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MegaMek

MegaMek is a computer client for playing BattleTech, which contains the entirety of the Tech Level 1 and 2 basic rules as well as bits and pieces of the more recent Tech Level 3 rules. It supports offline and online play. As for what BattleTech is, see Omnibooru's description.

Platforms: MegaMek is a Java client, so anything that can run Java’s runtime environment should be able to run MegaMek.

Hardware prerequisites: None. It’s 2D, turn-based, and top-down; anything should be able to run this and any control scheme probably works.

Download links: Download the version of 0.36.1 we use here. If you don’t use Windows, said .zip also includes all of the add-ons that we use.

How to install and connect:

1. Extract the package where you want it installed.
2. Double click the executable.
3. To play online with us, go “Join network game” and input both the IP and port that you are supplied with in-channel. If you find that hosting doesn’t work for you and there’s nobody who has a server address, this may be useful.

Typical or scheduled playing times: Sundays at any time. Saturdays are an extremely minor possibility.

Organizers/hosts: Barcode

Gameplay prerequisites:

MegaMek is complex, but the basic rules - and interface - aren’t too difficult to understand. I was going to write a guide but I never did it. Try this video.

Initiative

Initiative is a phase during which all players automatically roll for initiative. The Initiative rolls are all displayed, and turn order is displayed. (You can see turn order at any time during later phasesby pressing Ctrl-R in Windows, or Cmd-R in OSX.

Deployment

At the start of each game, all players must take turns placing units on the field. First pick the unit you want to deploy in the top right of the screen. Then click a yellow-highlighted hex to place it. Then, click Turn in the bottom toolbar and click a hex in the direction that you would like that unit to face. The top right unit list and the bottom maneuvers list are universal; while not all options will always be available, they are usable in all other phases. In BattleTech, it is best to be last in Initiative - this provides you a significant advantage during the Movement phase.

Movement

Players take turns choosing units to move, and then moving them. You perform a Move order by clicking a pathway for your unit, then pressing Done in the bottom right when satisfied.

• Total movement points are visible in the small pop-up window describing your unit that appears when it is your turn; you can close it at any time, and bring it up for whatever units you wish (including the one you are currently controlling) by right-clicking their in-game sprites and going View –> (unit name).
• Your movement types are Walk (blue movement tiles in-game), Run (yellow movement tiles in-game), and Jump (red movement tiles in-game).
  • In the bottom menu, pick Walk to walk and/or run, Turn to assign turning within your movement path, and Jump to use jump jets. To delete individual steps in your movement plan, press Delete; and to scrap the entire plan, press Esc.
• All units (except Infantry) may only move towards or away from their direction of travel; changing hex facing costs one movement point (unless you are Jumping). It takes additional movement points to change elevations, and if you are Backing Up (an option in the bottom bar) or entering a water hex at any point on your turn, you may only use your Walk points.
  • Infantry do not use movement points by changing directions or “turning”; the squad operates as one, directionless unit, even if an arrow is provided in-game.
• Reckless players may also declare Charge and DFA attacks on this turn; press the appropriate bottom-menu button, and click the opponent you wish to Charge or DFA. A pop-up menu will tell you your chances of success should you go through with the maneuver. Note that attacks declared during the Attack Phase may cause you prerequisite piloting rolls that, if failed, will prevent the maneuver for succeeding.

Remember, you will only make your move once you press Done, and you cannot skip your turn (though you can make a unit stay immobile on their turn by pressing Done without assigning a movement path; by default, the game gives you an Are You Sure? pop-up box to confirm that you want to do this). This holds true for every Phase.)

Attack

Attack is one of the two phases during which you will be doing the vast majority of your opponent-hurting.

Gameplay intricacies: A proper layout for this section is being devised. For now, see our MegaMek topic for tips and tricks.