History VideoGame / MechWarrior

* Protagonist-CenteredMorality: Hunting down the people who killed your father is your Causus Belli, even though he was a mercenary, and death is a known risk of the job... and in your revenge quest, you frequently smash civilian buildings underfoot, and crush hundreds of (non-combatant) fathers to paste, without any impact on story progression.

* Protagonist-Centered Morality: Hunting down the people who killed your father is your Causus Belli, even though he was a mercenary, and death is a known risk of the job. In your revenge quest, you frequently smash civilian buildings underfoot, and kill hundreds of non-combatant fathers.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: The Clan hierarchy, with different Clan definitions for asskicking. In this game, the player rises through the ranks through Trials of Position - defeating one mech awards one rank, and defeating two mechs awards two ranks. Failing the arena trial is grounds for demotion (e.g. to the Technician caste.)

* TrialByCombat: Standard method of advancement for clan pilots, see AsskickingEqualsAuthority above. This is also how you redeem yourself for disobeying your Star Commander's orders in the Ghost Bear expansion.

** The player's lancemates will sometimes express disgust and/or "KillEmAll" attitudes towards different enemy factions.

* ItsUpToYou: This is the standard for missions, although losing your mech also means the palace you destroyed still stands. This also applies to the campaign, where failingJade Falcon's final Trial of Position and you're told that there's not enough warriors (with you being demoted to technician caste despite already clearing many other missions) and that the clan will fall into obscurity, but if you pass you're told of a great future of preparing the path to Terra (even if you aren't Khan).

* RecycledTitle: Three entries in the series including two stand-alone expansion packs use the Mercerenaries subtitle.

[[folder:[=MechWarrior=] 5]]

* {{AFGNCAAP}}: The original campaigns are notable in that absolutely no characterization for the player whatsoever is offered, not even gender.

One of the most popular spinoffs of the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' franchise, the ''[=MechWarrior=]'' series puts the player in the cockpit of the GiantMecha that define the universe. With cutting edge graphics and fairly intense combat, these games probably brought more people into the universe than anything else. [[RealRobotGenre Battlemechs are handled like real weapons of wars]], [[WarIsHell pilots die pointlessly]], combat is brutal -- entire torso sections and [[BlastingItOutOfTheirHands arms are blasted out to disable weapons]], [[KneeCapping legs get shot out]] from underneath mechs, mechs explode from the inside from [[OverHeating overheating]] their [[GoingCritical fusion reactor]], and [[SnipingTheCockpit inside that armored cockpit you are just an unarmored and very squishy human]].

The fourth game, '''''[=MechWarrior 4: Vengeance=]''''' (2000) is set during the [=FedCom=] Civil War. Taking place on the planet Kentares IV and its moon, the plot's premise is similar to that of the first game, albeit much more involved. You play as Ian Dresari, trying to regain your birthright after a cousin affiliated with House Steiner betrays you. The expansion pack, '''''Black Knight''''', continues Dresari's story as the [[TitleDrop Black Knight Legion]] arrives. A standalone expansion set around the same time, ''[[NamesTheSame Mercenaries]]'', puts the player in control of a Mechwarrior known only as "Spectre", who, incidentally, is a mercenary.

Early in 2010, a stand alone expansion, '''''[=MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries=]''''', was released, with Clan and Inner Sphere Mech Paks [[FreewareGames put online for free download]] by [=MekTek=], along with [=MekTek=]'s own in-house [=MekPak=], adding several dozen 'Mechs and weapons to the game. [=MekTek=] also made some modifications to the game itself, enhancing the HUD and 'Mech icons as well as making several Clan, IS and [=MekTek=] [=MekPak=] 'Mechs and weapons available in the Campaign mode. [[ExecutiveMeddling It was taken down due to legal issues]] due to the IP being transferred to a new owner, Piranha Games. If [=MekTek=] attempts to re-upload the free release, they will likely be sued.

Additionally, unveiled at about the same time as ''Online'', Infinite Game Publishing, with ACRONYM Games and Roadhouse Interactive as developers, announced '''''[=MechWarrior=] Tactics'''''. Running on the Unity engine to allow game play via the user's web browser, the game was designed as a 4 vs 4 'mech lance formation battles more in the vein of an interactive [=BattleTech=] table top game, with some changes. Players were to collect cards via "STAC Packs" for weapons and mechs with different manufacturer based abilities, and pilots with their own effects. However, the game got stuck in DevelopmentHell and eventually became VaporWare with IGP going out of business in November of 2014. (More details can be read on the Trivia Tab.)

