MechWarrior 4/BattleMechs

This article contains extended details about 'Mechs appearing in MechWarrior 4: Vengeance, MechWarrior 4: Black Knight, and MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries.

Stock variants[edit]

'Mech Game introduced Tech Class Tons Notes
Cougar Vengeance Clan Light 35 Shares the two LRM-10s with the Prime Configuration, but with an ER Large Laser, ER Medium Laser, ER Small Laser, Jump Jets, and Active Probe rather than the two Large Pulse Lasers.
Flea Mercenaries IS Light 20 Apocryphal variant with three Small Lasers and two Machine Gun Arrays.
Osiris Vengeance IS Light 30 Primary variant. Its advent in MechWarrior 4 predates its canonization in Technical Readout: 3067.
Owens Mercenaries IS Light 35 Modified Configuration 1 with no Omni capability. According to the manual, the two LRM-5s are upgraded to LRM-10s, and the Medium Laser and two Small Lasers to X-Pulses, but with slower speed and no special electronics. The in-game version has a somewhat implausible two LRM-15s and two Medium X-Pulse Lasers.
Adder (Puma) Mercenaries Clan Light 35 Prime configuration, sans Targeting Computer (which doesn't exist in this game) and Flamer.
Raven Vengeance IS Light 35 3M variant. Featured 360° torso twist in this game.
Kit Fox (Uller) Black Knight Clan Light 30 Alternate Configuration G.
Wolfhound Black Knight IS Light 35 Apocryphal variant with a Large X-Pulse Laser and two Medium Pulse Lasers.
Arctic Wolf Clan 'Mech Pack Clan Medium 40 Prime (OmniMech) configuration.
Bushwacker Vengeance IS Medium 55 Almost the same as the X2 variant, just with a LRM-10 in place of two LRM-5s.
Chimera Vengeance IS Medium 40 1S variant, except with non-ER lasers. Its advent in MechWarrior 4 predates its canonization in Technical Readout: 3067.
Hellhound Mercenaries Clan Medium 50 Its configuration in the game was contrary to the canon Conjurer (Hellhound). The game's configuration was later canonized as the Hellcat (Hellhound II).
Hellspawn Vengeance IS Medium 45 Primary variant. Its advent in MechWarrior 4 predates its canonization in Technical Readout: 3067.
Hunchback IS 'Mech Pack IS Medium 50 6S variant with non-ER lasers.
Stormcrow (Ryoken) Black Knight Clan Medium 55 Alternate Configuration I.
Shadow Cat Vengeance Clan Medium 45 Alternate Configuration D, except that MechWarrior 4 has no Clan Pulse Lasers, only Clan ER Pulse Lasers, and no Machine Guns, only Machine Gun Arrays, which in this case are traded 1:1.
Uziel Vengeance IS Medium 50 2S variant. Its advent in MechWarrior 4 predates its canonization in Technical Readout: 3067.
Argus Vengeance IS Heavy 60 Similar to the 4D variant, but with earlier tech: they share the LRM-10 and Machine Gun (an Array in MechWarrior 4), but the MechWarrior 4 variant has the two Medium Lasers as non-ER (MechWarrior 4 does not have Inner Sphere ER Lasers), and two Ultra AC/5s in place of the Rotary Autocannon/5. The advent of the Argus in MechWarrior 4 predates its canonization in Technical Readout: 3067.
Black Knight Black Knight IS Heavy 75 Vaguely resembling the 2Y variant, the game's version keeps the PPC, two Large Lasers, and one Medium Laser, but drops the other three Medium Lasers and electronics suite for a second PPC. Furthermore, it incorporates the Shield as an auxiliary damage location, as well as several Omni slots.
Catapult Vengeance IS Heavy 65 C4C variant.
Ebon Jaguar (Cauldron-Born) Clan 'Mech Pack Clan Heavy 65 Apocryphal variant armed with two LB 10-X Autocannons, two LRM 15s, and two ER Medium Lasers.
Dragon IS 'Mech Pack IS Heavy 60 Apocryphal upgrade of the 7N, upgrading the Gauss Rifle to a Heavy Gauss Rifle. The Autocannon/5, LRM-10, and Medium Laser are unchanged.
Hellbringer (Loki) Vengeance Clan Heavy 65 Alternate Configuration F.
Timber Wolf (Mad Cat) Vengeance Clan Heavy 75 Modified Prime configuration. The two LRM-20s, two ER Large Lasers, and two Machine Guns are retained (the last as Arrays), while the two ER Medium Lasers and Medium Pulse Laser are replaced with two ER Medium Pulse Lasers.
Nova Cat Vengeance Clan Heavy 70 Prime configuration. The version in the manual was listed with an additional ER Small Pulse Laser.
