recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Cicada CDA-2A

**Cicada CDA-2A** is a Medium-class 'Mech in *Battletech*.

## Description

The Cicada 2A was designed as a Medium 'Mech capable of the mobility of Light 'Mechs such as the Spider and Locust. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a more expensive 'Mech that is under-armored, under-gunned, and incapable of jumping.

## Loadouts

* The Cicada-2A possesses a simply pathetic warload of 6.5 tons, less than the Locust. It is incapable of maximizing its armor, and its melee damage is the second worst in the game. Because of this, it is poorly suited to any role that involves it directly engaging in combat. It is built for speed and speed only, and in the field that means scouting.
* While you have eight total hardpoints to play with, you can't fill them all even with the lightest weapons available. You do have a lot of choice in where you put the few weapons you can carry, though.
* Medium Lasers are the go-to for damage output with relatively low tonnage. You can probably afford to mount two of them before the Cicada just becomes too fragile to use them to any effect.
* The Cidada's great speed means that it is very capable of using its support hardpoints to good effect if it is forced to fight, but with only two such weapons, the results are going to remain unimpressive. Two machineguns might get the occasional crit or head hit, two small lasers can do some damage if you get the chance to use them repeatedly, and two flamers just isn't worth it.
* For the brave or foolhardy, sacrificing all armor does allow the mounting of a large laser, but even the Spider does that job better while being just as fast as the Cicada, better armored (!), higher in initiative, and harder to hit by virtue of being a 'light mech.

## Strategy

Click here to add a strategy!

* In all honesty, Cicadas as a rule are very fragile. The 2A model was designed to be as fast as any light 'Mech, but that massive engine leaves little room for much else. Still, if you use it cautiously, it can be a successful scout and diversion.
* While the Cicada-2A isn't completely incapable of filling a role on the battlefield, it is outclassed even in its best role as a scout by the Spider, likely one of your starting 'mechs and not exactly an impressive offering on its own. Unless you have literally nothing else, there is no point to running a Cicada-2A.
* The new Artillery spotting missions are probably the best role fit for a Cicada 2A, however even here the Spider may outclass it.
* If you do end up running a Cicada, employ standard light 'mech tactics like using cover and speed to remain out of harm's way while calling targets for your bigger 'mechs with sensor lock. Occasional hit-and-run attacks can also be made, but only with caution.
Bull Shark BSK-MAZ

The **Bullshark BSK-MAZ** is a 95-ton assault 'Mech. It was first encountered after the completion of the second part of the *Dobrev* flashpoint, in which the commander was given the mech by The Bounty Hunter. From thereon, the mech can be bought from system or black market stores.

## Description

I've never seen anything like this, Commander. This 'Mech oozes deadly grace and can obviously devastate anything in its path. It's... otherworldly, but clearly influenced by Star League 'tech. It has a mounted artillery piece to boot - I wonder where it came from.

## Loadout

This Bullshark variant has between 42.81 to 65.5 free tonnage available depending on armor configuration. Sporting 4 ballistic, 4 laser, and 2 missile hardpoints combined with 3 jump jets, the Bullshark MAZ loses some of its cousin's versatility, but gained a formidable new weapon in its Thumper Cannon. Nonetheless, it can still be built to a wide variety of purposes.

* The MAZ Bullshark loses two missile hardpoints compared to the M3, rendering it unfit for missile-based roles. The presence of the Thumper Cannon also dominates its left torso, only leaving a measly two slots of free space there.
* Nonetheless, the MAZ still retains its ballistic hardpoints on its arms, preserving its strength as a ballistic weaponry platform.
* This variant also has integrated Double Heatsinks unlike the -M3, doubling its base cooling. Given that its Thumper weighs 10 tons, this means that either of these two features amounts to a free 10 tons of equipment: you're either paying 10 tons for the gun and the heatsinks are free, or paying for 10 extra heatsinks and the cannon is free. Needing fewer (if any) extra heatsinks also helps offset the slot cost of the fixed Thumper (and the gun itself is 10 slots, exactly the same as the 10 extra heatsinks, further reinforcing the "free equipment" angle).

## Strategy

The MAZ Bullshark loses a lot of versatility with its lower free tonnage compared to its M3 cousin. Nonetheless, it is still a very potent Assault mech with a massive battlefield presence. Again, as it is not equipped with Support hardpoints, it may not perform as well as more specialized machines in a melee role.
Kern

**Kern** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

Once a highly-fortified military world, Kern's garrison, the 8th Sian Dragoons, was tasked with rapid response along the Rimward border. As the Third Succession War began, the armories and fortresses were shut down and demolished to prevent their potential capture.

## Shops

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Horsham

**Horsham** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

Originally a Taurian world, Horsham boasted several Taurian Defense Force naval yards. During the Reunification War, Horsham was overrun by the SLDF, pacified, and taken by the Federated Suns. The total destruction of the naval yards was a crippling blow to the world's economy.

