GROUP EVENT Dynamic Battletech (PC) Campaign Sign-up

Alright you mech-heads!
I got some super spicy news that should really get the coolant flowing! ​

They said large-scale multiplayer for Battletech (PC) couldn't be done...



They were wrong...

Spoiler: How Battletech Coop Works

source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Battletech...i_you_can_now_play_battletech_coop_via_steam/

What is Steam Remote Play?
https://store.steampowered.com/streaming/

​

If you want this, sound off like you got a pair!
(vote above and comment below)



The Battletech Project page has all the juicy details here:
https://sites.google.com/view/skjaldborgproject/home/battletech

​

Campaign launch date is SOON! But before we start, we have things to discuss!

Our Custom Mod Pack available for download here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ySuV7bMweYyYweXmHgCID7g2F6Zni5HC?usp=sharing​

 

CAMPAIGN DETAILS UPDATE!
​

Before we start, there are some specific campaign parameters that must be discussed and decided on as a group. We may do a straw poll to help determine our course of action if it is considered necessary, but perhaps just chatting about it will suffice?

Spoiler: DECISION #1 STORY OR CAREER CAMPAIGN?

DECISION #1 STORY OR CAREER CAMPAIGN?

The Story campaign mostly follows the events of the Aurigan Civil War. Playing a key role in this conflict, you will be expected to fulfill certain obligations to progress the story, but you are otherwise given a fair amount of leeway. This is a good ice-breaker campaign for people new to the franchise as it includes some interesting set-piece battles and dialog to enjoy, but the campaign story itself remains relatively linear. Shorter "side quests" known as Flashpoints will also pop up at random to offer additional story & unique loot.

-or-

The Career campaign removes the main story elements and adds a scoring system to help you gauge how effective a mercenary unit you are. This includes a "soft" time limit, but you can continue playing after it has expired. It's good for new and old players alike, but is particularly great for returning players looking to sharpen their skills. Although less flashy and dialog heavy than the Story campaign, this mode gives you total freedom and Flashpoint side quests are still available to take whenever you want.

Spoiler: DECISION #2 - PRIVATE OR SHARED CREDITS?

DECISION #2 - PRIVATE OR SHARED CREDITS?
Will we track individual funds or as a single group?

Personal funding will require tracking additional documentation (Roll-20). If personal funding is selected, this extends to customization too.

-or-

Shared funding bewteen the whole group will be far easier to do, but will require everyone to cooperate fairly with funding of credits.

Spoiler: DECISION #3 - PRIVATE OR SHARED MECHS?

DECISION #3 - PRIVATE OR SHARED MECHS?
This is fairly straightforward. Beyond the initial 6 starting Mechs we will have, you can either:

• "Keep what you kill" - players can claim any mech they find duriing a session as their own; only ONE mech can be claimed at a time.
  -or-
• All Mechs will be "owned" by the unit and will be assigned to players by officers or the GM as required.

In both scenarios, players can still request to pilot a specific mech as long as supplies remain available.

Spoiler: DECISION #4 - STARTING MECH SELECTION

DECISION #4 - STARTING MECH SELECTION
Top 5 Players from our tournament will decide our starting mechs for the campaign. Each mechs must be valued at LESS THAN 5 million C-bills. Remaining C-bills will be rolled into starting funds.

STARTING MECH LIST <-click here

• TBA
• TBA
• TBA
• Trevnor - pick one mech, +400 xp
• Blackfire - pick one mech, +400 xp

Aternatively, if players choose it, starting mech force may be determined based on starting position:
FACTION-SPECIFIC FORCE SELECTOR

Finally, players that didn't get to pick a mech may add their starting funds to the unit's coffers to be used for purchasing a mech later in-game (at GM discretion).

Spoiler: DECISION #5 - HEAVY METAL LOOT CRATE

DECISION #5 - HEAVY METAL LOOT CRATE
With the Heavy Metal DLC, you are awarded a randomized loot crate of ONE mech plus some samples of rare weaponry at the start of a new campaign. The winner of the tournament may:

• opt in for this loot crate
  -or-
• may forgo the loot crate in favor of a second starting mech of their choice (value must be =/<5 million C-bills).

