MWO Bloodname Tournament

Tired of pugs? In game achievements getting stale? Event loot grinds got you down? How about something a bit different from our past, in two ways. September is about the time the Clans invaded the Inner Sphere and the last Trial of Bloodright was just over two years ago.

This is your chance to earn the MWO Badge of the Bloodnamed. This is also a good chance to earn bragging rights and just have a lot of fun in general. I would encourage everyone to use the three P's of gaming. Plotting, Planning and Practice. Plot how you think you can defeat everyone else in your class or classes. Plan your builds accordingly. Then Practice to work out your flaws and build your skills.

Speaking of classes. This is the breakdown for the competition:

• Lights (House Crow) - (Clan Snow Raven)
• Mediums (House Eagle) - (Clan Coyote)
• Heavies (House Hazen) - (Clan Jade Falcon)
• Assaults (House Tseng) - (Clan Ghost Bear)
• Grand Melee (House Kerensky) - (Clan Wolf)

Each of these is going to occur on a different day with the following breakdown:

• September 6, 2025 - Lights
• September 7, 2025 - Mediums
• September 13, 2025 - Heavies
• September 14, 2025 - Assaults
• September 20, 2025 - Grand Melee

Sign ups will begin on August 17, 2025 and run through August 31, 2025. This is for all Black Widows in good standing, not just regular MWO players. You may sign up for any, or all of the days/events. You will complete one registration for each Bloodname you are attempting. After the final sign up date, matches will be set up randomly for the tournament.

The weighted matches are pretty simple. Each event is double elimination. The matches will be fought in the [S7] Steiner Coliseum. If you win a House/weight class, you have earned your Bloodname and are done. You will be invited to help officiate at the Kerensky Grand Melee.

The Kerensky Grand Melee will operate a bit differently. Depending on the number of sign ups, it will determine how many heats there will be. Up to 8 pilots can be in one heat. The heats will be balanced as close as possible. After that... chaos ensues. It will be a free-for-all in the Test B map. If multiple heats are fought then Individual heat winners will be dropped again, into a final heat with the victor earning the Kerensky Bloodname.

On to the particulars for the event.

Both Inner Sphere and Clan are allowed, with the exception of Legendary mechs (this includes their omnipods). You may change your loadout, but your chassis, color and camouflage must remain the same. All equipment except lock on weapons are allowed to be used. Consumables are limited. You may only use cool shots and UAVs. Artillery and Air Strikes are not allowed. It is suggested you do not even have them equipped. Even an accidental use will get you disqualified. This is to be an active fight, if a pilot is judged to be avoiding combat or to be playing for time, they will receive only one warning, reoffending again will result in disqualification.

The Kahn, in consultation with the Loremaster, or designee will be the final authority on all matches and decisions.

We hope to see all of you there. The event will be run in Discord and information will be shared on channels and in-game streaming at a later date, so that others can watch the fights as well.

Written by Ciderstien

Clash of the Servers!

The fabled server merge is finally happening! The official date for the server merge will be April 8th. All of the North American servers will be coming together to one final front. This will be an operation of Epic proportions! Three operations will be conducted the weekend of the 11th through the 13th. Friday the 11th will be on the Terran Republic faction followed by the Vanu Sovereignty on the 12th and finally on Sunday the 13th will be the New Conglomerate!! All population will be consolidated, the population will surge and conflicts will be fierce! Guns, glory, Action! Now most people may say server merges show the downfall of a game, however this may not be the case. This server merge could be a resurgence breathing another breath of life for an undying game. November 20th 2012 is when this lingering titan of gaming began and has been going on for over thirteen years. Over the course of time introducing a fourth mercenary faction dubbed the "NSO" free floating to whichever faction needs the help most. New equipment and several new vehicles have been added over the lifetime of the game such as the flying behemoth The Bastion and the ground titan, The Colossus Tank. A new continent to explore on the island paradise of Oshur! Multiple variations of capture points have been added as well. We are inviting all WidowMakers new and old to come out, drop by say hi and enjoy the massive battlefront on the moon of Auraxis!!! All members who participate in this colossal event will be awarded the Planetside 2 Server Merge Medal. Its worth a shot, maybe even two, just don't land the shots in teammates, it never goes over well.

Written by Wojec

Into The Unknown!