## Shops

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Dekker

**Amir "Dekker" Kowalski**  is a mechwarrior in *Battletech*.

## Bio

Amir Kowalski was brought up as a loyal scion of House Liao, and sent to a military academy as soon as he was of age. There, he did not disappoint his family name and graduated on time. After graduation, by family request, he was assigned as a naval lieutenant aboard a Capellan Confederation DropShip. He served without particular distinction and was eventually transferred to a MechWarrior unit, which suited his abilities much better. After another tour of duty, in which he developed the motto: 'any battle you walk away from is a victory,' he decided he wanted to pursue his own goals, and became a mercenary.
Ishtar

**Ishtar** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

The primary agricultural world of the Taurian Concordat, Ishtar was one of the earliest colonies in the region. It is totally undefended, and has no manufacturing or heavy industry, in an effort to make it less appealing to raiders. The entire population is engaged in food production.

## Shops

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Kingwolf

**Jason "Kingwolf" Castro**  is a Ronin Vanguard mechwarrior in *Battletech*.

## Bio

Jason Castro is the firstborn son of the Duke of Rio in the Draconis March of the Federated Suns, and as such he received all the best training available, and was taught to know his own value. He was one of the first graduates from the newly rebuilt Robinson Battle Academy, and was assigned a position of responsibility early.

Unfortunately, despite his lineage, his training and his confidence, he lacked the wisdom to lead his command well. Too soon after receiving his commission, he bungled an attack on a superior Draconis Combine force along the border. His entire unit was wiped out, and he barely escaped with his life.

Horrified, his father pulled strings to have him sent home to relative safety. While Jason accepted the opportunity to resign his commission, he refused to return to Rio, and instead headed out to the Periphery to pick up work as a mercenary. While he is still too arrogant to admit it, he is hoping to acquire the experience and wisdom he needs to somehow make up for the disaster of his first command. Meanwhile, he affects a hard-bitten cynicism beyond his years.
Federated Suns

**Federated Suns** (Davion) is a faction in *Battletech*.

## Background

The Federated Suns is one of the five Successor States of the Star League, located rimward and spinward of Terra. Ruled by House Davion, the Federation is the most powerful of the five, and the people of the Federation pride themselves on their self-proclaimed role as defenders of justice and liberty. The Federation is quite capable of ruthless, decisive action, though, and its idealism readily gives way to pragmatism when called for. The current ruler of the Federation, First Prince Hanse Davion, is an experienced and unconventional military commander. The Federation's alliance with the Lyran Commonwealth effectively ended the Third Succession War.
Mastiff

**Raju "Mastiff" Montgomery**  is a mechwarrior in *Battletech*.

## Bio

A battle-scarred MechWarrior with nearly 40 years of combat experience. In addition to mercenary work, Mastiff has served as Master-at-Arms for a number of noble Houses, training their scions in the arts of war. The Ladies Kamea Arano and Victoria Espinosa have both benefited from his training, as did your MechWarrior and Alexander Madeira. The Mastiff served House Arano at the end of his career and is responsible for safeguarding Lady Arano to the dust-off site. After humiliating Victoria with this feat, he sacrifices himself fighting a delaying action. Although the Marauders reported him as lost, with his mech cored out, he was captured by Victoria's forces and slowly tortured to death on Weldry. When Arano forces liberate the world three years later, they're hours late to save the once great warrior.

## Strategy

Click here to add a strategy!

* Raju is a powerful asset in the missions you have him by your side... But unfortunately, he falls in the defence of Kamea Arano at the end of Coronation Day.
Magistracy of Canopus

**Magistracy of Canopus** (Magistracy) is a faction in *Battletech*.

## Background

The Magistracy of Canopus is a large Periphery state, located rimward and anti-spinward of Terra, just beyond the Free Worlds League. Founded explicitly as a matriarchy, the Magistracy is ruled by a Magestrix, a position open only to women, and usually held by a member of the founding Centrella family. Independent since the fall of the Star League, the Magistracy has remained mostly untouched by the Succession Wars, except by the overall collapse of trade and travel. The Magistracy is famed for its social and cultural freedom, with no consensual behavior forbidden by law or custom. The current ruler of the Magistracy is the Magestrix Kyalla Centrella, who harbors a deep grudge against the Inner Sphere, and the Free Worlds League in particular.
Highlander HGN-733P

**Highlander HGN-733P** is a Assault-class 'Mech in *Battletech*.

## Description

The Highlander 733P is a variant of the jump-capable 733 model. It removes the AC/10, replacing it with a PPC and seven additional heat sinks to compensate for the increased energy load.

## Loadouts

* As with the HGN-733, this frame comes loaded with excess missile ammunition. You can remove a ton of each and still have enough to handle any situation.
* Downgrading the LRM20 to an LRM15 gives you the room to add a second SRM6 and ammunition. With the missiles and PPC, you'll send enemies flying. Feel free to drop a laser or two if the Highlander gets too toasty.
* Adding a second PPC and backing it up with two LRM15s and four tons of ammunition can make this mech into a lumberjack. You'll have to drop the jump jets and some protection for enough heatsinks to make it viable, though.
* Due to the limitations of heavy energy weapons, it may be preferable to turn the Highlander-P into an LRM boat.
* With 3 missile hardpoints, if you dump the JJs it can mount 2x LRM20, 1x LRM15, and a PPC while still having decent armor. Slow, but ridiculous damage and knockdown potential.

## Strategy

Click here to add a strategy!

