(Artwork from BattleTech Total Warfare handbook)
Well its finally done ( still in work in progress )!
In anticipation of upcoming private match functionality, I have created a series of spreadsheets for MWO, for those wishing to create Stock 'Mech matches, battles, or campaigns. (Let me know if these links work or not)
I will be sharing other work detailing examples of how this can be used to create, for example, mini-campaigns based directly on Historical Battles. A lot of this is my great love and appreciation for the lore/canon and the classic 'Mechs and their stock variants of BattleTech.
What is this?
These are assignment tables adapted from BattleTech handbooks that detail, by Era, what 'Mechs were available in a certain time period. Additionally, work has been done to show what is commonly available per Faction, which also details exactly how "rare" a specific variant was in a particular Faction.
BattleTech assignment tables were based on 1D6 or 2D6 in TT in order to generate Stock Campaigns. While they were random based, I have opted to make a more simplified list showing what was available. Obviously prototype 'Mechs were rare, but I did include them on the list anyways (BJ-1X, for example). In the future I may add a separate program for randomly generating units.
What time periods are covered here?
- Star League Era 2571-2780
- Third Succession Wars 2866-3025
- Fourth Succession Wars 3028-3030
- War of 3039
- Clan Invasion Era 3048-3061 (IS)
All of the Eras allow limitless variety of games to be made for anyone's use. If player's wish to stick to Stock 'Mechs from a particular Era, they can do so, or mix and match. For instance, if someone wanted to create something that is solely based around 3025, such as the old "Multiplayer BattleTech 3025" game.
Why are some 'Mechs highlighted with links or greyed in?
This is detailed in the guide more thoroughly. Essentially each of the Era's has several other 'Mechs available. These are 'Mechs that can be made in MWO with an existing variant. For instance, it is possible to create a stock LCT-1S to the exact specifications per a stock record sheet with another Locust variant in-game, such as the LCT-3S. The links go directly to a Smurfy page showing you how to build it exactly.
This is an effort to add even more variety to Stock 'Mechs with a total of 41 extra 'Mechs from the other ones that are already made available in the game.
Anything that is greyed in normally represents something "new" to an Era or to a Faction.
Notes:
I used a lot of source for this, pouring over all my Catalyst books and also adapting the work of Xotl, who made an excellent assignment table program that is used for TT and now MegaMek. Year dates are mostly derived from SkunkWerks or MUL.
Updates:
* April 29th, 2104 - Added 3 'Mechs (Canon Custom 'Mechs), Updated guide regarding rarity
* April 30th, 2014 - Added 5 Additional Command Console 'Mechs (based on canon record sheets)
* June 14th, 2014 - Added Clan Mechs/Factions
* October 21st, 2014 - Added additional Innersphere Stock Mechs to spreadsheet, "?" removed from CN9-AH
Edited by General Taskeen, 22 October 2014 - 05:19 AM.