From the back cover It is the 31st century. Across the vastness of interstellar space, awesome powers vie for supremacy. Amidst this swirl of unending conflict stride BattleMechs, huge robotic weapons of war piloted by elite MechWarriors. Join the action, taking on any one of an endless variety of roles, from spy to smuggler, mercenary to MechWarrior. As a character from the Inner Sphere, the Clans or the Periphery, you will decide the ultimate fate of the galaxy. Enter the exciting BattleTech universe in this all-new third edition of the MechWarrior roleplaying game. This book contains all the rules and source material players and Gamemasters need. Completely redesigned for faster and easier play, it features a unique character creation system that generates game abilities and background story at the same time.