Nov 21, 2019
LIVE - BATTLETECH Update 1.8 and Heavy Metal Paid Expansion Release Notes
BATTLETECH - Harebrained Schemes
Thank you for playing BATTLETECH! Release 1.8 is now available! This release contains a number of content additions, cool new features, official mod support, as well as bug fixes and optimizations. We have also released the Heavy Metal paid expansion. Both 1.8 and Heavy Metal have French, German, and Russian localizations.

Release 1.8 Notes, 11/21/2019
1.8 HIGHLIGHTS: 2 free classic BattleMechs: Marauder and Warhammer, mod support, over 40 new contracts, 2 new maps, new events, performance optimizations, and more… See details in the “New Free Features & Content” section below.

BATTLETECH: Heavy Metal expansion now available: Heavy Metal contains 7 classic BattleMechs, 1 brand new “HBS Original” BattleMech, 8 new weapon systems, and a new linked Flashpoint campaign that brings you face-to-face with two legendary characters from BattleTech lore!

Purchase the Season Pass to get a deal on all three BATTLETECH expansions (Flashpoint, Urban Warfare, and Heavy Metal)!



BATTLETECH update 1.8 and the Heavy Metal paid expansion are available now for Steam, GOG, and Paradox Plaza on Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. Note for Paradox Plaza users: After purchase of the Heavy Metal expansion, you will need to be logged in within the game in order to see Heavy Metal content.

Where to find your new Heavy Metal paid expansion content: All new ‘Mechs have been added to the general pool for spawning enemy lances, and all of them can be found in the stores of planets controlled by different factions. New weapon systems can be reliably found in various stores using our new star map filters (see below). Please note: new weapons systems are not available in skirmish mode (including multiplayer). As an added bonus, starting a new Career Mode will prompt you with an offer from your MechTech Yang to give you a new Heavy Metal ‘Mech and some weapons that “fell off the back of a freighter.” A different batch of items will be available every time you start a new career.

We hope you enjoy our latest BATTLETECH releases!

-- HBS

IMPORTANT: Additional note for players who mod various game files… Guess what? Modding is now officially supported! What does that mean (other than this repeated release note warning can finally go away)? See details in the “New Free Features & Content” section below.

New Free Features & Content
  • Classic BattleMechs
    • MARAUDER (75 Tons) - perhaps the most iconic 'Mech in BattleTech, known for its ability to hang back and snipe from a distance. Its Lance Command Module decreases the damage taken by it and its allies and gives a boost to Called Shots.
    • WARHAMMER (70 Tons) - known for dealing devastating particle cannon strikes, it exists to destroy other 'Mechs quickly and efficiently. Its Optimized Capacitor Feeds increase the damage of all equipped Energy weapons.
  • Official Mod Support - With this release of BATTLETECH, we are introducing official mod support to the game and now support the ModTek format that the modding community is currently using. Mod locations are now external to the game, making them more portable and less prone to Steam interference and breakage. We’ve also added new mod management UI to the main menu to streamline mod use. As usual, use mods at your own risk. Some mods may not work at launch. In-game modding tools are not included.
    • Formalized mod installation location and process
      • We have included documentation on where to find mods, how to add/delete mods, and links to the BATTLETECH modding community.
    • Simpler mod injection process
      • The current approach effectively requires a mod for mod support to be enabled. Our version will integrate the mod loading process into BATTLETECH, allowing modders to focus more on mod generation rather than mod loading.
    • Support for most existing mods with minimal changes to their existing data format
    • Save game mod awareness. Save games that include active mods become unavailable if those mods are uninstalled or disabled.
    For more information, see the Readme document located within the Battletech files on your computer at the following locations:
  • New Maps - Two new maps bring even more variety to your contracts: Jumbled Karst (an iconic rock formation set between two valleys), and Boulder Field (rolling hills and rocks dot this battle scarred landscape)

  • New contracts - Over 40 new contracts, including new recurring allied and enemy NPCs, and new contract variants that mix up the missions you’ve seen in new and unexpected ways. Battle a dangerous solo mercenary, train a group of overly enthusiastic rookies, and serve as the personal bodyguard of an arrogant noble.