Spoiler: DECISION #6 - PLAYER CHARACTER PARAMETERS

DECISION #6 - PLAYER CHARACTER PARAMETERS
By default, a campaign starts with one Player Character (PC) and four additional NPCs pilots. Since the original PC is unkillable, they will be held in reserve as a backup pilot if a group is short a pilot (or used by the GM). Each player will then select one of the starting NPCs as their new "PC". They may customize them however they see fit using the in-game pilot customizer. Additional pilots can be added as needed at the Hiring Hall. ALL pilot skills may be retrained with the Training Module upgrade once it is acquired in-game. All pilots acquired this way at the start of a campaign are subject to the following rules:

• Default Customization - Customizing you character is limited to in-game customization options. Cosmetic changes are always available, but starting Pilot Skills & Quirks are randomized. Again, skill retraining is possible, but can only be done with the in-game Training Module upgrade. Pilot Quirks cannot be modified at all (although players are welcome to re-roll their character once per session). This is the simplest option.
  -or-
• Advanced Customization - Along with the default customization options, the GM can use a save editor to further tweak new player characters. NOTE: this should only be done ONCE per character.
  • This includes:
    • Starting Total Skill XP
    • Pilot Quirks (these include personality and background info; full list here)
  • CHOOSE ONE:
    • FIXED STARTING XP: if using Advanced Customization, recommended set starting Skill XP is 1800 for new characters
      -or-
    • RANDOMIZED STARTING XP: Alternatively, each player can roll 2d6 and multiply the result by 250 to determine their total XP.
  • BUYING XP: Players may spend their remaining starting funds to increase their starting XP; 1,000 C-bills for every 100 XP.
  • CHOOSE ONE:
    • DEFAULT PC REPLACEMENT - New characters after campaign start are not customized with save editor and can ONLY be modified using in-game customization (bonuses from hiring better ranked pilots are retained).
      -or-
    • ADVANCED PC REPLACEMENT - New characters after campaign start will be handled the same as before using the rules listed above (bonuses from hiring better ranked pilot are lost).

Spoiler: DECISION #7 - STARTING LOCATION (CAREER CAMPAIGN ONLY)

DECISION #7 - STARTING LOCATION (CAREER CAMPAIGN ONLY)
While the original Player Character will likely not see regular use, their choice of origin will determine the whole unit's starting location on the campaign map in Career mode. At least initially, this will have some effect for available mechs and equipment to purchase on the market. This can possibly impact initial equipment choices for most players. Your choices are:

• Draconis Combine
• Free Worlds League
• Federated Suns
• Lyran Commonwealth
• Capellan Confederation
• Magistracy of Canopus
• Taurian Concordat
• Rimward Periphery
• Deep Periphery

Alternatively, we can roll 1d9 to determine starting location.

 

DECISION #8 - DIFFICULTY SETTINGS
On top of everything above, there are also in-game difficulty settings that must be considered.

Example:

NOTE: This is Story Campaign settings. Career Campaign options are slightly different.

Regarding Career Score...
It is used only in the Career Campaign. It will affect your high score which can be used to gauge how well you are doing. There is no advantage to it other than for "bragging rights" and unlocking Steam achievements. For purposes of maximizing score, there is also no benefit to maxing out difficulty settings as you cannot exceed +100% score bonuses; feel free to mix and match to suit your preferences as needed.

Spoiler: SETTINGS EXPLAINED

SETTINGS EXPLAINED

Unequipped Mechs
(New Game Only, Career Score +20%)

When you collect enough salvage to build a new mech, it will be bare of weapons instead of automatically equipped with weapons and ready to deploy. While this is more "realistic" since the equipment is already striped during post-mission salvage step, enabling it will slow down mech deployment as it must be outfitted first before being deployed.​

Ironman Mode
(New Game Only, Career Score +20%)

You can't make manual saves or save-scum. Games are automatically saved, and you must live with your every decision... and save corruption if you are unlucky. RECOMMEND TURNING OFF DUE TO POSSIBILITY OF SAVEFILE CORRUPTION; you can effectively emulate this by discouraging save-scumming practices.​

Reduced Argo Upgrade Costs
(New Game Only, Career Campaign Only, default OFF, Career Score +5% if OFF)

Reduces cost of Argo upgrades.​

Parts for Mech Assembly
(New Game Only, range 3-7 [default 3], Career Score up to +20%)

This setting decides how many parts you need to build a new mech. It has a big impact on the grinding it takes to upgrade your team, and you can't change it later, so don't change it unless you really want more of a challenge in reconstructing salvaged mech parts.​

Randomize Starting 'Mechs
(New Game Only, Career Campaign Only)

Do not expect anything amazing out of it (limits to mostly lights and smaller medium mechs); unlikely to have any lasting effect on difficulty or score.​

Skip Tutorial
(New Game Only, Story Campaign Only)

Skip the first two tutorial missions which does not affect the campaign's start state. It does not skip the third tutorial mission, where you recapture two bases for a group of miners. The result of the mission is carried over to the campaign as normal.​

