How do I add custom units? - MegaMek/megamek GitHub Wiki

The best way to manage custom units in MegaMek is to create a folder called "Customs" in \Megamek\data\mechfiles folder. Make sure you keep all your custom units in their.

Our recommended way of building custom units is with MegaMekLab. The program is always kept current and currently can build the following unit types.

  • Mechs. (Normal, IM, Tripod, Super Heavy, LAMs, QuadVee) - Building and printing (except handheld weapons)
  • Combat Vehicles - Building and printing (including Naval units)
  • Battle Armor - Building and printing
  • Aerospace Fighters - Building and printing
  • Conventional Fighters - Building and printing
  • DropShips - Building and printing
  • Infantry - Building and printing
  • JumpShips - Building and printing
  • WarShips - Building and printing
  • Space Stations - Building and printing
  • ProtoMechs - Building and printing
  • Support Vehicles (standard support vehicles from TW/TM except Airships but including Rail) - Building

TBD

  • Support Vehicles from Tactical Operations (satellite, large naval and airship)
  • Handheld Weapons for Mechs
  • Mobile Structures

STEPS TO ADD CUSTOM UNIT

  1. Create a folder called customs in the Data-Mechfiles folder.
  2. Copy the custom units to the customs folder
  3. Delete the units.cache file in the mechfiles folder.
  4. Start MegaMek/MegaMekLab/MekHQ
  5. Make sure the games year/tech level are set to what you need.
  6. Also double check that Canon units only isn't checked

Note on the Construction Rules.

Units will be constructed and validated against the current construction rules. Refer to CGL Tech Manual, Tactical Operations, Strategic Operations, and Interstellar Operations. These books/PDF's are available from DriveThruRPG or Catalyst Game Labs Store.

The program is not designed to tell you what things do, or special abilities or rules. We do include a reference to the book and page number for the equipment.

Other Builders (i.e Heavy Metal Pro, Solaris Skunkwerks, etc)

We can't guarantee that builders other than MegaMekLab will work with MegaMek. MegaMek is a program in constant development, and while we do our best to ensure backwards compatibility it's not always possible. Other building programs might not keep current with our name systems or file formats. As such this files might not load, or in extreme cases crash MegaMek.

We will always try to help, but we would first recommend rebuilding and saving the unit from MegaMekLab.