  • New Events - We’ve added a slew of new mercenary travel Events to “enhance” your mercenary life.

  • New Star Map Weapon Store Filters - We’ve added a new filter dropdown to the star map that lets you view planetary industry by type and a tooltip that tells you what you can find in each star system.

  • Rebalanced Stores & LosTech - We’ve completely overhauled how weapons and equipment appear in our stores. Finding items is now more straightforward. We’ve also given LosTech items a boost in power to fit their legendary status.

  • New Mech Viewer - Get a close-up, rotatable view of your ‘Mech and customize its paint pattern directly in the Mech Lab!

  • New Merc Company Crests - Scads of new emblems to choose from for your mercenary company, drawn from notable factions throughout the Inner Sphere. Roleplay your heart out!

  • New Mech Variants
    • Locust LCT-1E - The 1E Locust packs only Lasers for its armament, for better overall damage without the risk of ammo explosions. It runs quite a bit hotter than other variants, though, so it works best with hit-and-run attacks.
    • Spider SDR-5K - The 5K Spider variant keeps the extreme maneuverability of its more common 5V cousin but adds some Machine Gun weaponry for close-in work. It's still got very little armor, so it works best as a scout and spotter.
  • Additional Tutorial Slides - For new players, we’ve added some tutorial slides to an early story campaign mission to help smooth the on-ramp to BATTLETECH’s many options and tactical readouts.
[/list]
Bug Fixes & Improvements
Combat Improvements
  • UI performance cost reduction
  • Fixed an issue where the game did not enter turn-based mode as expected when hostiles dropped in during Battle+ contracts
  • “Target Acquisition” contract type balanced to be a less punishing and more dynamic experience
Map Graphics
  • Many small map polish fixes - floating props, disappearing signs, assets clipping into each other, etc.
  • Fixed an issue which caused windmills to stop spinning when any one of them was destroyed
UI
  • Fixed and clarified invert mouse axis options
  • New targeting treatments for area of effect weapons
  • Evasion Pip coloring for COIL beam charging
  • New flashing elements to highlight the Assassin’s ability to ignore evasion
  • New combat 'Mark' to show targets hit by NARC, TAG, and other abilities
  • Mini-Campaign Flashpoint elements have a unique look and color to distinguish them
  • Improved Combat UI performance
Other
  • Memory use optimizations
  • Fixed an issue where Gauss Cannon was displayed as AC/10 on both Blackjack's arms
  • Fixed an issue which caused weapon VFX to stop/impact before hitting the target
Known Issues
  • Small amounts of text remain untranslated
  • Rubble effects on Urban Maps may disappear, restarting the game resolves the issue
  • Entering bankruptcy causes problems with starting a new career or campaign in the same session, restarting the game resolves the issue
  • Thumper heat is not correctly previewed
  • Coil Beam heat and damage does not update in the weapon panel from the previous turn until you move your ‘Mech
Known Mod Support Issues
  • When mods have been enabled and then disabled or deleted, the overlay for save states is missing
  • Depending on the mod, a debug string may appear in the mod status window
  • Players using mods can run a skirmish match against players without mods installed
  • The revert button works on its first use; after that you may need to relaunch to revert mods
  • ‘Boulder’ and ‘Jumbled Karst’ moods display the wrong names in skirmish when mods are installed
  • Mods that contain other mods do not show up as bundled with their dependencies

Roll Back
It is possible to revert to past versions of our game in case you have trouble with this update. For more platform specific information go to our forums at: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-rollback-to-a-previous-patch-version.1112335/

As always, if you experience further issues please contact Customer Support at: https://support.paradoxplaza.com
Oct 24, 2019
BATTLETECH: Heavy Metal expansion, coming November 21'st!
BATTLETECH - missdeliana

