"New challenges call for new equipment. Put on the experimental BattleArmor, created by Foster from a mysterious data core, and you'll dwarf other soldiers in battle." -MechAssault 2 Manual
Background[]
The BattleArmor was developed by Lieutenant Foster from information he deciphered from the Armor Data Core, retrieved from the cockpit of the Ragnarok 'Mech that was captured by the MechWarrior on planet Helios. It was first used on the planet Dante when the Captain and his two companions, Major Natalia and Lieutenant Foster, were under attack by a sudden Word Of Blake invasion force. Not having enough firepower, they decided to use the BattleArmor even when Foster expressed his concern that the BattleArmor wasn't finished, risking death to the Captain.
Description[]
The BattleArmor is the highlight of MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf. It's an improvement over the Elemental. The BattleArmor has several new features unique to Lone Wolf. It is capable of neuro-hacking a 'Mech and climbing up walls by using its claw, and with the use of JumpJets, hitching rides on VTOLs and friendly 'Mechs.
Weapons[]
The BattleArmor carries a single Pulse Laser that is fired from the cannon on the right 'arm' of the suit. Hitching a ride on the VTOL will automatically level up the Pulse Laser to Level 4, which does even more damage and fires faster than Level 3, as well as having a blue laser, instead of purple.
It also carries a Mortar Launcher, that is fired from the mount on the left 'shoulder' of the armor. The Mortar weapon is the main firepower of the BattleArmor. It is classified as a missile, so it uses missile salvage to level up. To use the weapon, switch to it by pressing the left trigger if the Mortar hasn't already been selected. Once selected, hold down the right trigger and aim for the target. Release the trigger in order to fire the shell.
Lastly, the claw on the left 'arm' is considered a weapon, as it allows Neuro-hacking into non-friendly 'Mechs, and can be used to tare through infantry units. Also the claw can be used in cohesion with JumpJets to climb man-made structures such as large walls and buildings by latching on while the JumpJets recharge.
Neuro-hacking[]
The BattleArmor is capable of hacking another 'Mech and forcing the eject sequence to activate, removing the pilot from the vehicle and allowing the BattleArmor's pilot to claim the 'Mech. All the pilot has to do is jump near the 'Mech and press A to grab on and begin Neuro-Hacking. Once Neuro-hacking begins, a series of code appears on both players' screen and they must press the same buttons they see in the code. Whoever finishes faster wins. In multiplayer, the pilot of the 'Mech being hacked must only use the A, B, X, and Y buttons to resist the hack and throw the BattleArmor of the back of the 'Mech. The pilot of the BattleArmor must use the left and right triggers as well as the A, B, X, and Y buttons.
Limitations[]
- The BattleArmor's active sensors have significantly reduced range compared to 'Mechs, therefore a pilot can be easily surprised by fast moving enemies such as the Hackman or Owens that can close the distance between them before the pilot even sees them on the scanner.
- BattleArmor moves slower on the ground than most 'Mechs, meaning that the pilot must make use of their JumpJets to avoid enemy 'Mechs bearing down on them.
Neuro-hacking can prove almost as dangerous for the pilot of the BattleArmor as it is for the pilot of the targeted 'Mech:
- BattleArmor will be thrown off the 'Mech if the enemy pilot activates Reflective, Reactive, or Advanced Armor shielding.
- Getting close enough to a hostile 'Mech unseen in order to Neuro-hack can prove difficult in many environments, and almost impossible on open ground. BattleArmor would be best used in urban areas where the pilot can climb buildings and ambush passing 'Mechs, or easily run for cover if they miss their target.
- The JumpJets of BattleArmor drain quickly, so if the pilot misses the enemy 'Mech they can find themselves deprived of mobility with an alerted 'Mech right on top of them.
- BattleArmor is extremely vulnerable to Ballistic weapons such as the Machine Guns on 'Mechs. The Thor is one of the most difficult 'Mechs to defeat with BattleArmor as it can throw the hacker off by activating its shielding and then quickly destroy the BattleArmor with its Machine Guns before the pilot's JumpJets have recharged.
Trivia[]
- The BattleArmor's claw can damage shut down 'Mechs, and possibly other BattleArmor.
- The BattleArmor is always your starting armor in Multiplayer, unless playing a team based game, like Team Destruction or Base War.
Gallery[]
