E3 2017: MechWarrior Creator Reveals BattleTech Gameplay Details

The creator of the original BattleTech/MechWarrior series has revealed more details about his upcoming turn-based strategy game. Speaking at E3's PC Gaming Show, developer Harebrained Schemes revealed that BattleTech will feature single-player skirmishes, multiplayer skirmishes, and an open-ended mercenary campaign mode.

Like previous games in the series, you play as a mercenary in the year 3025. As BattleTech's original creator Jordan Wiesman says in the video above, players will go from star system to star system, fulfilling mercenary contracts for noble houses and petty dictators stuck in perpetual war with each other.

You command a crew and a group of BattleMech-wielding warriors. You outfit and upgrade your mechs, and when they're damaged you must work to repair them or risk defeat, salvaging parts from your enemies.

Line of sight and cover give you combat advantages, and "facing" is really important. BattleMechs have 11 different armor areas and critical internal components. Your goal is to target weak parts of your opponent's armor while shielding your own. If your enemy blows your mech's arm off and destroys it, for example, say goodbye to any weapons that were attached to it.

Weisman also showed off the melee combat system, where mechs will get to brawl in (giant) hand-to-hand combat. BattleTech just launched its beta, and anyone interested in supporting the game and taking part in the beta should visit its website.

GameSpot has full coverage of E3 2017 all of this week. Other PC Gaming Show reveals included Microsoft announcing Age of Empires: Definitive Edition along with release dates for LawBreakers and Total War: Warhammer II.