Technical Readouts Explained... a bit (Updates).

Update to the updates - now that the cat is out the bag on TRO 3075

TRO 3025
The first TRO (of many), this was reprinted several times. Specific versions to look for is the printing where the art for the Ostscout and Ostsol were mixed up and the version where this error was fixed - but ended up with the Ostsol stats in the Ostscout section and the Ostscout stats in the Ostsol section.Following the resolution of the court case that gave us the Unseen FASA produced a revised version.

TRO 3025 (Revised)
Removing the 'Mechs that were not producd "in house", TRO 3025(R) introduced "downgraded" versions of the Star League 'Mechs introduced in TRO 2750. This TRO has been reprinted by FanPro. This material has been folded into TRO 3039.

TRO 3026
Second to be published, this work concentrated on vehicles  but also included a section for the MechWarrior RPG (1st edition). Reprtinted several times by FASA.

TRO 3026 (Revised)
With stocks of the FASA version depleated, FanPro elected not just to reprint this TRO, but to revise it. In the years since its publication MechWarrior had been replaced by a second edition RPG, which in its turn had been replaced by a third edition. Most of the equipment had long since been published for these new editions in other products so those pages would either have be be cut or replaced. For TRO 3026(R) they were replaced with new material. Much of this material is begin folded into TRO 3039. Most of the rest has been folded into TRO 3075. Thus TRO 3026 is now an ex-product and will not be reprinted.

TRO 2750
Introducing Star League technology and giving the first look at WarShips (but not rules for construction or their use in games - that came with BattleSpace), this TRO is obsolescent. The fighters stats were published in TRO 3057 and AT2. The 'Mechs and vehicles would later find their way into TRO 3050 (Revised), where they will be joined by the fighters in TRO 3050 (Upgraded). The WarShips and DropShips now appear in TRO 3057/TRO 3057 (Revised), the construction rules are now part of BattleTech's core rules, and the RPG material has for the most part been covered in other publications.

TRO 3050
Introducing the Clans and the recovery of Star League technology, this TRO included updates to the 3025 'Mechs, brought in upgraded versions of other designs seen in various products (Raven, Cataphract, Marauder II, Flea, Falcon, Firefly, Imp, Shogun, Annihilator ect), and a few new Inner Sphere designs (Hatamoto, Mauler, Axman, Wolftrap etc). It also introduced the Clan OmniMechs and Elemental Battle Armor.

Reprinted several times, it was revised by FASA at the same time as TRO 3025.

TRO 3050 (Revised)
Like TRO 3025, TRO 3050 was revised too remove those designs that were not produced "in house". In there place most of the TRO 2750 Star League designs were introduced (being used by ComStar and the Clans in this era this was a logical move). The 2750 vehicles were also brough in. Meanwhile the construction and games rules sections were cut - as that material was now incorporated into the core rules.

TRO 3050 (Upgrade)
Wih stocks of TRO 3050 (Revised) depleated, this TRO is being revised (again) and will be titled TRO 3050 (Upgraded). With new art throughout, this version also sees the retrun of the "Notable MechWarrior/Pilot/Crew" section (due to popular demand) and completly revised and expanded text. The fighters from TRO 2750 will be included (getting them back into a TRO once more). Technology introduced in Total Warfare will feature on a number of variants.

TRO 3055
Introducing Clan Second Line designs, Clan OmniFighters, and the Inner Sphere's response to the Clans, this TRO included a selection of color plates. It also introduced the largerst small pulse laser in the history of BattleTechnology ;-) .

TRO 3055 (Revised)
Like TRO 3025 and TRO 3050, TRO 3055 required some errr... modifications to remove material that could no longer be used. This version replaced the remaining color plates with B/W art.

TRO 3055 (Upgrade)
TRO 3055 was due for a reprint. However several issues prompted FanPro to give this product a serious overhaul. There were a number of designs which could now not be used (the scope of unusable material had been expanded). With new art cover to cover, the supporting text was revised (seeing the return of the "Notable MechWarrior"). Several of the designs were given the "Phoenix" treatment (including a handful of 'Mechs that first appeared in TRO 3058), and the Solaris 7 arena 'Mechs were revised and updated for inclusion.

