Battletech is here! The new Mech Strategy game from Paradox Interactive and Harebrained Schemes is out now and it's one of the best games of the year.
But it's also a very tough game, and despite a wide range of tutorials and tooltips available in-game Battletech can still have a brutal learning curve. So let us help you out with our guide - Battletech: Everything You Need To Know!
Check out our list of the Best Strategy Games on PC!
Battletech - Where, When, and How To Move
The crux of winning at Battletech isn't shooting, it's moving. You've got to watch your step every turn, otherwise you might be walking into a trap.
Where To Move - the spaces marked with yellow dots are special terrain markers, so they could adds bonuses or negatives. Forests reduce hit chance but lower visibility, and Rough Terrain lowers stability but makes it easier to withstand melee attacks. Alternatively you might want to use the terrain itself as cover so you're not out in the open, which will make you a target for more than one enemy (which you don't want!).
When To Move - don't think you need to Sprint all the time just because you can't see an enemy. Take it slow and steady, and make sure to continuously have cover whenever possible. Most importantly - if you're in cover, or in a defensible position, feel free to let the enemy come to you. Hunker down and create your own trap.
How To Move - Easy, point and click right? Sort of. For starters, remember there are three movement types - Move (basic, can shoot or guard afterwards), Sprint (move further at the cost of a further action) and Jump (if you have Jump Jets). Jump can go further sometimes than even Sprint, or Up/Down easier, and you can still attack after using it - plus it can do a devastating Execute attack at the cost of some leg stability. Remember to use the right one.
Battletech - How To Avoid Overheating
Overheating is the biggest problem you'll face in combat. Use too many weapons too often and it'll damage your Mech by overheating - and if you Max your heat meter your Mech will shut down and give enemies a Close Call precision shot, as if you'd been knocked down. There are a number of ways to avoid overheating though.
- 1. Don't use all weapons - before you confirm an attack you'll see a list of your weapons on the right and their hit chances. If your heat is zero, and you're not expecting a long fight, feel free to fire everything - but otherwise, if some weapons have a poor hit chance or you just need to save some heat, maybe try turning them off?
- 2. Back off and Guard - if a Mech's running hot, and there's no way less than full weaponry will do, then there's only one choice - back off. Find some terrain cover, use Guard, cool down, and save the punishing hellfire until the next turn.
- 3. Stand in water - it'll lower movement, but standing in a body of water will make any Mech cool off far quicker.
- 1. Sell your stuff - guaranteed you'll be picking up loads of extra salvage you won't use. Check out weapons you never touch in particular. Best is Mechs - are there any light, fragile Mechs you never use? Sell 'em.
- 2. Watch what you buy - Ship upgrades, in particular, are very expensive, and while it's tempting to have one on the go at all times for Farah to sort out... don't. Treat yourself after a big contract, but otherwise don't over-spend. Likewise don't use up all your MechWarrior pods, there's no need to have that many pilots going.
- 3. Story missions get the biggest payouts - is Kamea begging you to do another mission? As long as you've got the Mechs and the Warriors, listen to her. Story missions are tough, but they'll give you a gigantic payout.
- 4. Choose local Contracts - no matter what system you visit, there will be two types of Contract - travel and local. Travel Contracts will (usually) pay you to get there, but if there's a high-pay, low-risk Contract in the local neighbourhood, go for that instead!
- 5. Try not to get blown up - repairing things is expensive!
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How To Get The Best Hit Chances
Now we're ready for some shooting, tex. Every weapon bought and equipped has a different hit chance, based on distance and line of sight. Obviously, getting complete line of sight on an enemy (a solid red line) is the best, just remember enemies will have the same too.
Range requires more thought. All weapons have their own shot range, from Close to Extreme, and that determines how good their hit chances will be. Get too far away and a gun with anything up to a Medium range might not even be an option. Get too close and Extreme or Long range weapons might have a low hit chance.
Here's a trick - click a Move spot to go to, but do not click Confirm. Hold the mouse pointer over an enemy and the game will show the hit chances for all weapons from that spot. Keep selecting different spots and find the one with the best hit chances across the board. Or, just turn off the weapons with a low hit chance. No point wasting ammo and heat.
Battletech - How To Manage Your Money
Just like real life, the biggest problem overall in Battletech is money - both getting it and keeping it. If you don't do Contracts fairly frequently, you'll run out of money. Here's some tips for getting money in Battletech!
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Do Not Trust The AI
Battletech AI is brutal and very human. Never, ever assume it'll go easy on you or give you a chance or a break, because it won't. Leave a Mech out in the open and enemy Mechs will pound on it relentlessly, knock it over, and keep on pounding on it even when its down - because you'd do that, right? Leave a Mech open for a melee attack and it'll probably get one, and the same goes for turning your back on an enemy.
Assume the AI is a sneaky human with no morals and a desire to win at all costs, and you'll be halfway to winning the battle.
And those are our most important Tips and Tricks for Battletech! Take these all to heart and you'll win the day for sure! Well, almost sure. Halfway positive. 40% sure. You'll be fine.
Do you have any cool advice for playing and winning at Battletech? Let everyone know in the comments below!