* The Highlander 733P is a variant of the 733 model that removes its Autocannon and replaces it with a PPC. It also handles heat buildup better.
Arano Restoration

**Aurigan Restoration** (Restoration) is a faction in *Battletech*.

## Background

The Arano Restoration is the remnant of the former Aurigan Coalition, driven from power by the treachery of Santiago Espinosa. Those still loyal to the Arano family fled into the Rimward Frontier, the expanse of unsettled systems adjoining the Magistracy of Canopus. Many noble houses of the Aurigan Directorate harbor sympathies for the Restoration and its cause: returning the Arano monarchy to power.
Catapult CPLT-C4

**Catapult CPLT-C4** is a Heavy-class 'Mech in *Battletech*.

## Description

Do you like LRMs? Compared to the CPLT-C1, the C4 is focused on doing one thing and doing it well. And that thing is putting a cloud of missiles in the air with two LRM-20 launchers. There's a lot you can do with this 'Mech, as long as what you want to do is shoot a lot of missiles.When it runs out of missiles, it has jump jets and reinforced leg armor...

## Loadouts

The Catapult CPLT-C4 is very similar to the C1 version, however it drops the laser hard points in the left and right torso in favor of an additional missile slot in both arms. It trades some versatility of the C1 in favor of focusing on missiles.
Chennai

**Chennai** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

Chennai was little more than a communications outpost and refueling point for the Capellans, and as the Succession Wars ground on, even that role stopped being worthwhile, and the world was abandoned to pirates and other criminals.

## Shops

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Liu's Memory

**Liu's Memory** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

This ice-locked world is pierced by deep, man-made boreholes that allow geothermal heat and power to escape from the core, sustaining a bustling mining and manufacturing industry in the temperate zones created around the holes.

## Shops

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Javelin JVN-10A

The **Javelin JVN-10A** is a Light-class 'Mech in *Battletech*.

## Description

The JVN-10A has strong jumping capabilities and can pump out considerable damage with its LRMs. Taken together, this qualities make the 10A a superb harasser and fire support unit, though it is prone to running out of ammo.

This is the only Javelin chassis to carry both energy and missile hardpoints, although its limited free space means that carrying both powerful weapons and good armor isn't possible.

## Loadouts

The Javelin 10A's stock loadout has a single LRM15 and only one paltry ton of ammunition, and no backup weapons whatsoever.

* For a dedicated fire-support mech, you will need two tons to fire your LRM15 for as long as the battle lasts. Losing a pair of jump jets to do so is a sensible if you want to use this machine in its intended role.
* One ton of ammo is enough to feed two LRM5s, which frees up three tons of space for additional defenses. With two medium lasers, one more ton of armor and the agility provided by the jump jets it can act as a makeshift skirmisher, strong enough to engage other light mechs and survive the experience. This is not a highly damaging loadout, but then again, this mech is no fire javelin.

## Strategy

The Javelin's speed allows it to kite heavier mechs with ease, although if it's sensor locked the 10A doesn't have enough armor to stand up to counter-battery fire.
Centurion CN9-AL

**Centurion CN9-AL** is a Medium-class 'Mech in *Battletech*.

## Description

The Centurion AL refit aims to reduce the original CN9-A's dependency on ammo supplies. This model scraps the AC/10, replacing it with a Large Laser and a Small Laser. In addition, it gains six heat sinks and two additional tons of armor.

## Loadouts

* While the AC variant is overall superior, if you get stuck with this guy, make sure you use a PPC and not a Large Laser, and back it up with at least one SRM-6 if not a pair of SRM-4's. Also, ditch the Small Laser. It's not doing you any favors. Still a viable 'mech for the early game, the PPC packs a punch at a decent range, and applies an accuracy penalty to the target, plus some stability damage, which makes it easily worth the extra two tons.
* This variant can also be used as a slower, beefier alternative to the 55-tonners as a Medium Laser + SRM Brawler. Compared to 'mechs like the Wolverine 6K and the Griffin 1S, the Centurion AL trades footspeed for weight capacity, allowing more weaponry, ammo, heatsinks, or armor than an equivalent build on those 'mechs.
* Alternatively put in one LRM 20 with enough ammunition (2-3) and add all 3 slot of support weapons, best small lasers. With full jump jets no heatsinks and possibly actuators for more melee dmg you can hide and pelt the enemy with rockets until it is close and then tear them apart in melee. Be sure to have quite some armor!

## Strategy

Click here to add a strategy!

* The AL variant of the Centurion tends to trade the larger burst damage of an Autocannon for more Energy weaponry and heavier armor. ALs can take an incredible amount of damage for their size but still pack a good punch.
Gaucin

**Gaucin** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

This agricultural world supplies food to nearby systems and the Taurian Concordat. Much of this industry is based on factory farming of the genetically-engineered Gaucin Hog, a native life-form that some activists believe is sapient.

## Shops

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Herotitus

**Herotitus** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

Herotitus is famed for its planet-wide pleasure industry; it is a sought-after vacation and recreational world. This hedonism exists side-by-side with the original agricultural colonists, who are largely puritanical and staid.

## Shops

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Gyros

**Gyros** counteract the massive amounts of momentum generated from 'Mech engines and allow for precision maneuvering and recovery from stability-impacting attacks. All 'Mechs come equipped with a stock Gyro, which can be upgraded for improved performance.

## Shopping

The following table lists the attributes a planet needs to have in order for the components to have a chance to spawn in the shop.

