The BattleTech Dynasty, Chapt 6 The Opportunity of Chaos (3057-58) - Chapter Complete

[Abe Sargent]

Beginning of the First and Second Exploration Expeditions




After spending five years in the Deep Periphery as part of the Explorer Corps in the 3040s, Braham Essex has wanted to do something similar closer to home. The ComStar Explorer Corps has been searching the inner Sphere as well as the Periphery for new systems . It has been estimated that there are approximately 110,000 uncharted or explored Star Systems within the boundaries of the Inner Sphere.

Without the ability to fully fund an expedition, Essex has been unable to send them out to nearby systems to see what they can uncover. In five years in the Periphery, they found a JumpShip, a bunch of mechs and material, and more. Plus, you could discover valuable mineral resources to mine and so forth.

Therefore, Braham Essex is secretly equipping two expeditions on behalf of the Coalition. With the large amounts of tax and tariff revenue these planets get, and the investments he is making in repairing infrastructure, Duke Essex is able to take some and prepare two expedition fleets.

[Abe Sargent]

In order to fund them he needs the following for each expedition

A JumpShips
Multiple DropShips
Fighters
Battle Armor good for scouting
One company of mechs
Two scientific satellites
Various exploration, medical and scientific equipment
Experts in these various fields


In order to keep some major purchases off the books, we are using some K&C ships.

Expedition 1:

Scots Flotilla – Merchant JumpShip
Faith’s Bulwark, Fortress DropShip, Upgraded
Jakob’s Ladder, Buccaneer DropShip *
2 Small Craft – 2 Taurus Escorts

Jericho Company of mechs in Fortress
5 squads of power armored infantry in Fortress
12 tanks in Fortress


Expedition 2:

Johnny Appleseed – Invader JumpShip
Megan’s Fury, Union DropShip
Stellar Phantom, Leopard CV DropShip
Hannibal, Buccaneer DropShip *
2 Small Craft – One Aires Troop Carrier and One Taurus Escort

6 AeroSpace Fighters in Leopard CV
5 troops of power armored infantry in Aires
Babylon Company of Mechs in Union

We purchased the ships with an Asterisk. The Buccaneers are cheap transport DropShips with no military effort on it. It carries more than 2200 tons of equipment. The Leopard carries 6 fighters.

Some of the items the Buccaneers may have in them (The Fortress has room for the vehicles):

3 Figyel Science Satellites – 22 tons each
Armor, ammo, spare parts for mechs
Several extra suits of power armor
2 Iveco Burro Trucks – 50 tons each
2 Donovan-Miter Magellan Explorer Vehicles – 75 tons each
4 JN-002 Jonah Submarine – 2 tons each
4 Ailette Zero-G Engineering Exoskeleton
10 Heavyhauler Exoskeleton
5 Boomerang Spotter Planes – 5.5 tons each
2 J-27 Ordinance Transport - 10 tons each
1 Engineering Vehicle - 40 tons
1 ScavengerMech – 40 tons


Since a Buccaneer is a cargo carrier, it cannot load and unload vehicles quickly. They need to be carefully packed and unpacked. In addition, large amounts of scientific and medical equipment is picked up.

K&C covers the cost of the power armor, in order to keep them later. We also purchase or provide everything on this list save the satellites. We also supplied the Aires and Taurus, and the fighters and mechs and tanks. Therefore, the only cost the Coalition is for the two Buccaneer JumpShips, and the various medical and scientific equipment which can be given to the various planets after the expeditions conclude. The total cost for outfitting this mission to the Coalition is 250 million C Bills, most of that into the DropShips. Meanwhile, we spend about 40 million C Bills.

[Abe Sargent]

These expeditions are always going to be one jump away from a major star system, there is no where in the sphere that is not outside of that bubble. We also want them to stay near us


Now, countless pilgrims jumped out to the stars down through the ages. Many of them would stop at a system that had a great livable planet or system. Therefore, the likelihood of finding a system with planets that are very habitable is reduced. Therefore, for all rolls to determine breathability, temperature and such, 2 will be subtracted from those rolls. However, there are a lot of remnants of centuries of living out here as well. More than 300 planets were destroyed in the Amaris Civil War or the first two Succession Wars and were removed from the maps by ComStar. Then consider all of the abandoned colonies and outposts that would have accumulated through the years. Therefore, while I am subtracting 1 from all habitation rolls, I am adding 1 to all unusual things rolls.


The expeditions begin on June 10. We will do them sequentially for a bit.

[Abe Sargent]

First Expedition:


June 10 – We arrive at the first system. Our names for them and info about them are below:


Michael System

Class M (Red), 1 planet, Main Sequence V. No planets in life zone.


June 21 –


Gabriel System

Class F (Yellow-White), 4 planets, Luminosity IV (Subgiant). 3 planets in life zone. Subtype 7. Takes 13 days to get to life zone.

So, for example, a Class F star normally gets +3 to habitability rating, but we are giving it just a +1.


July 4 - We arrive at a planet in the Life zone and send out the satellites

Gabriel II
Large
40% surface water
Standard Atmosphere Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Amphibians highest life form
Boreal Climate – very cold poles, to temperate at subtropics.
1.35 standard gravity
2 moons

After landing on Gabriel, this is our shakedown mission. We begin in masks and begin to explore the world.

After three days, our medical staff informs us that the life here is not compatible with our own. We could not eat it or drink the water. It has minor alterations in chemistry.

We spend ten days on the planet exploring and getting our teams in order before leaving.

July 16 – We arrive at the next planet in the life zone

Gabriel III
Medium
30% water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Plants highest life form
Tropical Climate, with very hot deserts and equator, and gentle cool poles.
.9 standard gravity
No moons

We arrive on planet. After two days, a giant hurricane many times the force of a Earth like hurricane arrives and we are forced to lift off, as it impacts the whole planet. We found nothing and it appeas that nothing would be able to survive long in these storms.


July 22 –


Gabriel IV
Medium
20% surface water
Low Pressure
Toxic Atmosphere
Low Temperature
Microbes highest lifeform
Temperate climate – like Earth
1.1 gravity
3 moons

We land and the atmosphere is nasty. It measures as caustic against flesh, and it would likely cause a bad rash if someone were exposed for about an hour. Otherwise, there is nothing of note here.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 9 – We jump to our third system.


Raphael System

Class M, 7 planets, luminosity VI (Sub-dwarf), Type 3 – 3 days to planets in life ring. 1 planet in life zone.


Aug 12 –

Raphael IV
Small
50% Water
Standard Pressure
Normal Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Cool Temperate Climate
Fish highest life form
.8 standard G
2 moons


We unload our satellites, but our sensors detect something in orbit. We head out fighters to look, and it appears that there was a battle here, and debris still orbits overhead. We make out the remnants of fighters. It appears that nothing is salvageable.

We land on planet and stretch out in mechs and battle armor. As we land, we notice a glimmering substance in the nearby plant life. All of it has this odd metallic sheen. It appears as normal when reflected in the spotlights and investigation by scientists. It appears that the moons reflect the light in an odd way and it shines off the foliage here.

Nothing is on planet.


Aug 23 –


Uriel System

Class A (White), 4 plants, none in life zone, Luminosity II (bright giants).

It won’t take long to recharge here at least

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 28 -


Samael System

Class K (Orange), 9 planets, Luminosity IV, 2 life zone planets, Type 5, 4 days to life zone.



Sept 3 –

Samael III
Large
70% surface water
Standard Pressure
Breathable Atmosphere
Medium Pressure
Birds highest life forms
Warm Temperate Climate
1.1 Gravity
2 Moons

As we unleash our satellites, we quickly pick up signs of structures on the planet. We land outside of them. They are in some hills and mountains. We begin exploring.