Changes are abound for this absolutely fantastic establishment! There's an upcoming facelift for The Black Widow Company. A rebranding opportunity some may say. New name, logo, possibly website and many other things in store. Community members from the Average Joe to the Mighty Moe have given many different ideas on which direction this rebrand could take place. Some names have been tossed in the ring such as "The Crimson Company", "The Black Widow Society" and "Redacted". Many good ideas in the ring currently and the voting is currently ongoing until the 25th of March. In terms of how folks feel on the rebrand we have spoken to several members within the community about how they perceive this change. Here are a few excerpts from these members.

Tribulex:

This is a newer member to our community. He feels that the value is not in the name so much as it is in the community itself. It is an exciting opportunity for branding and to see what the community decides on for the name.

Shath:

"I don't personally care. Shath is indifferent to most things."

Snowdog:

Has stated that the name change and rebrand does not bother him. The name itself doesn't matter so much as the community and camaraderie.

Mr Jack Cole:

"Not a lot of opinion unfortunately. I am in full support of the commands initiatives to grow the community."

Gardanis:

"I think it is necessary because of the issues with gaming sites not allowing us to use our tags. Been in BWC for years and partial to the name of BWC, but I understand the point. The current name could turn into more of a problem for acronym reasons."

Parx:

"I'm used to BWC. I don't think it affects me. I believe Gardanis is right and people are always making comments about the acronym BWC tag, generally with a negative connotation. I think we need to keep the spider logo and the colors just change the name."

As you can see here folks people weighing in from all across the community on how they feel about this change. Going forward into the unknown we have many bright possibilities ahead of us. This is a prime time to make your voice heard within the community! There are 19 different names in the current running for the name change, each instilled with their own set of possibilities. These possibilities are made possible by each and every one of you! Make your voice count go and vote!

Written by Wojec

Exciting Times in MWO!

It has been an exciting time to be in BWC's Mechwarrior Company over the last couple months. PGI has hosted several events, giving players the opportunity to earn free items, in-game currency, mechs, and premium time. BWC Pilots have taken full advantage by leading daily operations, from serious to casual. Running anywhere from two to five lances a night, we have get the chance to play against other BWC members in "Brother vs Brother" matches. The added incentive, to sharpening our skills and earning bragging rights, of free loot has encouraged MWO members to show up in even greater numbers, pushing our lance count even higher. The multitude of members attending gives rise to various play styles and the occasional call for "Shenanigans" as pilots or lances will go off script and just play off the wall tactics just for fun, making our comms lively with highlights of matches, advice on mechbuilds, and general banter.

BrokenArrow, the MWO Commanding Officer, spoke about the recent surge in participation:
Since July, MWO has seen two major events centered around collecting "Loot Bags," where pilots could earn rewards based on their match score or damage dealt. These events not only boosted operation tempo but also significantly influenced attendance for each operation. During this time, 12 recruits joined our ranks, with the events playing a key role in retaining these new members. These Loot Bag events also bolstered company morale, because let's face it—who doesn't love free stuff? As the year comes to a close, PGI's annual loyalty program has added to the excitement. This program rewards players for their dedication to the game, as well as their financial contributions, throughout the year. For some of our pilots, it felt like Christmas came early, as they eagerly awaited the free mechs that the loyalty program delivered.

The time has never been better to check out MWO if you've ever had an interest. With new friends, free in-game items and mechs, and a team that is regularly on, what more can be asked for? The time is now to join in MWO's nightly gaming operations and maybe check out what more BWC has to offer new members, as well!

Written by Ciderstien

Calling Warriors of Light!

Get ready for the next adventures in the Source as your venture into the lands of Tural. Filled with arts and cultures this expansion expands into more depth with our crafter/ gatherer senses. Take on new dungeons and raids as you explore the great wonders of a new realm on the legacy passed on.

Starting with Dawntrail, get prepared for the unlock of Level 100 classes as the difficulty gets ramped up and not one but two new classes: Pictomancer and Viper. Both being DPS classes, Pictomancer takes on a caster role and was first introduced in FFVI with FFXIV being the first time it is reappearing as well as Viper being a dual wielding ninja-like melee class. Lastly, along with an entirely new adventure and story, the FFXIV dev team has completed a comprehensive graphical overhaul. Many quality of life changes have occurred such as lighting and shadows as well as creating more realistic and natural facial features. Make sure to complete your complimentary FFXIV Dawntrail benchmark test to make sure your PC is ready to go and see you fellow adventurers in the New World.