Mechwarrior 4 Black Knight

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Mechwarrior 4: Blac

Knight Expansion

Unofficial Strategy Guide and FAQ

by Kasey Chang (

[email protected])

released November 30, 2001

0 Introduction

This is an UN-official strategy guide and wal through for the gameMechwarrior 4: Blac

Knight expansion from Microsoft. This documentcovers the single-player campaign in detail (how to approach eachmission), with discussion on weapons, mechs, and tactics.

0.1 A word from the author

This is a FAQ, NOT a manual. You won't learn how to play the gamewith this document, and I'm NOT about to add it to ease the life ofsoftware pirates.

This USG only covers the PC version since that's the only versionthat I have (and exist, at the time of this document's release).

Some of you may recognize my name as the editor for the XCOM andXCOM2: TFTD FAQ's, among many others.

0.2 Terms of Distribution

This document is copyrighted by Kuo-Sheng "Kasey" Chang (c) 2001, allrights reserved excepted as noted in the disclaimer section.

This document is available FREE of charge subjected to the following

conditions:

1) This notice and author's name must accompany all copies of thisdocument: "Mechwarrior 4: Blac

Knight Expansion Unofficial StrategyGuide and FAQ" is copyrighted (c) 2001 by Kasey K.S. Chang, allrights reserved except as noted in the disclaimer."

2) This document must NOT be modified in any form or manner withoutprior permission of the author with the following exception: if youwish to convert this document to a different file format or archiveformat, with no change to the content, then no permission is needed.

2a) In case you can't read, that means TXT only. No banners, no HTML

borders, no cutting up into multiple pages to get you more bannerhits, and esp. no adding your site name to the site list.

3) No charge other than "reasonable" compensation should charged forits distribution. Free is preferred, of course. Sale of thisinformation is expressly prohibited. If you see any one selling thisguide, drop me a line at

[email protected].

4) If you used material from this, PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE the source,else it is plagiarism.


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5) The author hereby grants all games-related web sites the right toarchive and lin to this document to share among the game fandom,provided that all above restrictions are followed.

Sidenote: The above conditions are

nown as a statutory contract. Ifyou meet them, then you are entitled to the rights I give you in 5),i.e. archive and display this document on your website. If you don'tfollow them, then you did not meet the statutory contract conditions,and therefore you have no right to display this document. If you doso, then you are infringing upon my copyright. This section was addedfor any websites that don't seem to understand this.

For the gamers: You are under NO obligation to send me ANYcompensation. However, I do as for a VOLUNTARY contribution of one(1) US Dollar if you live in the United States, and if you believethis guide helped your game. If you choose to do so, please ma e yourUS$1.00 chec

or $1.00 worth of US stamps to "Kuo-Sheng Chang", andsend it to "2220 Tur Blvd. #6, San Francisco, CA 94118 USA".

If you don't live in the US, please send me some local stamps. Icollect stamps too.

0.3 Distribution

This USG should be available at Gamefaqs (http://www.gamefaqs.com)and other major PC game websites (such as gamesdomain.com,gamespot.com, etc.).

To webmasters who wish to archive this FAQ on their website, pleaseread the terms of distribution in section 0.2. It says exactly whatit says.

0.4 Other Notes

There is no warranty for this unofficial strategy guide. After all,it depends on YOU the player. All I can do is offer some advice.

To ALL readers: if you actually DO have a question about this USG,chances are it's already answered, but you are NOT reading the latestversion. The latest version of the FAQ is at gamefaqs.com. So pleaseloo there first. Otherwise, PLEASE let me now if there's aconfusing or missing remar

... If you find a question about this gamethat is not covered in the USG, e-mail it to me at [email protected]'ll try to answer it and include it in the next update.

0.5 The Author

I am just a game player who decided to write my own FAQs when theones I find don't cover what I want to see. Lots of people li

e whatI did, so I ept doing it.

Previously, I've written Unofficial Strategy Guides (USGs) for XCOM,XCOM2:TFTD, Wing Commander 3, Wing Commander 4, Fade to Blac

,Spycraft, 688(I) Hunter/Killer. Mechwarrior 3, MW3 Expansion Pac ,and Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, and many others... Loo forthem on GameFAQs.com


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Most of them should be on gamefaqs.com, the biggest FAQ site around.You can also find some of them on my KC Game Nexus website athttp://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Alley/6275.

If you need to write me, send e-mail to

[email protected]. (Any spam willbe reported to respective authorities).

0.6 Disclaimer/ Copyright Information

Mechwarrior 4 is a trademar

of Microsoft. Mechwarrior and Battletechis licensed from FASA.

This USG is not endorsed or authorized by Microsoft and FASA. Theinformation compiled in this USG has been gathered independentlythrough the author's efforts except where noted.

This guide includes strategies and tactics of approaching each andevery mission. If you need just a little help, don't read the rest!

0.7 Revision History

30-NOV-2001 Initial Release

0.8 The Most Frequently As ed Questions

Q: Can you send me Mechwarrior 4 : Blac Knight?A: Get lost, you leech!

Q: Can you send me the manual (or portions thereof)?A: You have it and don't realize it, do you?

Q: Can you tell me how to play the game?A: Read the manual, please!

Q: What's the latest version?A: BK itself doesn't have a patch. It does patch MW4 to V2.0.

Q: Does Blac Knight require the original MW4?A: Read the box!

Q: Can I play the original MW4 campaign with the new mechs/weapons?A: Nope.

Q: Is there a map editor? Mods? Inventory editor? Any hac s?A: me

te

.net is wor

ing on a map editor. It should be available now.

Q: How about more multiplayer maps?A: Go to the official Microsoft MW4 website. At least four areavailable. Me

te

.net's site should have more as they get more mapsup and running.

Q: Will there be a Mechwarrior 5?A: Who

nows?

Q: Are there any cheat codes?A: No wor ing cheat codes has been found. Previously listed cheat


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codes appears to only wor in the DEMO, not the real game.

Q: How do I get past mission X in the single-player campaign?A: See the specific campaign mission wal through.

Q: What if I spotted something missing or more tactics?A: Feel free to submit anything that can benefit this guide'sreaders. However, ma

e sure you have the LATEST version of this guide(chec gamefaqs.com), as chances are someone beat you to it. If not,my e-mail address is

[email protected]. Submissions will be included withyour name attached unless you specify otherwise. I reserve the rightto edit the wording or the reject entries. Feel free to submit yourfavorite mech config as well. Please specify purpose/role and some ofthe reasoning behind the config.

