Difference between revisions of "MechWarrior (1989 Video Game)"
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There is a small chance for a mission to end instantly, without dropping you on the battlefield. You will be paid the negotiated price for the contract and the mission debrief will conclude that it amounted to an uneventful tour of garrison duty. | There is a small chance for a mission to end instantly, without dropping you on the battlefield. You will be paid the negotiated price for the contract and the mission debrief will conclude that it amounted to an uneventful tour of garrison duty. | ||
− | These mission descriptions were created after extensive gameplay testing and basically reverse | + | These mission descriptions were created after extensive gameplay testing and basically reverse engineering the game. Mission descriptions are not from game material, however mission names are copied verbatim from game files including spelling errors. |
====Deathmatch==== | ====Deathmatch==== |
Revision as of 19:45, 10 March 2022
Apocryphal Product Although the subject of this article is an official BattleTech product, it does not meet the current criteria for Canon. Its content may or may not be canonical for the BattleTech universe, and for the purpose of the Sarna.net BattleTechWiki is considered apocryphal. |
MechWarrior | |
---|---|
Product information | |
Type | Video Game |
Development | Dynamix |
Publication information | |
Publisher | Activision |
First published | 1989, 1992, 1993 |
MSRP | $ 49.95[1] |
Content | |
Era | Succession Wars era |
Timeline | 3024 - 3028 and beyond |
Series | MechWarrior computer games |
Followed by | MechWarrior 2 |
MechWarrior is a 1989 computer game published by Activision that is set in the BattleTech universe. The game was originally released on MSDOS, but to coincide with the release of BattleTech in Japan it got ported to the systems popular there at the time. These ports for X68000 and PC-98 were released under the name BattleTech: Stolen Chalice and were created by Victor Musical Industries, Inc.. They are identical to the 1989 release, except for completely new, high quality pixel art.
A SNES port of the game exists, but in this version the backstory was altered and it has a different main protagonist, among other changes; it should be regarded as a separate game (see MechWarrior (SNES)).
Contents
Overview
In the PC game, the player (as Gideon Braver) takes command of the Blazing Aces mercenary unit in his quest to uncover a hideous plot, retrieve a vital artifact and avenge the murder of his family within only five years. He gets to manage the unit's finances and negotiate contracts, can purchase and sell BattleMechs, hire and fire other MechWarriors for the unit (which can thus grow up to Lance size), and controls Gideon's 'Mech in combat. Most importantly, however, he must follow leads and gather information about the events on his homeworld. Ultimately, he must find and defeat the Dark Wing unit to reclaim his heritage.
Text scenes in the game sometimes require the player to choose between the alternatives on how to proceed. Choosing the wrong alternative can result in Gideon's death. It is also possible for Gideon to die during the 'Mech combat, but this rarely happens and usually requires the direct hit to the cockpit. Returning to Ander's Moon also results in arrest and execution, unless the game's objectives are already entirely accomplished and Gideon's innocence is proven.
Over the course of the game, prominent events taken from various novels are mentioned in the news, covering items from The Gray Death Trilogy (Verthandi Rebellion, Sirius massacre, events on Helm) and The Warrior Trilogy (following the Solaris career of Justin Xiang Allard up to the wedding of Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner and the subsequent Fourth Succession War).
Canonicity
Computer games are explicitly excluded from the list of products that contribute straight Canon to the BattleTech universe yet at the same time it was stated that the IP owners are "not in total denial about these sources either". It has also expressly been stated that fluff from certain official, licensed products (namely certain computer games including those produced by Activision) can be assumed to be part of the shared universe as long as it is "not directly contradicted, and makes sense".
As a nod to the game's storyline, Gideon Braver and the Blazing Aces were properly canonized 32 years later in Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 11 (though that still does not canonize the game as such, only the information given in the canon source).
Plot summary
Backstory
Gideon Braver Vandenburg is the son of Duke Cameron Vandenburg of Ander's Moon. The world was colonized centuries ago by the Vandenburg and McBrin families and was rewarded with a Dukedom by Prince Davion for the valor of its warriors in the Succession Wars. Upon the death of the old Duke, the new Duke is elected by the Council of Representatives and anointed with oil from the sacred Chalice of Herne, an ancient artifact from old Terra that had come to symbolize the office of Duke. The title has thus passed between Houses Vandenburg and McBrin over the centuries, creating a bitter rivalry.
On March 1, 3024, Gideon Braver Vandenburg left Castle Vandenburg, his father's stronghold, for an inspection of the family's holdings. Upon his return two days later he found that a Lance of BattleMechs had attacked the Castle, killed his family and stolen the Chalice of Herne along with other treasure. This turned out to be an intrigue by Jarris McBrin, who coveted the title of Duke for himself. To discredit and vanquish House Vandenburg, McBrin forged evidence to suggest that they had worked with and then double-crossed the pirates. He failed to convince the Council of Representatives to elect him Duke, however. Instead, they chose to delay the election of a new Duke until Gideon Braver Vandenburg had reached adulthood (23 years of age) on April 8, 3029.
Shortly after the Council's decision, Gideon Braver Vandenburg found himself falsely accused of conspiracy and crimes against the state and was forced to flee off-world. Jordan Rowe, a friend of the Vandenburg family, provided him with safe passage on a DropShip, some money and an old Jenner. Upon arriving at a nearby world, he abbreviated his name to Gideon Braver to avoid "complications", and created a small mercenary outfit, the Blazing Aces.
