Wartech IIC

What Is Wartech IIC?

Put simply, Wartech IIC is a core BTA mechanic that governs the behavior of factions on the starmap. Wartech IIC (here shortened to WIIC going forward) allows for both dynamically generated and force generated map events involving faction behavior such as flareups to take control of territory. WIIC also now governs a system called Extended Contracts (ECs) that change up how players engage with taking contracts. Both of these features are further detailed below.

Flareups (Attacks and Raids)

Flareups are the first major function of WIIC and have been present since the system was originally implemented in patch v9.3 (released on March 13th, 2021). Flareups are typically generated one of two ways: by an event (usually a news event via MercNews popups) or dynamically without input from the player. In either case, a flareup is represented on the starmap by a flashing light on a planet (pink flashing indicates an attack for territory; purple-ish flashing indicates a raid for resources; both are detailed below). To enter a flareup, the player must simply fly to the system in question. Upon arrival, they will be presented with a popup asking if they wish to get involved. If they do, they go to the Command Center and select a side to work for, the attackers or the defenders (to work for a faction you must be able to accept contracts from them and they must be a faction that offers contracts in the first place). Once the player begins the flareup, they are locked into it until one side is victorious. Every 3 days the player will be offered a mission which they can accept or pass on (this mission is randomly determined and can be anything at all). If they accept and win the mission, the opposing side's "flareup strength" is decreased by a random amount (between 2 and 4 points). If they pass, then one or both sides will have their strength decreased by a random amount (between 2 and 4 points). When a side reaches 0, that side loses and the other side is declared victorious, gaining the rewards (detailed below in each flareup type). A player who participated in at least half of the offered missions and whose side won the flareup also receives a lootbox as a thank you prize for helping their side win. Note that even if the player wins their mission, their faction may still lose strength anyways as they are considered to be fighting elsewhere on the planet and may not do well. However, in general, a player who wins all offered missions is likely to win the flareup for their faction.

Attacks

Attacks are one of two types of flareups. These are represented by pink flashing on the starmap and are attacks by one faction to conquer and take control of the planet in question. If the attacking side wins, the planet immediately changes control to the attacking faction. This changes the employers in the Command Center, the possible OpFor factions on the planet, the faction store of the planet, and the general goods in the store at store refresh. If the defender wins, the planet does not change hands and none of the above changes.

Raids

Raids are the other type of flareup alongside attacks. These are represented by purple-ish flashing on the starmap and are raids conducted by the attacker for the purpose of increasing the attacking faction's global strength on the starmap. If the attacking side wins, the planet remains in the defender's hands but a hidden variable that tracks a faction's global strength (which determines their power in future flareups) is incremented upwards by 1 point. Essentially, the more raids a faction wins, the more powerful they become and the more likely they are to win future flareups. If the defender wins, nothing changes.

Extended Contracts

This is the other major feature of WIIC and is new with patch v18.2 (released on December 19th, 2024). Extended Contracts (ECs) use the travel contract function of the base game and combine it with the mission offering mechanic of Flareups but gives mod makers much more control over how the EC operates. In brief, ECs operate on a "schedule" of events, which are predefined by the mod maker before play begins. Players are offered ECs as travel contracts in the Command Center like any other travel contract but when the player arrives at the planet to perform the EC, they are greeted with a more structured, multi-event, multi-mission experience. The ECs currently in BTAU are detailed below in a series of spoilers that describe the rough schedule of events for each EC so that players can understand what they're walking into. ECs are highly variable and can take any amount of time, as defined in their files. On the short end, an EC might be 10 days, on the long end they might be 30 or more. Most ECs lock players out of taking normal randomly generated contracts for the duration (as the player is considered "in-contract" with their employer and is prohibited from playing the field as it were), this is detailed in each individual EC description below. The player may decline missions when offered in an EC but that usually comes with failure conditions such as breaking the entire contract or suffering some other kind of penalty, this is clearly described to the player at time of mission offering.