Thanatos Vengeance IS Heavy 75 Similar to 4T variant, but with no C3 (not present in MechWarrior 4) and one fewer Medium Pulse Laser and slightly faster. Featured 360° torso twist in this game. Its advent in MechWarrior 4 predates its canonization in Technical Readout: 3067.
Summoner (Thor) Vengeance Clan Heavy 70 This configuration was later canonicalized as the Grand Summoner (Thor II) Prime, though this required the use of Endo Steel structure. Featured 360° torso twist in this game.
Mad Dog (Vulture) Vengeance Clan Heavy 60 Modified Prime configuration. The two LRM-20s are the same, but the two Large Pulse Lasers and two Medium Pulse Lasers are replaced with four ER Medium Pulse Lasers. Two of the lasers are depicted as being in a chin turret, which influenced the appearance of the Mad Dog Mk III (Vulture Mk III) and possibly the Mk II. Featured 360° torso twist in this game.
Atlas Vengeance IS Assault 100 S3 variant. As published by Microsoft, MechWarrior 4 lacks Artemis IV; this is replaced with extra electronic warfare equipment.
Awesome Vengeance IS Assault 80 Retains the three standard PPCs of the 8Q but is faster and upgrades the Small Laser to a SRM-4 and three Medium Lasers, like a partial upgrade towards a 9M.
Dire Wolf (Daishi) Vengeance Clan Assault 100 Similar to the Prime configuration, sharing the two Ultra Autocannon/5s and four ER Large Lasers. The version in the manual keeps the LRM-10 and replaces the four Medium Pulse Lasers with ER versions (MechWarrior 4 does not have non-ER Clan Pulse Lasers) and two Machine Gun Arrays. The in-game version simply has a LRM-20 instead of these.
Fafnir Mercenaries IS Assault 100 Retains the two Heavy Gauss Rifles of the 5 variant, but upgrades the other weapons to two Large Lasers and three Medium Lasers; implausible by tabletop rules without resorting to Clan technology.
Executioner (Gladiator) Mercenaries Clan Assault 95 Adapted Alternate Configuration B with the same ER PPC, Ultra Autocannon/20, and ER Medium Laser, but replaces the MASC (which doesn't exist in MechWarrior 4) and Anti-Missile System with a ER Large Laser, a second ER Medium Laser, and ECM Suite.
Hauptmann Mercenaries IS Assault 95 Similar to the O configuration with the same LB 20-X Autocannon and two Medium Pulse Lasers. However, since MechWarrior 4 doesn't have Inner Sphere ER Lasers, the two Large Lasers and Small Laser are non-ER versions. Additionally, MechWarrior 4 also doesn't have Inner Sphere Streak SRMs; in this case the two Streak SRM-2s are replaced with a LRM-15.
Highlander IS 'Mech Pack IS Assault 90 694 variant, but somehow retaining the Jump Jets, possibly through some adjustment of armor, ammo, actuators, and/or engine type.
Kodiak Clan 'Mech Pack Clan Assault 100 Resembling the later Kodiak II Configuration 3. It has the same LB 20-X Autocannon, two apocryphal Streak MRM-40s rather than Inner Sphere MRMs with Apollo FCS, and four ER Medium Lasers rather than eight Smalls. Furthermore, it adds Jump Jets, though is also slower and presumably not using XXL engine technology.
Longbow Mercenaries IS Assault 85 Vaguely resembling the 12C variant, armed with two LRM-20s, a LRM-15, a LRM-10, three Medium Lasers, Active Probe, and Anti-Missile System.
Mad Cat Mk II Vengeance Clan Assault 90 Primary configuration. Its advent in MechWarrior 4 predates its canonization in Technical Readout: 3067.
Warhawk (Masakari) Clan 'Mech Pack Clan Assault 85 Adapted Alternate Configuration F, sharing the two ER PPCs and LRM-20. The LRM-10 is increased to a LRM-15 and the Ultra Autocannon/2 to a Ultra Autocannon/5 to offset MechWarrior 4's lack of Targeting Computer.
Mauler Vengeance IS Assault 90 2R variant, except with standard Medium Lasers instead of ER lasers, as MechWarrior 4 does not have Inner Sphere ER Lasers.
Sunder Black Knight IS Assault 90 Upgrade of the Original configuration with Endo Steel structure. The Autocannon/20 is upgraded to a LB-X version, the SRMs are replaced with Large Lasers, bringing the total to four. The two Medium Lasers are kept.
Templar Mercenaries IS Assault 85 Alternate Configuration D.
Victor Mercenaries IS Assault 80 10S variant, except with Medium Pulse Lasers instead of ER Medium Lasers.
Zeus IS 'Mech Pack IS Assault 80 Somewhat resembling the 9S2 variant. The two LRM-15s are kept, the Gauss Rifle is upgraded to a Heavy Gauss Rifle, and the ER Large Laser is downgraded to standard.