Crush the battlefield with 470 tons of heavy metal mayhem. BATTLETECH: Heavy Metal expansion, coming November 21'st! Get it with the Season Pass: https://pdxint.at/33MM6X8
Oct 19, 2019
BattleTech going old school with Heavy Metal expansion
BATTLETECH - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Alice O'Connor)

The next expansion for BattleTech will bring new mechs and characters from its tabletop days as well as new weapons, Paradox announced today at their PDXCON fanfest. Heavy Metal is the expansion’s name, and adding more dirty gert lumps of metal is its name. Our boy Nate, who is out at PDXCON in Berlin, tells me one of the new weapons coming in Heavy Metal “Reminded [him] of the tiny ‘Noisy Cricket’ gun in Men In Black.” As well as new ways to murder robots, it’ll have new story reasons to do it, with a new Flashpoint “mini-campaign” featuring ye olde folks from Wolf’s Dragoons.

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Oct 19, 2019
Battletech: Heavy Metal adds eight new mechs and the Black Widow next month
BATTLETECH

Harebrained Schemes' outstanding 31st century combat simulator Battletech will add some serious tonnage in November with the release of Heavy Metal, a suitably named expansion announced today at PDXCON that will drop eight new mechs onto the field of combat, along with eight new weapons systems and a new Flashpoint mini-campaign.

The new fighting machines aren't listed in the announcement, but a list of eight mechs appears on a readout in the trailer and that's probably not a coincidence. Given that, I think it's safe to say that these are the new units we can look forward to:

  • FLE-15 Flea (20 tons)
  • VL-2T Vulcan (40 tons)
  • ASN-21 Assassin (40 tons)
  • PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk (45 tons)
  • RFL-3N Rifleman (60 tons, and now I'm excited—the Rifleman was my first main mech when I got into Battletech)
  • ARC-2R Archer (70 tons)
  • ANH-1A Annihilator (100 tons)

The eighth and final mech is unknown for now, but it's a brand-new design created exclusively for Battletech and it promises to be a beast: The trailer indicates that it's a 90-ton unit, putting it squarely in the middle of the massive Assault class. The new weapons include a Mortar, the first area-of-effect weapon in the game, and the COIL Beam, with an energy output that increases based on the distance traveled by the attacking mech before firing. The further it moves, the harder it hits, which could give fast-moving light mechs a real leg up when things get hairy.

Old-time Battletech fans should also get a bang out of the new Flashpoint campaign, which will feature the Bounty Hunter and the Black Widow, two "legendary characters" from Battletech lore with some seriously bad blood between them. And it doesn't sound like this will be an opportunity to bury the hatchet. 

"A derelict cargo ship has drifted into the Periphery from deep space," Harebrained teased. "What secrets does it contain, and who will ultimately control its mysterious payload?"

"Heavy Metal brings a greater level of diversity to Battletech by including eight new ‘Mechs and a variety of devastating weapon systems that will change the way players destroy their opponents," Harebrained Schemes co-founder Mitch Gitelman said. "The new mini-campaign weaves its way through your mercenary career to the point when you become an elite MechCommander, capable of facing off with two of the most legendary MechWarriors in Battletech history."

The expansion will also bring a free update to the base game, which will add two more mechs, and—here's the big one—official mod support.

Battletech: Heavy Metal is set to go live on November 21 and will go for $20/£16/€20 on Steam and the Paradox Store.

Sep 10, 2019
LIVE - BATTLETECH 1.7 Update Release Notes
BATTLETECH - Harebrained Schemes
Thank you for playing BATTLETECH! Release 1.7 is now available! The main areas of improvement are issues identified by the community, AI, combat performance improvements, and map graphics. We have also improved gameplay difficulty balance in the Kamea campaign and addressed many minor glitches.