Enemy Force Strength
(Career Score up to +10%)

A double-edged sword. Facing stronger enemies also mean you'll get better salvages when you win and if you win. Almost guaranteed to cause your mechs to spend more time repairing and replacing lost locations.​

'Mech Destruction
(default OFF, Career Score +10%)

If your mech's CT is destroyed, the whole mech is a total loss. No repair. Eject your pilots before that happens prevents total loss. Its remaining equipments will be recovered after random salvages are rolled. Turning on makes early ejection a more viable tactic.​

Salvage
(Career Score up to +15%)

Determines average amount of salvage you get from missions.​

Lethality
(Default OFF, Career Score +10%)

When off, even if a pilot loses all hit points during combat (for whatver reason), there is a chance they will survive anyway. However, the survival chance is not high anyway, so this setting has limited impact over the course of the whole campaign. Turned on, this guarantees that losing all hit points will kill the pilot; making pilot hits much scarier and early ejection more viable.​

Advanced Mechwarriors
(Career Score up to +10%)

Affect how often experienced mechwarriors will be available for recruit. They will have more skills and character tags (for easier event triggers), but still requires high reputation to hire. You can always fall back to newbie, of course, there is never a shortage of them, but they are no replacement of veterans.​

Contract Payment
(Career Score up to +15%)

Determines average amount of cash payout you get from missions.​

Mechwarrior Progression
(Career Score up to +20%)

Mainly as a way to delay the grind to 10/10/10/10 max rank pilot. Has an impact but not as big as mech parts and salvages. Slow it down if you don't like bullying less skilled opponents with your superior pilots, or speed it up if you want to grind less.​

No Rare Salvage
(Default OFF, Career Score +10%)

Regardless of this setting, the AI never use rare gear. They appear as salvage only for you. Disable it will severely constrains your rare equipment, making them far more valuable than the mechs you put them on. Not for the faint of heart!​

Additional info can be found here:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/205058-battletech/faqs/75955/campaign

 

==========================
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
==========================

Maintenance Costs: (WIP)
Running an army costs money... lots of money. Battletech allows you to track that with its Finances menu. Here you can see what your operation costs and pilot salaries. If you have upgraded your funding to temporarily improve morale and services, this will also be displayed here.

In this campaign, Mech maintenance costs are based on a percentage of the total value of the unit (better Mechs = more $$). Pilot salaries are based on how skilled they are (better skills = more $$). Keep in mind that as operating costs continue to rise (due to having better Mechs and better skilled pilots), it will require the player group to seek out more valuable contracts. Higher risk will mean higher reward. It will be up to the player group to decide what their comfort level is.

Also, don't forget that some Mechs or Pilot Quirks may reduce or increase these values. For example, the Warhammer (70 ton Heavy Mech) is legendary for its ruggedness. This makes it almost as cheap to maintain as some medium Mechs such as the Shadow Hawk or Centurion. Forgoing more advanced weapon systems for more common technology can also help to reduce operating costs.

At the GM's discretion, a max maintenance cost value may be set for all players to prevent a "runaway budget" from happening. With GM's approval, players may upgrade or trade in their limit for additional rewards to offset the higher costs of others.



=======================================

Mech Quirks: (WIP)
Almost all Mechs come with some specific design quirks that make them more unique from others. These are inherent to each design and cannot be added or removed. A full list of available Mech Quirks may be posted at a later time. Easiest way to check is to load up the game with my mod pack installed.

Spoiler: EXAMPLES

• DHS Cooling = Mech's engine comes standard with Double Heat Sinks
• Rugged = 25% reduction of maintenance costs
• Easy To Maintain = 25% reduction in repair costs
• Combat Computer = -3 Heat Emission
• Command Mech = +1 Initiative to whole lance during combat until fired upon
• Cowl = Increased armor around cockpit
• Weak Head = Reduced armor around cockpit
• Cramped = Increased risk of injury during ejection
• MultiTrac = +1 Accuracy when using MultiTrac ability
• Narrow Profile = -1 Accuracy to enemies that fire at you
• No Arms / Minimal Arms = is difficult to stand up after a fall; for the duration of Turn after standing, enemies get +2 Accuracy when firing at you
• No Torso Twist = reduced firing arc by 30%
• Extended Torso Twist / Actuators = increased firing arc by 60%

NOTE: Full list of Mech Quirks can be found in attachments.
=======================================

Character Quirks: (WIP)
All characters come with a range of random Quirks that help to flesh out their story and personality as well as occasionally affect the outcome of random events.