Named characters[edit]

All weapons are Clan except where noted as "IS".

Vengeance[edit]

MechWarrior Chassis Weapons
James Kulin Timber Wolf (Mad Cat) 2x ER PPC, 2x Machine Gun Array, 2x Streak SRM-6
Duncan Burke Summoner (Thor) ER Small Laser, 2x ER PPC, LB 10-X Autocannon, IS SRM-2
Evanda Castro Dire Wolf (Daishi) 3x LB 10-X Autocannon, LRM-20, 2x Machine Gun Array
William Dresari Dire Wolf (Daishi) 2x ER Large Pulse Laser, 5x ER Medium Pulse Laser, ER PPC

Black Knight[edit]

MechWarrior Chassis Weapons
Casey Nolan Mauler 2x ER Large Laser, LRM-15, 2x Ultra Autocannon/10
Ian Dresari Dire Wolf (Daishi) ER Large Laser, 3x IS Large X-Pulse Laser, Ultra Autocannon/20
Jules Gonzales Sunder (stock) 4 IS Large Laser, 2 IS Medium Laser, IS LB 20-X Autocannon
Jen McQuarrie Mad Cat Mk II (stock) 4x ER Medium Laser, 2x Gauss Rifle, 2x LRM-10
Carissa Dupree Mad Cat Mk II ER Large Laser, Gauss Rifle, 2x LRM-20

Mercenaries, story[edit]

MechWarrior Chassis Weapons
Aisa Thastus Mad Cat Mk II (stock) 4x ER Medium Laser, 2x Gauss Rifle, 2x LRM-10
Nondi Steiner Hauptmann 2x IS Large Laser, IS Small Laser, 2x IS Medium Pulse Laser, IS LRM-15, IS LRM-20
Wu Kang Kuo Executioner (Gladiator) (stock) ER Large Laser, 2x ER Medium Laser, ER PPC, Ultra Autocannon/20
Jules Sender Mad Dog (Vulture) (stock)
"Rhanda" Stiles Summoner (Thor) (stock)
Zel Vickers Timber Wolf (Mad Cat) (stock)
Hanse Noruff Warhawk (Masakari) (stock)
Manda Ruby Dire Wolf (Daishi) (stock)

Mercenaries, Solaris VII[edit]

All weapons are Clan except where noted as "IS".