Release 1.7 Notes, 9/10/2019

From the Community
  • Fixed a formatting problem with the json for the PNT-9R
  • Updated the Hatchetman HCT-3X faction so that it is part of more lore relevant enemy lances
  • Fixed an issue where the ‘Double Agent’ Flashpoint awarded the wrong faction reputation
  • The Packrat now moves as a light wheeled vehicle
  • Stock lances in skirmish mode are no longer duplicated in the dropdown when the budget is unlimited
  • Several libraries for Ubuntu Linux users are now installed along with the game by default
AI
  • Improved AI’s ability to avoid a potential ECM exploit
  • ECM carriers will now work harder at keeping their allies cloaked
  • Further pathing fixes for several missions where the AI could become stuck
  • Updated lance role tags for a number of ‘Mechs (such as “tank”, “sniper”, “scout”, etc.)
Combat Performance Improvements
  • Particle system optimization
  • UI rendering optimization
Map Graphics
  • Many small map polish fixes - closing seams, grounding assets, clipping corrections, etc.
UI
  • Fixed a bug where an event may reference a random star system rather than the currently orbited one
Other
  • Re-balanced the Attack/Defend encounter type
  • Fixed many small grammar and translation errors
  • Improvements to missile trajectories
  • Balance adjustments to the Kamea story campaign:
    • Lowered mechwarrior hiring cost
    • Increased payout in c-bills for contracts
    • Increased base salvage for contracts
    • Increased the frequency of non-weapon rare items in salvage
    • Increased the starting cbills from 980k to 1000k
    • Increased the starting morale from 25 to 28
    • Increased MechWarrior XP per mission from 400 to 500
    • Updated difficulty settings to match new defaults
  • Fixed an issue where certain sounds on Urban maps would persist after save/load
  • Fixed an issue where player ‘Mechs could not melee units cloaked within an ECM field
  • The 'White Lies' Flashpoint is now available during career mode as well as after completing the campaign
  • Fixed an issue where buildings could collapse while they still had health
  • Fixed the contract results page for the ‘Hearts and Minds’ Flashpoint with the correct objectives
  • Fixed an issue where ally defense turrets would not turn on in Attack and Defend - Retaliation contracts
  • Fixed an issue where attacks would pass through buildings without causing stray shot damage
  • Gyro+++ component gameplay effects can no longer be stacked
  • Fixed an issue where Pre and Post mission autosaves would not properly generate for procedural contracts when any Flashpoint was active
Known Issues
  • Small amounts of text remain untranslated
  • The game does not always enter turn-based mode when hostiles drop in
IMPORTANT: Additional note for players who mod various game files…Reminder that modding is not officially supported. If you have saved a game with any mod active, that saved game will not work after an update has been applied unless you replace all modded files exactly as they were when the save game file was created. Saved games require the exact same data state in order to function properly.

Roll Back
It is possible to revert to past versions of our game in case you have trouble with this update. For more platform specific information go to our forums at: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-rollback-to-a-previous-patch-version.1112335/

As always, if you experience further issues please contact Customer Support at: https://support.paradoxplaza.com
Sep 6, 2019
Get Battletech for 10 in the new Humble Monthly Bundle
BATTLETECH

Humble has announced that Battletech will be the sole early unlock title in the upcoming October Monthly Bundle.

Sign up now and you can get immediate access to the modern spin on turn-based tactical mech combat from Harebrained Schemes for just 10. That's a considerable saving compared to the 34.99 you'd have to pay on Steam right now. It's also an excellent price for a game Richie called "a compelling fusion of tabletop manoeuvring and characterful campaign progression" in Eurogamer's Recommended review.

I mean, who doesn't enjoy giant smashy mech battles, anyway?

Read more

Sep 6, 2019
Get Battletech for $12 in October's Humble Monthly bundle
BATTLETECH - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Katharine Castle)

A second visit from the deals herald in a single day? Well, I never. It’s for good reason, though, as Humble have just announced that October’s Humble Monthly bundle will be headlined by none other than the stompy mech strategy titan, Battletech. Our Alec (RPS in peace) grew to be quite fond of Battletech when it first came out last year, so much so that he went and plonked it straight into our 50 Best Strategy Games hall of fame. You’ll need to be a Humble Monthly subscriber to get it, of course, but if you’re not you can join up right now for just $12 a month.

