Come join our discord channel. Please use the discord bug report system on our server for any bugs found so we have a centralised place.
BattleTech Extended requires an Extended specific save, it is not compatible with your previous non Extended saves. Installation instructions are at the bottom of this post, above the credits section.
BattleTech Extended is multple Expansions to the base game. Adding the universe of BattleTech in to the HBS game, with the official time line as written while also adding variably selectable tabletop inspired improvements to the game.
The whole Inner Sphere is represented, including the many factions, units and mercenaries populating the 'Sphere. Clans invade, ComStar and Word of Blake will be jerks, elite units may provide harder missions, the Bounty Hunter may hunt you.
'Mech and Vehicle rarity is based on Xotlâs highly researched and well regarded D1000 tables and changes based on date, interpolating between the tables as days in game pass. Force compositions are the closest to what the universe of BattleTech is meant to look like possible with very little apocryphal content, other than nods to what has been seen in other games or fun parts of the lore like the Crescent Hawks.
The time in game will change the map, the events that are occurring, the units that are garrisoning planets, the technology available in different areas of space, the 'Mechs and 'Vees that the Op For is using. All based on source books and novels.
The mod can be played (campaign or career) with rules very close to the standard game as released but with insane amounts of extra content (well over 1000 'Mechs and 'Vees for example) and extra layers to the simulation layer. Or it can be played with rules massively adding to the tactical game, heavily inspired by the Tabletop but improved for a video game experience, for example adding components to the 'Mechs but not increasing the RNG based ways you can die in one shot in tabletop rules.
'Mechs and Pilots are much more unique, with 'Mechs having quirks from the BattleTech manual converted for the HBS game and Pilots having quirks based on their background and gain affinities with the 'Mechs they pilot.
Units you face are not just different paint schemes, some will use special 'Mech rarity tables, more elite tables, or favour certain equipment.
Pilots have morale in mission and can panic eject rather than fighting to the death every time, rookies are more likely to ânopeâ out.
The Extended âManualâ
When starting a new game you can select the Overall Difficulty. Overall Difficulty can be Normal, Hard, Simulation or Simulation +.
-Normal
This is much like the vanilla game but has most of the content. This is an ease your way in to the mod mode, as although many exploits and broken mechanics have been fixed there are still some balance issues that can be exploited by the player limiting the lifetime of a play through before things become too easy.
-Hard
Again, not changing much from the vanilla experiences rules, there are a few more steps taken to limit exploits for the slightly experienced player, such as lowering the amount of resolve generated, reducing the effectiveness of Called Shot Master and making the enemy pilots more appropriately skilled for 'Mech they are piloting.
-Simulation
The mod is primarily balanced for Simulation and Simulation + but will be a harder experience for experienced players. Most of the extra difficulty will come in the end game, and early game is still relatively relaxing. Drop Costs will encourage you to not take too easy a 'Mech lance in to lower missions and limitations to the experience a pilot can earn based on mission difficulty will encourage taking harder missions to develop, or take rookies when doing lower missions for cash.
The heat system has been reworked, adding a too hit penalty as heat is increased, and rather than damaging when overheating their is a chance to shut down based on how much you overheat. This change provides a better balance to the various weapons and provides more tactical choices to the weapons to fire each round.
-Simulation +
Everything from Simulation is included but with many additions to the tactical game. 'Mechs have actuators, sensors, life support, Engines and Gyros in mission that can be crit or destroyed affecting their performance as damage is taken.
Bulwark has been reworked to not be giving an easily gained 40% damage reduction all the time.
When starting a new game you can select the starting planet and year.
The starting planet will affect the 'Mechs you may start with in career when selecting random, drawing from 'Mechs and variants that are commonly found in that area of space.
Starting year will affect the map and the technology available in game.
