MechCommander 2/BattleMechs

Below is a listing of all BattleMechs in the game, with their specifications.

Base Game BattleMechs

BattleMech	Faction	Tech. Base	Class	Tonnage	Speed	Jump Distance	Space (X x Y)	Internal Structure	Armor (Min/Max)	Heat Limit (No HS)	C-Bills (Prime Variant)	Sensor Suite
Fire Ant	Bandits	Inner Sphere	Light	30	97	N/A	3 x 2	32	80/112	22	24,600	None
UrbanMech	Bandits	Inner Sphere	Light	30	54	125	2 x 4	64	80/144	22	33,700	None
Razorback	Steiner	Inner Sphere	Light	30	97	125	4 x 2	32	80/144	22	41,750	Intermediate
Hollander	Steiner	Inner Sphere	Light	35	86	N/A	2 x 4	64	96/160	22	36,300	None
Hunchback	Steiner	Inner Sphere	Medium	50	65	125	3 x 4	96	80/240	24	46,750	None
Bushwacker	Steiner	Inner Sphere	Medium	55	86	N/A	4 x 4	128	112/272	27	62,850	None
Shootist	Steiner	Inner Sphere	Heavy	70	65	N/A	3 x 6	64	130/290	30	63,550	None
Zeus	Steiner	Inner Sphere	Assault	80	65	N/A	5 x 4	64	130/258	72	87,500	None
Highlander	Steiner	Inner Sphere	Assault	90	54	125	5 x 5	96	148/372	37	100,950	None
Atlas	Steiner	Inner Sphere	Assault	100	54	N/A	6 x 5	304	80/432	43	106,600	None
Anubis	Liao	Inner Sphere	Light	30	130	125	2 x 3	64	96/128	26	41,600	Intermediate
Raven	Liao	Inner Sphere	Light	35	97	N/A	3 x 2	64	96/160	24	37,500	Advanced, ECM Mk. I
Sha Yu	Liao	Inner Sphere	Medium	40	119	125	3 x 3	64	112/176	28	46,850	Intermediate
Starslayer	Liao	Inner Sphere	Medium	50	86	125	4 x 3	64	112/240	42	64,450	None
Men Shen	Liao	Inner Sphere	Medium	55	97	N/A	6 x 2	96	80/272	29	57,500	Advanced, ECM Mk. I
Catapult	Liao	Inner Sphere	Heavy	65	65	125	4 x 4	96	80/272	40	71,350	None
Lao Hu	Liao	Inner Sphere	Heavy	75	86	125	4 x 4	96	130/290	60	84,300	None
Uller	Davion	Clan	Light	30	97	N/A	4 x 2	32	96/128	22	41,300	Intermediate
Wolfhound	Davion	Inner Sphere	Light	35	97	125	3 x 3	64	80/176	28	46,850	None
Shadow Cat	Davion	Clan	Medium	45	97	125	2 x 5	96	112/208	24	63,000	None
Enfield	Davion	Inner Sphere	Medium	50	86	N/A	4 x 3	64	112/240	30	50,400	None
Ryoken	Davion	Clan	Medium	55	97	N/A	5 x 3	32	112/240	38	84,400	None
Vulture	Davion	Clan	Heavy	60	86	N/A	3 x 5	128	130/290	52	88,350	None
JagerMech	Davion	Inner Sphere	Heavy	65	65	125	4 x 4	160	130/290	27	61,000	None
Thor	Davion	Clan	Heavy	70	86	125	3 x 6	96	130/290	46	100,700	None
Mad Cat	Davion	Clan	Heavy	75	86	N/A	5 x 4	96	130/322	61	121,650	None

Differences from BattleTech

There are some notable differences in design specifications. The most significant are described below.

Payload Space/Criticals/Slots - Whatever term you want to use, BattleMechs in MechCommander 2 do not use the typical Critical Hit Slots used in BattleTech. Instead, each 'Mech has a grid of squares where weapons and equipment can be added. If there are available squares (slots) then you can add it. There are no 'Mechs with irregularly shaped grids. They're all rectangular. 'Mechs can and do take critical hits in combat, which results in various weapons and equipment being destroyed. The number of squares a weapon uses does not appear to influence the chances of the weapon receiving a critical hit. However, having a number of secondary weapons will reduce the chance of a critical hit impacting a primary weapon.

Critical Hits - Armor added to a 'Mech can receive critical hits. If destroyed, the 'Mechs maximum armor (hit points) is reduced by the amount added by that armor plate. This is represented by the 'Mech's health bar not filling up completely when repaired during a mission. Likewise, maximum armor is also reduced when a limb or side torso is blown off. There does not seem to be any direct relationship between a 'Mech's arms and its weapons. When an UrbanMech loses its weapon "arm" or even both arms, it often still has its autocannon. Weapons destroyed in combat cannot be repaired by the repair vehicle and must be re-purchased when the mission ends. Most importantly, if the weapon is one that is not available for purchase, it will not be replaced. The player must then modify the loadout to use weapons that are available.

