MechCommander 2
Encyclopedia
MechCommander 2 is a real-time tactics
video game based on the BattleTech
/MechWarrior
franchise, developed by FASA Interactive
and distributed by Microsoft
. It is a sequel to MechCommander
.
In 2006 Microsoft released a modified version of the source code along with most game assets (i.e. everything needed to compile the game without networking support and without all the art) under a Shared Source
licence in order to demonstrate its XNA
Build system. Currently, the game is under mod by several projects.
, is now breaking apart due to Archon Katrina Steiner's controversial seizure of power. The Federated Commonwealth have claimed a few territories in Carver V, killing Mandarin Cho, Liao ruler of the planet in combat. All the Houses on Carver V are avoiding any military action that could endanger the peace. A suspiciously well-equipped bandit force is threatening Steiner territory, and the House uses a quite unusual countermeasure - a mercenary team. Player takes the role of their commander.
In Campaign 1, player is under command of Steiner Colonel David Renard, and starts with quite easy tasks of destroying minor bandit forces. However, a chase of the bandit convoy results in the player getting into a firefight with Liao units, the fact that bandit leader is an ex-Liao officer also doesn't help the situation, and Renard (despite the protests from Steiner Ambassador Yee, political representative of Archon on the planet), authorizes full-scale attacks on Liao forces. The final mission of the campaign ends in destruction of bandit HQ and their leader. Colonel Renard is getting suspicious when he says "Do this and get out. I've got plans for Carver V and you don't want to be part of them."
In Campaign 2 however it is revealed that player's merc team is far from leaving the planet, as they have already found a new contract - with House Liao. This time, the player is under the command of Mandrissa Anita Cho, widow of Mandarin Cho and her son, Captain Jason Cho. Mandrissa is seemingly ill with a terminal disease, and before she dies, she wants the planet for Jason. The campaign starts with liberating a Steiner prison camp containing political prisoners, the Gulag (a reference of Soviet Gulag
labor camp system). The mission starts with Renard saying "So, you betrayed me too..." and giving orders to destroy the camp, a fact that disgusts even normally-indifferent Lieutenant Diaz, player's tactical advisor. In the following missions, player is tasked with various covert ops missions, including even an encounter with a few Davion ClanWarrior Bondsmen on Carver V's moon on a mission to destroy the HyperPulse Generators (HPGs), the only means of communication to other worlds. Also, during the campaign Liao succeeds in getting Davion forces to join the war as well.
However, it seems that Jason Cho is an incompetent commander, as Liao forces still get badly beaten and are forced to negotiate a truce with House Steiner. Colonel Renard agrees, seeing as both houses have a mutual enemy, the Davions, on one condition - the mercenaries must die. Jason gladly agrees, and player is forced to flee before advancing Steiner forces, and by securing an abandoned base manages to beat Steiner back. Jason then steps forward to personally deal with the mercenaries, and is killed by the player. Then a Liao force sent from Mandrissa Cho gets destroyed too, as Baxter, a local partisan leader who wants to see his planet independent, sends his forces to help the mercenaries.
In Campaign 3, it is revealed that Baxter and Davion commander Major Kelly (played by Patricia Kara
) have allied, as Davion isn't against an independent Carver V. In exchange for revenge and Clan technology, the player fights on the rebel side, destroying first the Liao palace (though Mandrissa Cho committed suicide when her elite guard was crushed), then finishing the Carver V bloodshed with killing crazed Colonel Renard (who appears in a jump-capable Atlas, which is unusual as Atlas mechs cannot be equipped with jump-jets in MC2) and destroying Steiner High Command.
The Campaign ends with Archon Katrina Steiner (Katherine Steiner-Davion) mourning Colonel Renard's death, Baxter becoming a President of Carver V, now renamed to Liberty, and the mercenary team returning to the Periphery (BattleTech)
- raising their price on MercNet.
"Peace has been restored on Carver V by an unlikely source - a mercenary commander."
Real-time tactics
Real-time tactics or RTT is a subgenre of tactical wargames played in real-time simulating the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics...
video game based on the BattleTech
BattleTech
BattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech by Jordan Weisman and L...
/MechWarrior
MechWarrior
MechWarrior is the title of a series of computer and video games set in the fictional universe of BattleTech-Games:In these games, players take control of a single BattleMech and combat other BattleMechs, tanks, infantry, and more, from within the cockpit of their machine. A third-person alternate...
franchise, developed by FASA Interactive
FASA Interactive
FASA Studio was a video game developer that was founded in 1995 by the tabletop game company FASA Corporation, Spectrum HoloByte and Denny Thorley....
and distributed by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
. It is a sequel to MechCommander
MechCommander
MechCommander is the second real-time tactics video game based on FASA's BattleTech/MechWarrior franchise , developed by FASA Interactive and distributed by MicroProse. Although it is claimed that MechCommander is the "first Mechwarrior game of tactical command", this is not true...
.