It appears that this is an old mining planet. Old buildings and mines were built here, and our geologist surveys show many minerals still in the ground. No weapons, people, mechs, transportation or any signs of habitation in at least a century, probably longer, can be found anywhere. More exploration appears that they exhausted the mine veins of valuable metals in the three mines in the area. But te rest of the planet has many other veins. We mark the planet and move on.


Sept 11

Samael IV
Medium
40% surface water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Pressure
Fish highest lifeform
Arid Climate
3 moons
Standard gravity

Our Satellites also beep here as well showing us buildings in a small location. We arrive and find agricultural colonies. It appears that whoever was mining tried to planet here. But the atmosphere just wasn’t right for Earthlike crops, and they died out. We don’ t believe that the planet was inhabited for more than ten or fifteen years tops.


Sept 15 –

Samael V
Medium
50% surface water
Low Pressure
Toxic Atmosphere
Plants
Arid Climate
No moons
.7 gravity

This is a harsher place, with a thin air and not breathable. It doesn’t harm you, but it’s not even close to breathable. We spend three days on the small planet, but nothing is here.

[Abe Sargent]

Sept 21 –

Metatron System

Class M, Luminosity 1b Supergiant. 2 planets, none habitable


Sept 30 –


Camael System

Class K (Orange), Luminosity IV – subgiant. 6 planets, 1 inhabitable, type 8 – 3.5 days to life zone from points.

As we enter the Camael System, our sensors detect movement nearby at the nadir jump point. There is a Satellite placed here and still working off a fusion reactor. We also get beamed a pair of messages from that satellite and another in orbit around a the planet in the life zone. We are receiving quarantine messages that this planet, during the Amaris Wars, had a nasty biological agent released on the plane that destroyed all animal life. It could still be there either dormant or rampant, and thus, we are told to stay away. We listen.


Oct 9 –


Sandalphon System


Class M, Luminosity III (Giant), 8 planets, 1 life zone, type 6, 3 days to life zone.


Oct 12 -

Sandalphon II
Large
40% water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Fish highest life form
1.3 gravity
Boreal climate
4 moons



We land, and after a week survey, have found nothing of interest

[Abe Sargent]

Oct 22 –


Jibrail System

Class G (Yellow), Luminosity V (main Sequence), 4 planets, 2 in life zone, type 3 - 8 days to life zone. Jibrail I is a dual planet


Oct 30

Jibrail I
Medium
50% water on surface
Standard Pressure
Breathable Atmosphere
High Temperature
Reptiles
Tropical Climate
1.1 gravity
1 moon


Our satellites reveal multiple odd pings of our radar, so we land. The verdant landscape appears like Earth millions of years ago. Reptiles are in control of all sizes, the planet is hot and largely tropical, and the plants and other fauna are large to compete.

Our techs move out, and quickly discover the remains of two previous visitors. One appears to have been the Star League, who were here to do scientific surveys of the planet. They had a large research station near a giant rift, and data collected show that they were interested in various life surveys – fauna and flora. The other was a tourist encampment. It has a few hotels, a large skyway that moves across the landscape big enough for hovercycles, (now broken), a DropPort and more. It appears that this resort catered to people who wanted to see a primal landscape. There were even hunts that could be purchases against the large reptiles that resemble, but are not quite identical to our dinosaurs. This resort must have closed down at least seventy five years ago.

While we are researching the area, the ship moves the Satellites and hops to the Moon, which is a dual planet. It is also habitable.


Jibrail Ia
Small
60% water
Standard Pressure
Breathable Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Fish
Arid
.8 gravity


It’s about ten% the size of Jibrail I. We scan and discover another set of buildings here. After we finish studying the planet, the moon reveals an old base for the Star League. They apparently wanted it off the plane to not mess with the local studies ongoing. This base held two DropPorts, a few barracks, a few control buildings, and warehouses of various sorts. It was restored by the company that rediscovered the system a while ago and opened it to tourism. Both DropPorts still work, and we can land out ships easily. While exploring, other personnel fix up the base and within three days, the base is fully restored physically, and we fixed the fusion generator as well.

It’s nice to know that we have a base back here we could use anytime. Plus, the moon seems very livable. It make take a bit too much work to carve out a colony on the planet, but up here, it would be very easy. A scientist report shows the soil is especially susceptible to farming.

[Abe Sargent]

Nov 14 –


Darda’il System


Class O, blue white. No planets. Luminosity VI.



Nov 23 –


Kiraman System


Class M Red, 6 planets, luminosity II super giant, 1 planet in life zone. Type 2 – four days to planet.



Nov 28 –

Kiraman
Small
10% water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Low Temperature
Microbial Life
.6 gravity
Boreal Climate
No Moons


We land to see if anything is here, but we quickly spy that nothing will be found here and lift off again.

[Abe Sargent]

Dec 1 –


Katibin System

Class F (yellow white), luminosity V, type 4 – 16 days to life zone, 3 planets, 2 life zone


Dec 17 –

Katibin II
Large
40% water, Standard Pressure
Breathable Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Plants highest life
Boreal Climate
Standard gravity
7 moons


There is something being picked up and we land near it. It appears that vast areas of this planet were used as extensive graveyard for military personnel during the Star League era’s Civil War, the Amaris War. Perhaps as many as fifty thousand soldiers, support personnel and families are buried here. Each has their own large plot, and we find four such graveyards. We turned up a monument to their service which was carved by a General. Other than that, there is nothing here.

However sensors indicate something odd on moon #3.


Katibin IId
Small
No Water, Thin Atmosphere, no life
.3 gravity


It appears that a large battle, with mechs and tanks, was fought on this planet. Perhaps this is where some of the bodies came from. We dispatch our crew and discover quite a bit of usable salvage. Luckily, since our expedition has the Fortress for the vehicles and such, it has plenty of cargo space in the Buccaneer. While there are no salvageable mechs per se, we do come across numerous limbs, weapons, armor, sides of tanks, and more and collect them. We fill the hull with hundreds of tons of salvage. We need to jump back.


January 3, 3059 – We jump back to Epsilon Eridani, and unload the various salvage we found, restock supplies, give the folks a week off for recuperation, and will head back out on January 11, 3059. The salvage includes about 11 million C-Bills worth of stuff, which we sell and place in special bank account. It was found with both K&C and Coaltion assets.


January 11, 3059 --The First Expedition jumps back out.

[Abe Sargent]

The Second Expedition



June 10 –

We arrive in our first system, but we have mis-jumped. Something went wrong, and we are a full AU away from the intended position. We man maneuver back, but it will take a few days to verify everything is okay.


Belphegor System

Class A (White) 2 planets, luminosity IV, 1 in life zone. Type 8, 25 days to life zone.


July 5 -

Belphagor I

Medium
40% water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Microbes
Arctic Climate
1 moon
.8 gravity

We arrive and as we study the planet it seems like there is something here, but we aren’t sure. Again, this is a good shake down for the crew. After investigation for a few days, it appears that the area was once an old colony, in the pre-Star League era, but the planet has reclaimed so much of it back, that very little remains. Since then, it has become increasingly tectonically active, and several earthquakes happened while we were on planet.

[Abe Sargent]

August 2 –


Asmodeus System

Class K, 10 planets, 3 habitable in the Luminosity IV, and type 2, 5 days to planets.


