MechWarrior Online (Solaris 7 / Legends): Beginner-to-Advanced Guide

A guide to Piranha Games' free-to-play BattleMech shooter as it runs today: the modes (including the Solaris duels that gave this Steam listing its old name), 'Mech building, heat, economy and the habits that win matches.

Researched September 2026 — current as of patch v1.4.339.0 (22 September 2026) and the Corvus Legend release. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Naming note: Steam app 342200 was once listed as "MechWarrior Online Solaris 7," after the 1v1/2v2 dueling mode added to the game. The game was rebranded MechWarrior Online Legends in March 2023, and that is the name on the store today. It is the same game and the same account; Solaris 7 now runs as a recurring event rather than a separate product.

Quick Start

• It is free to play and still actively updated. Piranha ships monthly patches (new 'Mechs, weapon and quirk tuning, maps), plus monthly events.
• Start in trial 'Mechs. New pilots get immediate access to 16 pre-configured trial 'Mechs: two per weight class for both Inner Sphere and Clan. Their loadouts can't be changed, but they cost nothing. Try every weight class before buying anything.
• Stay with your team. The number-one rookie killer is wandering off alone. Move where most of your team moves.
• Watch your heat. Firing and jump jets build heat; overheating shuts you down, and running past the limit damages your 'Mech.
• Twist to spread damage. Turn your torso away between shots so enemy fire lands on arms and side torsos rather than your center torso.
• Save C-Bills for one 'Mech you like, then invest in it. Buying many 'Mechs early spreads your currency and skill points too thin.
• Use the skill tree on every 'Mech you own. An unskilled 'Mech is noticeably weaker than a skilled one of the same chassis.
• Check the Event Queue. Solaris weekends (1v1 and 2v2), drop-deck modes and modifier events like Extra Armor or Unlimited Ammo rotate through regularly.

Modes

Mode | Format | What it is

Quick Play | 12v12 | The core queue: fast matchmaking into team modes on 10+ maps

Faction Play | 4 'Mechs per player (drop deck) | Fight for a faction to take and defend planets on the Inner Sphere map and earn Loyalty Points

Event Queue | Varies | Rotating events: monthly Solaris weekends (1v1 and 2v2), drop-deck modes, special modifiers

Private Match | Custom | Lobbies for friends, training and organized play

Comp Queue | Team competitive | For organized teams; the Comp Queue Event 2026 (announced 27 August 2026) pays rewards and prizes for competitive play

Quick Play objectives:

• Skirmish – destroy the enemy team.
• Assault – destroy the enemy team or capture their base.
• Conquest – hold resource points to reach a score, or wipe the enemy.
• Domination – hold a central circle; a timer counts down while only your team is inside.

Recent map and event notes: the September 2026 "Mini-2" Event Queue ran 8v8 Conquest on Rubellite Oasis with 4-'Mech drop decks (255-ton cap), 25-minute matches and 3x C-Bill rewards. Map pools shift with patches, so check the patch notes.

Solaris 7

Solaris 7 is MWO's arena mode, named after the BattleTech game world famous for 'Mech gladiator fights. Released on 17 April 2018, it pits 1v1 and 2v2 teams against each other across five classic arena types, originally with seasonal leaderboards. Matchmaking sorts 'Mechs into divisions by overall strength rather than tonnage, so a well-built light can meet a heavy. Today it runs as a monthly Solaris weekend in the Event Queue.

Controls (defaults)

Rebind everything under Options. The commonly used defaults are below; bindings have shifted over the years, so confirm them in Options > Controls on your first launch:

Action | Default

Throttle up / down | W / S

Turn legs | A / D

Aim and torso twist | Mouse

Fire weapon groups | Mouse buttons and number keys

Target enemy under reticle | R

Jump jets | Space

Center torso to legs | C

Zoom | Z

Override heat shutdown | O

Put your main weapons in weapon group 1 on left mouse, and secondary weapons on right mouse. Use chain fire for weapons that build heat quickly.

'Mech Basics

Weight classes

Class | Role

Light | Scouting, spotting, flanking, harassing lone enemies, capturing points

Medium | Flexible support and flanking; follow the heavies and punish anyone who pushes

Heavy | Main damage dealers with good armor

Assault | The front line; biggest guns and armor, slowest, most dependent on the team

Inner Sphere vs Clan

• Inner Sphere 'Mechs have more flexible engine and structure customization. An IS XL engine is destroyed when you lose a side torso; the Light Fusion Engine (LFE) is a sturdier compromise.
• Clan 'Mechs often have fixed components (OmniMechs swap whole pods instead), use lighter and hotter weapons, and their XL engines survive the loss of one side torso with penalties.

Hardpoints and building

• Each chassis variant has fixed hardpoints (ballistic, energy, missile, AMS, ECM). A variant's quirks tell you what it is good at.
• Keep total heat manageable: fewer weapons with enough heat sinks beats more weapons that shut you down.
• Add enough armor to your front; players commonly strip a little rear armor to strengthen the front.
• Ammo builds need enough ammo for a full match; bring more than you think.

