MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries

Overview

Developed by Cyberlore Studios and published by Microsoft, Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries is a standalone expansion to Mechwarrior 4: Vengeance. The game mirrors Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries with the ability to manage a mercenary company.

Campaign

In MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries, you lead lances of 'Mechs into combat for private and House contracts for C-bills. Players assume the role of "Spectre" a fledgling mercenary 'Mech pilot, as he attempts to start up his own mercenary company and achieve riches and fame. The player must choose one of four established mercenary units as a sponsor.

• Wolf Dragoons: One of the most famous mercenary companies, companies sponsored by the Dragoons start with Clan technology and have greater purchasing power of Clan tech. However they start with the least amount of money and Clan tech is very expensive.
• Kell Hounds: Another famous mercenary company and a potential employer and ally in future missions, companies sponsored by the Kell Hounds have early access to Clan tech but do not start with it like the Dragoons do.
• Northwind Highlanders: A mercenary group with a Scottish ancestry, companies sponsored by the Highlanders start with more money and earn 20% more C-bills each mission.
• Gray Death Legion: A mercenary unit in the process of rebuilding, companies sponsored by the Legion gain early access to Lostech weapons and have greater purchasing power of these weapons

The gameplay is based on using the money you earn by completing contracts to purchase new 'Mechs and weapons for you and your lancemates. Your weekly costs to repair 'Mechs and drop into missions will increase based on the weight and number of your 'Mechs, but more advanced missions require heavier equipment, so striking a balance is very important in the campaign. The Free Market is introduced, allowing players to buy or sell unwanted 'Mechs and weapons. Players can now command a secondary lance, allowing up to eight 'Mechs to participate in a mission. Furthermore there is Solaris VII, a 'Mech fighting sport planet that the player can participate in to earn more C-Bills and gain points towards Steiner or Davion factions.

There is a point system in this game's story similar to moral choice systems in other games. When you take a mission you will earn points toward either Steiner or Davion loyalty in the FedCom civil war. After a certain point it will be impossible to keep taking missions from both sides of the war and your unit will be forced to choose an allegiance to one side or the other.

The ending of the game's campaign varies depending on which side of the civil war you have decided to support, as your help will ultimately sway the outcome of this conflict. Players who chose to side with Steiner have access to two endings, making a total three possible endings. Regardless of which ending the player takes, the story ends with an ominous warning about the Word of Blake invasion. To date, there has been no continuation of this story in the form of another MechWarrior game, though various novels in the BattleTech universe have explored story elements of the years after the events in the game.

Free Release

On the 25th Anniversary of BattleTech, Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries became free to play via the MekTek website. MekTek also provides the servers for multiplayer and also released the MekTek MechPak 3.1, a large mod adding an additional Mechs, Power Armors, weapons and more. MechPak 3.1 is required to play on MekTek servers.

New 'Mechs

Mercenaries contains all the 'Mechs from Vengeance and Black Knight as well as 10 new 'Mechs for a combined total of 36 'Mechs. Mercenaries also contains data from the Clan and Inner Sphere 'Mech Paks although the 'Mechs are unplayable if the Mech Paks are not installed. Furthermore, the 'Mechs from the Clan and Inner Sphere 'Mech Paks cannot be salvaged or bought in the campaign and can only be played in Instant Action and Multiplayer. Including the 'Mechs from the 'Mech Paks, Mercenaries contains a total of 44 playable 'Mechs.