* `Hit+1` Coventry Mark 75
* `Hit+2` Coventry Mark 85
* `Def+1` Friedhof Osprey
* `Stb-35` Hermes Equilibrium (?)
* `Def+2` Friedhof Kite
* `Def+2` Friedhof Kite
* `Stb-10` Rawlings StabiliTrak 5
Cockpits

All 'Mechs come equipped with a stock **cockpit** configuration, which can be upgraded for improved performance. Cockpit Mods upgrade the structure of the area the MechWarrior occupies during combat, granting increased protection from mortal injuries.

## Shopping

The following table lists the attributes a planet needs to have in order for the components to have a chance to spawn in the shop.

* Gear Cockpit Ceres Metals Reinforced
* Gear Cockpit StarCorps Improved
* Gear Cockpit Ceres Metals Braced
* Gear Cockpit Majesty M M 60KL
* Gear Cockpit Majesty M M 120KL
* Gear Cockpit Majesty M M 120KL
* Gear Cockpit StarCorps Enhanced

## Found t1 braced mod before argo

only 2 of 3 cockpit mods are mentioned as findable before argo. found third - so all of them lvl 1 avail before argo
Hearts and Minds

A pro-Capellan insurgent group called the Emerald Dawn threatens to destabilize Shaunavon's political landscape. House Davion will reward you handsomely to neutralize this terrorist threat.

Location: Shaunavon

Faction: Federated Suns

OpFor: Emerald Dawn

Description: First mission is an assassination mission with 200 ton total drop limit, max 55 tons per mech, on an urban map. Expect opposition to be 9 total enemies.

Lady Cunningham is unreachable after completing the first mission and you must choose between (A) completing the original contract by assassinating the other half of the Emerald Dawn leadership, or (B) securing the landing zone for her dropship.

* A: 4v7 base destruction with turrets, garrison (3 enemies), and reinforcements (4 enemies) on an urban map. 2 skull mission with 200 tons total drop weight and max 55 tons per mech.
* B: 4v8 battle on an urban map, also a 2 skull mission. There are no drop weight restrictions and the mission is not consecutive. The first lance is from the Emerald Dawn. A second lance from a group affiliated with Emerald Dawn drops after a couple turns.

**Reward:**

* **A:** 500,000 C-bills and rare equipment and weapons.
* **B:** 500,000 C-bills and rare equipment and weapons. -12 Federated Suns reputation.
Ghorepani

**Ghorepani** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

This unfortunate world was once a Capellan colony. In recent years the last few surviving inhabitants were driven off-planet by mercenaries hired by the Magistracy, in order to create a larger buffer between the two nations.

## Shops

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Midthun

**Midthun** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

Midthun was a sterile potentiality when first visited by the \*

 Capellan Confederation. They soon dismissed it from their planning, but not before leaving behind some algae and bacteria that have since established a thriving ecosystem that draws curious biologists from all over.

## Shops

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Deedah

**Phaelon "Deedah" Halder**  is a Ronin Vanguard mechwarrior in *Battletech*.

## Bio

The son of a renowned Davion diplomat, Phaelon Halder spent his early childhood traveling with his mother as she went on the many missions created by the Third Succession War. He grew up steeped in intrigue and court drama, and learned early to confound those who were willing use children to get an edge in their negotiations.

When he was old enough, he was sent to the New Avalon Institute of Science, where he was enrolled in both the College of Military Science and the elite College of Finance. Once he graduated, he went onto the position waiting for him at the Ministry of Ways and Means.

However, five years into his ten year contract, he realized that if he spent any more time at a desk job there would be 'an unhappy Incident even Mother couldn't smooth over.' To forestall this, he manipulated his supervisor into terminating his contract. Then he promptly bought his way into a Davion-aligned mercenary company, where he enjoyed himself thoroughly until the Third Succession War ended.

When his unit was disbanded, he was still unready to settle down. He headed out to the Periphery where there was still plenty of mercenary work to be found. He stays in regular contact with his family, and will certainly return home again if there is ever a real need for him. Meanwhile, he continues to pursue the adventurous lifestyle.
Battletech Wiki/editcopy

* BattleTech rulebooks and lore officially declare that the word "BattleMech" should always be written with a capital "M" and "BattleTech" should always be written with a capital "T". Please update the "Welcome to" and "Spotlight" sections accordingly, as well as the "Battlemech shops" link (the article name can remain the same, but the link should have a capital "M").
* I also see that Abilities article was changed to Skills, so the link on the main page needs to be changed to Skills. Thanks. --Trifler500 (talk) 23:14, 25 July 2018 (UTC)

* Add a Events section to the Campaign. For the random events during travel.
* Link to the Flashpoints page from the main page. Maybe in the Campaign section.
Hammer

**James "Hammer" Adalwulf**  is a Ronin Vanguard mechwarrior in *Battletech*.

## Bio

James Adalwulf started life as a farmboy in the Lyran Commonwealth. He grew up in a close and loving family, spending time with nature and animals. As he matured, he began to feel the pressures of the endless Third Succession War, and joined the military to defend his home and people.

After enlistment and basic training, James was assigned to a ship's crew for his first tour. While serving as a crewman, he developed a reputation inspired by his quiet nature and firm manner that made him a shoo-in when the LCAF was looking to replenish its supply of special operatives. Shortly after starting service in spec ops, he fell in love with one of his support team.