Weapon families

Family | Notes

Lasers (small, medium, large, ER, pulse, X-Pulse) | No ammo, cost heat, damage over a short beam duration; hold the beam on one component

PPCs | Heavy pinpoint damage with travel time and high heat

Autocannons (AC, UAC, LBX, rotary) | Ammo-fed pinpoint or spread damage, low heat

Gauss rifles | High pinpoint damage, low heat, charge-up required

Missiles (LRM, SRM, Streak, MRM, ATM) | LRMs need lock and line of sight from you or a teammate; SRMs and Streaks brawl up close

Ghost heat: firing too many of the same weapon type at once adds extra heat. Split big alpha strikes into groups or build around the limits.

Progression and Economy

Currency | How you get it | What it buys

C-Bills | Playing matches, events | 'Mechs, weapons, equipment, engines

MC (Mech Credits) | Real money, some event rewards | 'Mech bays, cosmetics, Hero 'Mechs, packs

MXP | Playing a specific 'Mech | Skill nodes on that 'Mech

GXP | Earned across all play | Can substitute for MXP on skill nodes

Loyalty Points | Faction Play | Faction reward tiers

Key rules of thumb:

• Hero 'Mechs are MC-only and give a 30% C-Bill bonus, making them a solid purchase if you want faster earning.
• 'Mech bays are the main recurring MC cost; you need one for each 'Mech you own.
• Skill tree: 231 nodes across seven trees (Firepower, Survival, Mobility, Jump Jets, Operations, Sensors, Auxiliary); up to 91 nodes can be active on a 'Mech at once. Prioritize Survival and Firepower for most builds, Mobility for lights, and skip Jump Jets on 'Mechs without them.
• Legendary 'Mechs: introduced in March 2023 with the Legends rebrand, these are unique variants with outlier quirks that standard variants don't get.
• Legends and battle passes: Legendary 'Mechs arrive regularly with mini battle passes (the Corvus launched 22 September 2026, the Sneede Frankenmech in August 2026). Treat them as optional.
• Patch Science Sales: after each patch, a two-week sale discounts new and adjusted items for testing.

Tactics That Win Matches

• Nascar is real. On many maps teams circle around a central area. Stay with the group so you are not isolated on the outside.
• Focus fire. One enemy killed quickly is better than five damaged ones. Call targets with R so teammates see what you are shooting.
• Peek and pull back. Step out, fire, return to cover while you cool down. Never stand in the open while your weapons cycle.
• Protect your weak side. If an arm or side torso is gone, twist so the destroyed side faces the enemy.
• Spot for LRM boats. Keeping a target locked helps your team's indirect fire.
• Lights: do not trade face to face with assaults. Circle behind them where they cannot turn fast enough.
• Assaults: never go first alone. You are the anchor, not the scout.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Buying a 'Mech before trying it in trial form.
• Stacking weapons you cannot cool. Shutdowns mid-fight are fatal.
• Running an Inner Sphere XL engine without understanding the risk. Lose a side torso and you are dead.
• Ignoring component quirks. Some variants have large bonuses to specific weapons; build to them.
• Leaving the team to chase a kill.
• Standing still. Movement ruins enemy aim; even small side steps help.
• Staring at the minimap too little. It tells you where the fight is moving.

Advanced Tips

• Hill-humping: peek over ridges so only your weapons clear the crest.
• Burn-time management: lasers need you to hold on target; twist only after the beam finishes.
• Use the Event Queue to learn. Unlimited Ammo and Extra Armor events are great for experimenting with builds.
• Read patch notes monthly. Quirks and weapon values change often; last month's best build may be tuned down.
• Community tools: community loadout builders and the MWO Comp scene publish strong builds; copy one, then tune it.
• Solaris practice: 1v1 is the purest test of your aim and torso twisting.

FAQ

Is MechWarrior Online still active in 2026? Yes. Piranha still ships monthly patches (the latest, v1.4.339.0, went live 22 September 2026) and events.

What happened to "MechWarrior Online Solaris 7"? That was the Steam listing name after the Solaris 7 dueling mode arrived. The game is now MechWarrior Online Legends, and Solaris runs as monthly event weekends.

Is it pay to win? Paid 'Mechs and Hero 'Mechs mostly save time. Nearly all equipment is available for C-Bills.

What should I buy first? A 'Mech you enjoyed in trial form, ideally a medium or heavy that performs well in Quick Play, plus the upgrades to finish its build.

How does it relate to MechWarrior 5? Separate games. MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is single-player and co-op; its "Ashes and Ascension" DLC launches 6 October 2026 and MWO players were offered wishlist rewards tied to it.

What is ghost heat? An extra heat penalty for firing too many of one weapon type at once; group weapons to avoid it.

Sources

• MWO official news
• MWO game overview (modes, Solaris weekends)
• Steam store page (app 342200)
• MechWarrior Online – Sarna BattleTechWiki
• MWO Steam news (July 2026 patch and earlier)