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[InnerSphereNews]

Patch Date and Time - January 20th, 2026 @ 10AM - 1PM PACIFIC

Version Number: v1.4.322.0

Size: 315MB

Please note that due to compression differences Steam patch size may be larger than the standalone client patch size.

Patch Files (Direct Download) - http://patcher.mwome...ndPatch_451.zip

Greetings MechWarriors!

This month’s update includes the release of the Naga, 'mech adjustments,, quirk adjustments, and more!
As always, a 2 week in-game Patch Science Sale will go live shortly after the patch and include all applicable items for testing.
'Mechs in-game and new 'mechs releasing are subject to future balance changes and tuning, so get out there and do the science so we can hear your feedback!

Naga

The Naga is here, and with it comes the Arrow IV! The Arrow IV is a locked extreme range artillery missile exclusive to the Naga (in March we will be releasing a booster pack of Railgun and Arrow IV variants that will eventually release for C-Bills in game).

Note for NGA-PRIME and NGA-B: TAG range is capped by the mech sensor range. If your mech sensor range is 1200m but your TAG range is 1500m, your TAG will not function outside of 1200m.

PURCHASE THE NAGA HERE>>

NGA-PRIME(S)

NGA-PRIME

NGA-AM

NGA-B

NGA-II-PRIME

NGA-II-A

NGA-II-B

NGA-II-C

NGA-II-H

Arrow IV stats:

• Slots: 8 (we have reduced the slot count significantly to make the weapon compatible with future variants, as crit splitting does not exist in MWO)
• Tons: 12 (Inner Sphere is 15... when it happens)
• Weapon Health: 25
• Missile Health: 20
• Damage: 10 pinpoint + 10 splash in each adjacent component
• Heat: 8
• Cooldown: 5
• Velocity: 200
• Minimum Range: 180 (0 damage)
• Maximum Range: 1500
• Ammo per ton: 6
• Arc behavior: The maximum height of the indirect arc is slightly higher than LRMs, however that scales with distance. When firing at moderate ranges, expect them to behave similarly to LRMs while arcing high at extreme ranges. They will not arc similarly to the Arrow IV weapons in Clans. This weapon can be dumb fired.

Equipment Changes

• Increased Targeting Computer MK1(Clan and Inner Sphere) velocity bonus to 10% (from 5%)
• Increased Targeting Computer MK2(Clan and Inner Sphere) velocity bonus to 15% (from 10%)
• Increased Targeting Computer MK3(Clan and Inner Sphere) velocity bonus to 20% (from 15%)
• Increased Targeting Computer MK4(Clan and Inner Sphere) velocity bonus to 25% (from 20%)
• Increased Targeting Computer MK5(Clan and Inner Sphere) velocity bonus to 30% (from 25%)
• Increased Targeting Computer MK6(Clan and Inner Sphere) velocity bonus to 35% (from 30%)
• Increased Targeting Computer MK7(Clan and Inner Sphere) velocity bonus to 40% (from 35%)
• Increased Targeting Computer MK8 velocity bonus to 50% (from 40%)

Weapon Changes

• Increased Inner Sphere AC2 optimal/max range to 810/1620 (from 720/1440)
• Reduced Inner Sphere LBx2 max range to 2025 (from 2430)
• Reduced Inner Sphere LBx5 max range to 1550 (from 2100)
• Modified Clan LBx2 optimal/max range to 810/2025 (from 900/1800)
• Modified Clan LBx5 optimal/max range to 620/1550 (from 720/1440)

Smaller LBx cannons have become significantly stronger after the November 2025 patch, although LBx 5 had a slight nerf in the December 2025 patch.. To help lean more into the shotgun aesthetic, the maximum range on Inner Sphere LBx 2s and 5s are now 2.5x instead of 3.0x. To create parity, Clan LBx 2s and 5s have had their maximum range increased from 2.0x to 2.5x.

