MECHWARRIOR 4: MERCENARIES WALKTHROUGH by Briareos Kerensky (briareos@inwind.it, briareos_CWE), ver 2.X 15/02/2003 Table of Contents 1-Disclaimer 2-Update History 3-History Briefing 4-Mercenary Units Briefing 5-Weapons Briefing 6-'Mechs Briefing 7-Vehicles and Misc Enemies Briefing 8-Lancemates briefing 9-How to costumize a 'Mech 10-General Tactics 11-Multiplayer Tactics 12-Walkthrough 13-Roads 14-Glossary 15-Credits and misc ************ 1-DISCLAIMER ************ All names and marks are property of their respective owners; this document is copyright of Briareos Kerensky: unauthorized reproduction of this document as it is or in part is forbidden; to ask authorization send a mail to me (briareos@inwind.it). Do not send mails asking CD keys or other personal codes which changes with every CD package: every softhouse has its own way to use these keys, and I won't deny myself the possibility to play online a game only because someone has "lost the package" or "the package is corrupted". If some sections have cheats which includes alteration of hex codes, renaming files, creation of new ones, I will not answer of HD formatting, lost datas, World Wars, nuclear explosions, invocation of demons of any kind or any other damage derived from those operations. I'm Italian, so do not pay attention to the many mistakes I'll do in spelling, grammar construction and so on. Last thing, if you are going to e-mail me, remember that my name's not Brian. Really. Full nick will be pleased. Thank you. Now have fun. **************** 2-UPDATE HISTORY **************** 15/02/2003-version 2.X. Everytime I write "this is going to be the final release, I always get interesting submissions. So, version will be 2.X from now on, indicating that only submissions and small corrections will be added when there is the occasion. 06/02/2003-version 2.0. This is be the final edition of the document. I'll continue to accept submissions, though. Finallyy added the Northwind Highlanders' description, plus updates and corrections throughout the document. 20/01/2003-version 1.8. 'Mech section completed. Some corrections and updates througout the document. Added a note at the beginning of that section about the 'Mech Packs: please read it before sending any mail concerning them. I hope I'll soon get my hands on them. 03/01/2003-version 1.7. Revamping of the 'Mech section and update of the others started. It's wonderful to see so much feedback for the lack of only one 'Mech in that section...well, that 'Mech (the Adder, or Puma in the Inner Sphere) is one of my favourites too, so it was only a matter of time to see it online. However it has no stats, just begun with the 'Mechs, but still working on that. 27/12/2002-version 1.6. Walkthrough completed. Next time, revamp of 'Mech section as well as revision and updates to all other sections. 200 kilos reached and passed. 24/12/2002-version 1.4. Happy X'mas, though I do not really like these holidays (not just this year...BTW, story too long to be told here). Walkthrough and other sections updated. Added one section, Glossary. The Walkthrough has almost every mission for both neutral and Steiner side. Davion-only and other neutral missions will be added soon, as well as a total revamp of the 'Mech section. 16/12/2002-version 1.3. Continued updating of the sections, Solaris section should be complete and walkthrough started, with Halloran V completed. And document passed 100 kbs already. Whoo-hoo! 11/12/2002-version 1.2. Main addition is the whole Solaris VII walkthrough, almost complete (98%). Some updates in all other sections. As someone already noted (and sent e-mails to me), weapons and 'Mechs stats are different. I'm revamping them already, don't worry. 01/12/2002-version 1.0. First sections only, the document is still in first phases but has few infos on the new things. ****************** 3-HISTORY BRIEFING ****************** When Victor Ian Steiner-Davion returned after having defeated Clan Smoke Jaguar, he found himself in a dangerous position: his sister Katherine, seceded the Lyran part of the Federated Commonwealth, causing a massive civil war to disrupt probably the most powerful of the Successor States. Now the two warring factions are calling for whatever support they need, including Mercenaries. You, a young MechWarrior who applied to the MRBC (Mercenary Reviews and Bonging Commission), found offers from four of the most poweful mercenary units in the Inner Sphere, the Kell Hounds, the Wolf Dragoon's, the Gray Death's Legion and the Northwind Highlanders. They offer you a independent command with the ability to chose which contracts, 'Mechs, personnel and even loyalities take. Make your choice, now. ************************** 4-MERCENRAY UNITS BRIEFING ************************** (note: all infos here have been taken from official BattleTech books, mostly from the Field Manual: Mercenaries sourcebook) --------------- --KELL HOUNDS-- --------------- Founded my Morgan and Patrick Kell in 3010, the Kell Hounds always had a great financial wealth, as the Kell family has ties with the Steiner family. The Kell Hounds, when the Clan invasion begun, had 3 full regiments of the most advanced machines in the Inner Sphere, but this was not enough to avoid that Phelan Kell, son of Morgan, was captured by Clan Wolf during an anti-pirate operation in the Periphery. The Kell Hounds, along with the Wolf's Dragoons, fought in every major engagement of the Clan Invasion and in Operation Bulldog, where they displayed incredible skills even when facing men and women bred to wage war. Meanwhile, Phelan Kell became Khan of Clan Wolf, and later guided the Warden faction of the Clan to Arc-Royal, homeplanet of the Kell Hounds and the Kell family. The two armies lived together since then, and this gave both sections some benefits: Clan Wolf-in-exile now has full prodcution facilities and a homeplanet, and the Kell Hounds have limited access to Clan technologies. The coming of Clan Wolf on Arc-Royal and the Civil War also made the Kell Hounds secede almost every contact with the Steiner family, and declared themselves neutral to the matter (though both Phelan and Morgan poses greater faith in Victor Davion than Katrina); not enough, they formed the ARDC, Arc-Royal Defense Cordon, a congregation of few planets that constantly wath for Clan invasions in the Inner Sphere. Playing with the Kell Hounds mean that most technology will be Inner Sphere oriented, with few Clan items and chassised to buy; most Clan-tech will be acquired through salvage; Inner Sphere 'Mech tend to be Steiner-based, so expect some rude firepower from almost every single chassis bought in the free market. Hounds players start with 1 Flea, 1 Osiris and 2 Wolfhounds and 5.500.000 C-Bills. They have access to Clan technology earlier than the Legion or the Highlanders, but do not have immediate access to it like the Dragoons. ------------------- --WOLF'S DRAGOONS-- ------------------- The Wolf's Dragoons literally appeared in the Inner Sphere in April 3005 and were hired by the Federated Suns. This unknown mercenary unit had warriors of great skill and was armed with only Star League-era BattleMechs, machines and technologies long lost by the Successor States. Then, the Dragoons fight for and against every Great House of the Inner Sphere; in 3050, when the Clans attacked for the first time, the Dragoons summoned all Successor Lords to their planet, Outreach, gave to them by Hanse Davion for their exceptional braveness, and uncovered a shocking secret: the Wolf's Dragoons were formed by the Clans to probe the strenght and weakness of the Inner Sphere, in order to gather more informations in case of an invasion. Even before then, in 3019, the Wolf's Dragoon ceased all contacts with the Clans, with a final task gave by Khan Kerlin Ward of Clan Wolf: to train the Inner Sphere against the Clans. When in 3051 the Clan invasion begun again, the Dragoons stood against the Clans side-by-side by the now-united Great Houses and later with the new Star League. The Wolf's Dragoons have also insituted the MRBC and offer several types of alternate services (technical, training, etc etc) for every mercenary unit subscribed to the MRBC. As for now, the Wolf's Dragoons have took no position in the FedCom Civil War. As the Wolf's Dragoons have full blueprints and manufacturing facilities to produce Clan-level technology, it is garaunteed that they won't face any kind of threat out-gunned or out-classed. Dragoon players will always found their free-market screen with Clan chassis and weapons; this means a great advantage, but also a more oculate use of the money gained: it is easy to find yourself out of money "just" beacuse you bought a Daishi and 5 ER PPCs. Inner Sphere 'Mechs came from all over the Inner Sphere, and you'll be able to choose from the entire stack of 'Mechs with relative freedom. Dragoon players start with 2 Cougars, 4 Fleas and 2 Ullers and 4.500.000 C-Bills plus some Clan-tech weapons. --------------------- --GRAY DEATH LEGION-- --------------------- The Gray Death Legion is very famous for one thing: the Star League memory core they retrieved on Helm, which gave them access to blueprints for infantry armors and Lost-Tech weapons, as well as civilian technologies that aided the entire Inner Sphere. However, aside this technological edge, the Gray Death Legion is renowed for its resourcefulness and heoric stands. Founded in 3024 by Grayson Death Carlyle, which led a former Lyran unit against a Draconis Combine commando on Trell I; starting with a 'Mech and a motorized infantry unit, the unit captured Combne supplies and 'Mechs, eventually driving them off-planet. The Legion is one of the few mercenary units that escaped the Clan's fury and gave them a partial defeat, having retreated succesfully from Sudeten against the Jade Falcons. In 3056, Carlyle swore an oath of fealty to Victor Davion, which gave them the world of Glengarry as landhold. However, Skie separatists attacked when the Colonel was still on Tharkad; the Legion drove back the assault, but a very high cost. The Legion rebuilt, but the newly formed Lyran Alliance striked at them, as the governement cited that the Legion was siding with Caledonian rebels. The Legion hold again, and again, was on the verge of destruction. Katrina Steiner recognized Glengarry as the Legion landhold, in exchange of a pledge of loyality, but there's little reason that the Legion would keep it until the end of the Civil War. Thanks to their Star League memory core and alliance with the Lyran Commonwealth, the Legion has access to some of the most advanced Inner Sphere weapons, and can start with full access to X-Pulse Lasers; they also have access to Lyran 'Mechs, which gave them a great firepower in exchange of tactical flexibility and speed. Legion players start with 1 Raven, 1 Owens, 1 Osiris, 1 Hellspawn and 1 Flea and 8.000.000 C-Bills plus some Lost-tech weapons. ------------------------ --NORTHWIND HIGLANDERS-- ------------------------ The Highlanders can be easily defined the oldest and most respected mercenary unit in the Inner Sphere. The unit's most recent origins date back to the Black Watch Regiment, the finest regiment in the Star League Defense Force, which often acted as bodyguard for the Star League current First Lord. The Northwind Highlanders were however split apart by the decision to formally join the Capellan Confederation's army. Part of the Highlanders didn't agreed, and left the planet in a self-imposed exile. This part of the original unit, split into regiments and served different Houses and different times, effectively marking the birth of the Northwind Highlanders mercenary unit. When the self-exiled part of the original Highlanders felt that was time to reconciliate in 2841 (during the Second Succesion War), their homeworld, Northwind, fell under the attack of the AFFS, which captured the world and decimated the regiments on-planet. The remaining forces began to wander in the Inner Sphere. Shortly after the begininng of the Fourth Succession War, the Highlanders swore loyality to the Federated Suns, entering the racks of the AFFS military (with some privileges) and finally returning on their homeworld. When the Clans begun their invasion, the Highlanders continued to garrison Northwind (a key planet near Terra, which united the Lyran and Federated part of the now-Federated Commonwealth). Only after the Truce of Tukayyid in 3052 the Highlanders where moved near the Clan border, but Hanse Davion's promises of a short stay proved wrong, and when the Capellan Confederation launched an attack to regain all planets lost in the Succession Wars, the Highlanders returned on their homeworld and declared independence from all Houses. When the Star League reborn with the task of stopping the Clans once for all, part of the Highlanders joined Victor Davion's forces and helped in the annihilation of the Smoke Jaguars. Highlanders players start with 2 Chimeras, 2 Fleas, 2 Osirises and 2 Ravens and 6.500.000 C-Bills. Northwind Highlanders also have contract payments raised by approx 20%, making the unit well suited for beginners or someone not good with finances. ********************* 5-WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY ********************* Before the description of every single weapon and equipment, here is a brief description of the categories. MW4 introduces the concept of weapon bays: a certain weapon bay can accept only determinated types of weapons (energy bays=energy weapons only and so on), though Omni bays can accept every kind of weapon. Note that these bays are also limited by dimensions, so not all weapons will fit in a given type of hardpoint. This makes the configuration of "official" 'Mechs somewhat different from how are knew by BT player. + Energy weapons (red): energy weapons uses massive amounts of electricty produced by the 'Mech's reactor, and they can be fired without ammunition problems. This advantage is balanced by the large amounts of waste heat that they produce: the only way to dissipate this heat is to mount extra heat sinks, which compensates for their relatively light mass and compactness. Range and firepower increases in proportion. + Ballistic weapons (yellow): these weapons must be fed by ammunition: this limits the times the weapon can be fired, and ammunitions explode when struck by weapon fire. They do not produce large amounts of heat, but are bulky and weight a lot. Lighter models have a longer range but less firepower; heavier models have more firepower than range, and carries less ammo. + Missile weapons (green): like ballistic weapons they use ammunitions, and each launcher fire a specified number of missiles in a single salvo. Missiles are explosive, and they produce moderate amounts of heat. Damage is spread among the whole target, and not concentrated like other weapons. + Equipment: this category contains the larger variety of accessories a 'Mech can mount. They include alternative type of armors, heat sinks and EW (Electronic Warfare) suites. Note: MW4: Mercs added new weapons (also counting the ones in Black Knight and the 'Mech Packs): X-Pulse Lasers (3 versions), Streak MRMs (4 versions), Rotary AutoCannons (2 versions), Heavy Gauss Rifles, full range of standard and Ultra AutoCannons; Thunderbolt missiles have been renamed Arrow IV Thunderbolt. Bombast Lasers and High Explosive and have also been removed. Also, damage, range and heat stats may ahve changed: Pulse Lasers are a good example of that. ------------------ --ENERGY WEAPONS-- ------------------ STANDARD/ER LASER: Lasers fire a beam of coherent light, producing damage through the extreme temperatures that the beam reaches; standard lasers have a medium/short range but the ER version has longer ranges, especially in their Clan versions; in fact, the Clan ER Medium Lasers have a range value roughly equivalent to the Inner Sphere standard Large Laser; ER versions have a greater heat value but maintain the same damage values; Medium and ER Medium are good back up weapons for every kind of 'Mech. Name: LARGE LASER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 600 meters Damage: 7,5 Heat: 6 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 2 Weight: 5 tons Cost: 482'109 C-Bills Name: MEDIUM LASER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 300 meters Damage: 2 Heat: 1,5 Recycle rate: 3 Size: 1 Weight: 1 tons Cost: 127'111 C-Bills (if someone's wondering why I didn't wrote the Medium Laser cost for so long, I say that it is *incredible* that you get only an handful of them at the Free Market and salvage *tons* of them...that's why after two or three missions the Free Market runs out of Medium Lasers) Name: SMALL LASER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 150 meters Damage: 1,25 Heat: 0,85 Recycle rate: 2 Size: 1 Weight: 0,5 tons Cost: 84'876 C-Bills Name: ER LARGE LASER Technology: Clan Range: 800 meters Damage: 7,50 Heat: 9 Recycle rate: 5 Size: 2 Weight: 4 tons Cost: 541'406 C-Bills Name: ER MEDIUM LASER Technology: Clan Range: 400 meters Damage: 2,45 Heat: 2,5 Recycle rate: 3 Size: 1 Weight: 1 tons Cost: 164'912 C-Bills Name: ER SMALL LASER Technology: Clan Range: 200 meters Damage: 1,60 Heat: 1,15 Recycle rate: 2 Size: 1 Weight: 0,5 tons Cost: 111'232 C-Bills PULSE LASER: Pulse Lasers fire a stream of four laser beams instead of the single one of standard and ER lasers; they produce more heat than standard lasers but the amount generated is equivalent to ER lasers (both versions); it is possible to "walk" this prolonged beam, making hitting a single target easier, and have a very low recharge time, making them efficient at close range. Clan versions have a longer range, roughly the 50% more of Inner Sphere versions. X-Pulse Lasers are an Inner Sphere innovation that works as an "update" to normal Pulse Lasers: by amplifying the emitters, the dmage value has been greatly increased, in exchange of much more heat generated. Rage values are the same of Inner Sphere Pulse Lasers. Name: LARGE PULSE LASER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 650 meters Damage: 4 Heat: 5 Recycle rate: 0,75 Size: 2 Weight: 7 tons Cost: 692'120 C-Bills Name: MEDIUM PULSE LASER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 300 meters Damage: 1,10 Heat: 1,25 Recycle rate: 0,50 Size: 1 Weight: 2 tons Cost: 205'276 C-Bills Name: SMALL PULSE LASER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 150 meters Damage: 0,45 Heat: 0,40 Recycle rate: 0,25 Size: 1 Weight: 1 tons Cost: 135'285 C-Bills Name: LARGE X-PULSE LASER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 700 meters Damage: 5,75 Heat: 7 Recycle rate: 1,75 Size: 2 Weight: 5 tons Cost: 599'684 C-Bills Name: MEDIUM X-PULSE LASER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 400 meters Damage: 2,25 Heat: 2,60 Recycle rate: 0,75 Size: 1 Weight: 3 tons Cost: 343'203 C-Bills Name: SMALL X-PULSE LASER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 150 meters Damage: 0,80 Heat: 0,85 Recycle rate: 0,30 Size: 1 Weight: 1,5 tons Cost: 220'754 C-Bills Name: ER LARGE PULSE LASER Technology: Clan Range: 800 meters Damage: 4,50 Heat: 5,60 Recycle rate: 0,75 Size: 2 Weight: 6 tons Cost: 849'566 C-Bills Name: ER MEDIUM PULSE LASER Technology: Clan Range: 400 meters Damage: 1,20 Heat: 1,35 Recycle rate: 0,50 Size: 1 Weight: 2 tons Cost: 241'266 C-Bills Name: ER SMALL PULSE LASER Technology: Clan Range: 200 meters Damage: 0,55 Heat: 0,60 Recycle rate: 0,25 Size: 1 Weight: 1,5 tons Cost: 170'836 C-Bills STANDARD/ER PPC: the PPC fires particles. Both versions produces high amounts of heat, and and among the most powerful weapons (in fact, the Clan version is the most powerful weapon in this game) in this game; the "projectiles" are fast, but slower the laser ones; they pass AC shells and missiles and matches Gauss' ones, however. They are extremely bulky though the Clan version is lighter. The standard version (available only to Inner Sphere units) has a shorter range but produces less heat. Recharge times are long, but it is highly recomended. When hit by PPC fire, a 'Mech will suffer a limited short-circuit. Name: PPC Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 850 meters Damage: 12 Heat: 11 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 3 Weight: 7 tons Cost: 392'411 C-Bills Name: ER PPC Technology: Clan Range: 1,000 meters Damage: 16 Heat: 16 Recycle rate: 8 Size: 3 Weight: 6 tons Cost: 718'666 C-Bills FLAMER: the flamer taps hot gases directly from the reactor, creating an hot stream of flames; the flamer do not produce too much heat and when the stream hits the target, its heat level will increase, plus creating light damage. If hit, the target will catch fire for about 5 seconds, and it will be illuminated for this period of time; a basically useless weapon, but good if you want to do picnics. Name: FLAMER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 150 meters Damage: 1 Heat: 4 Recycle rate: 4 Size: 2 Weight: 1 tons Cost: 16'010 C-Bills Name: FLAMER Technology: Clan Range: 150 meters Damage: 1 Heat: 4 Recycle rate: 4 Size: 2 Weight: 0,5 tons Cost: 32'019 C-Bills --------------------- --BALLISTIC WEAPONS-- --------------------- MACHINE GUNS ARRAY (MG ARRAY): a series of machine guns packed together. The Inner Sphere variant packs three guns while the Clan one four, with the same weight of its Inner Sphere counterpart. They do not do much damage, but have a fast rate of fire and I take a perverse pleasure in firing groups of them. Not worth the weight, however. Name: MACHINE GUN ARRAY Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 150 meters Damage: 0,35 Heat: 0 Recycle rate: 0,30 Size: 1 Weight: 2 tons Ammo per ton: 450 Cost: 65'084 C-Bills Name: MACHINE GUN ARRAY Technology: Clan Range: 200 meters Damage: 0,4 Heat: 0 Recycle rate: 0,30 Size: 1 Weight: 2 tons Ammo per ton: 600 Cost: 85,008 C-Bills STANDARD AUTOCANNON (AC): ACs fire a stream of high-velocity projectiles toward a single target. In MW4 standard ACs come only in 2, 5 and 10 types: the 5 model has a good range sacrificing firepower, while the 10 model has twice the punch of its smaller brother but keeps a decent range. The 5 model holds 120 rounds in a single ton and the 10 model only 36. The Clans use Ultra and LB-X ACs, they do not have standard ACs. Name: AC/2 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 900 meters Damage: 2 Heat: 0,1 Recycle rate: 1 Size: 1 Weight: 8 tons Ammo per ton: 240 Cost: C-Bills Name: AC/5 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 750 meters Damage: 5 Heat: 0,2 Recycle rate: 1 Size: 1 Weight: 8 tons Ammo per ton: 120 Cost: 101'062 C-Bills Name: AC/10 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 600 meters Damage: 9 Heat: 0,60 Recycle rate: 3 Size: 2 Weight: 13 tons Ammo per ton: 36 Cost: 319'845 C-Bills Name: AC/20 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 400 meters Damage: 18 Heat: 1,80 Recycle rate: 5 Size: 3 Weight: 16 tons Ammo per ton: 20 Cost: 480'249 C-Bills LB-X SCATTERSHOT: shotgun-like ACs: rather than directing a single stream of projectile toward a single area of the target, an LB-X rounds will reproduce a cluster effect on the whole enemy, maximizing the possibility to score head or critical hits. Name: LBX AC 10 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 450 meters Damage: 14 Heat: 1 Recycle rate: 4 Size: 2 Weight: 12 tons Ammo per ton: 36 Cost: 467'694 C-Bills Name: LBX AC 20 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 350 meters Damage: 28 Heat: 2 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 3 Weight: 15 tons Ammo per ton: 20 Cost: 999'106 C-Bills Name: LBX AC 10 Technology: Clan Range: 450 meters Damage: 14 Heat: 1 Recycle rate: 4 Size: 2 Weight: 10 tons Ammo per ton: 36 Cost: 561'234 C-Bills Name: LBX AC 20 Technology: Clan Range: 350 meters Damage: 28 Heat: 2 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 3 Weight: 12 tons Ammo per ton: 20 Cost: 1'248'882 C-Bills ULTRA AUTOCANNON: the Ultra ACs do not fire special rounds like the LB-X ACs, but can fire a stream of projectiles roughly comparable to two standard ACs' ones. This doubles the damage of the stream, but also eats ammunition in a faster rate. Name: Ultra AC/2 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 1000 meters Damage: 2,5 Heat: 0,1 Recycle rate: 1 Size: 1 Weight: 8 tons Ammo per ton: 240 Cost: 104'271 C-Bills Name: Ultra AC/5 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 600 meters Damage: 4 Heat: 0,15 Recycle rate: 1,5 Size: 1 Weight: 10 tons Ammo per ton: 120 Cost: 156'444 C-Bills Name: Ultra AC/10 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 500 meters Damage: 18 Heat: 0,75 Recycle rate: 4 Size: 2 Weight: 16 tons Ammo per ton: 36 Cost: 519'750 C-Bills Name: Ultra AC/20 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 350 meters Damage: 36 Heat: 1,5 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 3 Weight: 20 tons Ammo per ton: 20 Cost: 1'026'432 C-Bills Name: Ultra AC/2 Technology: Clan Range: 1000 meters Damage: 2,5 Heat: 0,11 Recycle rate: 1 Size: 1 Weight: 6 tons Ammo per ton: 240 Cost: 139'027 C-Bills Name: Ultra AC/5 Technology: Clan Range: 600 meters Damage: 4 Heat: 0,15 Recycle rate: 1,5 Size: 1 Weight: 8 tons Ammo per ton: 120 Cost: 213'888 C-Bills Name: Ultra AC/10 Technology: Clan Range: 500 meters Damage: 18 Heat: 0,75 Recycle rate: 4 Size: 2 Weight: 13 tons Ammo per ton: 36 Cost: 639'691 C-Bills Name: Ultra AC/20 Technology: Clan Range: 350 meters Damage: 36 Heat: 1,5 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 3 Weight: 18 tons Ammo per ton: 20 Cost: 1,140,480 C-Bills ROTARY AUTOCANNON: Rotary ACs are an upgrade to normal AutoCannons which sacrifices firepower range and, above all, affidability for very high rates of fire. RACs were designed for short, controlled bursts, not for continuos use in combat: this can lead to jams, which make the weapon useless. Name: Rotary AC2 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 900 meters Damage: 1,85 Heat: 0,15 Recycle rate: 0,25 Size: 2 Weight: 8 tons Ammo per ton: 120 Cost: 367'701 C-Bills Name: Rotary AC5 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 550 meters Damage: 2,35 Heat: 0,20 Recycle rate: 0,30 Size: 2 Weight: 10 tons Ammo per ton: 60 Cost: 565'297 C-Bills LIGHT/STANDARD/HEAVY GAUSS RIFLE: can be considered as a ballistic version of the PPC; with this translation the Gauss got lower temperatures and limited ammo supplies, but kept its high damage value. The Inner Sphere version of the Rifle is heavier but has the same damage and range values of the Clan version. Heavy Gauss Rifles have very high damge values but generates lots of heat point (for Gauss Rifles), and their projectiles are more powerful as the target is closer to the firing unit. The projectile is fast and reliable, and has average reciclying capabilities. A good choice as ballistic for Omni 'Mech's main weapon. Name: GAUSS RIFLE Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 800 meters Damage: 17 Heat: 1 Recycle rate: 8 Size: 3 Weight: 16 tons Ammo per ton: 24 Cost: 482'438 C-Bills Name: GAUSS RIFLE Technology: Clan Range: 800 meters Damage: 17 Heat: 1 Recycle rate: 8 Size: 3 Weight: 13 tons Ammo per ton: 24 Cost: 593'770 C-Bills Name: LIGHT GAUSS RIFLE Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 1200 meters Damage: 12 Heat: 0,80 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 2 Weight: 13 tons Ammo per ton: 30 Cost: 416'984 C-Bills Name: HEAVY GAUSS RIFLE Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 600 meters Damage: 27 Heat: 2 Recycle rate: 8 Size: 4 Weight: 18 tons Ammo per ton: 16 Cost: 724'102 C-Bills LONG TOM: this Long Tom is not the famous artillery cannon, but a smaller version, uselful at shorter ranges; I do not like this weapon as it weights too much and its effects are what you expect from a (small) artillery weapon. The projectile is relatively slow, and describes an arched trajectory and when hits the ground, it explodes with a relatively large strike; the projectile's slowness make difficult to target fast-moving enemies and if fired too close, the shell explosion can damage the firing 'Mech too. Better use Gauss Rifles or PPCs. To answer Jams Kong, there will be no availability of Long Toms in the free market. Howevr, you should be able to salvage one during the campaign, and it will be the only Long Tom you'll get. Name: LONG TOM Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 1000 meters Damage: 35 Heat: 20 Recycle rate: 7 Size: 3 Weight: 20 tons Ammo per ton: 18 Cost: 538'312 C-Bills ------------------- --MISSILE WEAPONS-- ------------------- LONG RANGE MISSILE (LRM): Long Range Missiles are the only missile type requiring a lock-on onto the target. Well, they do not stricktly require it, but it is better to wait for the lock or the salvo will likely be wasted. When combined to an active NARC beacon, the LRMs will follow the selected target, eventually increasing their maneuverability. LRM racks come in 4 types: 5, 10, 15 or 20 missiles per salvo. All missiles (except Thunderbolts) tend to spread damage along the whole target rather than inflicting a single, devastating blow; also, missiles tend to hit in salvos, so most times not all missiles from a salvo will hit the target. Each ton of ammunition holds 240 missiles. Name: LRM 5 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 1000 meters Damage: 4 Heat: 0,80 Recycle rate: 4 Size: 1 Weight: 3 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (48 salvos) Cost: 81'481 C-Bills Name: LRM 10 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 1000 meters Damage: 8 Heat: 1,60 Recycle rate: 4 Size: 1 Weight: 6 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (24 salvos) Cost: 162'962 C-Bills Name: LRM 15 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 1000 meters Damage: 12 Heat: 2 Recycle rate: 4 Size: 2 Weight: 8 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (16 salvos) Cost: 286'000 C-Bills (whoa, a normal price!) Name: LRM 20 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 1000 meters Damage: 16 Heat: 2,40 Recycle rate: 4 Size: 2 Weight: 11 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (12 salvos) Cost: 379'259 C-Bills Name: LRM 5 Technology: Clan Range: 1000 meters Damage: 4 Heat: 1,2 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 1 Weight: 2 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (48 salvos) Cost: 114'074 C-Bills Name: LRM 10 Technology: Clan Range: 1000 meters Damage: 8 Heat: 2,4 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 1 Weight: 3,5 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (24 salvos) Cost: 260'740 C-Bills Name: LRM 15 Technology: Clan Range: 1000 meters Damage: 12 Heat: 3 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 2 Weight: 4,5 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (16 salvos) Cost: 469'333 C-Bills Name: LRM 20 Technology: Clan Range: 1000 meters Damage: 16 Heat: 3,6 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 2 Weight: 6 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (12 salvos) Cost: C-Bills SHORT RANGE MISSILE (SRM): these missiles are totally unguided and should be used in WVR (Within Visual Range) combat; they are pretty useless against fast-moving targets if you are not good in anticipating its movements. SRMs come in 3 type: 2, 4 and 6 missiles per salvo. Each ton of ammunition holds 120 missiles. When compared to LRMs, SRMs have twice their firepower but half the range. They are also lighter than LRM launchers. Name: SRM 2 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 250 meters Damage: 3 Heat: 0,4 Recycle rate: 2 Size: 1 Weight: 2 tons Ammo per ton: 120 (60 salvos) Cost: 58'987 C-Bills Name: SRM 4 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 250 meters Damage: 6 Heat: 0,6 Recycle rate: 2 Size: 1 Weight: 3 tons Ammo per ton: 120 (30 salvos) Cost: 171'600 C-Bills Name: SRM 6 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 250 meters Damage: 9 Heat: 0,8 Recycle rate: 2 Size: 2 Weight: 4 tons Ammo per ton: 120 (20 salvos) Cost: 301'640 C-Bills STREAK SRM: Streak SRMs are used by Clans only. The Streak SRMs are guided, like LRMs, but do not require a target: when fired the Streak SRMs will search the nearest target and will follow it until they score an hit; note that if you have a terget under your targeting reticule, the missiles will home on it, as well as if you have a locked target; when used with active NARC beacons, the Streak SRMs will go toward the nearest active beacon. As standard SRMs, this advanced version comes in 2, 4 or 6 missiles pack. Each ton of ammunition holds 120 missiles. Name: STREAK SRM 2 Technology: Clan Range: 250 meters Damage: 3 Heat: 0,6 Recycle rate: 3 Size: 1 Weight: 2 tons Ammo per ton: 120 (60 salvos) Cost: 96'680 C-Bills Name: STREAK SRM 4 Technology: Clan Range: 250 meters Damage: 6 Heat: 0,9 Recycle rate: 3 Size: 1 Weight: 3 tons Ammo per ton: 120 (30 salvos) Cost: 275'000 C-Bills Name: STREAK SRM 6 Technology: Clan Range: 250 meters Damage: 9 Heat: 1,2 Recycle rate: 3 Size: 2 Weight: 4 tons Ammo per ton: 120 (20 salvos) Cost: 478'561 C-Bills MEDIUM RANGE MISSILE (MRM): MRMs are fired like standard SRMs, but are a retrofitted version of LRMs: by removing steering thrusters and guidance systems engineers were able to increase the missile/salvo ratio and the ammunition load for single launchers; when compared to LRMs, a MRM bin contains twice as much the missiles. MRMs are fired in 10, 20, 30 or 40 missiles per salvo: the sheer number of missiles is balanced by a relatively slowness of the missiles and the relative difficulty in hitting a mobile target with such weapons. MRMs are not NARC-compatible. Each ton of ammunition holds 240 missiles. Name: MRM 10 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 400 meters Damage: 9 Heat: 2,4 Recycle rate: 5 Size: 1 Weight: 5 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (24 salvos) Cost: 76'039 C-Bills Name: MRM 20 Technology: Inner Sohere Range: 400 meters Damage: 18 Heat: 4,8 Recycle rate: 5 Size: 2 Weight: 8 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (12 salvos) Cost: 190'098 C-Bills Name: MRM 30 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 400 meters Damage: 27 Heat: 6 Recycle rate: 5 Size: 2 Weight: 11 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (8 salvos) Cost: 320'894 C-Bills Name: MRM 40 Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 400 meters Damage: 36 Heat: 7,2 Recycle rate: 5 Size: 3 Weight: 13 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (6 