1 Game Information

MW4: Blac Knight is an expansion pac to MW4: Vengeance. You areEric McClair, recently discharged from FedSun military. You joinedthe Blac Knight Legion, led by Colonel Lawhorn, and you will do thedirty fighting... as long as you get the paychec

.

1.1 What do I need to run MW4: Blac Knight?

From the box* 300 MHz or faster CPU* Win98, WinME, or Win2K* 64 megs of RAM* 650 megs of HD space, plus 125 megs for swap file* 8X CD drive* Mouse or compatible pointing device* DirectX 8* DX8 compatible sound card, Direct3D 8 compatible video card

* Spea

ers or headphones for audio output* SVGA 16-bit color monitor or better

Multiplayer further requires:* 96 megs required for Win2K* 28.8 Kbps modem or LAN with TCP/IP or IPX protocol* Narrowband hosting is limited to 8 players, broadband is limited

to 16 players* Internet access required for internet play and is your

responsibility* Microsoft Zone.com play needs IE4 or Netscape 4 for initial

registration.

Typical install ta

es about 550 megs. Original MW4 CD is required.

I personally recommend at least 400 MHz CPU and a good video cardwith at least 16 megs of RAM, and at least 128 megs of RAM.

1.2 How is MW4:Blac

Knight different from MW4?

You get five new mechs: Uller, Wolfhound, Ryo en, Sunder, and Blac Knight.


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You get more weapons (Cluster Bomb Launcher, AC20, Ultra 10, ClanUltra 10, Ultra 20, Clan Ultra 20, X-Pulse Lasers in Small, Medium,and Large sizes).

You get an all-new single-player campaign with "blac

mar

et", whichallows you to trade unwanted mechs and weapons for mechs and weaponsthat you do want

Inventory is now "persistent". Destroyed weapons and mechs areremoved from your inventory. Crippled and damaged mechs can berepaired though that will ta

e time (one mission's worth of time).

You get more game modes in multi-player

You get more maps to play on and some new terrain types

1.3 Is there a campaign tree? How about different endings?

There is still minimal branching, and only one ending.

Sometimes within an operation you can choose from several differentmissions, and doing one will affect the starting conditions in the

other. How much of an effect is un

nown.

2 Weapons

This only discusses the new weapons (or categories with new weapons).For discussion of old weapons, please refer to the original MW4:Vengeance Guide.

2.1 Ballistic Weapons

Ballistic Weapons gets the most upgrade this time around, as we get

AC20, Ultra 10, Ultra 20, Clan Ultra 10, Clan Ultra 20, and ClusterBomb Launcher.

Cannons are rather heavy even though their hardpoint is rather small.Get the Clan version if available, as they are lighter and producemore damage.

The cannons need ammo. While ammo is available, you can pump out alot of firepower, but when you're out, you're left with nothing. Onthe other hand, cannons don't produce much heat.

Ballistic weapons only fit in ballistic hardpoints (yellow inMechlab).

2.1.1 LBX Scattershot

No Change. LBX has always been a potent short-range iller.

2.1.2 Machine Gun Array

No Change, useless as ever.


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2.1.3 Gauss Rifle

No Change

2.1.4 Autocannon

Usefulness: A- / B+

With the advent of AC20, the regular AC's finally become actuallyuseful, as they are a good compromise between the range of ultra andclose-in shotgun of LBX.

2.1.5 Ultra AC

Usefulness: A- / B+

Finally, with the availability of Ultra 10's and Ultra 20's, long-range firepower does not rely upon Gauss Rifles any more. Ultras canbe quite deadly if you aim carefully.

2.1.6 Long Tom

No Change

2.1.7 Cluster Bomb

Usefulness: D+

Cluster Bomb is basically a Long Tom that fires a shot that brea sinto a cluster bomb. Li e the Long Tom, it is VERY difficult to useproperly. Maybe it can be of use as a defensive weapons, when you

jump on top of a structure and lob the shots down upon enemies, butit has no place in melee combat.

2.2 Energy Weapons

The only new weapons were the X-Pulse Lasers, which comes in small,medium, or large sizes.

2.2.1 Small Laser

No Change

2.2.2 Medium Laser

No Change

2.2.3 Large Laser


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No Change

2.2.4 Small Pulse Laser

No Change

2.2.5 Medium Pulse Laser

No Change

2.2.6 Large Pulse Laser

No Change

2.2.7 PPC

No Change

2.2.8 Bombast Laser

No Change

2.2.9 Flamer

No Change

2.2.10 Small X-Pulse Laser

Usefulness: F

Any small laser is worthless.

2.2.11 Medium X-Pulse Laser

Usefulness: B-

Medium X-pulse lasers produce great medium and close range firepower.However, they're extremely heavy (for their class), and generateintense heat. Doubt the tradeoff is worth the heat.

2.2.12 Large X-Pulse Laser

Usefulness: B

Large X-pulse laser is generates extreme amount of heat and weighs alot, in exchange for generating more damage than a regular PulseLaser.

2.3 Missile Rac s


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No Change

2.3.1 SRMs

No Change

2.3.2 MRMs

No Change

2.3.3 LRMs

No Change

2.3.4 Strea

SRMs

No Change

2.3.5 NARC Beacon

No Change

2.3.6 T-Bolt

No Change

2.3.7 Flare Launcher

??

2.3.8 Artillery Beacon

No Change

2.3.9 High Explosive

No Change

3 Equipment and Armor

No new equipment or armor

4 Your Enemies


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Know your enemies to best understand ways on how to defeat them.

4.1 Ground Vehicles

Several new enemies will oppose you. Please refer to section 3.3.1 ofyour BK manual for actual references.

Demolisher II can be quite hard to ill and require heavy firepower.Two PPC hits may not

ill one.

MODL ta

es a LOT of firepower to

ill, and it has a TON of self-defense lasers. Kill the tread units (aim low) to stop it so you getmore time to really

ill it later. Then just hit it from beyond MLASrange and whittle it down.

You get encounter first-hand static defense forts, which are armedwith missiles, Ultra AC's, AND gauss rifles. Not exactly fun to ta

eon, but they are huge and they don't move.