• Increased Light AC2 optimal/max range to 660/1320 (from 540/1080)
• Reduced Light AC2 cooldown to 0.75 (from 0.9)
• Reduced Light AC5 shell count to 1 (from 2)
• Reduced Light AC5 ammo per ton to 40 (from 80)
• Removed Rocket Launcher 10/15/20 minimum range
• Increased Rocket Launcher 10/15/20 velocity to 500 (from 420)
• Reduced Rocket Launcher 10/15/20 damage to 0.375 (from 1)
• Increased Rocket Launcher 10 ammo to 127 (from 48)
• Reduced Rocket Launcher 10 heat to 0.094 (from 0.38)
• Removed Rocket Launcher 10 ghost heat
• Increased Rocket Launcher 15 ammo to 127 (from 96)
• Reduced Rocket Launcher 15 heat to 0.188 (from 0.38)
• Increased Rocket Launcher 15 ghost heat limit to 3 (from 2)
• Increased Rocket Launcher 15 projectiles per fire to 2 (from 1)
• Each fire will still consume 1 ammo despite multiple projectiles, similar to LBx
• Reduced Rocket Launcher 20 heat to 0.282 (from 0.38)
• Increased Rocket Launcher 20 projectiles per fire to 3 (from 1)
• Each fire will still consume 1 ammo despite multiple projectiles, similar to LBx

We feel that the Rocket Launcher rework pushed them in a better direction from a design standpoint but still had some major issues. The first was that larger Rocket Launchers lasted longer, meaning that mix and matching sizes wasn’t an option. With this change, all Rocket Launchers have the same longevity. The damage reduction and rate of fire increase helps gear them towards more saturation weapons. The second issue was that they were too intensive for what were supposed to be supplementary weapons. There are only a few mechs that could carry a large array of Rocket Launchers as their primary weapon, but the design is intended to be a lightweight supplementary weapon for mechs that have spare tonnage in their loadouts.

Mech Changes

• Increased Wolfhound torso yaw speed to 189 (from 175.5)
• Increased Wolfhound torso pitch speed to 136 (from 126.6)
• Increased Wolfhound acceleration to 96.16 (from 70.96)
• Increased Wolfhound deceleration to 112.85 (from 87.14)
• Increased Wolfhound turn speed to 124.33 (from 100.26)

Store Changes

• Reduced skill tree node cost to 10,000 C-Bills (from 25,000 C-Bills)
• 2025 TSP mechs are now available for C-Bills

Bug Fixes

• Fixed Marauder MAD-3R(CS) getting extra health on rear components
• Fixed Shadow Hawk IIC cockpit not moving in first person

Quirk Changes

Incubus

• INC-Z0
• Added -100% Fall Damage

Crab

• CRB-27
• Removed Coolshot Capacity +1
• Removed Consumable Slot +1
• Removed Max Heat +15%
• Removed PPC Range +10%
• Removed Energy Cooldown -10%
• Removed Energy Heat -10%
• Removed PPC Velocity +60%
• Increased CT, RT, LT, RA, LA, RL, and LL Structure to 20 (from various values)
• Added PPC Family HSL +1
• Added Range +10%
• Added Velocity +100%
• CRB-20
• Removed Coolshot Capacity +1
• Removed Consumable Slot +1
• Removed Max Heat +15%
• Removed Cooldown -10%
• Removed Medium Laser Range +15%
• Removed Energy Heat -10%
• Removed STD/ER Laser Duration -10%
• Increased CT, RT, LT, RA, LA, RL, and LL Structure to 20 (from various values)
• Added Small Laser Family Range +200%
• Added Medium Laser Family Range +30%
• CRB-27B
• Removed Coolshot Capacity +1
• Removed Consumable Slot +1
• Removed Max Heat +15%
• Removed ER Laser Cooldown -10%
• Removed Energy Heat -10%
• Removed ER Laser Heat -5%
• Increased CT, RT, LT, RA, LA, RL, and LL Structure to 20 (from various values)
• Laser Cooldown -30%
• CRB-27SL
• Removed Coolshot Capacity +1
• Removed Consumable Slot +1
• Removed Max Heat +15%
• Removed Pulse Laser Heat -10%
• Removed Pulse Laser Range +5%
• Increased CT, RT, LT, RA, LA, RL, and LL Structure to 20 (from various values)
• Added STD/ER Laser Duration -50%
• CRB-FL
• Removed Coolshot Capacity +1
• Removed Consumable Slot +1
• Removed Max Heat +15%
• Removed Armor Quirks
• Added CT, RT, LT, RA, LA, RL, and LL Structure 20
• Increased Cooldown to -20% (from -10%)
• Increased Velocity to 20% (from 15%)

Clan Stalker

• All Variants
• Added 10 RL and LL Armor

Stalker

• All Variants (this does not include the Heavy Stalker STK-4P)
• Added 10 RL and LL Armor