3025 End of Third Succession War
3028 Fourth Succession War
3030 Andurien/St. Ives Succession
3034 Rasalhague Independence
3039 War of 3039
3047 Helm Memory Core Technology production begins
3049 Clan Invasion
3053 Post Truce of Tukayyid
3057 Operation GUERRERO
3059 Operation BULLDOG
3061 Prior to Civil War
New technologies begin to appear approximately 3047+, but remain rare until mid to late 3050s. Clans arrive 3049 August+. Timeline will hold in map and technology in 3061 prior to the Fed Com Civil War.
Be advised that you can select to start in 3025 and all changes that would occur by selecting a later date will happen over time, however playing a game to span that much of a timeline would take 100s of hours.
While in the navigation screen:
F1: Toggle unvisited systems map mode
F2: Toggle system difficulty map mode
CTRL-F: System search
ESC: Exit map mode or search
Shift-Click: On system: route through this system
Missions
Pilots suffer from various panic states based on the damage they take and other natural factors. When panicked they have a chance to eject, this is the same for your pilots as the enemies.
Melee to hit values are lower, countered by mech quirks on certain mechs. In Simulation + this is further affected by the actuators that come stock on the 'Mech or are damaged.
Salvage is based on the amount of the 'Mech left rather than flat max pieces if the pilot is incapped., and 2 for a legged mech.
Head hits do not always cause a pilot injury, lowering the amount of injuries received from a stray LRM or Machine Gun hit. The chance to injure is based on the weight of the hit and the amount of armor left on the Head location. A hit stripped Head location will always cause a pilot injury.
Weather/Atmosphere/Gravity
In the contract description it may detail conditions, such as Foggy, Gravity, Light conditions, Rain etc. By hovering over the biome icon of the mission you can see the detail of what these conditions affect in mission allowing you to tailor your lance to the conditions.
The biome description lists all possible conditions for the biome, only those listed at the top of the contract description will be in effect for that mission.
Mechs
Hover over mechs to see the Mech Quirks, in the Mech Lab hover over the Stock Role to see the quirks as you build. The quirks can change slightly in Simulation +, integrating with the new functionality that difficulty provides.
Pilots
Hover over pilots to see the Pilot Quirks and favourite Mech.
The Commander provides 2 resolve if in the lance, the same as pilots with the Officer quirk. This does not stack, but keeping Officers as stand ins for your Commander is a good idea.
Pilot Fatigue occurs after a mission, dependant on how damaged their Mech was. You can still take Fatigued pilots on missions, you will get lower resolve and they will be in low spirits for 14 days. Pilots are cheaper to maintain though so stock up! Fatigue time is reduced by higher Guts, certain quirks, Morale and Med Tech value. In Simulation or Simulation + a pilot may receive a light injury if they are used while fatigued. A tip, in the early game consider taking fatigued pilots, donât always roll the clock on. A loss of resolve generation is less concerning than it sounds and the fatigue or light injury time can be offset by travel time.
Only the single highest 'Mech + Pilot combination Resolve generation bonus will be used but Light 'Mech affinity, and negative Pilot quirks are outside of this limitation.
Skills
Gunnery and Piloting provide a 2% bonus to hit, rather than 2.5%.
Piloting skill steps provide a bonus to stability.
Minimum Range bonuses reduce the negative from firing in minimum range, it does not reduce the minimum range.
Bulwark pilots are +1 easier to hit when they are buffed by Bulwark (when not playing Simulation +).
Tier 1 Piloting ignores the movement penalty from Foggy or Dusty weather conditions.
Tier 2 Piloting skill is now Evasive Expert, a chance to keep evasion when fired upon. The amount of pips that this will start to kick in with is higher the faster the mech is. Using Jump Jets increases your kept minimum by 1 for that turn.
Tier 2 Tactics skill, Master Tactician, now also provides the bonus of the previous Ace Pilot skill, allowing the pilot to move after shooting.
In Simulation + Multi Target also ignores 1 negative to hit for heat.
In Simulation + Breaching Shot ignores all negative to hit for heat.