4.2 Air Threats

You see two new air threats: the Nightwind attac

chopper, and the

Stiletto bomber. Please see section 3.3.2 of your BK manual fordetailed data.

Nightwind is armed with LRMs and that ma es them deadlier than thosepes y Peregrines.

Nightshade fighters and Stiletto bombers will now fire missiles andperform low altitude strafing runs.

4.3 Naval Threats

No new naval threats.

4.4 Dropships

No new dropship threats.

4.5 Light Mechs

The new light mechs are Uller (30 t) and Wolfhound (35t).

Both are quite good in combat. They tend to be armed with energyweapons as they use hit-and-run tactics. Get in some hits, run away

to cool down and recycle, repeat.

4.6 Medium Mechs

The new medium is Ryo en (55t).

Usually armed as a smaller version of Vulture, Ryo en is a generalpurpose Clan mech.


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4.7 Heavy Mechs

There is only one new heavy mech, the Blac Knight (75t).

Blac

Knight has two Omni rac

s and can be adapted to varioussituations. The default all-energy loadout ma es it similar to a NovaCat, with slightly less heat problems.

4.8 Assault Mechs

The new assault mech is the Sunder (90t).

Sunder was originally designed to emulate the Clan Thor, though IShas to increase the tonnage significantly to fit in similarequipment. The result is a very respectable assault mech.

5 Lancemate Management

Nothing really new to say, as the lancemates don't ma

e THAT much ofa difference.

6 Your Mechs

Here's some discussion on each of the new mechs available, as well assome recommended configs for your mechs.

In general, you want mechs that delivers noc -out blows rather than"death of a thousand cuts". You usually don't have time to fight overand over.

For each mech, the weight is listed, then the hardpoints (E=Energy,

M=Missile, B=Ballistic, O=Omni). The number right next to thehardpoint is size. For example, 2x2E means there are TWO 2-slotEnergy hardpoints.

6.1 Light Mechs

There are only two new light mechs, Uller and Wolfhound.

6.1.1 Uller

30 tons 2x2O, 1x2E, 2x1M

Available: ECM, Light Amp, LAMS

Uller, nown as Kit Fox in the Clans, is a good light mech withtremendous flexibility, with fully 50% of its weapon mounts as Omnimounts.

6.1.2 Wolfhound


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35 tons 1x3E, 2x2E, 2x1E

Available ECM, AMS

Wolfhound, in the default config, is under-armed, and with onlyEnergy mounts available, it's doomed to use up more tonnage to fit inheatsin s.

6.2 Medium Mechs

Ryo

en is a decent though not spectacular medium mech.

6.2.1 Ryo en

55 tons 2x2O, 2x2E, 2x2M

Available BAP, Light Amp, Jumpjet, LAMS

Ryo en is basically a slightly smaller Vulture. Known in the Clans asStormcrow, beware of all the LRMs it pac

s.

6.3 Heavy Mechs

The only new mech here is Blac Knight, and it's a pretty good one.

6.3.1 Blac Knight

75 tons 2x3O, 1x1E, 2x3E, 1x2B, 1x2E

Available ECM, BAP, Light Amp, Jumpjet, AMS

Blac Knight's most interesting attribute is its omni rac s. With 6Omni slots available, you should use them to balance out the energy-

heavy loadout. The wide variety of equipment also allows easycustomization to most purposes.

6.4 Assault Mechs

Sunder is a very respectable assault mech, even better with limitedomni rac

s.

6.4.1 Sunder

90 tons 1x3M, 1x4E, 2x3E, 1x4O

Available ECM, Light Amp, AMS

Sunder is one of the heaviest IS mechs with Omni rac s. You shouldtry to fit some ballistic weapons in there to help with the heatdissipation problems.


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7 Campaign Tactics

With persistent perishable inventory and availability of the blacmar et, inventory management changes quite a bit from MW4.

It is best not to use a damaged (yellow) mech as some parts willremain damaged.

The standard advice of stripping all the mechs you don't plan to usestill stands. You may also want to set its color to none, to tellthem apart from the mechs that you do want to eep.

Keep a few machine guns and lasers around to "round out" thetransaction.

Blac

Mar

et is NOT always available, and even if it is availableavailability of certain items will vary. When you see the right itemcome along, get it now! It may not come bac

again.

Here's a tactic I used... I called it "in your face". Basically... Iload up my mech with close-range weapons, preferably LBX20's andmaybe MRM's or T-Bolts, but any heavy weapon would do. You go FULLSPEED at the enemy mech, then when you ma e contact, fire RIGHT INTOcenter of mass. The enemy gets confused when you're this close and

can't do you serious damage. Repeat attac

(just

eep bumping intohim) until the enemy center is flashing damage. Engage reverse, andget bac to at least 75m, then eep firing. If you stay too closeyou'll be damaged in the "coo -off". This is only useful against AIas humans will get away as fast as possible.

8 Campaign Wal thru

This wal thru was created based on the RECRUIT level. The exact countof enemies may vary depending on difficulty level you have chosen and

therefore may not match your situation completely.

8.1 Operation 1 : Watch Dogs

Colonel Lawhorn has the legion chasing some pirates for the CorvattiCorporation. Blac mar et is not available in this operation.

8.1.1 Op 1, Mission 1 Missing Miners

Investigate the Corvatti mine for pirates, and destroy all bandits.

At the beginning, you get an Uller, a Cougar, a Raven, and an Osiris,and 2 mechwarriors.

Primary: Neutralize any pirate threat

Primary: Sweep all nav points and investigate nav Gamma

Primary: Eliminate Pirate Tan s at Alpha

Difficulty rating: 2 (it's the first mission!)


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As you move up to Nav Alpha, you run into 5 Bulldog tan

s. Keep yourdistance and nail them.

At Nav Beta, you'll see one Osiris. When you ill it, another Osiris,and one more after you

ill that one.

At Nav Gamma, you'll run into 3 missile turrets controlled by 2missile controllers. Destroy the turrets or the controllers and youwin.

8.1.2 Op 1, Mission 2 Stranglehold

You are the bait to tease the pirates out of their base. Ta e outtheir water and oxygen processors, then run for alpha lance, whichwill be waiting in ambush.

You will be going solo on this mission. Pic the best mech you got(probably Cougar).