Warhawk

• All Variants
• Removed all RL and LL quirks
• Added 15 RL and LL Armor

Mad Cat MKII

• All Variants
• Added 15 RA and LA Armor (The variants that already have arm armor will be set at 15)
• MCII-1
• Increased Gauss Cooldown to -20% (from -7.5%)
• MCII-2
• Added -10% Weapon Spread
• MCII-B
• Added -50% Jam Chance

Mauler

• MAL-1R
• Reduced RT, CT, and LT Structure to 10 (from 17)
• MAL-1P
• Reduced RT, CT, and LT Structure to 10 (from 17)

Corsair

• All Variants
• Added 15 RL and LL Armor
• COR-7A
• Removed -5% Laser Heat

Bullshark

• BSK-6
• Reduced RT and LT Armor to 15 (from 20)

Clan Bullshark

• BSK-M
• Reduced CT Armor to 5 (from 10)
• Reduced RT and LT Armor to 8 (from 15)

Clan Nightstar

• All Variants
• Added 15 RL and LL Armor

Nightstar

• All Variants
• Added 15 RL and LL Armor

Fafnir

• FNR-6R
• Reduced Heat to -10% (from -15%)

Kodiak

• All Variants
• Added 20 RL and LL Armor

Patch Files (Direct Download)

To make the patching process easier for players with limited download caps, we'll be providing direct download links for the patch file(s) that comprise this patch. This will allow you to download the patch file(s) elsewhere, for manual injection into the MWO patcher through a Patch Cache folder.

Aside from allowing you to download the patch file(s) elsewhere, on another connection, there are no additional benefits to performing the patch this way; the patching process itself will be the same.

This direct patch download process will only work for players running the standalone client. It does not apply to players running MWO through Steam.

Patch File(s): http://patcher.mwome...ndPatch_451.zip

Download the above file(s)

For sake of ease, we recommend creating a dedicated folder for the patch file(s), such as 'MWO Patch Cache'

You do not need to unzip or unpack the patch file(s)

Launch the MWO Portal

Select the three horizontal lines in the top left of the Portal Window

Choose the 'Specify Patch File Cache' option

In the field that appears, paste or enter the location in which you saved the patch file(s) and hit OK

For example, C:\Users\<username>\Documents\MWO Patch Cache

Click the blue Patch button

The launcher will now check the Patch Cache folder you defined. If it locates the required patch files, it will unpack and use those files to apply the patch

Once the patch is complete, launch the game

[RickySpanish]

What's the plan to address the Incubus Zero? Fall damage reduction isn't going to address the issue of the 'Mech underperforming.

[w0qj]

The Naga hero (NGA-AM) has a Modified Missile Loader, similar to that of the Bane hero's ballistic equivalent.

You can read all about in the two threads below:
https://mwomercs.com...re/page__st__40

https://mwomercs.com...or-leaks-so-far
Credits: Moadebe

Pelmeshek, on 27 November 2025 - 12:45 AM, said:

From discord:
This is how the modified missile loader on the Naga hero mech will work.
LRMs and ATMs change into constant stream fire weapons on the Hero Naga only

The stream fire dps values are this: [Editor's note: these numbers were thrown around way BEFORE this 20-Jan-2026 patch]
8/6/4/2 dps for LRM 20/15/10/5
12/9/6/3 dps for ATM 12/9/6/3 (considering the 2.0 damage bracket)

The dps values with for various launcher sizes come from the time interval between each missile launch ( for example, an LRM5 will fire 2 missiles every 1.0 second to achieve 2 dps)

Edited by w0qj, 16 January 2026 - 11:10 PM.

[Kost0prav]

Can we not with the crab-27sl and the laser duration cut of 50%? Another epidemic of laser trebuchets all over again? Don't be ridiculous.

[w0qj]

For those who missed those interesting NGA HSL quirks

Quote

NGA-Prime: +1 Strategic Strike Capacity; +1 Extra Consumable Slot (SO8)**
NGA-II-A: +1 HSL Energy Weapon Family (SO8)**
NGA-II-B: +2 HSL Missile Weapon Family (SO8)**
NGA-II-H: +1 HSL Laser Family (SO8)**

Also here:
https://mwomercs.com...-hsl-quirk-list

Note: E&OE to Rhaelcan for the +2 HSL Missile on NGA-II-B !

Edited by w0qj, 17 January 2026 - 10:49 PM.

