989 ISBN 1-55560-078-6  The Product: Harking back to the glorious era of the 4th Succession War, this book of scenarios allows you to relive the highpoints of that climatic conflict (unless you are a Capellan). Consisting of sixteen BattleTech scenarios, three BattleForce scenarios and two MechWarrior skirmishes, the scenario pack breaks from the established tradition by not focusing on a specific unit. Rather, the scenarios are split up into the operational fronts from the conflict; The Capellan Front (Federated Suns against the Capellan Confederation), Draconis Front (Lyran Commonwealth and Draconis Combine) and Federated Suns Front (Draconis Combine facing off against Wolf's Dragoons). The Free Worlds League was apparently not invited. The Good: The artwork here is of a very high standard overall, with some classic works that stand along side the best ever seen in the BattleTech range of products. The writing is consistent and the individual events portrayed in the scenarios have been chosen carefully to produce interesting and challenging games. The Bad: With the lack of focus on any specific unit, unlike previous scenario books, this volume can come across in a slightly disjointed manner. It would have been nice to have a sketch summary of the events in which the scenarios take place. Although each scenario has a brief historical note, it would have been nice to see it set against the "Big Picture". There was never a Volume Two. Continuity: The events of the 4th Succession War were mapped out in the Warrior Trilogy of novels and the War Atlas books. This book of scenarios is tightly coordinated with those products and no obvious problems can be found. Conclusion: In itself this is a good product (especially if you like the era it is set in). The only problem is that unless you are after the scenarios themselves, there is not that much in here for you. That said, what this book does, it does well. This one gets 3 ½ Timber Wolves (unless you are a Capellan, in which case you had best just close your eyes, stick your fingers in your ears and hum real loud). The Story Continues... Just to confuse everybody, FASA published the BattlePack: Fourth Succession War in 1998. Intended as an introductory product for people who had bought the BattleTech Boxed Set, this was a very different product. The Capellans still be hammered though.