Asmodeus III
Small
70% water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Medium Temperature
Amphibians Life
Temperate Climate
2 moons
.8 gravity


Our satellites suggest something quite interesting indeed, and our scientists cannot wait to land to continue it. After two days, they confirm their suspicions. One of the valuable metals, rare in the universe in quantities, used for K-F drives that propel JumpShips and WarShips can be found on this planet. It’s worth a lot of money to mine.


August 9 –

Asmodeus IV
Medium
10% water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium temperature
Fish
Warm Temperate
1.2 gravs
4 moons

Inspections of this world turn up nothing unusual at all.


Aug 16 –


Asmodeus V
Small
40% water
Standard pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
High Temperature
Reptiles
Temperate Climate
.6 gravs
1 moon

As we land and begin exploration, giant reptiles from the forest move to our location. Our Mechs move out and their lizards converge on our spot, and within ten minutes, about thirty large reptiles begin attacking our mechs as a pack. Each weighs hundreds and hundreds of pounds. We can’t stay here and are forced to board and leave.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 26 –

Mammon I

Medium
0 water on surface
Trace Pressure
Toxic Composition
Medium Temperature
No Life
Arid
2 moons
1.1 gravity


It doesn’t look like much, but we still spend a couple of days verifying so. We might as well, it’ll take eight days total for the charge to get up on our ship. We see nothing that would warrant a closer look.


Aug 31


Pazuzu System

Class M, twin star system, 2 planets, none in life zone.

[Abe Sargent]

Sept 8


Beelzebub System

Class M, luminosity IV, 4 planets, 1 in life zone 5 days away


Sept 13

Beelzebub IV
Large
40% surface water
Standard Pressure
Toxic Atmosphere
Low Temperature
Plant life
Arctic Climate
2.5 gravity
16 moons


Our survey shows very little on the planet of worth, but we land in various places over the next few days to verify it. The magnetic poles are near the center of the planet. After studying it, it appears to be undergoing a magnetic shift. A few large volcanoes have opened up from the instability. A quick survey shows the moons have nothing of interest.


Sept 19 –


Leviathan System

Class B, Luminosity Ia, no planets



Sept 28 –


Lucifer System


Class M, Luminosity Ia, 3 planets, none habitable

[Abe Sargent]

Oct 5 –


Baal System

Class G, Luminosity III, 1 planet, 1 habitable, type 4, 8 days to life zone.



Oct 13


Baal I

Small
60% water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Medium Temperature
Birds
Cool Temperate Climate
1 moon
.7 grav


This planet is pinging our radio. There is something making noise down there, and we land.

It appears that this planet has an active colony on the south-most continent. We investigate. It looks like about 300,000 people live within a two hundred mile radius by the pole. We land far outside of their range, and move in with several scientists and soldiers. Eventually we arrive at a domed station that leads by enclosed walkways inside of a large mountain, where the population resides. We move in, and they ask in a thick English accent how come we didn’t come back with any Ekuni. We shake our heads sadly and move in. They quarantine the group for about an hour to decontaminate them. The technology is inferior but advanced.

We arrive down the walkway and enter a giant metropolis and stretches into the distance. We swing by a large vidbook store and browse to find history texts. We have none of the local money, and the winter clothes blend in well enough. We review the history.

This is the planet of Solomon. It was a colony established during the Star League. It flourished as a place to herd a local docile giant bird that was tasty and well considered on other worlds. But then, war came in the Amaris War and the local Star League garrison, no more than tanks and infantry, were blasted heavily by the Amaris forces. Since the lord of Solomon has been a political enemy of the Amaris family, the armies nuked the world and completely destroyed it. A few years later, a fleet arrived, declared Solomon destroyed, and left. No one ever came back.

But, life preserved. A handful of determined families moved to the pole where there was no fallout and built shelter and a new civilization. Over the last several hundred years, a group of about ten thousand survivors prospered, developed governments, and found all they needed. They eat local fish and birds. The planet is no longer contaminated in as many places, so they go out to pick wild fruit at harvest They grow large numbers of plants and mushrooms in the cities. They have tons of fresh water from springs. As their colony was growing at the time, large stores of construction materials were used to build everything, but they ran out, and now space has become a premium. They have scavenged old electronics, plastics, and materials from the ruins across the planet and have a factory here which refurbishes and restores them. When they can’t they use all of the materials and scraps to make other vital things. They have art, plays, books, and sports.

The Solomonites have developed a very nice culture.

Having no desire to interfere, we leave after a day. Out scientist have found numerous interesting sites, most in the nuclear areas. But we leave them to the locals. For now, we have no desire to interfere with them. We have nothing to offer save relocation. That would change their society forever. They have nothing we need.

[Abe Sargent]

Oct 25 –


Haures System –


Class K, Luminosity V, type 5, 4 days away, 5 planets, 1 in life zone.



Oct 29


Haures I

Medium
50% water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Medium Temperature
Plants
boreal Temperate Climate
3 moons
.9 grav


Something is odd about Haures. We land and there are tons of bones, but no animal life. That’s weird. Some sort of a cataclysm or disease must have occurred. Not wanting to get creeped out or contaminated, we move out later that day.


Nov 4 –


Moloch System

Class O, twin system, no planets


Nov 11 –


Aamon System


Class M, luminosity II, 3 planets, none in life zone

[Abe Sargent]

Nov 17 –


Astaroth System


Class A, 1 planet, Luminosity V, 1 habitable planet, type 0, 137 days to get there. We’ll skip it, but we study it heavily before we go. I want to plot a pirate jump here later. That’s a very well defended system and other traffic might have passed over something special as well. It’s like a lottery ticket.


Nov 26 –


Belial System


Class K, Luminosity IV, type 5, 6 planets, 4 days to life zone, two planets in it.



Nov 30 -

Belial I

Medium
50% water
Standard Pressure
Breathable Atmosphere
High Temperature
Amphibians
Cool Temperate Climate
.9 gravity
1 moon


This planet is a roiling landscape of lightning storms. As we arrive, less than 20% of the planet is currently not under one of several storm fronts. As we wait for a day and continue scanning, the conditions do not change, and it appears that this is the base weather of the planet.


December 6


Demogorgon System


Class M, luminosity II, 8 planets, none in life zone

[Abe Sargent]

Orcus System


Class M, dual star system, luminosity IV, and Class M, luminosity V. # of planets is 7. Habitable? 2. Just four days away



Orcus IV

Large
70% water
Standard Pressure
Breathable Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Mammals
Arid Climate
1.5 gravity
17 moons


Our scans indicate the hull of a crashed ship on planet. We land and find a Star League era DropShip crashed and the handful of survivors were unable to hold on without any major technology. The DropShip is a vintage Manatee. This was a DropShip that was a cargo one, but after the BattleMech was created, it was commissioned and changed into a mech carrier and military vessel. This one is before that began, roughly 2450. (I created a chart for random things, such as a quarantined planet, colony that survived, and more. I also have one for a crashed old DropShip, and I give it just a 20% chance of flying again. Let’s roll those dice!)

Our techs tell us that the Manatee can be up and running with about a month of work and some specialized equipment we don’t have. We contact the JumpShip, who jumps out to get it.

Meanwhile, an investigation of the rest of the planet turns up nothing. With a little adaptation to the gravity, this is a nice colony world. Perhaps the Manatee was carrying a colonist, we can’t tell yet. While waiting on the JumpShip to get the right equipment and jump back and deliver them, we check out the other planet here.