MechWarrior Class Chassis Weapons
Peter Dexter Light Cougar LRM-20, 2x LRM-15
Alex Haight Light Cougar LRM-20, 2x LRM-15
Terrance Munson Light Wolfhound ER PPC, 2x IS Small Laser
Gus Pollard Light Kit Fox (Uller) (stock) ER Large Laser, ER Medium Laser, 2x LRM-10
Li Song Light Wolfhound ER PPC, 2x IS Small Laser
Marcus Wilder Light Cougar (stock) 2x LRM-10, ER Large Laser, ER Medium Laser, ER Small Laser
Peter Dexter Medium Stormcrow (Ryoken) 4x LRM-20
Alex Haight Medium Shadow Cat ER Large Laser, Ultra Autocannon/20
Terrance Munson Medium Uziel 2x LB 10-X Autocannon, LRM-20
Gus Pollard Medium Stormcrow (Ryoken) (stock) 2x ER Large Laser, 2x ER Medium Laser, 2x LRM-15
Gus Pollard Medium Stormcrow (Ryoken) 4x LRM-20
Li Song Medium Uziel 2x LB 10-X Autocannon, LRM-20
Ricardo Vecci's cousin Medium Chimera (stock) IS Large Laser, IS Medium Laser, IS MRM-20, IS Machine Gun Array
Marcus Wilder Medium Shadow Cat ER Large Laser, Ultra Autocannon/20
Fen Cheng Heavy Mad Dog (Vulture) 2x Arrow IV Thunderbolt
Peter Dexter Heavy Nova Cat 2x ER PPC, IS Heavy Gauss Rifle
Alex Haight Heavy Hellbringer (Loki) 3x ER Medium Laser, 6x LRM-10
Terrance Munson Heavy Black Knight (stock) 2x IS Large Laser, IS Medium Laser, 2x IS PPC
Ellie Neils Heavy Black Knight 3x ER PPC
Alice Newkirk Heavy Nova Cat 2x ER PPC, IS Heavy Gauss Rifle
Li Song Heavy Catapult 2x ER Large Laser, IS Large X-Pulse Laser
Miria Stewart Heavy Black Knight 3x ER PPC
Nako Toyuma Heavy Catapult 2x ER Large Laser, IS Large X-Pulse Laser
Marcus Wilder Heavy Summoner (Thor) 2x LB 20-X Autocannon, LB 10-X Autocannon
Robert Yearly Heavy Catapult 2x ER Large Laser, IS Large X-Pulse Laser
Samantha Coleman Assault Sunder 2x ER Medium Laser, ER PPC, IS Heavy Gauss Rifle, LRM-20
Peter Dexter Assault Atlas ER PPC, 2x LB 20-X Autocannon, Streak SRM-6
Alex Haight Assault Mauler 5x IS Ultra Autocannon/5
Ellie Neils Assault Fafnir 2x ER Large Laser, 2x IS Heavy Gauss Rifle
Alice Newkirk Assault Dire Wolf (Daishi) 6x Ultra Autocannon/5
Srin Odessa Assault Dire Wolf (Daishi) IS Heavy Gauss Rifle, 6x Ultra Autocannon/2
Michael Rose Assault Templar ER Large Laser, 2x ER Medium Laser, 2x Gauss Rifle
Miria Stewart Assault Atlas ER PPC, 2x LB 20-X Autocannon, Streak SRM-6
Kayla Tirrel Assault Templar ER Large Laser, 2x ER Medium Laser, 2x Gauss Rifle
Nako Toyuma Assault Fafnir 2x ER Large Laser, 2x IS Heavy Gauss Rifle
Ricardo Vecci Assault Dire Wolf (Daishi) 2x LB 20-X Autocannon, 2x LRM-20, 2x Streak SRM-6
Marcus Wilder Assault Mad Cat Mk II 2x IS Light Gauss Rifle, 6x Machine Gun Array
Robert Yearly Assault Sunder 2x ER Medium Laser, ER PPC, IS Heavy Gauss Rifle, LRM-20