Game storyline
Inquiries about the insignia seen on the BattleMechs that had pillaged Castle Vandenburg point Gideon to Grig Griez, a wanted crime lord operating from within the Draconis Combine. On Land's End he makes contact with one of Griez's henchmen. Eventually, Gideon Braver gets to meet Grig Griez in person and agrees to deliver a message (in a physical package) to one of Griez's agents on Dustball in exchange for information.
On Dustball, the recipient who calls himself Brown draws a gun on Gideon Braver (apparently acting as the message ordered him to do) but does not kill him when the "message" turns out to contain a deadly poison; Griez obviously wanted both Gideon Braver and Brown dead. Brown then tips Gideon off to a JumpShip named the Stone Arrow, a smuggler ship operated by a man known as Kangaroo Jack. To contact him, Gideon tracks down Jack's estranged brother who serves as a Scorpion pilot with Smithson's Chinese Bandits on garrison duty in the Free Worlds League. He in turn points Gideon to a world in the Federated Suns where Jack "has a woman". Immediately after meeting with the Scorpion pilot, another assassination attempt is made against Gideon Braver near the garrison's Saladin hovertank garages and he suddenly finds himself under attack from a sniper with a heavy gyroslug carbine. The attack is carried on the news on the next day, where it is reported that terrorists attacked the 5th Armored Rangers at their garages.
In the Federated Suns, a man named Kearny is named as a contact to meet Kangaroo Jack. Kearny gives Gideon a slip of paper with an address where Gideon is to meet with Kearny in one hour if he wants to meet Jack, and also informs Gideon that it had been the Black Widow Company who had been moved to Ander's Moon with the Stone Arrow and attacked Castle Vandenburg bearing false unit insignia. However, Kangaroo Jack is murdered before Gideon can meet him.
- (The player can choose whether or not to go to the address indicated by Kearny's note. If he does, he finds Kangaroo Jack dead and is assaulted by the assassin, whom Gideon then either kills in self defense, or is killed. Regardless of whether or not the player elects to visit the address, however, the newscast will subsequently report the death of Kangaroo Jack at the hands of a gangland assassin known as "Grim Jim", who was also found dead at the murder site.)
For a lack of other leads Gideon Braver subsequently approaches Natasha Kerensky, commander of the Black Widow Company, in a bar in the Draconis Combine. Confronted with the accusations, Kerensky denies any involvement and a bar fight ensues where only the intervention of a mysterious woman named Tasha saves Gideon Braver from a very severe beating by the Black Widows. Tasha reveals herself as a MI6 operative to Gideon and later provides him with data files that reveal a Draconis Combine company, Matabushi Incorporated, to be behind the Dark Wing and the attack on Castle Vandenburg as part of their Operation INROAD. She also reveals Kearny as a Kurita agent working for the ISF; the Black Widows really had nothing to do with it. Kearny had just set Gideon up to get himself killed by the Black Widows. On the sidelines, Jordan Rowe is also implied to be working for Matabushi.
Following a message to seek out alleged MIIO agent Kearny on Albiero, Gideon winds up in an attack by the MI6 against the Matabushi HQ there that culminates in a showdown aboard a Karnov heavy transport helicopter between Tasha and Kearny, accusing each other of being Kurita operatives at gunpoint before Gideon's eyes. Gideon elects to trust Tasha who subdues Kearny and explains that the MI6 had an independent mission against Matabushi underway, but saw Gideon Braver as having the same target. Her own mission accomplished, she provides the Blazing Aces with detailed data on the whereabouts of the Chalice of Herne, which is guarded by the Dark Wing for Matabushi. She also hands him a share of the loot: 5,000,000 C-Bills.
With this information, Gideon Braver Vandenburg and the Blazing Aces eventually find and defeat the Dark Wing, and reclaim the Chalice of Herne within five years after it had been stolen from Ander's Moon. The retrieval of the Chalice, together with the data disk on Operation Inroad, clear the Vandenburg name and the family title and honor is restored.
Over the course of his adventures, Gideon Braver accepted many short term contracts for the Blazing Aces from one or more Successor States of the Inner Sphere.
- (It is theoretically possible to win the game without ever accepting a mercenary contract or hiring another member for the Blazing Aces, but managing the unit, building it up and improving it to the point where it can take on the Dark Wing with any hope of success is what the game is really about.)
Transcripts
Featured BattleMechs
Within the game's combat sequences, only eight different 'Mech designs are available for either side: Locust, Jenner, Phoenix Hawk, Shadow Hawk, Rifleman, Warhammer, Marauder and BattleMaster.
Neither the player and his unit nor enemy forces can acquire or field 'Mechs of any other type. However, over the course of the storyline, a Scorpion features prominently in the narrative and yet other 'Mech models (including Atlas and Griffin) are mentioned at various points in the game, although they are not playable.