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Jun 19, 2019
Has BattleTech been improved by its updates?
BATTLETECH - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Rich McCormick)

If I had asked people what they wanted, father of the assembly line and horrible anti-semite Henry Ford supposedly said, they would have said faster horses. As cool as nitrous-enabled horses sound, I think old Hitler-fancier Ford was trying to insinuate that the masses can t imagine the next technological revolution; they can only think of a better version of what they ve got.

Maybe that s why we as a species are so stuck on the concept of mechs: if we think about future warfare, all we can imagine is BIGGER PEOPLE!

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Jun 4, 2019
Battletech: Urban Warfare brings mechs to the big city today
BATTLETECH - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Dominic Tarason)

Stompybot squad management sim Batteltech was great, but it was clearly missing something. Not so today, with the release of the Urban Warfare expansion, second of three planned for the squad tactics game’s season pass. No longer limited to rolling hills, mountains and military bases, this expansion adds the future cityscapes of other ‘Mech games. While developed by Harebrained Schemes, this is also a Paradox joint, which means even if you don’t buy in, you’ve got a massive feature-heavy free update to dig into. Below, a launch trailer and some gritty details.

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Jun 4, 2019
LIVE - BATTLETECH Update 1.6 and Urban Warfare Paid Expansion Release Notes
BATTLETECH - Harebrained Schemes
Welcome to BATTLETECH 1.6! This release contains a number of content additions, quality of life improvements, and optimizations, as well as some cool new features. We have also released the Urban Warfare paid expansion. Both 1.6 and Urban Warfare have French, German, and Russian localizations.

1.6 HIGHLIGHTS: Missed shots w/collateral damage, a free new encounter type, expanded star map, career mode improvements, and more… See details in the “New Free Features & Content” section below.

BATTLETECH: Urban Warfare expansion now available: Urban Warfare brings 'Mech combat to the vast cityscapes of the Inner Sphere! Electronic warfare, large-scale building destruction, environmental mechanics, two new BattleMechs, new enemy units, a new Attack and Defend encounter type, and more flashpoints make the urban sprawl a whole new battlefield.

Purchase the Season Pass to get a deal on all three BATTLETECH expansions (Urban Warfare, Flashpoint, and coming this winter, Heavy Metal)!



BATTLETECH update 1.6 and the Urban Warfare paid expansion are available now for Steam, GOG, and Paradox Plaza on Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. Note for Paradox Plaza users: After purchase of the Urban Warfare expansion, you will need to be logged in within the game in order to see Urban Warfare content.

Where to find your new Urban Warfare paid expansion content: Our new urban environments can be easily found using the star map biome filter noted below. The Raven BattleMech, along with its electronic warfare suite of components can be found in the Prototype flashpoint, which is the first flashpoint available during Career Mode or after the Restoration campaign. The Javelin BattleMech will appear in enemy lances throughout the game and its partial salvage can be found in some stores. Contracts for our new Attack and Defend encounter type can be found throughout the game.

We hope you enjoy our latest BATTLETECH releases!

-- HBS

IMPORTANT: Additional note for players who mod various game files… Reminder that modding is not officially supported. If you have saved a game with any mod active, that saved game will not work after an update has been applied unless you replace all modded files exactly as they were when the save game file was created. Saved games require the exact same data state in order to function properly.

As always, if you experience further issues please contact Customer Support at: https://support.paradoxplaza.com

New Free Features & Content

Star Map Upgrade - We've added 50 new systems to the Star Map, expanding it toward the more populated areas of the Inner Sphere. The Star Map also now features the ability to filter by biome and difficulty, and will indicate which systems you've already visited. Navigating the periphery has never been easier!

Battle+ Encounter Type - We’ve updated our Battle encounter to bring more variety and fun to the battlefield! Battle+ includes a bunch of surprises including optional secondary objectives, and allies for friendly and enemy teams.

