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

[Abe Sargent]

The other hot landing is a protestation against Utopia Company.

Here they are:


Jackal
Tempest
War Dog
WHM-7M Warhammer
CDA-3M Cicada
Her-4M Hermes
GRF-3M Griffin
STK-5M Stalker
LGB-7V Longbow
Anvil
CN9-D Centurion
HBK-5M Hunchback


This is their War Dog, a 75 ton heavy mech with 4/6 movement via an XL engine, about a ton shy of max ferro fib armor, 10/20 heat sinks, Guardian ECM suite and Anti-Missile System, 2x SRM2 streak One shots, gauss rifle, large pulse laser, two medium pulse laser and a small pulse to the rear.

[Abe Sargent]

Same ground as before


Turn 1 – I deploy my long range mechs on a ridge at the top in front of level 2 hill on a level 1. We lose init. I go prone with the Comet by my long range mechs, and will pop up and harass anyone who comes by. I move my BattleMaster down the hill in the middle, followed by a few other mechs, in hope of absorbing their fire. We target their Longbow with our fire support mechs. Our others target their War Dog. Our Warhammer smashes the H of their Longbow with an ER PPC and goes internal. An LRM 65 from the Griffin IIc nails the H and finishes it. Our BattleMaster tumbles.


Turn 2 – With an assault mech dead, they began to move off and will only last one more turn. We lose init. We manipulate our Axman behind their Centurion. Our BM rises, and moves next to and above their War Dog. Bumblebee adjacent to and above their Tempest. I go overheat to unload on the centurion’s Rea with my Axman. My fire support mechs concentrate their long range weaponry on their Hermes and their short range ones on the Griffin that jumped near them. An AC20 blasts the Centurions left torso rear and destroys it – it shuts down. Their Tempest destroys the RA of our BattleMaster – our Warhammer carves the gyro once on their Hermes. Our BM falls. Their Hermes tumbles and smashes its gyro and engine once each and is down. Their Tempest falls, but not the War Dog I wanted to end. Or that Griffin. Still, we finished three mechs, despite a savaged War Dog.

[Abe Sargent]

Longbow, missing H
Centurion missing LT.
Hermes, gyrox2, engine x1

BattleMaster missing RA

We are able to replace the arm, but it will take at least a week.


We have secured our landing spot and are about ten miles from the Lancers’ camp.

[Abe Sargent]

March 27 – Because of our arrival, the Lancers have backed off and Col Ward’s Shadow Company arrives in Krist to discuss with the Duke and General up close. The Fury Unbound has left orbit and moves back to the jump point, but Catapult Company is still here. The city has had makeshift barricades built around it, and the populace largely evacuated. We convince them to move their headquarters elsewhere to prevent further damage to the city. We will keep them from moving to attack them in a weaker position until they fortify. They will start moving out tomorrow.


April 2 – Krist is now fully evacuated, and we have set up pre-fabricated headquarters. We almost had a battle between scout units, but it was not to be.

April 3 – We launch a secret attack at night against their base. Conner Ward slips into our surprise – the Exterminator, vintage star league, with stealth armor that prevents heat, metal and electronic signatures. It must be visually seen to be detected and attacked. Today is normally bright, but with storm clouds, it’s very dark.

Conner moves out and hits their local pickets. He tries to slip past them and…it works. They do not detect him. We have Catapult Company on standby to assist, in case it’s needed. Conner Ward arrives at the boundaries of their encampment, where they have a lot more than just pickets guarding. They have mines around their base, which the locals discovered a few times. We have to avoid the mines, because an explosion obviously gives us away.

The Exterminator slips into the area believed to be mined, and careful analysis of the ground before moving will hopefully keep the mech from hitting a mine. A few are avoided and he slips past them. The final boundary is a scout lance, but dropping to the ground behind a small hill and waiting twenty minutes until there are far away gets him in.

We have three targets. Slipping off Conner are one full group of men in Kage Battle Armor. This stealth power armor allows the infantry to penetrate the compound further. They place bombs at the nearby fuel depot and by a pair of jeeps. They return, and take up position on the Exterminator again. Conner moves quietly to near the building we believe is the ammo supply and storage warehouse. In one barrage, he launches fire into it and the infantry trigger the explosives. Immediately, three explosions rock the place, a jeep ,the fuel tank, and this warehouse, which was wrong – no ammo, just food. Conner walks his fire to a car and a Savannah Master and destroys them before jumping twice and getting out of their compound. They never find him nor the Kage power armored folks and the mission is a success.

