ScrapYard Armory

Opening Fiction

By far, Wild Things is the very best fiction so far out of the Jihad Turning Points books. The story telling is superb.  I really felt the primal desperation of the resistance fighters on the frozen tundras of Tharkad.

Tharkad

The planetary map and terrain tables follow the JTP formula and are just as you would expect from a planet half frozen and half blasted to oblivion.

Combatants

Continuing on the opening salvos of Tharkad’s liberation, the combatants section offers bites of information that tell the bigger story.

From my reading, there are not a whole lot of shockers.  Not like the over the top antics we saw in New Avalon.  In a way, I think that the end product is more realistic and a bit easier to swallow.

Additional flavor is provided by the Clans, both the Wolves and the Falcons oddly.  Whenever you get these two factions on the same world, fighting for the same goal, you are bound to get some interesting angst.  Too bad the combatants section is ill-sized to tell the full story.  Suffice it to say, there are plenty of role playing opportunities introduced for game masters who have the initiative.

Tracks

The Tharkad tracks continue the downward slide of creativity in optional bonuses and victory conditions. I doubt that the writers spend much time playing in these tracks themselves. Unfortunately a lot of the tracks being presented from New Avalon and on look virtually the same. While there is value to game masters and role players to have the proper unit lists, terrain, and back story, the simple war gamers among us will be disappointed.

The majority of victory conditions in Tharkad involve destroying the opposition.  It stinks of laziness.  I’m sorry to say, but no matter the objective, I’m going to try to kill my opponent regardless.  So please, add a little flavor into the objectives.  Add meaningful optional bonuses that make me think.   Need some hints?  There are plenty hidden in the rough at the community created Warchest track thread.

Good news of sorts is the return to six tracks per book.  I was a little worried when New Avalon only contained five.  The more Warchest tracks the better providing fodder for the imagination of Battletech gamers.

Record Sheets

Two proper Lyran ‘Mechs grace the Tharkad Turning Points book.   Neither under 75 tons.  The first is a Word of Blake modified Fire Falcon sporting a Heavy Gauss and some extra energy weapons to boot.  It’s a curious design that also includes C3i.  Certainly a salvage special.

The next ride is a Fafnir from Peter Steiner-Davion himself.  C3 slave and ECM provide a curious electronics package.  While the ECM is an excellent fit against the WoB the C3 slave is suspect.  But thats nothing compared to what comes next.  Hold on to your potatoes.

Fafnir Peter has a single Heavy Gauss with some lasers sprinkled in.  But then, the balance is filled with a boatload of Rocket Launchers.  Ten ten packs.  My goodness.  This is what the Lyrans equip their Archon in the face of invading religious fanatics?  They deserve the five year occupation and the whole sale nuking of their planet.

Tharkad is loaded with Warships.  Six in total including the Essex, Fox, McKenna, Mjolnir, Sovetskii Soyuz , and a Tharkad.   The warship record sheets are honestly almost worth the price of admission into the Jihad.  At the very least they are a pleasant bonus that hopefully entices some of the ground pounders out into the depths of space.

Planetary Maps

The planetary maps of Tharkad round out this PDF. We are still waiting for planetary assault rules so these will be on my back burner until Interstellar Operations comes out.

Overall Tharkad contains some of the best fiction and the most immersive storyline of the series.  I found the Warchest tracks relatively unimaginative but it follows the formula for what you would expect.  Beaucoup warships makes for a happy aerospace player.  And by the way you really should try some warship battles.

If you like the other Jihad Turning Points than there is no reason not to add this volume to your collection for only $5.  If you are looking to get into the series I’d recommend you check out Luthien first to see if the style and content is up to snuff.