BTA Light

How do I install BTA Light, the CAB and all that?

There are written instructions on the wiki in our Installation Guide page, please review that for details on how to install BTA Light.

What is BTA Light?

BTA Light is a slimmed-down version of full BTA (hereafter referred to as BTA Classic). BTA Light's core mission statement was to reduce mechanical complexity and to remove all non-canon content from BTA Classic so as to provide a faster and lighter play experience. Note that BTA Light does maintain BTA Classic's balancing, it simply removes content from BTA Classic.

Because BTA Light is a slimmed-down version of BTA Classic, a full feature list would look a lot like BTA Classics, just minus some things, so for the sake of brevity the below lists include things that are *not* in BTA Light that *are* in BTA Classic and include things that *are* in BTA Light but are *different* from BTA Classic

Important Disclaimer About BTA Light

BTA Light is a one-and-done modpack. It is provided in an as-is state and will not see further updates or content additions other than possibly occasional "this mech is canonically present in the timeline" additions as models become available. Other than that, and minor bug-fixes as necessary, BTA Light will not be a focus for the BTA Team going forward and is provided as an option for those players that would enjoy having access to a lighter experience.

BTA Light Exclusions

• Any non-canon mech variants or chassis that were not available in exactly 3062-3063, including the MWO non-canon chassis (Corsair, Sun Spider, Roughneck). This also included chassis that are canon but no longer are available, such as the Age of War designs like the Mackie and obscure designs like the Dragoon, these have been removed. The total body count was around 1k total variants.
• SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT ABOVE: The Bull Shark remains in BTA Light despite being non-canon as it was part of the base game and is a core part of the Heavy Metal storyline.
• Community Content
• Battle Armor in their entirety (both for players and for the OpFor)
• VTOLs in their entirety
• Unit airdrop beacons and contracts
• Strafing runs
• Superheavy Mechs
• Land-Air Mechs (LAMs)
• OpFor and Contract Type Specializations as well as Commander StratComs and extra pilot XP from in-mission actions
• Resupply trucks and mobile field bases
• The Sanctuary Worlds factions, their techbase, and their event chain
• The 331st Royal BattleMech Division and their event chain
• Several of the BTA-specific contract fights, such as BTA Calling and Kringle's Killers, were removed.
• The search function on the starmap does not work in BTA Light.

BTA Light Changes

• BTA Light has a maximum unit size of 8 units instead of BTA Classic's maximum unit size of 16 units. Additionally, all 8 slots are available immediately and all 8 slots can field both mechs and tanks.
• BTA Light includes the old system for artillery weapons, where they are a one-turn attack like other weaponry. BTA Light does *not* include BTA Classic's current two-turn artillery weapon system.