In Simulation + Bulwark instead now provides a guarded state when taking a move action outside of cover. This does not apply from a Jump action, Sprint action and it does not provide a guarded state in addition to cover.
Weapons
Autocannons have had general heat decrease, stability damage increase and in the AC2âs case a small damage increase.
AC2s have no refire penalty.
Ultra Auto Cannons and LBX Autocannons have weapon modes. They can be switched in mode in mission with the middle mouse button. UACs can be fired single fire mode to reduce heat build up and deal with refire issues. LBX Autocannons can be switched to solid slug mode, able to fire standard Autocannon ammunition but with reduced stability damage compared to standard ACs. The AI will use weapon modes against you.
Flamers have no ammo but now do some of their heat damage over two turns.
Improved LRMs do not have stability increases, and indirect fire is slightly less accurate.
Pulse lasers and Streak SRMs ignore some evasion, check the tool tips.
Inner Sphere Pulse lasers have tabletop weapon ranges but also have an extreme range with a heavier to hit penalty.
Support weapons are slightly less accurate and receive a -2 to hit penalty when using Jump Jets.
Weapons that can be found are more heavily based on lore. The Heavy Metal expansion added many weapons that make no sense in a game set in 3025. While no weapons are removed, and in fact many more are added, the chance of certain weapon types appearing is much more based on the date in game, the area of space you are in and the type of planet you are visiting. For example there is no such thing as an LBX 20 prior to 3058 outside of the Clans (who will be fielding them when they arrive), and wont start being available in the Inner Sphere until 3058. Availability will depend on where you are, however it is possible that they may turn up early on a research planet.
Lots of other minor adjustments.
Argo Upgrades
Training pods can provide the ability to retrain a pilot one time ever per pilot.
Each Mech Bay provides a new bay that repairs at the same time. Automation upgrades improve the effectiveness of the extra bays.
The Machine Shop provides the ability to combine variants of the same Chassis that have the same engine and internals type. You cannot combine an endo mech with a non endo mech, same with ferro.
Maintenance costs reduced in early upgrades, but are higher for later upgrades.
Factories
Faction shops in Extended are the factories from the source books. Once allied with a faction you can visit their factories and pick up what they are building straight off the factory line. Their inventory is based on the source books and the date in game.
Simulation + only:
After you enter a mission 'Mechs will have components on them that have effects as they are lost. If a crit occurs in a slot that was already hit for multi slot components it is ignored.
HEAD
Sensors (2 slots) - First crit -2 to hit, Second crit -4 to hit
Life Support (2 slots) - A crit in either slot destroys the Life Support, pushing heat in to the red causes a pilot injury (Poor Life Support 'Mechs will take 2 damage to the Pilot)
CENTER/SIDE TORSO
Engine Shielding (6 slots + sides for XL/Light/Clan XL) - +10 heat per turn per crit, 4 crits causes an engine explosion destroying the Center Torso
Gyro (4 slots) - First crit increases the minimum stability, 2nd crit will destroy the Gryo increasing minimum stability further, minimize movement and knock down the mech.
ARMS
Shoulder - Destruction overrides the loss of weapon accuracy for Upper and Lower Arm actuator loss and adds +4 to hit with weapons on this arm
Upper Arm - Destruction adds +1 to hit with weapons on this arm, -melee damage
Lower Arm - Destruction adds +1 to hit with weapons on this arm, -melee damage (If the 'Mech has no Lower Arm stock then the weapon accuracy is not affected but -melee damage is)
Hand - +1 to hit in melee per missing/destroyed Hand
LEGS
Hip - Increased minimum stability and halves movement
Upper Leg - Reduces movement, max stability reduced
Lower Leg - Reduces movement, max stability reduced
Foot - Reduces movement, stability threshold reduced
Notable changes for tabletop players (and why):
A cockpit component is not added as adding a 1 shot kill crit component was decided against.