December 24 –

Orcus V

Large
40% water
Standard Pressure
Breathable Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Fish
Temperate Climate
1.3 gravity
12 moons


Another nice planet. We again notice something here and land. Orcus V has an old colony that died out hundreds of years ago. We find four different settlements within a few dozen miles of each other. Each colony had a specialty - fishing, agriculture, harvesting fossil fuel, and husbandry. We manage to extract the computer core from one of their computers and get it up and running. The data is badly corrupted, but it appears that a common virus attacked their planet right after their medical facility had been destroyed in a tornado. They needed medical supplies, so they sent out their DropShip to the Zenith Point to join up with their JumpShip and leave, but no one ever came back and they all died. It looks like the crashed Manatee was that ship. Eventually a manned JumpShip would have left, or investigated and discovered a dead colony and left. It’s a sad tragedy.


February 4 – 3059


Salvage is finished. We spent 4 mill C-Bills repaired and fixing the Manatee. This system appears to be a good place for a colony, even though the one failed. The Manatee is worth the price of a Buccaneer. The Buc has a lot more space though. There are few Manatees in operation today, they are a very old DropShip, but not so old that they get a price bump for being an antique. They rarely come on the market, but there is little desire for them. If we converted it into a mech carrier, it would have all of the effectiveness of a Leopard. Fear that 4 mechs it carries! Instead, we donate it to the Coalition to move goods and supplies on our dime, and take a Buccaneer we purchased for ourselves permanently.


We jump out again in February 5, 3059 to continue our explorations.







End of the First and Second Exploration Expeditions (For now)

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT May 30, 3058 – The final strike on Coventry at the village of Whitting by the Falcons wins and they have won the planet.


EVENT June 5, 3058 – Victor’s coalition forces arrive at Coventry and the battles begin. Meanwhile, with the alliance in full swing, Khan Vlad Ward informs Khan Marthe Pryde that he will be invading Falcon space, and she appears to be overstretched. Massive battles ensue. A few days later, Victor meets with Khan Pryde in the torn village of Whitting and offers her hegira, an honorable retreat. She accepts, and prisoners and bondsmen are exchanged and Jade Falcon leaves in honor with troops experienced, and proving herself to the other Clans to still worry about the Falcon.

[Abe Sargent]

June 8 – We have had some quiet months in the Coalition. The major events of the 3057-3058 massive changes are finished with the victory on Coventry. Just one is left, and it won’t happen for a few months.

After meeting with Kressly Warworks Inc, they have decided to make a new mech, a quad mech, using some of the new technology getting made right now. You have to keep pushing your mech lines, after all.


Greyhound, GRY-1

60 tons

6/9(12)

Has Endo Steel, and an XL engine

2x SRM-6 Streak, 2 tons of ammo w/ CASE, in LT
3x ER Medium Lasers, 2 in CT, 1 in H

MASC

12/24 double heat sinks

14 tons of standard armor (Quads can have more armor because legs get more armor than arms)

BV - 1715

Weaponry is light, but powerful. SRM-6 Streak only fires if it gets a lock, so you do not use ammo or generate heat if it “misses,” which helps the mech. I originally experimented with a 6/9 design with MASC but it didn’t have enough weapons unless I went with an XL engine, and’s a bad weakness on this sort of mech. An XL engine is not as much of a weakness for a quad mech. A destroyed RT or LT prevents it from moving anyway, so it will shut down due to the XL engine as well.


Kressly will have a prototype available soon.

[Abe Sargent]

Greyhound vs Alexander-1kc

As a promotional opportunity, the 55 ton Alexander will face off against the 60 ton Greyhound, with a frankenmech version of the Greyhound.


Bots are piloting both mechs

Greyhound on west, Alexander on east. They are playing on open terrain map. I let it sim the battle, and then I’ll head back and look at the results.

It takes 7 turns, and the Alexander legs the Greyhound with a kick after its torsos are opened by the Greyhound. Before that there was heavy fire exchange for a few turns. The Greyhound rises, and smashes the Alexander in the 8th turn and destroys its RA. It responds by savaging the Greyhounds RT and destroys it and it shuts down. Greyhound loses.

I was hoping it’d win. Ah well.

[Abe Sargent]

June 19 – Another raid by Bryant falls on Indi. Indi loses.


July 5 – After having lost an assault on Epsilon Indi, and now that we fended them off at Capolla, the Capellan Confederation has decided to send another unit to Indi to capture the planet. Just a few weeks ago, Indi finished taking out the pro-Liao militia, and now this.

Duke Abraham’s continued pleas for assistance have come to nothing from the FedCom forces. We helped them once before, so he contacts Duke Essex. This time, we refuse to assist. We helped once, for free, as neighbors. We cannot send forces to assist for free a second time.

Duke Abraham gets the hint. He agrees to join the Coalition if we send forces to Indi and force them off world.

[Abe Sargent]

Beginning of the Second Epsilon Indi Campaign



July 6 – The fighters of Catapult Company, plus the nine available companies of Alpha Regiment blast off for Indi.


July 16 – The mercs land from the Zenith jump point they arrived at. The mercs are Lola’s Legion, a regiment of Mech forces that are unloading easily, because they have about 20 fighters.

They move to set up shop in an abandoned city that has been uninhabited for more than a century.

July 23 – When landing, a rented DropShip has a failure and crashes. The mechs inside are damaged and will take a few days to get up and running. None were destroyed though, thank goodness.

We are about five hours from the Legion, which have not made any offensive action since landing, oddly enough.

July 27 – A large fleet jumps into the system at a pirate point and launches another regiment of troops to Indi. The second regiment of the Legion has arrived. They will be planet side in two days. At the same time, sabotage strikes the HPG station and it will be down for a few days. We are without a way to ask for help.

[Abe Sargent]

July 29 – Our foes begin to march towards us, and the other regiment moves into land on top of us hot. We have one trying to land on us and the other marching quickly towards us. We decide to move out the moment we hear about the DropShips moving down. The first regiment is about four hours away still, but the one on top of us is a problem, . It should be here in about a half hour. We break camp and get ready. We have two major options. One, fight this regiment, and then fight the next one and hope. Two flee, and leave behind much of our camp in order to maximize distance. Three, gather everything, but cut it real close.

We decide to move out now, and get the mechs out in less than ten minutes. We carry a few crates and supplies, but just what we could grab on the way out, nothing organized.

Unlike another recent fleeing, this time, we do not need a rear guard. It takes mechs a while to get coordinated after a hot landing, and regather their forces. Some will land twenty miles from the other and ten minutes earlier, that sort of thing. They decide to secure our camp, satisfies that they won a strategic victory against us.

We fade into a network of old ruins and decide to split up into smaller units in case they pursue at night. The planet was once a highly built up planet, but they during the Star League Civil War, the retreating Amaris forces used a Scorched Earth policy and bombed it heavily with nuclear weapons. It’s been rebuilt a bit, with the mining efforts we mentioned earlier helping. But it’s not and won’t be what it was. There are a lot of ruins in the planet, from the cities and suburbs that were here. We are nowhere near the local civilians or infrastructure. We don’t have to worry about damaging anything out here.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 1 – Nothing has come out way, and now their forces are mobbing, two regiments of mechs marching in a line two mechs deep that stretches miles across, trying to snuff us out. It’s easy to hide smaller units in these shell-shocked relics. Each mech is staggered from the one in front or behind. So each line is ¼ mile to the next mech in that line, but ht second line is staggered from that making it 1/8 mile wide. Mechs can cover that very quickly, so if we spring a trap with a lance at one mech in front, it’s friends will be there in seconds and able to fire to assist very quickly, perhaps a delay of one or two turns long at most. Remember, they want that. 216 mechs are out there marching towards us. They want to snuff us out, and if they get one or two mechs damaged to trade for blasting these lances, they’ll happily make that trade.