[Abe Sargent]

Later that day, we push a company of mechs towards their compound – the powerful Sealion Company. It’s almost completely elite, and heavily clan tech. We is loaded for bear.

With our company moving forward, the Lancers send out a battalion of troops to outnumber us. We use the longer range weapons to snipe them before they can arrive at us, and they cringe back. Catapult Company arrives to shoot them back, and with most of their fighters destroyed, they don’t risk the last couple. A few long range weapons carve into the fighters, but little damage is done.

After that, Sealion begins a cautious retreat. Smelling blood and assured of success in numbers, they move forward, but cautiously, fearing a trap such as mines or ambush. Instead, neither are planned and Sealion manages to keep sniping at them just with energy weapons which they cannot retaliate. We are not wasting ammo on this exchange of gauss or LRMs. AN ERPPC from the Masakari stabs and destroys an arm from a defending mech and an ER Large laser from the Mad Cat lances a leg open and hits a hip actuator and the mech falls. Their cautious nature is costing them a lot of armor.

After five minutes of this, they have to make a difficult decision. Close and try to overwhelm our better mechs and pilots? Or retreat and concede in the face of this? An ER PPC from the Marauder IIc as a glancing blow off the head off a Grand Titan and almost killing it forces them to stop and slowly retreat. Without using any ammo, we have done a lot of damage to our foe.

[Abe Sargent]

April 7 – Our next plan to throw them is to prepare a trap. We mine a hill with the use of local mines from the planet. We leave open one line up each side of the hill and from the top, a mech that can just seven hexes can jump to the top without triggering any issues. We create an ad hoc scout lance with the Dragonfly, Assassin, Spider and Spider. This lance will get our foes to go up the hill and blast themselves. We pretend to be scouting as a normal scout lance, and run into once of theirs. We fire a little fire, take some light damage, and then flee. As we don, we run and jump up the hill and spin to make a new stand. Two are upset by the battle two days ago and follow, but two others hold up and don’t chase. The two chasing us hit several mines and each falls legs. We lance fire into the other two scout mechs and they are forced to retreat. The other two are captured and turned over to our techs.


Locust, missing RL
Jackal, hipx2, footx1

[Abe Sargent]

April 10 – They send out a sortie of a battalion, but are forced to retreat when we send out a battalion plus Utopia and Weston on a pincer attack. We place bombs on the fighters of Cat Company and send them out to bomb their base while the battalion is still out. We bomb their camp. We lose a fighter from Catapult Company, but dealt a lot of damage to them.


April 13 – After some minor feints, it appears our foes have had enough and are picking up camp and moving farther away. They ignore our attempts at communication to see if they wanted to surrender and get free passage from Epsilon Indi. We would grant that to them anytime. We want to strike while they are moving, but surprisingly, they have gathered themselves vey smartly. A couple of extreme range strafes by Catapult Company comes to naught. We are just reminding them that we are still here. At night, Conner Ward strikes with the Exterminator and the Kage are set up outside of camp and sneak in while he arrives on the other edge. He launches fire at a few tents and wakes everybody up. After retreating into the darkness, the Kage power armored infantry penetrate their camp, set several explosions in the area, and retreat. No major things are blown up, just a few trucks, a giant water purifier, and those sorts of things. We also killed the guards at a few places, and perhaps eight or ten enemy troops were taken out.


April 14 – While moving even more, we move our entire regiment out to harass them. We again bring in clan mechs with long range fire, but they dispatch a battalion at the end of their convoy and camp it there on the top of a hill. They can hit us from the elevated position, and they sit there while the convoy moves further away. We consider a full attack by all eight companies, but hold off, and fly Catapult Company over to attack the convoy by air. This forces them off the hill to head back as one truck is destroyed in the first pass, with their defenders spread out too much they have left holes in their defense . We wait until their battalion is off the hill before moving, but it has taken too long and we are unable to harass the convoy further. At night, they have apparently discovered large lights and set up a perimeter to protect them against further infiltrations.


