Pewter nostalgia: Why the old Ral Partha mechs make my BattleTech heart beat faster

There are moments in the life of a tabletop gamer when you instantly feel transported back in time. It was just such a moment when the package from Finnern arrived. Inside: a huge load of classic BattleTech pewter figures, most of them already painted (although not necessarily by him).

When I opened the box and felt the familiar, heavy weight of the metal in my hands, a wave of nostalgia immediately shot through my head. Welcome back to the 90s!
For me, these miniatures by Ral Partha are far more than just game pieces. They are a piece of living tabletop history. They remind me of my very early days with BattleTech, when we spent nights sitting over the printed hex cards, filling in the record sheets by hand and every heavy pewter mech was a real treasure in the collection. A huge thank you to Finnern for this fantastic deal!

The loot: Overview of the new additions

Before I got down to the detailed planning, I first made a complete inventory of all the units supplied. The box was filled to the brim with real classics, rarities and even a few armored bonus units:

• 4x Atlas
• 2x Grasshopper
• 1x Emperor
• 1x UrbanMech
• 1x Scarabus
• 1x Cyclops
• 1x Blitzkrieg
• 1x Victor
• 1x East Sol
• 1x Hunchback IIC
• 1x Awesome
• 2x Hermes II
• 1x East Scout
• 1x Charger
• 1x Hatchetman
• 1x Blackjack
• 1x Clint
• 1x Penetrator
• 1x Valkyrie
• 1x Axman
• 1x Flea
• 1x Thanatos
• 1x Hermes 1A
• 1x Thorn
• 1x albatross
• 1x Battlehawk
• 1x Uziel
• 1x Wolf Trap (Tora)

Bonus units (Combined Arms):

• 1x Demolisher Heavy Tank
• 1x LRM tank (LSR)
• 1x Squad Elementals III
• 1x Stronghold Elementary

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The project: Three companies for the clan invasion

Instead of simply placing these treasures in the display case, I was immediately gripped by list fever. I took the entire collection and forged three characteristic, thematically dense companies, each with three lances for the Clan Invasion era:

1st Lyran Alliance (House Steiner) – “The Iron Fist”

The faction doctrine is based entirely on Lyran tradition: sheer tonnage, maximum armor and devastating special mechs for close combat. Typically for Steiner, “scouting” is preferably carried out with 100-tonne vehicles.

Lance 1: Heavy Storm Lance (Assault) – The unstoppable center of the Lyran frontline:

• Atlas – AS7-S: Modern Lyran upgrade from 3050 with Streak SRMs.
• Atlas – AS7-D: The immortal, terrifying classic.
• Emperor – EMP-6A.
• Cyclops – CP-11-A: Tactical command mech with reactivated Gauss rifle.

Lance 2: Melee & Breakthrough Lance (Brawler)

These mechs use the Storm Lance’s confusion to rampage at close range with physical attacks and massive short-range firepower:

• Axman – AXM-1N: Iconic 65-tonner with AC/20 and integrated shading axe.
• Hatchetman – HCT-5S: Modernized FedCom version with LB 10-X and pulse lasers.
• Blitzkrieg – BTZ-3F: Ultra-fast Lyran innovation with a devastating Ultra-AC/20.
• Scarabus – SCB-9A: Flank infiltrator with battle axe.

Lance 3: Battle lance (Battle)

Keeps the formation together, secures the flanks and delivers constant energy damage:

• Penetrator – PTR-4D: Modern FedCom workhorse with ER and pulse lasers.
• Grasshopper – GHR-5H: Extremely tough, classic energy brawler.
• Battlehawk – BH-K305: Lyran light mech for infantry defense.
• Thanatos – TNS-4S

2nd Free Worlds League (House Marik) – “The techno-tactical shield”

The faction doctrine relies entirely on highly developed electronics (TAG probes), extremely fast reconnaissance aircraft and coordinated, long-range fire support.

Lance 1: Command & Siege Lance (Assault)

The mechanized heart of the league that wears down the opponent at a distance:

• Albatros – ALB-3U: The marican high-tech flagship from 3053 with LB 10-X and ER lasers.
• Awesome – AWS-9M: Highly efficient Marik upgrade with three ER-PPCs.
• Charger – CGR-1A1: Heavy Scout 🙂

Lance 2: Interception & sturgeon lance (Striker)

Uses the legendary Marikan engine technology for lightning-fast hit-and-run attacks:

• Hermes II – HER-2S: Reliable classic.
• Hermes II – HER-2S: Reliable classic.
• Hermes – HER-1A: The fast-as-an-arrow standard variant for deep reconnaissance.
• Clint – CLNT-2-3T

Lance 3: Reconnaissance & defensive lance (Recon/Garrison)

Secures mission objectives and electronically marks enemy units for remote support:

• Ostsol – OSR-2C (instead of OSR-3M)
• Ostscout – OTT-7K: The electronic eye with TAG target marker and Beagle active hull probe.
• Thorn – THE-N: Reactivated Star Alliance light mech for border garrisons. Clan mech that was captured
• UrbanMech – UM-R60: The original mech.

3rd elite mercenary unit – “The Loot Hunters”

The faction doctrine demands maximum flexibility through combined arms (armor and infantry) and the unscrupulous use of captured clan technology (salvage).