As soon as his tour ended, he mustered out of the LCAF along with his new spouse, and the two of them settled down in the same place that he'd grown up. For all too short a time, he enjoyed a renewal of that close family life in a peaceful agricultural region. But then the war he'd thought he left behind found him once again. While traveling on farm business, his small town was caught in-between raiders and Lyran defenders. His entire family was wiped out.

James had kept in touch with all of his old military friends and contacts. He could have called on any of them. But it was too late for his family, too late for his faith in House Steiner, and probably too late for him. All he had left was revenge, and the only way he knew to get it was to join a mercenary company and keep his eyes sharp for justice.
Missile weapons

**Missile weapons** come in two flavors, long-range missiles (LRM​) and short-range
missiles (SRM​). Missile batteries have a number next to them; this tells you how many missiles
will fire when you use that weapon. The LRM-10 weapon fires ten long-range missiles; the
SRM-2 fires just two short-range missiles.

SRMs are like shotguns, peppering many locations on the target mech with each blast. While they will have a harder time punching through armor than a laser or autocannon, if that armor is cracked or thin they can devastate them by blowing up internal systems. The same mass devoted to LRM launchers will give a mech the ability to strike at a great distance, although they will deal less damage overall.

* LRMs also can fire at targets that you don’t have a direct line-of-sight (LOS) to, which you’ll recognize by the curved arc shape of the red line of fire.
* Pound for pound, missiles deal more Stability Damage than the other weapon types.
* The larger the size number of a launcher, the faster it chews through ammo.
* Carrying enough ammunition for at least ten blasts is sufficient for most normal combat situations. For weapons that are likely to be able to fire on a target every turn, like LRMs, fifteen salvoes should be enough.
* Some mechs carry far more ammunition than they need. An SRM2, SRM4 or LRM5 with a ton of ammo all to itself is a waste.

 SRM
 LRM

## List

### Short Range Missiles

All SRM shots deal above-average stability impact per hit compared to other weapons. There are three basic types of SRMs:

* SRM2: A tiny rack of Short-Range Missiles that deal little damage but also cost almost nothing in the way of weight, space, heat, or ammunition consumption.
* SRM4: The midtier rack of Short-Range Missiles which deal good damage for comparatively few negatives other than their inherently short range and need for ammunition.
* SRM6: Largest available rack of Short-Range Missiles and pack considerable punch while also being lightweight.

In addition, there are Inferno missiles, which have limited ammunition and primarily deal heat damage instead of normal damage.

### Long-Range Missiles

There are four kinds of missile racks, all of which are capable of indirect fire. All LRMs are imprecise, regardless of direct/indirect fire. Even with a Precision Strike, many won't hit the chosen location. They won't miss the 'Mech, they just probably won't hit that specific spot. An Archer ARC-2R is the only 'Mech that can "fix" this, due to its built-in Missilery Suite.

* LRM5: The smallest rack of Long-Range Missiles are very mass-efficient and tend to serve as harassment weapons. They're great for removing Evasion, especially combined with Multi-target.
* LRM10: This launcher has supporting fire role when mounted on most units, with fairly low damage balanced by low heat and ammunition consumption.
* LRM15: These units deal substantial damage and stability impact over distance, and can be found in pairs on indirect-fire support mechs.
* LRM20: Often found as the secondary weapon on heavier mechs, these massive launchers are heavy and chew through ammunition, but their impact is impossible to ignore.
ComStar

**ComStar** (ComStar) is a faction in *Battletech*.

## Background

ComStar, the institution and religion, grew out of the Star League Department of Communications, as reenvisioned by Jerome Blake, Minister of Communications. ComStar is transnational, beholden to none of the Successor States, and its priesthood exclusively controls access to the only means of faster-than-light communications, the HyperPulse Generators. ComStar facilities and personnel are sacrosanct, a status enforced aggressively by the institution; offending states - even entire Successor States - can find themselves cut off from the rest of the Inner Sphere, unable to communicate or trade. The current head of ComStar is Primus Julian Tiepolo.
Flaum

**Flaum** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

Most of the few inhabitants of this arid world live in the extremely fertile floodplains of the planet's only major river system, where they operate and maintain the automated farms. A smaller number of people live in the mining plants of Flaum's north polar region.

## Shops

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JagerMech JM6-S

**JagerMech JM6-S** is a Heavy-class 'Mech in *Battletech*.

## Description

The JagerMech S is a Heavy 'Mech specializing in long range direct fire. While lightly armored for its tonnage, it can direct a withering array of AC/2s and AC/5s at distant targets. Closer enemies are handled by a pair of Medium Lasers.