TRO 3057
The companion TRO the the BattleSpace game, this TRO presented the DropShips, JumpShips, WarShips that were not covered by the BattleSpace rule book. The old 2750 art was revised. The book also included BattleSpace stats for all the fighters and an extensive errata section for the BattleSpace game.

TRO 3057 (Revised)
TRO 3057 stocks were depleated. Just reprinting was not an option as AeroTech 2 had since replaced BattleSpace. With no need for the errata or the fighters (now summarized in the AT2 rules book) a large chunk of space was now a void waiting to be filled. A section on "historical" WarShips filled the space neatly, and stats for the Star League versions of the existing WarShips were folded into the relevant pages.

TRO 3058
Introducing the Inner Sphere's first OmniMechs, a selection of ground vehicles, this TRO was the second to take a stab at introducing color plates to the TRO line.

TRO 3058 (Upgrade)
Reprint time comes again - but several designs could not be used (receiving the Phoenix treatment and being presented in TRO 3055 (Upgrade)). The Mackie was also pulled (conforming to no published construction rules - it may get a chance to appear at some future time). As the new core rule books would not include the Battle Armor designs (due to space considerations and the fact that the core rules were not the best place for them anyway), this was the perect opertunity to get them into a TRO.  The color plates were replaced with B/W art, and the text was reworked - with the ever-popular "Notable MechWarrior" returning. Technically this could have been TRO 3058 (Revised), but in keeping with the terminology introduced by TRO 3055 it became an "Upgrade".

TRO 3060
The last TRO produced by FASA, this publication introduced Clan combat vehicles and made use of a number of new technologies introduced in the Field Manual series. It was reprinted by FanPro. No revision or upgrade version has been announced at this time.

TRO 3067
The first TRO produced by FanPro, this product introduced the Clan second line fighters and consolidated all the Field Manual designs under one cover. A number of new designs are also introduced. No revision or upgrade has been announced at this time.

TRO: Project Phoenix
Unable to use images of a number of designs introduced in the box set and/or TRO 3025, This TRO "Phoenixised" them by creating new art that could be used and a back-story of how the redesign came about. This same process was later used in TRO 3055 (Upgrade) for those designs that could not use their original art.

TRO: Vehicle Annex
A different kind of TRO - this product covers civilian, para-military, and military support or non-combat equipment.

TRO: 3039
With CGL taking over the licence to produce CBT products, and the success of the Box Set, and the need for reprints of 3025(R) and 3026(R), TRO 3039 folds much of the contents into a single VERY BIG TRO. Returning notable MechWarriors/Crews to the publication, it also included (due to popular demand) a section covering the long-unprinted designs from the origional TRO:3025.

TRO 3075
TRO 3075 consolidates a number of units from CBT publications into a single TRO and mixes in the orphans from TRO 3026 (Revised). In addition it adds a number of designs first featured in the WizKids MechWarrior game which have an intorduction date of 3075 or before. Also a host of new designs are included (some are designs to which references have been made - but have never had game stats published). On top of this, the old ASF designs from the first AeroTech rules are at last (having been bounced from various revised TROs due to space constraints), given some background. This also is going to be a big TRO.

You basically need a core rulebook, which comes in a few flavors:
Battletech Compendium, or
Battletech 4th Edition, or
Classic Battletech Companion, or
Classic Battletech Master Rules
They are all the same thing.

If you can find a Battletech or Classic Battletech Boxed set, it's basically a simple rulebook, maps (which you need), and some plastic minis and dice to start playing with.

The Record Sheets are amazing though, if you can find them on Ebay or in an online RPG store. They are the Mech sheets already filled out, with proper armor values and load outs by variant. Either way, I recommend you get some 8.5x11 transparent page covers: put your Mech sheets into those and use some non-permanent markers to fill in dots when the Mech takes hits.

Okay, the short answer is there's so much information it's ridiculous.  After all, BattleDroids started in '82, but because Lucas was going to sue Weisman about using Droids in a negative context, the name was changed to BattleTech and re-released in '84, which makes the game 26 years old if you go from the beginning.  That means tons of information, and a fan-base large and rabid enough to keep it going all this time.  Has to be some kind of record.