The game data files do contain the stats for the Wasp and Wolverine, but they are not playable either.[citation needed]
Personnel
The player can recruit lancemates from numerous applicants, although experienced MechWarriors only become available once the unit has gained a certain reputation. They can be hired and fired at the player's discretion, and can also die in battle. There are 24 men and 18 women, and 21 character portraits depict the crew in the game (each portrait is shared by 2 characters). The pool of available personnel includes a variety of minor characters (with their respective starting skill at Gunnery/'Mech Pilot), some of whom are recurring characters in the BattleTech universe:
Men
Name | Gunry [sic] | Pilot | Pay | Quote |
---|---|---|---|---|
T. D. Bente | Poor | Average | 400 | "Put a mech under me and I'll kick some tail." |
Billy Chow | Average | Average | 600 | "Get me off this rock and I'll fight anything." |
Kevin Call | Good | Excellent | 1,000 | "The Gray Death Legion is where I learned to fight." |
A. Cooper | Good | Average | 1,000 | "Trained in the Federated Suns but I've been around since." |
Jim Eagle | Excellent | Good | 2,000 | "Lindon's Company recon lance was my last tour." |
Ted Hegel | Average | Poor | 600 | "Had a brush with the Widow, now I need another mech." |
B. Hendrik | Average | Good | 600 | "Started with Narhal's Raiders but I've kicked around." |
J. Holmaas | Excellent | Excellent | 2,000 | "I've worked with the best and so have they." |
Darc Horse | Good | Excellent | 1,000 | "I work alone or with Team Banzai. Maybe with you." |
"Killer" | Good | Good | 1,000 | "I want to burn villages, eat dead, burnt bodies, kill, kill, kill." |
G. Lofall | Excellent | Good | 2,000 | "I'll warn you I party hard, but then I fight hard." |
"Nasty Bill" | Excellent | Excellent | 2,000 | "I got my name from the way I fight -- I win." |
Z. Rodgers | Poor | Average | 400 | "I used to work tech for Richard's Panzer Brigade." |
Pete Ryan | Good | Average | 1,000 | "Fortune cookie I got today said take any deal. Name it." |
Tim Seers | Poor | Poor | 400 | "I used to be infantry, but I'm moving up." |
Tank Smith | Good | Excellent | 1,000 | "I prefer assault mechs, but then don't we all?" |
"Tricky Nik" | Good | Good | 1,000 | "Ever hear of Redjack Ryan? I did some fighting for him." |
T. Rich | Average | Poor | 600 | "I learned a thing or two with Hansen's Roughriders." |
R. Torsak | Good | Excellent | 1,000 | "Drove a Marauder for the 21st Centauri Lancers." |
Kelly T. | Average | Good | 600 | "If you've got the money, I've got the time." |
Bob True | Poor | Poor | 400 | "I know my way around mechs and I've seen my share of battles." |
Kinji Tsi | Excellent | Excellent | 2,000 | "I follow bushido the way of the warrior." |
Alex Veer | Average | Good | 600 | "I got my training on Solaris, the game world." |
John Zoe | Average | Average | 600 | " My last gig was with Wolf's Dragoons." |
Women
Name | Gunry [sic] | Pilot | Pay | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ara | Good | Average | 1,000 | "No last name. Just Ara, and mechs aren't my only specialty." |
Rose Artz | Good | Average | 1,000 | "I last drove a Thunderbolt for the Eridani Lighthorse." |
Karen Blak | Average | Poor | 600 | "Don't have much experience but I can shoot straight." |
Tara Ellis | Average | Good | 600 | "Last tour I worked a Griffin for the Eridani Lighthorse." |
Erin Falls | Good | Excellent | 1,000 | "There isn't any mech I can't master." |
Elli Gujar | Poor | Poor | 400 | "I'm just starting out, but I'm loyal and I work hard." |
JJ Kitter | Good | Excellent | 1,000 | "Spent some time with the Waco Rangers and Miller's Marauders." |
A. Chu Lai | Excellent | Excellent | 2,000 | "Ran a Javelin for Winston's Scout Lance in the Waco Rangers." |
Ilsa Marn | Average | Good | 600 | "I'm no stranger to... how shall I put it... covert operations" |
Emma Meyer | Excellent | Good | 2,000 | "I've worked recon and strike lances in Brion's Legion." |
S. Miller | Average | Good | 600 | "I practically grew up in the 3rd Recon Company." |
A. Morris | Good | Average | 1,000 | "I had my Locust shot out from under me in a Kurita Riad." |
Pam North | Average | Poor | 600 | "My last tour was with the 12th Vegan Rangers" |
Taris Ren | Poor | Poor | 400 | "I say no job's too tough and no fee too high." |
D. Sajak | Poor | Average | 400 | "D is for Desire. Tell anyone and I'll kill you." |
Chaney Ti | Excellent | Excellent | 2,000 | "I worked for the Black Widow. 'Nuff said." |
Zera Tith | Excellent | Good | 2,000 | "I've been around. Last gig was Helmar Valasek, The Bandit King." |
"TJ" | Average | Poor | 600 | "Just tell me where to shoot and I'll do the rest." |
Featured Planetary data
The world of Ander's Moon was not mentioned anywhere else in the BattleTech canon at the time, but its position on the game's somewhat warped starmap roughly corresponds with Elidere IV, as does much (but not all) of the political and economical information. It was later confirmed in canon (in Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 11) that Ander's Moon exists and is situated in the Elidere system.