'''''[=MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries=]''''' was announced in 2016, and was released in December 2019. Set during the Third Succession War in 3015, you play as a rookie mercenary working for various factions while trying to [[YouKilledMyFather find the people who killed his father]].

** {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''4: Mercenaries'', when a lone Owens -- a Light 'Mech -- [[SuicidalOverconfidence charges straight for your lance]] in one Halloran V mission, where you may have a lance of Mediums and/or Heavies if you decided to complete the Eaton missions first (Or Assaults if you took a detour on Solaris). [[PlayerCharacter Specter]] is quite amused by this.

A game trailer was shown in 2009 for a reboot of the series for the 5th game, in the vein of the first 4 games, set in 3015, but as time went on, the IP rights holder and game developers, Piranha Games -- whose previous games include ''Videogame/DukeNukemForever'''s multiplayer, and ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames tie-in games]] -- couldn't find a publisher for such a game and have since retooled the game into a free-to-play MMO: '''''[=MechWarrior=]: Online.''''' Initially taking place in the year 3049 (before the Clan invasion era) that will allegedly update storyline-wise each day after the August 1 2012 release date (which will be August 1st, 3049 in game universe, with the Clan invasion having begun in June of 2014, and 13 Clan chassis (each with 4 variants and several optional variant omnipods) released, alongside the current line up of IS mechs. [[http://mwomercs.com/ The website can be found here.]]

Additionally, unveiled at about the same time as ''Online'', Infinite Game Publishing, through their then dealing with Piranha Games, with ACRONYM Games and Roadhouse Interactive as developers, was '''''[=MechWarrior=] Tactics'''''. Running on the Unity engine to allow game play via the user's web browser, the game was designed as a 4 vs 4 'mech lance formation battles more in the vein of an interactive [=BattleTech=] table top game, with some changes. Players were to collect cards via "STAC Packs" for weapons and mechs with different manufacturer based abilities, and pilots with their own effects. However, the game has been in DevelopmentHell, and as of December 2013, had no development team working on it, and development of the game has stopped entirely, and has become VaporWare with IGP going out of business in November of 2014 without notice. (More details can be read on the Trivia Tab)

'''''[=MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries=]''''' was announced on during [=MechCon=] 2016, and was released in December 2019. Set in 3015 during the 3rd Succession War, you play the part of a rookie mercenary accepting assignments from various factions.

* UnwinnableByDesign: The final mission in ''Ghost Bear's Legacy'' requires you to jump jet inside an enemy dropship. Don't have jump jets equipped? Have fun restarting the mission.

* OpposingCombatPhilosophies: In general, Inner Sphere mechs can be summed up as "[[MightyGlacier big dumb bricks of armor]]", while Clan mechs go [[FragileSpeedster full speed]] [[GlassCannon and weaponry]]. The Inner Sphere is well suited to taking a base and sitting on their ass in it, while the Clan is geared for kiting in open terrain.

* PaletteSwap: The battlearmor's Heavy Micro Laser is a battlearmor Small Laser with a yellow glow instead of red.

* SplashDamageAbuse: Splash damage in ''Living Legends'' goes through walls. With most weapons' small splash radius, it's normally a non-issue, but don't expect that thin metal scaffolding roof to protect you from a Long Tom artillery shell.

* TacticalRockPaperScissors:
** Tanks beat Mechs in urban areas, Tanks, and AntiAir.
** Aerospace beats Tanks, Mechs, and Aerospace.
** VTOL craft beats Aerospace, Battle Armor, and VTOL.
** AntiAir beats Aerospace, VTOL, and Battle Armor.
** Battle Armor beats Battle Armor, Tanks, and large Mechs.
** Mechs, depending on the loadout, beat AntiAir, Mechs, Tanks, and some Aerospace.

* JokeWeapon: ''[=MechWarrior 5=]'' features two of the most infamous joke 'Mechs in the franchise - the ''Cicada'' and the ''Charger''. Both are massively overengined in their stock configurations to the point that it completely cripples their ability to actually fight, though for once the ''Charger'' can actually throw its bulk around to bully lighter 'Mechs if it gets into melee range and even gets a melee variant in the CGR-[=1P5=]. However, both 'Mechs have variants, and especially Hero 'Mech variants, that mitigate their weaknesses by either downsizing their engines or using [=LosTech=] (or later, recovered technology) like XL engines to reduce their weight without sacrificing all their speed.

