- BGG rating
- 7.5
Expansion for BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat
Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake
2008
Rules assistance for Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake is an expansion for BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat released in 2008 for 2–6 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Hexagon Grid.
About the game
Starterbook: Wolf and Blake is the second volume in the Classic Battletech Starterbook series. Each book in the series is designed to act as a "bridge" between various Battletech products, making it easier for players to jump into an enriched but more complex game. While Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Sword and Dragon serves as a link between the BattleTech: Introductory Box Set and the full tournament/standard rules found in BattleTech: Total Warfare, Starterbook: Wolf and Blake links Total Warfare to BattleTech: Tactical Operations, the on-world advanced core rulebook. Wolf and Blake also offers an introduction to the current Jihad storyline and to the religiously driven Word of Blake faction. The famed Black Widow Company serves as the opposing force. Wolf and Blake follows the basic pattern laid out in Sword and Dragon: brief bits of fiction, profiles of each side's history and current Mechwarriors, a rules annex (here previewing some of the advanced rules from TacOps), a "warchest" campaign system, and a series of branching missions that players can explore. The book ends with a series of filled-in record sheets, including variant 'Mechs depicted in the text. Total Warfare is required to use Starterbook: Wolf and Blake. Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade is recommended.
Publishers
- Catalyst Game Labs
Questions and answers
Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake belongs to these categories: Wargame, Science Fiction, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The catalogue lists Classic BattleTech: Starterbook – Wolf and Blake as an expansion for BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat to use it. Check that your edition of BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.