Primary: Destroy Water processor

Primary: Destroy Oxygen tan

s

Primary: Enemy mech reach Gamma

Difficulty rating: 2 (you don't really have to fight any one exceptthe tan s)

Move up to Nav Alpha. On the way, you should see three Bulldogs, ta ethem out.

Once at Nav Alpha, move to top of the hill, and hold. On far right isthe water processor next to prison barrac s. Zoom in, ta e aim, andfire. You'll need a lot of missiles to blow that one. Turn left, aimat one of the oxygen/fuel tan s, and shoot, then run for Nav Gamma.

If you have jumpjet, jump over the hill in your way, otherwise justrun around the hills. You may notice a Mad Cat and a Thor chasing youfrom the base.

Primary: Destroy enemy mechs at Gamma

Once you made it to Nav Gamma, Alpha Lance will power up. Firstvictim is a Hellspawn from one side of hill, then another Hellspawnfrom the other side, then finally the Thor and Mad Cat. Help Alphalance ta e them all out and you win.

8.1.3 Op 1, Mission 3 Safeguard

Escort Corvatti convoy carrying the crystals to the base.

You get two lancemates on this mission, and you should get somemedium mechs. You should ta e one with jumpjets. Ta e Uziel withjumpjets if available.

Primary: Escort convoy to base

Primary: Destroy pirates around Nav Beta


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Difficulty rating: 4 (escort is tough)

When you arrive, the other lance should be leaving. Let them.Immediately order "form on me" and charge toward Nav Alpha, leave theconvoy behind.

As you reach Nav Alpha, a Cougar will attac

from the to top of thehill, and in a minute another Cougar will arrive. Use jumpjet to getup the hill and ta

e out that top Cougar, while your lancemates ta

eout that second Cougar. Get off the hill immediately as four Vedetteswill be attac

ing as well. Ta

e out the Vedettes quic

ly by runninginto them. That clears Nav Beta.

As you approach Nav Gamma, you'll see a Shadow Cat in the distance.Kill it.

Nav Delta and Nav Epsilon are clear.

When you arrive at Epsilon, you get a new primary objective.

Primary: Protect Mining HQ from enemy assault

The attac

comes in two waves. First wav is 4 Vedettes, then 6

Hellspawns from the opposite direction. You'll get some Stiletto asair support, and the HQ is well endowed with missile turrets andlaser turrets. Just move around, lure the enemy into range of theturrets, and shoot when you can. You should wipe them all out with noproblems.

8.1.4 Op 1, Mission 4 See and Destroy

Time to brea the pirate's bac once and for all... Ma e sure theydon't escape.

You get a third lancemate on this one.

Primary: Scout all nav points

Primary: Destroy all enemy mechs

Difficulty rating: 4 (your performance doesn't really matter THATmuch)

When you start, there's a Swiftwind in front of you. Kill it, then 3Bulldogs power up. Kill them and you should be almost at Alpha.

Two Ravens between Beta and Gamma.

When you get to enemy base, you'll run into enemy Thors and Lo

is,plus missile turrets and laser towers. Ta e out the turret controller(mobile trac

) to stop the turrets.

After that, new primary objective:

Primary: Kill as many cargo pods as you can

One shot of PPC or LLAS at each pod should be sufficient to blow itup. On the other hand, it doesn't really matter how many you ill.


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Once all the pods are gone or were destroyed, the Hrothgar dropshipta es off... Then a new dropship blows it out of the s y. CarissaDupree of the Lyran Alliance is here to discuss new terms... With twonew mechs for free, a Sunder and a Ryo en. The Legion is getting anew contract on Kentares IV.

8.2 Operation 2 : MODL Hunt

Steiner has hired you to attac Kentares IV, and you're to scout thearea, destroying the MODLs so the rest of the Legion can land.

The Blac

Mar

et becomes available after you finished O2M1.

8.2.1 Op 2, Mission 1 Brea out

You've been smuggled in and you need to brea out of the spaceportregion.

You can ta

e three lancemates, and there should be enough mediummechs to give one to everybody.

Primary: Escort convoy out of port

Primary: Disable/destroy Dresari dropship

Difficulty rating: 5 (ta es time to wipe out the dropship while youneed to wipe out the calliopes)

Nav Alpha is the dropship, which is covered by several LRM and SRMlaunchers. You need to destroy the two APUs before you can ta e outthe dropship itself. Two Ravens will power up and try to stop you.Don't dawdle though. The convoy vehicles will head straight for theexit, and you need to destroy the two calliopes before they getthere!

Once you too out the calliopes and bro en out of the port, you'llrun into some tan s (Demolisher 2 and Myrmidon) beyond the exit. Ta ethem out.

By then, a Dresari Patrol of Ryo en and Hellspawn should be attac ingfrom Nav Delta, so you'll have to divert to nav Epsilon.

Primary: Escort Convoy to Epsilon

Primary: Destroy/drive off Dresari mech patrol

If you can, destroy the mechs. Otherwise drive them off (the

Hellspawn may run off) and accompany the convoy to nav Epsilon.

You get to choose among the next three missions, and the blac

mar

etbecomes available.

8.2.2 Op 2, Mission 2 Clear the S

ies

Attac the local airfield and wipe out the control tower and thepatrols


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You can choose among O2M2, O2M3, and O2M4, though you need tocomplete all three to get to O2M5.

You get only 2 lancemates on this one.

Primary: Destroy Mech Patrols

Primary: Destroy control tower and aircraft hangar

Difficulty rating: 4 (annoying choppers but not THAT deadly)

As you start, you'll start to see 4-6 Peregrine and Nightwindchoppers, followed by a few Nightshade fighters. Then they arefollowed by mech patrol of Wolfhound, Raven, and Osiris. You can illthem easily.

Once you get close to the base, you'll see the second mech patrol,with heavier mechs Ryo en, Uziel, and Catapult. Don't get close tothe base though, it has a lot of calliopes. Just wait behind thehills, wait for the patrol to come to you. Then ill them.

Now assault the base. The base has several calliopes, along withguard towers and laser turrets. It also has a mobile repair base (the

red frame with yellow cover type). You can ta

e out the turretcontrol tower, which will silence the calliopes. Then just shoot thelaser turrets and guard towers. Several other choppers will ta e offand harass you, both Peregrines and Nightwinds. Ta e them all outexcept one, and order your team to hold fire. Then repair yourself,and your team. That one chopper can't do you much damage. Then illthe hangar and the control tower.