Stray Shots and Collateral Damage - The battlefield is more dangerous than ever! Stray shots now have the chance to hit nearby buildings - and you won’t want one of your units standing on one when it collapses. In addition, stray shots have the chance to hit nearby enemies in the line of fire. This is true for the opposing force too, so watch your spacing. Note that this feature is not available in multiplayer.

More Mech Variants
  • UrbanMech UM-R60L - The same walking trashcan, sporting an AC20.
  • UrbanMech UM-R90 - The 'Suburban Mech', a more energy-efficient war machine.
  • Banshee BNC-3S - Slower, but packing far more guns of varying ranges.
  • Catapult CPLT-C4 - Sporting dual LRM-20s to make it rain (death).
  • Vindicator VND-1AA - Half the armor, twice the speed.
  • BlackJack BJ-1DB - The Large Lasers on this variant can keep firing all day.
  • Hatchetman HCT-3X (For owners of the Flashpoint expansion only) - Featuring SRMs, lasers, and Machine Guns to shred opponents at close range.

New Events and Event Chains - More free events have been added to the game, including events that lead to other events. Now your decisions have short-term and long-term consequences.


Career Mode
  • Added the option to start your career with a randomized roster of ‘Mechs (defaults to ON)
  • Individual difficulty settings now modifies your career score.
  • More missions per star system

UI
  • Objective regions or avoidance zones are now color-coded with added call-out labels
  • Secondary objectives are smaller to better distinguish from primary objectives
  • Added team heraldry to unit call-outs
  • Added team heraldry to targeting HUD
  • Status floaties adjusted for less flag overlap
  • Team-specific turn indicator shows above combat HUD so you know who you are waiting on


Bugfixes & Improvements
Over 1000 bugfixes and minor improvements! Here are a few examples from issues called out by the BT community...
  • Dramatically reduced the Black Market price penalty for making pirates an enemy
  • Contracts now display a more accurate difficulty rating
  • A variety of Event bug fixes to remove Typos, Error Messages, and unfulfilled Rewards
  • Fixed an issue in which combat saves reset Coolant Vent cool down time
  • Company morale now affects whether certain MechWarriors can be hired
  • Added more biome variety in procedural missions
  • Fixed an issue with the Financial Expenditure Level changing unexpectedly and/or not respecting players’ selections
  • Fixed an issue in which stores might occasionally display negatives costs of items
  • Fixed Assassinate contracts that were not auto-completed after the user destroyed all enemy units
  • Fixed some data loss issues for 'Mechs in the Mechbay
  • Fixed an issue that caused a random 'Mech to disappear in the Mechbay
  • Fixed an issue in which a readied Mech in the MechBay would overwrite an existing 'Mech if the latter was moved manually to a different slot
  • Fixed Battlemaster BLR-1G's and Trebuchet TBT-5N's left arm hardpoints that caused weapon overlap issues
  • Fixed an issue in which negotiated pay and salvage levels for travel contracts would irrevocably reset upon arrival at the destination
  • Fixed achievement unlocking issues and descriptions that didn't match career mode scoring

Known Issues (to be fixed asap)
  • Localization: A small amount of localized text has extraneous formatting. This does not affect readability.
  • Localization: A small amount of new text is not localized.
  • Some buildings (<1%) cannot be destroyed (Urban Warfare expansion only).
  • In the Difficulty settings, the “Restore Defaults” button does not work correctly and saves changes instead.
  • We believe we have a temporary fix for the AkSoundEngine.dll crash that some players have reported but we cannot reproduce this crash internally or through any of our external test groups. Thus, we are leaving it on the Known Issues list until we hear back from the community. A permanent and more robust fix is being investigated for an upcoming release.

Roll Back
It is possible to revert to past versions of our game in case you have trouble with this update. For more platform specific information go to our forums at: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-rollback-to-a-previous-patch-version.1112335/
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