Okay, playing catch up on what was missed.

Firstly, interview and gameplay video for MWO. Looks glorious.

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/g.....-online/727870

Second, inexplicably awesome rendition of Mechwarrior Tactics, the tabletop game reborn as a browser game.

http://www.gamesradar.com/mechwarri.....ctics-preview/

Third, expanded information on the control schema for playing.

http://mwomercs.com/news/2012/03/15.....warfare-part-i

Finally, check out this video, which showcases several interesting 'Mech related updates, including Mektek's Solaris Assault Tech.

Happy new year to you, Mechwarriors.

A bit of news to go around first. More information has been released regarding both Mechwarrior Online as well as the iOS-based Mechwarrior Tactical Command. Basic info, as well as some screenshots, can be found at http://www.shacknews.com/game/mechw.....ctical-command. Expect the usual mix of Clan and IS tech at this stage.

As for Mechwarrior Online, several updates have given us a wealth of new information. Most immediately attention-grabbing is the release of the Catapult as the newest 'Mech design available for use, looking every bit the part of a classic missile boat. Feel free to acquaint yourself with one of the Mad Cat's original sires here: http://mwomercs.com/news/2011/12/70.....ech-5-catapult

As for the game itself, a few pertinent details, brought on by a few weeks of updates.

- Players may be mercenary groups, House troops, or lone-wolf solo players. You will receive loyalty points based on which groups you fight for or against in a given situation. This affects House troops and mercenary groups primarily. The more you fight for a group, the better they like you. Similarly, the more you fight against a group, the less they like you. You may change from faction to faction or from player type to player type (House troop, mercenary, lone wolf) but expect to give up things to make the changes.

- There are three types of worlds to fight over: core, faction, and border worlds. Core worlds are handled by developers and are basically worlds of great importance, such as Luthien, New Avalon, Tharkad, Sian, and Atreus, or major storyline-related worlds like New Sarmakand, Hesperus II, or Tukayyid. Faction worlds are fought over by Faction players, and Border worlds are fought over by mercenary groups. Controlling worlds offers significant rewards. Lone wolves can earn rewards by fighting for various units instead.

- Currently battles are expected to be up to 12 vs 12. This may get knocked down to 8 v 8 if things get too hairy at that level.

- ALL FACTIONS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO ALL MECHS. This means that the Dragon can be found even in Steiner or Marik space, but the difference is that various 'Mechs will cost differing amounts for different factions. In this case, expect the Dragon to be cheaper in the Combine, but pricier in other States.

- No lag or disconnect compensation. Leavers hurt themselves as they will not gain any rewards by bailing out of a losing fight. Even if you lose a battle, you still gain some things for having fought to the end.

- Information warfare involves being able to detect your enemy, knowing their current status, what the enemy looks like they're going to do, as well as letting your teammates know. Electronics play a much bigger role now, in the form of 'modules' you may install on your 'Mech's computer. If you don't have line of sight to a target, your information about it quickly becomes useless, and even radar won't tell you everything. This gives light 'Mechs and electronic-warfare specialists new prominence, especially since ECM becomes much more useful now.

That's all from the updates for now. We will also be announcing preliminary Lance signups in the near future and organizing them here. Keep an eye out!

Mektek and Personae Studios are working in tandem to bring out a game for, of all things, the iPhone and iPad. Going by the name Mechwarrior Tactical Command, there's not a lot of hints as to what it may involve, but anticipate a MechCommander style offering.

Press Release Here. http://www.mektekdev.com/?p=101

And trailer.

Developer commentary and Q&A sessions indicate that they're not expecting a traditional MMO model; the game will run on multitudes of servers, with only a persistent meta-verse to speak of. Mercenary Units will be not unlike callsigns: reserve early when available, first come and first serve.

The devs indicate that they're focused on PvP first, but are looking to integrate PvE at the earliest opportunity once the game goes live.

There's talk of more destroyable items and a technology category called 'InfoTech,' apparently related to battlefield intelligence. They want the game to favor teams who can cooperate, not just Mechwarriors who twink out and go off doing their own thing. This may indicate that InfoTech involves the accuracy of the information one receives from satellites, sensors, and so on; a team that is coordinated can better confirm such information than four disparate Mechwarriors loosely operating in a single unit.

They also aim to limit straight circle-strafe battles (citing them as being repetitive), as well as leveling up a variety of skills for pilots. This means that they may make the opportunity to specialize in certain roles available, such as a scouting role, or a sniping role, or a commander's role.

Fortunately, they are not touching the lore, so all things working out, there should be faction-specific designs: Davions featuring fast but fragile cavalry designs, Steiner showing off the Wall of Steel, the Draconis Combine possessing high damage but high heat 'Mechs, Marik mixing their tech and their focus, and Liao units being light and sneaky, for instance.

Finally, and most drastically: new information as of the 16th of November reveals that the operational year of the game will be 3049, just years before the coming of the Clans. This means that Level 2 Technology as well as the Clans may well come into play later in the course of the game. Balancing the initially overwhelming nature of the Clans is going to be quite the challenge for the devs, it seems.