Once the base is toast and all defenders gone, you get a radio orderabout KFA needing help at nav Gamma. This is strictly optional, asyou CAN just head bac to nav Beta.

At nav Gamma, you see three Dresari mechs, a Bushwac er, an Osiris,

and Ryo

en (?) attac

ing a KFA Bushwac

er piloted by Damon Squire.(Those who played MW4 should recognize the name.) Kill all attac ingmechs, save Squire, and you win.

8.2.3 Op 2, Mission 3 `Mech Heist

"Borrow" some mechs from the local arsenal.


You get two lancemates on this one, and some good medium mechs, maybe

even one heavy now.

Primary: destroy communications array at nav Alpha

Primary: destroy mech patrols

Primary: protect tech convoy

Difficulty rating: 4 (5 if you help the rebels, as you don't havetime to repair)


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When you start, two Nightshade fighters will buzz your position, butif you have large lasers you should ta e them out with no problems.

Right after that, Osiris and Uller attac your positions, but they'reno match for your mechs.

At the comm array, there's only two turrets, though when you startattac ing a Hellspawn and an Uziel (?) powers up. Kill array first,then the mechs.

A Cougar runs in,

ill it. Then you get the call about Rebels at navBeta needing some help.

When you get there, you'll find Cougar, Ryo en, and Wolfhoundattac

ing KFA Osiris. Save the KFA unit and continue to Gamma.

When you reach Gamma, the base is ringed by missile turrets. Don'thit them. Two Ravens will attac , ill them AWAY from the missileturrets. Then snipe the turret control tower to stop the missileturrets. Several LRMs and Condors will attac , and you'll need to

ill Demolisher tan

s within the base perimeter. Kill the lightvehicles from long distance while the tech convoy moves in to rewirethe controls. Then call comes in at Nav Delta about more Rebels need

help.

Primary: Rescue Rebels at Nav Delta

Helping rebels is optional. If you don't head there ASAP aftergetting the option, they'll be destroyed in no time, and then youdon't need to go.

Once the fate of rebels has been decided, the mission ends.

8.2.4 Op 2, Mission 4 Canyon Ambush

Ta

e out the convoy and mechs in the canyon.


Primary: Remain undetected until enemy convoy reaches spot

Primary: Destroy all enemy mechs

Difficulty rating: 6 (3 versus 6 is not exactly easy)

The main tric

in this scenario is stay undetected. Go passive, thendo NOT MOVE. Wait until you can see the enemy convoy moving. Your

should also get a radio message saying so.

Once you see enemy convoy start moving through the gap, start yourattac and wipe out the mechs. You'll have to destroy SIX mechs,including Uziel, Cougar, 3 Ryo ens, and Catapult. Just wipe them outand you're done.

8.2.5 Op 2, Mission 5 MODL


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Intercept and wipe out the MODLs.

You get all three lancemates on this one, and you'll need them. Ta ethe heaviest mechs you can.

Primary: destroy vanguard patrol

Primary: Destroy both MODLs

Primary: Destroy all guarding mechs

Difficulty rating: 6 (lots of enemies)

Initially, a Nightshade will buzz you. Kill it if you can.

After that two mechs (Ryo

en and Hellspawn) show up. Kill them all,then head down the road to wait for the MODLs and escorts.

Now comes the tough part. Two MODLs approach, 3 mechs escort each.You'll see Argus, Ryo

en, and Catapult at each MODL. First shoot outthe treads on each MODL. One pass should do it if you have enoughfirepower. Then concentrate firepower on one mech at a time to

illthem. Once you ta e them all out, head toward nav Zeta and wait formission to end.

Now the Legion has landed, things will get interesting...

8.2.6 Op 2, Mission 6 Kill Casey

Kill Casey Nolan, the "court jester", at the local Mech Academy.

If you play MW4, you should recognize this name as well...

You would be going alone on this mission. Pic a heavy mech withclose-in firepower. No blac mar et starting from now, unfortunately.

Primary: Kill Casey Nolan

Difficulty rating: 7 (you would be slightly damaged, fighting a freshassault mech)

When you move in, you'll be far away from the enemy. Just move up tothe nav point until they "ma e" you. Then start blasting all theOsiris's you run into, as well as any cadets that get in your way.You'll have to ill at least two Osiris's, and maybe one or two CadetCougars. If you are damaged, there's a mobile repair base to the westyou can use next to the turret control tower. Cadet mechs will stayaway from you if you go for the MRB.

Sgt. Pearson will come along in a Thor to attac

. Damage or

ill himASAP. In a minute or two Nolan will power up in a Mauler (90t) andapproach. Kill Pearson as he'll join the attac

if you don't

illhim. Then it's just a matter of illing Nolan and you're done.

8.3 Operation 3 : Clean Sweep

You and your lance are patrolling the Cascade Mountains while ColonelLawhorn plans the assault.


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8.3.1 Op 3, Mission 1 Flan Guard

You are supposed to patrol the base as flan guard.

You get one lancemate on this mission. Pic heavy stuff, as big asyou can.

Primary: Scout all nav points

Difficulty rating: 9 (extremely chaotic, quic

ills are required,expect to retry this 5-10 times)

Right at the beginning, the Legion was betrayed. Steiner forces mounta major attac

on your base. The Colonel was

illed when his Blac

Knight too a head hit. You MUST head directly for Nav Beta, ignoreall other nav points.

Primary: 4 of the vehicles in the convoy MUST reach Epsilon

Two Catapults will chase you from your right. You MUST ta

e them outBEFORE you brea into the hills. If you don't, the hovercrafts fromthe la

e will attac

en masse and you will lose the convoy.

Once you too

out the Catapults, run for the next nav point and startshooting at the hovercrafts in the la e. You'll have to ill 10-12 ofthem. The faster you ta e them out, the better. Stomp them (wal overthem) if you can. Kill all of them FAST before they hit the convoy.

As you follow the la e, you'll see another hovercraft in the distanceto your right. Do NOT go after it. It's bait to lure you away fromthe convoy. Two Ullers are hiding in the hills, powered down, on yourleft. Kill them before they shoot up the convoy.

After that, there are no more enemies and you ma e your escape, and athirst for vengeance.