We don’t have any mines any more, they were lost in the camp. We squirreled away supplies far away and easily accessible. We decide to fade away from the marching juggernaut. This isn’t the time for battle, in 1-2 odds. Catapult Company is landed in a nearby DropPort about 250 miles away, and will remain there for the duration. They have even more fighters that came with the second regiment.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 5 – After three more days of crawl but no brawl, we are reaching the edge of this giant ex-metropolis. On the other side lay a regiment of troops that are clustered around three Overlord DropShips, in battalion size pouches

We spend a few hours trying to find a weakness in their position, and we do. The middle DropShip is in a clear field, the upper one in hills and the lower one in a swampish area. That means the lower one can’t have fighters land there, just on the first two. They can fly over, but they cannot land to get bombs and such. So, if we attack there , then fighters can get prepared for battle against us in two places. If we fight the middle or upper one, then just in one place. So, we are going to fight in both the upper and center DropShips. They will quickly load up and bring in reinforcements, and this battle cannot last long, and they cannot use their fighters for anything more than the occasional strafe.



We will take 5 companies against the center and four companies sof Myth Battalion against the north. As we get close, they begin loading up the southern DS and will eventually bring it up and unload an entire battalion in the center to outnumber us. Meanwhile, fighters will be concentrating in the north to help them.

Normally, I like to play every single battle that K&C is involved in. However, the unit has gotten too big to continue this. Can you imagine me running three separate battles in the north and a ton in the center? It might take me four or five days to sim through this one battle of this one campaign. So, instead, I will sim just one battle. I’ll roll dice for the rest.

[Abe Sargent]

In the center, Defender Company is on the upper flank and charges at the northernmost of the three companies on the ground before reinforcements arrive. We move to smash hammer them


Daishi Prime
HBK-4G Hunchback
ON1-V Orion
Thor C

AWS-9M Awesome
WTH-1 Whitworth
GRF-1N Griffin
STK-3F Stalker
CTF-1X Cataphract

PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk
CMT-1 Comet
JNV-10F Javelin
HER-2M Hermes II


Yes, it’s a 13 mech company.


Our foes, almost none are level 2 mechs, and regular pilots

Trebuchet
Thunderbolt
Atlas
Longbow
WSP-1L Wasp
Panther
ENF-5D Enforcer *
PTR-4D Penetrator
Commando
CES-3R Caesar *
Rifleman
Grasshopper

This is their Caesar, a 70 ton, level 2 mech with 4/6 movement, XL engine, Gauss, EP PPC, 4x Medium pulse lasers, two face the rear, 10.5 tons of armor, 16/32 heat.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s go!


Turn 1 – Fighting on an Open Terrain map with a small number of light woods. We win init. I run the PXH into heavy woods in the center to push them. My Griffin, Whitworth and Stalker are in nice heavy woods camping spots. I hop the Jav to the woods to support the PXH there. For my forces south of the woods, we concentrate fire on their Caesar. After that, we take a few targets of opportunity. Our Cataphract destroys its RA and this two leg actuators. After taking 120+ damage, the Caesar falls, as does the Thunderbolt after taking two AC20 shells from the Thor.

Turn 2 – We win init. Instead of normally backing up at this point, I push forward even more. Their Caesar does not stand, and I run our Awesome next to it. Our Thor bases their Commando, who is in heavy woods. Their T Bolt rises easily. Attacks on the Penetrator heavily. Our Daishi blows off the Left arm and its on the ground. Our Awesome destroys the LT of their Caesar and its shuts down. Our Thor tears into the Commando, this the ammo and it lights up. Their Penetrator takes more than 140 and falls.


Turn 3 – We lose init. They begin to mobilize to head out and will leave after this round. I hop our Jav behind their Longbow. I back up the Orion which has taken some damage from them. Their Penetrator rises. Our Daishi bases it. So does the Comet. Our Awesome runs into their Longbow. Okay, let’s see what we can do for the final battle. Our Orion carves into their Penetrator’s H. Our Daishi will destroy the RL and RT as well. An AC20 shell from the Thor smashes the Longbow, hits the LRM ammo and it ignites. Stalker fire lands on their damaged Panther, who took attacks of opportunity prior, and savages it, destroying its RT and LA.

They retreat under fire of their DropShip, and move inside it to recover.


Caesar – missing LT, RA, leg actuator damage
Penetrator missing RL, RT, H, reattach LA


Commando LA, H, RL
Longbow – RA, LA

[Abe Sargent]

Around the area, we are winning battles, but then their troops arrive to the south east, about one mile away and unload. Their first DropShip is keeping us from charging the second one to keep us form hitting them.

It’s normal battlefield strategy to keep mechs from attacking DropShips. They have a lot of weapons, and they are worth so much money. This is an obsolete pair of Overlords, they have not been upgraded with level 2 tech. It has 6 PPC, 2 AC20, 6 AC5, 12 Medium Lasers, 3 LRM 20s, 6 Large Lasers. It does not have the ability to fire them in one direction.

Many of their wounded mechs have moved into the first Overlord, and Colonel Matthew Humphries decides to push hard. He orders two companies to charge the second Overlord and its battalion to keep them at bay, while three companies, led by his Defender, charge the 20ish mechs around the first Overlord. While two companies fight against the defenders, he orders Defender company to push through and attack the Overlord, which we will sim. I am removing a ton of ammo from theAC20 of the Thor.


Turn 1 – We lose init and run towards their Overlord. We charge it and mostly everyone misses at long range.

Turn 2 – We win init. We only hit it a few times as it blasts up a lot of dirt. Next turn we should be close enough to hit for some damage.

Turn 3 – We win init. We hammer it for damage, and it blasts our Awesome for 80+ damage and it falls.

Turn 4 – We lose init. I roll my Awesome behind a tree. Our Thor hit its thrusters and sensors each once. It destroys the LL, RA of my Cataphract. It falls hard.

Turn 5 – We win init. Our Daishi and Orion deal some serious damage and it just peppers a few people.

Turn 6 – We lose init. Several of our mechs have based the DropShip, including the Daishi and Thor. We go overheat to tear into it. The Cataphract destroys the RS of it, and it is down.


Suddenly there barrage ends and a status check is made. With a suddenly weaker defensive position, the remaining forces under barrage outside of the first DropShip move to support those under the second. They are losing, so we order them back. They load up their mechs into the Overlord and twenty minutes later they blast off with that battalion plus a few more mechs shoved into where it will go.


A company of mechs opens up the dead DropShip cargo doors and moves in, attacking wounded mechs. We easily dispatch the various wounded mechs.

[Abe Sargent]

In the north, our assault of four companies against three begins as would be expected, but soon fighters are rifling above, and they quickly turn the tide and we are forced to retreat, having lost 7 of our 48 mechs.

We captured the techs on the Ship and their MWs and put them in prison aboard the DropShip. We bring our techs and supplies up over the next few hours. The only internal damage was to the sensors and thrusters once each. Other than that, is just the side of the DropShip that’s down. They can fix that in two days of 24 hour work, but they cannot spend that time working on our mechs. We can’t carry everyone off even if we fixed it, so we prioritize fixing mechs. Myth Battalion arrives and our damaged but surviving regiment survives.