If using Advanced Character Creation, players can modify these at character creation (via save editor). By default, all characters have TWO points to spend for Quirks. Players may add negative quirks to gain more points to spend. You cannot add the same Quirk twice. Quirks cannot be manually removed once added. Characters cannot have more than FIVE Quirks to start with (not including a Pilot Origin quirk).

• [+] = cost 1 point
• [-] = cost -1 point
• [n] = no cost
• [r] = can only be earned as a reward from the GM for exceptional performance

Spoiler: LIST OF PILOT QUIRKS

Pilot Origin [n] (pick only one): where are you from...? may affect some random event outcomes.
"pilot_assassin" [+] : "Decreased XP cost for leveling Gunnery.",
"pilot_athletic" [+] : "Less Fatigue generated from combat.",
"pilot_bookish" [n] : "Decreased XP cost for leveling Tactics. Increased XP cost for leveling Guts." ,
"pilot_brave" [+] : "Increase to Panic resistance.",
"pilot_cautious" [n] : "Pilot is harder to hit, but suffers to-hit penalties.",
"pilot_command" [r r] : "Bonus XP for every pilot in a lance if a Command Pilot is present.",
"pilot_comstar" [+] : "Decreased cost for Argo upgrades.",
"pilot_criminal" [n] : "Bonus C-Bills when taking a contract from Pirates.",
"pilot_dependable" [+] : "Decreased chance of ejecting due to panic.",
"pilot_disgraced" [-] : "Decreased company morale while this pilot is around.",
"pilot_dishonest" [-] : "Causes different types of mischief every month." ,
"pilot_drunk" [n] : "When Fatigued: +1 to-hit, -1 evasion pips, 100% chance to avoid panic ejection.",
"pilot_gladiator" [+] : "Less resolve lost when fatigued and does not get Low Spirits from fatigue.",
"pilot_honest" [+] : "Increased company morale.",
"pilot_jinxed" [- -] : "Harder for this pilot to hit while also being easier to be hit by the enemy.",
"pilot_klutz" [-] : "Increased XP cost to level Piloting and a small chance to eject when knocked down.",
"pilot_lostech" [+] : "Increased chance to hit when using LosTech weapons.",
"pilot_lucky" [+] : "Reduced chance to suffer wounds in combat.",
"pilot_mechwarrior" [+ +] : "Moderate bonus to starting XP.",
"pilot_merchant" [+] : "Discount to buying items at shops.",
"pilot_military" [+] : "Small bonus to starting XP.",
"pilot_naive" [-] : "Reduced XP gained from combat.",
"pilot_noble" [n] : "Mood changes based upon funding.",
"pilot_officer" [r] : "Increased Resolve per turn if an Officer or the Commander is in the lance.",
"pilot_rebellious" [-] : "Reduced Resolve when in combat with an Officer or the Company Commander.",
"pilot_reckless" [n] : "Increased chance to hit in combat while being easier to be hit by the enemy.",
"pilot_spacer" [+] : "Pilot has reduced injury times.",
"pilot_tech" [+] : "Increased MechTech Skill.",
"pilot_unstable" [n] : "Pilot's mood changes every day.",
"pilot_wealthy" [n] : "Pilot generates extra fatigue per mission and has no maximum fatigue days. Reduced maintenance cost per month.",

=======================================

Random FYI regarding the campaign: (WIP)

• When calculating drop costs, the first 200 tons are free. After that, .1% of the total lance value is deducted from the total mission payout.
• Higher levels in Piloting will improve chances of retaining evasion pips when under fire.
• Stability Threshold (how easy it is to be knocked down from damage), is affected by the size of your Mech as well as Piloting skill.
• Ace Pilot will protect evasion by an additional 40%!
• Pilots can become "Fatigued" due to excessive combat actions or random negative events. This will temporarily reduce effectiveness of a pilot (but they can still fight). Guts Skill, Pilot Quirks, or simply waiting can reduce or eliminate Fatigue.

=======================================

 

Personally, I think we should do the following:
1: I'd personally prefer Career mode. I did finish the story, but also Don't mind playing it again.
2: Shared Credits, just for an easier time of things.
3: I like the Keep what you kill more than shared assets. But open to either.
4: We're a merc unit, what's the sense in getting locked down with any specific house?
5: Can't say much, I'm not the winner.
6: I'd prefer Advanced Customization rules, with Fixed starting XP.
7: Starting point? Maybe just roll a d9 in Roll20 and randomize the starting point?
8: Honestly, I'd be okay with settings as pictured.