[Ilostmycactus]

InnerSphereNews, on 16 January 2026 - 04:25 PM, said:

[color=#EEEEEE][/color][/center][color=#EEEEEE]
[/color]

[


Naga
The Naga is here, and with it comes the Arrow IV! The Arrow IV is a locked extreme range artillery missile exclusive to the Naga (in March we will be releasing a booster pack of Railgun and Arrow IV variants that will eventually release for C-Bills in game).[/color]

May you please clarify, "eventually release for cbills"? The railgun has already been locked behind a paywall for Five months per the 19th of this month. I don't like that it is being released for a form of payment again as "variants", which may have their own 6 month delay. Personally, I really don't like this change in the game. Xpulses weren't paywalled. Ap gauss and magshots weren't paywalled, sb gauss wasn't paywalled, beam lasers weren't paywalled. Now with the arrow being stuck to the naga I have to wait another half year just to use the weapon system if it follows the standard 6 month delay.

To me this is not the same as a legend mech with interesting hardpoints or extra quirks. Very frustrating to see this practice.

Edited by Ilostmycactus, 16 January 2026 - 06:41 PM.

[w0qj]

Looking forward to giving the MCII-B(P) a spin, with that amazing jam quirk!

Edited by w0qj, 16 January 2026 - 11:11 PM.

[Rhaelcan]

w0qj, on 16 January 2026 - 06:16 PM, said:

For those who missed those interesting NGA HSL quirks



Also here:
https://mwomercs.com...-hsl-quirk-list

HSL 2 for missiles.

[BlueDevilspawn]

Every single mech has eventually been released for MC and cbills. I think the timeframe has usually been 5-8 months depending on the type of in game currency and calendar timing. No reason to think this is any different.

As for “locked behind a paywall”, some of you who’ve been playing a while, tell me a few things -
1. How much were clan invasion packs when clan mechs launched?
2. Were clans op on launch?
3. Could existing IS only players or players who didn’t buy invasion packs use clan weapons?

So…exactly what “change in the game” are we looking at?

Ilostmycactus, on 16 January 2026 - 06:30 PM, said:

[/b][/i][/i]


May you please clarify, &quot;eventually release for cbills&quot;? The railgun has already been locked behind a paywall for Five months per the 19th of this month. I don't like that it is being released for a form of payment again as &quot;variants&quot;, which may have their own 6 month delay. Personally, I really don't like this change in the game. Xpulses weren't paywalled. Ap gauss and magshots weren't paywalled, sb gauss wasn't paywalled, beam lasers weren't paywalled. Now with the arrow being stuck to the naga I have to wait another half year just to use the weapon system if it follows the standard 6 month delay.

To me this is not the same as a legend mech with interesting hardpoints or extra quirks. Very frustrating to see this practice.

[CwStrife]

Interesting that the LBX which is supposed to represent a shotgun has such a long effective range. Try shooting a rhino with some buckshot at 750 meters and I bet you the thing comes to kick your ***.

So whats the point of an AC/5 or AC/10 or any of that which create heat when you can cheat the game and just use LBX for a heatless variant that is more powerful and blinds the living crap out of you? Not for nothing but if you want to make it better, treat it like a shotgun and make it a brawl weapon. There is 0 reason people should be sniping with a shotgun. If so people would also do it in real life. Even the patch reduction won't help whats going on.

[martian]

Just another assault 'Mech in the game that is already filled with assault 'Mechs.

Yawn.

[Ttly]

Kost0prav, on 16 January 2026 - 06:02 PM, said:

Can we not with the crab-27sl and the laser duration cut of 50%? Another epidemic of laser trebuchets all over again? Don't be ridiculous.

Well it can't be helped that Cauldron can't learn from their own past changes and be consistent with them.
Expect another flip flop Crab change next month that sets it to -40% to be in line with TBT-5J/KTO-20.
And because we're not allowed to have a Cbucks Sigma.

The Florentine change also is pretty half-hearted fail of an attempt in making a 50t EBJ-Prime.
The CRB-27 change turns it from an undertuned non-JJ better heat NVA-A (actually unique alternative) to just being an undertuned 3SNPPC *XL* TDR-9S as if the TDR-9S can't run 3SNPPC with LE315 and more DHS which plays very closely.
And the structure change pretty much just made the Crab as durable as a heavy, because of course that's the buff they went with instead of other stuff.

Oh and the CRB-20 having ERSL/ERML the range of STD Large Laser is just why? 5ERML fast builds or XL on it aren't that good with the lack of cooldown/duration and better on the 27B with 6ERML and its cooldown quirk too with its buff.
So I'd assume it's for slower builds to be paired with large lasers, but the loss of duration and cooldown quirks just nerfed that too.
And again, the structure buff just turns it into a diet-heavy rather than having it be a glass cannon-slow medium.

