In 1996 numerous images originally licensed from several Japanese anime sources were retired from use within the BattleTech universe. Those illustrations formed the bedrock of the BattleTech 2nd Edition and BattleTech 3rd Edition Box Sets and were generally considered “fan favorites” across the board. These images—such as the Warhammer, Marauder, BattleMaster, Phoenix Hawk and so on—became known as the “unseen.”
 

After much blood, sweat and tears, Catalyst Game Labs is exceptionally pleased to announce the return of these “unseen” images.
 

“I’ve had the honor of helming BattleTech for a long, long time,” said Randall Bills, Managing Developer for Catalyst Game Labs. “I’m exceptionally proud that the work of the last several years for the new line of core rulebooks and the current storyline has precipitated a resurgence in BattleTech play and recognition as a fun, great game, with one of the greatest legacies of any gameline. However, to participate in returning all our favorite images to the game we love… my geek’s been on for long weeks about this explosively cool development. Just wait until you see some of the art under development to “bring them back” in a style worthy of our current books.”
 

The first books containing these images will start appearing this summer, with future releases—as appropriate—able to use illustrations of these classics. One of the biggest of these coming releases, of course, is BattleTech: 25 Years of Art and Fiction; we’ve got a preview of a complete, all-new-story from this book that also showcases a plethora of art across years, including some images not seen in a BattleTech book in long, long years.