 

My responses should be taken with a healthy grain of 'not worth as much because he didn't participate in the tournament'

1. I too prefer Career mode
2. Minimize the upkeep and workload, there's enough to manage in life. Let's Share and share alike
3. Let's TRY keep with you kill, but with the caveat that we may need to adjust as we go. If life becomes unbearable for people because they feel stuck, We all Lift Together.
4. I ain't in tourney, I'll take whatever clunker I given
5. Looty scooty
6. Advanced and fixed
7. Let's roll, good idea Trev
8. With the chance of errors doing multiplayer like this, no Ironman seems like a mandatory. I wonder if we should up the mech parts to 4 to make things a bit more of a challenge. I wouldn't mind upping the Force Strength and Payment myself, but I'm DTF, whatevs.

 

I'm backiing up all files and re-installing the game on my SSD storage. This will hopefully improve load times significantly.

 

updated info! (see above)

 

Thank you delicious friend.

 

A full list of Mech Quirks has now been posted above in the related post. I have included it in this post as well for easy reference.

Keep in mind that while ALL mechs have their official canon quirks assigned (as close as possiible) as expected, a few that are notorious under-performers have had some additional traits added to make them more useful.

For example, the UrbanMech is the quintessentiial "budget mech" but did not have Easy To Maintain or Rugged. These quirks have been added. Make no mistake, these do not change the fact that the UrbanMech is an absolute deathtrap, but they do make it *slightly* more attractive to actually use in a campaign... you can use the extra money you will save for a nicer funeral.

This was deemed necessary to compensate for some of the minor power creep introduced with the Mechs added from the DLC packs. You should now find that the base game Mechs are relatively just as viable as some of the newer DLC Mechs.

 

Ability Rebalance and Pilot Class Spotlight​

Gunnery

• Moves Breaching Shot to first ability slot [justification = Breaching Shot stacks better with abilities and is useful on any mech with at least one "big gun"].
• Moves Multi-shot to second ability slot [justification = Multishot is extremely powerful for stripping evasion, but only stacks with Breaching Shot].

Piloting

• Remains unchanged
• Synergizes with Semi-Permanent Evasion mod (also included in campaign); Ace Pilot gives buffs to preventing evasion loss when taking fire.

Guts

• Bulwark is unchanged, but watch out for Breaching Shot which is much more common now.
• Coolant Vent replaced with Mighty Charging Juggernaut to encourage more aggressive tactical options; gives additional defensive buff when engaging in melee.

Tactics

• Moves Master Tactician to first ability slot [justification = helps all mechs regardless of weight class; good for more general use].
• Changed Master Tactician name to "Brilliant Tactician" since you haven't "mastered" anything.
• Moves Sensor Lock to second ability [justification = more specialized of the two skills; only really good on mechs willing to sacrifice their weapon firing turn].

Other Effects:

• changes apply to enemy abilities as well; expect to encounter Breaching Shot and Master Tactician much more often.
• prevents the favored "cheese-tactic" of spamming Sensor Lock in Skirmish (only one vanilla pilot available with Sensor Lock by default).
• allows Master Tactician to stack with Ace Pilot and/or Juggernaut for players that want to use more aggressive tactics that utilize speed and evasion.

Pilot Class Spotlight
Below are some examples of recommended combos for Pilot Abilities​

Grenadier - the ultimate choice for a "heavy fire-support" role. The Grenadier is meant to resist heavy incoming fire while also delivering in kind. Breaching Shot allows them to penetrate cover bonuses easily and Multi-Shot ensures that they can maximize their damage potential. Although they can be aggressive when necessary, their comfort zone is firing from a distance while in cover to take advantage of Bulwark (this only works when you HAVE cover). If they can do this from the top of a hill, all the better. Any well armed and armored Mech is ideal for them; the heavier the better. This class is very easy to use and great for players of all skill levels.


Scout - the perfect companion for any fire-support. The Scout is less about dealing damage and more about setting up targets for others to more easily destroy. The key point to a Scout is Sensor Lock which allows the Scout to mark evasive targets for destruction. For defense, the Scout benefits from mobility; Brilliant Tactician ensures they will always have the Initiative advantage and Sure Footing gives them more evasion and knockdown resistance. While Sensor Lock does prevent them from firing in combat, it is not always necessary to use; in such cases the Scout can be more aggressive by flanking and attacking enemy rear armor. Faster, smaller Mechs are ideal as Sensor Lock usage precludes the use of heavy firepower and the extra mobility will allow them to harass an enemy's rear. This is the ideal recon class for players that want a more support or harassing role.


