MechCommander
Created | Updated Jul 16, 2012
MechCommander has captured the Hearts and Minds of a Generation. Based on the Battle Tech Universe (a Universe in the future ruled by houses and clans, fought with Gigantic Walking Machines called Mechs), It pitted the Inner Sphere (IS) (Good Guys, for freedom and Democracy, and the occasional war) against the nasty Low down, But Honourable in their Minds the Clans. Battle Tech is huge, and it is too much to tell the actual story lines, But here is a long shot and being a short story...
In about 3000 years, the Star League, wracked by War, loses it's First Lord. Huge Wars break out between the 5 main Houses of the IS to succeed him. The commander of the Star League Defence Force (SLDF), one Alexander Kerenksky, saw a chance to leave this behind, and make a Utopia of his own, far beyond the wars of the Star League. He did, taking 80 percentage of the SLDF with him. The IS, took some notice, then continued fighting. Fast Forward a hundred years, and the IS, surprise surprise, is still at War with each other. But on the very edges of Known space, A warlike race is attacking out posts. A Mercenary Unit called the Kell Hounds, brought to the IS, images of Warlike Bands, in vastly Superior Mechs. Kerensky's Children, otherwise knowns as the Clans were driving towards Terra (Earth) and were unstoppable. But due to alot of luck they were stopped, and a truce signed for 10 years, to halt all Offensive operations against each other. For Ten Years the IS have waited, to reclaim their Lost worlds, and eradicate the Clans. The 10 years are up, and the Gates of Hell are opening...
The World of Port Arthur is about to be liberated. The full might of the IS, is going to descend upon Port Arthur, but the only thing in the war are the Orbital Guns, which can blow space ships to oblivion. The only way to succeed is a small landing Forces, to Move across the Planetary. In your way, Elite Clan Mechwarriors, in vastly superior Mechs and is vastly superior numbers. Can you succeed?
MechCommander, is a 3D-strategy game with an Isometric view. You control up to 12 Mechs or Vehicles, Organising Purchases, equipping your Mechs and conducting repairs. You control the Mechs, by giving their Pilots orders, much in a Syndicate Style way. You decide how to attack, when to retreat, and when to go Hell for leather.
Enough of that. The Single Player game is for want of a better word easy. It took me, 5 evenings to complete MechCommander. The Missions are fun, but only a few are really challenging. A novel feature of the game is salvage, so you can pick up better Mechs, and a lot better weapons. As you get better at the game, you be able to salvage earlier, thus making the Missions that should be hard, not that hard at all. The Pilots are stupid, you can't leave them alone for one second, without them running off somewhere, dying and alerting the clanners to your presence. The enemy AI is a step above the nrom for stratergy games and they are considerably more intelligent than your pilots. The enemy mechs don't know where you are, but will chase you if they see you, until they can't see you anymore. They will also fire not just at you, but at control towers and repair bays that your have control of. If you brought this for the campaign, then sorry, it's a bad choice.
However, the most redeeming aspect of MechCommander, is the Multi player aspect. It is so addictive. Playing as either clan or IS, work with team mates to bring destruction to your opponents. A variety of maps are available, and Tactics to. To go unexpectedly short range against a predominately long range foe, can prove decisive.
This Multi player, is so addictive, that people have played it non-stop, for two years. MechCommander has nearly broken up two marriages I know of, and probably caused many healthy young men and women to stay at home. One of the reasons that MechCommander is so good at Multiplayer, are the online leagues available for it. Play with units, to get points, or re-enact The Clan Vs IS wars again. The Main league, which is so predominant to the success of MechCommander, is Starlance.
MechCommander is still alive and kicking, people try too retire, but are drawn back to Multi player MC, so much so that no one can stop it happening. The only thing which could cause the demise of MechCommander, is MechCommander 2, but... That's a half a year away, and MechCommander could see off its younger sibling to remain one of the greatest multi player games ever seen on this planet.
In about 3000 years, the Star League, wracked by War, loses it's First Lord. Huge Wars break out between the 5 main Houses of the IS to succeed him. The commander of the Star League Defence Force (SLDF), one Alexander Kerenksky, saw a chance to leave this behind, and make a Utopia of his own, far beyond the wars of the Star League. He did, taking 80 percentage of the SLDF with him. The IS, took some notice, then continued fighting. Fast Forward a hundred years, and the IS, surprise surprise, is still at War with each other. But on the very edges of Known space, A warlike race is attacking out posts. A Mercenary Unit called the Kell Hounds, brought to the IS, images of Warlike Bands, in vastly Superior Mechs. Kerensky's Children, otherwise knowns as the Clans were driving towards Terra (Earth) and were unstoppable. But due to alot of luck they were stopped, and a truce signed for 10 years, to halt all Offensive operations against each other. For Ten Years the IS have waited, to reclaim their Lost worlds, and eradicate the Clans. The 10 years are up, and the Gates of Hell are opening...
The World of Port Arthur is about to be liberated. The full might of the IS, is going to descend upon Port Arthur, but the only thing in the war are the Orbital Guns, which can blow space ships to oblivion. The only way to succeed is a small landing Forces, to Move across the Planetary. In your way, Elite Clan Mechwarriors, in vastly superior Mechs and is vastly superior numbers. Can you succeed?
MechCommander, is a 3D-strategy game with an Isometric view. You control up to 12 Mechs or Vehicles, Organising Purchases, equipping your Mechs and conducting repairs. You control the Mechs, by giving their Pilots orders, much in a Syndicate Style way. You decide how to attack, when to retreat, and when to go Hell for leather.
Enough of that. The Single Player game is for want of a better word easy. It took me, 5 evenings to complete MechCommander. The Missions are fun, but only a few are really challenging. A novel feature of the game is salvage, so you can pick up better Mechs, and a lot better weapons. As you get better at the game, you be able to salvage earlier, thus making the Missions that should be hard, not that hard at all. The Pilots are stupid, you can't leave them alone for one second, without them running off somewhere, dying and alerting the clanners to your presence. The enemy AI is a step above the nrom for stratergy games and they are considerably more intelligent than your pilots. The enemy mechs don't know where you are, but will chase you if they see you, until they can't see you anymore. They will also fire not just at you, but at control towers and repair bays that your have control of. If you brought this for the campaign, then sorry, it's a bad choice.
However, the most redeeming aspect of MechCommander, is the Multi player aspect. It is so addictive. Playing as either clan or IS, work with team mates to bring destruction to your opponents. A variety of maps are available, and Tactics to. To go unexpectedly short range against a predominately long range foe, can prove decisive.
This Multi player, is so addictive, that people have played it non-stop, for two years. MechCommander has nearly broken up two marriages I know of, and probably caused many healthy young men and women to stay at home. One of the reasons that MechCommander is so good at Multiplayer, are the online leagues available for it. Play with units, to get points, or re-enact The Clan Vs IS wars again. The Main league, which is so predominant to the success of MechCommander, is Starlance.
MechCommander is still alive and kicking, people try too retire, but are drawn back to Multi player MC, so much so that no one can stop it happening. The only thing which could cause the demise of MechCommander, is MechCommander 2, but... That's a half a year away, and MechCommander could see off its younger sibling to remain one of the greatest multi player games ever seen on this planet.