## Loadouts

* An excellent long range mech, the JM6-S works best when upgraded to a pure AC/5 loadout, though its flexibility means you can run pretty much any loadout and still come out on top.
* The default configuration is infamous for being made of glass, and the game's maps makes it extremely difficult to use the full range of its weapons. Typically, the most desired capability in a rear line support mech is knockdown capability, and LRMs are more effective than autocannons in that regard, even without factoring in indirect fire capabilities.
* With the 1.1 update, LL's become more viable, and you can swap out both AC/2's for a pair of LL's and some heat sinks, giving you a primary armament of 2x AC/5 and 2x LL. While it has more heat issues than the 3x AC/5 version mentioned above, it also has a higher alpha.
* The S variant has enough tonnage to carry 2 x AC10 and 4 tons of ammunition. This makes it a viable 'mech for head-hunting (i.e. A mech specialized in making called shots to opposing mechs' heads), but it would require Kaliyama AC/10+ or ++ (deals 65 and 70 damage, respectively, which can destroy the head in a single shot), and a Tactics 9+ pilot to be effective.
* Another option for short range is to put an AC/20 instead of the autocannons, and have 4 med lasers, giving it a strong 200 damage alpha up close. use the remaining tonnage for heavy front armor and jump jets for mobility, and you got a solid close combat heavy mech, especially early on.

## Strategy

Click here to add a strategy!

* The JagerMech S model is highly specialized at long-range Autocannon fire support. It doesn't have much in the way of protection or closer-range weapons, though, so keep it distant and out of harm's way. Especially since its ballistic hardpoints are located on the arms and thus very vulnerable to being shaved off.
* Armour is very poor for its weight class and not much better than, for instance, the 55-ton ShadowHawk.
* Still, it might be the first Heavy mech you get your hands on on the single-player campaign, and if you have an LRM-equipped medium mech plus the standard-loadout Jagermech then you are in a great position to get knockdowns.
Hatchetman HCT-3X

## Description

The Hatchetman 3X further indexes on the stock design’s close combat role, adding more armor and replacing the AC10 for an array of SRMs, Lasers, and Anti-Personnel weapons. This is the ultimate melee brawler.

## Loadouts

With four machine-guns, two SRM6s, and two medium lasers this Mech is extremely dangerous in close quarters.

## Strategy

Use melee as much as possible, it's what this Mech is for after all.
Finn

**Brett "Finn" Bozeman**  is a Ronin Vanguard mechwarrior in *Battletech*.

## Bio

Brett Finnegan Bozeman was born to minor nobility on Gulkana in the Federated Suns, but moved early with his family to Maldive near the Taurian Concordant as part of a business consolidation. There he received a comprehensive education in physical and intellectual pursuits from personal tutors.

As he grew, he witnessed the tumultuous handling of the planetary government by the local governing corporation, and resisted family pressure to take his place in the family business; he wanted no part of such an undisciplined and untrustworthy environment. Instead, he enlisted in the AFFS as soon as he was of age.

Shortly after his enlistment, his record was blanked. His family lost contact with him, except for the occasional update from his superior offices reassuring them he was still alive. When peace loomed in the 3020s, he finally resurfaced, a hardened MechWarrior unwilling—or unable—to talk about what he'd been doing for so many years.

After a year of peace with his family on New Avalon, he could no longer take the quiet life. While he was not allowed to return to active duty in the AFFS, they couldn't stop him from seeking out mercenary work on the Periphery. This time, though, he promised to keep his family updated on his movements.
Farah Murad

Doctor **Farah Murad** is a military engineer responsible for getting the *Argo* up and running - from Axylus to Lyreton to Weldry.

## Background

Born on Regulus, in the Free Worlds League, Farah was the daughter of academics and spent most of her early years jumping between their suburban apartment and the *Ferdowsi*, her Baba Joon's live-in DropShip. Baba Joon was Farah's grandfather, who made a tidy profit running pilgrims to and from Dar-es-Salaam, the center of the Islamic faith in the Lyran Commonwealth. Old-fashioned and beloved by Farah, he left an indelible mark on her life. She has plenty of fond memories from that time: The warmth behind Baba Joon's smile. The excitement of leaving Regulus behind. Chatting with the pilgrims, and getting lost in the stars, and eating prepackaged fesenjan out of a shiny tin. In a way, she believes her choice of career is a way of honoring her Baba Joon.

She spent a few years in the Commonwealth before pursuing her studies back in the League. During that time, she married Uncle Heiner, of *Uncle Heiner's Experiment World* (a program that got her into science in the first place). As it turned out, a chain-smoking nihilist teaching IEDs to children was a poor choice for a husband, though she did learn that she had a real talent for machines. She decided to pursue that goal and did her undergrad at the University Atreus, then continued her education at Sian University in the Capellan Confederation - one of the most respected educational establishments in the known space. She graduated with two doctorates (physics and mechanical engineering) and pursued a career as a mercenary engineer, something she always wanted (aside a brief fascination with the life of a statistician).

The recovery and restoration of the *Argo* was the single biggest project of her career. Managing billions in C-Bills and a staff of two hundred of the most talented employees of Lyreton Shipyards, she probed herself of working miracles - *after* she survived the Axylus drop and the death of her engineering team, yet managed to get the Argo airborne.
Falcon

**Peter "Falcon" Chang**  is a Ronin Vanguard mechwarrior in *Battletech*.

## Bio

Peter Chang was born on Old Kentucky, in the Capellan Confederation, to an established family of skilled metalworkers. He preferred books to metallurgy and his supportive family encouraged him to work hard and attend a local vocational school after his militia training. When he graduated at the top of his class and was accepted into Sian University, they couldn't have been prouder.

They were less pleased when they realized he intended to study literature and philosophy rather than something useful, but Peter didn't care. Having achieved a place in academia, he fully intended to stay there. He underestimated the viciousness of the tenure track, though. Soon, via maneuverings only sketchily recorded, he was strongly encouraged to travel, and travel far.