salvos) Cost: 492'563 C-Bills STREAK MRMs: A Clan invention, the Streak MRMs uses the searching warhead of Streak SRMs but the missiles and racks are those of the MRMs. They work exactly as Streak SRMs, with all drawbacks and benefis, but have a longer range in exchange of firepower. Name: STREAK MRM 10 Technology: Clan Range: 400 meters Damage: 7 Heat: 2,40 Recycle rate: 7 Size: 1 Weight: 5 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (24 salvos) Cost: 137'280 C-Bills Name: STREAK MRM 20 Technology: Clan Range: 400 meters Damage: 14 Heat: 4,80 Recycle rate: 7 Size: 2 Weight: 8 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (12 salvos) Cost: 343'200 C-Bills Name: STREAK MRM 30 Technology: Clan Range: 400 meters Damage: 21 Heat: 6 Recycle rate: 7 Size: 2 Weight: 11 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (8 salvos) Cost: 577'645 C-Bills Name: STREAK MRM 40 Technology: Clan Range: 400 meters Damage: 28 Heat: 7,20 Recycle rate: 7 Size: 3 Weight: 13 tons Ammo per ton: 240 (6 salvos) Cost: 885'028 C-Bills NARC MISSILE BEACON: The Narc fires an heavily modified missile that delivers special emitters that helps firendly missiles in locking target for a short period of time. Each time that the "Narced" enemy is damaged, the Narc can expire before its time runs out. When locked, it will allows faster lock-on capabilities and improved to-hit chances for LRMs and Streak SRMs. Note that ALL friendly units with Narc-capable missiles will benefit from a "Narced" enemy. Name: NARC Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 450 meters Damage: 0 Heat: 1 Recycle rate: 3 Size: 1 Weight: 4 tons Ammo per ton: 6 Cost: 17'421 C-Bills Name: NARC Technology: Clan Range: 600 meters Damage: 0 Heat: 1 Recycle rate: 3 Size: 1 Weight: 2 tons Ammo per ton: 6 Cost: 23'597 C-Bills ARROW IV: scaled-down version of the massive Arrow IV artillery missile. This version has less range and firepower than the original system, but can be easily identified as the most powerful weapon on the battlefield, with higher damage values of a Thunderbolt missile. Like the Thunderbolt, the Arrow IV system fires a single missile and has a low ammo per ton ratio. Standard Arrow IV missiles concentrate all their firepower in a single location, while Cluster munitions have a larger payload, but spread them among submunitions to maximize splash damage. as Thunderbolts, Arrow IV missiles cannot be destroyed by LAMS. Name: ARROW IV THUNDERBOLT Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 1'200 meters Damage: 28 Heat: 7 Recycle rate: 6.5 Size: 3 Weight: 14 tons Ammo per ton: 15 Cost: 1'111'687 C-Bills Name: ARROW IV CLUSTER Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 1'200 meters Damage: 32 Heat: 7 Recycle rate: 10 Size: 3 Weight: 18 tons Ammo per ton: 15 Cost: 1'156'222 C-Bills FLARE (FLARE): I don't know why the flare is under the missile section...as its name suggests, the flare is used to enlight places with a small white light; if you hit a moving target with a flare, the flare will continue burning even if this enemy moves in water, but will expire in about 15 seconds; also, if you try to launch a Flare when someone (even you) has the Light Amplification off, a single Flare will produce so much light that the Amplification will white-out due to the excessive light in the area; pretty useless, however. Name: FLARE Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 800 meters Damage: 0 Heat: 2 Recycle rate: 2 Size: 1 Weight: 1 tons Ammo per ton: 300 Cost: 13,322 C-Bills ARTILLERY BEACON (ARTLRY): Used to signal where the artillery pieces (far, far away from where you are) have to fire. Useless. Name: ARTILLERY BEACON Technology: Inner Sphere Range: 360 meters Damage: 40 Heat: 5 Recycle rate: 6 Size: 1 Weight: 5 tons Ammo per ton: 2 Cost: C-Bills ------------- --EQUIPMENT-- ------------- FERRO FIBROUS ARMOR: Ferro Fibrous armor is the standard armor compound in MW4. When compared to standard or other compounds, the Ferro Fibrous offer more points per ton (30) and weight less. Ferro Fibrous armor absorbs all kind of damages normally, without bonuses on any kind of weapon. REFLECTIVE ARMOR: Reflective armor is designed to mitigate effects of energy weapons, roughly halving the damage of lasers and PPCs. It provides 20 points per ton; it sufferes a small malus when countering balistic and missile weapons. REACTIVE ARMOR: designed to halve damage of missile weapons, the Reactive armor provides 20 points per tons; it counters balistic weapons in the same way as Ferro-Fibrous and has a small malus against energy weapons. STANDARD INTERNAL STRUCTURE: types of internal structure cannot be changed and are automatically assigned with a specific 'Mech. The standard compound for Internal Structures absorbs damage in the same way of Ferro-Fibrous armor, without any malus but also without any bonus on weight or whatsoever. ENDO STEEL INTERNAL STRUCTURE: Endo Steel compound weights half than a standard compound, but is more prone to recieve damage. ECM and GUARDIAN ECM SUITES: this electronic package is designed to reduce ranges of enemies' sensors. A unit affected by enemy ECM suites (Guardian is the Inner Sphere codename, while the Clans use no particular codenames) will be able to detect units only within 500 meters. One of its side effects is to decrease slightly missiles' lock time. 'Mechs with heat above the 50% will be always detected, even if within friendly ECM radius. Both Suites wieght 1 ton and do not occupy any critical. Note: in MW4:Mercs, there is no longer Guardian ECM Suite. All systems are now listed as ECM Suite, with no appreciable differencies between technology bases. ACTIVE and BEAGLE ACTIVE PROBES: the Active Probe (Beagle for the Inner Sphere and without codenames for the Clans) is designed to enhace the standard 'Mech sensors. It is capable to greatly decrease missiles' lock time, and capable of partially breaking ECM "bubble". If ECMs and Active Probes are combined togheter, the missiles' lock is about 4 seconds. It also increases radar's maximum range by 200 meters (for a total of 1200 meters). BAPs are capable of detecting shutdown 'Mechs within 100 meters (or at least Matthew Shane says this; he also wrote that he tried with one of his lancemates; I'll have some tests ASAP). Both Probes weight 1 ton and do not occupy any critical. Note: in MW4:Mercs, there is no longer Active Probe. All systems are now listed as Beagle Active Probes (BAP), with no appreciable differencies between technology bases. LIGHT AMPLIFICATION: as you might know, night greatly limits visibility. 'Mechs carry external lights to illuminate the sorrounding environment, but the light also makes them visible and illuminates only a small area in front of the 'Mech. If a 'Mech mounts Light Amplification equipment it can use it to see night-shrouded environments without turning on external lights. Useless in any other kind of condition. There's no difference between Clan and Inner Sphere Amplification equipment. Light Amplification is now part of a 'Mech standard equipment. AMS and LASER AMS: AMS stands for Anti Missile System; this sytem will try to shoot down any incoming missile (Thunderbolt excluded). Standard AMS is in use in Inner Sphere units and carries a limited supply of rounds, limiting its effectivness in prolonged battles. Clans developed Laser AMS, a modified Small Pulse Laser with the tracking equipment of the AMS. Though it doesn't expend ammo, it generates large amounts of heat; this system is slightly superior to its Inner Sphere counterpart in shooting down missiles. Note that the AMSes will shoot down only missiles that have a solid lock on you, ignoring all other missiles. Both Systems weight 1.5 tons. Note: in MW4:Mercs, there is no longer AMS. All systems have been upgraded to Laser AMS (LAMS), with no appreciable differencies between technology bases. JUMP JETS: though 'Mechs have a relatively humanoid shape and are capable of entering terrains otherwise impossible for standard vehicles, environments like cities or mountains can limit their agility. Jump Jets were created to provide this extra mobility the 'Mechs needed: jump jets can be used to pass buildings, climb over high, otherwise impossible to reach, surface and to make a more difficult target during battle. Nearly any light and medium 'Mech has the possibility to mount jump jets, though only the Mad Cat MkII can mount them in the assault class. Jump Jets weight varies from chassis to chassis. ADVANCED GYRO: in MW4:Mercs it is relatively easier to knock down 'Mechs: the Advanced Gyro solves the problem, making the 'Mech more stable in every aspect, also in limiting the recoil of weapons and rock-back of enemy weapons smashing on the equipped 'Mech. Advanced Gyro weight varies from chassis to chassis. Inner Sphere 'Mechs only. IFF JAMMER: this particular piece of equipment can wreak havoc in multiplayer games: all hostile units have their IFF (Identify Friend or Foe, as device dedicated to assign the neutrality, hostility or alliance with other vehicles) jammed, making hostile units look like neutral on all HUD informations. When an enemy is 200 meters or closer, however, will recognize the Jammer 'Mech as an enemy. No appreciable effects have been observed in single-player mode. IFF Jammer weights 1 ton and do not occupy critical slots. ENHACED OPTICS: a Clan-tech only, the Enhaced Optics allows a 'Mech to have a wider field of vision when using the zoom window, roughly 80% of the whole screen. Though it might appear a bit useless, this equipment is great for long-range sniping. Enhaced Optics weight 1 ton and do not occupy critical slots. ***************** 6-'MECHS BRIEFING ***************** Note: Mercenaries includes all 'Mechs that appeared in MW4 and its expansions (Vengeance, Black Knight, Clan and Inner Sphere 'Mech packs). However, only 'Mechs coming from Vengeance, Black Knight and this Mercenaries are playable. 'Mechs like the Zeus or the Masakari, which come from the Inner Sphere and Clan 'Mech packs, respectively, can only be purchased if the expasion packs are installed; however, if the pack is not installed, the 'Mechs from these expansion will appear as enemies. You can destroy them, but not salvage. Unfortunately I have yet to find time and money to buy both packs, so the 'Mechs are listed here without many important informations. For those having money for the packs, they are language-free: they work on any language version of the game with no restictions. Note: two or three players with the Packs reported that 'Mechs are unavailable for salvage or at the free market even if both Packs are installed. I can't help with this, still have to find these Packs, a single person told me that if the Packs are installed over VENGEANCE (the original MW4 game) and the Mercenaries is installed, it will autodetect them. Please check if your 'Mech Packs have been installed over Vengeance before installing Mercenaries...and...remember, I can't help you out (yet). For armor descriptions, CT stands for Center Torso, T for Right and Left Torsos, RT for Rear Torso, H for Head, A for Arms and L for Legs. Weapons and bays locations are somewhat different: CT stands for Center Torso, H for Head, RT for Right Torso, LT for Left Torso, RA fo Right Arm and LA for Left Arm. Maximum armor indications are for the standard armor type for the 'Mech. Engine rating is to be intended as the maximum speed available for that engine tonnage; as the lowest speed comes "free", there's no tonnage (usually indicated in the brackets) and the weight indicated (in the brackets) is intended as the tonnage needed for upgrading the engine from the previous rating. A big "thank you" to Roy Dane (roydane@modempool.com) that provided some infos that shortened my work. ----------------------- --INNER SPHERE 'MECHS-- ----------------------- FLEA Mass: 20 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 140 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.20; A 0.40; T 0.60; CT 0.80; RT 0.30; L 0.60 Standard Maximum Speed: 131.98 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Small Lasers (RT, LT), 3 Machine Gun Arrays (RA, LA, CT) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: RT (1 slot), LT (1 slot) Ballistic Bays and location: LA (1 slot), RA (1 slot), CT (1 slot) Missile Bays and location: none Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 0.40; T 0.60; CT 0.90; RT 0.30; L 1.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 108, 115.99 (0.25), 123.98 (0.5), 131.98 (0.75), 139.97 (1), 147.96 (1.25) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, LAMS Standard Cost: 1'663'006 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 23'599 The lightest 'Mech in the game. Poorly armed and capable of accepting only the smallest ballistic and beam weapons, which greatly limits also the maximum range of Flea's weapons, the main asset of this 'Mech is undoubtely speed. Fleas should be used as harasser 'Mechs and not in straight-forward battles even with the maximum amount of armor; against an Osiris or an Uller skilled pilots piloting a Flea could generelly hold some time, but as all 'Mechs have a fairly high speed and the enemies a larger payload, Fleas will inevitably end in scraps. The ideal use of the 'Mech is a scout, the ECM Suite can make the 'Mech a good choice for cover operations when light resistance is expected. The simplest (and almost only) way to costumize a Flea is to strip it and replace all weapons with Medium Lasers, maximizing armor, mounting all equipment and, if possible, increasing speed. OSIRIS Mass: 30 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 90 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.40; T 0.50; CT 0.90; RT 0.40; L 0.80 Standard Maximum Speed: 130.03 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 1 SRM 6 (LA), 5 Medium Lasers (2x RA, 2x Beam Rack, Gun Rack), 1 Machine Gun Array (Gun Rack) Standard Equipment Loadout: Jump Jets Beam Bays and location: Gun Rack (CT, 1 slot), Beam Rack (CT, 2 slots), RA (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: Gun Rack (CT, 1 slot) Missile Bays and location: LA (2 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 0.40; T 0.60; CT 1.00; RT 0.40; L 1.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 110.02, 115.02 (0.25), 120.02 (0.5), 125.03 (0.75), 130.03 (1), 135.04 (1.25) Additional Equipment: Jump Jets (2 tons), LAMS Standard Cost: 3'378'283 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 43'199 Osirises packs quite a punch for 30-ton 'Mechs. With their SRM 6, Machine Gun Array and 5 Medium Lasers, they are a good match for anything under 40 tons at medium and close ranges, though they are totally defenseless against long-range attacks; due to this drawback, engineers though that almost maximizing armor and mounting Jump Jets, alongside a decently rated engine (for a Light 'Mech) could have increased the 'Mech survaiability. The Osiris supports only LAMS as additional equipment, but can mount fairly large beam and missile weapons, which can give the 'Mech a good long-range punch, though it will inevitably decrease the close-range firepower that characterizes this 'Mech. OWENS Mass: 35 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 90 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.50; T 0.70; CT 1.00; RT 0.40; L 1.20 Standard Maximum Speed: 102.02 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 LRM 15s (RA, LA), 2 Medium X-Pulse Laser (CT) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: CT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: RA (3 slots), LA (3 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 0.60; T 0.80; CT 1.10; RT 0.50; L 1.20 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 102.02, 108.04 (0.75), 114.05 (1), 120.06 (1.25), 126.07 (1.5) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, LAMS, IFF Jammer, Advanced Gyro (1 ton) Standard Cost: 3'906'223 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 55'999 One of the first Inner Sphere OmniMechs ever produced, the Owens lost its Omni capability in MW4: Mercs to reborn as a fast moving light-weight missile boat, with only minimal support for other weapons, as its third and last bay is a medium-sized beam port in the Center Torso. The 'Mech, however, supports a good number of additional equipment, including an Active Probe to maximizing its usefulness in the fire-support role. Armor protection is good for a 'Mech of its size, and the standard internal structure allows it to withstand a good amount of damage before going down. As with all 'Mech depending on large missile bays, the Owens mount light medium-ranged Lasers for self defense, but aren't enough to grant survival once all LRM ammunition have been expended. Downgrading the LRM racks to LRM 10s for exchanging the two X-Pulse Lasers with a single standard, ER or Pulse Lasers will also allow to mount an Active Probe, as well as granting a more powerful and longer punch without LRMs and decreasing ammo dependency by increasing the salvos carried per ton. RAVEN Mass: 35 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 360 Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.60; T 0.70; CT 1.00; RT 0.40; L 1.10 Standard Maximum Speed: 100 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 1 NARC Beacon (LA), 1 LRM 15 (RT), 1 Small Laser (RA), 2 Small Pulse Lasers (RT, LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: Active Probe, ECM Suite Beam Bays and location: RA (2 slots), RT (1 slot), LT (1 slot) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (1 slot) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 0.60; T 0.80; CT 1.10; RT 0.50; L 1.20 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 90, 95 (0.25), 100.01 (0.5), 105.01 (0.75), 110.02 (1), 115.02 (1.25), 120.02 (1.5) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, ECM Suite, LAMS, IFF Jammer, Advanced Gyro (1 ton) Standard Cost: 3'026'619 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 43'049 The Raven was built by the Capellan Confederation as an advanced scout light 'Mech with extended EW capabilities. Normally, Ravens use Active Probes and ECM Suites to protect themselves and their companions, but recent upgrades saw the introdcution of the advanced IFF Jammer in its list of supported electronics. As a scout, the Raven relies more on speed and EW meausers to survive on the battlefield. The most powerful weapon system, an LRM 15 rack, is also the only long-range weapon on the 'Mech, the rest are close-range standard and pulse lasers which provide only minimal protection during close-range combat; not enough, the LRM 15 rack is little effective against 'Mech mounting LAMS. The last weapon system mounted on the Raven is a NARC Beacon, used to give friendly units a faster and more solid lock on on a single target. The NARC hasn't the range of LRMs, so the Raven must close to the enemy to use this special missile, which can prove quite a problem if the enemy outclass the poorly defended 'Mech. Presence of only two large bays, one dedicated to missiles and one tho beam weapons, somewhat limits the Raven customization possibilities. However, it is possible to drop the small lasers to upgrade them to medium Lasers by reducing the LRM rack size. Speed, armor protection and, above all, EW Suites must be kept the same to grant some lifespan and usefulness of the Raven. WOLFHOUND Mass: 35 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 120 degrees Standard Armor Type: Reflective Location Points: H 0.40; A 0.90; T 1.10; CT 1.90; RT 0.70; L 1.50 Standard Maximum Speed: 100.01 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 1 Large X-Pulse Laser (RA), 2 Medium Pulse Lasers (RT, LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots), RA (3 slots), CT (1 slot), LA (1 slot) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: none Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.40; A 0.90; T 1.20; CT 2.40; RT 0.70; L 1.80 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 90, 95 (0.25), 100.01 (0.5), 105.01 (0.75), 110.02 (1), 115.02 (1.25), 120.02 (1.5) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, LAMS, IFF Jammer Standard Cost: 3'223'987 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 40'249 When introduced, the Wolfhound was almost a concept 'Mech: built for combat rather than scouting and armed only with energy weapons, the Wolfhound was an impressively aggressive light 'Mech that could have outgunned almost every other 'Mech in its class. Wolfhounds mount only energy weapons in their standard configuration, and can accept only these kinds of weapons; considering that this makes the Wolfhound operative as long its pilot is alive or it has enough armor to withstand enemy fire and that energy weapons have the best firepower/weight/space ratio for light 'Mechs, this is not considered a problem, and the Wolfhound is capable of carrying any kind of laser or PPC. It is also reasonabily fast and has a good protection, plus the ability to mount relatively advanecd secondary equipment such as ECM Suites and IFF Jammers. Its low maintenance costs make it also well suited for starting mercenary units. The standard Wolfhound is armed for close-range combat, with twin Medium Pulse Lasers and a single Large X-Pulse Laser that can reach medium ranges with a decent punch. Wolfhound customizations often include removal of Reflective armor for standard Ferro Fibrous compunds, addition of an LAMS and replacement of the X-Pulse Laser with an ER Large Laser or a PPC. Those weapons, backed up with two or three Medium Lasers, lack the sam cycle rate of the original weaponry, but give an extra punch at medium ranges, giving the Wolfhound the ability to strike at long ranges. CHIMERA Mass: 40 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 120 degrees Standard Armor Type: Reflective Location Points: H 0.40; A 0.80; T 1.00; CT 1.20; RT 0.60; L 1.60 Standard Maximum Speed: 102.02 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 1 Large Laser (LA), 1 Medium Laser (LA), 1 MRM 20 (RT), 1 Machine Gun Array (RA) Standard Equipment Loadout: Jump Jets Beam Bays and location: LA (3 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RA (3 slots) Missile Bays and location: RT (3 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.40; A 0.90; T 1.50; CT 1.90; RT 0.60; L 2.10 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 82.01, 87.01 (0.25), 92.02 (0.5), 97.02 (0.75), 102.02 (1), 107.03 (1.25), 112.03 (1.5) Additional Equipment: LAMS, Advanced Gyro (2 tons), Jump Jets (3 tons) Standard Cost: 4'120'404 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 59'199 Built as a multi-role 'Mech, the Chimera doesn't excel in anything, but can be configured to serve in almost every role required by the modern battlefield. The 'Mech mounts three large bays, each for one weapon type that can favor the pilot's own style of combat or mission requirements. Chimeras can become incredibly fast and agile and a very stable fire-support platform thanks to the Advanced Gyro, but is generally a poor choice as a recon 'Mech for its lack of Active Probe and ECM Suite. The construction of the 'Mech emphasizes different weapons loadout, as it is not possible to mount only one kind of large weapons; this can make ammunition shortages a problem, as two thirds of the Chimera's firepower could come from missile and ballistic bays. HELLSPAWN Mass: 45 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 120 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.80; T 0.90; CT 1.20; RT 0.50; L 1.30 Standard Maximum Speed: 106.06 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 3 Medium Pulse Lasers (RA, LA, RT), 2 SRM 6s (Missile Rack, LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: Jump Jets, ECM Suite Beam Bays and location: RA (1 slot), LA (1 slot), RT (1 slot) Ballistic Bays and location: RA (1 slot), LA (1 slot), RT (1 slot) Missile Bays and location: LT (3 slots), Missile Rack (RT, 2 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 0.80; T 1.00; CT 1.40; RT 0.60; L 1.60 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 82.01, 88.02 (0.5), 94.03 (1), 100.04 (2), 106.06 (3), 112.07 (4) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, LAMS, IFF Jammer, Jump Jets (3 tons) Standard Cost: 5'525'611 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 78'299 A fast recon 'Mech with some serious short-range firepower. Not built for stand-up fights, the Hellspawn is very proficent in hit-and-run tactics; its exceptional speed, plus its Jump Jets allows it to escape from whatever it cannot outgun and the ECM Suite not only masks it from long range sensors but also increases time for weapon lock-on. Though the 'Mech has a good number of all standard weapon bays, only the missile ones are able to support large weapons and unfortunately Hellspawns do not support Active Probes. UZIEL Mass: 50 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 120 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.90; T 1.00; CT 1.50; RT 0.60; L 0.90 Standard Maximum Speed: 95 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 PPCs (LA, RA), 1 SRM 6 (Missile Rack), 2 Machine Gun Arrays (LT, RT) Standard Equipment Loadout: Jump Jets Beam Bays and location: LA (3 slots), RA (3 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: LT (2 slots), RT (2 slots) Missile Bays and location: Missile Rack (CT, 2 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 1.00; T 1.20; CT 1.50; RT 0.70; L 1.60 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 83.02, 89.03 (0.5), 95.04 (1), 101.05 (1.5), 107.06 (2) Additional Equipment: Jump Jets (3 tons), Active Probe, LAMS Standard Cost: 6'331'634 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 92'999 An aggressive Medium-sized 'Mech. The Uziel has twin PPCs as main weapons which provide a good punch at all ranges and a single SRM 6 rack for close-range works. As the 'Mech tends to have heat problems, two Machine Gun Arrays were installed in the lateral torsos, allowing the 'Mech to lay down at least suppressive fire while cooling down. The Uziel also boast a good armor protection and exceptional agility thanks to its relatively highly-rated engine and Jump jets. The main bays of the Uziel are configured to accept beam weapons, and uninstalling the PPCs to smaller beam weapons or to fully exploit the Active Probe it can mount with a large LRM rack is not suggested, as the 'Mech will loose its partial independecy to ammunition. Dropping the Machine Gun Arrays or the SRM 6 for more heat sinks and armor protection can be a good customization, though the 'Mech will lose some backup firepower. BUSHWACKER Mass: 55 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 120 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.80; T 1.20; CT 1.70; RT 0.50; L 1.00 Standard Maximum Speed: 84.96 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Medium Pulse Lasers (CT), 1 LRM 5(LA), 1 LRM 10 (Missile Rack, LT), 1 AC 10 (RA) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: CT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RA (3 slots), CT (2 slots) Missile Bays and location: LA (3 slots) Missile Rack (LT, 2 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 1.00; T 1.40; CT 1.70; RT 0.70; L 1.80 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 64.01, 70.99 (0.5), 77.98 (1), 84.96 (1.5), 91.94 (2), 98.93 (2.5), 105.91 (3) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, LAMS, IFF Jammer, Advanced Gyro (2 tons) Standard Cost: 5'996'343 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 91'299 Built as medium-weight fire-support 'Mech for all but the heaviest or fastest Lances, the Bushwacker centers its task with two LRM systems, backed up by a standard AutoCannon 10 and twin Medium Pulse Lasers for medium and close range engagements. However, though this weapon loadout, the Bushwacker is seldom considered to serve in its intended role, as almost every Clan 'Mech can outgun in both range and firepower the Bushwacker and heavier Inner Sphere 'Mechs pack more long-range punch that this 'Mech does. However, the Bushwacker is a good all-around 'Mech that can fulfill a good variety of roles, from sniping (thanks to its large bays of all types) to recon, as it can accept an Active Probe. ARGUS Mass: 60 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 120 degrees Standard Armor Type: Reflective Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.20; T 1.50; CT 2.00; RT 0.90; L 1.40 Standard Maximum Speed: 81 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 1 LRM 10 (LA), 1 Machine Gun Array (RA), 2 Ultra AC/5s (RA), 2 Medium Lasers (RT, LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RA (5 slots) Missile Bays and location: LA (3 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 1.30; T 1.60; CT 2.00; RT 0.90; L 1.50 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 73.01, 77 (0.5), 81 (1), 85 (1,5), 88.99 (2), 92.99 (2.5) Additional Equipment: none Standard Cost: 6'174'159 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 97'799 The most distinctive feature of the Argus is the total lack of additional equipment, including LAMS. This partially justifies its low maintenance cost, but total lack of dedicated equipment makes the 'Mech totally unsuited for recon or stealth duties. In fact, this is only a minor problem, as the Argus was designed as a support for larger 'Mechs during assaults. Standard configuration is indeed a good combination of speed, armor and firepower that favors long-range fights: twin Ultra AC/5s provide a good punch over all vehicles and their high rate of fire can be destructive even against more armored machines, and the LRM 10 launcher can give an accurate punch at all ranges. 2 Medium lasers and a single Machine Gun Array protects the Argus in close fights. With such a weaponry the Argus can engage at any ranges, but it is ammunition limited and somehow lacks the punch that an Heavy 'Mech needs. Argus customizations can vary a lot, as it features all bay types, and all large enough to accomodate all but the largest weapon. Twin Large standard or Pulse Laser backed up by LRMs or close-range ACs can give the Argus the punch that its standard version lacks. CATAPULT Mass: 65 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 100 degrees Standard Armor Type: Reactive Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.50; T 1.40; CT 2.20; RT 0.60; L 1.50 Standard Maximum Speed: 75.96 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 1 Small Pulse Laser (CT), 1 Large Laser (RT), 2 LRM 20s (RA, LA) Standard Equipment Loadout: Active Probe, Jump Jets Beam Bays and location: LT (2 slots), CT (2 slots), RT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: LA (4 slots), RA (4 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 1.80; T 2.40; CT 3.00; RT 1.20; L 3.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 61.99, 68.98 (0.5), 75.96 (1), 82.94 (1.5), 89.93 (2), 96.91 (2.5), 103.90 (3.5) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, LAMS, Advanced Gyro (3 tons), Jump Jets (4 tons) Standard Cost: 8'096'913 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 122'199 The Catapult is often referred has the Archer's or the Longbow's little brother, as all 'Mechs are built for accurate long-range fire-support. However the Catapult is lighter, support less armor and weapons than the other 'Mechs, but it is more agile thanks to its Jump Jets and wider options for engine ratings. Also, the presence of an Active Probe in the standard configuration makes the Catapult's LRM lock-on faster. This 'Mech totally lacks ballistic bays, but has beam bays larg enough to support 3 Large Lasers and small missile launchers, if ammunition shortages can be a problem during mission. However, to fully exploit the Catapult, is almost obliged to mount the largest missile racks available with the Active Prove. Jump Jets can be sacrificed, but can come in handy in any situation. BLACK KNIGHT Mass: 75 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 120 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.60; A 1.30; T 1.70; CT 1.90; RT 0.90; L 1.80 Standard Maximum Speed: 75.02 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Large Lasers, 2 PPCs, 1 Medium Laser Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: H (1 slot), RT (3 slots), LT (3 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: LA (2 slots) Missile Bays and location: none Omni Bays and location: RA (3 slots), LA (3 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.60; A 1.40; T 1.80; CT 2.10; RT 0.90; L 2.2 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 63, 69.01 (1), 75.02 (2), 81.04 (3), 87.05 (4), 93.06 (5), 99.07 (6) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, Active Probe, LAMS, Jump Jets (4 tons) Standard Cost: 12'807'404 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 198'749 The Black Knight is a venerable Star League design intended to operated as long as it can away from supply lines: that's why it mounts only energy weapons and it is incredibly sturdy for a 'Mech of its class. The modern-day Black Knights have also been updated with Omni bays and other equipment, that makes it one of the favourite Heavy 'Mechs in small mercenary units, as it can fulfill a large variety of roles. Black Knights, due to the nature of their weaponry, tend to have problems with heat management if the Lasers and the PPCs are constantly fired together. They also have a very large frontal Center Torso which can be exploited to make fast kills. Black Knights lack Missile Bays, but as Omni Bays can accept all kind of weapons, this is little problem. Note: the original Black Knight was not an OmniMech. as an other 'Mech in this game, the Hellhound (Conjurer), I'm not really sure that designers took care of reproducing the designs and invented brand-new ones. THANATOS Mass: 75 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 360 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.60; A 1.30; T 1.70; CT 1.90; RT 0.90; L 1.80 Standard Maximum Speed: 75.02 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 1 LB-X 20, 1 MRM 20, 3 Medium Pulse Lasers Standard Equipment Loadout: ECM Suite, Jump Jets Beam Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LA (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LA (4 slots) Missile Bays and location: RA (3 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.60; A 1.40; T 1.80; CT 2.10; RT 0.90; L 2.20 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 63, 69.01 (1), 75.02 (2), 81.04 (3), 87.05 (4), 93.06 (5), 99.07 (6) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, LAMS, IFF Jammer, Jump Jets (4 tons) Standard Cost: 9'972'535 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 148'499 The Thanatos was built for being an OmniMech, but when StarCorp had ready the first prototypes, nor the LAAF nor the AFFC, were interested in an other heavy OmniMech; StarCorp reenginered the Thanatos blueprints and downgraded it to a standard BattleMech, so that the Thanatos could find its place among both armies, replacing aging Quickdraws. StarCorp engineers use the Clan Thor as a basis for this 'Mech, and both 'Mech have the same use and features: the Thanatos can mount a vast range of electronics, plus Jump Jets and LAMS. Its weapons main weapons are for close-range combat and for brute firepower, as the huge LB-X 20 AC testifies. The MRM-20, though inaccurate, packs quite a punch, which can augmented if the three Medium Pulse Lasers are fired together. The presence of an ECM Suite in its standard configuration makes the Thanatos a nasty opponent at these close ranges, as it can pass unnoticed until the target is within fire range. The 'Mech has large ballistic bays, plus some missile and beam bays able to accept medium-sized weapons; Thanatoses cannot use Active Probes, so they are slightly ineffective as missile boats. The relatively small beam bays, also, forces to mix up other kinds of weapons it they are going to be occupied by two standard or Pulse Large Lasers. Due to its wide torso twist, Thanatoses can be configured to be good brawlers. AWESOME Mass: 80 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 80 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.40; T 1.90; CT 2.20; RT 0.90; L 2.2 Standard Maximum Speed: 70.02 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 3 PPCs (RT, LT, RA), 1 SRM 4 (CT), 2 Medium Lasers (LA) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: LA (3 slots), LT (3 slots), RT (3 slots), RA (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: CT (2 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 1.40; T 2.00; CT 2.20; RT 1.60; L 2.4 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 65.02, 70.02 (1), 80.03 (3), 85.03 (4), 90.04 (5) Additional Equipment: LAMS, Advanced Gyro (4 tons) Standard Cost: 8'159'059 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 119'119 As the original Awesome's profile says, "the only way to counter an Awesome is with an other Awesome". 