BattleTech: Hot Spots (1993)

From the back of the first volume:

Hot Spots...

Location:
...The Inner Sphere and beyond

Type of Action:
...Dangerous, maybe dirty

Pay Rates:
...What can you negotiate?

"The only thing worse than a Merc without a 'Mech is having a 'Mech and no contract!"
- David "Ace" Blaketooth
Freelance Mercenary

Hot Spots gives you the contracts that you can use in the creation of your own custom campaigns. Sixty-four reproducible contracts are included for all sizes of units, from Special Forces to Battalions.

Hot Spots also includes a Game-Master's book, providing help with customizing your campaign as well as information on the current political background of the Inner Sphere, and the real stories behind the contracts. Hot Spots is for use with BattleTech, BattleSpace, BattleTroops, BattleForce and MechWarrior, Second Edition.

Hot Spots. Now you have what it really takes.

User comment:

This expansion is rather unusual for BattleTech, in that it's not a full box-set pattern expansion like BattleForce, but it consists of two volumes, rather than just one. This was entirely deliberate, as this expansion is for use across most of the BattleTech game systems of the time, which included Mechwarrior: Second Edition. The first volume of the book is intended for the Gamesmaster, and contains information on creating contracts and campaigns for mercenary units; the second volume contains actual mock-up contracts that relate to scenarios in the first volume, and is intended to be handed over to the group when they're shopping for contracts.

Hot Spots is more than a simple aid for MechWarrior, though; it's littered with detail suitable for constructing gaming campaigns around, and contains a very useful guide to generating various kinds of raiding party or garrison force. This is particularly useful for generating games based on unit details from sourcebooks such as the five assorted House Books, the Guide to the Periphery and the like.

Although it was released seperately, this is very much a companion expansion for BattleTech: The Mercenary's Handbook, and was released the same year.