BattleTech is a table-top strategy game (not a RPG; the complementing game MechWarrior makes it a RPG, though). It was made by FASA until they closed down in early 2001; Currently made by Whizkid Games. As it stands, BattleTech's last version is the 4th Edition.
The game is fairly simple to understand. The players control, on their turn, a number of units. First, everyone moves (player who lost initiative moves first), and then everyone's weapon fire is resolved at once.
On my opinion, the rules are basically very simple, but at the fullest possible set of rules considered, an enormous amount of time will go to playing each turn...
The core of the each unit is made of BattleMechs, bipedal anthropomorphic war machines with enough firepower to effortlessly blow up everything less powerful than another BattleMech of equal tonnage. Apart of these walking horrors, the Master Rules also include rules for power armor units (such as Clan Elementals), normal vehicles (tanks, boats, VTOLs, and such), normal infantry and, of course, artillery.
Some people criticize the armor rules are getting old, but at least they work: Each unit has armor and internal structure points; When armor gets pierced, internal structure gets damage and eventually leads to critical hits. But the coolest (no pun intended) part of the rules is the heat: Using weapons and running around understandably generates heat, giving another risk of damage. (BattleTech is one of the few games in which "go jump in lake" taunt actually might be construed as a good advice =)
The background world of the game, the conflict between worlds of Inner Sphere and The Clans, and even the internal schisms of the said factions, is something fairly epic. Not many science fiction settings can reach this level of detail. As one reviewer of Pelit computer game magazine said, "the larger-than-life machines need a larger-than-life story behind them".
Some random opinions about Fondue's writeup: Personally, I think BattleMechs have much more "style" compared to Japanese creations. This is just a matter of taste, of course... however, I'm not saying that Japanese Mecha stuff would be inferior. BattleTech is simply something that I prefer to do more often in one form or another. =)
2001-11-12: Some comments about Stride's writeup: Anger makes you leap forth, and you forgot to duck my LRM strike and now you are 1 XP poorer. =)
"Awwwww, our cool little game was a sport for priviledged excuse me - curious few, and now they are trying to popularize the game and when everyone is doing it it is not as cool as it used to be..." Damn that way of thinking!
Personally, if the newer offerings will turn out intolerable, I will stick with the old FASA stuff (undoubtedly excellent) and build new "house rules" on top of those if such is needed (though I may not need that - so far, with people I have played, we are not even using all the rules in 4th ed!); if the newer things are good, there is no reason not to try them out.
(And pre-painted miniatures sound good even when newer rules might not. Certainly, this thing sounds better than the cardboard counters we are using now =)
You know, I found BattleTech via "trivialization for masses" too. My first exposure to BattleTech was Mechcommander, a computer RTS! Some boardgame fanatics thought that the very idea of reducing an intricate turn-based strategy came to a point-and-click real-time strategy game was repulsive. I thought the game was damn cool and immediately wanted to know more of the game background and games with similiar themes.
After that followed MechWarrior 2 (still one of the greatest computer games in my opinion!), and I ended up buying the Battletech board game and tons of source books.
"Any exposure is good exposure."
Go with the flow and adapt.
- a Random Warrior with Timber Wolf from among the Wolves.