April 15 – They head out very early, well before dawn, and keep moving. They stop around noon and set up camp at the valley between two hills and begin to establish a new camp. It’s well defended with the hills nestling their camp well.

[Abe Sargent]

April 17 – The local government has dispatched all of their mechs, a battalion of level one mechs like Wasps, Locust, Stingers, Javelins, Valkyries, JagerMechs, Enforcers, Crusaders, and more. They hold up at a location about ten miles from the enemy’s camp. We are going to try and attack en masse and force them to leave out the end of the valley, and at that end are the local mechs, powered down and hidden among rocks, hills, caves and bushes and trees. If we had some of our troops there they would suspect a trick. We march our entire regiment forward. Sealion takes point and they move out two battalions to face our eight companies – that’s bad math in their favor. They try to flank their third battalion to our left, but Catapult Company fires and forces them back to the pat. The other two battalions wait until the third one is here. We split up into battalions, with Utopia and Weston moving up to support Bruiser on the left, Shadow to assist Sealion in the middle, Armor Battalion on the right with Aegis, Shield and Chainmail companies. We have our two strongest companies in the middle, against an entire battalion. By giving our foe those odds, we are inviting them to move in. Surely our foe will want to move in an entire battalion against our two companies, right?


They do. Because these two companies are in front, we are fighting first. This flank will determine what happens with the rest of this battle.


Shadow Company and Sealion Company are listed below, not in that order


Mad Cat Prime
Masakari Prime
Grizzly
GHR-5J Grasshopper

Marauder Iic
ARC-2R Archer
CRD-4K Crusader
Galahad

Shadow Hawk Iic
Griffin Iic
Dragonfly A
LCT-1E Locust


ON1-AbeC Orion
HGN-732 Highlander
ST-8A Shootist
FLS-8K Flashman

Zeu-9S Zeus
GAL-1GLS Gallowglas
APL-1M Apollo
GRN-D-01 Grand Crusader

LNX-9Q Lynx
PXH-1b Phoenix Hawk
STY-2C Starslayer
TLN-5W Talon

Elementals
Elementals


Shadow has two sets of Elementals, and they are in this battle. Conner Ward himself is involved in this battle. Here is our opposing battalion of mechs. Get ready. We are doing this by weight, from assault down to light in that order.


Grand Titan
Albatross
CP-11-A Cyclops
BLR-3M BattleMaster
Cerberus
AWS-9M Awesomex2
VTR-9K Victor
GOL-3M Goliath

GHR-5J Grasshopper
CTF-3L Cataphract
CRD-5M Crusaderx2
Anvilx2
ARC-4M Archer
OTL-5M Ostsol
QKD-5M Quickdraw
RFL-5M Rifleman
TDR-7M Thunderbolt
Hercules


Apollox2
BJ-2 Blackjack
WVR-7M Wolverine
CDA-3M Cicadax2
HBK-5M Hunchback
Huron Warrior
PXH-3M Phoenix Hawk


WSP-3M Wasp
STG-5M Stinger
Battle Hawkx2
SDR-7M Spider
Hammerx2


They have 36 mechs against our 24. We also have two points of battle armor in the Elementals.

This is their Grand Titan, a 100 mech made just a few years ago. With the aid of an XPL engine, it move 4/6, 288 points of armor out of a max possible 307, 12/24 heat dispersal, an anti missile system, an LRM 15 and two SRM6 with Artemis IV, two large pulse lasers, two medium pulse lasers and two small pulse lasers facing the rear. For all of it size and ferocity, it features the weapons load and speed of a 70 tons mech. I don’t rate them highly. (They are also super expensive – this one mech is worth 30 million CBills. You can outfit a whole lance with care for that price)

[Abe Sargent]

This battle is fought on a 24x24 map instead of the normal sized one. We create a map with low elevation, low rough, and low woods. We begin on the west, and they on the east. We have never fought a battle this big before, and we are outnumbered 3:2, but we have a ton of clan mechs, (Eight total) and virtually all elite pilots (As a reminder, Shadow was made to be that Black Widow Company style unit, and Sealion followed). With a bigger map and a ton of units involved, this is going to be a major battle. But recall that our foe does not like a lot o flosses, and may run sooner than others.