Dupree had cut a deal with Dresari. Dupree land troops to wipe outthe Legion, thus saving her the hiring fee, while Dresari won't haveto deal with us. Unfortunately for them, the Legion is still here,and while the setbac is great, the Legion does not forget...

You can choose from O3M2 or O3M3 next.

8.3.2 Op 3, Mission 2 Mountain Depot

We'll ta

e what we need to rebuild the legion from Dresari forces.

Ta

e all the mechs you got. You wouldn't get much left after thatmess, so ta e all of them.

Primary: Secure Factory

Primary: Secure Ammo

Primary: Secure Mech repair facility

Difficulty rating: 5 (air attac can be annoying)


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As you approach Alpha, one Thanatos will attac

, followed by a swarmof Nightshade fighters (6-8). Then another Thanatos will attac asyou approach the base between you and Alpha on the hill. Just go inthere and nail the turret control tower to stop the turrets.

Continue to Beta, Gamma, and Delta and you'll notice several walledstructures protecting the turret control towers. Just charge in andlet your lancemates worry about the enemy mechs. You'll have to getin medium range and just shoot the tip of the towers. Order yourlancemates to attac the enemy mechs while you ta e out the turretcontrollers. Another Thanatos will attac

, as will two Shadow Cats.Try not to destroy any structures. During the attac you'll get hitby more Nightshades, but just ta

e care of the mechs and your mechswill ta e care of the fighters.

Once you wiped out all opposition you get the base... And the Blac Knight mech.

8.3.3 Op 3, Mission 3 Prison Brea

Rescue surviving Blac Knight Legion personnel from the prison, andmaybe pic

up some Kentares Free Army people as well.

Primary: Secure Prison at Alpha, Beta, and Gamma

Difficulty rating: 5 ( illing the Shadow Cats quic ly can be aproblem)

As you approach Alpha, a Thor may approach you, while the turrets arebeyond the hills. Stay behind the hills and engage the Thor. When you illed that one, another one will approach. Kill that one too.

When ready, go to top of hill and ta e out all the turret controltowers you can reach (should be two of them). An Awesome will powerup in the distance. As you approach, you'll notice the third turret

control tower. Kill the third tower will trigger the rescue choppers.Kill the Awesome to ma e sure the rescue is unimpeded.

You'll get a request to free the prisoners at nav Delta. Two ShadowCats will attac . Just ill them and you win.

You've freed Carl Soontag (another MW4 character). It's time to brea out of the Mountains...

8.3.4 Op 3, Mission 4 Mountain Assault

Destroy the firebase at exit and ma e your way to the city...

Primary: Destroy static defenses in Alpha

Primary: Destroy tower and hangars at Beta

Primary: Destroy helipads at Gamma

Difficulty: 6 (ammo conservation is very important)

Bring lots of long-range weapons, li e ER LLAS, and so on. You'll be


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doing a LOT of anti-air and you'll need the lasers. It's also best tota

e out the control towers and static defenses from a distance.

When you start, you'll see a Lo i or two. Kill them. Move directlynorth to go through the gap discussed in the briefing and turn west.You'll have to destroy 2 groups of 4 Quadpanzers each.

Another Lo

i will attac

as you head to second gap, then a couplemore Quadpanzers. Then you need to ta e out the two fixedemplacements guarding the pass. Those are nasty... lots of long-rangeweapons, but they don't move. Just eep firing at it with long-rangeweapons and they'll be toasted in no time.

Now things get tough. As you go up the slope, the calliopes will getyou, then Mad Cat M II is coming down too. You can ta e out theturret control tower first, then concentrate fire to ta

e out the MadCat M II. Then run for the helipads, and nail as many choppers asyou can. They'll be ta

ing off ASAP, so the more you can catch on theground, the better. Then just ill ill all the choppers in the air.They can't do you much damage.

By now all the fighters and bombers should have ta

en off... Andthey're coming after you. Approach Beta slowly, and ta e out the MadCat M

. II that's guarding them, and the remaining turret control

tower. Then just run all over the place, avoid the bombs, ta

e outthe control tower and hangars, while your lancemates shoot them outof the s y.

After all that, it's time to visit Dresari...

8.4 Operation 4 : Reprisal

You've bro en out of the Cascade Mountains into Kentares City... andyou will deal with the people who betrayed the Blac Knight Legion...such as Ian Dresari himself.

You have plenty of Blac

Mar

et access, and you should haveaccumulated several lighter mechs you don't need. Trade them in foran assault mech or two and all the weapons you need.

8.4.1 Op 4, Mission 1 Staging Grounds

You need to do a recon-in-force to locate a good spot for the Legionto set up shop...

Primary: Clean up Alpha

Primary: Investigate Beta

Primary: Investigate Gamma

Primary: Destroy EECM Jammer

Primary: Locate HQ site for Legion

Difficulty rating: 4 (simple fight)

As you arrive you'll see a pitch battle of several tan s and a Mauler


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fighting several lighter mechs. Get in there and save the rebels.

When you move to Beta, you'll see the ECCM Generator (loo s just li ea Comm Array though). You'll fight an Uziel and several tan s and LRMlaunchers. Nail them all.

When you reach nav Gamma, you'll hit the chec point with some missileturrets, another Mauler, and an Uziel. Ta

e them all out.

Once the area is cleared, you called in the convoy... When suddenlyyou detect more mechs coming in.

Primary: Destroy Dresari reinforcements.

Hellspawn and Cougar charge in, but you should have plenty offirepower to deal with them. Once you ta

e care of these two themission is a success.

8.4.2 Op 4, Mission 2 Chec

point Chec

out

Destroy all guards at the four chec

points

Primary: Clear Alpha

Primary: Clear Beta

Primary: Clear Gamma

Primary: Clear Delta

Difficulty rating: 6 (lots of fight, extremely close quarters, norepairs)

At Alpha, there are several turrets (gauss rifle), Demolisher II'sand Myrmidon tan s, and two Mechs (Ryo en or Argus and Thor). Ta eout the turret control trac , then the mechs.

Same setup is at Beta. Repeat the process.

Same setup again is at Gamma, just repeat the process.

While on your way to Delta, you run into 4 Demolisher II tan s and 1Myrmidon tan . Ta e them all out with concentrated fire.