Skirmisher - when mobility and evasion is priority, accept no substitutes. The Skirmisher is a whirling dervish of death and destruction. While they benefit from no offensive abilities, their unparalleled evasion means they can control the pace of battle; picking when and where they attack. This allows them to exploit enemy weaknesses for devastating effect. Brilliant Tactician ensures they will always have the Initiative advantage and Sure Footing gives them more evasion and knockdown resistance. Finally, Ace Piloting allows them to move AFTER firing; a key component for hit & run tactics. Any faster Medium or Heavy Mech with Jump Jets is ideal for this role (the faster Assaults also work okay). This class rewards skilled players who know how to be aggressive, but will punish players who make mistakes.


Gladiator - a punishing aggressor, crush your enemies and see them driven before you. The Gladiator is an implacable battering ram of destruction. While the Grenadier prefers a more defensive stance to deal with multiple targets from afar, the Gladiator is best for pushing in close and demolishing one target at a time. Bulwark allows them to move from cover to cover to close the distance and shrug off most attacks. Breaching Shot allows them to maximize the potential of their biggest gun (AC/20s, LRM/20s, and/or Gauss Rifles are recommended). Finally, if their heat is running high or they can't get a good shot on a target, Juggernaut gives them added protection when attacking in melee. By far the most specialized on this list, this class is ideal for Mechs with good mobility, strong melee stats, and with firepower built around one big gun (or maybe two for different ranges); the Hunchback and Victor are gold standards, but there are others. This class offers a lot of potential, but is recommended only for players with the skill to use them effectively.

 

PROGRESS REVIEW!
(getting a lot closer)
======================
BTEX - Magnus Edition ver1.0
======================
+Release!
=======================
BTEX - Magnus Edition ver1.0.5
=======================
+Reduced Repair Time costs (by ~half).
+Added Friendly Fire mod (watch your fire).
======================
BTEX - Magnus Edition ver1.1
======================
+increased starting cash from 1 million to 25 million (or 5 million per starting pilot)
+improved Repair Rates & starting Mech/MedTech levels
======================
BTEX - Magnus Edition ver1.2
======================
+Adjusted Locust 1V, 1E hardpoints
+Adjusted repair settings
+added 1 Energy (RA) to Assassin
+added 2 more hardpoints (various) to all Vulcan variants
+added Mission Control mod
+added Commander Portrait Loader mod
-removed conflicting contract files from BT_Extended - was causing contracts to not load
-removed GDL flashpoint mods - requires missing mech files to load
======================
BTEX - Magnus Edition ver1.3
======================
+another balance pass on all mechs (too many to list)
-removed conflicting vehicle files from BTEX_Extended - was causing convoy missions to not load
-removed conflicting weapon files from BTEX_Extended - was causing Mech Rifles to not load correctly
-removed Shadow Hawk 2K (redundant and not needed)
======================
BTEX - Magnus Edition ver1.4
======================
+added Pilot Quirk readme file - explains what pilot quirks do
+added CompanyTags readme file - lists all company tags for flashpoints and Argo upgrades
+added MightyChargingJuggernaut mod - removes the boring Coolant Flush ability for a more interesting melee-focused buff
+added Portraits For Starting Ronins (works wth CPL mod) - adds painted portraits for starting lancemates in story campaign
+added Monthly Morale Reset mod - simple solution to make Argo facility upgrades for morale more impactful in late-game
+contract quantity increased 10 -> 20 per planet to compensate for higher travel costs & maintenance
+breadcrumb missions increased from 3 to 5
+sellback values increased: equipment 10% -> 40%, mech parts 8% -> 25%, destroyed equipment 8% -> 10%
+default max specials increased from 2 -> 4
+fixed Commander Portrait Loader portraits; fixed low quality pictures and removed VIP pics; added a few new ones
+fixed BTSimpleMechAssembly to work without the Argo's Machine Shop upgrade & Mech speed match requirement
+fixed bug in Mechwarrior Barracks not showing modded changes to Specializations
+adjusted overall Pilot monthly salary to matter less what their starting skills were: Base Skill Pay 750 -> 200, per added Skill Point 500 -> 800
+MedTechCostPerQuarter increased 3000 -> 6000
-removed Monthly Tech & Morale Adjustment mod as it was partially bugged and not really adding anything important

 

Newest build!