Relying on a small stipend provided in exchange for his silence, he explored the Inner Sphere and discovered that adventure was more to his taste than academia anyhow. On one journey, he found himself piloting a Marauder - and found that he was good at it. When he received word that his benefactor had died and his stipend would no longer be provided, he knew exactly what to do next: mercenary work, out in the Periphery.

He's something of a curiosity among MechWarriors, with his academic background and extensive civilian travels. But that very background makes him useful in a lance with more traditional MechWarriors, so he's found plenty of work since he first sat in that Marauder.
Arbiter

**James "Arbiter" Bixby**  is a Ronin Vanguard mechwarrior in *Battletech*.

## Bio

James Bixby was born on Arc-Royal in the Lyran Commonwealth to a wealthy family that, as new money, lacked many of the advantages of the titled aristocracy, most notably land and a family BattleMech. Because of his wealthy background, James was easily able to enter the Somerset Military Academy, where he scored in the top 15% of his class and won a coveted position in a Cadet Trade with House Davion's Albion Military Academy.

After graduation, he earned his callsign 'Arbiter' evaluating recently dispossessed MechWarriors to see if they were worthy of a replacement machine. This was just a stepping stone to getting his own BattleMech, however. He earned assignment to a Griffin after several years writing up reports on other pilots and attending off-hours training sessions. He was assigned to the Storm Company in the Lyran Guard, where he served faithfully for a five year tour.

However, when he was overlooked for a promotion due to his lack of family connections, he realized he had no interest in spending the rest of his life as nothing more than a 'Mech pilot for the military. He cashed out his Savings and War Salvage and headed to the Periphery to see what he could do about acquiring a BattleMech of his own, and bringing his family the prestige it had always lacked.
MechWarriors

**MechWarriors** are the soft, creamy filling of the gigantic tin cans that prowl the battlefields of *Battletech*. Without them, a mech is just a piece of scrap.

## Skills

MechWarriors each have four Skill ratings from 1-10:

* Gunnery​ determines ranged attack to-hit %.
* Piloting ​determines Melee, Death-From-Above attack to-hit %, Death-From-Above self inflicted leg damage, Unsteady threshold, Evasive amount allowed, Initiative, and maximum Sprint distance.
* Tactics ​determines your line-of-sight (LOS) distance, information gained from radar blips, Called Shot attack to-hit %, minimum fire range reduction on all weapons, and Indirect Fire penalties with missiles.
* Guts determines Overheating threshold, Hitpoints, Injuries allowed before Incapacitated, Recoil from ballistic weapons, and chance for a pilot to be killed if the cockpit is destroyed or they receive maximum injuries.

MechWarriors also have powerful MechWarrior Abilities based on their skills. A pilot unlocks a skill at level 5 and 8 of each skill, with the caveat that each pilot can have only two level 5 skill and one level 8 skills, reflecting mastery of their mech.

## List of pilots

### Backers

The following characters are pre-made pilots that are available from the Hiring Hall. Each has an unique backstory and various traits and abilities.

### Other pilots

You begin the game with four MechWarriors in your employ

 DekkerDekker | 3
 GlitchGlitch | 5
 MedusaMedusa | 3

The following pilots are pre-made characters originating from the Beta.

### Backer beta

Apex
Buckshot
Arclight
Blockade
Kraken
Mockingbird
Ozone
Paradise
Showboat
Sumo
Wildfire
Witness
Death Krusade

**Todd "DeathKrusade" Ryia**  is a Ronin Vanguard mechwarrior in *Battletech*.

## Bio

While Todd Ryia was born in the Outworld Alliance, his blue-collar family immigrated to Solaris VII in his early childhood. Raised among tradesmen working among the residents of Solaris VII, he developed early a jaundiced eye toward the gladiatorial industry.

When he was an adult, he enlisted in one of the local security firms., first as a beat officer and then as a detective. After some time, he was invited to join the Solaris PD special forces unit. He became intimately familiar with the dark side of the gladiatorial industry as well as the inside of a 'Mech.

He lived for his work, for the sense that he was accomplishing something. Until one day he was set on the task of tracking down the person behind a series of brutal murders that led across the International Zone. Through the whole damn city, and through a sordid story that had, at its heart, a betrayed warrior princess with eyes like cinders, and ended with a mercenary DropShip returning to the sky.

Todd's jurisdiction ended there. Unless she returned, he had other cases to solve. But somehow, he couldn't let go. The purity of the girl in the holovid haunted him. He had to follow her, find her, hear her story for himself. He had to find the lies, or accept his own failure.

So now\u2026 well, he's been in 'hot pursuit' for a few years now, working hard on finding her. But she's too smart to use her gladiatorial name as a mercenary, and his holo-vid of her was stolen a year ago, so he's not quite sure he'd recognize her anymore, but\u2026. she's out there. Somewhere. And maybe, if he finds her, he'll finally be able to sleep peacefully again. Meanwhile... he has to eat.
Battlemaster BLR-1S

## Description

The BLR-1S shifts the BattleMaster’s Focus to missile based fire support, extending its range and attack flexibility while at the same time increasing heat efficiency. It's well armored, but lacks in raw, close-in Firepower

## Loadout

The default loadout for this Mech comes with four medium lasers, two SRM2s, one LRM 5 and one LRM15.
Bromhead

**Bromhead** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

The arid world of Bromhead was settled in the first wave of colonization, and was a Taurian holding until the Reunification War. It is now a \*

 Federated Suns possession, with a large population in sprawling river-bank cities that nestle in the vast deserts.