3 PPCs and 15 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor make this 'Mech a very powerful enemy in any environment: deadly at long range thanks to its PPCs and decent at close ranges due to the Medium Lasers and SRM rack. Its top speed, 70 kph, is also an above average top speed for an Assault 'Mech. The Awesome true weakness is that it has to be configured as an energy-dependant 'Mech to fully exploit its payload, has the single missile bay is too small to accept large racks and has no Ballistic bays. Dependency on energy weapons leads to non existent ammunition problems, but also demands a large number of heat sinks or a careful heat managment from the pilot, which is often forgiven in the midst of a battle. VICTOR Mass: 80 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 100 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.80; A 1.50; T 2.00; CT 2.30; RT 0.80; L 2.30 Standard Maximum Speed: 72 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Medium Pulse Lasers (RT, LT), 1 SRM 4 (LT), 1 Gauss Rifle (LA), 1 Heavy Gauss Rifle (RA) Standard Equipment Loadout: LAMS Beam Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots), LA (3 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: LA (3 slots), RA (4 slots) Missile Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 1.60; T 2.00; CT 2.30; RT 0.90; L 2.40 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 61.99, 67 (1), 72 (2), 77 (3), 82.01 (4), 87.01 (5), 92.02 (6) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, LAMS, Advanced Gyro (4 tons) Jump Jets (4 tons) Standard Cost: 11'424'694 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 175'199 An old workhorse in the Davion militaries, the Victor was one of the few Assault 'Mechs to mount Jump Jets. It was priarly built for close-range combat, but after 3050 it was refitted with Gauss Rifles. Now that the Lyran Alliance developed Heavy Gauss technology, Davion engineer combined the long-range firepower of the standard Gauss with the heavy firepower of the new Gauss Rifle. Adding firepower to this combination there are two Medium Pulse Lasers and a single SRM 4 rack that makes the Victor a nasty opponent at close range. This configuration does not mount the typical Jump jets, however, but maximizes protection with extra armor and a LAMS. Victors have a good number of various type of weapon bays, allowing them to carry almost any weapon designed up-to-date, with the preference of ballistic weapons. This feature can give birth at a good number of modified Victors. A close-range variant can feature an ECM Suite and Jump Jets in addiction to the standard LAMS, with a single Ultra AC/20 and Medium Pulse Lasers; spare tonnage can be devoted to additional ammo for the AC/20. LONGBOW Mass: 85 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 80 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.80; A 1.70; T 2.00; CT 2.40; RT 0.80; L 2.30 Standard Maximum Speed: 69.01 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 3 Medium Lasers (RT, 2x LT), 1 LRM 10 (LT), 1 LRM 15 (RT), 2 LRM 20s (RA, LA) Standard Equipment Loadout: Active Probe, LAMS Beam Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: RA (4 slots), LA (4 slots), RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 1.80; T 2.00; CT 2.40; RT 0.80; L 2.60 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 56.99, 63 (1), 69.01 (2), 75.02 (3), 81.04 (4), 87.05 (5), 93.06 (6) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, LAMS Standard Cost: 11'453'066 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 179'349 Mainly produced in the Free Worlds League, the Longbow reached other House armies thanks to a technological exchange plan set after the Clan invasion. This fire-support 'Mech found its way into the Lyran army thanks to its heavy weight and rude but accurate firepower, thanks to its four LRM racks; as expected by a missile-oriented 'Mech, it mounts an Active Probe to reduce lock-on time and Medium Lasers to protect itself at medium and close ranges. Its armor is heavy, and protection is augmented by LAMS, used even in its standard configuration. However, it lacks ECM support, which could have turned this 'Mech into an effective sniper. With such a weaponry, it is natural that Longbows have large missile bays and medium-sized beam weapons, and no Omni and ballistic bays at all. To fully use these bays, it is possible to downgrade the two LRM 20 racks to LRM 15s. This will decrease firepower a bit, but will allow to upgrade the LRM 10 to an other LRM 15 rack and will also make ammunition last a bit longer. Free tonnage can also be used to increase the number of Medium Lasers or uninstall them for a single Large Laser. TEMPLAR Mass: 85 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 100 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.80; A 1.40; T 1.50; CT 2.30; RT 0.70; L 1.70 Standard Maximum Speed: 68.90 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Large X-Pulse Lasers (RA, LA), 2 Light Gauss Rifles (RA, LA) Standard Equipment Loadout: LAMS Beam Bays and location: RA (2 slots), LA (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: LT (2 slots), RT (2 slots) Missile Bays and location: RT (2 slots) Omni Bays and location: RA (3 slots), LA (3 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 1.80; T 2.00; CT 2.30; RT 0.90; L 2.50 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 64.01, 69.01 (1), 74.02 (2), 79.02 (3), 84.02 (4), 89.03 (5), 94.03 (6) Additional Equipment: LAMS, Advanced Gyro (4 tons) Jump Jets 5 tons) Standard Cost: 13'393'589 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 206'549 Kallon Industries' first attempt in Omni technology. And from how the Templar performs on the battlefield, looks like they always built Assault OmniMechs. Though the main configuration of the Templar might look a bit undergunned for its tonnage, the twin Light Gauss Rifles provides good firepower at even extreme ranges and the two Large X Pulse Lasers can be them up within an acceptable range envelop. Also, the Templar packs a respectable amount of armor and LAMS; combined with a good top speed, the Templar is one of the most versatile Assault 'Mechs in the battlefield. Costumizing a Templar is only a matter of tastes; the two large Omni bays can accept nearly any kind of weapon and the Templar has plenty of specialized bays to mount different weapon systems that won't limit the usefulness of the 'Mech; other equipment include Jump Jets and an Advanged Gyro. If you can freely access Clan technology, twin ER PPCs, four ER Medium Lasers and a single LB-X 10 AC backed up by a Streak SRM system and maximum armor can turn the 'Mech into an heavy brawler at any range. MAULER Mass: 90 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 80 degrees Standard Armor Type: Reactive Location Points: H 1.10; A 1.20; T 1.60; CT 2.70; RT 0.80; L 1.40 Standard Maximum Speed: 65.02 kph Standard Weapon Loadout:4 Medium Lasers (2x RA, 2x LA), 4 Ultra AC/2s (2x RT, 2x LT), 2 LRM 10s (RT, LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: RA (2 slots), LA (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RT (3 slots), LT (3 slots) Missile Bays and location: RT (3 slots), LT (3 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 1.30; A 2.70; T 3.30; CT 3.60; RT 1.50; L 3.90 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 55.01, 60.01 (1), 65.02 (2), 70.02 (3), 75.02 (4), 80.03 (5), 85.03 (6) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, LAMS, Advanced Gyro (4 tons) Standard Cost: 10'755'457 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 172'799 An other Assault 'Mech built by the Draconis Combine and then exchanged with other Houses after the Clan invasion. The Mauler, though its versatility is not so widespread as it could be, probably because it is somewhat undergunned for a 90-ton 'Mech: the two LRM 10s provide accurate long-range firepower and are among the most ammo-efficient LRM racks currently in use, but lacks concentrated punch; the four Ultra AC/2s provide a long-range, fast-cycle backup to the LRM racks, but, again, they aren't enough against other Assault 'Mechs. However, armor protection is good, especially if considered that the armor is Reactive type. Maulers have large ballistic and missile bays, with medium-sized beam weapons. Removal of the Ultra AutoCannons for long-range beam weapons and upgrade of LRM racks is recomended, as well as mounting an Active Probe. SUNDER Mass: 90 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 120 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.60; T 2.00; CT 2.40; RT 1.00; L 2.50 Standard Maximum Speed: 68.90 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 4 Large Lasers (2x RA, RT, LT), 2 Medium Lasers (RT, LT), 1 LB-X 20 (LA) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: RT (3 slots), LT (3 slots), RA (4 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: CT (3 slots) Omni Bays and location: LA (4 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 1.80; T 2.20; CT 2.40; RT 1.00; L 2.60 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 55.01, 61.96 (1), 68.90 (2), 75.85 (3), 82.80 (4), 89.75 (5) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, LAMS Standard Cost: 16'915'266 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 249'699 The first Assault OmniMech ever produced, the Sunder was first fielded by the Draconis Combine; technological exchanges with the then-Federated Commonwealth made this powerful 90-ton machine somewhat widespread in the AFFC militaries, but it sill remains a 'Mech prevalently used by the DCMS. Its roomy chassis supports large bays, but only one of them is an Omni type, the rest are devoted to missile and beam weapons. This one of the peculiarities of this chassis, which has also a wide torso twist, which gives it an edge in close-range fights; the standard engine, strangely large for an Assault 'Mech, gives it unparalled top speed, that is unparalleled in the Assault class. Weapons on the Sunder are mostly medium-ranged weapons, with 4 Large Lasers and twin Medium Lasers and one single LB-X 20 AC for close-range works. There's not much to do for costumizing a Sunder. Replacing Inner Sphere weapons with Clan weapons of the same type will give the 'Mech an extra punch and ability to reach long-range with a powerful salvo. Spare tonnage can be devoted to LAMS or ECM Suite. Increasing the already highly-rated armor is not suggested, but moving points around, from legs to lateral torsos or arms, is recomended. HAUPTMANN Mass: 95 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 80 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.90; T 2.20; CT 2.50; RT 0.90; L 2.80 (Left Leg has 2.70) Standard Maximum Speed: 58.03 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Large Lasers (RA, LA), 1 Small Laser (CT), 2 Medium Pulse Lasers (RA, LA), 1 LRM 15 (RT), 1 LB-X 20 (Gun Rack, RT) Standard Equipment Loadout: LAMS Beam Bays and location: CT (2 slots), LT (3 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: H (1 slot), Gun Rack (RT, 4 slots) Missile Bays and location: RT (3 slots) Omni Bays and location: LA (3 slots), RA (3 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 2.00; T 2.20; CT 2.50; RT 0.90; L 3.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 46.01, 52.02 (1), 58.03 (2), 64.04 (3), 70.06 (4), 76.07 (5) Additional Equipment: LAMS, Advanced Gyro (4 tons) Standard Cost: 16'225'254 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 245'099 The Hauptmann was the first attempt by Steiner military to built and OmniMech. This 'Mech is dedicated to all hauptmanns, which are the most numerous officials in the Steiner military. This Assault 'Mech has numerous and large bays able to accomodate various types of weapon systems, with no real prevalence of a weapon type. In its standard configuration, the Hauptmann is a deadly in-fighter, with a single LB-X 20 AC, twin Pulse Lasers and Large Lasers; a single LRM 15 rack allows the 'Mech to engage at long-ranges, but it is clearly not suited for stand-up fights at long range, thought its heavy armor and resistant internal structure allows it to withstand heavy damage. The Hauptmann large and various weapon bays, including its two large Omni bays in the arms, allows a great number of modifications, all depending on your imagination. ATLAS Mass: 100 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 80 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.80; T 2.40 (Right Torso has 2.30); CT 2.60; RT 1.00; L 2.6 Standard Maximum Speed: 51.01 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 3 Small Lasers (RA, LA, H), 2 PPCs (LA, RA) , LRM 15 (RT), Gauss Rifle (Gun Rack, RT) Standard Equipment Loadout: ECM Suite, IFF Jammer, LAMS Beam Bays and location: H (1 slot), RA (4 slots), LA (4 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: LA (2 slots), Gun Rack (RT, 4 slots) Missile Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots) Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 2.20; T 1.90; CT 2.20; RT 0.90; L 3.0 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 45, 51.01 (1), 57.02 (2), 63.04 (3), 69.05 (4), 75.06 (5) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, IFF Jammer, LAMS, Active Probe, Advanced Gyro (4 tons) Standard Cost: 15'337'890 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 245'999 The Atlas, or "death-head", as the skull painted over its cockpit shows. It is basically a good all around 'Mech, capable of accepting nearly any kind of weapon. In its standard config the Atlas is slow but features a number of offensive long-range weapons, close-range weapons and LAMS and IFF Jammer that makes it a decent EW fighter. It possible to mount two PPCs and one (Light) Gauss Rifle or Ultra ACs combined with missiles plus a ECM Suite for maximizing its role as sniper. FAFNIR Mass: 100 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 80 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.80; T 2.40; CT 2.50; RT 1.00; L 2.60 Standard Maximum Speed: 52.99 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Large Lasers (LA, RA), 3 Medium Lasers (RT, LT, CT), 2 Heavy Gauss Rifles (LT, RT) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: RA (3 slots), LA (3 slots), CT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RT (4 slots), LT (4 slots) Missile Bays and location: none Omni Bays and location: none Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 2.20; T 2.40; CT 2.60; RT 1.00; L 3.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 42.88, 47.99 (1), 52.99 (2), 58 (3), 63 (4), 68 (5), 73.01 (6) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, LAMS Standard Cost: 16'433'758 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 247'999 The Fafnir is Defiance Industries' showcase 'Mech. After the previous intended showcase 'Mech, the Defiance, proved to be full of flaws, engineers went back to the drawing board and built a pure Assault 'Mech, lacking any grace or style in both lines and design that is well suited for Steiner's tendency of brutal assaults. Capable of mounting only Beam or Ballistic weapons, the Fafnir is usually configured with twin Heavy Gauss Rifles, twin Large Lasers and 3 Medium Lasers, making it a deadly opposition at medium and close ranges. Armor values are surprisingly high even in the standard config, but the realtively slowness of the 'Mech and large profile makes it an easy target. Customizing Fafnirs is relatively easy: large caliber ballistic guns backed up by beam long-range weapons; twin Clan Ultra AC/20s plus ER Medium Lasers fired together can destroy even a Longbow in a single shot if you aim the Center Torso; 2 ER Large Lasers are a good weaponry for long-range fightings. --------------- --CLAN 'MECHS-- --------------- ULLER (KIT FOX) Mass: 30 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 140 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.40; T 0.50; CT 1.10; RT 0.30; L 0.50 Standard Maximum Speed: 126.40 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Clan LRM 10 (RT, LT), 1 Clan ER Large Laser (RA), 1 Clan ER Medium Laser (RA) Standard Equipment Loadout: ECM Suite Beam Bays and location: RA (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: RT (1 slot), LT (1 slot) Omni Bays and location: RA (1 slot), LA (1 slot) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 0.40; T 0.60; CT 1.40; RT 0.40; L 1.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 111.38, 116.39 (0.25), 121.39 (0.5), 126.40 (0.75) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, LAMS Standard Cost: 3'785'300 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 46'499 The lightest Clan 'Mech available in the game; the Uller is built more for speed than firepower, though it packs quite a long-range punch thanks to its twin LRM 10s and ER Large Laser. Armor protection is low, and its light frame makes the 'Mech very vulnerable to any kind of damage. The Uller can defend itself from vehicles and other 'Mechs, though the enemies must be at long-range and do not outweight (and consequentily outgun) it. Costumization is also limited, the Uller has two small Omni bays to accomodate weapons, and the other bays are too small to carry large specialized weapons; dropping LRM 10s for smaller racks to increase armor and mount LAMS is recomended. COUGAR Mass: 35 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 140 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.50; T 0.50; CT 0.70; RT 0.30; L 0.60 Standard Maximum Speed: 96.95 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Can LRM 10s (RT, LT), 1 Clan ER Small Laser (LA), 1 Clan ER Medium Laser (LA), 1 Clan ER Large Laser (RA) Standard Equipment Loadout: Active Probe, Jump Jets Beam Bays and location: RA (2 slots), LA (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots) Omni Bays and location: RA (1 slot), LA (1 slot) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 0.60; T 0.80; CT 1.20; RT 0.70; L 1.20 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 76, 82.98 (0.25), 89.96 (0.5), 96.95 (0.75), 103.93 (1), 110.92 (1.25), 117.90 (1.50), 124.88 (1.75), 131.87 (2) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, LAMS, Enhaced Optics, Jump Jets (2 tons) Standard Cost: 5'035'032 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 67'199 Built by Clan Jade Falcon starting from the Puma chassis, the Cougar is mainly a fast-moving missile boat. The original version of the Cougar (in the boardgame)had twin LRM 10s and Large Pulse Lasers, a configuration impossible to recreate without decreasing the engine rating or the armor. The most notable characteristic is the total absence of Ballistic bays. There are two ways to costumize a Cougar: by enhacing its Beam or Missile capabilities (obviously). To maximize the Missile capabilities mount the Active Probe and remove the 2 Large Lasers, upgrade the Medium Laser to a Pulse version, add an other, remove the Small Laser and install twin LRM 20s with lots of ammunitions. The Laser boat can be created with two or three ER Large Lasers (the latter option will force you to remove any secondary weapon system) and installing enough heat sinks to manage the heat generated by these weapons. PUMA (ADDER) Mass: 35 tons Internal Structure Type: Ferro Fibrous Torso Twist: 90 degrees Standard Armor Type: Endo Steel Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.60; T 0.80; CT 1.10; RT 0.40; L 1.20 Standard Maximum Speed: 83.05 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Clan ER PPCs (LA, RA) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: RT (1 slot), LT (1 slot) Ballistic Bays and location: CT (1 slot) Missile Bays and location: none Omni Bays and location: RA (3 slots), LA (3 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 0.60; T 0.80; CT 1.20; RT 0.40; L 1.20 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 65.02, 71.03 (0.25), 77.04 (0.5), 83.05 (0.75), 89.06 (1), 95.08 (1.25) Additional Equipment: LAMS Standard Cost: 5'171'832 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 67'899 Both Clan and Inner Sphere designations suggest an incredible ferocity from this 'Mech. And that's true. The Puma is small and light, reasonably fast and packs a tremendous punch thanks to its twin Clan ER PPCs. When first appeared in the Inner Sphere, the Puma packed a punch that greatly outgunned all know Light and many Medium 'Mechs, rivaling even with the lightest of the Heavies. It is no wonder that Inner Sphere pilots began to fear such a 'Mech. However, the small 'Mech leaves little space to modifications: the 0Mech's main bays are omni and other bays are small and for almost only energy weapons and its light frame doesn't allow to too much freedom in mounting large ballistic and missile weapons, as they will be dangerously low in maximum ammunition load. It is highly reccomended to keep the twin ER PPCs has weapons, as exchanging them for Pulse or ER Lasers will decrease range and punch too much, though it will mitigate heat problems; howeverm if you downgrade the engine a bit and increase only few points of armor, you should be able to mount extra heat sinks. The Puma is clearly the best light 'Mech in the game. SHADOW CAT Mass: 45 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 120 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.80; T 1.00; CT 1.40; RT 0.50; L 1.60 Standard Maximum Speed: 102.02 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 1 Clan ER Large Laser (LA), 3 Clan ER Medium Lasers (2x RA, RT), Clan Machine Gun Arrays (RT), 1 Clan Streak SRM 6 (LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: Jump Jets, LAMS Beam Bays and location: RA (2 slots), RT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RT (2 slots) Missile Bays and location: LT (3 slos) Omni Bays and location: LA (3 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 0.80; T 1.00; CT 1.40; RT 0.60; L 1.60 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 77, 82.01 (0.25), 87.01 (0.5), 92.02 (0.75), 97.02 (1), 102.02 (1.25), 107.03 (1.5), 107.03 (1.75), 112.03 (2) Additional Equipment: Enhaced Optics, Active Probe, LAMS, Jump Jets (2 tons) Standard Cost: 7'044'716 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 98'999 The Shadow Cat, first fielded by Clan Smoke Jaguar, has become as (in)famous as the Mad Cat. Agile, armored and with and with a decent firepower at all ranges, Shadow Cats are highly regarded by all armies, as it can perform an impressive variety of roles, from spinging to scouting, passing by raiding duties. Its maintanance cost is high, though. The version proposed by MW4: Mercs of the Shadow Cat is a reworking of the A version of the original boardgame, though it has less firepower (one ER Large Laser in place of two). The bays offered by these 'Mechs, however, allows a good number of customizations: it is possible to recreate the boardgame Primary variant by removing some weapons and installing a Gauss Rifle, though this forces to reduce engine rating. A configuration that allows to keep speed unaltered mounts a single ER PPC and four ER Medium Lasers. HELLHOUND (CONJURER) Mass: 50 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 120 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro-Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.80; T 1.20; CT 1.70; RT 0.50; L 1.00 Standard Maximum Speed: 98.03 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 1 Clan LB-X 10 AC (RA), 2 Clan ER Large Lasers (RT, LA), 1 Clan Streak SRM 6 (LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: RT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RT (2 slots), RA (2 slots) Missile Bays and location: LT (2 slots) Omni Bays and location: LA (2 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 1.00; T 1.20; CT 1.70; RT 0.50; L 1.80 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 79.99, 86.99 (0.5), 92.02 (1), 98.03 (1.5), 104.04 (2), 110.05 (2.5), 116.06 (3) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, LAMS Standard Cost: 7'347'613 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 94'999 Conjurers are fast-moving, hard-hitting medium 'Mechs that clearly show the Clan superior martial skills. Able to striking at any ranges, Conjurers are often used as raiders as their speed and firepower allows them to outgun or outrun all 'Mechs on a modern battlefield. Twin ER Large Lasers give the Hellhound its long-range punch. An LB-X 10 AC can deal some serious damages at medium ranges and the Streak SRMs are deadly accurate at close ranges. The Hellhound also clearly reflects the Clans' way of fighting: the ammunition carried by the Hellhound are good enough only for relavitely short, but fast and deadly battles. Though the two ER Large Lasers can still deal some damage alone, the lack of fast-recycling weapons in close-range duels might pose the Hellhound in a disadvantage. In most cases, this forces the pilot to use the 'Mech superior speed to retreat and engage from afar. Configuring Hellhounds is almost useless, the primary config is very flexible; possible modifications, however, could result in reduction of engine tonnage for more armor, a LAMS and more ammo, or all three things. Note: this 'Mech is quite strange. There is an Hellhound/Conjurer in a BattleTech manual, Technical Readout 3055. It's a fast 50-ton Medium standard 'Mech with really no resemblance to this Hellhound...and it isn't an OmniMech. RYOKEN (STORMCROW) Mass: 55 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 140 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.30; A 0.80; T 1.20; CT 1.70; RT 0.50; L 1.00 Standard Maximum Speed: 84.96 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Clan ER Large Lasers (RA, LA), 2 Clan ER Medium Lasers (RA, LA), 2 Clan LRM 15 (RT, LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: Active Probe Beam Bays and location: RA (2 slots), LA (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots) Omni Bays and location: RA (2 slots), LA (2 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.30; A 1.00; T 1.40; CT 1.70; RT 0.70; L 1.80 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 64.01, 70.99 (0.5), 77.98 (1), 84.96 (1.5), 91.94 (2), 98.93 (2.5), 105.91 (3) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, LAMS, Enhaced Optics, Jump Jets (3 tons) Standard Cost: 9'248'305 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 125'399 When first deployed by Clan Smoke Jaguar against the Draconis Combine in the first wave in 3050, the Ryoken was a shocking surprise. The Inner Sphere was not (a probably is still not) able to field or reply to a fast moving medium 'Mech with enough armor and firepower that could cripple even Assault machines. Times changes, though, and the Ryoken is not as dangerous as it was before: Inner Sphere weapons can roughly match Clans' own tech and, though heavier and bulkier, advanced equipment found their way into all armies. However, the Ryoken is still a formidable opponent: twin LRM 15s and ER Large Lasers can waste enemies at long ranges, and the two ER Medium Lasers are enough to protect the 'Mech from close-range threats. It exceptional speed and armor protection do the rest. As with other medium 'Mechs, costumizing Ryokens is only a matter of taste. Removal of LRM racks and the Active Probe for Streak SRM racks, a LAMS and more armor can be a good trade-off, though the 'Mech can be turned into a sniper thanks to enhaced optics and enough bays large enough to accomodate additional ER Large Lasers or LRM racks. VULTURE (MAD DOG) Mass: 60 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 360 degrees Standard Armor Type: Reactive Location Points: H 0.90; A 0.90; T 1.80; CT 2.40; RT 0.50; L 1.40 Standard Maximum Speed: 80.03 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 4 Clan ER Medium Pulse Lasers (2x Omni Rack, RA, LA), 2 Clan LRM 20 (RT, LT)s Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: RA (3 slots), LA (3 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: RT (4 slots), LT (4 slots) Omni Bays and location: Omni Rack (CT, 2 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 1.80; T 2.40; CT 2.80; RT 1.00; L 2.70 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 65.02, 70.02 (0.5), 75.02 (1), 80.03 (1.5), 85.03 (2), 90.04 (2.5), 95.04 (3), 100.04 (3.5) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, Enhaced Optics, LAMS Standard Cost: 8'971'798 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 122'399 The Mad Dog was one of the few 'Mechs that acquired the same codename from two Inner Sphere states: Hagetaka in the Draconis Combine and Vulture in the Free Rasalhague Republic (hagetaka, in japanese means vulture), for its protunding torso and bird-like legs. It is one of the few specialized 'Mechs the Clans field: it sports two large missile bays in the lateral sections of the torso, with medium-sized energy bays in the arms and a single, small Omni bay in a turret positioned underneath the Cente Torso. The most particular thing of this 'Mech is that it lacks support for Active Probes, which can greatly enhaces the missile capabilities, and the presence of Enhaced Optics, which are useful for long-range energy or ballistic snipers. The LRM racks on the Vulture can be devastating, but they carry limited ammo supplies; four Medium Pulse Lasers back them up. Reconfiguring Vultures can be done in the same way of a Cougar: maximizing armor, adding an ECM Suite and Enhaced Optics and replacing all weapons with twin PPCs or Large Lasers somewaht makes the 'Mech undergunned for an Heavy 'Mech, but increases its battlefield lifespan and flexibility for covert ops. LOKI (HELLBRINGER) Mass: 65 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 140 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.60; A 0.80; T 1.00; CT 1.70; RT 0.80; L 1.40 Standard Maximum Speed: 82.98 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Clan LB-X 10s (RA, LA), 1 Clan Streak SRM 6 (Missile Rack, RT), 4 Clan ER Medium Lasers (2x RA, 2x LA) Standard Equipment Loadout: ECM Suite, LAMS Beam Bays and location: LT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RA (2 slots), LA (2 slots) Missile Bays and location: Missile Rack (RT, 2 slots) Omni Bays and location: RA (3 slots), LA (3 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.60; A 1.20; T 1.60; CT 2.00; RT 0.80; L 2.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 69.01, 76 (1), 82.98 (2), 89.96 (3), 96.95 (4), 103.93 (5), 110.92 (6), 117.90 (7) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, LAMS, Ative Probe Standard Cost: 10'876'432 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 156'649 The Loki was named so beacuse it had an "utterly mad weapon configuration". In fact, twin LB-X ACs, four Lasers and a single SRM pack, plus LAMS and an ECM Suite, were very strange for the first Inner Sphere MechWarriors that engage it in the Inner Sphere. The Loki is primarly used by Clan Jade Falcon in conjuction of Thors as a fast-assault force. Thors provide most of the firepower, Lokis ECM coverage and additional striking power. As with the Thor, the Loki is ammo dependent, though LB-Xs consume ammo slower than Ultra ACs and Streak SRMs should minimized wasted shots; anyway, four ER Medium Lasers are barely adeguate for an Heavy 'Mech as self-defense. An other feature that Lokis share with Thors are the various and large bays that can turn make both 'Mechs adeguate for all fighting styles. NOVA CAT Mass: 70 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 100 degrees Standard Armor Type: Reflective Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.70; T 1.60; CT 1.90; RT 1.00; L 1.80 Standard Maximum Speed: 68 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 3 Clan ER Large Lasers (LA), 2 Clan ER PPCs (RA) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: LT (2 slots), LA (3 slots), RA (6 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: none Omni Bays and location: LA (4 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 2.10; T 2.70; CT 3.10; RT 1.30; L 3.