Only a fraction of the worlds from the BattleTech universe can be visited in the game—30 planets from each House except for House Liao who have only 25 worlds on the game map; no periphery worlds can be traveled to. A short one-line description is provided for each of these worlds, as is a population estimate and a rough impression of the environment as either tropical, ice or desert. The data given is as follows:
House | Planet | Environment | Population | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kurita | Albiero | Desert | 856,000,000 | Main headquarters for Matabushi Inc |
Kurita | Alshain | Tropical | 2,759,000,000 | Supports a thriving BattleMech factory |
Kurita | Benjamin | Tropical | 4,655,000,000 | Supports much heavy industry |
Kurita | Buckminster | Tropical | 2,641,000,000 | 2nd Sword of Light stationed here |
Kurita | Delacruz | Desert | 879,000,000 | War torn - some large industry |
Kurita | Dieron | Desert | 5,284,000,000 | Capital of the Dieron Military District |
Kurita | Galedon V | Tropical | 1,595,000,000 | Known for its high grade industrial diamonds |
Kurita | Galuzzo | Tropical | 2,945,000,000 | Exotic wines and the best pizza in known space |
Kurita | Irurzun | Tropical | 5,090,000,000 | A valuable world housing a sizable military force |
Kurita | Karbala | Tropical | 1,841,000,000 | Tropical paradise - known for its precious gems |
Kurita | Kaznejov | Desert | 1,009,000,000 | Home of the 17th Galedon Regulars |
Kurita | Kessel | Desert | 2,310,000,000 | Strong rebel forces - visits may be dangerous |
Kurita | Kirchbach | Tropical | 784,000,000 | Few resources but a temperate climate |
Kurita | Land's End | Ice | 123,000,000 | Desolate rock on the periphery |
Kurita | Luthien | Tropical | 5,203,000,000 | Capital of the Draconis Combine |
Kurita | Matsuida | Tropical | 1,009,000,000 | Nicknamed 'Nausea' - planet is known for seafood |
Kurita | Misery | Ice | 100,000,000 | Notable only for mining operations |
Kurita | New Samarkand | Desert | 950,000,000 | Home of the Internal Security Force |
Kurita | Oshika | Desert | 4,207,000,000 | Home of the 16th Galedon Regulars |
Kurita | Pesht | Tropical | 4,890,000,000 | Heavy military garrison |
Kurita | Proserpina | Desert | 1,872,000,000 | Home of the 9th Benjamin Regulars |
Kurita | Qandahar | Desert | 2,304,000,000 | Highly toxic environment |
Kurita | Radstadt | Tropical | 841,000,000 | One of the largest prisons of the Combine is here |
Kurita | Rasalhague | Tropical | 2,284,000,000 | Large industries and plentiful resources |
Kurita | Rubigen | Ice | 2,932,000,000 | An ice world known for its wolverine pelts |
Kurita | Skokie | Ice | 765,000,000 | An ice world rich in minerals |
Kurita | Tabayama | Tropical | 2,000,000,000 | Capital of Galedon's periphery prefecture |
Kurita | Thestria | Ice | 125,000,000 | Frozen ball known only for precious metal deposits |
Kurita | Vega | Desert | 2,284,000,000 | Home of Cosby Myomer Research Company |
Kurita | Xinyang | Tropical | 1,010,000,000 | Resort atmosphere catering to soldiers on leave |
Steiner | Alarion | Tropical | 2,434,000,00 | Heavy industry and orbiting shipyards |
Steiner | Alexandria | Desert | 2,450,000,000 | War ravaged from struggles with House Kurita |
Steiner | Anembo | Desert | 450,000,000 | Unremarkable world scarce in everything |
Steiner | Anywhere | Ice | 5,000,000 | A real nowhere unless you're a pirate |
Steiner | Arcadia | Tropical | 1,323,000,000 | Strong in agriculture and manufacturing |
Steiner | Bountiful Harvest | Tropical | 3,275,000,000 | Largest agricultural planet in the Commonwealth |
Steiner | Carse | Ice | 1,453,000,000 | Center for plastic and plastisteel manufacturing |
Steiner | Chuckchi III [sic] | Tropical | 2,500,000,000 | Large titanium mining operations |
Steiner | Coventry | Tropical | 1,549,000,000 | Home of 2nd largest Commonwealth BattleMech Co |
Steiner | Dixie | Tropical | 2,567,000,000 | Known for good food and warm hospitality |
Steiner | Donegal | Tropical | 3,651,000,000 | Rich in diamonds, rare metals, and traders |
Steiner | Dustball | Desert | 25,000,000 | Where the elite satisfy their most wicked desires |
Steiner | Garrison | Desert | 1,879,000,000 | Military training center and post |
Steiner | Hesperus II | Desert | 235,000,000 | Supports a large BattleMech factory |
Steiner | Kobe | Ice | 1,009,000,000 | Major producer of electronics and chemical engines |
Steiner | Mizar | Tropical | 2,186,000,000 | A pleasant resort world |
Steiner | Niangol | Tropical | 567,000,000 | Petroleum and ore processing center |
Steiner | Port Moseby | Desert | 4,535,000,000 | Major trading center - anything for a price |
Steiner | Poulsbo | Tropical | 1,239,000,000 | Jumping off point for regiments attacking Marik |
Steiner | Rahne | Desert | 1,234,000,000 | A miserable place - 2 seasons allow humans outside |
Steiner | Sevren | Desert | 1,543,000,000 | Large fission core manufacturing facilities |
Steiner | Skye | Tropical | 3,256,000,000 | Plenty of unspoiled landscape as well as industry |
Steiner | Suk II | Desert | 987,000,000 | Mining world rich in metal ores |
Steiner | Tamar | Tropical | 879,000,000 | Strong trading and manufacturing center |
Steiner | Tharkad | Ice | 4,529,000,000 | Capital of the Lyran Commonwealth |
