Heavy Gear (1st & 2nd Editions)

Rules changes:

• The RPG system remained the same.
• The tactical system changed the initiative system, introducing the concept of command points.

Content changes:

The second edition reorganized the material, stripping out some content and replacing it with more setting and background information.

• An eight page color section provided setting maps and material.
• The Vehicle Construction System (VCS) was removed, and reintroduced in the Technical Manual (2nd Edition). Alterations to this system would result in changes to previously published aircraft units (in Field Guide North 2, Field Guide South 2, and primarily Tactical Air Support), but these aircraft were never officially republished.
• The rules for integrating Heavy Gear Fighter were removed.
• The chapter providing army lists for the Northern Guard and Southern MILICIA were removed, officially split and expanded upon in two other products (Northern Guard Army List and Southern MILICIA Army List).
• The mini-module "When All Hell Breaks Lose" was removed.
• A chapter on campaigning was added, including some random scenario generators.
• A 10-page mini-sourcebook covering Peace River was added.
• Character archetypes were modified, with some removed, and some added. Pre-calculated archetype cost listings were added (but rarely included in following products).

Further editions:

Heavy Gear (3rd Edition) broke the Heavy Gear setting apart from the core rules, Silhouette Roleplaying Core Rules (Deluxe Edition), which added a complexity mechanic, as well as d20 system conversion rules.

As of 2009, a fourth edition is currently being worked on as a collaboration between Dream Pod 9 and Steve Jackson Games.