Light

Name	Information
Firefly	Manufacturer: Coventry/Earthwerks Combine Introduced: 2790 Model: FFL-4B Class: Light Cost: 2,342,600 C-bills Mass: 30 tons Chassis: Earthwerks Firefly Armor: StarSlab/1 Engine: GM 150 Communications System: Datacom 18 Speed: 86.4 km/h Jump Jets: Lexington Lifters Armament: 3xMedium Lasers, 1xLRM-5, 1xAnti-Missile System
	Manufacturer: Luthien Armor Works, Irian BattleMechs Unlimited Model: OW-1 Class: Light Cost: 7,882,875 C-bills Mass: 35 tons Chassis: Alshain Class 48 Omni Armor: Starshield Engine: VOX 280 XL Speed: 129.6 km/h Jump Jets: None Armament: 1 x TAG, 1 x C3 Slave Unit, 1 x Active Probe, 1 x Medium Laser, 2 x Small Lasers, 2 x LRM-5s
	Manufacturer: Sheridan LM-TA 8-10, W-7 Facilities, Wolf Clan Site 3 Introduced: 3010 Model: Prime Class: Light Cost: 7,021,688 C-bills[2] Mass: 35 tons Chassis: Hooded Endo-Lite Endo Steel Armor: Star Lite Ferro-Fibrous Engine: Great Father 210 XL Speed: 97.2 km/h Jump Jets: None Armament: 1xFlamer, 2xER PPCs

Medium

Name	Information
	Manufacturer: Irece Alpha, others Introduced: 2826 Model: Hellhound Class: Medium Cost: 5,320,500 C-bills Mass: 50 tons Chassis: Puma Type Medium Endo Steel Armor: Alpha Plate Special Ferro-Fibrous Engine: 300 Standard Speed: 96 km/h Jump Jets: BMP Mk. XXI Armament: 1x Large Pulse Laser, 2x ER Medium Lasers, 2x Streak SRM-2s

Assault

Name	Information
	Manufacturer: HildCo Interplanetary, Independence Weaponry, Tao 'Mechworks, General Motors Introduced: 2510 Model: VTR-9B Class: Assault Cost: 8,044,320 C-bills Mass: 80 tons Chassis: HildCo Type V Armor: Durallex Heavy Engine: Pitban 320 Speed: 64.8 km/h Jump Jets: HildCo Model 12 Armament: 1xAutocannon/20, 2xMedium Lasers, 1xSRM-4
	Manufacturer: StarCorps Industries Model: LGB-7Q Class: Assault Cost: 7,408,325 C-bills Mass: 85 tons Chassis: StarCorp 100 Armor: StarSlab/9.5 Mk II Engine: Strand 255 Speed: 54.0 km/h Jump Jets: None Armament: 2xLRM-20s, 2xLRM-5s, 2xMedium Lasers
	Manufacturer: Kallon Industries Model: TLR1-O Class: Assault Cost: 25,338,448 C-bills Mass: 85 tons Chassis: Kallon Type XIX Endo Steel Armor: Starshield A with CASE Engine: KalTek 340 XL Speed: 64.8 km/h Jump Jets: None Armament: 1xGauss Rifle, 1xLarge Pulse Laser, 1xMedium Pulse Laser, 1xStreak SRM-4, 2xER Medium Lasers
	Manufacturer: Coventry Metal Works Introduced: 3060 Model: HA1-O Class: Assault Cost: 12,938,860 C-bills Mass: 95 tons Chassis: Standard Armor: Standard Engine: 285 Fusion Speed: 54.0 km/h Jump Jets: None Armament: 2 x ER Large Lasers, 2 x Medium Pulse Lasers, 1 x ER Small Laser, 1 x LB-X Autocannon/20, 2 x Streak SRM-2s
	Manufacturer: Alshain BattleWorx Introduced: 3001 Model: Prime Class: Assault Cost: 35,713,073 C-bills Mass: 95 tons Chassis: Clan Series Assault SXE Armor: Arcadia Compound Delta VII Ferro-Fibrous Engine: Heavy Force 380 XL Communications System: Dash-2 Optima Speed: 64.8 km/h (86.4 km/h with MASC) Jump Jets: Pryzhok WM10 Armament: 1xGauss Rifle, 2xER Large Lasers, 2xMachine Guns
	Manufacturer: Defiance Industries of Hesperus II Introduced: 3063 Model: FNR-5 Class: Assault Cost: 11,470,000 C-bills Mass: 100 tons Chassis: Foundation Type 220 Endo Steel Armor: Durallex Speical Heavy V2 with CASE Engine: Vlar 300 Communications System: Angst Discom /w Guardian ECM Speed: 54 km/h Jump Jets: None Armament: 1xMedium Pulse Laser, 2xER Medium Lasers, 2xHeavy Gauss Rifles