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 68, 72 (0.5), 76 (1), 79.99 (1.5), 83.99 (2), 87.99 (2.5), 91.98 (3), 95.98 (3.5) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, LAMS Standard Cost: 11'493'053 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 153'299 Built by the Nova Cats, this OmniMech clearly makes of energy weapons its main weaponry. The Nova Cat has an incredible long-range firepower which has only one drawback: heat. Firing all weapons together taxes in an incredible way the 'Mech's heat sinks, making shutdown only a matter of seconds. Also, all weapons tend to have a relatively high recycle rate, which makes all-out attacks dangerous, especially when facing large number of opponents. Costumizing a Nova Cat is almost straight forward, three of four ER Large Lasers or PPCs mitigates heat problems without reducing firepower too much, though the presence of a large Omni bay can be exploited in several ways, starting from mounting missile racks, as the 'Mech can mount an Active Probe. THOR (SUMMONER) Mass: 70 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 360 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.60; A 1.10; T 1.20; CT 1.90; RT 0.60; L 1.40 Standard Maximum Speed: 85.03 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Clan Ultra AC/5s (RA, LA), 4 Clan ER Medium Lasers (RA, LA, 2x RT), 1 Clan LRM 15 (Missile Rack, LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: Jump Jets Beam Bays and location: RT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RT (2 slots) Missile Bays and location: Missile Rack (LT, 2 slots) Omni Bays and location: RA (3 slots), LA (3 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.60; A 1.40; T 1.80; CT 2.10; RT 0.90; L 2.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 60.98, 67 (0.5), 73.01 (1), 79.02 (1.5), 85.03 (2), 91.04 (2.5), 97.06 (3), 103.07 (3.5) Additional Equipment: ECM Suite, Enhaced Optics, LAMS, Jump Jets (4 tons) Standard Cost: 9'487'759 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 144'199 The Thor is an all-around 'Mech. It mounts jump jets, can use the most advanced Clan equipment and has enough large bays to accomodate almost any kind of weapon. In its standard configuration the Thor is long/medium range fighter, though some MechWarriors might complain the lack of hard-hitting punch of missiles and small-caliber Ultra ACs. In fact, the 'Mech's secondary weapons, four ER Medium Lasers are barely adeguate for self-defense if ammunition of both Ultra AC and LRM systems run out; a very likely occasion, though. Thors are one of the few 'Mechs capable of completely twist their torsoes, which can make them an ideal 'Mech for urban, or more generally, close-range fights; the presence of two large Omni bays in its arms, can turn the Thor into a good AC boat, though presence of at least the standard ER Medium Lasers is always recomended. MAD CAT (TIMBERWOLF) Mass: 75 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 100 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.60; A 1.10; T 1.40; CT 2.00; RT 0.90; L 1.50 Standard Maximum Speed: 80.03 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Clan ER Large Lasers (RA, LA), 2 Clan ER Medium Pulse Lasers (RT, LT), 2 Clan LRM 10s (Missile Rack RT, Missile Rack LT), 2 Clan Machine Gun Arrays (RT, LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: none Beam Bays and location: RA (4 slots), LA (4 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: none Missile Bays and location: Missile Rack (RT, 3 slots), Missile Rack (LT, 3 slots) Omni Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.60; A 1.40; T 1.80; CT 2.10; RT 0.90; L 2.20 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 65.02, 70.02 (1), 75.02 (2), 80.03 (3), 85.03 (4), 90.04 (5), 95.04 (6) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, LAMS, Enhaced Optics Standard Cost: 13'817'595 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 196'499 The Timber Wolf, or Mad Cat, as the Inner Sphere codenamed it, quickly became the symbol of Clans' superior technology. It is fast, armore and armed to engage anything on the battlefield with relative ease. The Mad Cat was named so by Comstar as it sports twin Missile Racks as the Catapult (production code "cat") does and has the same torso of the Marauder (production code "mad); it also packs the same punch of both 'Mechs, if not superior: twin LRM 20s and ER Large Lasers gave the Mad Cat an awesome long-range firepower that rivals some Assault 'Mechs, and can freely engage at medium and close ranges thanks to twin Machine Gun Arrays and Medium Pulse Lasers; though the Mad Cat mounts ammunition weapons, it won't be outgunned when they all supply are fired, granting it a respectable battlefield life, enhaced by armor protection and an exceptional speed for a 'Mech of its class. The presence of all kind of bays on the Mad Cat makes it relatively easy to modify, and the presence of Enhaced Optics and Active Probe in its equipment list can turn the 'Mech in an exceptional sniper. GLADIATOR (EXECUTIONER) Mass: 90 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 90 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.90; T 2.20; CT 2.50; RT 0.90; L 2.80 (Left Leg has 2.70) Standard Maximum Speed: 57.02 kph Standard Weapon Loadout:1 Clan ER Large Laser (RT), 2 Clan ER Medium Lasers (LT), 1 Clan ER PPC (RA), 1 Clan Ultra AC/20 (LA) Standard Equipment Loadout: ECM Suite, Jump jets Beam Bays and location: RA (3 slots), RT (3 slots), LT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RT (3 slots) Missile Bays and location: none Omni Bays and location: LA (4 slots), RA (3 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 2.00; T 2.20; CT 2.50; RT 0.90; L 3.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 45, 51.01 (1), 57.02 (2), 63.04 (3), 69.05 (4), 75.06 (5), 81.07 (6) Additional Equipment: ECM, LAMS, Jump Jets (6 tons) Standard Cost: 17'621'628 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 270'749 One of the most pleased addition to the game 'Mechs completement is the Executioner, or Gladiator as the Inner Sphere armies call it. As both names suggest, the 'Mech is capable of taking on every 'Mech lumbering on the battlefield. Its weapons tend to be configured for ranged combat, as every Clan 'Mech, but the huge Ultra AC can be a nasty surprise for any 'Mech trying to close too much with the Gladiator. Also, the 'Mech is incredibly agile, with Jump Jets and high top speed. The 'Mech can also be equipped with advanced electronic equipment, which augments the tactical flexibility of the 'Mech. An obliged acquisition for any unit. Having so large Omni bays, backed up with fairly large standard bays, makes customizing the Gladiator only a matter of tastes, though the presence of so many beam slots might turn the 'Mech into an ER Medium Laser boat, deadly at medium and close range, without ammunition dependecy but heat must be managed carefully. Sly_Adventure" (hajile@edsamail.com.ph) submits this (he says that he doesn't use this 'Mech, and the configuration isn't exactly my combat style and to me looks very strange that this pup cannot destroy a Daishi with a single volley...still has to test it, I'll do as soon as I have the 'Mech Expansion Packs): ------------------------------------------------------------------- I was playing mercenaries online and a couple of players were arguing about a bug exploitation. Basically, it allows a mech to control his shutdown and allowed the Gladiator mech to fire his PPCs continiously. I got curious so i went offline and tried a few things until i figured out the bug they were talking about. The gladiator is the cheapest mech in the game afterall!!! Here's how i did it. Comments are welcome. Try not to do this though. Playing a game in a way that was not intended by the developers is technically cheating. Bugs included. ****************** How to make a cheap mech ****************** Get a Gladiator. Take out *ALL* the heat sinks. Loadup on 4 ERPPC's and a Clan Gauss Rifle. Fill up the rest with Large and Medium ER Lasers. Link them *ALL* together. You now have the single most powerful ranged mech in the game I can take out an elite Daishi in two shots with this monster. The first shot will make his torso blink red, and a fellow light mech can finish him off while you powerdown. ****************** Now here's the bug ****************** Change your Shutdown Override button to "O" so you can shut down with just one key. When you fire, the heat bar will go past red and force you to shutdown. Hit "O" repeatedly to keep from shutting down and press "S" to manually shutdown before you explode. Keep hitting "O". As soon as you shut down press "S" again to immediately powerup. You can then stop pressing "O". You'll have a total shutdown (Powerdown/up) time of 3 seconds tops! As soon as your PPC's recharge, fire again! Then hit "O" repeatedly and do it all over again. ****************** Explanation ****************** I think it's a bug in the heat meter. When heat goes *past* 100%, you automatically shut down. When you fire everything in this mech, your heat goes past 200%. If this was MechWarrior3 you'd instantly go nuclear (Anyone who tried loading up on lasers in MW3 would know this ^_^ ). Now when you do the above maneuver, the heat meter gets shaved down to 100% even *without* heatsinks. Since you're not *over* 100%, you won't shut down. ****************** Drawbacks ****************** The main drawbacks is that you need constant timing. Press "S" too late and you'll blow. The other drawback is since that you'll always be in the red, your max speed goes down. Solution Use jumpjets. Since you can kill pretty much any mech in two shots, the three second powerdowns won't really matter much since you can fire again before they can get anywhere close enough to fire back. ERPPC's have really long range. ------------------------------------------------------------------- MAD CAT MarkII Mass: 90 tons Internal Structure Type: Endo Steel Torso Twist: 80 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.30; T 1.60; CT 2.30; RT 0.90; L 1.80 Standard Maximum Speed: 68 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 2 Clan Gauss Rifles (LA, RA), 2 Clan LRM 10s (Missile Rack LT, Missile Rack RT), 4 Clan ER Medium Lasers (2x RT, 2x LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: Jump Jets Beam Bays and location: RT (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: RA (3 slots), LA (3 slots), LT (2 slots) Missile Bays and location: Missile Rack (RT, 3 slots), Missile Rack (LT, 3 slots) Omni Bays and location: RT (2 slots), LT (2 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 1.80; T 2.20; CT 2.40; RT 1.00; L 2.60 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 47.99, 52.99 (1), 58 (2), 63 (3), 68 (4), 73.01 (5), 78.01 (6), 83.02 (7), 88.02 (8) Additional Equipment: Active Probe, LAMS, Jump Jets (6 tons) Standard Cost: 15'981'170 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 247'499 Built by Clan Diamond Shark with this very name in the first place, the Mad Cat Mk.II is an Assault 'Mech with incredible long-range firepower and mobility. By adding 15 tons to the original Timber Wolf chassis Diamond Shark engineers were able to mount more armor and larger weapons in expense of maximum top speed, though the presence of Jump jets partially mitigates this drawback. The Mad Cat Mk.II (it is unknown why the Sharks chosed this designation, based on the Inner Sphere codename of the Timber Wolf) founds itself confortable in ranged combat, where its twin Gauss Rifles and LRM racks can a devastating barrage. At close ranges the 'Mech has four ER Medium Lasers, enough for self-defense, but clearly insufficient when both Rifles and LRMs run out of ammunition; and, considering that the Gauss Rifles have at their disposal one one ton of ammunition each, this is a very likely case in extended missions. Having the largest bays configured to accept only ballistic weapons poses a great limit to the Mad Cat Mk.II configuration possibilities. It has two fairly large omni bays and a third beam bay for energy weapons, which can reduce the dependency on munitions, but this makes the Mad Cat Mk.II a bit undergunned by other Assault 'Mechs. It possible to mount AC 20s of various kinds thanks to the large ballistic bays in the arms, though mounting two of them might require the removal of Jump Jets (the real advantage of this 'Mech) or reduction of engine rating, or even both. DAISHI (DIRE WOLF) Mass: 100 tons Internal Structure Type: standard Torso Twist: 80 degrees Standard Armor Type: Ferro Fibrous Location Points: H 0.90; A 1.40; T 1.90; CT 2.40; RT 0.80; L 1.90 Standard Maximum Speed: 51 kph Standard Weapon Loadout: 4 Clan ER Large Lasers (2x LA, 2x RA), 2 Clan Ultra AC/5s (RT, LT), 1 Clan LRM 20 (Missile Rack/LT) Standard Equipment Loadout: LAMS Beam Bays and location: LA (2 slots), RA (2 slots) Ballistic Bays and location: LT (3 slots), RT (3 slots) Missile Bays and location: Missile Rack/RT (2 slots) Omni Bays and location: LA (2 slots), CT (4 slots), RA (2 slots) Maximum Armor Points per Location: H 0.90; A 2.20; T 2.40; CT 2.50; RT 1.10; L 3.00 Engine Ratings and Tonnage: 41, 46.01 (1), 51.01 (2), 56.02 (2), 61.02 (3), 66.02 (4), 71.03 (5) Additional Equipment: LAMS Standard Cost: 17'860'770 Per-Cycle Maintenance Cost: 265'999 Daishi. In Japanese this term could be translated as "Great Death". The Dire Wolf is fast (mhmm...slow) as an Atlas, but Clan technology almost double to space where to mount weapons. The 4 ER Large Lasers can alone destroy any enemy a Dire Wolf encounters, but this impressive firepower is supplemented by 4 Medium Pulse Lasers and 2 Clan Ultra AC/5. The LRM 10 provides also some indirect-fire capability and the MG Arrays can be used when heat reaches unbearable levels. The simplest way to costumize a Dire Wolf is to remove all except the Large Lasers, add extra heat sinks and increasing the engine rating, at least to 60 kph. The Dire Wolf is primary a laser-dependent 'Mech, though the Omni bays can be used for large caliber ballistic weapons. Or, you can mount 6 Clan ER Large Lasers, maximizing armor and installing LAMS to have a very powerful sniper. The Dire Wolf can mount only Laser AMS as extra. ************************************ 7-VEHICLES and MISC ENEMIES BRIEFING ************************************ Unlike all other MW games (mhmm...MechCommander and MechCommander 2 excluded, IMO) MW4 has a large variety of vehicles, including ground, water and air threats; there are also DropShips there... For Ground vehicles: tracked and wheeled vehicles cannot cross water and their speed is reduced when climbing hills, but they gain a bonus when travelling on concrete. Hovercrafts, on the other hand, can cross any kind of water and do not lose speed when climbing, but they do not gain any bonus when on concrete. Of course, air targets ignore the underlying terrain. VTOLs and spheroid Dropships can hover. Vessels cannot travel on land. ------------------- --GROUND VEHICLES-- ------------------- BULLDOG Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 10 Body constitution value: 10 Maximum Speed: 18 kph Weapons: 1 SRM 4, 1 Large Laser The most common vehicle. Fast and decently armored, Bulldogs will often act in groups to swarm a single target. They prefer to use their Large Lasers instead of the SRMs. CONDOR Type: hover Turret constitution value: 4 Body constitution value: 4 Maximum Speed: 24 kph Weapons: 1 Medium Laser, 1 AC/5 Not as fast as an Harasser, but clearly superior. It features a good armor protection with a good complement of a single long range weapon and a medium-range laser. HARASSER Type: hover Turret constitution value: 1 Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: 27 kph Weapons: SRM 6 Faster than the heavier Condor, but less armored and armed, though its firepower is superior to the Condor's in close quarters. SCUD LAUNCHER Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 10 Body constitution value: 10 Maximum Speed: 15 kph Weapons: SKUD missile A large caterpillar vehicle carrying a big artillery missile. It needs to stop in order to fire and expect at least one Artillery Loader along with it. Totally defenseless, the Scud Launcher (and the Artillery Loader, which has the same stats of the Scud Launcher) is often guarded by other units. ARTILLERY TANK Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 10 Body constitution value: 10 Maximum Speed: 15 kph Weapons: 1 Logn Tom cannon A large caterpillar vehicle with a full-sized Long Tom cannon for artillery use. Totally undefended at close ranges. ARTILLERY LOADER Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 10 Body constitution value: 10 Maximum Speed: 15 kph Weapons: none A large tracked vehicle carrying ammunition for the SKUD launcher. Totally defenseless and slow-moving. LRM CARRIER Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 1 Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: 15 kph Weapons: 2 LRM 20s The LRM Carrier and its short-range cousin, the SRM Carrier are tanks especially designed to fire barrages of missiles. Probably the LRM Carrier is the deadlier of the two because it usually sits on ridges or behind obstacles and start hammering you and your allies with accurate LRM fire. The best way to deal with them is to close or take out from long range before the rain starts. SRM CARRIER Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 1 Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: 15 kph Weapons: 3 SRM 6s Basically it's a LRM Carrier with SRM Racks instead of the LRM ones. Usually deployed in cities or on broken terrains to support 'Mechs with additional short-range punch. VEDETTE Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 4 Body constitution value: 4 Maximum Speed: 23 kph Weapons: 1 AC/5, 1 Machine Gun A blocky and sturdy tank with a long-range, small-caliber gun. In groups can pose a threat. More a nuissance than a threat if alone or in couple, though the tick armor might be irritating. MAGI Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 2 (approx) Body constitution value: 2 (approx) Maximum Speed: 27 kph (approx) Weapons: 2 Large Lasers, 2 Machine Gun Arrays. A very rare vehicle. It can be considered a threat at close ranges, if you want (Magis generally...do nothing, they just go around firing at trees or at animals). QUAD PANZER Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 27 kph (approx) Body constitution value: 27 kph (approx) Maximum Speed: 27 kph (approx) Weapons: 4 Large Pulse Lasers Relatively rare, the Quad Panzer is a fast, lightly armored vehicle with some medium-range firepower thanks to its pulse lasers. Not really a threat, but they tend to swarm a single target. MYRMIDONS Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 4 (approx) Body constitution value: 4 (approx) Maximum Speed: 27 kph (approx) Weapons: 1 PPC A medium tank, well armored and built for medium range fire-support. Its PPC can deal some damage even to evey 'Mech, and Myrmidons usually attacks in groups of four. DEMOLISHER II Type: tracked Turret constitution value: 8 (approx) Body constitution value: 8 (approx) Maximum Speed: 15 kph (approx) Weapons: 1 LB-X 20 AC, 1 AC/20, 1 Machine Gun Array The Demoslisher is slow and have a tremendous firepower at close range, plus a good armor protection that makes them the most dangerous vehicle on the battlefield. However, they totally lack long-range weapons, and they are no match for even medium-sized 'Mechs with one long-range weapon. Demolishers tend to attack in couples. SWIFTWIND Type: wheeled Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: about 50 kph Weapons: none A fast wheeled vehicle with a radar transciever on its back used for reconaissance. Totally unarmed and very easy to take down. HUMVEE Type: wheeled Turret Constitution value: none Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: about 30 kph Weapons: none The littler brother of the Swiftwind. APC Type: wheeled Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 4 Maximum Speed: about 30 kph Weapons: 2 Medium Lasers or 2 Machine Gun Arrays Though it is an APC, you won't see men coming out from it, though its double Machine Gun Arrays or Medium Lasers might pose a threat to light 'Mechs if there are more than 5 APCs in the area. MOBILE TURRET CONTROL Type: tracked Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 2 Maximum Speed: about 30 kph Weapons: none Mobile Turret Controls are used to control Mobile Turrets (see below). Totalyy unarmed and poorly armored. Once destroyed, all Mobile Turrets under its control will immediately shut down. FUEL TRUCK Type: wheeled Turret Constitution value: none Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: about 30 kph Weapons: none When struck by fire, this truck will explode, so pay attention. ---------------- --AIR VEHICLES-- ---------------- SHILONE Type: airplane Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: 55 kph Weapons: bombs I know, the manual says Chippewa, but the game says Shilone, so for me is a Shilone (though Shilones are usually employed by house Kurita and Chippewas by house Steiner)...in fact, nothing more than a sitting duck. Any average pilot should be able to destroy it with a single shot. Shilones tend to ignore you while they concentrate their bombs on targets you have to defend. All flying crafts when destroyed will crash to the ground. Even if one of them hits you on your head, it won't damage you, nor the small explosion will. NIGHTSHADE Type: VTOL airplane Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: 54 kph (exitameted) Weapons: LRM-10 In MW4:Mercs Nightshades are far more dangerous than in the original game. First, they are faster and have LRMs, and they use them as hit and run weapons: they come fast, they fire, they retreat and repeat this until shooted down. They are weak, but should not be underestimated, they can be nasty when backedup by other vehicles. STILETTO Type: airplane Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: 54 kph (exitameted) Weapons: Ultra AC/2 A very light and agile fighter with a single, small caliber weapon. Not a real threat, it is relatively hard to hit because of its small frontal section. It can also come equipped with bombs. TRANSPORT COPTER Type: helicopter Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: 35 kph Weapons: none A simple twin rotor transport copter; it has no weapons. PEREGRINE Type: helicopter Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: 35 kph Weapons: 1 SRM 4 A medium/light copter. Not a real threat. NIGHTWIND Type: helicopter Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 1 Maximum Speed: 35 kph Weapons: 2 LRM 5s, Medium Pulse Laser An heavy copter with some long-range punch. It usually attacks in groups, and this makes its missiles relatively dangerous. They do not use their Lasers too much. HROTHGAR class DROPSHIP Type: Spheroid DropShip Turret constitution value: unknown Body constitution value: unknown Maximum Speed: unknown Weapons: 4 PPCs, 4 Large Lasers, 4 Gauss Rifles A Spheroid dropship with lot of firepower. Hrothgar Dropships, aside of their unspellable names, tend to target you with Gauss Rifles and Lasers, keeping the PPCs for protection during lift-offs. The easiest way to destroy a Hrothgar is to target it from long range, on an elevated position, so that the DropShip won't be able to fire its guns, positioned in the middle of its chassis, or behind the gantry of the landing pad (if any). OVERLORD class DROPSHIP Type: Spheroid DropShip Turret constitution value: unknown Body constitution value: unknown Maximum Speed: unknown Weapons: 4 Light Gauss Rifles, 4 Gauss Rifles, various lasers A massive Dropship able to move 12 'Mechs within a star system. It has an impressive array of weapons, starting from various classes of Gauss Rifles for long-range firepower and various lasers (but no PPCs) for close-in works. It is more armored than a Hrothgar DropShip, and should be picked out with long-range weapons to avoid to have to deal with the lasers. TALON class DROPSHIP Type: Aerodyne DropShip Turret constitution value: unknown Body constitution value: unknown Maximum Speed: unknown Weapons: 4 Large Lasers, 4 ER Large Lasers, 3 LRM 10s Your Dropship. You won't have to engage one in combat. ------------------ --WATER VEHICLES-- ------------------ PATROL SHIP Type: small ship Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 2 Maximum Speed: about 40 kph Weapons: 1 Ultra AC/5 or Large Laser A small, fast boat armed with an Ultra AC/5 or a Large Laser. It won't pose a big problem, even if they engage in groups. DESTROYER Type: battleship Turret constitution value: none Body constitution value: 10 Maximum Speed: about 15 kph Weapons: 2 LRM 20s, 4 Long Toms Big, slow-moving, heavily armed and armored. If your 'Mech has an AMS/LAMS they won't be a big problem, especially if you keep circling around them. Though they have Long Toms, they prefer to fire LRMs; also, their shots with Long Toms are highly inaccurate, and often tend to target fixed targets with them. ----------- --TURRETS-- ----------- STRONG POINT DEFENSE Type: high-profile defense bunker Body constitution value: 15 (approx) Weapons: 2 LRM 10s, 1 Gauss Rifle, 2 Ultra AC 5s This bunker has been built to defend high-profile installations, and does it very well. All weapons in the bunker have a limited range of fire (approx 90 degress), but usually the back of this installation is protected by terrain, which makes them a very dangerous defensive position;the high armor rating makes them almost suicidal to approach stright-forward. The best way to engage is to use Long-range weapons like PPCs or Gauss Rifles. CALLIOPE TURRET Type: fixed heavy turret Body constitution value: 5 Weapons: 2 LRM 15s, 2 Clan ER Medium Pulse Laser The Calliope Turret is especially designed to take out threats at long range. It is heavily armored and pretty accurate when firing the LRMs. It is slightly less efficent with the Pulse Lasers, but it is still dangerous. Try to take out with massed long-range fire or quickly close distances, it tends to engage targets within a 800 meters radius or even less, due to LRM's locking time. All fixed turrets are controlled by buildings, a Turret Control and a Power Generator, though probably you'll notice this after the turrets are destroyed. Once one of those buildings is down, all turrets linked to them won't work anymore. LASER TURRET Type: fixed heavy turret Body constitution value: 10 Weapons: 2 Large Lasers or 2 Clan ER Large Lasers A very good armored heavy turret with twin Large Lasers. Should be took out from afar with PPCs or other long-range weapons. FIXED TURRET Type: fixed heavy turret Body constitution value: 3 Weapons: 2 Medium Lasers A small turret with a single or twin Medium Lasers. Dangerous at close range if there are many of them. As with Calliope Turrets, Laser Turrets are controlled by a Turret Control and a Power Generator. MISSILE TURRET Type: fixed heavy turret Body constitution value: 3 Weapons: 1 LRM 5 Just like the fixed turret, but has LRMs in place of Lasers. MOBILE TURRET Type: mobile field turret Body constitution value: 2 Weapons: 1 Ultra AC/5 or AC/5 or Gauss Rifle Independent movable turrets with small-caliber ACs or, a lot rarer and dangerous, a Gauss Rifle. They do not rely on Power Generators, but are always slaved to a Mobile Turret Control which works in the same way as the fixed Turret Control building. GUARD TOWER Type: fixed outpost Body Constitution value: 5 Weapons: 1 Clan ER Medium Pulse Laser or 1 Clan ER Medium Laser Small outposts with a single laser turret. They aren't very dangerous, but have an armor roughly equal to a Calliope Turret's one. ********************* 8-LANCEMATES BRIEFING ********************* Pilots are classified in a different way than MW4: as recrutable pilots are more, they are characterized only by their stats and weekly salary. Of course, better is the pilot, higher you'll have to pay him. Note that pilots never changes salary, so, for example, you can make out from Rufus an excellent pilot without paying him too well. Also, you can fire and re-hire pilots as many times you want, unless they are killed in action (KIA). Some pilots have the Lance Commander attribute. This means that they can handle other three pilots when you order them something; a Lance lead by a non-Commander pilot is less effective. The stats representing the piltos are gunnery, piloting (self-expliantory), blind fighting (when sensors are off-line or jammed, to engage the right 'Mechs and vehicles) and sensor (the ability to fully use additional equipment). Callsign: RUFUS Initial Gunnery Skill: 50 Initial Piloting Skill: 40 Initial Sensor Skill: 50 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 30 Weekly salary: 14'600 Hire cost: 321'200 (starter) Callsign: SHREDDER Initial Gunnery Skill: 68 Initial Piloting Skill: 50 Initial Sensor Skill: 60 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 37 Weekly salary: 20'240 Hire cost: none (starter) Callsign: HANNIBAL (Lance Commander) Initial Gunnery Skill: 80 Initial Piloting Skill: 62 Initial Sensor Skill: 70 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 45 Weekly salary: 27'100 Hire cost: none (starter) Callsign: MUSTANG (Lance Commander) Initial Gunnery Skill: 98 Initial Piloting Skill: 84 Initial Sensor Skill: 80 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 50 Weekly salary: 31'500 Hire cost: 693'000 Callsign: ANGEL Initial Gunnery Skill: 48 Initial Piloting Skill: 35 Initial Sensor Skill: 50 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 30 Weekly salary: 13'105 Hire cost: 289'300 Callsign: RUBIUS (Lance Commander) Initial Gunnery Skill: 72 Initial Piloting Skill: 51 Initial Sensor Skill: 50 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 35 Weekly salary: 20'950 Hire cost: 460'900 Callsign: MAGS Initial Gunnery Skill: 78 Initial Piloting Skill: 40 Initial Sensor Skill: 50 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 35 Weekly salary: 19'900 Hire cost: 437'800 Callsign: BULLDOG (Lance Commander) Initial Gunnery Skill: 62 Initial Piloting Skill: 55 Initial Sensor Skill: 50 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 35 Weekly salary: 20'150 Hire cost: 443'300 Callsign: CLAYMORE Initial Gunnery Skill: 84 Initial Piloting Skill: 60 Initial Sensor Skill: 60 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 40 Weekly salary: 22'200 Hire cost: 488'400 Callsign: SPIRIT Initial Gunnery Skill: 51 Initial Piloting Skill: 35 Initial Sensor Skill: 80 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 30 Weekly salary: 12'850 Hire cost: 282'700 Callsign: GOOF Initial Gunnery Skill: 55 Initial Piloting Skill: 30 Initial Sensor Skill: 50 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 30 Weekly salary: 10'800 Hire cost: 237'600 Callsign: BULLSEYE Initial Gunnery Skill: 95 Initial Piloting Skill: 70 Initial Sensor Skill: 80 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 50 Weekly salary: 26'500 Hire cost: 583'000 Callsign: GATOR Initial Gunnery Skill: 85 Initial Piloting Skill: 82 Initial Sensor Skill: 70 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 45 Weekly salary: 25'100 Hire cost: 552'200 Callsign: BEOWULF (Lance Commander) Initial Gunnery Skill: 85 Initial Piloting Skill: 82 Initial Sensor Skill: 70 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 45 Weekly salary: 25'100 Hire cost: 629'200 Callsign: GOAT (Lance Commander) Initial Gunnery Skill: 75 Initial Piloting Skill: 62 Initial Sensor Skill: 60 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 40 Weekly salary: 21'100 Hire cost: 464'200 Callsign: GOBLIN Initial Gunnery Skill: 62 Initial Piloting Skill: 32 Initial Sensor Skill: 50 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 25 Weekly salary: 10'100 Hire cost: 222'200 Callsign: BLACK JACK (Lance Commander) Initial Gunnery Skill: 65 Initial Piloting Skill: 45 Initial Sensor Skill: 50 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 30 Weekly salary: 18'450 Hire cost: 405'900 Callsign: SCOOTER Initial Gunnery Skill: 58 Initial Piloting Skill: 42 Initial Sensor Skill: 50 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 30 Weekly salary: 10'300 Hire cost: 226'600 Callsign: SCRAPPER Initial Gunnery Skill: 95 Initial Piloting Skill: 65 Initial Sensor Skill: 60 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 37 Weekly salary: 22'290 Hire cost: 490'325 Callsign: BLAZE (Lance Commander) Initial Gunnery Skill: 90 Initial Piloting Skill: 82 Initial Sensor Skill: 60 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 37 Weekly salary: 24'340 Hire cost: 535'425 Callsign: BUZZ Initial Gunnery Skill: 85 Initial Piloting Skill: 52 Initial Sensor Skill: 50 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 35 Weekly salary: 19'800 Hire cost: 435'600 Callsign: FALCON (Lance Commander) Initial Gunnery Skill: 100 Initial Piloting Skill: 90 Initial Sensor Skill: 70 Initial Blind Fight Skill: 45 Weekly salary: 0 (yes, zero). Hire cost: none (took as bondswoman after Trial of Possesion mission on New Exford). ************************** 9-HOW TO COSTUMIZE A 'MECH ************************** MW4 is very different from the previous MechWarrior products in costumizing 'Mechs; thanks, or better, due to the brand-new (and immediately ignored in MC2) bay system, not all 'Mechs can support all weapons, even if they have enough tonnage to devote to them; this applies also to ECM Suites, Active Probes and Jump Jets; Light Amplification can be installed on all 'Mechs as AMS can be (though the Argus does not support any kind of AMS system), though the base technlogy of the chassis (Inner Sphere or Clan) will determine the type of System installed: Inner Spherian have standard projectile AMSes, while Clans have Laser AMS. They both have the same weight and roughly the same performances, the only thing changegd is the name. Returning to equipment, remember that ECM reduce by half the ranges of any enemy within the radar's range and Active Probes will increase the radar range by 200 meters. Also, these two equipment will reduce missile-lock on times. Missile boats should always have at least the Active Probe. Light Amplification is pretty useless (as the spotlight all 'Mechs mount but that's an other story...) and Jump Jets can improve sniping abilities of a 'Mech, though they are pratically useless in urban terrain (but not in field bases, where they allow you jump over small buildings); jump