MechWarrior 4: Vengeance

MechWarrior 4: Vengeance
MechWarrior 4: Vengeance
	File:MW4 cover.jpg
Developer(s)	FASA Corporation
Publisher(s)	Microsoft
Platform(s)	Windows PC
Release	November 24, 2000
Genre(s)	Action / Simulation
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer

MechWarrior 4: Vengeance is a computer game developed by now defunct FASA Corporation and published by Microsoft. It was released on November 24 2000. This game is the fourth game in MechWarrior series. It takes place in BattleTech universe where the pinaccle of all war machines are huge, heavily armed robots called Battlemechs. The player pilots one of the these 'Mechs and uses variety of available weapons {autocannons, lasers, missiles, ...) to battle enemy 'Mechs, tanks and other vehicles.

Modes of Play

Campaign

This is the story based part of the game. It consists of 26 missions and has two slightly different endings. The player takes role of duke Ian Dressari who has to liberate his homeworld Kentares IV from occupation of Steiner forces. In first missions only few smaller 'Mechs are available. As the game progresses more 'Mechs and weapons are available. These come in form of salvage from previous missions. Between missions you can outfit your 'Mechs with different weapons and also assign 'Mechs to one of your three wingmen (called lancemates in BattleTech).

Instant Action

This mode lets you play with any of the 21 'Mechs in the game. You can play either one of campaign missions (even those which you cannot access in campaign yet) or wave mission in which you can select up to four other mechs and fight them in deathmatch style. There is also master trial mode in which computer randomly picks a stock 'Mech for you, it also randomly picks one of wave maps to play on and three stock 'Mechs as enemies. You have to successively destroy all three enemies in one-on-one fight.

Multiplayer

You can search for multiplayer servers by means of built-in ZoneMatch or MSN Gaming Zone. Multiplayer is similar to instant action in many aspects, but its gameplay can be more customized. It has nine game types and about dozen maps (more user-made maps can be found on internet).

Game types are following:

Destruction - simple deathmatch
Team Destruction - team deathmatch
Attrition - similar to deathmatch, but points are awarded for damage you dealt (not only kills)
Team attrition - like above, but in teams
Capture the Flag - points are awarded for bringing flag from enemy base to yours
King of the Hill - points are awarded for staying in specific area of map
Team King of the Hill - like above, but in teams
Steal the Beacon - points are awarded for carrying the beacon
Escort - points are awarded for destroying enemy VIP (a small 'Mech)

Weapons and Equipment

A 'Mech has slots which can usually mount only specific kind of weapon. A weapon can be mounted if there are enough free slots and free weight. Weapons are generally very heavy and make up more than half of 'Mech's weight. Most weapons have Clan variants which have some advantages over regular ones.

Energy weapons

This type of weapons generate heat, but requires no ammunition. Larger types of energy weapons do more damage and have longer range. They include:

Lasers - fire a beam that takes several seconds to recharge. Heat buildup is minimal.
Pulse lasers - fire series of pulses in rapid sequence and take few seconds to recharge. Heat is accumulated with constant use.
PPCs - fire accelerated particles. Causes a high amount of heat.
Flamer - somewhat like flamethrowers. heat buildup is minimal, but if this weapon successfully hits an enemy mech, it causes heat also to that mech.

Missiles

This type of weapons requires ammunition and generate small amount of heat. Larger types of missile launchers fire more missiles per salvo. They include:

LRMs - long range guided missiles
MRMs - guided missiles which do more damage than LRMs, but have significantly shorter range
SRMs - short range missiles which do large amounts of damage, but are not guided (unless equipped with a STREAK system)
Thunderbolt Missile - a long range, unguided missile. it deals significant damage.

Ballistic weapons

This type of weapons requires ammunition and generate almost no heat. Larger types of ballistic weapons do more damage, but have shorter range. They include:

Autocannons - Ordinary cannons.
LBX autocannons - Cannons similar to shotguns which do more damage, but shots are weak at distance.
Ultra autocannons - Cannons shooting two autocannon rounds at once.
Gauss rifles - Cannons shooting magnetically accelerated KE-penetrators.
Machineguns - Small bore guns that fire at a high rate. Deals a small amount of damage by itself.
Long Tom Artillery - Massive weapons, similar to off-map artillery. It deals a lot of damage, but rather hard to aim.

Equipment

A 'Mech can be equipped with various devices to increase its effectiveness in a battle. They include:

Jump jets - Some 'Mechs can mount these rocket boosters which greatly increase mobility, especially over rough terrain
ECM - Jammer decreasing distance at which can be your 'Mech can be detected
AMS - Anti-missile system which shoots down some incoming missiles
Beagle Active Probe - Device increasing your radar range
Light amplification - All 'Mechs can equip this device making the pilot able to see in darkness

Armor

A 'Mech is covered by armor protecting it from enemy fire. Armor can be added to offer more protection at the expense of additional weight. There are three types of armor:

Ferro fibrous - standard armor which protects equally against all kinds of weapons
Reactive - this type of armor protects more against ballistic and less against energy weapons
Reflective - this type of armor protects more against energy weapons and less against ballistic weapons

'Mechs

'Mechs are classified into four weight categories. They are also either from Clans or Inner Sphere. Clan 'Mechs are generally superior to Inner Sphere 'Mechs of same weight.

Light 'Mechs

Cougar - 35 tons, Clan
Raven - 35 tons, Inner Sphere
Osiris - 30 tons, Inner Sphere

Medium 'Mechs

Bushwhacker - 55 tons, Inner Sphere
Chimera - 40 tons, Inner Sphere
Hellspawn - 45 tons, Inner Sphere
Shadow Cat - 45 tons, Clan
Uziel - 50 tons, Inner Sphere

Heavy 'Mechs

Argus - 60 tons, Inner Sphere
Catapult - 65 tons, Inner Sphere
Loki - 65 tons, Clan
Mad Cat - 75 tons, Clan
Nova Cat - 70 tons, Clan
Thanatos - 75 tons, Inner Sphere
Thor - 70 tons, Clan
Vulture - 60 tons, Clan

Assault 'Mechs

Atlas - 100 tons, Inner Sphere
Awesome - 80 tons, Inner Sphere
Daishi - 100 tons, Clan
Mad Cat Mk. II - 90 tons, Clan
Mauler - 90 tons, Inner Sphere

'Mech Paks

In August of 2002 Microsoft released two add-ons to MechWarrior 4: Vengeance. Clan 'Mech Pak and Inner Sphere 'Mech Pak. Each pack contains four new 'Mechs and few other bonuses. Many players were disappointed by fact that new 'Mechs can be used only in instant action or multiplayer and not in campaign.

'Mechs from Clan 'Mech Pak

Arctic Wolf - 40 tons, Clan
Cauldron-Born - 65 tons, Clan
Kodiak - 100 tons, Clan
Masakari - 85 tons, Clan

'Mechs from Inner Sphere 'Mech Pak

Dragon - 60 tons, Inner Sphere
Highlander - 90 tons, Inner Sphere
Hunchback - 50 tons, Inner Sphere
Zeus - 80 tons, Inner Sphere

External links