BATTLETECH: Complete Guide

A practical guide to Harebrained Schemes' turn-based 'Mech tactics game: combat fundamentals, lance building, running a profitable mercenary company, the story campaign and Career mode, the three expansions, and mods.

Researched September 2026 — current as of version 1.9.1 plus the October 2025 security hotfix. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Status: BATTLETECH's last content patch was 1.9.1 (February/March 2020). On 30 October 2025, Paradox shipped a security hotfix for Windows and Mac builds to address a Unity engine vulnerability. The game is complete and stable; no new content is planned, and the modding scene is where new content comes from.

Quick Start

1. Armor is not HP. Every location (head, arms, torso sections, legs) has armor and internal structure. Damage stacks up on one location to destroy it. Focus fire on one location, especially the center torso or legs.
2. Heat is your real ammo limit. Overheating damages your 'Mech's internals and can shut it down. Watch the heat bar before confirming a shot.
3. Evasion pips from movement are armor. Moving further in a turn gives your 'Mech evasion, which makes enemies miss. Standing still is dangerous.
4. Cover and terrain matter. Forests give damage reduction, water helps cooling, and elevation gives an accuracy bonus.
5. Stability knocks 'Mechs down. Missiles, melee and certain weapons build stability damage. A knocked-down 'Mech is much easier to hit and cannot fire back efficiently.
6. Called shots on knocked-down targets let you aim at the head or other specific locations. A headshot kill leaves the rest of the 'Mech intact for salvage.
7. Don't take every contract at max pay. Salvage is how you get better 'Mechs; money alone does not buy many good chassis.
8. Repairs take time and money. Heavy damage means weeks in the MechBay. Rotate spare 'Mechs and pilots.
9. Fight on your terms: initiative. Lighter 'Mechs act first. You can "reserve" to act later in the round and let enemies commit first.

Combat Fundamentals

Initiative and turn order

Each round is split into initiative phases based on 'Mech weight class. Light 'Mechs move first, then Medium, Heavy, and Assault. You can Reserve a unit's action to a later phase, which is very useful for waiting until enemies have moved before committing your heavy hitters.

Weight classes

Movement options

• Move: Normal walk, allows firing.
• Sprint: Moves much further but you cannot fire. Great for repositioning or grabbing evasion.
• Jump: 'Mechs with jump jets can jump over terrain, gain height, and do a Death From Above attack (heavy damage but risky).
• Melee: Adjacent attack that deals stability damage and damage based on the attacker's tonnage.

Evasion, cover and terrain

• Moving a longer distance adds evasion pips; each incoming attack has a chance to strip one. More pips means more enemy misses.
• Forests reduce incoming damage; water improves heat dissipation; rough and urban terrain affects movement.
• Elevation gives better accuracy; shooting uphill is harder.
• Guarded status (from bracing or certain cover) reduces incoming damage and stability damage.

Heat

Each weapon has a heat cost. Heat sinks dissipate heat per round. Going over the heat threshold causes internal damage; going way over causes a shutdown. Environmental biomes (desert, lunar, polar) change dissipation.

Stability and knockdowns

Missiles (LRMs/SRMs), autocannons, melee and physical hits deal stability damage. Once stability fills, the 'Mech becomes Unsteady, and further stability damage knocks it down. Knocked-down 'Mechs:

• Are much easier to hit.
• Are prime targets for called shots.
• Lose their evasion.

Morale and Called Shots

The team has a morale resource used for special actions. The two most important are:

• Called Shot: Aim at a specific location. Best used on knocked-down or shut-down targets.
• Vigilance: A defensive action to reduce incoming damage and stability loss.

Weapons at a Glance

Upgraded variants with plus signs (+, ++, +++) are salvaged or bought and give bonus damage, accuracy or reduced heat. They are one of the biggest power spikes in the game.

The Heavy Metal expansion added more weapon systems such as the COIL (a movement-based energy weapon) and Thumper artillery. Urban Warfare added ECM equipment, new urban maps with destructible buildings, and three new vehicles.

Pilots (MechWarriors)

Pilots have four skills, which you level with experience earned in missions:

Levels between the ability tiers grant passive bonuses (for example, extra heat capacity or health from Guts).

Pilot advice:

• Specialize. Each pilot can only unlock a limited number of abilities, so give each a clear role.
• Gunnery + Tactics pilots make great fire-support 'Mech pilots.
• Guts + Piloting makes durable brawlers.
• Rotate injured pilots; each injury reduces effectiveness.
• Pilots gain experience from combat. Give promising rookies time in the field.

Lance Building

A lance is four 'Mechs. Don't just pile the heaviest 'Mechs you own; drop tonnage limits apply to many contracts.

Good general lance roles

• Brawler/Tank: High armor, short-range weapons (AC/20, SRMs, Medium Lasers).
• Sniper: Long-range weapons (Large Lasers, PPCs, AC/5, Gauss).
• Missile boat: LRMs for indirect fire and stability damage.
• Scout/Spotter: Fast light or medium 'Mech with good sensors.

MechLab tips

• Remove low-value weapons like Machine Guns and Flamers in favor of more armor, heat sinks or better weapons once you can.
• Max armor on the center and side torsos first.
• Jump jets give tactical flexibility, but take tonnage.
• Ammo location matters. Ammo can explode when hit. Store it in legs or less-exposed locations when possible.
• Heat sinks are cheap and let you fire alpha strikes more often.