======================
BTEX - Magnus Edition ver1.5
======================
+added Melee Mover mod - you can now attack with melee up to sprint range (still uses normal move attack button, but you can melee up to sprint range)
+improved Earthwerks Chassis module 25% Crit Defense -> 40% (affects some Earthwerks chassis; ie. Thunderbolt; may be added to more later)
+fixed tool tips in Mechwarrior Barracks for all Class Specializations - they now display correctly
+the Chariot Chassis module will now be reserved for classic "Cavalry Mechs" like the Dragon, Zeus, Banshee, etc. (faster Mechs that don't typically use JJs)

+removed Chariot Chassis on Hatchetman - don't worry, you won't miss it now that Melee Mover exists​

BTEX CombatGameConstants:

+reduced to-hit attack penalty 6 -> 3 for "sprint & shoot" with Chariot Chassis module
+reduced indirect fire to-hit attack penalty 4 -> 3
+added "move & shoot" to-hit attack penalty 0 -> 1 - you will now be slightly more accurate when you remain stationary (why wasn't this in vanilla?)​

+fixed ALL mechs in Skirmish mode that were not saving custom designs correctly (over a dozen)
+completed another balance pass for all light Mech hardpoints and modules; engineers speak of a fabled Locust known as the "Rocket Bug", but is it real?
-removed Chariot Chassis module from the Banshee 3S (the good/slow Banshee)
-removed Target Baffle modules from Flea (not canon) and improved its hardpoints some to make up for it
*shout out to Dihm, 8ball, and Gihzmo for their help in bug hunting! Many hands make light work! Thanks again!

 

YAR, here we go: Demetri 'Dihm' Ordhoyttaler

• Quirks: pilot_tortuga, pilot_unstable, pilot_drunk, pilot_criminal, pilot_spacer, pilot_assassin
• Abilities: 3s across the board
• XP remaining: 323
• Picture: guiTxrPort_LordCommander_utr
• Voice: m_pro02_david
• Assumptions: Characters start with 2 in all Abilities

Cross post on Discord

 

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BTEX - Magnus Edition ver1.6 -- (the Sweat, Baby, Sweat Patch)
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+all types of movement now have additional penalties (heat, acuracy, and/or stability) - this is in line with rules defined in the tabletop game

+added Demanding Jumps mod - for jumping, there will now be a to-hit attack penalty (+2 [jumping] + 1 [moving] = +3 to-hit [same as "move & shoot")

+Jumping also deals stability penalty now; this can be offset with better skills in Piloting and/or Quirks (RIP 24/7 360* no-scope jumping bean cheese tactics)
+expanded use of "Easy To Pilot", "Nimble Jumper", or "Stable" quirks to more Mechs that come stock with JJs; makes them more distinct from non-JJ Mechs.
+you can still put JJs on any Mech, but using JJs on Mechs that come standard with them will be better suited for excessive use of Jump Jets.
+gave the Assassin the rare 'Extended Torso Twist' Quirk as it benefits more from that than JJs - its fast enough without JJs; use the free tonnage for more armor!​

+walking and sprinting now add 2 and 4 heat respectively; keep an eye on those dials!​

+added Don't Shoot The Dead mod - you will no longer waste Support weapon ammo/heat on targets already killed by your successful melee attack
+reduced "sprint & shoot" to-hit penalty further (3 -> 2) since it requires (semi-rare) Chariot Chassis and brings it in line with normal "jump & shoot"
+updated Panic System phrases so that Mechwarriors do less "crying for mommy" (suck it up, you pussies!)
+completed another balance pass for all medium, heavy, and assault mech hardpoints and modules - no further changes expected in the near future
+the Cyclops gets Chariot Chassis and joins the ranks of the "Cavalry Mechs" (ie. mechs that are generally better off WITHOUT jumpjets)
+moved Corean B-Tech module out of head of all Centurions & Trebuchets to give players the option for other head upgrades.
+the old Enhanced Missilery System module (normally found only on the Archer) has been toned down for balance reasons (it was way too OP in vanilla)

+the old LRM only missile clustering buff was reduced by ~33%, but now works for ALL missiles.
+the old SRM only stab dmg buff has been replaced with a general +1 accuracy buff for ALL missiles.
+it can now also be found fitted on the Kintaro​

 

FINAL PATCH BEFORE CAMPAIGN STARTS!
(not released yet)
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BTEX - Magnus Edition ver1.7 (the Raining Fire Patch)
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+added the Improved Tracking System (ITS) module: +1 bonus to all weapon accuracy at long range
+added the Starbeam 270 Tactical Missile System (TMS) module: bonus to missile clustering and +1 SRM & Narc accuracy
+added the Prioritized Capacitors module:

+adds +15% dmg to PPCs & Large Lasers; puts it on par with Ballistics version
+will help out Mechs that rely on PPCs & Lrg Lasers to do most of their damage
+this will replace most (but not all) Mechs that used to have the Optimized Capacitors module​