At Delta, you were informed of two assault mechs joining the defense.However, as you approach, Damon Squire joins your attac in hisDaishi. The defense is composed of Argus, Thor, 2 Maulers, sometan

s, and more turrets. Kill everybody should be easy with Squire'shelp.

8.4.3 Op 4, Mission 3 Lion's Mouth

Attac Lion Base, the Dresari stronghold in the city, to drive thembac into palace grounds...

Primary: Destroy Lion Base

Difficulty rating: 4 (you have lots of help on this one)


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Just move down that wide street in front of you. Two mechs willattac (usually Uziel and Ryo en), and 4 LRM trac s. Ta e them allout.

Another Uziel and a Mad Cat will attac

, but in a few moments they'llrun away. You can shoot them from the bac , they won't matter.

You'll have to ta e out several calliopes on the rooftops as youapproach the par

.

When you get to the par

, the rebel assault lance should have

illedjust about all the defenders. You just go ahead and toast the HQ andthe mech hangars.

You then get a notice about Dresari assault lance approaching(Sunder, Mad Cat M . II, Daishi), but the Rebel assault lance shouldhave engaged them already. Just join in and toast all of them, andyou win.

8.4.4 Op 4, Mission 5 Revenge

You're attac

ing the Dresari palace... (nearly same as the final

mission in MW4)

You can ta e three lancemates and all the heavy stuff you want.Daishi should be available in the blac mar et now.

Trade for all the mechs and weapons you want now, because you don'tget access to Blac Mar et in the next operation except the initialmission. Get at least two more assault mechs for bac up in case yourcurrent ones are damaged or destroyed.

Primary: destroy Dresari Mechs

Primary: find Ian Dresari

Difficulty rating: 6 (easy fight, esp. with repairs)

When you start, no one attac

s, but then you'll soon be in range of 3calliopes, then 2 Vultures, a Mad Cat, and a Awesome will join in.Kill them all.

As you move up to nav Alpha, you'll be attac

ed by Mad Cat and aThor. Kill them. There is a repair bay to west of nav Alpha (thesame one bac in MW4's Endgame, in fact) you can use.

When you've ta

en cared of all the other guards, move up to Nav Beta.Ian Dresari will show up in a Daishi (with X-Pulse lasers) with Jules

Gonzales in a Sunder.

Primary: Destroy Ian Dresari and Jules Gonzales.

Ta e them both out, and Kentares is free, and you'll be settling thescore with Major Dupree...

8.5 Operation 5 : Pay Day


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Dresari is dead, but Major Dupree remains... And the circle ofvengeance is not yet closed... You are landing on Voltrat 3 to finishthe job.

8.5.1 Op 5, Mission 1 Final Countdown

Land on the roc

, ta

e over the missile base, shoot the missiles atthe other base, and evacuate.

Primary: Destroy all patrols of missile base

Primary: Protect the tech team as they rewire the missiles

Difficulty rating: 7 (the reinforcements coming from two directions)

As you attac , you'll run into a few light and medium mechs, mainlyHellspawns and Cougars. Destroy all of them.

Continue approach and you'll see a group of Quadpanzers (4). Ta

ethem all out, and you should be at Alpha.

Continue approach and ta e out all the turrets you see. You shouldsee the choppers (two Peregrines par

ed next to satellite control).

Use Zoom mode to ta

e them out before they ta

e off. Continueapproach and blow all the turrets. When you do that, the choppershould come in and start rewiring the controls.

You then get a visit from six mechs... First ones are from the east(?). You get a Mauler. When you ill it, you get a Mad Cat M . II,then an Atlas. When the Atlas arrives, three MORE mechs arrive fromthe opposite direction (west?), Mad Cat M II, Mauler, and Hellspawn.Kill them quic ly, as you need to be able to get bac to Alpha. Youthen get a warning about incoming missiles in 1 minute.

Primary: ma e your way bac to nav Alpha to avoid the incomingwarheads

Once you reach nav Alpha, you should see some of your missiles ta ingoff in a cutscene, and the mission is a success!

At completion, you can choose between O5M2 or O5M3...

8.5.2 Op 5, Mission 2 The Gauntlet

Ta e out the mechwarrior school to cut off any reinforcements.

You can choose to do O5M2 or O5M3 first. This ma

es the first missiona little easier and the next mission somewhat more difficult.

Primary: destroy `mech defenders

Primary: destroy enemy base at Beta

Difficulty rating: 7 (lots of enemies, esp. in the beginning)

You start alone. Immediately order "form on me", and go full throttleto nav Gamma. You'll see a Vulture. As you go, a Thor and Catapultwill power up beside you. These guys are deadly... Don't fight them.


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Instead, run past them and join up with the rest of your lance. Withthe rest of the lance they are a piece of ca

e.

If you ordered "form on me", there may be three Vultures followingthem. Ta e them out as well when you ta e care of the first three.

In the meanwhile, Hammer lance at Epsilon is getting hit hard, butyou can't get there in time unless you have a VERY fast mech (theyare more 4 lic s out). Even then you can't really affect the outcomeby much. So you will have to leave them to their own devices.

Primary: assist Hammer lance at nav Epsilon

Continue on and you'll pass the next nav point, as you continue tohead for Beta. On the way, you'll encounter a Thanatos and moreVultures and maybe a Lo

i or two. Ta

e them all out.

When you reach nav Beta, the base, it should be undefended. Ta

e outthe barrac s and the hangars (anything that shows RED in the targetreticule) and you should accomplish that objective. Then repairyourself at the repair base. Order repair for other mechs also.

Now it's time to head over to nav Epsilon and see what you can do...When you get there, whoever survived Hammer lance (one or more

assault mechs, usually a Sunder) should be easy pic

ings for yourassault lance.

8.5.3 Op 5, Mission 3 Pillage

Capture the supplies and mechs at this outpost.

You can choose to do O5M2 or O5M3 first. This ma es the first missiona little easier and the next mission somewhat more difficult.

Pic something fast, li e a Mad Cat M . II. You'll have to run prettyfast.

Primary: Destroy base defenders

Difficulty rating: 7 (lots of enemies, then the time limit to

illthe barrac s)

When you start, turn LEFT and pic your way through the lava fields.THEN turn right toward the enemies. Sunder, Atlas, and Mad Cat M

. IIwill attac you, along with quite a few tan s, including LRMlaunchers, Demolisher II's, and Myrmidons. Concentrate fire and ta eout one at a time. When there's one left, move to the nav Point. Asyou battle them, you'll get radio message about the enemymechwarriors scrambling from the barrac s, so you have to ta e the

barrac

s out quic

ly.