Reactor Explosion - A reactor explosion will occur whenever a 'Mech's center torso is destroyed. It does not require a critical hit to the reactor, nor is the reactor capable of receiving critical hits.

Heat - Heat in MechCommander 2 works more like the way tonnage does in BattleTech. The 'Mech either has a high enough heat limit to allow a weapon to be equipped, or it doesn't. Heat doesn't affect rate of fire in any way, and the Flame weapons in the game do not increase the target's heat. One exception to this is if a loudout uses the last point of the Heat Limit (46/46, for example). In this situation the 'Mech will chain-fire weapons instead of firing them all at once. BattleMechs in the game will not overheat and shut down.

It appears that the developers may have originally planned to use a more traditional heat management system. The main evidence comes from a unique enemy 'Mech late in the game that has a weapons loadout that exceeds its heat limit. While fighting, it does overheat and shut down, showing that the heat measurement and shutdown mechanics are in the game. They just ended up deciding to arrange things so that heat dissipates as fast as the weapons can generate it.

Jump Jets - Each BattleMech is either able to equip Jump Jets or it isn't, and the Jump Distance is the same for all of the ones that can. Equipping Jump Jets adds 7 heat (doesn't matter if they're in use or not), so the player might choose to remove the Jump Jets to gain more heat capacity, rather than adding Heat Sinks.

The pilot AI does not use Jump Jets at all. Only the player can activate Jump Jets. As a result, they are mainly used for things like jumping over walls to capture buildings, crossing waterways, etc. However, jumping is faster than the speeds the slower 'Mechs can run. A player who's good at micro-management can use Jump Jets to close with enemies faster and to jump over enemies to take shots at their back.

Misc. Info

Salvage - Salvage is a very important part of the game. Every BattleMech that didn't have a reactor explosion can be salvaged. Aiming for the head (Hold down the "8" key on the number pad, then click on the target.) is an excellent way to preserve an enemy 'Mech that you would like to salvage. After a mission ends, all of the salvageable 'Mechs are listed, and the player can pay to salvage any or all of them at 80% of the normal purchase price. In addition, all missing weapons are replaced as part of the payment, except for weapons that are not available. Since 'Mechs are sold at full value, salvaging after a battle always results in a 20% profit.

'Mechs can also be salvaged during a mission by spending Resource Points to bring in a salvage aircraft. BattleMechs salvaged this way can be sold for a much higher profit, since no payment is necessary to acquire them. However, the player must pay to replace missing weapons on 'Mechs salvaged this way. When a choice of multiple of the same 'Mech is available, choose the one that has the most weapons intact.

By salvaging 'Mechs, the player can acquire 'Mechs and weapons that are unavailable for purchase or limited in quantity. Already have a certain 'Mech, but need more of the weapons it carries? Salvage it, strip the weapons off, and then sell the weaponless 'Mech.

Repairs - It should be noted that armor and limb repairs are free after a mission ends, so using repair trucks at the end of a mission before extracting does not save any money.

BattleMech Range - Each 'Mech has a listed range. It changes based on the weapon loadout. The game looks at the damage the loadout can do at short, medium, and/or long range, and lists the range it believes to be the optimum for that loadout. However, it does more than simply tell the player what range the 'Mech is armed most effectively for. This is also the distance that the pilot will attempt to maintain from a given target in battle. If you keep wondering why your 30-ton scout is in the enemy's face, while your two Bushwackers, who actually have armor, stand back and shoot from a distance, this is why. The default Razorback loadout gives it a Short 'Mech Range, while the Bushwacker has a Medium 'Mech Range. Keep this in mind in regards to your weapon loadouts.

Tip: It can be difficult to get the game to assign the Razorback a Medium range. Adding long range weapons doesn't help shift it from short to medium. One loadout that works early on is: 1 Heatsink, 2 Armor plates, 2 Large Lasers, and a choice of 1 MG, 1 Streak SRM, or 1 LRM.

Paper Doll - As with BattleTech, the armor and internal structure of BattleMechs in MechCommander 2 are divided into sections. Armor is divided between these sections automatically. BattleMechs have a Head, Center Torso, Left Torso, Right Torso, two arms, and two legs. In MC2, only the center torso appears to have a rear side. Damage to armor has no chance of causing a critical hit. Once the armor is gone, damage goes to the internal structure. Any damage to internal structure has a chance of causing a critical hit. If all of the internal structure for a section is destroyed, then that section is destroyed, or blown off.