Aug 8 – All lightly damaged mechs are running, and we have replaced downed mechs with the massive salvage we have from the battle. They have decided to play defense and are fixing their wounds as well, - they lost almost a battalion of mechs in the center and another 6 in the north before the tides tuned against us, plus a DropShip. Even if they hammered us with the other regiment that is pristine, we have about 100 mechs to their 108, and that’s not easily decided. Especially when we are better than regular and we have level 2 and clan mechs all over our T&E.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 12 – We have fixed the DropShip and loaded it with salvage, but not mechs. We launch the DropShip and move to outer space. They believe we have mechs and move fighters to attack us. They are too late and we penetrate the atmosphere and get out. They can pursue, but that would take days and they might overcome us, but its clear we aren’t landing somewhere else, so they let us go so as not to abandon the world to us and other grounded fighters. In Indi system, it takes 11 days to reach a JumpShip, and we have none, but our techs negotiate with a local cargo JumpShip and they agree to wait on us for a few days to take us to Epsilon Eridani, and we will pay for a charge t the station there, and they can jump out a few hours later.

With our hangar gone, we move out. All disabled and salvage was placed on the DropShip, so we have our mechs. 106 mechs, two pilots died in the battle and we couldn’t get a mech for the third one, so he’s on the DropShip.

We have planned for this day. We don’t know where their forces are, so we move back to the ruins and break down into companies and move to various prearranged positions, hide supplies, and keep moving. We captured a lot of food and supplies in the DropShip so we are restocked.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 14 – They move their forces back to the ruins to find and oust us. Again, they are very thoruough but not particularly quick.

Aug 15 – They have finished the bottom southerly fourth of the ruins metropolis and we have moved to other places.

Aug 17 – They have cornered us to the final fourth of the city.

Aug 18 – A few hours after night falls, we break out of the city in nine different places and move for three different predetermined locations in battalion groups, but one of the companies in Myth will join the battalion with two companies.

We are out and they expected this Suddenly, 20 fighters can be seen on our screens, and in another two minutes another 20 fighters. Their mechs are hours away, but they have been loaded with bombs and each drops bombs and flies away. We take a lot of damage from the bombs and three mechs. In day, we would have taken more.

Dawn arrives around noon, on international time (day is not 24 hours, obviously) and we manage to escape but at the cost of severe damage that will take about three days to repair and lost three mechs. We are near the largest mountain on the planet, Mt. Highspire. This is where we will make our stand. It has no mineral wealth, so no mines are here. Instead, there are deep crevices that fighters are not going to be able to follow us into. We gather all three battalions into a deep crevice and hole up.

The area is snowy all year round, and this area has more rocks. No minerals or metals mess with sensors, it’s just rocks. There are two ways out – forward and back. Overhead, the crevice is very tight and fighters would go on a suicide run to come in here. We will hole up here.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 20 – Scouts hear the sound of mechs or fighters or tanks, but cannot identify what. We are likely being spied on by our foe

Aug 22 -The DropShip arrives in the EE system, sends a message to Duke Essex, and moves in to unload and join our mercenary command.

Aug 23 – The first real test of our defenses has arrived. A company of mechs arrives at the entrance to the crevice, spends about an hour investigating us, and then when a company is dispatched to handle them, they flake out.

Aug 24 – They have discovered the other side, and a company does the same thing at the other end of the crevice. Meanwhile, we have built up a huge amount of defenses in preparation for an invasion from either or both sides. The obvious attack is to attack from each end with a regiment. But the ends are about an hour from each other by mech. We can reach an invading army in fifteen minutes form our camp in the center (15 minutes by us, 15 minutes in by them) and be 30 minutes away from the other regiment. By then, the battle could be decided or almost so. By then, if we do well, we could already be on our way out of the crevice.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 25 – They have decided to do as we suspected – one regiment to come down each line. They have to attack in force or else we have a regiment on their battalion. They have split up their troops, and had time to fix up mechs, so each force has about 90 mechs vs our 100-ish mechs. We order our forces towards the upper crevice. On the outside,, the crevices are about four hours by mech.

As we move out, we get ready to hammer the invading force. A few scout mechs hang back, and wait until the main force has begun its battle. Then it fires at the ammo bins under the ice and rock and destroys the path in the other direction. Even with mechs, it will take hours to clear out the mess and move across it. Now we have no unit moving behind us.

By pretending that this was a good strategy, we turn it into a bad one, and now we have 100+ mechs on their 90- mechs. Plus we have forced their hand. The reason we are facing two regiments is because we are very good at what we do – breaking things. They wanted to outnumber us. Now we have them in a place with no fighter coverage, no backup reinforcements from the other regiment. We will win.

The one force radios them about what happened, and they immediately begin to retreat, but it’s too late to avoid battle. In order to get out, they do what we did before- leave one company of mechs as a rear guard while the rest of their forces leave. We easily destroy their company, with no loss of a mech on our part, just some injuries. We can’t catch up with them. The other force chose not to dig out, but has left. We gather our supplies and salvage and move out. We move to another crevice we scouted.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 30 – After arriving at a pirate point, a large flotilla of ships, fighters, and transport have arrived.

Sept 1 – We land on Indi with one regiment of K&C mechs, all of our fighters from the various ships, and a regiment of mercenaries that were employed to act as a garrison force on Indi for the next three years. With two regiments of troops, aerospace forces, and outs on the ground, plus the local force as well, we are coming in heavy.

Catapult Company launches and 80 fighters overwhelm our foes. We lose some fighters, but replace them with the salvage we find of theirs.

Sept 2 - After blasting their fighters, we offer our foes the opportunity to leave unhindered. They consider and agree.


End of the Second Epsilon Indi Campaign




;

[Abe Sargent]

We have a lot of changes to our units of various sorts. Replacement mechs, salvage, a new aerospace company with the assets we captured here and in the Sirian Holds campaign, and levels up for Defender company.

Awesome, Defender, Michael Henry, now 2/2.
Cataphract, Defender, Madison Tolteca, also now 2/2



New Overlord is rechristened Victory Assured



New AeroSpace Company

Dart Company

Riever
Riever
Shilone
Corsair
Corsair
Lightning
Lightning
Stingray
Sai
Sai
Sai
Sholagar


Our pilots are 4 elite, a bunch of vets, and a pair of regulars – all are level 1 fighters

[Abe Sargent]

Mercs on Epsilon Indi: We hired, over the upset Capolla government, the Blackhearts to garrison Indi. They were the mercs that were contracted to Free Worlds League, loaned out to Cappellan Confederation for Guerrero, fought to capture Capolla alongside the Capellan rebels, realized they were terrorists and left after facing us. They will garrison Epsilon Indi for three years. We know they are honorable. Rating B, regiment of mechs, and another tanks, plus fighters and infantry. Veteran.

We pull our troops off Indi, and this will secure it very nicely.


Replacement mechs for these companies to replace destroyed mechs:


Butler Company, LCT-1E Locust out, replaced by MON-66 Mongoose
Butler Company, RLF-3N Rifleman out, replaced by RFL-5M Rifleman

A Thunderbolt destroyed in Brawler company was replaced by one from the salvage

Tethys Company, Griffin-1N out, replaced by WHM-6R Warhammer (level 1 tech) from salvage

Typhon Company, PXH-1K Phoenix Hawk out, replaced by PXH-1 from salvage
Typhon Company, CN9-FR Centurion out, replaced by RFL-5M Rifleman
Typhon Company, STK-3F Stalker out, replaced by STK-5M Stalker

Heliades Company, WTH-1 Whitworth out, replaced by Trebuchet from salvage
Heliades Company, HBK-4G Hunchback out, replaced by CN9-D Centurion

Styx Company, LCT-1E Locust out, replaced by Comet

No losses to Trinity, Defender, or Delta


We captured these mechs:

Level 2 - Penetrator, Caesar, JR7-K Jenner, SHD-5M Shadow Hawk

Level 1 – Locust, Stingerx2, Zeus, Guillotine, Blackjack, Clint, JagerMech, Panther


We also captured a bunch of parts, and I won’t bother to list them here.