Lance 1: Heavy battle lance (Battle)

A robust core of heavy Inner Sphere iron to bind the enemy in a direct exchange of blows:

• Atlas – AS7-K: Captured/exchanged from Draconis stocks; has a Gauss rifle.
• Atlas – AS7-D: Perfectly maintained from old mercenary stocks.
• Victor – VTR-9B: Heavy jump mech with devastating AC/20.
• Grasshopper – GHR-5N: Modern variant with large ER laser for better range.

Lance 2: Mobile Hunter Lance (Striker)

This lance brings the technological surprise. The captured clan second-line mech acts as a “glass cannon” while the mobile IS mechs cover it:

• Hunchback IIC: Clan second-line mech; extremely fragile, but deadly due to dual ultra AC/20th loot
• Uziel – UZL-2S: Modern, extremely agile all-rounder for flank protection. Booty piece. Does not fit the era. Replace with Wolf Trap (Tora) WFT-1
• Blackjack – BJ-2: Modernized with ER large lasers and Streak SRMs.
• Valkyrie – VLK-QD: Classic, mobile LRM supporter.

Lance 3: Combined arms support lance (battlefield control)

Mercenaries secure their landing zones masterfully. The tanks deny access, while the captured clan infantry dismantle enemy mechs in close combat:

• Demolisher Heavy Tank: Two AC/20 on tracks – absolute close-range danger.
• LRM Tank: LRM Carrier (standard) with 60 LRM missiles per salvo for indirect barrage.
• Elemental III squad: Elementals (Laser) with captured clan standard battle armor.
• Stronghold Elementals: Elementals in heavy armor

Why I love the old pewter figures so much

If you put today’s highly detailed plastic miniatures from Catalyst Game Labs (CGL) next to them, you have to be honest: In terms of design, the new models are in a completely different league. They have more dynamic poses, more harmonious proportions and are much easier to handle. And yet, for me, the old pewter mechs have an inestimable value that no plastic in the world can ever replace.

1. the unbeatable feel and weight

There’s just something magical about putting an unmodified pewter atlas on the pitch. You can feel the weight. It physically feels exactly like a 100-ton colossus should feel. When a pewter figure topples over on the map, you can hear it – it has an acoustic and tactile presence that gives the game a seriousness all of its own.

2. the imperfect, raw charm of the 90s

Yes, some of the old proportions seem bizarre from today’s perspective. Some mechs look flat, almost two-dimensional, others have legs that hardly make any mechanical sense. But this is precisely the art of the time! These models were kneaded and modeled by hand. They transport the spirit of the original TechReadouts from the 90s directly to the table. They are not clean or computer-optimized – they are raw, edgy and full of character.

“The old Ral Partha designs are like good old vinyl records: they may crackle here and there, but they have a soul that is often missed in the digital age.”

3. the “acetone miracle”: infinite reversibility

A huge advantage of pewter over plastic is its absolute indestructibility when it comes to decoloring. If you buy used plastic figures that are stuck together with thick layers of undiluted paint, you often have a problem: harsh solvents such as acetone melt plastic to a pulp in no time at all.
Pewter, on the other hand, is indestructible. A quick dip in acetone, a quick brush over with a toothbrush, and the mech shines like new. No muddy details, no guilty conscience. You can repaint a pewter figure ten times in the course of its life – it simply forgives everything.

4 The hunting instinct and “tabletop archaeology”

The new plastic force packs are great, but you can just grab them off the shelf in the store. Buying old pewter figures, on the other hand, is a bit like a real treasure hunt. Rummaging through old boxes, bargaining in marketplaces and discovering rare variants or the legendary old Unseen designs that have been Out of Production (OOP) for decades releases real endorphins. Each of these figures in my collection had to be “hunted down” and has its own little story to tell.

5. the story behind each miniature

As most of the mechs in this package are already painted, they bear the traces of past battles on their pewter skin. Who painted them back then? In which campaigns of the 90s or early 2000s did they fight? Each model has its own historical charm.

Tin vs. plastic – a look ahead

For beginners and modern Alpha Strike rounds, the new plastic boxes are an absolute blessing. They make the hobby accessible, affordable and look fantastic. I also usually recommend newcomers here on my blog to pick up the latest Force Packs.
But for many of us veterans who grew up with Stackpole’s novels and the old rulebooks, pewter remains the ultimate in collector’s passion. These new additions – especially the four (!) Atlases and the rarities like the Uziel or the Hunchback IIC – will have a place of honor in my display case and on my gaming tables.
A big thank you once again to Finnern for this great package and reviving old memories. The dice are ready, the mechs are heavy – the next battle can come!

Sören Spieckermann

Ich bin Sören Spieckermann, der Kopf hinter mechstrategen. Seit Jahren faszinieren mich taktische Tabletop-Schlachten und die strategische Tiefe von Mechs. Ob schnelle Gefechte in Halo: Flashpoint oder epische Schlachten bei BattleTech Alpha Strike – hier teile ich meine Erfahrungen und Taktiken mit dir. Mein Ziel? Sowohl Einsteigern den Start zu erleichtern als auch alten Hasen neue Impulse für das nächste Match zu geben.