Also what's with leg ARMOR buffs on those assaults? Why not have them in STRUCTURE instead so that leg ammo isn't even more of a dominant strategy?
Though I guess it's fine on the Warhawk which does use low mounts and has fixedDHS on the legs.

What, did one of you hill humpers got pushed/harrased by a light that figured out that everyone has no leg armor+leg ammo? So there we go, less weakspots on already good assaults I guess.
Instead of buffing the non-ECM IS Nightstars, missile Stalkers, most of the weirdly undertuned Corsairs, etc.

Would rather have ST hitpoint buffs on the Kodiaks that isn't the KDK-3 (maybe not the Spirit Bear too) as well.
For not having much ST hardpoints, the STs on the other Kodiaks are ridiculously fragile for a 100t with bad agility.
Also the armor buff is really just 1 extra free tonnage for fast Kodiaks (cXL375+) too.

Edited by Ttly, 17 January 2026 - 12:57 PM.

[crazytimes]

Did the Black Knight rescale get pushed to the February patch?

[Doc13]

Okay, one, what on earth was the train of thought for the Crab adjustments. Because that's a hefty bunch.

Two, why all the leg armor.


Three, was kinda hoping the Thanatos 4S(? The one with laser HSL) would get a buff.

And why the Mad Cat MKII buffs? Aren't they already really cracked/used often to begin with?</p>

Edited by Doc13, 17 January 2026 - 01:17 AM.

[Ttly]

Doc13, on 17 January 2026 - 01:11 AM, said:

And why the Mad Cat MKII buffs? Aren't they already really cracked/used often to begin with?

Maybe the Moonwalker with its hardpoint count bloat and 90t engine-to-speed.
The regular MC2s that got buffed if anything aren't that good.
Oh I suppose there's the arm armor buff buffing Moonwalker too, but to be fair it has been powercreeped too nowadays.

And 2C-UAC20 MC2-Bs with the buff isn't really that different from dealing with the usual 2C-UAC20 MDD-C/Bandit albeit 60kph-ish speed.
I guess it does have JJs too, though C-UAC20 burst duration and those don't really mix well.

Edited by Ttly, 17 January 2026 - 01:58 AM.

[Slambot]

The Naga is shown with really low armor. To get the armor up to a decent standard, you will have to cut back on weapons significantly. Ill hold off til i see whether the thing can perform.

[Ttly]

Slambot, on 17 January 2026 - 08:59 AM, said:

The Naga is shown with really low armor. To get the armor up to a decent standard, you will have to cut back on weapons significantly. Ill hold off til i see whether the thing can perform.

You can just mess around on this instead, I was using the two MRM40+CASE as a tonnage/slot filler substitute for the C-Arrow4 since they take up the same amount of weight&slot.

Anyway getting past that, most of the Nagas are seriously undertuned Gargoyles you ask me.
They look terrible.
Because apparently having cEndo, less fixedDHS (moot on hotter builds where you slot in cDHS anyway), which really just adds up to about 5 more free tonnage with max armor compared to the Gargoyle translates to *a lot* weaker quirks.

Or giving up and just slapping in "strong" quirks like +HSL or +top speed (when it can't downrate engine for extra free weight that makes it good) and calling it a day.
Not even "flavour" quirks like +MG RoF on the NGA-II-C.

Edited by Ttly, 17 January 2026 - 12:18 PM.

[StalowyZolw]

So in order to have parity between lbx 2 and 5 clan ones got buffed. Does this mean that we can expect parity between ac5 too? And in what manner? Nerf to IS reversed or Clan nerfed?

[Oriffel]

Can you fix the wolves of tukayyid bug where you finish the campaign but all the mechs in the store don't unlock, and you're money doesn't replenish?

I already did an NG+ and the same thing happened. I wanna be fully stocked before i try for tureborn difficulty, but i can't get anything. End game just turned into a wall.

[BlueDevilspawn]

StalowyZolw, on 17 January 2026 - 12:44 PM, said:

So in order to have parity between lbx 2 and 5 clan ones got buffed. Does this mean that we can expect parity between ac5 too? And in what manner? Nerf to IS reversed or Clan nerfed?

Clan can be boated more than IS can. As always balance is on ongoing thing monthly patch by monthly patch.