## Shops

Max specials
9
Corsair

**Cristoph "Corsair" Nick**  is a Ronin Vanguard mechwarrior in *Battletech*.

## Bio

The pilot called Christoph Nick came from...somewhere. Everybody comes from somewhere, after all. And the people he spent most of his time working with were particularly notorious for not giving a damn about somebody's past. He showed up one day on Tortuga Prime, and he knew his way around, and that was all that mattered.

For years, he worked in various pirate bands out of Tortuga, raiding and stealing, but refusing to enslave anybody. For him, being a pirate was about freedom, not power, and he had the skills to back up his point of view. As a result he had an antagonistic relationship with the ruler of Tortuga. He managed to avoid her intermittent assassination attempts and never came in direct conflict with her until he at last decided that life under Dame Trevaline no longer fit his ideals. In one very busy night, he freed two hundred slaves, stole three ships, and burned down four of Dame Trevaline's stashes...possibly all by himself.

He doesn't tell this story himself, of course. But the dregs of society in every port city recognize his name, and whispers surround him when he goes out for a drink. As for Christoph himself? He likes to stay on the move, and only works with mercenary companies without a fixed contract.
Mission Escort

Your objective is to reach a rendezvous point, then protect a convoy of units as it moves to an exit region. The convoy will move quickly and could outpace slower 'Mechs. It will likely be attacked by enemy units on the way to its extraction point. Defeating any attacking units is not required to complete the contract.

## Strategy

Escort missions have potentially three components.

1) (Optional) Defeat the blocking force

Depending on the exact name of the mission there may be a blocking force. It strongly recommended this force is destroyed before securing the starting point

2) Secure the Starting point and escort the vehicles to the pickup point

When any of the players mechs enter the starting point area, two things occur. Firstly 4 vehicles, usually Strikers, spawn as a convoy. These are the vehicles to be escorted to the pickup point. Secondly an enemy force spawns. If you attack the enemy force they will focus fire on you rather than the convoy. Vehicles in the convoy will not move if they are not within 8 hexes of a player mech. This is why some vehicles appear to be left behind. Basically, it is not a bug. This can be used for a number of tactics. The convoy has a narrow route, this can also be utilized for tactics. eg blocking the convoy path while you destroy the enemy force.

3) (Optional) Defeat the interception force

When any vehicle in the convoy enters the pickup point area a interception force may spawn. Again, attacking the enemy force force will have the enemy force focus fire on the player rather than the convoy. The drop ship will arrive at the start of the turn after the first vehical entered the pickup point and will leave at the beginning of the turn after the last vehicle has entered the pickup point.
Battlemech shop locations

The art of managing a mech lance isn't just about fighting - it's about knowing where to **shop for the best mechs**. The game uses spawn lists to determine which parts spawn where, with the principal factor being the planet's attributes (typically industry, though other factors like Star League remnants or old battlefields also play a factor. The following table summarizes which tags (or their combination) give you a chance of finding which mech.

A word of note: There seems to be a degree of randomness as to which mechs spawn where, plus a limit for the amount of mechs that can spawn on any given planet. As such, the following tables are guidelines as to where these mechs can be found, rather than a master list of guaranteed spawns.

## Spawn lists

### Special

* After Liberate Panzyr, you gain access to an unlimited stock of Griffin GRF-1N parts in Panzyr's store.
* After Liberate Smithon, you gain access to an unlimited stock of Dragon DRG-1N parts in Smithon's store,

### Faction-specific

* Centurion CN9-AL
* Centurion CN9-A
* Enforcer ENF-4R
* JagerMech JM6-A
* Victor VTR-9B
 * Capellan Confederation
* Blackjack BJ-1
* Vindicator VND-1R (complete mech)
* Hunchback HBK-4G
* JagerMech JM6-S
* Hunchback HBK-4P
* Cataphract CTF-1X
* Battlemaster BLR-1G
* Highlander HGN-733P
 * Magistracy of Canopus
 * Free Worlds League
* Centurion CN9-AL
* Centurion CN9-A
* Hunchback HBK-4P
* Trebuchet TBT-5N
* Shadow Hawk SHD-2D
* Shadow Hawk SHD-2H
* Thunderbolt TDR-5S
* Orion ON1-K
* Stalker STK-3F
* Hunchback HBK-4G
* Thunderbolt TDR-5SS
* Thunderbolt TDR-5SE
* Awesome AWS-8T
 * Taurian Concordat
* Thunderbolt TDR-5SE
* Thunderbolt TDR-5S

### Planet-specific

 * Itrom
 * Panzyr
 * Smithon
 * Tyrlon
 * Weldry
Hurik

**Hurik** is a planet in the Aurigan Reach in *Battletech*.

## Description

Hurik is a garden world, its steep valleys and broad plains home to over one billion inhabitants. As the gateway to the Aurigan Reach, it is a nexus for trade and exploration, and supplies food and manufactured goods to all its neighbors.

## Shops

Max specials
8