HomebrewTech: BattleTech: Beyond Electrodrome

This project began as a basic modification to BattleTech arena play, a drunkard’s dream of a better world, a dreamer’s notion of a birthday gift that swiftly mutated, metastasized, and invaded the bulk of my free time as any good ravenous tumor is keen to do.

The project’s name?

BattleTech: Beyond Electrodrome

Set in the Circinus Federation in the mostly-canonical year 3028, BattleTech: Beyond Electrodrome (BT:BE) is similar to Solaris, but better, wilder, more chaotic, more wide-open and nuanced. It is a throwback to the glorious 80’s that spawned the BattleTech universe. BT:BE is somewhat absurd, but not so extreme that it can’t be taken seriously. It draws on the spectacle of the 80’s movie posters we love, such as Top Gun, Blade Runner, Raiders of the Lost Ark, ET, The Explorers, The Last Starfighter, and modern reinterpretations and Synthwave stylings like Kung Fury, Blood Dragon, Gunship, Stranger Things, Summer of ’84, etc

Piloting low-tech ‘mechs, players fight in population-dense arenas between reinforced concrete apartment buildings and run down corrugated steel shanty-town fan stands. “Why?”, you might ask.

Because its awesome.

That’s why.

So what is BattleTech: Beyond Electrodrome going to contain?

The Spectacle System: Pilots that put on a good show for their (captive) audience deserve rewards beyond mere money. Land an impressive attack and you’re as likely to receive waves of cheers as a volley of cluster artillery, or a herd of greasy pigs, or an acid bath for your dear, dear enemy. The Spectacle System is chaotic. Chaos is fun.

The Reputation System: This allows players to grow in their career from bout to bout, gaining sponsorships that augment existing weapons and equipment, growing in influence in the league, and developing personality traits (in a separate Archetype/Archetrait System) for use both in the arena and out. Want a psychopathic artist pilot? I’ve got that. Want a heroic criminal? I’ve got that too.

Pixelated Adventure Systems: These are two simple yet rich and varied systems that allow players to use their pilots for more than hanging out in big heavy clomper bots. This allows a pilot to become a character and to level up skills and abilities for use both in and out of their vehicles.

New Weapons and Equipment: Including such diverse elements as: the floppy purple sausage, false heads, asbestos battle robes, personal bards, anti-mech ballistas, bayonets, and the Falcon Fist. Kit your personal infantry units out with heavy armor, drones, hallucinogen grenades, psychotropic drugs, and urban combat training. Want to keep your ‘mech pilot fighting longer and harder? Why stop at mere medpacks? Why not try one of several new and powerful street drugs such as War Turtle, Skoof, Biff, or SlowGin? Try some of each, <leaning in close> they’re quite affordable.

There is much much more to the Electrodrome experience than this, but I’d be a fool if I spoiled the surprise.

BattleTech is already a clunky game, much like the Battlemechs that swarm its battlefields.

My goal with BattleTech: Beyond Electrodrome is to add chaos and richness to the game experience while adding minimal extra clunk. This…is not an easy task.

But I’m working on it.

Lord knows I’m working on it…

I will be posting more information on it as I complete the work, and will likely end up chucking it into a Dropbox for public access.

Check back for updates!