When HBS made BattleTech they effectively gave all 'Mechs CASE for free which stopped ammo explosions bleeding in to other locations. In Tabletop rules ammo explosions would often destroy a 'Mech from some unlucky RNG and I didnât want to add another RNG death to the game. Therefore I made 'Mechs that would receive CASE, a half ton component, receive CASE II, a 1 ton component in itâs place.
Engines take 4 crits to destroy, allowing an Inner Sphere XL engine to survive a side torso loss but at the cost of crippling heat. XL engines have always had questionable value which is in contrast to the massively increased c-bill cost and desirability in lore. This change keeps some vulnerability but is less of a death trap than before. A Clan XL or Light engine will still handle the loss of a side torso better taking only 2 crits and 20 heat per turn as a result.
Double Heat Sink engines provide 40 cooling base, as opposed to the 30 from a standard Fusion Engine or the 60 that tabletop rules would provide. This is for multiple reasons. Jordan Weisman stated that Double Heat Sink engines were the one thing he would change in hind site, and has been changed in other BattleTech games such as Mechwarrior Online. Some weaponâs heat has been adjusted to work within a standard heat sink world, such as the reduced heat of PPCs, which would be close to useless in a standard heat sink world using tabletop heat values. Double Heat Sink engines are a free upgrade, no weight, no crit slots, and as such a 1.33 scale bonus is more appropriate.
In tabletop there were rules to customise 'Mechs more heavily, adding Endo Steel to a chassis for example, or changing the engine. In lore however, performing such a task would require a factory level rework, and in game terms means that a 65 ton 'Mech is like any other 65 ton 'Mech but with different starting conditions. For Extended, primarily for gameplay reasons, I kept that 'Mechs are way more unique, not allowing such levels of customisation, improveing replayability as you experience trying out different 'Mechs and making collecting different 'Mechs more significant. If you want an Endo Steel Centurion you will have to earn one, fight who is using them or ally with them.
Installation
Extended_CE_1_9_3_7.zip (60.4 MB)
Battletech Extended is a compilation of mods and requires a few steps to get started. You will need a clean mods folder for this.
Step 1 - Battletech Extended
Download and unzip the BattleTech Extended .zip file to âŠ\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\Mods\
You should see close to 54 folders within your âŠBATTLETECH\Mods folder including BT_Extended, BT_Extended_3050, BT_Extended_CE, etc.
Step 2 - Community Asset Bundle
Download the Community Asset Bundle Installer and run it.
Your âInstall Targetâ will be your âŠBATTLETECH\Mods folder.
Your âCheckout workspaceâ should be located on the same harddrive.
Click âUpdate CABâ
Step 3 - ModTek
To finalize the installation, you must go to the âŠBATTLETECH\Mods\ModTek\ folder and run the ModTekInjector.exe
Step 4 - Bigger Drops
Extended_BiggerDrops_Patch.zip (40.3 KB)
If you wish to play with more than a single lance but have potentially more enemies and allies leading to longer missions and bigger battles then download and unzip the optional Bigger Drops patch in to your âŠBATTLETECH\Mods folder and overwrite when prompted. This will require a new save file.
NOTE: Much of the functionality changes provided by this patch are being provided by Mission Control. Things such as extra OPFOR, larger maps and random spawn locations. https://www.missioncontrolmod.com/ is the go to place if you wish to configure it differently than the balances settings provided by this patch.
I havenât set up a patreon but any tips sent through to paypal are appreciated.
Remember other mods like the Community Asset Bundle, Mission Control which is included with Extended and other mods included would also appreciate any donations where they accept them.
Credits
Many people contributed to the making of this mod. Thank you!
Special thanks to:
Harebrained Schemesï»ż for the Battletech game and their help to support modders.
Special mention to HBS Eck for his tireless help answering any modding questions Iâve had.
PGIï»ż for their two BattleTech universe games, and for giving permission for modders to use their 'Mech models within mods for Battletech.