** The main campaign of the "Legend of the Kestrel Lancers" DLC puts you in the shoes of a mercenary auxiliary to the Second Crucis Lancers taking Tikonov, Tigress, and Sarna. Each of these campaigns has fixed downtime between missions, giving little time for repairs more extensive than patching armor. The Sarna campaign in particular puts you through six back-to-back deployments with minimal rest and repair time between the first five missions none whatsoever between the fifth and sixth missions.

** The A variant for the 100 ton ''Behemoth'' tank is called the "[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2 Apocalypse]]" and is appropriately equipped with twin UAC/10s and many Streak [=SRMs=] for, say, engaging [=VTOLs=] overhead. Variant E, meanwhile, is named "[[Machinima/RedVsBlue Sheila]]".

* FragileSpeedster: The ''Fire Moth'', UpToEleven. No other Mech can reach its blinding speed. Even the second-speediest Mech in the game is, at best, half as fast as the Firemoth. Such speed comes at the price of also making it essentially useless in combat, as you need a big engine to get it anywhere close to its maximum speed and so end up with no tonnage left for armor. This 'Mech gets similar treatment in ''[=MechWarrior 4=]: Mercenaries'' ([=MekTek=] version), where it goes by its Inner Sphere reporting name; the ''[[MeaningfulName Dasher]]''.

** The A variant for the 100 ton ''Behemoth'' tank is called the "[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2 Apocalypse]]" and is appropriately equipped with twin UAC/20s and many Streak [=SRMs=] for, say, engaging [=VTOLs=] overhead. Variant E, meanwhile, is named "[[Machinima/RedVsBlue Sheila]]".

** Certain assets in ''Living Legends'' are built around this as their defining characteristic. The ''Owens'', for example, is always equipped with a TAG and C3 Radar Chain which shares detected targets to nearby allies. Others are purpose built variants like the "Evil Eye" ''[[FutureCopter Hawkmoth]]'' which is equipped with an Improved NARC, a TAG and a few Machine Guns for backup.

** Certain assets in ''Living Legends'' are built around this as their defining characteristic. The ''Owens'', for example, is always equipped with a TAG and C3 Radar Chain which shares detected targets to nearby allies. Others are purpose built variants like the "Evil Eye" ''[[FutureCopter Hawkmoth]]'' which is equipped with an Enhanced NARC, a TAG and a few Machine Guns for backup.

** ''Living Legends'' in particular requires active radar for missiles to lock and other equipment to function such as the Angel ECM (hides nearby allies from detection except for the asset equipping it). It's generally advised to run passive and briefly go active like a sonar ping. Conversely, you're advised to always run active with Guardian/Angel ECM, Beagle/Bloodhound Active Probe (increases detection range), and/or the C3 Radar Chain (relays any contacts on your radar to nearby allies). Finally, {{Overheating}} makes it easier for your asset to be detected and a completely overheated unit can be detected across the map.

** ''Living Legends'' in particular requires active radar for missiles to lock and other equipment to function such as the Angel ECM (hides nearby allies from detection except for the asset equipping it). It's generally advised to run passive and briefly go active like a sonar ping. Conversely, you're advised to always run active with Guardian/Angel ECM, Beagle/Bloodhound Active Probe (increases detection range), and/or the C3 Radar Chain (relays any contacts on your radar to nearby allies).
* EveryBulletIsATracer: Ballistic weapons since ''3'' fired bright yellow projectiles while [[MagneticWeapons Gauss Rifles]], opted for the typical sci-fi swirly trail except in ''Online''.

* EveryBulletIsATracer: High explosive autocannons, .50 cal machineguns, artillery shells...

** The main campaign of the "Legend of the Kestrel Lancers" DLC puts you in the shoes of the Crucis Lancers taking Tikanov and Sarna. The Sarna campaign puts you through six back-to-back deployments with minimal rest and repair time between the first five missions none whatsoever between the fifth and sixth missions.

* spoiler:DiscOneFinalBoss: [[spoiler: Black Inferno]] is taken out somewhere a little over half-way through the main campaign. [[spoiler: [=ComStar=] serves as the antagonist from then on.]]