Steiner | Thorin | Tropical | 3,879,000,000 | Ancient world rich in minerals and precious gems |
Steiner | Timbiqui | Desert | 1,506,000,000 | Manufacturing center rich in minerals |
Steiner | Timbuktu | Desert | 879,000,000 | Home of the 11th Arcturan Guards |
Steiner | Valloire | Tropical | 879,000,000 | Producer of the best teas in the Commonwealth |
Steiner | Winfield | Tropical | 1,150,000,000 | Agricultural world with long growing season |
Marik | Alula Australis | Tropical | 3,119,000,000 | Mineral source for Cirebon, Lengkong, and Mosiro |
Marik | Amity | Tropical | 2,324,000,000 | Large and varied manufacturing facilities |
Marik | Andurien | Tropical | 4,950,000,000 | Famous for its botanical gardens |
Marik | Angell II | Tropical | 1,145,000,000 | One of Marik's biggest sources of wealth |
Marik | Atreus | Tropical | 5,391,000,000 | Capital of the Free Worlds League |
Marik | Autumn Wind | Desert | 3,297,000,000 | Garden planet catering to vacationers |
Marik | Calloway VI | Tropical | 1,250,000,000 | Large trade center with BattleMech factories |
Marik | Chalouba | Tropical | 2,416,000,000 | Pastoral but with growing electronics industry |
Marik | Cirebon | Tropical | 4,631,000,000 | Large computer and aerospace industries |
Marik | Claybrooke | Tropical | 3,592,000,000 | Major exports are ranch and dairy products |
Marik | Gibson | Desert | 4,137,000,000 | Amazing diversity of peoples and religions |
Marik | Goodna | Tropical | 3,491,000,000 | A planet filled with rare edible delicacies |
Marik | Griffith | Ice | 2,461,000,000 | Small but important weapons business |
Marik | Irian | Desert | 2,169,000,000 | Houses vast BattleMech factories |
Marik | Lesnovo | Desert | 2,631,000,000 | Often raided by bandits of the Marian Hegemony |
Marik | Marik | Desert | 4,780,000,000 | Winter residence of the Captain-General |
Marik | Mosiro | Desert | 3,399,000,000 | Mostly moslem, strong in astrophysics and the arts |
Marik | Nestor | Tropical | 3,286,000,000 | Agricultural mostly rice and other cereals |
Marik | New Delos | Tropical | 2,110,000,000 | Beautiful world but a depressed economy |
Marik | Oliver | Tropical | 2,329,000,000 | Much industry including a Mech plant |
Marik | Oriente | Tropical | 3,972,000,000 | Lush, green world of rolling grassland and forests |
Marik | Procyon | Tropical | 5,250,000,000 | Once home to the Brigadier Mech Co. - now extinct |
Marik | Regulus | Tropical | 3,139,000,000 | Home of John 'Icepick' Melton, man of many talents |
Marik | Sadurni | Ice | 456,000,000 | A frozen, barren, lifeless rock - see you there |
Marik | Shiloh | Desert | 1,000,000 | Main exports include woodcarvings and silkscreens |
Marik | Silver | Desert | 1,756,000,000 | Named for its large deposits of that ore |
Marik | Sophie's World | Desert | 4,512,000,000 | A center for the arts and learning |
Marik | Suzano | Ice | 1,546,000,000 | Famous for Ando Bass fished from its frozen seas |
Marik | Tamarind | Desert | 3,562,000,000 | The talent of the artists here is legendary |
Marik | Zortman | Desert | 879,000,000 | Center for technology research |
Liao | Aldebaran | Tropical | 4,261,000,000 | Major commercial and industrial center |
Liao | Ares | Desert | 4,227,000,000 | Free port, also houses a Mech factory |
Liao | Betelgeuse | Tropical | 3,792,000,000 | Major industrial center including a Mech complex |
Liao | Bharat | Tropical | 1,817,000,000 | A planetwide hunting preserve |
Liao | Bithinia | Tropical | 3,298,000,000 | Planetwide entertainment center - steel industry |
Liao | Buenos Aires | Tropical | 2,186,000,000 | Subterranean and offshore hydroponic agriculture |
Liao | Capella | Tropical | 5,375,000,000 | HQ for Ceres Metals and Capellan Commonality Bank |
Liao | Exedor | Desert | 1,000,000 | Liao personal treasures guarded by crack troops |
Liao | Grand Base | Desert | 3,467,000,000 | Military staging, training and repair facility |
Liao | Keid | Tropical | 4,573,000,000 | Many military, training and research facilities |
Liao | Matsu | Ice | 2,153,000,000 | Precious metals mining center |
Liao | Menke | Tropical | 4,514,000,000 | Home of McCarron's Armored Cavalry |
Liao | Milos | Tropical | 3,481,000,000 | Agricultural world of some strategic importance |
Liao | Nanking | Tropical | 5,918,000,000 | Home of the Warrior House Daidachi Regiment |
Liao | Necromo | Desert | 1,000,000 | Liao Dropship repair facility |
Liao | New Hessen | Desert | 2,139,000,000 | Main recruiting and training center for House Liao |
Liao | Raballa | Tropical | 3,871,000,000 | Houses major aerospace support installation |
Liao | Sian | Tropical | 4,796,000,000 | Capital of the Capellan Confederation |
Liao | Styk | Tropical | 4,725,000,000 | 2nd largest trading and industrial center |
Liao | Tall Trees | Tropical | 964,000,000 | Genetic research facility which developed Nuplague |
Liao | Tikonov | Tropical | 5,279,000,000 | Largest Mech production center in Capellan space |
Liao | Tsinghai | Tropical | 4,185,000,000 | Best known for its wines, also uranium deposits |
Liao | Turin | Tropical | 3,267,000,000 | Noted for its horses and special cattle |
Liao | Warlock | Ice | 4,128,000,000 | Military research and development center |