In 2006 Microsoft released a modified version of the source code along with most game assets (i.e. everything needed to compile the game without networking support and without all the art) under a Shared Source
Shared source
Shared source is an umbrella term covering some of Microsoft's legal mechanisms for software source code distribution. Microsoft's Shared Source Initiative, launched in May 2001, includes a spectrum of technologies and licenses...
licence in order to demonstrate its XNA
Microsoft XNA
Microsoft XNA is a set of tools with a managed runtime environment provided by Microsoft that facilitates video game development and management. XNA attempts to free game developers from writing "repetitive boilerplate code" and to bring different aspects of game production into a single system...
Build system. Currently, the game is under mod by several projects.
Plot
The single-player takes place on Carver V, a planet previously held by House Liao. At the time of the storyline's start House Steiner and House Davion, tenuously united as a single state in 3063 as the Federated CommonwealthFederated Commonwealth
In the fictional BattleTech universe, the Federated Commonwealth was an alliance between the Federated Suns and the Lyran Commonwealth, resulting in the creation of a super Successor State that controlled over two fifths of the Inner Sphere...
, is now breaking apart due to Archon Katrina Steiner's controversial seizure of power. The Federated Commonwealth have claimed a few territories in Carver V, killing Mandarin Cho, Liao ruler of the planet in combat. All the Houses on Carver V are avoiding any military action that could endanger the peace. A suspiciously well-equipped bandit force is threatening Steiner territory, and the House uses a quite unusual countermeasure - a mercenary team. Player takes the role of their commander.
In Campaign 1, player is under command of Steiner Colonel David Renard, and starts with quite easy tasks of destroying minor bandit forces. However, a chase of the bandit convoy results in the player getting into a firefight with Liao units, the fact that bandit leader is an ex-Liao officer also doesn't help the situation, and Renard (despite the protests from Steiner Ambassador Yee, political representative of Archon on the planet), authorizes full-scale attacks on Liao forces. The final mission of the campaign ends in destruction of bandit HQ and their leader. Colonel Renard is getting suspicious when he says "Do this and get out. I've got plans for Carver V and you don't want to be part of them."
In Campaign 2 however it is revealed that player's merc team is far from leaving the planet, as they have already found a new contract - with House Liao. This time, the player is under the command of Mandrissa Anita Cho, widow of Mandarin Cho and her son, Captain Jason Cho. Mandrissa is seemingly ill with a terminal disease, and before she dies, she wants the planet for Jason. The campaign starts with liberating a Steiner prison camp containing political prisoners, the Gulag (a reference of Soviet Gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
labor camp system). The mission starts with Renard saying "So, you betrayed me too..." and giving orders to destroy the camp, a fact that disgusts even normally-indifferent Lieutenant Diaz, player's tactical advisor. In the following missions, player is tasked with various covert ops missions, including even an encounter with a few Davion ClanWarrior Bondsmen on Carver V's moon on a mission to destroy the HyperPulse Generators (HPGs), the only means of communication to other worlds. Also, during the campaign Liao succeeds in getting Davion forces to join the war as well.
However, it seems that Jason Cho is an incompetent commander, as Liao forces still get badly beaten and are forced to negotiate a truce with House Steiner. Colonel Renard agrees, seeing as both houses have a mutual enemy, the Davions, on one condition - the mercenaries must die. Jason gladly agrees, and player is forced to flee before advancing Steiner forces, and by securing an abandoned base manages to beat Steiner back. Jason then steps forward to personally deal with the mercenaries, and is killed by the player. Then a Liao force sent from Mandrissa Cho gets destroyed too, as Baxter, a local partisan leader who wants to see his planet independent, sends his forces to help the mercenaries.
In Campaign 3, it is revealed that Baxter and Davion commander Major Kelly (played by Patricia Kara
Patricia Kara
Patricia Kara is a model, actress, and TV personality.She began her career in Chicago, before moving to Miami, New York City, and finally, her current home in Los Angeles, California...
) have allied, as Davion isn't against an independent Carver V. In exchange for revenge and Clan technology, the player fights on the rebel side, destroying first the Liao palace (though Mandrissa Cho committed suicide when her elite guard was crushed), then finishing the Carver V bloodshed with killing crazed Colonel Renard (who appears in a jump-capable Atlas, which is unusual as Atlas mechs cannot be equipped with jump-jets in MC2) and destroying Steiner High Command.
The Campaign ends with Archon Katrina Steiner (Katherine Steiner-Davion) mourning Colonel Renard's death, Baxter becoming a President of Carver V, now renamed to Liberty, and the mercenary team returning to the Periphery (BattleTech)
Periphery (BattleTech)
The Periphery is the outer spacial area surrounding the Inner Sphere within the fictional universe of BattleTech. The border between the Inner Sphere states and the Periphery regions is generally held to be a radius that extends roughtly 450-550 light years around Terra.Within the BattleTech...
- raising their price on MercNet.
"Peace has been restored on Carver V by an unlikely source - a mercenary commander."