MechWarrior (1989 Video Game)
Sarna News
Activision's Mechwarrior is a 1989 computer game set in the BattleTech universe.
In the game, the player (as Gideon Braver) takes command of the Blazing Aces mercenary unit in his quest to uncover a hideous plot, retrieve a vital artefact and avenge the murder of his family... within only 5 years. He gets to manage the unit's finances and negotiate contracts, can hire and fire other MechWarriors for the unit (which can thus grow up to Lance size) and gets to control Gideon's BattleMech in combat. Most importantly, however, he must follow leads and gather information about the events on his homeworld. Ultimately, he must find and defeat the Dark Wing unit to reclaim his heritage.
Only the major/more important planets from the BattleTech universe can be travelled to within the game (30 planets from each House except House Liao who have only 25 worlds on the game map; no periphery worlds). A short one-line description is provided for each of these worlds, as is a rough impression of the environment as either tropical, ice or desert.
The game contains many references to other elements of the BattleTech universe. A multitude of well-known pirate groups and mercenary units is mentioned in several places. Over the course of the game, prominent events taken from various novels are mentioned in the news, covering items from the "Gray Death" triology (Verthandi Rebellion, Sirius massacre, events on Helm) and the "Warrior Trilogy" (following the Solaris career of Justin Xiang Allard up to the wedding of Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner and the subsequent Fourth Succession War).
Plot synopsis
Gideon Braver Vandenburg was the son of Cameron Vandenburg, the Duke of Ander's Moon (Elidere IV). The world had been colonized centuries ago by the Vandenburg and McBrin clans and was rewarded with a Dukedom by Prince Davion for the valor of its warriors in the Succession Wars. Upon the death of the old Duke, the new Duke is elected by the Council of Representatives and anointed with oil from the sacred Chalice of Herne, an ancient artefact from old Terra that had come to symbolize the office of Duke. The title has thus passed from clan to clan over the centuries, creating a bitter rivalry between the Vandenburg and McBrin clans.
On March 1, 3024, Gideon Braver Vandenburg left Castle Vandenburg, his father's stronghold, for an inspection of the family's holdings. Upon his return two days later he found that a Lance of BattleMechs had attacked the Castle, killed his family and stolen the Chalice of Herne along with other treasure. This turned out to be an intrigue by Jarris McBrin, who coveted the title of Duke for himself. McBrin faked evidence that suggested the Vandenburg clan had worked with and then double-crossed the pirates, but failed to convince the Council of Representatives to elect him Duke; instead, they chose to delay the election of a new Duke until Gideon Braver Vandenburg had reached adulthood (23 years of age) on April 8, 3029.
Shortly after this decision, Gideon Braver Vandenburg found himself falsely accused of conspiracy and crimes against the state and was forced to flee off-world. Jordan Rowe, a friend of the Vandenburg family, provided him with safe passage on a DropShip, some money and an old Jenner 'Mech.
Upon arriving at a nearby world, he abbreviated his name to Gideon Braver to avoid "complications", and created a small mercenary unit, the Blazing Aces. Over the course of his adventures, they accepted many short term contracts with various employers all over the Inner Sphere.
Inquiries about the insignia seen on the BattleMechs that had pillaged Castle Vandenburg pointed Gideon Braver to Grig Griez, a wanted crimelord operating from within the Draconis Combine. On Land's End he finally met one of Griez's henchmen. Eventually, Gideon Braver met Grig Griez in person and agreed to deliver a message to one of Griez's agents on Dustball in exchange for information.
On Dustball, the message turned out to contain a deadly poison and the receipient in turn had orders to kill Gideon Braver. Obviously, Grig wanted both of them dead. Gideon Braver survived the situation and was tipped off to a JumpShip named the "Stone Arrow". This was a smuggler ship operated by a man known as Kangaroo Jack, whose enstranged brother served as a Scorpion pilot with Smithson's Chinese Bandits on garrison duty in the Free Worlds League. When Gideon Braver sought him out, he hinted at a world in the Federated Suns where Kangaroo Jack had a woman. Immediately after meeting with the Scorpion pilot, another assassination attempt was made against Gideon Braver but he survived again.
Subsequently, a man named Kearny contacted Gideon Braver and informed him that it had been the Black Widow Company who had been moved to Ander's Moon with the "Stone Arrow" and attacked Castle Vandenburg bearing false unit insignia. He gave Gideon a slip of paper with an adress that turned out to be a trap. Kangaroo Jack had been killed, and Gidon Braver survived yet another assassination attempt.