Liao | Zanzibar | Desert | 1,549,000,000 | Famous black market - anything can be bought here |
Davion | Ander's Moon | Desert | 50,000,000 | Small backwater world mostly agricultural |
Davion | Baxley | Desert | 1,752,000,000 | A real backwater world of absolutely no importance |
Davion | Beecher | Tropical | 3,689,000,000 | Strong industry and agriculture, excellent wines |
Davion | Caph | Desert | 2,349,000,000 | Major connection between Davion and Steiner space |
Davion | Cogdell | Tropical | 1,536,000,000 | Agri-world in deep political turmoil |
Davion | Delacambre | Tropical | 3,215,000,000 | Agricultural world supporting several near planets |
Davion | Frazer | Tropical | 899,000,000 | Large producer of rice, some petroleum |
Davion | Galax | Desert | 3,527,000,000 | Major mining and industrial center |
Davion | Gambler [sic] | Tropical | 2,145,000,000 | Entertainment world with some industry |
Davion | Great Gorge | Desert | 1,988,000,000 | Nice world rich in minerals on the edge of nowhere |
Davion | Greely [sic] | Ice | 1,492,000,000 | Recently rebuilt into a military center |
Davion | Hobbs | Desert | 1,325,000,000 | Giant cave systems here used as warehouses |
Davion | Hoff | Tropical | 1,263,000,000 | Houses the Friden Aerospace research facility |
Davion | Hyalite | Desert | 1,598,000,000 | Strong chemical industries |
Davion | Immenstadt | Ice | 21,000,000 | Cold much of the year, strong hydroponic industry |
Davion | Kathil | Desert | 1,567,000,000 | Major Jumpship and Dropship facilities |
Davion | Kesai IV | Desert | 1,426,000,000 | Strategic military center and nothing else |
Davion | Kittery | Tropical | 2,381,000,000 | Inhospitable jungle world, natives in rebellion |
Davion | Mallory's World | Tropical | 2,163,000,000 | Once plentiful agri-world now war torn |
Davion | Marduk | Tropical | 3,691,000,000 | Home of the Norse BattleMech Works |
Davion | Moravian | Desert | 2,157,000,000 | Mining industry smashed by war, depressed economy |
Davion | New Aragon | Tropical | 2,349,000,000 | Captured in 2832, House Liao still claims it |
Davion | New Avalon | Tropical | 5,876,000,000 | Capital of the Federated Suns |
Davion | New Syrtis | Ice | 3,682,000,000 | Military capital of the Capellan March |
Davion | Noatak | Ice | 1,389,000,000 | Known for its whales, seals and aquatic life |
Davion | Okefenokee | Tropical | 478,000,000 | Rich petroleum deposits just discovered |
Davion | Redfield | Tropical | 1,004,000,000 | Such a constant battlefield nothing else happens |
Davion | Robinson | Tropical | 3,428,000,000 | Military capital of the Terran March |
Davion | Tancredi IV | Tropical | 3,251,000,000 | Strong mining and industrial center |
Davion | Xhosa VII | Tropical | 2,975,000,000 | Aerospace industry somewhat depressed by war |
Contracts and missions
Contracts are offered by the ruling state of whichever planet and region you're on/in, and affect your standing with both that state and whoever the action is against (eg. an incursion into Kurita territory will lower your popularity in Kurita space). Take enough action against a particular state and they will refuse to sign contracts with you, and you'll get unfriendly messages landing on any planet in their region.
Some contract terms—the overall price, your percentage of salvage, and what proportion is paid in advance—are negotiable to some extent. Steiner seem to pay the most, agreeing to larger increases in terms in your favor than others. Kurita will get sick of negotiating and give up if they don't like your suggested terms the third time round—you will need to fly to a different planet to 'reset' this if it happens. There is a small chance, at the end of a contract, that the other party will renege on the deal and pay you much less than what was agreed.
The value of contracts generally increases with the number of 'Mechs you will face. Each contract will estimate the number of light, heavy and medium 'Mechs the enemy will field against you, although this is not guaranteed correct—a contract to square up against two heavies may find an additional light or medium 'Mech on the battlefield once you actually make planetfall.
Missions
There are five different single mission scenarios in the game, with 34 possible text descriptions of them, randomly generated for each contract (and which are basically flavor text for variety). There are also three extended campaign missions, which consist of three randomly picked missions which are played one after the other, with no chance to fully repair.
There is a small chance for a mission to end instantly, without dropping you on the battlefield. You will be paid the negotiated price for the contract and the mission debrief will conclude that it amounted to an uneventful tour of garrison duty.
These mission descriptions were created after extensive gameplay testing and basically reverse engineering the game. Mission descriptions are not from game material, however mission names are copied verbatim from game files including spelling errors.
Deathmatch
Deathmatch missions pit you in direct combat against enemy 'Mechs. They will immediately charge you from their starting positions on the map. You must destroy all enemy 'Mechs in combat to win the scenario. You will lose the scenario if all of your 'Mechs are destroyed.