Extended Contract: Field Testing

This EC is themed around testing out captured enemy BattleMechs for the employer. This EC lasts for 17 days including receiving payment. It consists of 3 day breaks between Testing, Testing events. During a Testing, Testing event, the player is given a Test Drive mission to drive a provided 'Mech acquired from the target enemy faction. The player must keep the 'Mech alive. The c-bill payment on this mission is increased but the salvage potential is decreased. Passing on any of these missions automatically ends the EC. If the player completes all required missions, they are awarded a lootcrate at the end of the EC's duration. This EC prevents taking outside contracts for the duration. This EC has an employer limitation in that the employer can only be a faction that the player is actively allied with.

Extended Contract: Frontline Push

This EC is about taking a beachhead on an enemy planet so that the employer can engage in future action against them. This EC is highly regimented and takes place over a very short duration, only 11 days. This EC always plays out precisely the same way with the same missions provided each time. The first mission will be a Battle contract, the second will be a Capture Base, the third will be a Defend Base, and the fourth will be a Destroy Base. The first three happen with only about 1-2 days between them, with a slightly longer break before the fourth contract. Passing on any of these missions automatically ends the EC. If the player completes all required missions, they are awarded a lootcrate at the end of the EC's duration. This EC prevents taking outside contracts for the duration.

Extended Contract: Garrison Duty

This EC is about supporting a local garrison in defensive operations. It takes place over 13 days. For the first 9 days, the player will be offered a Defend Base mission each 3 days. On the 12th day, they will be offered a Destroy Base mission. Passing on the first offered mission is treated as a bad faith withdrawal from a mission (with the according reputation hit), passing on any of the others automatically ends the EC. If the player completes all required missions, they are awarded a lootcrate at the end of the EC's duration. This EC prevents taking outside contracts for the duration.

Extended Contract: Gunslinger Program

This EC is themed around doing a quick succession of duels on behalf of ComStar and the Terran Hegemony to help get their Gunslinger Program duelists up to speed. This EC is very fast, taking only 12 days. The first mission is offered on day 3 and then another mission is offered every 2 days until the 11th day, with payment on the 12th. The offered mission is a unique Solo Duel named Gunslinger Program in which ComStar provides the BattleMech for the player to drive, they only need provide a pilot. There is no salvage offered in these duels and the payment is somewhat reduced (since the player is risking almost nothing). Passing on any of these missions automatically ends the EC. If the player completes all required missions, they are awarded a lootcrate at the end of the EC's duration. This EC prevents taking outside contracts for the duration. Importantly, there is an employer limitation on this EC, the employer can only be ComStar or the Terran Hegemony and it will only be offered on a planet those factions control.

Extended Contract: Pirate Raid

This EC is based around helping pirates raid a nearby system for resources and plunder. This EC is relatively quick, tasking place over a mere 9 days. The missions are all Recovery missions and there are four of them, one every two days. The first and third missions are required, passing on them ends the EC, while the second and fourth are not and passing on those only is treated as a bad faith withdrawal. Contract payout is reduced for all of these missions but salvage is increased. If the player completes all required missions, they are awarded a lootcrate at the end of the EC's duration. This EC does *not* prevent taking other missions during its duration, the player is free to do other work between EC missions.

Extended Contract: Training Duty

This EC is based around training up some troops for the employer. This EC is very long, taking 32 days from start to finish. The first contract is offered after 6 days and then there is another mission offered each 5 days afterwards for 25 days. Each mission is either a Training Day or The B-Team mission with three slots taken by rookies using mechs from the employer. The target for all of these missions is the employer as you are doing training contracts not live-fire missions. Damage to the player's units is automatically repaired between missions. This EC has reduced c-bill pay and does not permit any salvage. However, since the player is not in any serious danger other than pilot damage, it can be an easy way to get experience and some amount of easy c-bills. Passing on any of these missions automatically ends the EC. If the player completes all required missions, they are awarded a lootcrate at the end of the EC's duration. This EC prevents taking outside contracts for the duration.

Extended Contract: VIP Protection

This EC is about escorting and protecting a specific VIP for a brief mission on the target planet. This EC is relatively short, taking only 13 days, and is highly regimented in its structure. The first mission, which is offered very quickly, is always an Escort mission. The second, four days later, is always a Defend Base. The third, four more days later, is a Destroy Base. The final mission, two days later, is another Escort. Passing on any of these missions automatically ends the EC. If the player completes all required missions, they are awarded a lootcrate at the end of the EC's duration. This EC prevents taking outside contracts for the duration.