[Abe Sargent]

Sept 1 – Duke Essex is invited to a conference on Tharkad, and brings with him Ted Izumo, Matthew Humphries, Conner Ward and Magnus.


Sept 30 – We begin to get money from the sales of the Aires and Taurus small craft from Blackwell. 20% of the profit is 1 mill per ship, and roughly 4 mill a month.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT October, 3058



The Whitting Conference gets underway as representatives meet at Tharkad from around the Inner Sphere to discuss the threat of the Clans. Eventually, the members decided on two major agreements. First of all, they would align to destroy a Clan completely. Based on information from a traitor, as well as in part revenge for the orbital bombardment of the planet Edo, the chosen target is Clan Smoke Jaguar. Two major thrusts will destroy the jaguars. The first is Operation bulldog, a collation force led by Anastatoius Focht and Victor Ian Steiner-Davion to drive the Jaguars from the Inner Sphere. The second is Task Force Serpent, a secret military strike against Huntress, the home planet of the Jaguars and their clan holdings. This two pronged assault will, hopefully, eliminate the Smoke Jaguars as a Clan. The second agreement was to restart the Star League. The Second Star League is formed, and all of the participants will sign the Constitution in November. The first Star Lord is Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao of the Capellan Confederation, and the title will change and be elected from among the various heads of state every three years in a new Conference. The Star League banner will fight against the Smoke Jaguar clan, and Clan Nova Cat sees this as a sign and they will defect to the Star League and fight alongside the Inner Sphere against the Jaguars.



At the Conference, Victor confides in Thomas Marik that after running his DNA with other Mariks, he is not a Marik and thus not Thomas Marik. However, he will not reveal this information, because Thomas has been good for the inner Sphere and the Star league. In reality, Thomas Marik never recovered fully from his wounds in the 3030s, and was kept by ComStar in the background, where he began to pull the strings. The new “Thomas Marik” was a plot by ComStar to put someone on the throne to run the League and to be sympathetic to them. Thus, the Word of Blake was allowed to settle in his realm, while Thomas Marik, the real one, is pulling strings as one of the new masters of the Word.


We are invited to this Conference, not as the ruler of a state, none of the other leaders of Chaos March states are there, but as the unit with the best record against the clans. Due to our prominence in fighting the clans, we have been offered a contract by the new Star League to participate in Operation: Bulldog. Col .Conner Ward will be taking Delta Regiment but not Shadow Battalion. There was some question about bringing us for Task Force Serpent, but that was not okayed. We will be in Operation Bulldog, the grand military war to drive Clan Smoke Jaguar from the Inner Sphere.


Delta Regiment has 11 companies


Delta will be sent out in a month, and is on contract to do some training, establish operation theaters, and fight the Jaguars under the command of Archon-Prince Victor Ian Steiner-Davion and Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht.

[Abe Sargent]

Nov 15 – The Duchy of Small launches an attack on the nearby planet of Sheratan, to incorporate it into the Duchy forcibly. With almost a regiment of ad hoc BattleMech forces assaulting aplenty with two battalions of vehicles, this won’t take long.


Nov 19 - We take two major communiqués from planets by Small World. The first is Fletcher. Fearing it being taken over by The Duchy of Small, they want to open negotiations for defense. They asked for aid from the Successor States but have gotten no assistance. They really just want to be left alone, but they have no desire to enter the Duchy of Small.

Fletcher had pro-Liao rebels strike, but the locals managed to hold them off and handle them themselves after the Lyran forces left. The HPG station was destroyed but just rebuilt by ComStar a month ago. With no aid given by the FedCom or the Alliance, the local forces just wanted to be left alone, and yet, now it seems they are next on the Duchy’s hit list. Therefore, they would like to join us, and we can garrison troops on their planet. We agree, and the Coalition offers to invest some money in their economy if they want to, but they don’t need it. They are proud in their self-sufficiency.

[Abe Sargent]

Nov 25 – Duke Braham Essex does not have the equipment or money needed to begin a mining colony on Asmodeus III. He calls the Council with the various representatives. He explains fully what he did to equip various expeditions to explore on behalf of the Coalition, but kept the costs at a minimum by loaning and using K&C equipment for most of it. He reveals the reports and finding for this metal rich world of Asmodeus III. The council agrees to jump to the planet and explore it.


Nov 27 – We hire a group of mercenaries to guard Fletcher. Narhal’s Raiders, a regiment of mechs, C+ rating, retainer for two years, many upgraded mechs, regular. We have them on retainer in case we want to move them against the Duchy, since they are so close.

[Abe Sargent]

The other major communication is from Ingress, the other world in the Duchy of Small. They were unable to find assistance from the great houses in breaking out from under the Duchy’s thumb, and they are getting desperate. We negotiate a major deal with them. We will free them, and then they will join us as an equal partner, free to run their planet the way they want to, but still a part of our Coalition. They agree.

Fighting against the Duchy will not be easy. But Ingress is not as well defended as Small World.


We get intel – two companies of mechs from the Ducal Militia, and the mercenary group, The Furies. The Furies are an A rated regiment of tanks. There is a stipulation in all of their contracts that they are not required to face any Great House mech force of more than battalion size.

We decide to go in heavy for a full blown assault on the planet. Alpha Regiment will be heading in. We are also taking Dart Company for its first mission. The most important thing is to get on planet without being noticed by the local Duchy of Small forces. Our allies can assist with that.

Because this started before the end of the year, we’ll finish up this campaign, then roll back, finish 3058, and then conclude this chapter.

[Abe Sargent]

Beginning of the Ingress Campaign


December 30 – We arrive at Ingress in three locations on the planet. Myth Battalion is in the largest DropPort on the planet, and the place where one of the Ducal Companies plus a battalion of tanks are. The next place is by a large port in the ocean where massive numbers of fish, seaweed, pearls and other agricultural ocean goods are collected and traded with the food, incense and timber from inland. Here is the location of a tank battalion. The final one is by the provincial capital out in the midst of vast gain fields that stretch for hundreds of miles. The other mech company is not by any DropPort, but instead off by a ridge of hills where wine is made. They have established a prison and base there, off the grid.

So, we can strike at the three military centers with ease. We plan three simultaneous, roughly, exchanges in these three locations. Here they are:

Capital City Myth Battalion, with its four companies, is there. It will attack with a scout lance against their scout lance, which is often moving around scouting the city on a given plan, timed very well. While that attack occurs, the other eight mechs of that company will be just outside of the base their mechs use, waiting for the other mechs to run out and help. These Ducal units have not fought many battles, and are not battle hardened. Meanwhile, our other three companies of mechs will be outside of Fort Foster, where their battalion of tanks are located. It’s on the outskirts of town, and we can keep the battle from the civilians and infrastructure.

For the ocean, we have Star Battalion with Defender and Cinq Companies. They will be attacking the local garrison here, which has a fort along the large harbor, and again is far away from anyone else.

Finally, Heater Battalion will move out and attack the garrison here, which is not in a fort, but a compound. We will strike quickly and assuredly.

Meanwhile, Dart Company will fly to the hills and harass the final company, to keep them on the radar. They have a Union DropShip, and will likely use it to load up and help out one of the battles but they could use it to flee somewhere unknown. We need to keep them on the grid.

Hopefully, if all goes well, in a few days, we can take the entire planet.

[Abe Sargent]

Jan 3, 3059 - The first battle sees the two companies against the battalion of mercs. Defender and Cinq are companies that have been with us for ages, and have experienced fighters. We approach the fort with both companies and running. They see us and move to defend themselves very quickly, and very professionally. These guys might be regular, but we can see how they earned that high Dragoon’s rating.