- A RECONNAISSANCE RAID
- ELIMINATION OF GARRISON FORCES
- ELIMINATION OF SECURITY FORCES
- A DIVERSIONARY RAID
- SUPPRESSION OF REBELLION
- A PLANETARY ASSAULT
Assault
Enemy 'Mechs are guarding a structure. They will hold position and only charge once you close to a certain distance (ca. 1.5-2km). You must destroy all enemy 'Mechs OR destroy the structure to win the scenario. Ramming the structure does not damage it. You will lose the scenario if all of your 'Mechs are destroyed.
- DESTRUCTION OF A WATER FACTORY
- DESTRUCTION OF MECH FACILITIES
- DESTRUCTION OF PORT FACILITIES
- DISABLING OF A WEAPONS FACTORY
- DESTRUCTION OF AN AMMO DUMP
- DESTROYING STOLEN PROTOTYPES
- DISABLING OF A FIELD COM CENTER
- DESTRUCTION OF A FUEL DUMP
Retrieval
Enemy 'Mechs are guarding a structure. They will hold position and only charge once you close to a certain distance (about 1500 meters). You must destroy all enemy 'mechs OR physically touch the structure with your 'Mech to win the scenario. The structure cannot be damaged even if fired on. You will lose the scenario if all of your 'Mechs are destroyed.
- RESCUE OF HOSTAGES
- RESCUE OF A KIDNAP VICTIM
- CAPTURE OF AMMO AND MECH PARTS
- PARTICIPATING IN HOSTAGE RAID
- RETRIEVAL OF STOLEN PROPERTY
- RETRIEVAL OF CAPTURED MECHS
Defense
You are guarding a structure. The enemy 'Mechs will immediately charge you from their starting position and prioritize attacking your structure. You must destroy all enemy 'Mechs to win the scenario. You will lose the scenario if all of your 'Mechs OR the structure are destroyed.
- DEFENSE OF A FUEL DUMP
- DEFENSE OF A WEAPONS FACTORY
- DEFENSE OF A SUPPLY DEPOT
- DEFENSE OF A WATER FACTORY
- DEFENSE OF LANDING FACILITIES
- GENERAL SECURITY DUTY
- DEFENSE OF FIELD COM UNIT
- GARRISON DUTY
Sprint
Enemy 'Mechs start at one side of the battlefield and will attempt to reach the other side, crossing your path. You must destroy all enemy 'Mechs to win the scenario. You will lose the scenario if all of your 'Mechs are destroyed OR any enemy 'Mechs reach the other side. (There are no missions in the game where you win by crossing the map boundary—doing so counts as fleeing the battlefield and an instant loss, and any enemy or friendly 'Mech that crosses the map boundary while fleeing disappears permanently from the map for that mission.)
- CONTAINMENT OF SECURITY FORCES
- TEMPORARY RELIEF OF FORCES
- RELIEF OF ENGAGED FORCES
Extended campaigns
Campaign contracts are made up of three random missions played one after the other. You don't get the ability to fully repair between missions, but you can buy additional ammo which is reloaded automatically throughout a campaign, and any 'Mech that is disabled but not destroyed is minimally repaired to get it up and walking again for the next mission (even if a single shot will still take it down again).
These contracts can command very high prices, and once you've built up a full lance of four BattleMasters and are facing 12 other heavies across the course of an extended campaign, even Steiner will readily agree to the maximum price you can ask for (9,990k C-bills), so once you reach the end stages of the game, it may stop being economical to agree to these as your repair costs rise.
Each extended campaign may contain any random three other mission types, and whether it's named an offensive, defensive or siege campaign makes no difference to the number of offensive or defensive missions you'll actually have to do.
At the start of each individual mission in a campaign, you'll be shown the title and thus type of mission. You must successfully finish all three missions in sequence to be paid for the contract. Fleeing even after the first two will result in zero payment and loss of status with the state you contracted with.
- AN EXTENDED OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN
- AN EXTENDED DEFENSIVE CAMPAIGN
- AN EXTENDED SIEGE CAMPAIGN
The final mission
The final game-winning mission takes place on Albiero, Kirchbach or Radstadt, and is in two parts. The first is a deathmatch mission against three BattleMasters and a Warhammer All four enemy 'Mechs must be destroyed. The next mission is a retrieval mission against a similar enemy lineup. All four 'Mechs must be destroyed, or the enemy's structure touched, to win the game.
Economy
MW1's economy system, which determines the buy and sell price of 'Mechs, the price of ammo, repairs, and travel between planets, is very simple. Each planet belongs to one of four 'tiers', and prices for everything depends on which tier that planet is in.
- Tier 1 planets have the cheapest 'Mechs, ammo, and repairs. They also have a greater abundance of spare parts, 'Mechs for sale, and generally more missions available.
- Tier 4 planets have the most expensive of everything. Buying 'Mechs on tier 1/2 planets and selling them on tier 3/4 planets is a very viable way to generate cash in-game.
- The capital planets of each region are tier 1 planets. Ander's Moon, the protagonist's home planet, is a tier 4 planet, but going there before completing the game means you instantly lose the game, so trading there is only possible after you've beaten the game entirely.
- Ammo is not taken into account when calculating a 'Mech's buy or sell price—a fully repaired Jenner with a full SRM-4 rack will sell for exactly the same as a top-condition Jenner with no ammo at all, so if you are trading 'Mechs to generate cash, don't bother reloading ballistic or missile weapons.
