BattleTech/TYCO Toys

## Collectible Information

### Status

Lost (Vulture)Existence Unconfirmed (Atlas & Mad Cat Mechs, and "Dropship" & "Jumpship" vehicles)

## Product Information

### Year(s)

1995

When FASA allowed for a cartoon based on their roleplaying *MechWarrior* games to be produced in the 1990's, they turned to TYCO Toys, a toy manufacturer that was first founded in 1926 and later acquired by Mattel upon going defunct in 1999, to produce a line of toys to go with the show. They churned out a lot of products for the series, though only one toy was ever made and forever stayed as a prototype.

## **Summary**

*BattleTech: The Animated Series*, also known as the *1st Somerset Strikers*, was an animated television series based on the *BattleTech* fictional universe that was produced for syndication by Saban Entertainment in 1994. Written by Robert N. Skir and Marty Isenberg, the series ran for 13 episodes and focused on the character of Adam Steiner, a military officer in the distant future who struggles to liberate his home planet from an attacking faction with BattleMechs that he and his unit utilize.  Airing on FOX TV, it was noteworthy for its blending of computer-generated imaging and traditional cel-animation to create a smooth transition between sections. Even though its generally considered un-canon for the BattleTech universe, FASA published a sourcebook in 1995 that served as a companion for the series with background information on the BattleTech universe for viewers of the series, as well as stats and scenarios for use in the franchise's wargaming products. The book also provided synopses for all 13 episodes and attempted to address the contradictions of the series with the established BattleTech canon, which they described as either inaccuracies or artistic licensing

## **Action Figures**

Before the show first began airing, FASA was looking for ways to push their *BattleTech* franchise to the most masses as far back as 1991, where they pursued agents to find a toy company willing to produce a line of robotic action figures based on their creation. When work on the Saban series began, both they and FAMA looked out to TYCO as they hoped their figures would capture the interest of kids that were into manga/anime, giant robot warriors, and the *BattleTech*/*MechWarriors* universe. Though they may have banked on that feature a little too much as unlike other boy toylines before its time, the number of toys TYCO released in 1994-95 was nearly 100% laser-focused on the mechas with only one set devoid of that aspect. Most of them featured "battle-damage" panels so that kids could aim and fire their spring-loaded projectiles at the panels (and in worst case, their eyes). having the mech toy react with ejecting the pilot or body parts. Each Mech and vehicle came with a tiny character from the television show that measured no more than 2" 3/4; a bit too small, even for the Matchbox ROBOTECH figures. As for each character that was released, representing the Inner Sphere was the Axeman Heavy, Mauler Assault and Bushwacker Medium, three Mechs that were based on an original BT wargame model and, sans the latter, came with an escape pod; the Sloth Heavy and Infiltrator, two pieces of battle armour that looked misplaced yet did come from the original game; and the BSE-X Banshee Experimental AeroFighter, which had the distinction of being the only non-mech in the toyline and the only one that is not rooted in the original FASA wargame. Representing the Clan was the Thor Omni Mech which had a slightly different design in the drawing sketch, the Hunchback Medium Mech which had two shoulder mounted cannons, and the Elemental/Toad Battle Armor which also came from the original game, though had its laser arm replaced with a projectile firing arm and the twin missiles on its shoulders being only decorative. Each miniature pilot included Steiner for Axeman and Infiltrator, Zack Hawkins for Mauler, Valten Ryder for Bushwacker, Franklin Sakamoto for Sloth, Nicolai Malthus for Summoner and Toad, and Pytor for Hunchback. In 1995, a second series was released. The entire series consisted of Series 1 repaints with no new vehicles introduced. The repaints were called Tiger Camo and Assault Color, and are considered extremely rare.