distance is equal for all 'Mechs (roughly 150 meters) and always mounted in the rear torso. All these equipment, like engine, gyro, arm or leg actuators, cockpit and any other part of the 'Mech (aside weapons) cannot be destroyed by weapon fire. Talking about armor, I always carry maximum Ferro-Fibrous armor, with less points on Legs and Arms to free a full ton of space. Other armors will weight more as they provide less point per ton, but are specialized in repel some attacks: Reflective armor dissipates damage by energy weapons and Reactive Armor missile weapons; these armors have a small malus when dealing with damage caused by other kinds of weapons. About weapons: first decide what kind of weapons you are going to use (this will also spell what kind of engagement you are planning: PPCs at close range might be fine, but what about LBX ACs?), then the base chassis. For example, there's only an handful of 'Mechs capable of mounting three PPCs (or only one...BTW, the Nova Cat surely can), but most have enough space for an ER or Pulse Large Laser. Also, Gauss Rifles can be carried by most 'Mechs, though they are heavier than PPCs and are ammo dependent. Also remember to carefully balance the weapons load: weapons with slow recharge rates are good for snipers, but close-ranged fighters will find more confortable Pulse Lasers, ACs or SRMs. When you are going to use energy weapons (especially in hot environments) remember to install enough heat sinks to at least the heat efficency bar at 50%: this will grant you some "autonomy" before holding fire to have the 'Mech cool down, though a full bar is always reccomended, even with ballistic weapons (rember that large caliber cannons generate large amounts of heat). For ammunition-based weapons be sure to mount at least one extra ton of ammo, especially if you will fight with them as main weapons and with Gauss Rifles and large-caliber ACs, they tend to heat ammos at allarming rates. Remember that Omni bays can accept all weapons wind but only few 'Mechs have bays large enough to accomodate all weapons (for example the Dire Wolf and the Shadow Cat). Most tend to be 2 or 2 slots -large, enough to accomodate only Large Lasers or medium caliber ACs. ***************** 10-GENERAL TACTICS ***************** Let's begin with the gameplay differences ('Mech lab differencies has been covered in the previous section) between MW4 and MW3. In MW3 cutting off a leg from a 'Mech would have resulted in the 'Mech without the leg beign immediately destroyed; this was quite frustating and before the release of the patches it was quite simple to detroy a 'Mech with a Small Laser boat. Also, hard-hitting weapons (especially missiles and LB-X Acs) tended to knock down 'Mechs very easily. In MW4 a 'Mech can be knocked down; however to knock down a light/medium 'Mech you'll need a very power shot: Cougars and alike can be downed with a twin LB-20X strike at their Center Torso or with more powerful attacks on their entire torso; Shadow Cats and alike can be knocked down only with devastating shots to their torsos (triple PPCs/Gauss/LB 20-X assaults). I've never seen top-heavy medium, heavy or assault 'Mech knocked down. Knocked down 'Mechs can fire as long targets are within weapons range and arc. Legs are undestroyable. Well, it is possible to disable a leg by destroying its armor and internal structure, but the limb will remain with the 'Mech, strongly reducing its speed (about 10 kp/h, for all 'Mechs); I've seen only one leg totally blown off, during a single player Master Trial (in the Instant Action menu); I was on a Shadow Cat and a 'Mech took away my right leg; the 'Mech stopped completely: it was impossible to move, but possible to turn around. I do not know if it was a bug or something, but that's the first and only time I saw a leg blown off. Arms and Missile racks can be destroyed (or blown off) by destroying their armor and internal structure. Also, heat management has changed; a 'Mech with, for example a Clan ER PPC and 4 Clan ER Large Lasers and a green heat capacity bar WILL NOT overheat in any way (except for external factors, like high temperatures or Flamers). This means that you can fire whatever weapon you want if you have a green bar; also, 'Mechs with red or yellow bars (I strongly reccomend not to deploy 'Mechs with heat bars below the half) will overheat only after a certain number of attacks: for example, a Mad Cat with twin Clan ER PPCs and 4 Clan ER Medium Lasers will overheat only if it fires its PPCs and Lasers twice or three times consicutively. Like MW3, extreme heat will affect your movement capabilities (you'll slow down a bit) and will make your cockpit inaccurate, just like a PPC hit. When engaging 'Mechs, always go for their heads; scoring an head hit is very difficult, as it is to destroy a 'Mech's head with a single salvo (even 4 Clan ER Large Lasers won't destroy a Daishi's head), however, in all 'Mechs (Thor excluded, anyway), the head is always on the center torso; destroying the center torso (armor and internal structure) is the only way to destroy a 'Mech. All enemies will surely go for your center torso, so try to keep mobile to avoid destruction. Legs will affect mobility, arms and missile racks weapon load and lateral torsos weapons. When the armor is gone, damage will pass top the internal structure; each shot at the internal structure of a 'Mech will have a chance to destroy the weapons in it (there are no other critical hits in MW4, just like MW3...MW2 is still unsurpassed on this point); when a location's internal structure is gone, the location and all weapons in it will be destroyed. When a location has its internal structure damaged, it will begin to smoke. Smoke from center torso and other torso sections will generally TOTALLY obscure line of sight when moving backward. Vehicles are an other matter; VTOLs and aircrafts need only a direct hit to their hull to make them crash, while other vehicles will take more punishment before being destroyed. When targeting a vehicle, always go for the turret, which is roughly the equivalent of a 'Mech's head. When a ground vehicle has been hit pretty bad blue lights will begin to come out from it, meaning that it's going to explode. It will take some time, but it will always explode. DropShips and Destroyers do not have this drawback. Any kind of vehicle (even DropShips or Destroyers) do not have a critical table, so or they are destroyed, or they will continue firing. Sensors are useful, but must be used carefully; when you are alone and the zone is filled by enemies, or your target is a sitting duck, but heavily defended, passive radars and ECM Suites will help you to pass undetected; Active Probes will also increase your scanning range by 200 meters, while keeping your sensor profile the same. When a 'Mech, a fuel depot, a DropShip and any other thing that can explode will be destroyed, they will generate a small explosion. Fuel depots are generally the most destructive, and they will also add high amount of heat to your 'Mech, usually forcing you to use the coolant or to shutdown your 'Mech. 'Mech explosions are similar to fuel explosions though they will allocate less damage and heat. DropShip explosions will only allocate damage. Also, extra heat will be added if you fire LRMs too near to your target, so do not close if you are piloting a LRM boat. After having spoke about damages, let's speak about repairs; at the end of each mission your 'Mech will be automatically repaired; this includes both weapons and armor, no weapon in your inventory will be removed to replace a damaged one as it will be repaired for free. During missions, however, you'll might a chance (or necessity) to repair: this can be done in 'Mech Repair Facilities in the mission area. Not all missions have a Repair Facility, and sometime they are concealed between buildings or by limited visibility. However, Repair Facilities are usually located in large explanades and/or near small outposts and/or where 'Mechs unexpectedly powered up. All bases containing 'Mechs will have at least one of these Facilities. There isn't only one kind of Repair Facility: the most common is a red building with two armored doors that allow a 'Mech to enter from one side and exit from the other one. This is also the hardest to use: you'll have to enter the base at moderate speeds (I usually hit the "2" speed trigger, this will make the 'Mech automatically shutdown when in position), then hit the shutdown button ("S", as per standard keyboard layout) while you are in the base; this is difficult because the 'Mech won't stop automatically, it will proceed straight, ignoring all your commands (shutdown excluded) until you are 50 meters away from the structure. This is quite irritating as you will be an easy prey for enemies. Other Repair strucuters are more easily usable: they are both composed of three walls and one single entrance and do not require too much job for obtaining a repair. Just walk inside the walls and hit the shutdown key. Then you'll have to manually walk away from the structure at any speed you want. Repair Facilities always repair your while armor but will not replace destroyed weapons and limbs. Here's some differencies I noticed between MW4 and Mercs. First, weapons now have different stats. Be sure to check them out: Pulse Lasers now are much more powerful and heat-requiring than before and PPCs have a longer range and harder punch. It is easier to knock down a 'Mech. Twin Ultra AC/20s hitting on a Center Torso can make an Heavy topple, and 6 ER Large Lasers can make a Medium 'Mech fall if it in the legs or in the Torso. This is the same for you, so be careful when engaging Fafnirs or other 'Mechs that packs quite a punch; also, powerful hits from single weapons, explosions and other factors can make your torso or arms spin around quite easily; Advanced Gyro partially counteracts this new tendency that can make battles both a nightmare and a free-fall for you enemies if hit hard in the right places. 'Mech can now also be annihilated. Usually, a destroyed 'Mech ends as a black scrap after its Center Torso has been destroyed; now it is possible to make a 'Mech explode, making it leaving no other than few black pieces on the battleground. This implies that the pilot inside the 'Mech will surely die (and that can happen to your pilots too) and the 'Mech won't be salvageable. Annihilation should happens when a single shot or salvo hits the center torso, destroys remaining armor of the side where the shot came from, the internal structure and all armor on the other side. Not really sure about it, but looks like a good possibility. About salvage, as far as I understood, a 'Mech can be salvaged if the last damage value it recieved on its Center Torso doesn't pass it armor+internal structure value; if the damage passes it, it strikes the reactor and the 'Mech is not salvageable. My guess, however. What I'm sure about, though, is that destroying the head will let you salvage the 'Mech. Note that a downed 'Mech always explodes, allocating damage and heat to anything within about 5 meters. Be sure to stay away from one 'Mech which is going to fall. Managing your unit is a pretty new addition to Mercenaries. Black Knight offered this possibility too, but not knowing if it had the same features, I can't tell the differencies. However, here's a few guidelines. First, keep at least one or two 'Mechs for each weight class, this might help fo Solaris and for unexpected mission requiring a bit of speed. Second: buy all Clan equipment and 'Mechs you can, they are clearly the best 'Mechs and weapons out there, and do not expect the enemy to field outmoded 'Mechs just because you do so: the best units will be armed with only Clan weaponry and 'Mechs, and almost every unit will have a Ryoken or a Hellhound in them (that's a bit silly, IMO. This makes the Clan 'Mechs too widespread and makes thinking why someone might want to use Inner Sphere equipment...the differency between costs is not really prohibitive, and after some missions, the Free Market in all four different campaigns will be filled with Clan tech). Allan Mills (amills1@bigpond.net.au) sent this: ------------------------------------------------------------------- I read your FAQ on Mechwarrior 4 Mercenaries and I had a few comments. Firstly a cheat on how to make winning a lot easier in the Solaris Tournaments. When the match begins, immediately shutdown your mech. Because you aren't powered up you won't draw much attention from the enemy. This isn't permanent of course, eventually someone will start firing at you but it's generally not until most of the opposition is dead. I used this to beat the grand championship on the second highest difficulty level. There were only three enemies left when I powered up. Of course you need to choose your time correctly, if you wait too long you are a sitting duck. It was a bit sad to have to resort to this trick but I couldn't get better than third place by fighting fair - for some attempts I was near death within 30 seconds just because several other mechs decided to fire at me. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The other comments were about Repair Bases and on the Puma 'Mech...interesting tactic, but basically I'm for the brainless assault of everything moving in a Solaris arena, though it might be useful...as far as I know, however, if you shutdown when someone started to fire on you, he/she will continue to engage you...maybe it works only at the very beginning. ********************* 11-MULTIPLAYER TACTICS ********************* Actually I'm waiting technicians that will install a DSL line, and then probably I'll start to play online...here in Italy lag is already crippling and no one will let me play with a 56k. ************** 12-WALKTHROUGH ************** The game has been played with a Regular difficulty setting. In more challenging modes, the enemies and objectives will remain the same, though the enemy gunnery skill will be greatly increased. Your callsign will be "Spectre", no matter what if you link or you don't (and I don't). For starting equipment and money, read the Merc Units Briefing. As for now, I've ended the game with the Wolf's Dragoons and the Northwind Highlanders, and seen some different missions between the two companies. However, they ended in the same way. To complete this walktrhough, I've started with the Gray Death Legion. Let's see how it ends (I know there are three possible endings for this game). The endinds and availability of contracts depends on three factors: which side are you on (Davion, Steiner or neutral), Nobility and Infamy rating. Chosing your side is very simple: ignore all contracts from one house (Davion or Steiner) while taking all others; remaining neutral is pretty hard, but note one thing: if a contract is offeredf by House Liao, for example, it is counted as a neutral one as your employer isn't tied or is Davion or Steiner affiliated. Nobility is given by exceptional performace on the battlefield and good reports from other units or important personalities; Infamy is the opposite: accepting assasination or "destroy all civilian buildings" contracts will make it rise, and you won't be seen in a good ligt by your employers. Salvage is not fixed, it varies from how you act in missions, except few cases. ------------ --OUTREACH-- ------------ The planet where you'll undergo basic training to obtain the MRBC degree as a MechWarrior. No contracts will be available on this planet. -------------- --HALLORAN V-- -------------- Mission: CHECKPOINT Pay: 2'115'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy Tents and Hostiles at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy Hostiles at Nav Point Beta * Destroy Hostiles at Nav Point Gamma Heat Sink Efficiency: 110% Employer: Corvatti Corporation Side: Steiner Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner +1, Infamy +1 Map Description: the road is blocked by turrets and barriers at each Nav Point; the turrets are controlled by Mobile Turret Controls, few vehicles and 4 Light 'Mechs in total. To reach the Nav Points, you can simply follow the road or cut through the mountains. Notes: A good starting mission. You'll always salvage an Hellspawn. Very easy. Follow the Nav sequence and destroy all hostiles encountered. Nav Alpha is protected by 2 SRM Carriers, 3 Bulldogs and one Owens. The Mobile Turret Control is on the ridge in front of you, take it down to avoid contact with the three turrets. Now destroy the tents and do not touch the powered down Hellspawn, it will be a good piece of salvage. Nav Point Beta is protectd by an Owens, a single Bulldog and 2 Turrets, as usually linked to a Mobile Turret Control. Destroy the Mobile HQ to have Beta cleared. Nav Gamma is more heavily protected, by a Puma (try to salvage it, though it will be difficult), an Owens, 2 LRM Carriers and one Bulldog, plus a Mobile HQ. Mission: ESCORT Pay: 2'220'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Escort Convoy at Nav Point Alpha * Escort Convoy at Nav Point Beta * Escort Convoy at Nav Point Gamma * Escort Convoy at Nav Point Delta * Defend base from attackers Heat Sink Efficiency: Employer: Corvatti Corporation Side: Steiner Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: Artillery tanks (3), Hrothgar Dropship, various turrets Profile changes: Steiner +7, Davion -2, Nobility +2 Map Description: Four Nav Points along a road; terrain is mostly rolling hills. Notes: Convoy is composed by 3 Artillery tanks. If even one is destroyed, the mission will fail. Base at Nav Delta has a Repair Base and you'll recieve support from an Hrothgar Dropship and few turrets while there. Fast medium 'Mechs or high-end Lights are suggested. Available after beating "Checkpoint". More difficult than the previous, but only because you have to guard fragile Artillery tanks. Move your units to Alpha and engage the Owens that will power up. Contrary to your orders, the convoy will stop there until the 'Mech has been eliminated. As soon the Owens is down, kick into high gear and reach Nav Point Beta, where 4 Vedettes will try to attack the convoy; rather than trying picking them apart from long-range, enter the Vedette formation: this will disrupt it and will force them to engage you rather than the convoy; if you want, move two or your lancemates at Nav Gamma, where the convoy will be under attack by a Chimera, an Hellhound and an other Owens. Engage them before they can do any damage to the convoy. This time the convoy will proceed to Nav Delta, but be careful not to destroy the enemy 'Mechs near the tank, or they will blow up with the 'Mech. At Nav Delta there is a Repair base: you can freely access it (note that this is the only field base I ever seen in the game), so repair and/or order so if you need it (note: this will NOT repair the internal structure of a 'Mech, will be always considered crippled or damaged after mission) and prepare for the last wave of attackers, an Hellhound, a Chimera and an Owens. The Dropship here, commanded by Captain Doska (I hope it's correctly spelled), will provide fire support, though you will have to give the enemies the coup-de-grace. Once the last wave is out, the Dropship will leave and mission will be completed. Max Ed says: ------------------------------------------------------------------- In Escort mission on Halloran V, when at Beta and difficulty is Veteran or Elite, not only Vedettes but also a Hellhound appears. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mission: INDUSTRY RAID Pay: 2'455'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy Generators at Nav Point Beta * Destroy Large Factory at Nav Point Gamma * Destroy Factory at Nav Point Gamma * Find and Destroy Fuel Supply * Destroy all Black Cobras' 'Mechs (Discretionary) Heat Sink Efficiency: 110% Employer: Corvatti Corporation Side: Steiner Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner +3, Infamy +2 Map Description: Mountainous terrain; the base is protected by several turrets and vehicles, plus a Lance of Black Cobras 'Mechs. The Fuel Depot is near Nav Point Gamma, but not at it, you'll have to exit the base perimeter to find it. Notes: Medium 'Mechs suggested. Available after beating "Escort" or "Offshore" A and B. Take a long-range 'Mech. Try to deploy Medium 'Mechs. Begin by eading toward Nav Alpha, which is a weak point in the turret grid which will allow you to destroy the Generator without being noticed (oh yeah, a 50 ton machine firing missiles, laser bolts at an energy generator, 500 meters away from a base is invisible to everyhing...). Once the Generator is down, order your Lancemates to engage the various vehicles (prevalenty Bulldogs and Myrmidons) in the base; once they are gone, a Lance of Black Cobra 'Mechs will show up. You can decide to destroy the objectives and then leave or stay, finish the Cobras (two Bushwackers and two Chimeras) and then destroy everything else. The Fuel Depot is NOT at Nav Gamma but near it. It should be just outside the base, procedding after Nav Gamma and coming from Nav Point Beta. Mission: OFFSHORE Pay: 1'750'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Defend Oil Rigs at Nav Point Alpha * Defend Oil Rigs at Nav Point Alpha * Defend Fuel Industry Buildings and Vehicles (Secondary: 500'000 C-Bills bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 110% Employer: Transpax Corporation Side: neutral Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner +3, Nobility +3 Map Description: Set on the shores of an ocean, this map has four nav Points, Alpha through Delta; the first two are set in coincidence of two pairs of oil rigs, Gamma near a fuel depot and Delta near your starting point. Weather is snowy and you'll fight with your 'Mechs in the ocean, limiting heat build-up Notes: the "Offshore" missions are a good start, they provide a good pay with minimum resistence. Light and medium 'Mechs are suggested. Pretty simple mission. Move your lancemates at Nav Point Beta while you take care of the Patrol Boats and the Barge at Nav Point Alpha. Beta will be under attack by 3 Harrassers and 3 Condors, that will be easily dispatched by your lancemates, while you remain at Alpha awaiting the first destroyer, the Reynolds, to come. Once it appears, recall you lancemates. The carrier Indignition will also launch 4 Nightshades to cover the destroyer. Concentrate on the destroyer while your lancemates take out the Nightshades; the best way to engage the destroyer is to close up with it and continously circle around while firing. Mission: OFFSHORE A Pay: 2'000'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Defend Oil Rigs at Nav Point Alpha * Defend Oil Rigs at Nav Point Alpha * Defend Fuel Industry Buildings and Vehicles (Secondary: 500'000 C-Bills bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 110% Employer: Transpax Corporation Side: neutral Lancemates: 5 Allied Units: Calliope turrets (2), Stilettos (4) Profile changes: Steiner +4, Nobility +4 Map Description: Set on the shores of an ocean, this map has four nav Points, Alpha through Delta; the first two are set in coincidence of two pairs of oil rigs, Gamma near a fuel depot and Delta near your starting point. Weather is snowy and you'll fight with your 'Mechs in the ocean, limiting heat build-up Notes: the "Offshore" missions are a good start, they provide a good pay with minimum resistence. Light and medium 'Mechs are suggested. Available after beating "Offshore" An other easy mission. The attack pattern and unit count is similar to the precious mission, though this time there will be two destroyers, the Arbold and the Harrington, coming in two separate waves from Nav Point Alpha. The Calliopes and your lancemates are enough to take care of the hovercrafts (3 Harassers and 3 Condors) attacking the rigs at Beta, and when the first destroyer appears (the Arbold), four Stilletos will enter the area and will help you in destroying it. Meanwhile, recall your lancemates and engage the Harrington what will appear very shortly after the Arbold has been sunk; the Stilettos will retreat for rearming and refuel, but you and your lancemates will be enough to destroy it with minimum sweat. Mission: OFFSHORE B Pay: 2'750'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Defend Oil Rigs at Nav Point Alpha * Defend Oil Rigs at Nav Point Alpha * Defend Fuel Industry Buildings and Vehicles (Secondary: 500'000 C-Bills bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 110% Employer: Transpax Corporation Side: neutral Lancemates: 5 Allied Units: Calliope turrets (2) Profile changes: Steiner +3, Nobility +4 Map Description: Set on the shores of an ocean, this map has four nav Points, Alpha through Delta; the first two are set in coincidence of two pairs of oil rigs, Gamma near a fuel depot and Delta near your starting point. Weather is snowy and you'll fight with your 'Mechs in the ocean, limiting heat build-up Notes: Medium'Mechs are suggested. Available after beating "Offshore A" and "Industry Raid". The first wave, the usual Patrol Boats, will enter the area near Alpha; as usual, move your lancemates at Beta to take care of an other wave of Harassers and Condors. Once those threaths have been eliminated, four 'Mechs from the remaining Black Cobras will enter the area from the south; not enough, there will be 4 Nightwinds and 8 Nightshades to support them; the vehicles should be left to the turrets while you take care of the Cobras: they brought in an Argus, a Bushwacker and 2 Uziels (thought I saw one Uziel replaced by one Wolfhound). Concentrate fire on the Argus first, then let your lancemates take care of a single target, while you engage an other 'Mechs or the vehicles. Once all enemies have been destroyed, the mission will be over. ---------- --EATON-- ---------- Mission: MERC ALLEY Pay: 1'250'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Eliminate all Lyran Military Forces * Capture Lyran Convoy by destorying its Escorts Heat Sink Efficiency: 85% Employer: Skye Separatists Side: neutral Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner -1, Davion +2, Infamy +3 Map Description: desertic terrain with rolling hills and few other obstacles. Notes: Very easy. No 'Mech enemies, only vehicles. Fast-cycling weapons and fast Light/Medium 'Mechs suggested. Go straight toward Nav Alpha and you'll encounter a Vedette, a Harasser and a LRM Carrier serving as vanguard to the convoy; take them out quickly, then destroy the remaining escort (an other LRM Carrier and 2 Bulldogs), leaving the convoy (indicated as green squares on your radar) intact. 5 Myrmidons and 6 Nightwinds will join the battle: have your lancemates destroy the Myrmidons while you take care of the helicopters. Mission: MERC ALLEY A Pay: 1'350'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Eliminate all Lyran Military Forces * Capture Lyran Convoy by destorying its Escorts Heat Sink Efficiency: 85% Employer: Skye Separatists Side: neutral Lancemates: 5 Allied Units: 4 Nightwinds Profile changes: Steiner -1, Davion +1, Infamy +5 Map Description: desertic terrain with rolling hills and few other obstacles. Notes: Easy, lots of vehicles, only two 'Mechs. Clan weapons will be captured if mission is successful. Just as the previous mission, though escort will be heavier this time: the Chimera and the Argus, the only 'Mechs escorting the convoy, must be destroyed far from your mission objective. There also are 2 Demolisher II tanks in the group, pick them apart from long range. 4 Nightwinds will also lift off to intercept you, but a friendly squadron of Nightwinds will be dispatched to take care of them; when the helicopters will be history, they'll help you with the convoy escort. Mission: MERC ALLEY B Pay: 1'475'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Eliminate all Lyran Military Forces * Capture Lyran Convoy by destorying its Escorts * Disengage Lyran 'Mechs and Escape at Nav Point Beta -OR- * Destory all Lyran 'Mechs Heat Sink Efficiency: 85% Employer: Skye Separatists Side: neutral Lancemates: 5 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner -3, Davion +2, Infamy +7 (if all enemy 'Mechs have been destroyed) Map Description: desertic terrain with rolling hills and few other obstacles. Notes: Things are beginning to get hard. Medium and Heavy 'Mechs suggested, with medium and close range, hard-hitting weapons. You can ignore the 'Mechs and retreat when the possibility opens. Destroying all 'Mechs will grant you a Catapult and an Argus. This mission will start as an other convoy capture, however, when you'll lose radio contact with Castle and a Heavy Lance of 'Mechs will appear, you will understand that it is a trap. The first Lance is composed by a Catapult, an Argus, an Hellspawn and an Uziel. Concentrate fire on a single 'Mech to quickly pick them apart and take care of the four Demolishers coming your way; try to do this before the second Lance of 'Mechs (a Mauler, an Argus and two Catapults) join the fray. When this happens, you can choose to withdraw to Nav Beta or staying and destroying all 'Mechs. In either cases, the mission will be over. Mission: BANDIT HIDEAWAY Pay: 3'750'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Level Base at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy all enemies at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy all fleeing Transport Vehicles (150'000 C-Bill bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 105% Employer: Skye Separatists Side: Davion Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: Myrmidons, Quad Panzers, Demolisher IIs Profile changes: Steiner -2, Davion +4, Infamy +7 Map Description: pretty flat terrain that can exploited for sniping, with a base in the north sector of the map. Mountains circle the area. Notes: Only available after beating "Merc Alley B"; you'll always salvage a Catapult. Fast Heavies and Medium 'Mechs are optimal for this mission. There will be a good complement of Davion vehicles helping you in this mission; they will take care of all hostile vehicles and buildings; you are here to take out 'Mechs;. Immediately order your Lancemates to move out to Nav Alpha and order them to engage at will; the base itself isn't heavily protected (two Osirises, one Argus, some vehicles including Quad Panzers, Demoslisher IIs and Bulldogs) plus a perimter guarded by Laser Turrets. Nightwinds will take off from a nearby airfield, but they won't last long, if you used all available lancemate slots, both 'Mechs and vehicles will be history soon. Fleeing vehicles are marked as green squares on your radar; it's your choice to let them leave or destroy them for a C-Bill bnous. After all threats have been eliminated, the Davion vehicles will enter the base and will begin to level all objective buildings; help them, and when no buildings are standing, mission will be over. Mission: GOVERNOR'S MANSION Pay: 3'125'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Defend the Governor's Mansion at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy all Steiner Militia Forces * Protect all Mansions along the river (Secondary: 150'000 C-Bill bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Skye Separatists Side: neutral Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner -2, Davion +5, Nobility +7 Map Description: There's river running throughout the map; most of the action will be in its area, so you can drop a few heat sinks for what you need most. Some hills that allows sniping. There are four mansions, the Governor's one is at Nav Apha, other mansions are designated as Nav Points. Notes: Only available after beating "Bandit Hideaway". There will be always a bonus of 2'500'000 C-Bills for this mission. 2'000'000 if one or more mansions have been destroyed. Long-range weapons on Heavies or Assaults will be fine. A minimum of 6 'Mechs is recomended. There will be four waves of enemies, of increasing difficulty that will go after each mansion along the river. Before everything else, order your fastest 'Mechs to stand-by at Nav Alpha, then order the others to form up and slowly begin to move toward Nav Gamma: the first wave should be after the mansion at that Nav Point, but it's nothing too dangerous, only 6 hovercrafts (3 Harassers and 3 Condors), which can be easily destroyed at long range. The second wave will attack the mansion at Nav Delta: this time is a Lance of light 'Mechs, a Raven, a Wolfhound, a Flea and an Osiris. Order your lancemates to attack them and quickly destroy them, the third wave, an other Light Lance will go to Nav Beta; the Lance is composed by two Fleas, one Osiris and one Raven. Destroy them, the regroup with the rest of your forces to fend off the attack of a Medium Lance (Uziel, Cougar and two Osiris), coming from Nav Beta. By employing all 'Mechs you have they will be destroyed soon, and mission will be over. Mission: REVOLUTION Pay: 3'450'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy all Enemy 'Mechs * Protect the Field Base at Nav Point Alpha (Secondary: 250'000 C-Bills bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 90% Employer: Skye Separatists Side: Davion Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: Wolfhounds (4), Arguses (2), Bushwacker (1) Profile changes: Steiner -2, Davion +5, Nobility +3 Map Description: desertic terrain with rolling hills and few other obstacles. The main battle is set on a mountain pass that somewhat limits your mobility Notes: Only available after beating "Bandit Hideaway". Close range weapons works fine in this mission. Try to ignore slow 'Mechs. Order your Lancemates to reach nav Point Alpha. 