Players of Valve's free-to-play shooter Team Fortress 2 will very shortly be able to enjoy a new update called the Gun Mettle Campaign. To join the campaign you will have to stump up $5.99, but in return you will get three months of Team Fortress activity where you test your mettle on a variety of skill-based contracts, and pick up campaign-exclusive weapons or unlockable weapons cases as rewards. There will also be three new community made maps and fresh taunts made available during the campaign.
The Team Fortress 2 Gun Mettle Campaign provides paying punters with a contract system which will run for three months. Every week during this campaign period you will be assigned two skill-base contracts. Each contract includes a challenge and an advanced-level objective worth bonus points. Valve gives the examples of "Get a kill with a reflected projectile as Pyro. Survive 1000 damage in a single life as Heavy. Kill an airborne enemy with your secondary weapon as Soldier." If you are successful in these contracts you will earn an exclusive weapon or access to an unlockable weapons case.
TeuFort and Craftsmann weapons can be had through completing contracts and the Powerhouse and Concealed Killer arms are available in weapons cases. Weapons you can earn from the contracts are one-of-a-kind with unique paint jobs, several levels of wear, grades and rarity. Valve stresses that these weapons won't alter gameplay or provide competitive advantages but some of the rarer weapons will have a 'strange capability'.
Though we have given you advance notice of the start of the Gun Mettle Campaign, those who wish to start it late, even a few weeks late, will still earn the same number of contracts as those starting tomorrow. There will be no more access granted during the last month of the campaign. After the campaign ends players can keep all weapons cases, keys, weapons and other items and you will be able to trade such items too. A portion of the cash made from campaign sales will go to the community map makers.