Notes[edit]

Chassis lineup[edit]

  • Mercenaries contains all 'Mechs of Black Knight, which in turn contains all 'Mechs of Vengeance.
  • 4 Inner Sphere and 4 Clan 'Mechs were released in two respective 'Mech Packs for Black Knight. These are also compatible with Mercenaries.

General construction[edit]

  • MechWarrior 4 does not use the tabletop critical slot system. Instead, each chassis has a unique set of hardpoints that are restricted to Ballistic, Energy, or Missile weapons with a limited number of slots. OmniMechs have some Omni slots that can take any type of weapon.
  • Some BattleMechs have Omni slots even though they lack Omni capability in canon. These include the Black Knight, "Hellhound", Kodiak, and Mad Cat Mk II. In contrast, the Owens lacks its canonical Omni capability.
  • There is only one rear torso armor section.
  • Some chassis have additional damageable sections beyond the standard eight, such as missile racks.
  • There are no engine types. By tabletop tonnage, the variant loadouts usually imply XL engines, though there are some exceptions (e.g. Mauler).
  • Instead of the tabletop engine tonnage table, each chassis has a base speed, and engine tonnage increases according to triangular numbers with each increment of 5 to 7 kph.
  • There are no heat sink types.
  • Internal structure is either Standard or Endo Steel.
  • Endo Steel does not take up slots, and the manual states that Endo Steel is more prone to damage, making it more resemble the composite internal structure of tabletop in terms of game mechanics. However, Endo Steel is canonically more plausible.
  • Most 'Mechs have ferro-fibrous armor in the game, though the game's usage of the other two is still more liberal than the tabletop.
  • Armor does not take up slots. By tabletop rules, the use of Ferro-Fibrous is implausible for many 'Mechs, especially the heavier Inner Sphere chassis, due to the large number of critical slots occupied.
  • Instead of taking up critical slots, Reflective and Reactive armor provide only 20 points of armor per ton, compared to 30 for Ferro-Fibrous.
  • Ammo is attached to individual weapons (even of the same type). It does not take up critical slots.
  • There are no ammo explosions.

Weapons[edit]

  • Most weapons have the same tonnage as tabletop.
  • For ammunition-based weapons, the tonnage listed in-game includes the first ton of ammo.
  • No single Machine Guns, only Machine Gun Arrays. However, compared to canonical variants, these usually trade one-for-one.
  • No Inner Sphere ER Lasers, ER PPCs, or Streak SRMs.
  • No Clan non-ER Pulse Lasers, non-Streak SRMs, or non-Streak MRMs.
  • Vengeance has a Thunderbolt that is immune to Anti-Missile Systems. In Mercenaries this was renamed to "Arrow IV Thunderbolt" and a "Arrow IV Cluster" variant was added. Unlike tabletop, these weigh 13 and 17 tons respectively, not counting the first ton of ammo.
  • Mercenaries has apocryphal Clan Streak MRMs, with the same weight, slots, and heat as their unguided Inner Sphere counterparts.

Other equipment[edit]

  • Non-weapon equipment only takes up tonnage. Availability of equipment is defined on a chassis-by-chassis basis.
  • MechWarrior 4 has some equipment that does not exist as (discrete) equipment in tabletop: IFF Jammer, Advanced Gyro (Inner Sphere only), Enhanced Optics (Clan only)
  • Vengeance had Light Amplification as equipment. However, in Mercenaries this was built into all 'Mechs.

Miscellaneous[edit]

  • There is no MechWarrior injury, short of complete head destruction or unsuccessful ejection / recovery.

Box art[edit]

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