Philip A Lee

BURDEN OF PROOF... For too long, the planet Stewart, the ancestral home of one of the oldest dynasties of the Free Worlds League, has remained in the clutches of Clan Wolf, locked behind a mutual nonaggression pact between the Wolf Empire and the League. But the Wolves have unexpectedly abandoned much of their territory, leaving many systems ripe for the taking. The news of the Wolf Empire's poorly defended border spurs Count Gavin Stewart and the Silver Hawk Irregulars to take back his family's homeland while the Wolves are away, but his invasion threatens to destabilize the entire region. Recognizing the long-term danger, Captain Trenton Marik, Gavin's longtime friend, must travel to Stewart and convince Gavin and the Irregulars to withdraw before the Wolves return home in force and strike back. But rumors of a conqueror claiming Terra-an ilClan, which demands all Clans bend the knee-stir up divided loyalties within the League's Clan Protectorate province, and the Protectorate's warriors must choose between fealty to the League or obedience to the ilClan. And the best path to proving their loyalty is to swiftly punish all who would dare invade the Wolf Empire...

BRACE FOR IMPACT Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine is your ultimate target for tales of hard-hitting, explosive BattleMech action across the battlefields of the 31st century and beyond Trapped on a forgotten planet, a lone MechWarrior fighting to survive must stay one step ahead of the relentless barbarians hunting her down. Amid a naval battle for the ages, a damage-control technician will do his part to put an end to the ultimate evil in human-habited space. And during the Wars of Reaving, a Clan technician given the ultimate opportunity must guard her secret, even if it leads to her grave... In this issue, you'll travel to the edge of the Periphery, where a dying, sun-baked world breathes its last gasp; you'll follow a daring criminal cult in search of the ultimate victims in the Capellan Confederation; and you'll have to outsmart or outfight other pirates to keep them from stealing your ultimate score out from beneath you... Plus, brace yourself for the exciting conclusion of the serial novel Lone Wolf and Fox, by Bryan Young. No matter where you go in the Inner Sphere, conflict will inevitably find you, and the surefire way to defend yourself against it is with articles on arms dealers to either buy from or hunt down, spacefaring threats both real and imagined, and the best methods for transporting your weapons of war. Then go deeper into the trenches with unit and planet digests, technical readouts, a cautionary tale of ten playable pilots, and more-all by BattleTech authors both new and old: Bryan YoungCraig A. Reed, Jr.Steve P. VincentDevin RamseyBenjamin JosephDavid RaziRussell ZimmermanJennifer BixbyAlex FauthKen' HornerWunji LauJamie Kaiju MarriageMike MillerLance ScarinciZac SchwartzTom StanleyJaymie WagnerChris Wheeler

SPECIAL DOUBLE-SIZED ISSUE MORE BANG FOR YOUR C-BILL Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine hits harder than ever before, launching a double-size issue filled with more BattleMechs and star-spanning conflicts from the 31st century and beyond Venture into the Reunification War as the Taurian Concordat fights for freedom against the relentless Star League. Wander through libraries filled with forbidden knowledge lost through centuries of constant warfare. Witness the aftermath of House Arano's bitter civil war, and face down the infamous, unbeatable, all-black Marauder-if you dare... In this issue, you'll hunt for a missing DropShip in the distant Periphery, and fight for survival during the most pivotal battle in the Clan Invasion. You'll brave the chaotic nuclear fires of the Word of Blake's Jihad and claw your way through Draconis Combine troops threatening your family, determined to survive at any cost. Fill your double-capacity magazine with a complete novella, technical readouts, a planet and unit digest, playable scenarios, a Clan Invasion campaign, a treatise on troublesome native wildlife, some tips for downtrodden Taurian citizens, and more-all by BattleTech veterans and the next squad of new recruits: Tom LeveenJason HansaLance ScarinciJennifer BixbyGiles GammageGeoff SwiftJulian Michael CarverMatthew CrossDonavan DufaultDaniel IsbernerJames LeeHarvey RobertsSteve P. VincentAlayna M. WeathersJames Bixby tienne Charron-WillardAlex FauthJoshua FranklinKen' HornerWunji LauEric SalzmanJason SchmetzerTom StanleyJoel SteversonStephen Toropov

COMBAT IS THEIR BUSINESS...And business is good in the 31st century as the Third Succession War rages on battlefields ruled by the almighty BattleMech: ten-meter-tall humanoid machines of pure destruction. Continuous warfare between the five Great Houses of the Inner Sphere has led to a steep technological decline, forcing the nobility of these vast interstellar empires to rely on mercenaries to augment their standing armies and gain crucial advantages against their enemies. However, that House nobleman may be paying your unit's bills one day, but sending you straight into a trap tomorrow. BattleMechs may be the kings of the battlefield, but money, power, and machinations are just as important in victory as an autocannon barrage.This anthology of hard-hitting BattleTech action includes six short stories that demonstrate how Machiavellian nobles, greedy pirates, and desperate mercenary units can change the course of Inner Sphere history. Take up the cause and charge your way through war-torn tales by veteran BattleTech authors such as Chris Hussey, Philip A. Lee, and Craig A. Reed, Jr.

VICTORY AT ANY COST...Jump into your BattleMech cockpit, fire up your fusion engine, and charge into the fray with two BattleTech novellas from Philip A. Lee and bestselling writer Blaine Lee Pardoe.A Splinter of Hope Violent expansion of the Capellan Confederation and the Draconis Combine has cost recently crowned First Prince Julian Davion both his mentor and countless Federated Suns worlds. To rally his people, he funnels the fires of justice into an ambitious yet risky campaign to retake a vital system: New Syrtis, the occupied capital of the Capellan March. However, the Capellan people have fought dearly for their prize and will do anything in their power to hold onto it. Will Julian's gamble preserve the future of the Federated Suns, or is the invasion doomed before it even begins?The Anvil Khan Malvina Hazen of Clan Jade Falcon is known throughout the Inner Sphere as a merciless, bloodthirsty tyrant. The next target for her scorched-earth, take-no-prisoners tactics is the Lyran Commonwealth world of Coventry: a persistent stain on the Jade Falcons' history. But not all Falcons follow Malvina's lead. Ordered to take Coventry at any cost, Galaxy Commander Stephanie Chistu wishes to see her Clan victorious, but no victory is worth the Jade Falcons losing their very soul. To stand up to tyranny and find an honorable path forward for her Clan, she must balance the razor's edge between duty and honor-or die trying.

Not all adventures take place on land. Take your heroics to the high seas with this guide to ships from across the Pathfinder world! The perfect companion to the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path and Pathfinder Module: Plunder & Peril, Ships of the Inner Sea presents seven unique sailing vessels, complete with adventure-packed histories, maps, and statistics for each captain and crew. Whether it's a pirate-hunting man-of-war, a ghost ship, a slave galley, or a Viking longship, the boats in Ships of the Inner Sea make an indispensible addition to any nautical Pathfinder RPG campaign.

A secret lurks around every corner ... Madness & Monsters is a collection of creepy stories that reveals the darkness lurking in people and everyday objects. Follow a quest to summon an angel, explore a dark basement, and face down a pack of hungry wolves. When you go looking for monsters, will you walk away with your sanity intact, or will you become a monster yourself? Whether you have book smarts, hunting skills, or intimate knowledge of what makes a man tick, sometimes the shadowed corners are better left unexplored. This book collects seven short stories, each of which is packed with unsettling ambiance and unexpected turns. Author Philip A. Lee is a veteran writer for the BattleTech and Shadowrun universes, and Madness & Monsters is his first anthology of original fiction.