2020/6/24 - Patch v6.0

v6.0 (aka the "Holy Hell It's Been a Year Already" release) has been released to the installer. This comes with a hefty hefty list of changes and updates and new content, the list is extensive.

• NEW FUNCTIONALITY: Melee has been totally overhauled. You now choose between melee types (charge, kick, physical weapon, punch, and DFA) instead of just hitting them. The types all have unique rules and drawbacks. I have assembled a brief video for details, please review it before using the new system so you're not overwhelmed by the changes. https://youtu.be/B8iFlPQ7BXY
• NEW FUNCTIONALITY: Gravity Matters! On lunar and martian biomes, you now jump a little further.
• NEW FUCNTIONALITY: Money can buy love! You can now purchase special items that boost your rep with a faction by 15 points, to a maximum reputation of positive 20. They cost 1.5 million c-bills a pop though, so it's expensive. DOES NOT WORK FOR CLANS
• NEW FUNCTIONALITY: Your pilots now get bonus XP each contract based on what they killed. Killing mechs is better for XP than killing tanks or turrets, but it all counts. Stack up those kills!
• NEW FUNCTIONALITY: Mech Affinity! Your pilots get bonuses the longer they drive the same mech, up to a maximum of 8 consecutive missions in a specific chassis. Get your roleplay on!
• NEW MECH: The Osprey, a 55 ton SLDF urban combat design. ComStar and the Clans field the Osprey.
• NEW MECH: The Bane, a 100 beast of a Clan mech that comes with more dakka than you can handle. Find it with the Clans.
• NEW MECH: The Thug, a 80 ton zombie mech created by the Star League. Find it with ComStar, the royal version with the Clans as well, and rarely with the Mariks.

• E-Coolings now make it a little clearer what engines they work in.
• Torso-cockpits have changed to be a little more lore-accurate. Builds may be invalidated, ye be warned.
• A whole bevy of custom actuators have been added for the new melee types, go seek them out!
• Faction stores for a variety of factions have been updated (Chainelaine, Davion, Marian, Aurigan, and Outworlds)
• Easy to Pilot quirk actually works right now, it was broken before and no one noticed.
• ArtemisIV for LRMs has been reworked. It now permits indirect fire, but at a penalty, and only gives its normal bonuses to direct fire attacks.
• VSPLs are a little clearer in their descriptions.
• Master Tactician now grants +2 initiative instead of +1.
• Pilots who get to rank 9 of Guts will get a new passive bonus: the ability to punch and use physical weapons twice (see the Melee Overhaul video for details).
• Stock AC2s now shoot in a cluster of 3 shots. Also, all AC2-class weapons have had their ammo box counts adjusted up to 45 shots.
• New pilot events for Ningyo, Max, and Blaze.
• IS Streak LRMs now use Streak LRM ammunition, which can now be found in shops properly.
• Proto-TSM and MASC are now properly incompatible.
• The Clan ER Small has been updated slightly (better crit mostly).
• A number of core dlls were updated.
• Numerous fixes of various stripes, too many to list here.

IMPORTANT: v6.0 is an "update" update. Run the installer again to let it just update your files and you're set to go. The installer auto-updates the CAB and injects Modtek for you.

IMPORTANT: v6.0 requires HBS BT patch 1.9.1. Update to that version before installing BTA v6.0.

Reminder: This update, and others like it, are made possible by my Patreon supporters. Without their support, updates would come slower and be less impactful. If you feel like being a part of the support for BTA, you can find me here: https://www.patreon.com/bloodydoves