The front entrance to the fort is closed, a large metal door. The walls of the compound are also of a hard light metal. We establish a perimeter around them. There is just the one door in and out – very inefficient, because there is no back route in case things go poorly. A few vehicles launch indirect LRM fire at us to keep us honest but have no spotters.

Concentrated fire takes about fifteen minutes, but we manage to bring the door down. We go in.

About one third of their vehicles are level two tech. I’ll skip their list. I listed Defender recently too, so here is Cinq Company


BLR-1G BattleMaster
AWS-8Q Awesome
HBK-4G Hunchback
WVR-6M Wolverine

ZEU-6S Zeus
GRF-1N Griffin
GRF-1N Griffin
ARC-2S Archer

VL-5T Vulcan
WSP-1A Wasp
SDR-5V Spider
LCT-1V Locust


All level 1 mechs. They have 7 elite, 2 green, 1 regular and 2 veteran.


We are using a DropPort map for the game, to simulate the concrete we are fighting on.


Their forces consist of high quality tanks, and not a bunch of chaff to fill in the ranks. This is a merc unit that has existed for more than a century, and they are ready for us.

We begin the north west corner and they can begin anywhere on the map they wish.

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 1 – We lose init. They are all over the place. I move my forces to the north edge of the area. Two Griffins base a Partisan Air Defense Tank with LB 10Xs. I leap a Vulcan next to an upgraded Rommel with a gauss. My Wasp too. One of their vehicles skids, smashes into a building. I fire at several of their tanks. AC20 by one Hunchback nails the Turret of their Rommel and locks it. An Awesome immobilizes the Rommel. A machine gun on the Rommel gets a through armor critical on our Hunchback in Cinq and hits the ammo and it explodes. Our Daishi immobilizes a Schrek PPC Carrier. Our Stalker kills the crew on their LRM Carrier. Their Chevalier hits a foot actuator on our Comet. Our Comet and Hermes II each lower the movement of another Rommel with a gauss. Our Orion halves the movement and stuns the crew for two turns in their Partisan Air Defense Tank. One of our three Griffins immobilizes one of their Chevaliers. Our Thor immobilizes their Typhoon Urban Assault Vehicle. Our other Hunchback destroys the Partisan’s left side and it is down. None of our guys fall .


Turn 2 – We lose init again. I push forward massively. They do as well. They fire and destroy the RL of my Comet and its RT as well. Our Wasp destroys the left side of their other Chevalier. Our Archer ignites the fuel tank in a Zhukov Heavy Tank while our Javelin does the same to their SRM Carrier. Fire from another Shrek nails the H of my Locust in Cinq company and the MechWarrior has died and it falls to the ground, headless. An ultra AC20 has blasted two sides on their Saladin Assault Hover Tank. It falls from the AC20 plus other damage and took more than 80 damage this turn. Our Zeus kicks and immobilizes a second Saladin - they have four it seems. Meanwhile, our Wasp and Vulcan combine o kick and destroy the front side of their AC2 Carrier.


We radio them that we have been contracted by this world’s government to free them from the Duchy, and that this is not a raid. If they stand down, we will allow them to keep their remaining vehicles that are still operational, they can free their friends from the immobilized tanks wee claim, and we will allow them free passage off the planet. After consideration, they agree

[Abe Sargent]

Missing sides – Partisan, Chevalier, Saladin, AC2 Carrier.


Rommel with Gauss, immobilized
Schrek immobilized
LRM Carrier, dead crew
Chevalier immobilized
Typhoon immobilized
Saladin immobilized


Hunchback RA, LA, H, RL

Comet missing RT, RL
Locust missing H

Level Up:

Defender Company, Brysan Abasi in the Thor, gains Jumping Jack – only -1 to fire when jumping.

Cinq Company

Hunchback replaced by Buccaneer

Dead pilot in Locust replaced by Angela Herrera, veteran

[Abe Sargent]

At the second battle, with a full battalion on their forces, we crush them easily in similar fashion. Here, we agreed to let them keep their salvage since we took virtually no damage from the quick and powerful attack.




Meanwhile Dart Company manages to tie them down. We fly over our battalion from the second battle, because they are the closet , and unload them, and surrounded this company, but we do not advance into weapons range or make any aggressive move. With 35 mechs in your face and 12 fighters overhead, if they make no aggressive move, you make none back., We await results from the first battle…

[Abe Sargent]

Myth Battalion unloads Typhon Company, an elite unit, to launch the attack on their company, as listed.

Typhon’s scout lance moves in and engages theirs.


Us


PXH-1K Phoenix Hawk
GHR-5N Grasshopper
JR7-F Jenner
OTT-7J Ostscout


Them

Locust
Commando
Vulcan
Spider

All low tech mechs


We begin on one of the many city maps.

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 1 – We win init. Only our Grasshopper sees one of their mechs after leaping over a few buildings and onto a major lane. It fires at their Commando but mostly misses.


Turn 2 – We lose init. We charge out from various lanes to converge onto their road. They move in a Spider to assist. Our Jenner and PXH damage their Commando badly, but ti remains standing. It’s internal in three places.

Turn 3 – We lose init. Their Commando flees but we hop the Ostscout to it. In runs into their other two mechs. Meanwhile, we converge on their Spider. We deal a little edamge eto the Spide,r since it jumped again, and they deal a little damage to out Osty. But it kicks and destroys the RL of their Commando.

Turn 4 – We lose init. They move their Spider back out of this lane to the north. We follow. Our Ostscout moves away but our PXH arrives at the Commando. It tries to stand, fails, and falls down facing away from the PXH. Weapons fire lances into the damaged Commando’s torso from the PXH and hits the ammo and it explodes. Meanwhile, our Grasshopper destroys the RA of their Vulcan. Then it kicks and hits a foot actuator in the mech, but its still up

With one mech down, the scouts flee back to base as expected


Commando RA, LA

[Abe Sargent]

We roll dice, and they fall into our trap. The other eight mechs of the company move out after getting radio chatter about the battle, and walk right into our ambush. In seconds, we have destroyed the RA of two mechs and moved out on them from both sides of the deserted street. We trigger an attack on the ammo we hid underneath the bulwark, and it crumbles. The ground collapses underneath them. We radio them to stay there pending orders, because we are here to retake the planet in the name of the Ingress government, so we are rightfully and legally here. We are also in healthy mechs. We will destroy them if they move.

They stand still.


Meanwhile, the other three companies in Myth Battalion have arrived at Fort Foster. We order our units up. They blow through the doors here – two entrances to this larger Fort, and each one has 18 mechs move in.

Our foes have aligned across the wall with a variety of tanks in smooth formation. Their CO radios us. It appears that our radio broadcast to the mech company in the street was heard. They want to talk about it.

After a half hour negotiating with lawyers, local authorities and us it appears that their contract was not with the Duchy of Small but with Ingress technically. That means their contract runs through the end of 3059 still, for garrison. The government of Ingress has formally requested that they stand down, and they order all forces on planet to do so. Meanwhile, seeing that the battle has been won, the two companies of mechs are captured, the mechs are turned over to the growing military on Capolla, and we give back to The Furies the tanks we salvaged in the other battles. They last about fourteen tanks total, and can salvage roughly eight of that number. We agree to take over their contract, extend it by a year, and send a few tanks from our garrison to cover their losses as payment for their new deal.

In order to keep Alpha Regiment as one fighting unit, Braham orders Ganges Battalion of Beta Regiment here to help garrison the world for a while. Dart Company will stay here as well for now.



End of the Ingress Campaign





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