Gideon Braver and the Blazing Aces then tracked down the Black Widow Company who were stationed in the Draconis Combine (obviously prior to their withdrawal to Misery in early 3028). When confronted with the accusations, Natasha Kerensky denied any involvement and a barfight ensued where the intervention of a mysterious woman named Tasha saved Gideon Braver from a severe beating from the Black Widows. She revealed herself as a MI6 operative and later provided him with datafiles that revealed a Kurita company, Matabushi Incorporated, to be behind the Dark Wing and the attack on Castle Vandenburg as part of their Operation Inroad. She also revealed Kearny as a Kurita agent working for the ISF; the Black Widows really had nothing to do with it - Kearny had set Gideon up to get himself killed by the Black Widows.
The Blazing Aces eventually wound up in an attack against Matabushi Inc. on Albiero by the MI6 that also saw a showdown between Tasha and Kearny who accused each other of being Kurita operatives at gunpoint. Gideon chose to trust Tasha. After this, Tasha provided the Blazing Aces with detailed data on the whereabouts of the Chalice of Herne, which was guarded by the Dark Wing for Matabushi.
With this information, Gideon Braver Vandenburg and the Blazing Aces eventually defeated the Dark Wing and reclaimed the Chalice within five years after it had been robbed from Ander's Moon.
BattleMechs featured
Within the game, only eight different 'Mech designs are available for either side in the combat simulator: Locust, Jenner, Phoenix Hawk, Shadow Hawk, Rifleman, Warhammer, Marauder and BattleMaster. The player cannot acquire other designs, nor can enemy forces contain others. Over the course of the storyline, a Scorpion (BattleMech features in the narrative and yet other models are mentioned.
Personnell
The player can recruit lancemates from numerous applicants, although experienced MechWarriors only become available once the unit has gained a certain reputation. They can be hired and fired at the player's discretion, and can also die in battle. The pool of available personnell includes a variety of minor characters (starting Skill at Gunnery/'Mech Pilot):
Men
- T. D. Bente (Poor/Average)
- Billy Chow (Average/Average)
- Kevin Call (Good/Excellent), formerly of the Gray Death Legion
- A. Cooper (Good/Average), a MechWarrior from the Federated Suns
- Jim Eagle (Excellent/Good), who formerly served in the recon lance, Lindon's Company
- Ted Hegel (Average/Poor), who lost his 'Mech in a brush with the Black Widow
- B. Hendrik (Average/Good), who started with Narhal's Raiders
- J. Holmaas (Excellent/Excellent)
- Darc Horse (Good/Excellent), who works "alone or with Team Banzai" otherwise
- "Killer" (Good/Good), a psychopath
- G. Lofall (Excellent/Good)
- "Nasty Bill" (Excellent/Excellent)
- Z. Rodgers (Poor/Average), a former Tech in Richard's Panzer Brigade
- Pete Ryan (Good/Average)
- Tim Seers (Poor/Poor)
- Tank Smith (Good/Excellent)
- "Tricky Nik" (Good/Good), who previously worked for Redjack Ryan
- R. Torsak (Good/Excellent), a former Marauder pilot with the 21st Centauri Lancers
- Kelly T. (Average/Good)
- Bob True (Poor/Poor)
- Kinji Tsi (Good/Average), a follower of Bushido
- Alex Veer (Average/Good), who got his training on the gaming world of Solaris
Women
- Ara (Good/Average)
- Rose Artz (Good/Average), formerly a Thunderbolt pilot with the Eridani Light Horse
- Karen Blak (Average/Poor)
- Tara Ellis (Average/Good), formerly a Griffin pilot with the Eridani Light Horse
- Erin Falls (Good/Excellent)
- Elli Gujar (Poor/Poor)
- JJ Kitter (Good/Excellent), who "spent some time with the Waco Rangers and Miller's Marauders"
- A. Chu Lai (Excellent/Excellent), formerly a Javelin pilot in Winston's Scout Lance, Waco Rangers
- Ilsa Marn (Average/Good), a self-proclaimed expert at covert operations
- Emma Meyer (Excellent/Good), who previously worked in scout and strike lances in Brion's Legion
- S. Miller (Average/Good), who claims she "practically grew up in the 3rd Recon Company"
- A. Morris (Good/Average), who lost her Locust in a Kurita raid
- Pam North (Average/Poor), whose last tour was with the 12th Vegan Rangers
- Taris Ren (Poor/Poor)
- D. "Desire" Sajak (Poor/Average)
- Chaney Ti (Excellent/Excellent)
- Zera Tith (Excellent/Good), whose "last gig was Helmar Valasek"
- "TJ" (Average/Poor)