Starterbook: Wolf and Blake is the second volume in the Classic Battletech Starterbook series. Each book in the series is designed to act as a "bridge" between various Battletech products, making it easier for players to jump into an enriched but more complex game. While Classic Battletech Starterbook: Sword and Dragon serves as a link between the BattleTech Introductory Box Set and the full tournament/standard rules found in BattleTech: Total Warfare, Starterbook: Wolf and Blake links Total Warfare to Classic Battletech: Tactical Operations, the on-world advanced core rulebook. Wolf and Blake also offers an introduction to the current Jihad storyline and to the religiously driven Word of Blake faction. The famed Black Widow Company serves as the opposing force.
Wolf and Blake follows the basic pattern laid out in Sword and Dragon: brief bits of fiction, profiles of each side's history and current Mechwarriors, a rules annex (here previewing some of the advanced rules from TacOps), a "warchest" campaign system, and a series of branching missions that players can explore. The book ends with a series of filled-in record sheets, including variant 'Mechs depicted in the text.
Total Warfare is required to use Starterbook: Wolf and Blake. Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade is recommended.