- The cost to reload 'Mechs increases as you go from tier 1 to tier 4 worlds, by about 50% overall, but also varies slightly at random from planet to planet within a tier.
Interplanetary travel
Travel in MW1 costs a varying amount based on the distance (number of jumps), how many pilots you've hired, and how many 'Mechs you're taking with you.
- The cost per pilot (including the player) is 2,500 C-bills, up to a maximum of 10,000 C-bills to move four pilots one jump.
- Transporting a 'Mech costs 20,000 C-bills per 'Mech, plus 25,000 C-bills per 'Mech per jump. Taking one 'Mech one jump away is 45,000 C-bills. Moving four 'Mechs one jump is 180,000 C-bills. The weight of a 'Mech does not factor into this calculation at all—a Locust costs the same to transport as a BattleMaster
- If you have any 'Mechs at all, the cost of transporting pilots is ignored—moving four pilots and one 'Mech one jump costs 45,000 C-bills.
- The longest single journey in the game is from Okefenokee in Davion space to Timbuktu or Niangol in Steiner space, which is 11 jumps. It costs 1,180,000 C-bills to move four 'Mechs this far.
- The maximum number of 'Mechs you can own in the game is 12, making the most expensive jump possible–12 'mechs between Timbuktu or Niangol and Okefenokee—cost 3.54 million C-bills.
- Because of the transportation fees, a frequent strategy in the game is to sell the Jenner right away, travel to Land's End, and follow the storyline from there without any 'Mech combat, until you have pinpointed the location of the Chalice and acquired the money from Tasha (and perhaps collected the price on Grig Griez's head). Use the money to buy 'Mechs and pilots only then and build up your unit by accepting missions near to your target world, without losing money for further long-distance travel.
Trading Battlemechs
- Buying 'Mechs on a tier 1 planet, and reselling on a tier 4 planet, is a viable strategy for making money in MW1. You will make approximately 71.4% profit on every tier 1 to tier 4 sale.
- You can sell all of your 'Mechs (a maximum of 12) on a tier 1 or 2 planet at any time. A tier 3 planet will only accept a random amount from 2-4 before saying "we don't need any more 'Mechs at this time, thanks". A tier 4 planet will only buy 1, 2 or 3 'Mechs at a time. Leaving the planet and returning will reset this to a new random number.
- As tier 4 planets might only accept 1 'Mech at a time, to generate cash quickly, you should be prepared to flit between two tier 4 planets to sell off a haul from tier 1 planets. The Davion complex of tier 1 planets New Avalon and Galax, and tier 4 planets Noatak and Baxley, is ideal for this as they are all within 1 jump of each other, minimizing both transport costs and time spent in transit.
- Other regions of space in other political states are viable for this strategy as well. While different successor states bargain differently for actual contracts, factors around buying and selling 'Mechs remains identical across planets of the same tier regardless of location.
- Which 'Mechs are available for purchase on a planet is random. Any planet can sell any 'Mech, but tier 3/4 planets tend to have fewer available than tier 1/2 planets.
- Smaller 'Mechs are far more common than larger ones. It's common to land on a tier 1 planet and see mostly Locusts and Jenners, and a couple of Phoenix Hawks and Shadow Hawks. If you're after a particular heavy 'Mech, you will probably need to jump between two tier 1 planets several times.
- It is possible for any planet, including tier 1 planets, to have zero 'Mechs for sale.
- BattleMechs cost 11.1% more to buy at tier 1 than they do to sell, 9.1% more at tier 2, 8.3% more at tier 3 and 7.1% more at tier 4 planets.
BattleMech prices
The prices in this table are for 'Mechs in 100% fully repaired condition. The actual cost to buy and fully repair a 'Mech may differ from the buy prices below by a few hundred C-bills at most.
Tier | Locust | Jenner | Phoenix Hawk | Shadow Hawk | Rifleman | Warhammer | Marauder | BattleMaster |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - Buy price | 1504000 | 3183000 | 4022000 | 4622000 | 5500000 | 6021000 | 6729000 | 8410000 |
1 - Sell price | 1353000 | 2864000 | 3619000 | 4159000 | 4950000 | 5418000 | 6056000 | 7569000 |
2 - Buy price | 1804000 | 3819000 | 4826000 | 5546000 | 6600000 | 7225000 | 8074000 | 10092000 |
2 - Sell price | 1654000 | 3501000 | 4424000 | 5084000 | 6050000 | 6623000 | 7401000 | 9251000 |
3 - Buy price | 1955000 | 4137000 | 5228000 | 6008000 | 7150000 | 7827000 | 8747000 | 10933000 |
3 - Sell price | 1804000 | 3819000 | 4826000 | 5546000 | 6600000 | 7225000 | 8074000 | 10092000 |
4 - Buy price | 2256000 | 4774000 | 6033000 | 6933000 | 8250000 | 9031000 | 10093000 | 12615000 |
4 - Sell price | 2105000 | 4456000 | 5630000 | 6470000 | 7700000 | 8429000 | 9420000 | 11774000 |
Images
References
- ↑ According to a review in Dragon Magazine #161 (September 1990), p. 48
Resources
- MechWarrior and BattleTech: Stolen Chalice for download from Sarna
- MechWarrior (1989 Video Game)/Characters
External links
- MechWarrior for download at Abandonia.com
- MechWarrior at MobyGames.com