5 Nightwinds will appear soon and will begin to fire missiles at you and at the allied 'Mechs with you (2 Wolfhounds and one Bushwacker which will travel whatever happens to Nav Alpha); they are an easy prey, but do not let them slow you down, the real battle is at Nav Point Alpha, where the Black Sx Lance (2 Wolfhounds and two Arguses) is holding the line against some 'Mechs; soon these forces will be reinforced by an Heavy Lance, so be quick to take the first batch of enemies down. The entire enemy force is composed by one Bushwacker, one Argus, two Wolfhounds (the first part of the enemy assault team) plus a Black Knight, a Loki, an Argus and a Wolfhound (the assault lance). Once all enemies are over, mission will end. -------- --STYK-- -------- Mission: REINFORCMENT Pay: 4'860'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Defeat Enemies at Nav Point Alpha * Rescue Hammer Lance at Nav Point Alpha (Secondary: +3 Nobility bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Styk Commonality Side: neutral Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: Nightwinds (4), Raven, Uziels (2),Bushwackers (2), turrets Profile changes: Nobility +5 Map Description: A flat terrain with lots of trees; few small hills; the base at Nav Beta is set on the shores of a lake. Notes: Fast Medium and Heavy 'Mechs suggested As soon mission begins, WatchDog (a lonely Raven) will be under heavy attack by some Vedettes and Myrmidons, halfway from your starting position and Nav Point Alpha. Order your lancemates to reach Nav Alpha and help Hammer Lance (usually four Uziels) destroying the attacking 'Mechs (2 Thanatoses and two Bushwackers) while you take out the tanks; do it quickly, and if your lancemates have already engaged the enemies at Alpha, leave the Nightwinds destroy the rest. Saving Hammer Lance doesn't give any kind of C-Bill bonus, but raises nobility and will give you an help in "Peace Talks". It is now time to go to Nav Beta, where the base you have to protect is under attack by a group Patrol Boats, Harassers and Condors plus an other Medium/Heavy Lance, 2 Bushwackers and two Thanatoses. Destroy the vehicles first, then concentrate on the 'Mechs. Hammer Lance will stay at Alpha and the Nightwinds were you encountered the tanks, but there will be an handful of turrets trying to help you. Mission: PEACE TALKS Pay: 2'350'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Minimize civilian casualities * Protect Convoy at Nav Alpha until Liftoff * Escort Convoy to Nav Point Beta * Escort Convoy to Nav Point Gamma * Secure Extraction Point at Nav Point Delta * Destroy the Pursuing 'Mechs (Secondary) Heat Sink Efficiency: 95% Employer: Styk Commonality Side: neutral Lancemates: 0 Allied Units: Uziels (2), Bushwackers (2), Limo (1) Profile changes: Nobility +13 Map Description: city map. Go for maximum armor possible of the heaviest 'Mech you have and arm it with close-range, fast cycling, hard hitting weapons. Two or more long-range weapons are recomened for this mission. There will be allied 'Mechs only if you rescued Hammer Lance in "Reinforcment". Notes: Only available after "Reinforcment", excludes "Assasination" from available missions You'll begin this mission with the outside camera activated, able to move only your torso and weapons disabled; that's because you are here to guard the peace talks. However, the Liao will use the incoming limos as bombs, and will start attacking the city with 'Mechs and vehicles; your camera and controls will be fully restored. Begin to take out the nearby Bulldog (which was escorting the bomb limos), then go after the Osiris coming toward you- This shouldn't take long, use your zoom window to strike the Osiris' torso and get moving, an Argus and a Bushwacker will enter the area and will begin firing; at you, of course. Destroy them, and the delegates will ask you to secure a route the area. A friendly convoy will also start and will begin to travel toward Nav Point Delta. The city will then swarm with Liao units; 3 SRM Carriers, one Bulldog, 2 Vedettes will be near Nav Point Beta, Nav Gamma is protected by an Osiris and a Raven. Once the convoy is more or less halfway from Nav Delta, two Arguses and one Thanatos will enter the city and will start pursuing the convoy. It is a secondary objective, but destroying these 'Mechs often grants a good salvage. Also, if you rescued Hammer Lance in "Reinforcment", they will enter the area from Nav Delta and will engage the enemy; if you didn't, you'll be on your own. Retreating at Nav Point Delta or destroying all opposing forces will end the mission. Mission: ASSASINATION Pay: 5'325'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Move to all Nav Points (Alpha, Beta and Gamma) * Intercept and Destroy Chopper Prime at Nav Point Alpha * Intercept and Destroy Limo Prime at Nav Point Beta * Intercept and Destroy 'Mech Prime at Nav Point Gamma * Evacuate Area at Nav Point Delta Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: House Liao Side: neutral Lancemates: 0 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Infamy +15 Map Description: city map. Go for maximum armor possible of the heaviest 'Mech you have and arm it with close-range, fast cycling, hard hitting weapons. A single long-range weapon like an ER Large Laser can be useful. Notes: Executed in place of "Peace Talks", excludes "Evacuation" from possible missions. High infamy rating required. Target escorts, aside 'Mechs, are considered friendly until fired upon. Begin heading toward Nav Point Alpha. The first target is a Transport Helicopter, guarded by 4 Nightwinds. If you have a long-range weapon, you can try to snipe the Transport even before reaching Nav Point Alpha; if not, or not willing to risk, proceed to Nav Alpha, then open fire. Note that if you miss, the Transport Helicopter will move at its fastest possible speed toward the edge of the map; if it exits mission area, you'll fail. The Nightwinds aren't a real threat, though the limited maneuvering space of urban streets will make them fly over your head; try to pick them out with guided weapons or by long-range weapons. The target at Nav Beta is a limousine, guarded by three Demolishers, two Bulldogs and one Uziel. Go for the Uziel first, then for the Bulldogs and finally for the Demolisher, but be sure to have destroyed the limo first, or it will leave mission area. Nav Gamma is deisgnated as a rendez-vous point for a medium Lance of 'Mechs, a Dragoon (Mech Prime, your target) and three Uziels. You can destroy only the Dragoon and exit mission area or stay and destroy everything; double pay will be awarded even if you do not destroy all targets. In the area there is also a Commonality Police unit that will be always signed as hostile in your radar. It's no big deal, two Chimeras and four Bulldogs, but you might want to avoid them in case you're running a 'Mech weighting less than 70 tons. Mission: EVACUATION Pay: 0 C-Bills Objectives: * Convoy Limo Occupants must survive * Escort Convoy to Nav Point Alpha * Escort Convoy to Nav Point Beta * Escort Convoy to Spaceport at Nav Point Gamma Heat Sink Efficiency: 95% Employer: Peace Delegates Side: neutral Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: Limo (1), Bulldogs (2 plus 5), Calliope Turrets (2) Profile changes: Nobility +15, Infamy -3 Map Description: city map. Go for maximum armor possible of the heaviest 'Mech you have and arm it with close-range, fast cycling, hard hitting weapons. Notes: Only available after beating "Evacuation". Not confirmed, but seems that it opens the Wernke campaign; a free mission, but might be useful to raise your Nobility. Also, this mission remains available throughout the campaign, so, if you want, you can return later when you have more money to do it. Fast heavies recomended. So, this is going to be a free mission, but your 'Mechs will risk to be damaged (even if opposition is not that strong) and you'll have to pay drop fees. Begin immediately to move toward Nav Alpha and order your Lancemates to engage the nearest threat and go to the Nav Point. The limo convoy is protected by two Bulldogs, and won't last long even against the enemies at Alpha, two Bulldogs, one Demolisher and one Argus. Take down the Argus first, then finish off all vehicles. The next two Nav Points aren't protected, but you'll find enemies between them. Near Nav Beta you'll find an other Argus and 2 mobile turrets (witht the usual Mobile Turret Control, pretty easy to take out). Try to precede the convoy as much as possible, then go to Nav Gamma. On the road you'll find yet another Argus, one Demolisher, an SRM Carrier and a Bulldog. Castle will inform you that enemies are attacking the Dropships, still in pre-flight power-up, but elements of the Militia will engage them and hold as much they can. The Dropships are under attack by two Catapults and one Thanatos, take them out, then wait for the limos to reach the Nav Point. --------------- --SOLARIS VII-- --------------- Solaris is renowed throughout the Inner Sphere for its gladiator games. The planet sports three major arenas: the Factory, the Jungle and the Coliseum. Each arena has four categories, Light, Medium, Heavy and Assault, indicating which tonnage of 'Mech can partecipate, plus Championship and Grand-Championship matches open to all kind of 'Mechs. As you first go to Solaris, all three are arenas will be available, but you'll have only access to the Light category; to gain access to the other categories, you have to qualificate in the previous category: Light leads to Medium, Medium leads to Heavy, Heavy leads to Assault, Assault leads to Championship and winning all Championships leads to Grand Championship. Qualificating for the next category is simple: destroy at least one 'Mech in the match, Championship and Grand Championship excluded, where you have to take down all 'Mechs. However, heavier is the category, harder it will be, so I suggest to change category only when you were able to destroy all 'Mechs (well, to survive until all 'Mechs are destroyed) in the current highest category, in all three arenas. There are three arenas, Jungle, Factory and Coliseum. Each arena has normal atmosphere conditions, and has 8 'Mechs (including you), each other against everyone; it is possible, however, that someone (a "nameless MechWarrior") will ask you if you want to cooperate until he/she dies; in that case, it will be noted as neutral on your HUD and won't fire on you unless he/she is the last MechWarrior standing or you fire on him/her. In Championship and Grand Championship battles, there will bee 16 chassis of all weight classes, with no restrictions (though in Grand Championship there are prevalently only heavies and assaults, I spotted a Shadow Cat only once). In the various classes, you'll find two categories of MechWarriors: "nameless" and "named". "Nameless" warriors are showed with the name of their 'Mech and seldom pilot customized chassises. They tend to be regular warriors, but some of them are green. Expect their number decrease as you advance in weight classes. "Named" warriors are ace or expert pilots, with customized top-notch 'Mechs. Here's a list, with their names, class, 'Mech (and weapons) and my thoughts on their skills. Name: FEN CHEN Class: Heavy, Championship, Grand Championship Chassis: Vulture (2 Arrow IVs; Royal Harrier camo) Skills: Fen Chen and her(his?) heavily modified Vulture are a real pain. Found in every difficult contest, she (he?) will continue to engage you whenever she (he?) can. The twin Arrow IV missile system can deal a great quantity of damage, so be careful when engaging her (him?) straightforward. Remember that it cannot lock if engaged from rear areas and Arrow IVs have a long recycle period. Name: SAMANTHA COLEMAN Class: Assault Chassis: Sunder (Heavy Gauss, Clan LRM 20, Clan ER PPC, 2 Clan ER Medium Lasers) Skills: A photocopy of Robert Tearly when playing in the Assault circuit. She has his same weapon config, so be careful. Name: PETER DEXTER Class: Light, Medium, Heavy, Assault, Championship Chassis: Cougar (Light; configuration unknown; Ops brown camo)Ryoken (Medium; 4 Clan LRM 20s; Dragoon camo), Nova Cat (Heavy, Championship; 2 Clan ER PPCs; Ops brown camo), Atlas (Assault, Championship; Clan ER PPC, Clan Streak SRM 6, 2 Clan LB-X 10s; Dragoons camo) Skills: Dexter is an old Solaris warrior that re-entered the arenas just when you started. He's good, but not that much. In the Medium class he pilots a fast Ryoken configured to be a missile boat, and multiple shots from its LRM 20s can be quite damaging in this class, especially if you don't use LAMS. In Championship (I've never met him in othr classes for now) he pilots a modified Atlas, and probably it will be the first target that you'll took down. Not very dangerous, but do not underestimate the twin PPCs, which he tends to favor over all other weapons. Name: ALEX HAIGHT Class: Light, Medium, Heavy, Assault, Championship Chassis: Cougar (Light; Clan LRM 15, Clan LRM 20; Ops brown camo), Shadow Cat (Medium; 1 Clan ER Large Laser, 1 Clan Ultra AC/20;Ops brown camo), Loki (Heavy; 6 Clan LRM 10s, 3 Medium Pulse Lasers; Ops brown camo), Mauler (Assault, Championship; 5 Ultra AC 5s; Ops brown camo) Skills: Probably the most skilled MechWarrior in the Light and Medium class, Haight is a pain both in his Cougar and Shadowcat. A good way to stop the first is to use LAMS and ECM coped with long-range weapons; for the Shadow Cat, go for long-range weapons, approaching it is not a good idea with an Ultra AC/20 in its arm. Now I discovered him in the high circuits. He's not a very dangerous pilot, especially in his ammo-dependent Mauler. Name: TERRANCE MUNSON Class: Light, Medium, Heavy Chassis: Wolfhound (Light; Clan ERR PPC, 2 Small Lasers; Ops Charcoal camo), Uziel (Medium; 1 Clan LRM 20, 2 Clan LB-X 10 ACs; AMS; Kell Hound camo), Black Knight (Heavy; 2 PPCs, Medium laser, 2 Large Lasers; Ops Charcoal camo) Skills: Munson fights in the Light and Heavy classes, but I think he should stay in the Light one, where he's quite good with his Wolfhound, a modified chassis that is clearly superior to anything else in the arena; in the light class, he will be one of the last MechWarrior you'll face. In the heavy class, with his standard Black Knight, he will be one of the first. He tends to move slowly, trying to secure better hits, but with little success: it will be easy to placed few well-placed salvos on the Black Knight's broad Center Torso and destroy him. Name: ELLIE NEILS Class: Heavy Chassis: Black Knight (3 PPCs; Ops Purple camo) Skills: Ellie Neils, along with Miria Stewart, is an average (IMO)Steiner pilot, but pilots a modified Black Knight: it has less firepower, but runs a lot cooler, making it very dangerous. Neils will be one of the last pilots you'll face, and probably she'll be already battle-worn. Name: ALICE NEWKIRK Class: Heavy, Assault, Championship, Grand Championship Chassis: Nova Cat (Heavy; 2 Clan ER PPCs; Firestorm camo), Daishi (Assault, Championship, Grand Championship; 6 Clan Ultra AC/5s; Firestorm camo) Skills: Alice is a competent MechWarrior, but makes poor 'Mech choices. I don't know why but its Nova Cat has only 3 PPCs and doesn't look faster or runs cooler than other models: you'll see her 'Mech shutdown after a few fights. Its Daishi is ammunition limited, and though the AC/5s carry lots of munitions, their Ultra nature, their high rate of fire and low potential damage make here run of of ammo very soon. Try to avoid her until the end of the match. Name: SRIN ODESSA Class: Championship, Grand Championship Chassis: Daishi (Heavy Gauss, 6 Clan Ultra AC 5s; camo) Skills: Odessa is currently the best warrior on Solaris, having scored high in the previous season and being accepted only in the Championships. He (she) is very skilled, maybe a bit less aggressive than Vecci, but nonetheless as skilled as him. Expect him (her?) to be the last or one of the last warriors standing in the arena, and expect to always have an hard fight. Name: GUS POLLIARD Class: Light, Medium Chassis: Uller (Light; Clan ER Large Laser, 2 Clan ER Medium Pulse Lasers; camo), Ryoken (Medium; 4 Clan LRM 20s; camo) Skills: An average Light/Medium pilot. Due to the nature of the LRMs (guided missiles), his Ryoken tends to be more effective than its Uller. Name: MICHAEL ROSE Class: Championship Chassis: Templar (2 Clan Gauss Rifles, 2 Clan ER Large Lasers; Ops red camo) Skills: an other average pilot. Not too strong, not too weak. Name: MIRIA STEWART Class: Heavy Chassis: Black Knight (3 PPCs; Cracked Up camo) Skills: A Neils photocopy. Nothing more, nothing less. Really. Name: LI SONG Class: Light, Medium Chassis: Wolfhound (1 PPC - never seen her into this class, based on the info I recieved, the configuration should be 1 Clan ER PPC and 2 Small Pulse Lasers; unknow camo type - info submitted by James Kong); Uziel (1 Clan LRM 20, 2 Clan LB-X 10 ACs; AMS; Kell Hound camo) Skills: good pilot, her 'Mech packs more punch than a standard Uziel and can engage at long range but it is ammonution limited. As she fights in the medium class, the ammo the 'Mech carries are enough to allow her decently long fights. Li Song and her 'Mech have been spotted in the Light Class by Name: ROBERT TEARLY Class: Heavy, Assault, Championship Chassis: Catapult (Heavy; Clan ER Large Laser, Large X-Pulse Laser), Sunder (Assault, Championship; Heavy Gauss Rifle, Clan LRM 20, Clan ER PPC, 2 Clan ER Medium Lasers) Skills: An average pilot; it is dangerous when facing him in the Assault class as it has the tendecy to place his Heavy Gauss slugs in your center torso. If you can, destroy it from long range and keep moving. Name: KAYLA TIRREL Class: Assault, Championship Chassis: Templar (2 Clan Gauss Rifles, Clan ER Large Laser, 2 Clan ER Medium Lasers; camo) Skills: Kayla is a good pilot, and the twin Gauss Rifles of her Templar are a real pain, as she tends to fire both of them in your most vulnerable parts, depending on the damage you took. Go for the Templar's head, is relatively large and easy to strike. Name: NAKO TOYUMA Class: Assault, Championship, Grand Championship Chassis: Fafnir (2 Heavy Gauss Rifles, 2 Clan ER Large Lasers, ECM; Kell Hound camo) Skills: The only Fafnir in the tournament (well, aside yours if you have one and willing to use it), Nako is a dangerous pilot, not very aggressive but can place its Heavy Gauss Rifles where he wants if he has a chance. It is an other pilot who tend to be targeted, but the exceptional resistance of his Fafnir usually allows him to destroy two or three opponents before going down. Name: RICCARDO VECCI Class: Assault, Championship, Grand Championship Chassis: Daishi (2 Clan LRM 20s, 2 Clan LB-X 20 ACs, 2 Clan Streak SRM 6s; Ops Cyan camo) Skills: A very competent and aggressive pilot, Vecci and its modified Daishi will be a thorn in your side since you encounter him in the Assault Class. His weaponry is ammo-oriented and tend to be targeted by everyone of the field, but expect him to destroy two or more opponents before going down or exahust ammos. Name: MARCUS WILDER Class: Medium, Heavy, Assault, Championship Chassis: Shadow Cat (Medium; Clan ER Large Laser, Clan Ultra AC/20; Lowlight Urban camo), Thor (Heavy, Championship; 2 Clan LB-X 20 ACs, 1 Clan LB-X 10 AC; Lowlight Urban camo), Mad Cat Mk.II (Assault; 2 Light Gauss Rifles, 6 Clan Machine Gun Arrays; lowlight urban camo) Skills: Marcus is a pain. Do not close with its Thor when the match starts or your 'Mech will be a scrap within seconds. Twin LB-X 20 ACs do a lot of damage, but can engage only at close range and carry a limited ammo supply. Combined with an other LB-X 10 AC, this 'Mech is devastating at close range, but, as other 'Mechs on Solaris, it tends to run out of ammo very quickly. Now, before a summary description of the matches (enemies are randomly chosen), few guidelines for Solaris. As it is a free-for all, no real tactics are needed, just go for the nearest 'Mech or the one firing at you. Always keep mobile, a stationary 'Mech in a Solaris arena is as good as dead. Financially sepaking, Solaris is a wonderland. In the lowest classes, if you have a bit of experience, you should be able to win all matches without needing to repair the 'Mech, and the pay is quite high even for low-weight challenges, but do not expect to maintain your regiment with only Light or Medium class incomings. Real money starts in the Heavy class, which is quite affordable for all pilots. Of course, Assault and Championships pay very well, but, if you survive, your 'Mech will need repairs. Also, Championships and the Grand-Championship can be played only once through a single campaign. Other matches remains available. I reccomend to keep at least one 'Mech per class to jump from category to other to minimize waiting times between repairs, or, if you want to sell all light and medium 'Mechs, just be sure to pass the respective classes on Solaris, or you'll be forced to buy a chassis to continue (never mentioned it, but I think you understood that in a Light match you cannot use an Assault-class 'Mech, right?). I really conseil to at least access the Championships in Solaris, it is a good (and fast) way to stock money and to please you favourite faction (this selection can be made in the briefing screen). Note that until you completed Werkne, class heavier than the Medium Circuit won't be playable, even if you completed them all. After those missions, all classes will be available (note: I'm still not sure if this depends on the number of succesfull missions or this particular campaign). Each Light match won gives +1 loyality to the chosen side; Medium matches 2, Heavies 3, Assault 4, Championships 5 and Grand Championship 6. Note also that you'll recieve a 100'000 C-Bill bonus for every kill you score. Allan Mills (amills1@bigpond.net.au) sent this: ------------------------------------------------------------------- I read your FAQ on Mechwarrior 4 Mercenaries and I had a few comments. Firstly a cheat on how to make winning a lot easier in the Solaris Tournaments. When the match begins, immediately shutdown your mech. Because you aren't powered up you won't draw much attention from the enemy. This isn't permanent of course, eventually someone will start firing at you but it's generally not until most of the opposition is dead. I used this to beat the grand championship on the second highest difficulty level. There were only three enemies left when I powered up. Of course you need to choose your time correctly, if you wait too long you are a sitting duck. It was a bit sad to have to resort to this trick but I couldn't get better than third place by fighting fair - for some attempts I was near death within 30 seconds just because several other mechs decided to fire at me. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The other comments were about Repair Bases and on the Puma 'Mech...interesting tactic, but basically I'm for the brainless assault of everything moving in a Solaris arena, though it might be useful...as far as I know, however, if you shutdown when it started to fire at you, it will continue to engage you...maybe it works only at the very beginning. Lai-Man Sung (irishsumo2002@yahoo.com) sent me some mails, in the first he told he was disqualified in Solaris, so I asked how it happened: ------------------------------------------------------------------- In Solaris I was in the Jungle and ran for space, avoiding anyone shooting at me. I got that comment from the guy about hiding being "okay in the field but that's not the Solaris Way" - let him go fight Aisa Thatus!! After a short wait when I closed on the last two opponents but didn't fire a shot, I was disqualified!! ------------------------------------------------------------------- Other words from Lai-Man Sung: ------------------------------------------------------------------- I got Solaris heavy to open up after Exford, and Championship before Wernke/Hesperus (depending on which you do first). I noted your comments on falling over, and I have realised that I have never been knocked over (and I so want to use the get-up button) but that I have seen Thanatoses and other heavies fall over. I am a fan of BIG GUNS - the Ultra 20. And two of my lance hit one with one each and a Clan Gauss. It went down. PS. I'm currently trying to do Championship (after completing Assault) on Solaris with a Victor max FF armour minus a bit on the legs, approx 70kph, no jumping, 4x Clan ER medium lasers, 2x Clan Ultra 20s with extra ammo each. I find I am agile and fast enough to throw the aim of the others off, can turn inside the Daishis and Atlases, and the twin 20's dish out heavy hurt quickly. With the slightly better speed of a lighter Assault mech I can avoid the others and let them soften each other first. Though I was disqualified for not joining the fighting once! This style of armament and fighting works even better on a Highlander from the mech packs. ------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- --JUNGLE ARENA-- ---------------- The Jungle, as its name suggests, is full of hills, trees and walls that maximize close-range combats and use of ECM suites and agile 'Mechs. Type 1 arena is an hilly island with lots of trees and a great body of water that can help with heat management. Type 2 arenas have a large lake, some high hills and walls spread throughout the map. The Jungle is dedicated to the Liao family and their Capellan Confederation. LIGHT CLASS Prize: 1,500,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 150,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 2 MEDIUM CLASS Prize: 2,000,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 200,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 1 HEAVY CLASS Prize: 2,500,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 250,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 2 ASSAULT CLASS Prize: 3,000,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 300,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 1 CHAMPIONSHIP Prize: 3'500'000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 350'000 C-Bills Arena Type: 2 ----------------- --FACTORY ARENA-- ----------------- The factory is full of undestructible debris, walls and building. As the Jungle, use of ECMs and close range weapons is suggested, but there are more chances to snipe the enemy than the previous arena. Type 1 has some bodies of water and a large area with walls and debris, and it is relatively flat. Type 2 is circled by a stream of underground lava (it does allocate heat: you'll ear a strange sound when your 'Mech is walking on heat-rising terrain) has a more rolling terrain and less obstacles than the other type. LIGHT CLASS Prize: 1,500,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 150,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 1 MEDIUM CLASS Prize: 2,000,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 200,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 2 HEAVY CLASS Prize: 2,500,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 250,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 1 ASSAULT CLASS Prize: 3,000,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 300,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 2 CHAMPIONSHIP Prize: 3'500'000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 350'000 C-Bills Arena Type: 1 ------------------ --COLISEUM ARENA-- ------------------ The Steiner arena on Solaris, the Coliseum is a large, relatively flat arena with few understructible obstacles that lets all kind of 'Mechs to favor which combat style they prefer. The arches are only transitable by Light or Medium 'Mechs, don't waste time trying to pass with heavies. Type 1 arena has a body of water running along the perimeter and an almost flat center "island" while type 2 only small ponds and a more rolling terrain, with more buildings. LIGHT CLASS Prize: 2,000,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 200,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 1 MEDIUM CLASS Prize: 2,500,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 250,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 2 HEAVY CLASS Prize: 3,000,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 300,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 1 ASSAULT CLASS Prize: 3,500,000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 350,000 C-Bills Arena Type: 2 CHAMPIONSHIP Prize: 4'000'000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 400'000 C-Bills Arena Type: 1 GRAND-CHAMPIONSHIP Prize: 10'000'000 C-Bills Entry Fee: 1'000'000 C-Bills Arena Type: 2 -------------- --NEW EXFORD-- -------------- Mission: JUNGLE PATROL Pay: 6'586'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Search all Nav Points for the Clan Dropship * Destroy all Clan 'Mechs Heat Sink Efficiency: 95% Employer: Kell Hounds Side: neutral Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Nobility +4 Map Description: an hilly map, with a large river running along a canyon; the area is a jungle, so it is filled by trees. Notes: Medium and Heavy 'Mechs reccomended. Medium and close-range weapons works fine. Piloting a 'Mech with a Beagle Probe can help, it can spot 'Mechs running passive. Just after your drop, a Shadow Cat, a Cougar and an Uller will show up; not much threat if you are commanding an Heavy or even an Assault Lance, but be careful, Clanners are savage warriors and use their 'Mechs in the best way possible. Go to Nav Alpha, you'll find a Vulture, 2 Lokis and a Shadow Cat patrolling the area, with passive sensors only, so they'll show up on your radar only at close range; trees and terrain feature make visual contact difficult at long ranges, too. As the 'Mechs a re gone, order your Lancemates to sweep all Nav Points; at Nav Delta there will be a Thor and 3 Ryokens protecting few boats and some supplies, but no sign of Falcon Dropships. Destroy the 'Mechs at the Nav Point and mission will end. Mission: STORM PATROL Pay: 4'250'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy all Clan Opposition * Search all Nav Points for the Clan DropShip * Destroy the Jade Falcon's Dropship Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Kell Hounds Side: neutral Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Nobility +4 Map Description: hilly map, full of trees and valley where to hide. Vicinities of Nav Gamma are mined. Notes: Heavy and Assault 'Mechs with a good variety of all weapon ranges. Piloting a 'Mech with a Beagle Probe can help, it can spot 'Mechs running passive as well as mines. When fired upon, mines will explode, allocating damage to the sorroundings, so take them out from a safae distance (200 meters are enough). You'll always get a bonus of 2'000'000 C-Bills for this mission. Begin to move toward Nav Alpha. A Thor will show up. Concentrate fire and destroy it quickly to Nav Alpha. From now on, it is always better to have your Lancemates go first so that not all enemies will fire on you while your Lancemates (looks like they have some problems in finding the right way to navigate through the map) are still at the previous Nav Point. Nav Point Beta is guarded by an Uller, a Cougar, a Ryoken and two Shadow Cats; should be relatively easy to take them down, and you shouldn't get too much damage from those 'Mechs if you keep mobile. To reach Nav Gamma youll have to pass in one valley, which is mined: move slowly and fire at all trees and plants, mines (noted as "object" on your HUD) are hidden within them. They do an hefty amount of damage, not only to your legs, but also to your torso, so destroy them or make your best to avoid them. Nav Gamma is protected by three Shadow Cats and two Ryokens. 