Primary: destroy the Barrac

s

As you approach the base, a static defense fort, then FOUR calliopeswill engage you. Use your firepower to ta e out the fort, then ta eout calliopes in your way and send your other mechs in to occupy therest. You must concentrate fire on the barrac s. If you fail to ta eout the barrac s in time, you'll have to fight FOUR MORE assaultmechs (2 Atlas, Daishi, Mad Cat M . II, etc.) and that is going to be


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a real pain in the rear, so do it right!

Do NOT hit the warehouse next to the barrac s even if it shows"hostile" (aim carefully!). The warehouse is explosive and it'll blowup really big, and ta e out one of the idle Atlas.

Once you too out all the calliopes, the tech team will come in. Thisis a good time to use the mobile repair base as nothing will happenfor a while. By this time, your people should have reached the mechsand should be powering up. On the other hand, the Steinerreinforcement should be arriving as well... Six assault mechs aren'tfriendly, but you should outnumber them by this point.

Primary: Destroy Steiner reinforcements

Head down the way you came up on with the whole lance, and engage theSteiner forces. You'll be facing no less than 4 Daishis, a Mad CatM

. II, and a Mauler. However, with the newly gained firepower youshould ta e them out easily.

Once you ta e them all out you win.

8.5.4 Op 5, Mission 4 Pay Day

The grand finale... Assault on Dupree's base.

Primary: Destroy enemies at Alpha

Primary: Destroy enemies at Beta

Primary: Destroy enemies at Gamma

Primary: Find and Destroy Major Carissa Dupree

Difficulty rating: 10 (that final duel is a real iller unless youuse the ramming tactic)

When you start, 4 Myrmidon tan s will charge you, followed by 2Shadow Cats, then 4 Peregrine choppers.

At nav Alpha, you'll see 2 Awesomes and 2 Sunders trying to guard thespot. Ta e them out and you've secured nav Alpha.

Between nav Alpha and nav Beta, 4 more Peregrine choppers willattac , though they will fall before your lasers and PPCs.

At nav Beta, 2 Mad Cat M II and 2 Vultures attempt to guard thespot. Destroy them.

As you approach Gamma, you will see 1 Atlas and 2 Sunders trying toguard the spot. Ta e them out.

Continue approaching the base. You will see a row of 5 calliopes onthe hills, the Steiner HQ and factory, the launch gantry, and 4 mechshiding beyond the gantry. They should be 2 Mad Cat M II's and 2Vultures. There should also be 2 mech repair bays nearby. Repairyourself first. Those four mechs may shoot at you but they'll mostlyignore you, and those calliopes are too far away unless you getcloser.


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When your mech is repaired, start shooting at the 4 mechs, whilestaying out of range of those calliopes. Kill all the mechs, then thecalliopes. You may need to climb the hill to shoot those effectively.

You get the cutscene about something's powering up near you... Thenall your lancemates blow up one at a time, and Dupree shows up in ablue Mad Cat M

. II. She is a GOOD shot... If you're damaged youwon't last very long, and she uses jumpjets li e a maestro. Beat herand you win...

O

ay, you thought you won... Then comes the next surprise... It'sDupree again! She's in an escape pod ta ing off!

Primary: Destroy escape pod

Turn around and head for the red dot immediately, and open fire withall weapons! If you don't toast that pod (though one FULL salvo ofLRM20's should do it) you lose.

Addendum: I beat her was with a shotgun Daishi. I duc ed into therepair bay to get repaired first. Then when she comes around (within100 meters), I exit the repair bay at max speed, ran into her, andpumped all weapons right into her POINT-BLANK coc

pit-to-coc

pit.

Repeat until dead. You'll get damaged, but that's not a big deal.

8.6 The End

Well, loo s li e you won. The Legion is now yours, Colonel.

9 Multiplayer

In multiplayer games, odd configurations designed to exploit AI

wea

nesses would not wor

as well, as you are playing against humans.On the other hand, surprise can be interesting. Imagine you run intoa Mad Cat M . II armed with LBX cannons and Strea SRM6's!

Here are some notes on the new multiplayer modes...

9.1 About Absolute Attrition

As the tonnage is factored into the score, you need to pic heavy butvery hard-hitting mechs. Nova Cat or Blac Knight are deadly in"laser boat" configurations, and can move at a very good speed. MadCat M . II can be surprisingly fast without the jumpjet, but is a bit

too heavy. Thanatos can be a good substitute.

You will need a variety of weapons but

eep at least two large energyweapons when you run out of ammo.

9.2 About Strongholds

Both defense and offense are required. Usually, you need mediums andheavies to attac , while assault mechs will "hold the fort". It's


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better to eep a mix of mechs for both offense and defense, however.

The attac ing lance should use long-range weapons. The smaller fastermechs can try to outflan the defenders and snea -in a few long-rangeshots via jumpjets. LRMs, ER LLAS, ER PPC, and gauss rifles areexcellent sniper weapons. Lighter shooters li

e Shadow Cat or Uzielcan lead the way.

9.3 About Siege Assault

Defenders will need excellent short-range firepower coupled with long-range accuracy. Figure LBX20's along with PPCs and LLAS.

Attac ers would see to occupy the defenders while lighter jump-capable mechs bypass the defenders and go after the HQ.

9.4 About Goliaths

Medium mechs actually DO have a chance, if you pic the right ones.Cougar and its bigger cousin, Uziel, have excellent combination ofspeed and firepower. Cougar is extremely hard to hit in a distance,while its LRMs and ER LLAS will pec

you to death.

Assault mech, on the other hand, should drop some of the armor forspeed. A Mad Cat M . II can be extremely fast when it needs to be.While you won't outrun the smaller mechs, you can stretch them outand let you pic off one at a time. Ma e sure you don't get caught inthe blast!

9.5 About Clan vs. Inner Sphere

One can go on for days about the relative merits of Clan mechs vs. ISmechs. While Clan mechs are more advanced technically, they are alsomore prone to heat and catastrophic damage, while IS mechs are more

durable but carry less firepower. It's a trade-off, just li

e allthings in life.

--THE END--

Mechwarrior 4 Black Knight

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