Battletech

Battletech, p.n. used to refer to all games, computer, miniatures, and role-playing, based on FASA's Battletech miniatures games and Mechwarrior role-playing games. See mech. [GJ1]
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Addendum: "In the beginning, FASA created a miniatures game that featured humans in the far future piloting 30-foot giant robot tanks called BattleMechs. The game was called BattleTech (originally called BattleDroids), and it was good. Then Activision assaulted our PCs with MechWarrior, a sequel, a handful of add-on packs, and MechWarrior: Mercenaries, and it was great! Then, MicroProse got the computer game license and gave us MechWarrior 3, and it was OK--not quite good, but also not bad at all. Now, Microsoft has bought FASA Interactive and the BattleTech license. So FASA gives us MechWarrior 4: Vengeance, and folks, it's awesome." From Amazon.com. [GJ1]
Addendum #2: FASA folded in 2001, and the property was picked up by WizKids Games. The property was developed into a clicky-game initally called “Mechwarrior: Dark Age”, then simply “Mechwarrior”. The story was advanced sixty years in time to the 32nd Century, with a number of changes to the storyline. However, the main IP was licensed to Fantasy Productions (usually shortened as “FanPro”), a German company that before the folding handled the European distribution of FASA's properties. FanPro continued the story from where FASA had left off, rebranding it as “Classic Battletech” to differentiate itself from the WizKids game. The Classic brand retains many of the rules and styles of the classic board game and RPG that entered into its 20th year in 2005, producing an updated version of the rules called “Total Warfare” in August 2006.
Addendum #3: After Topps bought WizKids, the clicky game continued on till WizKids suspended it in '08 and was effectively killed after Topps folded the WizKids brand. However, in 2009 the CMG properties of WK was bought by NECA, so there may still be some hope for the miniatures game. In the meantime, FanPro folded and its licenses were acquired by Catalyst Game Labs. They've been working on filling in the story between the Classic and the Dark age time since.