4 Harassers are also in the area, destroy them now to avoid having them at the DropShip assault. The Jade Falcon Dropship is at Nav Delta; it is active, and it is protected by a Daishi, a Thor, an Uller and two Cougars; order your Lancemates to engage the 'Mechs while you take out the DropShip (remember to fire at the engine nozzles to produce more damage). Mission is completed when all Jade Falcon units are down. Mission: BACKSTAB Pay: 2'500'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy all Jade Falcon Forces at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy all Jade Falcon 'Mechs at Nav Point Beta * Destroy the Jade Falcon Dropship near Nav Point Beta * Destroy Brracks before Jade Falcon pilots escape (Optional) Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Kell Hounds Side: neutral Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Nobility -5, Infamy +12 Map Description: Nav Beta is set on an hilly island; the rest of the map is ocean, with few landstrips with the Clan base. The Clan Dropship is atop of an hill. Notes: Negates "Beach Fight". Only available after beating "Storm Patrol". If you succeded in destroying the barrack before being attacked, you'll get three Thors, plus standard salvage. Heavy and Assault 'Mechs with lng range weapon to counter the Clan's own extreme ranges. Before beginning moving toward Nav Alpha, go to passive sensors you can avoid to activate some Clan Heavies. Nav Alpha has only two 'Mechs patrolling the area, two Ryokens: three Thors are awaiting to be activated near the Clan Barracks that are visible from where you come: to avoid making the pilots reaching the 'Mechs and making them active (those are the three Heavies I was talking about), destroy the Barracks; this will make the Ryokens discover your position, but there's little you can do about it; from now on, you can also reactive your radar, your cover is blown. Destroy the Ryokens, but leave the Thors intact, they will be a good salvage. There are also 6 Harassers patrolling the area, destroy them before engaging anything else. Order your Lancemates to reach Nav Beta and follow them. Star Colonel Aisa Thastus will lead in combat a Mad Cat Mk.II, two Vultures, a Thor and a Nova Cat once you have visual on the Dropship. Destroy the Clan 'Mechs, then go for the Dropship: it is active, but will fire only once in a while if you don't get too close. As the DropShip explodes, mission will be over. Mission: BEACH FIGHT Pay: 5'000'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy all Clan Opposition Heat Sink Efficiency: 95% Employer: Kell Hounds Side: neutral Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Nobility +8 Map Description: relatively flat map, near the ocean, so try to take full advantage of that to cool down. Notes: Negates "Backstab". After this mission, Star Colonel Aisa will join your forces. Pretty salvage for this mission. Deploy your best Heavies and Assaults with long-range weapons. It is possible to do the mission even with less than 7 Lancemates (the last time I did with 5 Lancemates, all in Assault and Heavy 'Mechs), but only if you and our Lancemates are experienced. Only available after beating "Storm Patrol". Star Colonel Aisa Thastus will issue a Trial of Possession for this peninsula. She brings two full Stars of Heavy and one Assault Clan 'Mechs, a Thor, two Lokis, a Nova Cat, a Mad Cat, four Vultures and her own Mad Cat Mk.II. The first 'Mech to show up will be a Vulture; concentrate fire on it to quickly take it out, the Nova Cat, an other Vulture and the Mad Cat will arrive shortly after, followed few seconds later by the rest of the Clan forces; Aisa Thastus will be the last to engage combat. After the first Vulture is down, issue free engagement and let your Lancemates take care of their nearest 'Mech. As the last Clan 'Mech goes down, mission will be over. ---------- --WERNKE-- ---------- Mission: BLACKOUT Pay: 8'050'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy the HPG Trasmitter at Nav Poitn Beta * Desotry all Davion 'Mechs * Destroy all Davion Vehicles and all Inhabited Buildings (Secondary: 800'000 C-Bills bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 180% Employer: Steiner Military Side: Steiner Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner +9, Infamy +21 Map Description: a canyon runs throughout the map and leads to the bse you have to take out. This can be a bad thing for slow 'Mechs as it limits field of vision as well as mobility. Notes: Note the high heat sink efficiency, almost doubled. You can drop Heat Sinks for more weapons, equipment or speed, it's your choice. Heavy and Assault 'Mechs works fine for the assault. Note that you won't be able to lock on your HUD any target, nor your radar will work as Steiner forces are jamming all kind of long-range communications. The base at Beta is protected by Calliope Turrets. Begin moving toward Nav Alpha: you'll be intercepted by six Quad Panzers: order your lancemates to take them out then to attack their nearest threat. Finally, move them to Nav Beta; follow them, and engage all 'Mechs coming out from the base; you'll might want to deal with the Calliope Turrets (there should be four of them) at long-range before engaging the 'Mechs, or they will continue to fire a barrage of LRMs. The base is defended by an Heavy Lance, composed by an Awesome, a Black Knight, a Catapult and a Hellspawn. Take them all out, then, if you want, destroy all vehicles fleeing from the base (three: one unarmed Vedette, a Cargo Truck and a Humvee) and all hostile buildings (marked in red on your HUD). Mission is over when you destroy the HPG station. Mission: NIGHT OP Pay: 5'250'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Get Close and Scan the Buildings at Nav Alpha * Get Close and Scan the Buildings at Nav Beta * Get Close and Scan the Buildings at Nav Gamma * Destroy Power Plant at Nav Point Delta * Escape to Nav Point Epsilon * Use Stealth and Remain Undetected (Optional) Heat Sink Efficiency: 180% Employer: Steiner Military Side: Steiner Lancemates: none Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner +11, Infamy +8 Map Description: a rocky terrain with few high hills and some craters where to hide. Nav Alpha is directly in front of you and it is not protetcted by any turret; Nav Beta and Gamma are in the same complex and are protected by Calliope Turrets. Heavy Lances lurks in the area. Notes: a fast Medium 'Mech with ECM and maximum armor or your best Assault with maximum armor and firepower...better if equipped with an ECM; remember that you can mount additional weapons due to the high heat sink efficiency. Long-range weapons works great. Only available after beating "Blackout" There are two ways to play this mission: both are hard and requires a lot of skill; if you are able to complete the Grand-Chapionship on Solaris VII, you can play the mission as a pure assault, and, in fact, it is technically the easiest way to play it: ignore passive sensors and as soon as the first enemy 'Mech comes into range, let a full salvo of your long-range weapons loose at it. However, it won't be easy: there are other 'Mechs in the area, ranging from Light to Heavy, and are piloted by veteran and elite pilots, plus three Calliope Turrets. It won't be easy, but if you can do it, Solaris will look like a trip in the park. The other way is to use stealth. Indeed it is difficult, and requires a great control of your 'Mech, plus speed, an ECM Suite, passive sensors and a bit of luck. Even before your first pace on the battlefield, you have to chose: go in passve mode and trael as fast as you can to one crater to your right; Nav Alpha is guarded by a Catapult and a Draon; it is also possible that your 'Mech will be automatically stopped if have never been spotted when you first have visual contact on the Catapult. Also, if you are going to be spotted (a very likely occasion during the scan at Alpha), a message will blip on the screen; the only way to remain undetected is to keep passive sensors online and to go away as fast as you can; shutting down won't work at all. If you are spotted, the two 'Mechs will call for support: 2 full Lances, composed by a Catapult, a Loki, 2 Cougars, an Hellspawn, 2 Uziels and a Chimera. It would be easy to destroy them if you had at least one lancemate, but you don't, and all will go after you, that's why only Assault class 'Mechs can hope to survive such attack. The nice thing is that without this force, the only remaining things that can fire on you will be an handful of Calliope Turrets at Nav Beta and Gamma; as they are not placed on ridges, they'll be able to fire at you only at pointblank range, which is a good thing. It is not sure, but looks like the 2 support Lances lurks at Nav Beta and Gamma; if you are playing the mission trying to keep a low radar profile, do your best to remaing undetected until you scanned Nav Alpha, then kick into hi gear and scan Beta and Gamma has fast as possible. Destroy the Power Plant isn't as hard as it could seem, the firefight could probably took it down even before the objective is assigned, though to complete the objective continue to circle around it firing whatever you can; after the Plant is down, head to Nav Epsilon for retreat. If you destroyed all enemy forces (you have all my respect), just go and scan those buildings; scanning is simple: just approach the designed buildings (indicated as targets in your HUD) and stay within 100 meters until scan is complete (20 seconds). If you interrupt the scan by moving away, you'll have to restart all over. There's Lai-Man Sung (irishsumo2002@yahoo.com) own tactic for this mission: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Get a fast Assault mech (Victor, Awesome, Sunder & Gladiator I think are the fastest). Max the speed and armour. Put a couple of weapons on it that will blow the fuel tanks with one shot (PPC or a big gun). ECM, AMS and IFF if possible too. Assuming you start to the south of the plant, while the first two mechs (Dragon and Catapult) pass in their clockwise racetrack patrol pattern I scoot over to the east, directly south of where they turn. Their pattern extends well to the west, so after the Catapult goes to the west, run to Alpha. I normally stay on the far side of the building hidden by one of the wings (though the warning still appears - dunno if this is a bug as I am hidden by the building and they don't start shooting). Once Alpha is done leg it over the hill and you see a lance of mech lights passing through the buildings. Stay behind the big factory until they go (just wait) then run to the other two buildings for the scans. The problem I found is that the Calliopes are beside the last building and have a habit of blowing it up when you are beside it. I normally try to take at least one of them out while waiting for the scan to finish. All hell will have broken out by now so run at the tanks, blow them u p and run for pickup - j inking left and right while looking back helps avoid the missiles. Still hate the mission!! Gonna try it in a mech killer. This is definitely the hardest mission in the three games, though trying to stop Peter Steiner killing himself in 'Overlord', the 'Hacker Run' and the last light mission in Black Knight are also bad. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ah yes, he pointed out that I didn't warned enough that this mission is very difficult. People, this mission is pure evil! No wait, that's a bit too much...ok, it is VERY difficult, second only to the last missions in MechWarrior 2: Ghost Bear's Legacy (and that's true). Mission: 'MECH WORKS ASSAULT Pay: 10'285'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy Listening Post at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy Factory at Nav Point Gamma * Destroy Factory at Nav Point Delta * Destroy all Enemies in the Area * Destroy all Templar prototypes (Secondary: 1'000'000 C-Bills bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 180% Employer: Steiner Military Side: steiner Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner +15, Davion -15 Map Description: a rocky terrain with few high hills and some craters where to hide. Nav Delta and Gamma are protected by Calliope Turrets. Notes: Only available after beating "Night Op". Davions will blacklist your unit for this all-open attack. Deploy Assault and Heavy 'Mechs with a mix of long and close range weapons. Begin moving toward Nav Alpha and engage the reinforced Light Lance placed between your Droppoint and the Nav the, 3 Cougars and 2 Hellhounds; you should be able to destroy the 'Mechs from long-range before being into the turret's firing range. The Listening Post is protected by a Thanatos plus 3 Calliope Turrets; except also four Quad Panzers and 6 Stilettos to come in aid of the defenders; the vehicles won't pose a great threat, especially the Stilettos, they all come from the same direction and too delayed to pose a real threat; long-range 'Mechs should be able to take them out before they can drop bombs, thouhg the extreme range of their ACs let them score one or two hits before going down. Once the defenders are gone, destroy the strucutre at Nav Alpha and proceed to Nav Beta, protected by two Victors and 2 Catapults; these 'Mechs pack quite a long-range punch, so destroy them as fast as you can before they place too many Gauss slugs or missiles on your 'Mech. The base at Nav Delta is heavily defended by two Assault lances, though they are placed in separate sectors and they won't do mass attacks; three Calliope turrets defend a Factory, but they do not pose a real threat. The first ance you should encounter is composed only by Templars, the second by two Templars and two Vultures. They don't really pose a threat if you used all Lancemate slots, but do not understimate them, Templars pack quite a punch and the Vultures are very accurate with LRM fire. There's also a Templar prototype in the area. It is armed and operation, though seems it is not prone to engage in combat. Destroy the factories at the various Nav Points and mission will be over. Mission: MOONLIGHT Pay: 6'586'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Investigate the Davion Supply Depot at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy the mercenary Dropship * Destroy all Enemy Vehicles at Nav Point Alpha * Destrot the Black Cobra's 'Mechs Heat Sink Efficiency: 180% Employer: Kallon Industries Side: Davion Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Davion + Infamy + Map Description: hilly map, with canyons and a relatively large flat area at the center of the map. An other flat area, higher than the first houses a spaceport. Notes: Negates "Blackout". Heavies and Assault 'Mechs will give yu an edge in this battle. Mix long- and close- range weapons or configure 'Mechs for specific roles. Begin to slowly advance toward Nav Point Alpha. An Uller (remember that it is cover by an ECM Suite) will power up on the ridge to your left. Destroy it, then resume advance and engage the vehicles and 'Mechs in the area (2 Uziels and a large group of Bulldogs, Condors, Harassers, 2 LRM Carriers and 2 Demolisher IIs). You should also be able to spot a powering-up DropShip, which ahs to be destroyed. Take it don while your Lancemates will take care of the vehicles. After the Dropship and the vehicles are gone, the remaining units of the Black Cobras will show up, including Colonel Burr himself, in a Thor. The other Cobra 'Mechs are three Ryoken, 2 Chimeras, 1 Argus and 1 Uziel. Order to each Lancemate to engage one target; you should have the most performing 'Mech, so go after Burr's Thor, then help your Lancemates in dealing with the other 'Mechs (Ryokens and the Uziel should go down first, they are the most dangerous 'Mechs that the enemy has). When the last of Burr's Black Cobras is down, mission will be over. Lai-Man Sung (irishsumo2002@yahoo.com)'s advice: ------------------------------------------------------------------- PS. Moonlight' - The dropship can be destroyed without any danger by going left around the mountain instead of right (where the tanks all come from) and hitting it at 900+ metres. Or, if going right, there is a ledge and a small hillock to shield you that will let you shoot the very top of the dropship while it cannot hit you. The advantage I find is that both your lances can be on top of Burr as he appears and massed fire can burn down both his lances. However, he will not appear until you walk a little onto the plateau, away from the narrow gully approach - I leave my lance there until he appears and then shoot him. PPS. Colonel Burr fights on the side of Davion in the books and helps out with the defence of the St Ives Compact against Sun-Tzu - bit of a change in allegiance from him!! ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mission: COUNTRY LIFE Pay: 9'678'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Defend the Davion Communications Center at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy enough Enemy 'Mechs to Force Retreat * Protect all other Buildings (Secondary: 950'000 C-Bills bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Davion Military Side: Davion Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: Laser Turrets (4) Profile changes: Steiner -10, Davion +10, Nobility +10 Map Description: hilly map, but relatively flat, with plenty of space for maneuvering and sniping. There's a river running near the base you have to protect but you won't have any good chance to use it to cool down. Notes: Only available after beating "Moonlight". Heavy and Assault 'Mechs only, with both long- anc close- range weapons. Immediately order your Lancemates to go at Nav Alpha; follow them and take out the Nightwinds and the Peregrines attacking the base turrets; these turrets won't be able to effectively reply to the helicopters, so you'll have to take them down. Now order to your team to reach Nav Point Beta; a Light recon Lance is approaching the base to probe its defenses; take down as many 'Mechs you can (there are two Hellspawns and two Ravens) before they retreat; shortly after the 'Mechs retreat (or complete destruction), two Assault Lances (2 Catapult, 2 Awesomes, 2 Atlases, 1 Argus and 1 Thanatos) will begin moving toward the base; move out and engage them. If you spared any 'Mech of the recon Lance, they will join the attack. There's no need in destroying them all, when losses are over the 65-70% they will retreat, though it is possible to destroy them all to have a good salvage. Once all 'Mechs are history or have fled, mission will be over. Mission: 'MECH WORKS DEFENSE Pay: 11'716'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Defend the Listening Post at Nav Point Alpha * Defend the Factory at Nav Point Beta * Defend the Factory at Nav Point Gamma * Defend the Templar Prototypes (Secondary: 1'000'000 C-Bills bonus) Heat Sink Efficiency: 180% Employer: Kallon Industries Side: Davion Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: Templars (4), Calliope Turrets (4), Quad Panzers (6) Profile changes: Steiner -10, Davion +15, Nobility +7 Map Description: Generally flat map. Notes: Only available after beating "Country Life". You'll get two Templars after this mission. Deploy your best Assault and Heavy 'Mechs with long-range weapons. Order one Lance to stay at the base while you and the rest of your force go to help the Calliope Turrets at Nav Alpha to protect the Listening Post, which is under attack by 3 Hellhounds and one Ryoken. Once 50% of these 'Mechs are gone, the rest will flee, there's no need in engaging them all, they won't return; instead, go back immediately to the base, a Steiner Assault Lance is approaching. Order your Lance portecting the base to engage the nearest threat while you reach them, then issue to the rest of your Lancemate to engage; the first Assault Lance is composed by 2 Hauptmanns and 2 Highlanders; also, the Templar Lance will go weapons-hot and will help you in protecting the base. A second wave of Steiner forces will enter the area: 4 Gladiators and 4 Demolisher IIs will now try to break the base defenses; concentrate fire to quickly destroy all of them, a third Assault Lance (2 Hauptmanns and 2 Highlanders) is on its way, followed by 6 Nightshades; base turrets should be able to destroy the airplanes, so concentrate on 'Mechs, then go for the Nightshades. As the last Steiner unit goes down, mission will be over. --------------- --HESPERUS II-- --------------- Mission: ESCORT Pay: 6'135'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Escort Convoy to Nav Point Alpha * Escort Convoy to Nav Point Zeta * Escort Convoy across the bridge at Nav Point Beta * Escort Convoy at Chackpoint at Nav Point Gamma Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Defiance Industries Side: Steiner Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: Cargo Trucks (5), Argus (1), Bulldogs (2), Mobile Turrets (2) Profile changes: Steiner +9, Nobility +4 Map Description: A series of canyons describes a road throughout the map. At Nav Beta there's a bridge; Nav Gama is protected by an Argu, two Bulldogs and two Mobile Turrets. Notes: negates "Raid". Fast Heavies (around 70 kmh) with long-range weapons. Top-weight Mediums can work fine too. Begin moving toward Nav Alpha; you'll be welcomed by a Shadow Cat (it tends to jump to clear out the ridges, making of it an easy target). Once that 'Mech is down, two Thanatoses will try to intercept the convoy from behind; break formation with the convoy and intercept them before they get too close; meanwhile the convoy will stop in the proximity of Nav Beta. Once the raider are gone, reach the convoy and tell your Lancemates to wait with the convoy while you go and check the bridge; do not go on the bridge, use the small lake beside; once you are near Nav Beta, the bridge will explode and two Demolisher IIs will power-up: ignore them for now and tell your Lancemates to engage the incoming Cougar; they should do a fast work of it, but be careful, the convoy will resume travel to reach Nav Zeta, an alternative route plotted by Castle when the bridge was destroyed. Quickly reach the convoy once the Cougar is down and intercept the forces at Zeta, a Shadow Cat and four Bulldogs; you should make short work of them. Now follow the road and proceed to Nav Gamma; make your best to outrun the convoy: near the Nav Point, 6 hovercrafts (3 Condors and 3 Harassers) will show up, escorted by two Bushwackers: quickly destroy the hovercrafts and engage the Bushwackers before they target the convoy. As enemies are destroyed, reach Nav Gamma and await here the convoy to end mission. Mission: ASSAULT Pay: 7'540'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy Communications Equipment at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy Barracks at Nav Point Beta * Destroy Hrothgar Dropship at Nav Point Gamma * Destroy all Hostile Forces Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Steiner Military Side: Steiner Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner +11, Davion -9, Infamy +7 Map Description: An hilly map, with some ridges with Calliope Turrets on them, a river and some relatively large flat areas where the Davion installations are. Notes: available only after having beated "Escort". Assault and Heavy 'Mechs with long-range weapons are best suited. Begin by moving your lancemates to Nav Alpha, which is protected by a Mauler and some Peregrines. Before engaging this force, or while your lancemates do, you might want to take out all Calliope Turrets on the ridge to have more tranquillity in taking out everything that needs to be destroyed. Be sure to have all of them offline before engaging the Dropship at Gamma, however. Beta is guarded by 2 Victors and few Peregrines, and will probably come to help their allies when under attack. These 'Mechs aren't really a threat, but do not understimate the Victor's twin Gauss Rifles. In the area there will be an other Mauler escorted by two Hellspawn, take them out before engaging the Dropship at Gamma, whic will powerup shortly your drop, so use to usual tactic of long-range attacks directed to the engines and keep moving to minimizing damages. Once all objectives have been completed, mission will be over. Mission: 'MECH WORKS DEFENSE Pay: 10'150'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Defend Weapons Integration Lab at Nav Point Alpha * Defend Armor Integration Lab at Nav Point Beta * Destroy Dropships at Nav Point Gamma Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Defiance Industries Side: Steiner Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: Calliope Turrets (6), Zeuses (2) Fafnir (1) Profile changes: Steiner +1, Davion -10, Nobility +9 Map Description: the Steiner base is in a valley sorrounded by hills and filled with trees. Nav Gamma is on a highland with few places to hide. Notes: If you accept to do this mission, you'll never get any from contract House Davion; available only after having beated "Assault". You'll get a Fafnir after this mission, for free. Deploy your best Assault 'Mechs, configured for massed long-range firepower. Davion forces are mounting an assault to capture everything possible on the Fafnir, the latest addition to the Steiner military. The base is heavily defended by Calliope Turrets and Steiner Assault 'Mechs, including a working Fafnir. Davion units will attack in waves of Lances from all sides. Remember that is a 'Mech explodes near a building, it will collapse, a pretty annoying fact if it's one of the buildings you have to protect. The first unit to show up will be three Templars, you should be able to heavily damage them from long range even before they enter the base perimeter. Once they are down, a Lance of 3 Cougars and one Uziel will attack; probably, the Steiner 'Mechs will engage them and heavily maul them before you'll be able to place a shot on them, but it's always better to move out and intercept them. The last Lance, for now, will enter the are near Nav Beta: two Black Knights and two Longbows will be dangerously near the Armor Integration Lab, be sure to take them out while the are away from that building, or if they explode, you'll have to replay the mission. After this third wave Castle will inform you that Davions are dropping on planet with two Hrothgar DropShip with the Heavy Guards aboard, something that you cannot stop even at full force, so it is imperative that the Dropships are destroyed before they can deploy any 'Mech; the landing point is marked as Nav Gamma. There are two other Black Knights and two other Thors between the Steiner base and Nav Gamma, take them out as quicky as possible and head toward the Dropships, which are descending: to quickly destroy them target the engines from long-range: if you and your lancemates fire at one Dropship per time, you should be able to down them both before they touch land. However, the Dropships will release three other Thors to secure the landing zone: order one of your Lances to take them out while you and the rest concentrate on any remaining Dropship. Once both of them are destroyed, the mission will be over. Max Ed says: ------------------------------------------------------------------- In Mech Works Defence on Hesperus II it's not nececerly to destroy dropship in the air as it's easy to notice. So it's highly recommended to destroy "screening forces" first and then snipe landed dropships form range. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mission: RAID Pay: 6'243'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy all Factories and Warehouses at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy all Factories and Warehouses at Nav Point Gamma * Eliminate all Base Defenders Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Skye Separatists Side: Davion Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: none Profile changes: Steiner -4, Davion +11, Infamy +7 Map Description: Hilly map, with a road and depots located into a canyon and connected by a river which can be used both as an alternate route and to cool down 'Mechs during combat. Notes: negates "Escort". Deploy Assault or Heavy 'Mechs with long-range weapons. Begin moving to Nav Point Alpha; the otupost before this Nav Point is protected by a Mad Cat Mk.II and few aser and missile turrets, easy enough to take down. To silence the turrets once for all, you can destroy the Turret Control Tower that tops the outpost. The first Steiner depot at Alpha is protected by 2 laser turrets (which can be took out of commission by destroying the Control Tower) and two Mad Cats; split your Lancemates evenly among the two 'Mechs and destroy them. Now you can easily destroy the objective buildings. Nav Beta is patrolled by a Shadow Cat; you can leave it be, if you want, it doesn't count as part for the last objective (looks like that 'Mech is stranded on a mountain or it just doesn't want to engage combat with you). Just before Nav Gamma, 2 Vultures and one Black Knight will enter the area trying to stop you. Take them out at long-range with massed fire, then return to your course. Nav Gamma, the last depot, is protected by laser turrets (again, take them out by destroying the Control Tower), a Mad Cat Mk.II and two Mad Cats; split Lancemates among them and take them out, then go and destroy all buildings. Mission: STEALTH Pay: 4'500'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Hide at Nav Point Alpha until Allies Draw Off Enemy forces * Investigate Armor Integration Lab at Nav Point Beta * Investigate Armor Integration Lab at Nav Point Gamma * Get to the Extraction Point at Nav Point Delta Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Davion Military Side: Davion Lancemates: none Allied Units: none Profile changes: Davion +15, Infamy +3 Map Description: the base is in a valley sorrounded by high hills. Other smaller valleis are spread throughout the map, but all are large enough to fully use long-range weapons. Notes: Only available after having beaten "Raid". Use of a fast Heavy 'Mech with ECM is reccomended, plus two or three hard-hitting, long-range weapons. Vultures and Thanatoses work wonders in this mission. Davion forces will draw off all enemy 'Mechs from the Steiner base; you'll have to go in, scan the two Integration Labs, locate the Fafnir prototypes and get off before the Steiner units return back. It is highly recomended that before approaching Nav Point Alpha you'll go in passive sensors to minimize detection. Once you are at Nav Alpha, wait until Castle told you that all enemy 'Mechs are gone; note that the base will still have a perimeter of active Calliope Turrets plus few vehicles (2 Bulldogs and 2 Nightwinds) patrolling the area. There are also 3 shut-down Thanatoses, but if you approach when Castle tells you so and with passive sensors, they won't power-up until both Labs are scanned. You can destroy the Calliope Turrets and the vehicles without worrying of making the Steiner forces coming back earlier or to active the Thanatoses (note that if you are running with passive sensors, turrets, vehicles and 'Mechs will attack you only within 250 meters, 200 meters if you have an ECM suite). The job is pretty simple: get near a Lab (100 meters), wait 30 seconds then pass to the other, then head back to Nav Point Delta. While you wait, you can destroy vehicles and turrets to minimize damage. It is possible that during or shortly after the scanning of the second lab, the Thanatoses will begin to power-up, but since you ahve done your job, kick in maximum speed to Delta. Even if you are using a 'Mech slower than them, they won't follow. Note: you can easily disable all turret by firing on the Turret Control Tower placed to the left of the Communication Building, few degrees to your left from Nav Alpha. This might alert all vehicles in the base, but no the 'Mechs. James Kong submitted this: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hesperus II, Stealth mission u say that the thanatossses are not active, but i noticed that when i play the mission, they are active but will not engage me until i finished scanning. i took out the turrets from afar before moving into the base which makes my life easier ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mission: 'MECH WORKS ATTACK Pay: 9'475'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Eliminate all 'Mechs and Vehicles at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy all Base Defenders at Nav Point Beta * Protect Technicians as they stel the Fafnir Blueprints * Destroy the Weapons Integration Lab at Nav Point Beta Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Davion Military Side: Davion Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: Transport Helicopter (1) Profile changes: Steiner -15, Davion +15 Map Description: the base is in a valley sorrounded by high hills. Other smaller valleis are spread throughout the map, but all are large enough to fully use long-range weapons. Notes: Only available after having beaten "Stealth". After this mission, you won't be able to take any other Steiner contract. You'll always salvage a Fafnir, an Argus and a Catapult in this mission. Deploy Assault and Heavy 'Mech with long-range weapons. Head toward Nav Alpha, a small outpost with two Zeuses, two Thantoses, two Magis and 3 Mobile Turrets, which can be took down easily by destroying the Mobile Turret Control. The other enemies shouldn't be a real problem, even without issuing order, your Lancemates will engage them and will overrun take with ease. 3 Nightwinds will come in help, but they won't last long, too. The Steiner base is at Nav Beta and its sorroundings: it is protected by a perimeter of Calliopes (I know, you probably destroyed them during the previous mission, but I can't do nothing about that), plus few Bulldogs and Myrmidons; however, the two Fafnirs you found in the previous missions are operative, and they can be a real pain, due to their Heavy Gauss Rifles. Overwhelm them with superior number and quickly destroy them before they do some serious damage. Now take care of all remaing Calliope Turrets so that the Davion commando team can land at Nav Beta and recover the blueprints. Castle will report that two Heavy Lances are on their way to intercept you. The first will come out at Nav Gamma, 2 Zeuses and two Longbows. Take them out with concetrated fire and head South-West (in front of the Armor Integration Lab at Beta) and repel the second Lance, equal to the first. This shouldn't take long, though these 'Mechs have the tendency to go a bit too near the Integration Lab, which has to remain intact until the commando has lifted off, so wait to destroy them if they are too close. Once the commando Helicopter has cleared the area, destroy the Lab. Note: you can easily disable all turret by firing on the Turret Control Tower placed to the left of the Communication Building, of course placed where it was in the previous mission. You'll might have to destroy few turrets before being into ER PPC/ER Large Laser range. James Kong submitted this: ------------------------------------------------------------------- i took out the calliope turret control tower from afar. it is located somewhere in the base and u can take it out from a far without engaging the turrets (although u have to destroy at least two) before u can take out the tower ------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- --NEW AVALON-- -------------- Mission: SPACEPORT Pay: 17'560'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy all Fuel Tanks at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy all Communications Equipment at Nav Point Alpha * Rendez-vous with Rabid Fox at Nav Point Gamma * Secure Extraction Point at Nav Point Delta * Rabid Fox must survive Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Steiner Intelligence Side: Steiner Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: Swiftwind (1) Profile changes: Infamy +8 Map Description: city map, but with straight, long and wide roads and open spaces that can make a good sniping place. The unbuilt areas are filled with trees and have some low hills; roadblocks are near Nav Delta. Yu'll start into a small Spaceport sorrounded by turrets and high walls. Notes: Available only if your are on the Steiner side (having beated "Works Defense" on Hesperus II). Though Castle suggests fast 'Mechs equipped with ECMs, your best Assault 'Mechs will work fine. You'll begin in a Spaceport, just outside of a Talon class Dropship, sorrounded by Calliope and Laser Turrets, plus 2 Osirises and some Nightwinds that will take off from the Spaceport itself. Order your Lancemates to engage their nearest threat and begin to destroy turrets and Nightwinds first, especially target the inactive ones, so that you won't have to destroy them after. When all hostiles in the area are gone, destroy thr Fuel Depot at Alpha and all buildings shown as red on your HUD, which all are radio towers or radar antennaes. As the objective is completed, order your Lancemates to move to Nav Beta, and follow them. Just few hundres meters past Beta, a Lance composed by a Mad Cat and 3 Ryokens will powerup. If you haven't destroyed all Nightwinds at the Spaceport, the remaining ones will lift off trying to intercept you. You should have been able to destroy the 'Mech lance before engaging the helicopters, which poses only a minimal threat to your 'Mechs, but surely are deadly against Rabid Fox, who will show up when your reach Nav Gamma. He's driving a Swiftwind, and if it's destroyed, the mission will be over; for the time being, you'll have to fend off Light and Medium 'Mechs attacks in few waves. Rabid Fox will continue toward Nav Delta, positioned just outside New Avalon City, near a farm (just for your information: the two Combines harvesting can be ignored, they won't dare suicidal attacks or something). The first wave will come from Fox's behind: two Ravens and four Peregrines will try to intercept it; due to the nature of your enemies, you shouldn't take too much time to destroy them. The second wave is composed by 2 Fleas, 2 Owenses, an Uziel and a Bushwacker. Order your Lancemates to engage the Medium 'Mechs while you take over the Light ones; when your lancemates ar done with the Mediums, direct them to destroy the remaining light 'Mechs. The third and last wave, 2 Fleas, 1 Owens, 1 Uziel, 1 Puma and 1 Bushwacker have to be engage like the previous one, it won't pose a big problem, though the Uziel and the Puma poses the greatests threat to Rabid Fox' Swiftwind and your 'Mechs, as they mount double PPCs. As you reach Nav Delta, mission will be over. James Lee (supplanter@pacific.net.sg) sent me this, a faster way to ged rid of the turrets at the Spaceport: ------------------------------------------------------------------- for me, actually the 1st thing I did was to turn left and take out the turret control near the guard tower. this one controls the calliope turrets. then turn around to take out the other turret control in front of the fuel tanks. this controls the laser turrets. viola! no more turrets. you can order your lancemates to take out the nearest enemy during the process. next destroy the air control towers followed by the inactive nightwinds. next take out the fuel tanks and the red comms buildings. after you take out all the comms buildings, you should be able to destroy the powered down mechs near the mech hangar w/o triggering their power up. if you do this, you'll notice that the these mechs will no longer appear later in the mission when u're protecting Rabid Fox. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mission: HACKER RUN Pay: 19'500'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy all Base Defenders at Nav Point Alpha and Beta * Extract the information on Katrina's Steiner Location from Computer Core at Nav Point Beta * Proceed to Extraction Zone at Nav Point Gamma Heat Sink Efficiency: 120% Employer: Steiner Intelligence Side: Steiner Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: Transport Helicopter (1) Profile changes: Steiner +19, Infamy +12 Map Description: hilly map, with plenty of zones where to hide. The Davion base is atop of the main hill, well defended by walls, Calliope Turrets, Strong Point Defenses, vehicles and 'Mechs. Notes: Available only after "Spaceport". Use your best Assault 'Mechs with both long- and close- range weapons. Negates the New Exford campaign. This mission is to retrieve Katrina's location. Extraction of the commando team (Den Home) is secondary. Probably your extraction as well is, but only to the Steiner High Command. Begin heading toward Nav Alpha and engage the five Dragons that will show up individually; concentrate long-range fire on them to quickly destroy them, then engage the large group of Nightwinds coming from the base. Once they are gone, resume your travel and order your lancemates to engage the turrets (especially the Strong Point Defenses) before anything else, the Commando Team will approach into a Transport Helicopter few minutes after you started the mission, and if the turrets aren't down and the enemies are already engaging you, they will target the commando Helicopter, and it won't last long. The turrets aren't slaved to any Turret Control building, so you'll have to take them down individually; the base 'Mechs are top Assaults with Light 'Mechs and vehicles support, including other Nightwinds and Demolisher IIs; the 'Mechs are two Ravens, 2 Osirises, one Mauler and two Atlas. To engage them, it's better to assign to each Lancemate one target to keep them busy and avoid they target the Transport Helicopter. Once those 'Mechs are down, destroy any remaining turret and stationary Nightwind (there should be two of them, still inactive, near the computer core building). Den Home will touch down and will storm the computer core. You have to give support to them for less than one minute as they access the core. Other Nightwinds, as well as othr 'Mechs, will enter the area from the East. DO NOT, repeat, DO NOT engage them, they will begin as Light and Medium 'Mechs, like Ryokens, Uziels, Wolfhounds and Cougars, but will end with Atlases, Daishis and Maulers. Instead, when Den Home transmits the planet's name, immediately retreat to Gamma. Order your Lancemates to engage the turrets near that Nav Point so that they won't get struck in the firefight with the new Davion 'Mechs. Den Home's helicopter will soon be destroyed, but they will find some APCs to steal, but they won't last long against such a force. Once you reach Nav Gamma, mission will be over. ----------- --THARKAD-- ----------- Mission: OVERLORD Pay: 15'745'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy enough Steiner 'Mechs to overrun Nav Point Alpha * Destroy enough Steiner Overlord DroShip near Nav Point Beta * Destroy Enemy Forces at Nav Beta with Peter Steiner-Davion * Protect Peter Seiner-Davion Heat Sink Efficiency: 100% Employer: Peter Steiner-Davion Side: Davion Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: Fafnir (1, piloted by Peter Steiner-Davion), Awesomes (2), Sunders (2), Daishis (2), Atlases (2), Peregrines (4), Nightwinds (4) Profile changes: Davion +19, Nobility +5 Map Description: hilly map, but with enough space to host large battles and allows some sniping. Nav Alpha is on the other side of the valley from where you start, Nav Beta and the DropShip on a highland after that valley. Notes: Peter Steiner-Davion is on a Fafnir, if he goes boom, you'll have to restart the mission. He will engage combat when you overrun Nav Alpha. Your Lancemates won't engage the Overlord DropShip until all 'Mechs at Beta are gone. Only available if you haven't played the Steiner missions on Wernke and Hesperus II. Deploy Assault 'Mechs with long-range weapons. You'll begin in the middle of the second largest engagement of the game: Davion forces and Steiner forces will clash in the underlying valley for Nav Alpha. Immediately order your Lancemates to engage their nearest threat and begin to snipe out 'Mech coming from the other side of the valley. Davion pilots are quite good and their 'Mechs aren't inferior to the Steiner's so they'll give an help in overruning Alpha. Enemy helicopter won't pose a problem, Davion VTOLs will engage them; concentrate on 'Mechs, sistematically destroying the heaviest of them and slowly advancing toward Nav Alpha. A rough list of the Steiner 'Mechs here comprises 4 Mad Cats, 2 Awesomes, 2 Atlases, 5 Dragons, 2 Daishis, 2 Longbows and few LRM Carriers, plus the already VTOLs (Nightwinds and Peregrines) When Castle informs you that the Steiner are breaking up, climb on the other side of the valley, destroy all reaming 'Mechs and turrets and join Peter Steiner-Davion in the assault at Nav Beta, protected by 2 Daishis, a Longbow, 2 Atlases and some vehicles (Demolisher IIs and Myrmidons). At Nav Beta there's also the Overlord you have to destroy. Do not close with it, there are also two Strong Defense Points, take it out from long-range; your Lancemates will accept engagement orders for the DropShip only when all Steiner 'Mechs are down. Engine nozzles are less vulnerable than the ones of the Htrothgar-class, but still visible and are the weakest point of the DropShip; when its lifebar in below 50%, it will blow up. Mission: RESUPPLY Pay: 16'890'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Supply Convoy must remain intact * Secure DropZone at Nav Point Alpha * Secure DropZone at Nav Point Beta * Defend DropShip at Nav Point Delta Heat Sink Efficiency: 110% Employer: Peter Steiner-Davion Side: Davion Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: Cargo Trucks (4), Htrothgar DropShips (3), Overlord DropShip (1), Awesome (1) Profile changes: Davion +14, Nobility +5 Map Description: Some hills, but not high enough to block line of sight for long-range battles. The road where the convoy travels favor those kind of fights, too. Notes: Only available after having defeated "Overlord". Deploy Assault 'Mechs with at least 50 kph and long-range weapons, though Assault 'Mechs with at least 60-65 kph are reccomended. You'll always get a 1'000'000 C-Bill bonus for this mission. The convoy is formed by 4 Cargo Trucks and all have to remain intact throughout the mission. Begin heading to Nav Alpha: DropShip 2-5, commanded by Captain Doska, your old friend from Halloran V, which will lay suppressive fire against a Lance of 2 Bushwackers and 2 Uziels. Help the DropShip in clearing the area, then wait a little to intercept three Sunders coming from behind. They show up singularly, so you can easily kill them with concentrated fire on one 'Mech per time. As the last goes down, head toward Nav Beta; an Htrothgar DropShip, 2-4, with an Awesome as its guard, is under attack by four Victors; DropShip 2-2 will also signals heavy engine hits, but there's nothing you can do about it (or I just wasn't too quick to save it). You should be able to take one or two of the Victors attacking 2-4 down from long-range, then the others will disengage from the DropShip and will intercept you. Take them out, and repel the attack of two Vultures and two Thanatoses coming from South-East. After this Lance, some NightShades will enter the area, but shouldn't be a problem if you are near 2-4, the DropShip will be able to shoot down few of them; these NightShades also tend to pass over Nav Point Gamma, protected by Dropship 2-3, so you'll have little to worry about them. Proceed to Nav Delta, where DropShip 2-1, an Overlord, is under attack by 2 Maulers and 3 Nova Cats. The Overlord boasts an impressive array of weapons (you should know it by now), and at least two 'Mechs will go down; also the Nova Cats tend to overheat a bit too much and they will be frequently shutted down, offering stationary targets which await only to be destroyed. Mission: CHECKMATE Pay: 18'500'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Destroy Rear Guards at Nav Point Alpha * Destroy All Hangars at Nav Point Beta * Destroy the Air Control Tower at Nav Point Beta * Peter Steiner-Davion must survive * Assault the Main Gate at Nav Point Gamma * Defeat Nondi Steiner and her Royal Guard Heat Sink Efficiency: 110% Employer: Peter Steiner-Davion Side: Davion Lancemates: 3 Allied Units: Victors (3), Fafnir (1, piloted by Peter Steiner-Davion) Profile changes: none Map Description: the Steiner Palace is at the center of the map. about 60% of the map is urban, but you'll have little interest in going into the city. The Palace is large enough for long-range firefights and is protected by long-range turrets. There are a few obstacles but nothing to heavy. Notes: Leads to the Davion ending. Deploy your best Assault 'Mechs with long-range weapons. Only available after having defeated "Resupply". Peter Steiner-Davion is on a Fafnir, if he goes boom, you'll have to restart the mission. He will engage in combat after the Nav Alpha is secure. Move toward Nav Alpha, which is protected by an handful of Bulldogs, two Pumas and two Awesomes. There's an allied Victor assaulting the point, help him in destroing all opposition found so that it will first give support at the secondary gate near Nav Point Beta (be careful, there are two Laser Turrets guarding it), then in the battle at Nav Point Gamma. When you'll be near the secondary gates, two Awesomes and two Longbows will show up. Try to lure them out of the palace gates so that the units at Beta won't scramble. Destroying the four 'Mechs is quite easy, they tend to attack in couples: issue different targeting orders to your Lancemates and let them have it. Proceed to Nav Beta: the units there (4 Nightwinds and 6 Stiletto) will scramble and will lay suppressive fire to slow you down. Destroy everything you have within range, then close with the remaining units to destroy them. To access Nav Beta, follow the lowest road until you find a natural ramp about 700 meters from Beta, then go up and destroy the two hangars and the Air Control Tower. Now proceed to Gamma, where Peter Steiner-Davion is engaging a Lance of two Awesome and two Longbows. The easiest way to reach it is to proceed straight toward the two Laser Turrets you hould have on your radar (being at Beta, destroy them from long range), then turn left and proceed stright to Nav Delta. You should get good opportunities to snipe out almost every enemy 'Mech before going into the explade with Peter. As these 'Mechs are down, Nondi Steiner, piloting a Hauptmann, and four Daishis will power up just near the main palace complex. Destroy the Daishis first (concentrate fire to destroy them faster), then go for Nondi; she is quite a competent pilot, but her Hauptmann lacks really strong punches; few well-placed salvos will took her down with relative ease. The FedCom civil war is over. The Steiner faction has been defeated and looks like the Steiner-Davion family, both Victor and Peter, will rule over the entire Federated Commonwealth. You have signed up for a long-term defense contract on Tharkad, but little you know that Terra would have been the center of great events that would have stormed all know universe... --------- --CARSE-- --------- Mission: WOLF TRIAL Pay: 0 C-Bills Objectives: * Defeat all Clan Wolf 'Mechs and win the Trial of Position Heat Sink Efficiency: 95% Employer: none Side: Steiner Lancemates: 0 Allied Units: none Profile changes: none Map Description: the map is large, but you'll fight in a crater sorrounded by Clan 'Mechs . The craters offers some protection, but is mainly flat. Notes: Leads to Steiner ending. Use your best Assault 'Mech. If you won the Grand-Championship or did "Night Op" on Wernke in the fight way, this mission will be a breeze. For the low Heast Sink Efficiency and fast-paced combat you might want to drop a Laser if you are running an energy-dependant 'Mech. Firing on or near a standing 'Mech will make it active; getting close to any standing 'Mech will disqualify you. Only available if defeated "Hacker Run" on New Avalon. Excludes "Griffon Base" on New Canton. In Rabid Fox's plan, you have to become fight a Trial of Position to become a Clan warrior, so that Khan Vladimir Ward of the Crusader part of Clan Wolf will petition Victor Ian Steiner-Davion to let Katrina free. Each Clan 'Mech will engage you after the previous has been destroyed unless you fire upon on an inactive 'Mech. In that case, the attacked 'Mech will enter the fight; these Clan warriors doesn't look too strong, but they are piloting Heavy and Assault 'Mechs and you don't have any Lancemate that can draw fire. The first warrior to engage you will be Jules Senders, on a unmodified Vulture; rather easy, he offers good shots for its center torso; it should be gone in two or three salvos without you taking damage (or taking only minor hits). The second warrior will be Rhanda Stiles, on a Thor. As Sender, it doens't pose a great threat. The third warrior is Zel Vickers, piloting a standard Mad Cat. This time, the pilot is quite aggressive and will continue to storm you with his pulse lasers and LRMs. He also keeps mobile, but not that much to really make your aim inaccurate. You should be able to place at least one salvo when he starts to move. Hans Noruff, on a Masakari. His PPCs can be a great pain, and Noruff is a good pilot, too; his Masakari also offers a relatively small spot for its center torso, try to close to make him ignore at least the LRMs; destroying the arms might give you a better chance to win, as the Masakari has is PPCs and ACs in there. The last warrior is Manda Ruby, on a DireWolf. She's probably the easiest pilot of all, she is not really aggressive, and you should be able to place one salvo of you weapons when she activates. Once all 'Mechs are down, mission will be over. So you did it. You now are a warrior of Clan Wolf, eager to restart the march toward Terra. However, little you know that Terra would have been the center of great events that would have stormed all know universe... -------------- --NEW CANTON-- -------------- Mission: GRIFFON BASE Pay: 21'300'000 C-Bills Objectives: * Repel the Capellan Invaders from Griffon Base * Destroy all Enemy 'Mechs (Optional) Heat Sink Efficiency: 80% Employer: New Canton Governor Side: neutral Lancemates: 7 Allied Units: Demolishers II (4), Bulldogs (12), Calliope Turrets (8)(this list is far from be complete, too much mess on the radar screen) Profile changes: none Map Description: Griffon base is protected by high wall and has several buildings inside; the base is also on a low hill. The rest of the map is a succession of low/medium hills and valleys. Notes: Leads to neutral ending. Deploy your best Assault and Heavy 'Mechs; note the low Heast Sink efficiency value, if you are running an energy-dependant 'Mech, you might want to drop one or two Lasers for more heat sinks. Only available if defeated "Hacker Run" on New Avalon. Excludes "Wolf Trial" on Carse. You'll drop just right over a battle between Stalwart Support, manning the vehicles and the base turrets, and Capellan Forces led by general Wu Kan (hope it's spelled correctly). There are lots of units already in the area, ranging from helicopters to 'Mechs; here's a rough list: 3 Arguses, 5 Myrmidons, 2 Chimeras, 2 Thanatoses, 2 Black Knight, 4 Demolishers IIs, some Condors, 2 Catapults, few LRM Carriers, 2 Vultures, a Loki and some Nightwinds (this list is far from be complete, too much mess on the radar screen). Order your Lancemates to engage at will and begin pounding away the nearest enemy you have. Concentrate on 'Mechs, Stalwart Support will take care of the vehicles. Soon, Castle will designate Nav Beta and will tell you that an assault Lance is attacking the rear perimeter to level the base. Tell three of your Lancemates to disengage and reach the Nav Point, and engage the Lance (a Masakari, a Sunder, a Mauler and a Mad Cat Mk.II). Not enough, other Capellan forces will drop onto the newly-designated Nav Gamma; if you finished witht the Lance at Beta, move all your Lancemates at Gamma, if not (more likely, you could be still engaing the first Capellan team when the Assault Lance strikes Na Beta), move the remaining Lancemates to nav Gamma and engage anything. When the Lance at Beta is down, general Wu Kan will show up into an Atlas, intimating you to surrender; ignore him and destroy it as soon as possible; colonel Cho will then issue a full-retreat order; firing at one of the retreating 'Mechs will make Cho reconsider its order and will try to re-engage in combat. The Wu Kan/Cho force is composed by an Atlas (Wu Kan's 'Mech), a Cauldron Born (Cho's 'Mech), an Hunchback, a Mad Cat Mk.II, a Thanatos, a Masakari and a Mauler (still, a probably incomplete list). However, you should easily gain the upper hand and defeat them easily. Lars Wegerich (Lars.Wegerich@t-online.de) asked this: ------------------------------------------------------------------- I saw General Wu riding a Gladiator. Maybe because I was piloting a Gladiator myself? ------------------------------------------------------------------- As far as I know, the game partially adapts enemy forces to the player's 'Mech or entire force...as with other missions, it is probable that some 'Mechs were "scaled down" to make the mission more balanced, but that's only a theory Griffon Base is now secure, and it is yours. This place is a perfect center to gain from the wars in the Chaos March, and soon your unit will equal an RCT in firepower. However, little you know that Terra would have been the center of great events that would have stormed all know universe... ******** 13-ROADS ******** This section contains a short (very short) summary of what planets and missions you have to take to see the three different endings that the game proposes; all planets left over do not influence the campaign. DAVION ENDING: Wernke (Davion missions), Hesperus II (Davion missions - negates all Steiner contracts), Tharkad -OR- play all contracts you want, but do not take the Steiner missions of Wernke. Hesperus II won't be available but Tharkad will. Notes: pretty much a standard ending, the Davions will be grateful and will reward you with a good long-term contract. STEINER ENDING: Wernke (Steiner missions), Hesperus II (Steiner missions - negates all Davion contracts), New Avalon, Carse Notes: called Steiner ending beacause you have followed all Rabid Fox's orders to ensure the safety and liberty of Katrina Steiner. A pretty good surprising ending. NEUTRAL ENDING: Wernke (Steiner missions), Hesperus II (Steiner missions - negates all Davion contracts), New Avalon, New Canton Notes: also referred as Rogue ending, that's because at last you run away from the Lyran forces and secured a landhold for yourself. Don't know why but it always make me feel sad... *********** 14-GLOSSARY *********** Or, the section I was not even thinking to write. After some mails asking not for the meaning of some words, I decied to put this section on. This section doesn't want to be a BattleTech encyclopedia; on the net there are lots of sites having better and more complete explanations of these terms, though the best way to fully know what I'm talking about is to buy BattleTech sourcebooks; I reccomend: * Shattered Sphere * The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky * all Field Manuals, but if you want to focus on this particular part of the BT timeline, Crusader Clans, Warden Clans, Federated Commonwealth and Lyran Alliance. For more in-depth info, Classic BattleTech (http://www.classicbattletech.com), is a very good starting point. RCT: Regimental Combat Team, a tactically flexible regiment specialized in hard-hitting raids as well as n long engagements. VTOL: Vertical Take Off and Landing. A plane (like the recent Harriers and OV-22 Ospreys) capable of taking off and landing without needing an airstrip, just like an helicopter. In the standard BattleTech rulebook VTOL planes are low-altitude, low-speed airplanes or helicopters. Not to be confused with STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) or V/STOL (Vertical/Short Take off and Landing). ELEMENTAL: among the Clans, there are two thigns called Elemental: the first, chronologically speaking, was the standard battle armor developed by Clan Wolf in 2868; it was named in this way because it was able to operate in all conditions. Secondly, Elementals are the operators of these battle armors, which are genetically bred to be massive (a typical Elemental pilot is taller than 2 meters), strong and agile. OMNI TECHNOLOGY: developed by Clan Coyote in 2854, Omni technology allowed 'Mechs, vehicles and Aerospace Fighters to freely swap electronic equipment and weapons in matter of hours, allowing a tactical flexibility never seen before. The Inner Sphere fielded the first OmniMechs in the second half of the 3050s, reverse-engineering captured Clan 'Mechs. In the MW4 series Omni technology allows a 'Mech to use any kind of weapon in a certain slot. AEROSPACE FIGHTER: highly-sophisticated fighters capable of both space and atmospheric flights, and also capable of entering atmosphere with no additional protections. They use a fusion engine like 'Mechs, as well as their same weapons. BATCHALL: for the Clans, the ritual in which the attacker and the defender declare their intentions and their strenght. This allows both sides to avoid wastes of men and materials, making them choose the minimum necessary to win a war. When the Clans first invaded the Inner Sphere, Batchall was ordinary, but after some Inner Sphere commanders decieved the Clans declaring under-strenght forces, Clans decided to put away this tradition in fights againt Spherian forces. POINT: for the Clans, a Point is one 'Mech, or 5 Elementals, or 2 Aerospace Fighters. STAR: for the Clans, a formation of 5 Points. BINARY: for the Clans, two Stars. Combined arms Binary, very often one Elemental Star and one 'Mech Star, are called Novas. Clans do not use Command formations aside of Keshik formations, which are however considered fully operational and independent units, often at Binary or Trinary level. TRINARY: for the Clans, three Stars. Combined arms Trinaries (2 'Mechs and one Elemental or fractions thereof, though some Clans have experimented with 'Mechs and Aerospace Trinaries) are called SuperNovas. LANCE: in the Inner Sphere, a formation of four 'Mechs, or four vehicles or four to six Aerospace Fighters. COMPANY: in the Inner Sphere, three Lances form a Company. Some Companies have a fourth Lance, designated Command Lance composed by the Company Commander and his bodyguards or other high ranking officers (Command Lances are more often found at Battalion, 3 Companies, and Regiment, 3 Battalions, level). BONDSMEN/BONDSWOMAN: prisoners of war are called Bondsmen (or Bondswomen) in the Clans; the capturer takes full responsability of his/her bondsmen actions, and if the captive proves himself worthy, he can be accepted even in the Warrior Caste of the Clans. Only an handful of captured Inner Sphere MechWarriors had such an honor: the most notable case is Phelan Kell, which later became Khan of Clan Wolf. It is worthy to point out that beign a Bondsmen is not only like being a slave, but more a process that the Clans use to see if a captured warrior is good enough to be useful to his new Clan, and between Clan bondsmen do not consider it a punition. CASTE SYSTEM: the Clans are organized in five Castes: Warriors, Scientists, Merchants, Technician and Laboorer, plus a Dark Caste, composed of people refusing the Clans' way of life. Each individual is put into a Caste after several trials proving where he is more resourceful and skilled. However, only Trueborn are usually allowed in the Warrior Caste. If a Trueborn doesn't prove worthy of its warrior status, he's downgraded into the Caste where he's most skilled. Freeborns are allowed into the Warrior Caste only if they show great skill in combat. For example, Jamie Wolf and all original warriors of the Wolf's Dragoons, except Natasha Kerensky, were freeborn. TRUEBORN: "products" of the Clans genetic breeding program, which tries to combine genes from the most skilled warriors of the Clans to generate the ultimate warrior, are called Trueborns. Each Clan has its own breeding program and its own gene pool. Often strong bloodlines are object of wars within Clans. The Clans' gentic program produces MechWarriors ("normal" men and women), Elementals (bred to man the Elemental battle armors) and Aerospace Pilots (small, with enlarged head to favor quick-thinking and improved reactions). FREEBORN: a human born outside the Clans' genetic breeding program. They are looked as inferior beings by most Trueborns. WARDEN/CRUSADER: two line of thought in the Clans: Wardens think they must not interfere with the Inner Sphere affairs and protect it from outside threaths, while Crusaders think that the Inner Sphere needs guidance from the Clans. In 3050, the Crusaders won a long battle and started the invasion, which has the goal to conquer Terra, former seat of the Star League and then all the Inner Sphere. FREEBIRTH: an ephiteh used by Clan warriors to scorn their opposition. It might have no effect on Inner Sphere warriors, but among the Clans is one of the strongest insults someone can made. LOST TECH: everything that the Great Houses lost the possibility to manufacture because of the Kerensky exodus and the Succession Wars is referred as lost tech. This includes civilian technologies as well as military ones. Once the Clans invaded, ComStar openened its archives and the Wolf's Dragoons offered blueprints for a variety of these things, there's little meaning in calling them Lost Tech. Before these events, Great Houses were able to gather these advanced technologies by finding Star League depots. FEDERATED COMMONWEALTH: union of the Federated Suns and the Lyran Commonwealth, the FedCom was probably the strongest Great House of the Inner Sphere, but when Katherine Steiner (who renamed herself Katrina after his grandmother), sister of Victor-Ian Steiner Davion, hero of the Clan wars, seceded th old Lyran part, a savage civil war erupted. LYRAN ALLIANCE: the name Katrina Steiner gave to the Lyran part of the FedCom after the secession. STAR LEAGUE: always referred as the highest point of evolution of mankind, the Star League was able to bring as relative peace in the Inner Sphere, but Stephan Amaris, called the Usurper, killed the regent First Lord, the young Richard Cameron, a terrible war erupted: General Alexandr Kerensky led the loyalist Star League Defense Force to kill the Usurper, and succeded. However, the Great Houses all wanted the power of the First Lord, causing Kerensky and most of the SLDF to leave (Alexandr' son, Nicholas then formed the Clans far away from the Inner Sphere): the Houses waged war, destroying almost every technological improvement made by the Star League. Later one, when the Clans invaded, the Great Houses put their rivalries away (but not totally) and reformed a new Star League. GREAT HOUSES: five bloodlines commanding the Inner Sphere: the Kurita bloodline rules the Draconis Combine, the Liao family the Capellan Confederation, the Marik bloodline the Free Worlds League, the Steiner the Lyran Commonwealth and the Davion the Federated Suns (the latter bloodlines then united and rule over the Federated Commonwealth). Minor nobility families exist, as well as Periphery (territories at the border of know space, the Inner Sphere) States not under the control of any Great House, but those five have the greatests powers. SUCCESSION WARS: after General Kerensky left the Inner Sphere, the Great Houses staged a series of wars (four, to be accurate, but the technological loss was "complete" just after the second) that made unavailable almost all advanced equipment developed during the Star League. COMSTAR: until the 3050s, Comstar was the only organization able to operate the HyperPulse Generators (HPGs), machineries that enable interstellar communications. Comstar, after the fall of the Star League began to be considered as a quasi-religion organization, and the Successor States little know of its organization. After the Clan Invasion Comstar opened its technical expertise and its archives, maximizing the technological reprise. However, part of Comstar disagreed with that, and seceded to form the Word of Blake, an organization very similar to the original Comstar. In these days, Comstar remains a stable information network and primary administrator of HPGs. Both Comstar and Word of Blake have a great army, armed by top-notch weapons and technologies. C-BILLS: the universal money used throughout the Inner Sphere; it has the same value on ever planet and in every State. The name is probably a contraption of "Cosmo Bills". TRIAL OF POSITION: the Trial of Position, in which a cadet attempts to test out of his or her sibko, is the first official Trial that a Clan warrior faces. A Trial of Position may be required again at any time during a warrior's career whenever his or her ability to command is in question. TRIAL OF POSSESION: This Trial is the most common,,used to decide anything from a difference of opinion to claims over a warrior's DNA. It always begin with a Batchall. Combat rarely exceeds Cluster (a group of various Trinaries or Binaries) scale engagements. SIBKO: all Trueborn warriors are raised in Sibkos (Sibling Companies), a group of children that train together until their first Trial of Position (which is held when the cadet is 20 years old); usually, only the 10% of the sibko tests out as a Clan MechWarrior, Elemental or Aerospace Pilot. Cadets that failed to qualify can be sent to other Castes or given a second chance, depending on each Clan. KHAN: the highest rank in any Clan, the Khan usually is the best warrior is his or her Clan. AFFC: Armored Forces of the Federated Commonwealth AFFS: Armored Forces of the Federated Suns LAAF: Lyran Alliance Armored Forces DCMS: Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery ******************* 15-CREDITS and MISC ******************* First credit? To Fasa for having created the whole BattleTech universe. Then to me, Briareos Kerensky (Zone ID: briareos_CWE) and to all site showing this FAQ with my permission; visit them at: 1) Wolf Art (http://www.geocities.com/khan_briareos/index.htm; it's my site.) 2) GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com - always updated personally) 3) IGN FAQs (http://faqs.ign.com - always updated personally) 4) Cheat Code Central (http://www.cheatcc.com) 5) Cheat Portal (http//www.cheatportal.com) 6) 911 Codes (http//www.911codes.com) 7) 911 Cheats (http//www.911cheats.com) 8) Fast Cheater (http//www.fastcheater.com) 9) 2500 Cheats (http//www.25000cheats.com) 10) PC Cheats(http//www.pc-cheats.org) 11) Skali (http//www.skali.com) 12) Lone Gamers (http://www.lonegamers.com) 13) Cheat Happens (http://www.cheathappens.com) 14) Action Trip (http://www.actiontrip.com) 15) Gamers' Realm (http//www.gamers-realm.com) and everyone who helped with this document. Special thanks to: + Roy Dane (roydane@modempool.com), for his help with the 'Mechs + James Lee (supplanter@pacific.net.sg), for his additional tactics + Allan Mills (amills1@bigpond.net.au) , for his Solaris tactics + MaxEd (max-savenkov@mtu-net.ru), for his walkthrough submissions + Sly_Adventure (hajile@edsamail.com.ph), for his Gladiator hint + James Kong (ivelosthismail@im.sorry), for his misc submissions + Lai-Man Sung (irishsumo2002@yahoo.com), for his various submissions + Lars Wegerich (Lars.Wegerich@t-online.de), for his Griffon Base submission all italian BT/MW players; all programs I used to do this FAQ; my turtle, Gamera; Thanatos, my PC (it is NOT named after the MW4 'Mech); all soundtracks that accompained me during this long work (nominally: all Eva and Cowboy Bebop OSTs, MW2 soundtrack ;^D and everything from Beethoven, Back, Pachelbel, Wagner, Saint Saen, Orff, Blur, Metallica, Queensryche, Warlord, Crimson Glory, Savatage, Cirith Ungol, Vicious Rumors and everyone I forgot); Leader for having imported the title and avoided translation, plus commercializing the game with an awfully high price; Thanks to and for: To ask permission to post this document, just send a mail writing down the URL. To contact me, write at briareos@inwind.it; ICQ UIN is 40534369; Odigo ID is 264286. Write only about this FAQ or if you have a cute (female)friend/sister to introduce. I'd like to tell you all that this document won the December 2002 GameFAQs contest as one of the best walkthrough/FAQs sent during the month. This is a very nice surprise, I couldn't believe it myself...probably I'm not that bad as I thought ;). Copyright (c) Briareos Kerensky 2002/2003. Reproduction and translation of this document (as a whole or parts of its) in any mode without permission is strictly forbidden. All names and marks are proprerties of respective owners.