MegaMekï»ż is an online version of the BattleTech Tabletop game. I have to thank them for their data on planet ownership changes, it was invaluable.
Sarnaï»ż for their site, and all of the contributors, for such an awesome collation of details of all things BattleTech.
In no particular order,
Haree78
Mech definitions outside of base game models
ï»żMechs and technology post 3025 timeline including clans
Game balance, weapons, equipment, abilities etc.
Skill changes
Full Xotl tables faction mech rarity that adjusts over time
Bespoke adjustments to the Inner Sphere map, updates over time, shops rework and changes over time, hiring hubs, new factions
ï»żUnits and Mercenary additions and functionality to accommodate them.
ï»żâInner Mercâ events describing new mech releases
New tech such as Streak SRMs, Ferro, Artemis, CASE etc.
Mech Quirks
Mech icon artwork
Extra missions including possible Bounty Hunter turning up
Many other adjustments such as Simulation + extra functionality, hit chance, heat changes, weapon modes, Random mech starting pool by faction, lower CT crits, appropriate pilots for mechs, minor AI improvements, and everything else!
Help with Fluff Writing: Wi1D_K4rD, craig77
jamie wolf: Mech Affinityï»ż
mcb:
BTSimpleMechAssembly
Start Date selectable in difficulty options
NickAragua
Clan mech definitions
ï»żTons of script related changes to files like integrating Inner Sphere map updates to the bespoke version
ï»żMany fluff based events
Ablomis
Clan mech definitions
âInner Mercâ events describing new mech releases
ï»żMultiple new Flashpoints
RJPhoenix: ï»żSome ComStar missions and other various tweaks including Diamond Shark addition and unit display code.
Moved various flashpoints around the map.
Extended Xotl tables from 3057 until 3061.
Glucose: One Point Armor Adjustment
panser: Tabltop armor point mod
Justin Kase: JK_Variantsï»ż, JK_Rarityï»ż, GiveThemKell, Give me Deathï»ż, M.A.S.H. Truckï»ż
ï»ż3025 Comstar events
ï»żExtra lore adherance adjustments such as a few star system movements and other improvements
Mech icon artwork help
Extra missions
don Zappo: sï»ż, Pilot Fatigueï»ż, Repair Baysï»ż
ï»żUpdating the following mods as the base game breaks them: CBTBehaviours, DropCostPerMech, MonthlyTechandMoraleAdjustment, Stabile Piloting
Adjustments of mods to only occur in certain difficulty levels
gnivler: Panic System, FewerHeadInjuries
Redferne: ï»żFiring Line Improvements (BTML Color LOS) for BEXCE
Capân Morgan: ï»żBeta testing
Doyle: Beta testing
mpstark: LogoReplacementï»ż, MechSpinï»ż, NavigationComputerï»ż, InnerSphereMapï»ż, Timeline
Morphyum: InnerSphereMapï»ż, BiggerDrops
janxious/jo: 'Mech Resizerï»ż, FYLSï»ż, Firing Line Improvements (BTML Color LOS)
m22spencer: BattletechPerformanceFix
Amechwarrior: BetterAIï»ż, The Raidï»ż
FrostRaptor: BTRandomStartByDifficultyMenuï»ż, Loot Magnetï»ż, IRTweaks
CWolf: Mission Controlï»ż
Drowsy Corgi: RogueTechPerfFix
t-bone: IRTweaks
Unit Artwork
Flieger
Haydenï»ż
BlackPhoenix01ï»ż
Ironhawk
ModTekï»ż Team
mpstark
CptMoore
janaxious
m22spencer
CommunityAssetBundle (CAB)ï»ż Team
All mechs ported from MWO and whole new mech models. See the CAB page for contributors.
cFixes ï»żTeam
Amechwarrior
ï»żDrBuckarooBanzai
ï»żJustin Kase
scJazz2
Sheep-y
Various other people in the mod community have helped me with my questions, thank you and I wish you good health.