+improved Ballistic Compensator module by removing -1 recoil supression and adding +1 accuracy (overall net positive, especially for pilots that already have recoil reduction skills).
+King Crab now has a Ballistic Compensator module to make up for its other shortcomings - logic: its dangerous, but thin-skinned, easily flanked, and most of its firepower comes from ballistics
+Annihilator & Atlas got +1 Energy hardpoint in each arm - logic: will offer more flexibility in loadouts.
+Phoenix Hawk 1K (the one with no Vectored Jump Jets) got some changes to put it on par with the other P.Hawks:

+switched Nimble Jumper for Stable quirk
+now has Chariot Chassis module - logic: to make up for its mobility shortcomings; now has the distinction of being the lightest Mech to have this module.
+gained 1 Energy & 1 Support hardpoint​

+all Marauders now have the Prioritized Capacitors module (on par with the Warhammers); this will make stock Marauders much more of a threat and brings back their "sniper" flavor
+both Black Knights got some TLC with quirks & hardpoints to make them on par with other top-tier heavies; they're now ready to lead any charge into hellfire
+both Spiders lacked sufficient "Leeroy Jenkins" flavor so now have the CQC module to make them more dangerous (for everyone involved). Ride. into. the. danger zone.
+improved all Panther & Vindicator hardpoints and/or skirmish/sniper capabilities, they are now much more capable in their intended roles.
+updated Javelin, Griffin, Kintaro, Catapult & Archer to make them a bit more distinct in their ideal roles (and/or according to canon):

+Javelin/Kintaro = missile/laser brawler
+Panther/Vindicator/Griffin = sniper/skirmisher
+Cat/Archer = long range heavy fire support
+equipped ITS module on Javelin 10A, and all Griffins, Catapults, & Archers to make them distinct from other Mechs
+equipped TMS module on Javelin 10N and Kintaro​

+improved hardpoints for Dragon & Grand Dragon (-1 Ballistic, +1 Energy) - the extra ballistic slot was not helpful; changes should now give the Dragons a little more bite
+improved Wolverine to put it more on par with its competition:

+improved hardpoints for Wolverine 6R as it really benefitted from at least one more Energy hardpoint (-1 Missile, +1 Energy)
+both Wolverines also now have the Starbeam 270 module (although they can't exploit it to the extent the Kintaro can; this is intentional).​

-removed Easy To Repair quirk from Griffin, Shadow Hawk, and Wolverine; it was just a placeholder for other quirks that aren't in the PC game (and they are still plenty good without it).
+all turrets have been upgraded with Heavy Machine Guns (replacing any Flamers or MGs); logic: Flamers/MGs have too short of range to be effective turret weapons; and yes, these can be salvaged for fun and profit!
+in addition to other evasion bonuses, lances now start "Guarded" when hotdropped into combat.
+fixed starting spawns in Skirmish Mode to work like vanilla Skirmish (turns out my suspicions were right; it was a setting in the Mission Control mod).
-rolled back indirect fire penalty changes from 1.5 (penalty to hit +3 -> +4) - logic: there should be *some* penalty even at max Tactics (can still be reduced further with quirks/equipment)
-reduced damage bonus for top tier arm actuator modules; progression is now more incrimental:

+OLD = 5,10,15,20,30,60,60 (last one is 3 slots instead of 4)
+NEW = 5,10,15,20,25,30,30 (last one is 3 slots instead of 4)
+this will bring it in line with the Stb dmg versions.​

+fixed ALL load errors going on "under the hood" found in ModTek.log (except CAB stuff for "reasons", but these can be safely ignored without consequence)

 

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BTEX - Magnus Edition ver1.7 (the Raining Fire Patch)
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(CONTINUATION OF ABOVE)

+the -90m min range trait for Tiegart PPCs has been replaced with a far more useful one: dealing double EMP sensor damage to a target; this will noticeably impair the aim of anyone you hit with it.

+this was extended to all ER PPCs as well​

+Tier 0 Lostech equipment is now unlocked for testing in Skirmish.
+added partial replacement for GoK HM assetbundle in BT_Extended_CE (for easier access editting in future updates)

BTEX-ME ver1.7 is now available for download!
This will be the LAST major update before we start the campaign!
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ySuV7bMweYyYweXmHgCID7g2F6Zni5HC?usp=sharing

 

Our Roll20 Character sheet template is made and ready to rock!

This will help us track data for the Battletech campaign (and other games in the future).

Don't forget to register with our event manager on Roll20.

Here's the link::
https://app.roll20.net/join/8500696/BR-L7A