Product Review: 21st Centauri Lancers Command Lance

 Hey Folks, we’re back with another product review, and some hilariously good news. It's 2026, and we're still alive.  Our Battletech articles should start flowing again. Today, my friends, we have the 21st Centauri Lancers Command Lance, one of the Mercenary Force Packs Catalyst Game Labs has added to our marketplace.  Let’s Break It Down.

Contents

4 Plastic Mechs!  (Note, that like all of CGL’s boxed releases, these come fully assembled and ready to play with right out of the box).  You get a Stalker, Shadow Cat, a jumping Jade Hawk, and a brand new, never before seen in Catalyst Plastic, Shockwave.   Note: the Stalker and the Shadow Cat have different posings, and the Jade Hawk does come with detachable jump jet plumes, a rubble piece, and Wing elements.  I’ve taken a bunch of pictures of these.  Our camera setup remains questionable. 

4 Alpha Strike Cards (Dual sided) that feature 2 different versions of the four mechs above.  

4 Mechwarrior Pilot Cards that feature notable pilots of these machines. 

Breakdown:  

All around solid lance.  The Shockwave and Shadow Cat are solid medium designs. The Jade Hawk is a quirky little brawling heavy that wants to get in your face with short range guns and claws.  The Stalker is an all around all star of an assault with lots of variants that kick. (The Jade Hawk wings are easy to attach,the jump plume is as well.  The rubble peg for the foot doesnt fit tight to the mech, so it falls off easily during standup.  Mine stuck easier with the jump plume.)

These designs run the range for eras. The Jade Hawk is a late entry in the republic era, while the Shockwave comes from the Jihad Era.  The Stalker is pretty universal,  but the Shadow Cat doesn't enter common usage until the late Jihad/Dark Age eras.  As such, I'd suggest this box as a fantastic starting point for the late republic/Ilclan era.  

AS Point Cost (in the box) 186 on the most expensive combinations of machinery.  

You can always check the Master Unit List for other versions of these four designs and that can dramatically affect the point values.  

Battle Value isn’t calculated for these boxes, and i would suggest you use the Master Unit List to identify what the BV of your force (and specific variations) is.  

Thoughts: Production on these mechs looks pretty good.  There’s a little bit of flashing to clear out if you’re going to make these showcases, but it’s fairly easy to clear.  None of the barrels seem bent, and you’re going to have an easy time getting these ready.  

Overall Rating:

5 stars.  

This is a solid lance for a new player that can slot into a lot of groups.  However, the availability of the Shockwave and the Jade Hawk restricts this box to republic era for every day play.  

Currently, it’s available at your local BarnesandNoble for $34.99.  Its still an exclusive for now, but that is subject to change.  Remember to buy locally when you can.  

So, that’s our product review of this force pack.  If you like what we do, share this woru your friends.