MechWarrior Online is a tactical BattleMech simulation set in 3050 AD. As a pilot known as a "MechWarrior", you are about to take control of the most powerful mechanical battle units the universe has ever seen. Compete in team-based tactical warfare, where the victors swim in the spoils of war and are rewarded with the almighty C-Bill (in-game currency).
Game Modes
MWO currently has one training and two active game modes available to be played over eight different maps:
Conquest
In Conquest, two teams of 12 players fight over Germanium resource collectors. These mobile mining units refine Germanium for the team that controls them. The more units under a team’s control, the faster that team will be gathering resources.
There are 5 resource collectors on each map, with two captured locations indicating each team's start location. The three other collectors are spread evenly throughout the rest of the map waiting to be obtained. The first team to reach the 750 points capture limit or defeat all opposing Mech wins.
Assault
In Assault, two teams of 12 fight in "King of the Hill" matches, with the match continuing until either side succeeds in occupying the enemy base or all opposing Mechs are destroyed.
Training Grounds
Training Grounds is a single player training mode which allows players to learn basic piloting skills, weapons targeting, loadout charges and map layouts. Note that no C-Bill or Experience is gained in Training Grounds.
BattleMechs
Mechs are the vehicles that MechWarriors use to engage in combat. Normally, players would use their own modified Mechs, but new players will have to select a Trial Mech from the Mech Lab tab. Everyone has a selection of four randomly rotating Mech available to them to try out the different weight classes. Trial Mechs can gain C-Bill, but can not be modified or gain experience, as they are not a permanent part of your inventory.
Role Warfare
The various weight classes of BattleMechs help create their own evolving roles on the battlefield.
Fast moving scouts can feed target and tactical information back to the main battle group and the team commander. This information allows the support and assault role pilots to decide where to put their resources to work. Long-range fire support and heavy hitting assault class Mechs will use this invaluable information to finish the job at hand.
HUD
| 1 | TIME, SCORE & BASE CAPTURE Indicates the time remaining in match and kill score for each team. Bars indicate friendly or enemy base status. Bars deplete as the relevant base is being captured. |
| 2 | ENEMY ARMOR Indicates your targeted enemy’s current armor status for each section of their Battlemech. |
| 3 | COMPASS, BASE & UNIT INDICATORS Blue indicates friendly ‘Mechs and locations, while Red indicates enemy ‘Mechs and locations. |
| 4 | TARGETED ENEMY INFORMATION Display indicates: Pilot name, Battlemech type and distance to target. |
| 5 | DISTANCE TO TARGET Indicates distance to target in the reticule. |
| 6 | ARMOR INFORMATION Indicates your current armor status for each section of your Battlemech. |
| 7 | SPEED & JUMP JETS Left meter indicates current speed in KPH. |
| 8 | BATTLEGRID Birds eye map of the current match. (see below) |
| 9 | HEAT INDICATOR Meter displays amount of heat generation. |
| 10 | WEAPON LOADOUT & MAPPING List of all available weapons and firing groups. Weapons in the ‘circle’ section aim towards the circle reticule and weapons in the cross section aim towards the cross reticule. |
The Battlegrid
The Battlegrid is a birds eye map of the current match. Cone indicates effective range of fire. Arrow indicates direction of travel. Blue/Red arrows indicate position of friendly and found enemy Battlemechs. Here you view the status of the match and Toggle Command, either taking Command and issuing orders to friendly MechWarriors or Resign Command if you no longer want this position.
If you have assumed command of your team, clicking on a particular section of the grid will bring up the command menu. You can then select commands to your team such as Attack, Defend, or Flank Right/Left.