* [[spoiler:DiscOneFinalBoss]]: [[spoiler: Black Inferno]].

* JokeWeapon: ''[=MechWarrior 5=]'' features two of the most infamous joke 'Mechs in the franchise - the ''Cicada'' and the ''Charger''. Both are massively overengined in their stock configurations to the point that it completely cripples their ability to actually fight, though for once the ''Charger'' can actually throw its bulk around to bully lighter 'Mechs if it gets into melee range. However, both 'Mechs have variants, and especially Hero 'Mech variants, that mitigate their weaknesses by either downsizing their engines or using [=LosTech=] (or later, recovered technology) like XL engines to reduce their weight without sacrificing all their speed.

** Rifles are balanced completely differently from tabletop - on tabletop, a Heavy Rifle is less powerful than an AC/10 and only narrowly outranges it, and is only really intended to represent very old direct-fire ballistic weapons. In ''[=MechWarrior 5=]'', they hit nearly as hard as an AC/20 and have more or less the range and projectile speed of an AC/2 all in a medium-sized package. However, they pay for both of these features with an extremely low rate of fire. Additionally, while on the tabletop, the Light Rifle is outright incapable of damaging modern 'Mech armor, it does damage between an AC/5 and an AC/10 in ''[=MechWarrior 5=]''.

** Lasers are broken up into regular lasers and short-burst lasers (not to be confused with pulse lasers). The former does more damage but needs to be held on target longer to do their full damage, while the latter shoots faster and needs less time on target. Short-burst lasers do not exist in tabletop, but play closer to how lasers were depicted in previous ''[=MechWarrior=]'' games.
** Missiles are split into regular and stream versions (not to be confused with homing streak missiles), which launch all their missiles at once and one missile after another, respectively, with the latter offering slightly better spread. Like with the lasers, this isn't a distinction that exists elsewhere, though both depictions have been made in other media without distinguishing them as separate types of weapon.
** Autocannons are split into standard and burst autocannons (not to be confused with ultra autocannons), with the former doing all their damage in one shot like how they're normally portrayed, while the latter does a little more damage over a short burst with some spread and more consistent with how an autocannon might be expected to behave given the name. Like short-burst lasers and stream missiles, this isn't really a distinction that exists in other ''[=BattleTech=]'' media, but it does represent that autocannons are variously described as firing one really big shot or a short burst of smaller shots, and that either effect can lead to a particular numerical autocannon rating.

** Interstellar travel takes a fixed amount of time solely based on the number of jumps taken. While this is lore-appropriate on the FTL portion of interstellar travel (K-F drives have always jumped up to 30 light-years instantly with a three day cooldown), it standardizes the sub-light portion by standardizing travel time between to and from jump points when various population centers may be actually closer or further from a system's jump points.

* GoodOldFisticuffs: With the "Legend of the Kestrel Lancers" expansion, Mechs can now properly smack and punch each other for the first time in the series. Naturally, if your mech has a proper fist on their arm instead of a gun barrel, the damage from such a blow is greatly increased. "Call to Arms" allows the installation of better punching fists along with the other melee weapons it adds.

* WideOpenSandbox: Especially in comparison to the ''[=MechWarrior 4=]'' titles, which restricted travel to a handful of plot-relevant locations, ''[=MechWarrior 5=]'' allows the player to go virtually anywhere in the Inner Sphere and search for mercenary work or visit industrial regions to buy new 'Mechs and weapons and hire new crew. However, while the campaign map is wide open, contracts are carried out on relatively confined maps no more than a few kilometers across.

* CanonForiegner: "Call to Arms" adds several 'Mechs whose model name ends in "P", which denotes a melee model and have special melee hardpoints that can take Axes, Maces, Claws, Swords, or other melee weapons more sophisticated than knuckles and hammerfists. Most of these melee models have no canonical counterpart.

* TheManBehindTheMan: [[spoiler: Comstar]]

* SeriesContinuityError: Chemical Lasers are common lower-end laser options in the game despite not officially being introduced in the timeline until 3059, when Clan Hell's Horses invented them for ICE vehicles. This is perhaps more realistic than the established lore, but contradicts it nonetheless.

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: Several weapon distinctions are made that haven't traditionally been made in the franchise or represent different means of achieving a result that were not traditionally distinguished, such as if high-rating autocannons fire one very large shell or several more modestly-sized shells.