## **Prototypes and Rumors**

Its unknown just how much other plans TYCO had for their *BattleTech* toyline beyond Series 1, though the Tyco Battletech archive has a photo of what appears to be a prototype of the only Mech that wasn't released to store shelves: the Clan Vulture Heavy as piloted by Kristen Redmond, who would presumably be represented as a miniature figurine.  Displayed for one time at some Toy Fair show, it has the usual Jade Falcon stickers and kill marks that came with the first & second series with a pink colour scheme and some sort of machine gun weapon. While these are just rumors and there are no valid sources to claim theme, among the plethora of mechs that TYCO wanted to save for future lines were the Atlas and the Mad Cat, which would've allowed for "combat" via infrared signals and sensors. If a hit was detected, there would be battle damage like in the previous series with pieces flying off and if the damage was severe enough, the mech would go into critical mode as the pilot was ejected out of the seat; ala springs like in Axeman. Another playground rumor stated that TYCO would expand their vehicles by making a vast Dropship spherical playset or even a Jumpship playset; akin to the SDF-1 playset by Matchbox.

## **The Downfall**

TYCO's *BattleTech* toyline faced some major competition from Playmates *Exo-Squad",* which it too consisted of mecha-centered vehicles that could only accustom figures smaller than 2.5"; as building mech's for figures 4" would either take up a lot of money or need to be scaled down very severely. FASA actually took Playmates Toys to court over the issue, though Harmony & Gold, who was in partnership with Playmates, decided to hit back FASA with their own lawsuit that concerned unlicensed usage of mecha designs from *Macross* and other anime works for the original BT wargame. The reason for the lawsuit is that when FASA was shopping *BattleTech* around toy companies, Playmates turned them down to focus on *Exo-Squad*. The case of FASA vs. Playmates was decided for the latter while the lawsuit between Harmony Gold and FASA was settled out of court and dismissed.

A big part of what killed the TYCO *BattleTech* toyline is due to the animated series getting killed as well throughout the 1980's to 1990's, Saturday morning cartoons are nothing more than a cynical prolonged 30-minute advertisement, cleverly designed to hypnotize the minds of impressionable viewers to get them to buy more toys than they could possibly own. While this may have worked in the favor of some 80's staples like *My Little Pony* and *Transformers*, the *BattleTech* toyline was dead in the water as soon as the show was cancelled, due to its low ratings, mediocre quality, and just how much alienated fans of the original wargame; even if the toys were successful enough, the same fate would've happened. Though in all fairness, a majority of the toys that TYCO put out failed to sell like hot cakes and that also doomed the show. What may have also killed off the toys and show all together was the declining popularity of the "Big Robot Craze" as it was a huge deal throughout the 1970's to the 1980's and had they been released during either of those periods, *BattleTech* probably would've fared better. Though given that Matchbox's *Robotech* failed to sell in the 1980's and *Neon Genesis Evangelion* brought back some interest to the mecha anime genre when it debuted in 1995, who can really tell? Either way, the *BattleTech* cartoon stopped airing in 1995 and the toys were poured into the sale binds and outlet malls. Today, most of the ones that still aren't in private collector's homes are either sitting in a dollar store/flea market, or have been sold by their owners on Internet sites like eBay upon outgrowing their nostalgia over it.

## **Final Verdict**

Since its been almost 25 years since 1994, the possibility of the Vulture prototype still being out there, locked away in a secret storage area, is unlikely and until further notice, will remain: **LOST**. As for the rumored Atlas & Mad Cat mechs and "expansion" vehicles, since the validity of the rumors that these toys came from have yet to be verified, these products are disclosed are: **EXISTENCE UNCONFIRMED**.

## **External Links**

* William. (2016, April 12). FWS Military Sci-Fi Toys: The TYCO BATTLETECH Toyline. *Future War Stories* Blogpost. Online post.
* TYCO Toys on BattleTechWiki

## **Sources**

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyco\_Toys
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BattleTech:\_The\_Animated\_Series
3. ↑ https://www.sarna.net/wiki/BattleTech:\_The\_Animated\_Series
4. ↑ http://tyco-battletech.de/about/index.html