Famous 'Mechs worth chasing

• Atlas AS7-D: Iconic assault with lots of armor.
• King Crab, Annihilator, Highlander, Banshee, Stalker: Late-game assault options.
• Marauder and Warhammer: Classic heavies added for free in patch 1.8.
• Griffin, Shadow Hawk, Wolverine, Hunchback: Solid mediums.

Running the Mercenary Company

Money, reputation and contracts

• Each contract has sliders for C-Bills and Salvage. Early on, favor salvage so you can build 'Mechs from parts.
• Faction reputation affects contract availability and pay. Working for one faction angers its rivals.
• MRB rating (Mercenary Review Board) unlocks higher-difficulty, higher-paying work.
• Difficulty skulls indicate threat. Skip contracts two skulls above your lance's comfort zone unless you have a plan.

Salvage

• Salvage shares depend on your contract negotiation.
• A 'Mech needs three parts to be assembled. Headshots and cockpit kills leave more salvage intact.
• Priority: rare weapons (+ variants), heat sinks, 'Mech parts.

The Argo

Your dropship. Upgrades improve:

• Pilot training and quarters (experience and morale)
• MechBay speed (faster repairs)
• Medical bay (faster pilot recovery)

Upgrades cost C-Bills and raise monthly upkeep. Prioritize repair and medical speed early.

Monthly expenses

Your monthly cost is set by pilot salaries, 'Mech upkeep and Argo upgrades. The expense level (Spartan to Extravagant) changes morale and cost. Don't let money run out; bankruptcy ends the campaign.

Campaign, Career and Expansions

Story campaign

Set in 3025 in the Aurigan Reach. You begin as a mercenary serving as honor guard to Kamea Arano, whose coronation is overthrown by her uncle Santiago Espinosa. Years later, you command a struggling mercenary company, recover the ancient dropship Argo, and help Kamea fight the Aurigan Directorate. The campaign includes story missions and optional contracts between them.

Career mode

A sandbox mercenary career with a time limit, focused on growing your company and reputation. The 1.9 update added a difficulty setting option to reduce Argo upgrade costs and an option to speed up time passing.

Expansions

Early campaign priorities

1. Stabilize cash flow first. Take one- and two-skull contracts you can win without heavy damage; a cheap win beats an expensive one.
2. Salvage toward a fifth and sixth 'Mech. A reserve lance lets you keep fighting while your best 'Mechs are in the MechBay.
3. Hire pilots with complementary skills, not just the highest total. You need a spotter (Tactics), a front-liner (Guts) and damage dealers (Gunnery).
4. Buy heat sinks and + weapons in stores whenever you see them at a reasonable price; stock varies by system.
5. Upgrade the MechBay and medical facilities before quality-of-life upgrades.
6. Advance the story when your lance is comfortably ready for the next story mission's skull rating; story missions are fixed, so preparing between them is how you control difficulty.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Spreading fire. Focus one location or one enemy until it is destroyed.
• Ignoring evasion. A 'Mech that doesn't move gets shredded.
• Overheating for one extra shot. Internal damage accumulates and can cripple your best 'Mech.
• Running too many expensive upgrades. Argo upkeep adds up. Build cash flow first.
• Picking only cash payouts. Salvage builds your roster; C-Bills cannot buy many rare parts.
• Leaving ammo in the head or center torso. An ammo explosion there can destroy the 'Mech.
• Rushing story missions. They are harder and fixed; do side contracts to build your lance first.
• Sending a pilot in while injured. They're easier to kill and slower to recover.

Advanced Tips

• Reserve tricks: Reserve your heavies to the last phase so enemies commit first, then act twice in a row at the round boundary.
• Knockdown chains: Stack missile volleys and melee on one 'Mech to knock it down, then use called shots to take the head or center torso.
• Indirect fire: LRM carriers can shoot targets spotted by other lancemates. Pair them with a Sensor Lock pilot.
• Mission-specific loadouts: Hot biomes want more heat sinks and energy weapons; cold biomes let you run hotter.
• Headshots for salvage: Killing the pilot preserves the 'Mech's parts.
• Mods: BATTLETECH has official mod support since 1.8 (the ModLoader). Well-known community overhauls such as BattleTech Extended and the much harder RogueTech expand the timeline, 'Mech roster and systems. Use them after finishing vanilla at least once.

FAQ

Is BATTLETECH still supported? The last content update was 1.9.1 (early 2020). A Unity security hotfix for Windows and Mac followed on 30 October 2025. The game is complete; there is no ongoing development.

Which expansion should I buy first? Flashpoint adds the most variety to Career and campaign. Heavy Metal adds the strongest new 'Mechs and weapons. Urban Warfare adds city maps and ECM.

How long is the campaign? Expect a long run, typically dozens of hours depending on how many side contracts you take between story missions.

Do I need to own the DLC for mods? Some mods list DLC requirements. Check each mod's page.

Is there multiplayer? Yes, a PvP skirmish mode exists alongside single-player skirmish against the AI.

What's the best 'Mech? Assaults like the Atlas and King Crab are top-tier, but a well-built medium with good pilots is often more useful because of tonnage limits.

Sources

• BATTLETECH on Steam
• BATTLETECH Steam news (1.9, 1.9.1, security hotfix)
• BattleTech (video game), Wikipedia
• Unity security advisory, Sept 2025