This group has sadly been without activity for too long.

This should change that.

Mechwarriors, I give you what Piranha Games has actually been up to this whole time. Behold MechWarrior Online.

In summary, it is shaping up to be a PC-exclusive free to play multiplayer team based combat engine revolving around mercenary lances and territory control. Very much like the old Solaris and MPBT 3025 engines during their short lived runs. No word yet on any sort of PvE mode, but given the nature of the game it may not be impossible. It will still be held in the pre-Clan Invasion era, but that does not mean that the universe is any less rich without the children of Kerensky. We'll still have the Great Houses and, if we're lucky, other factions available for interaction.

Speaking as a pilot, I've given the site a look here and reserved a callsign (not, as you may suspect, Myrmidon--someone beat me to it by just a matter of days!). I highly suggest reserving your preferred handle if you can. Since it's intended to be free to play, hopefully it won't be so difficult to organize a few furry merc lances out there. Rest assured if the game's promises of lance organizations and such follow through, we here at BattleTechFurs will assist in organizing and announcing lance signups, group organizations, and other possible related functions.

MechWarrior Online has an expected launch date in Summer 2012. Mechwarriors, get ready to saddle up once more.

There, that ought to get the attention a bit.

http://www.mektek.net/projects/mw4/download.html

Don't spend your hard earned C-Bills like some of us early adopters did! Pick up your release of Mechwarrior 4 Mercenaries for free. Make sure to pick up your Mech Packs while you're at it. Nothing says fun like having over 120 chassis available to use.

Everyone, everyone has thought about this at some point if they are in any fandom where multiple factions, machines, and weapons exist. So, in no uncertain terms, let's hear it.

What's your favorite faction? What's your favorite BattleMech/aerospace fighter/vehicle/battle armor/etc.? What weapons do you favor?

Most of all, why?

If you would like to have a Threat Assessment done of a weapon, Mech, or so forth, such as here, feel free to suggest it here as well!

It has been a bit of a dry spell in content here at BattleTechFurs lately, but that is mostly because the spate of new releases for our fandom is not exactly a steady flow. Nonetheless, we'll try to keep you updated on new information as it arises.

For a very pertinent example,  segremores and  agroantirrhopus will be attempting to run a game of BattleTech at FC. This means, of course, the classic table top maps and minis wargame. If you wish to join in, do check on the journal here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1140478/

Please be aware of the requirement of knowing the Total Warfare rules. TW can be found online as a PDF or at bookstores as a hardback, usually in the roleplaying section.

We wish all the best to Segremores and Agro on their con venture, and we hope everyone has fun at FC.

Consider Mektek's latest development, the Assault Tech program.

Assault Tech is more or less Classic BattleTech rules in the fast paced simulation setup we know and love. Judging by the details shown in their promotional videos, this means that damage can and will rack up fast, but the realization that even your vaunted Mad Dog or Dire Wolf can suddenly eat a dual-PPC sandwich from a Warhammer and leave you watching your missile ammo cook off may give even hardened veterans of the series a new bit of anxiety...then again, what's taking the field without a little risk?

The game is based more or less in MechWarrior 2's function, with 3's weapons system, and 4/MechAssault's level of detail, only moreso. Give it a look. Multi player and single player options are available.

More details can be found at http://www.mektek.net/projects/at1/promo/, along with the impending public beta.

After that rather nasty bout of unanticipated automatic ejections, we have installed new seats in your respective command cockpits.

Please avoid pushing the shiny red button too much in the future.

While we're here, there's news going around on a couple of major updates in the BattleTech community. Most importantly, yes, the MechWarrior series reboot is actively undergoing production, with the greatest balance of details coming from sources at IGN--a few months old, yet still largely up to date. Why, you might ask?

Those of you familiar with the franchise's history might recognize and hiss at the answer. Harmony Gold.

The trademark rights to several familiar favorites, including such classics as the Warhammer, Marauder, Wasp, and Rifleman, among others, are still up in the air. Funnily enough, there's rumors that HG shot themselves in the foot by bringing a new lawsuit on the heels of the reboot's trailers...turns out they might not have the rights to show those same designs either! Way to go, guys. Nice job breaking it.

Somewhat contrarily, the designs based on the series "Fang of Sun Dougram," including the Thunderbolt, Wolverine, Griffin, and Shadow Hawk, were said to have been recently acquired by the BattleTech license holders once more. Some of our old favorites might yet return in their original or close to original faces.

The site for the new reboot can be seen here: http://www.piranha-games.com/MechWarrior.html

The responses to our group's start is encouraging! This is just a little bit of starter content since it's already begun on the shouts, and it'd just be silly to make thirty groups to cover all the factions.

Name, unit, faction, and machine (if applicable).

Stand to, and report! :)

BattleTech Furs, weapons hot, ready to move out.