Turn 1 – I set up in order to move my mechs into cover or smashing through, as needed. We win init without having to use tactical genius. I take up some camping nests for mechs such as the Apollo, Galahad and Archer. They are moving their scout mechs to our smash forces in the south. Our Northern Forces focus fire on their grand Titan, and our South group on their Huron Warrior. A few of our mechs take attacks of opportunity on other folks. For example, our Mad Cat unloads on a Battle Hawk and our Archer on a Spider. They focus fire on our Apollo. Our Marauder IIc hits the engine on their H Warrior. Our Lynx destroys its LA. The Zeus nails its engine again and then blows up the LT and it shuts down.


Turn 2 – We win init after using tactical genius. A few of their snipers – Rifleman and Apollo and such set up sniping posts as well. They are moving up heavy elements against our fire support mechs in the north, such as Albatross, BattleMaster and Grand Titan. I have my Elementals blocking as well as some medium mechs like the Starslayer and Phoenix Hawk running interference. I leap my PXH next to their G Titan and above it. I also hop our Lynx above and adjacent to their stinger. Our smash mechs focus fire on a few scout scout mechs hopping towards us. In the north, many of our mechs have moved to the Rifleman. Our Masakari destroys the RT and LT of their spider. And nails the engine. Our Mad Cat blasts the RA of their Wasp. Our Grizzly follows by destroying the Wasp’s CT. The Wasp’s engine fails and destroys the Spider’s CT. Our Orion destroys the RT of their Battle Hawk and it shuts down. Their Grand Titan and Rifleman tumble. Despite taking more than 80 damage, our Lynx remains upright. I misses a kick on their Stinger though.


Turn 3 – Despite us taking out a few mechs that turn, they were all light mechs and don’t change things much. The lancers are still moving forward. We win init without use of tgen. Their Rifleman stands okay. Heavier mechs charge us on the south, such as Hunchback, both Awesomes and Victor. The Grand Titan rises as well. I leap our Lynx back into woods to keep it from any more danger. They move their Albatross, Grasshopper, G Titan and BM into our Elementals guarding our fire support mechs. Our Shadow Hawk IIc bases their phoenix hawk. Other mechs charging me in the north are an Anvil, Cataphract, Wolverine and Battle Hawk. I hop my Dragonfly over to assist, next to their Albatross. Our Grasshopper moves in as well, and I add the starslayer to it and the Griffin IIc moves just two hexes from their G Titan and three from the Albatross. In the south, an Awesome is the focus of our fire. In the north it’s the Rifelman again and the Cataphract and others as targets are available. My Dragonfly goes overheat on their Grand Titan after other mechs blast it. Even our Elementals blast it. Their Awesome gets a limb blown off crit on the Masakari;s RA. Our Gallowglas hits the engine on an Awesome. Pour Orion hit sthe gyron on it twice and its down. Then our Grizzly destroys its LT and it shuts down with engine hits. Our Dragonlfy finds the SRM ammo on their G Titan and the RT goes up, protected by CASE< but the mech shuts down with the XL engine. The engine has a cascading failure, and hits many adjacent mechs including many of our own. One part hit sthe Albatross in the head for 5 damage. Our Starslayer also destroyed the RL on the G Titan. An ER PPC from our Talon lances forth and destroys their Rifleman’s RA and nails its engine twice. Our Apollo hits the engine a third time and the Rifleman shuts down. Their Albatross falls. No major damage from kicks

With us destroying 7 of their mechs, and having none of ours in exchange, they pull back and we let them go.

[Abe Sargent]

Huron Warrior missing LT, LA
Battle Hawk missing RT
Awesome, gyrox2, enginex1, missing LT
Grand Titan, missing RT, RL
Rifleman, missing RA, enginex3

Wasp, H, RT, LT, LA, LL, Rl
Spider, RA, LA, H,, LL, RL


Masakari – reattach RA

[Abe Sargent]

As our foe melts away, the other two battalions of the Lancers also fade, instead of engaging the flanks. We push them, and move them into their base, and they keep retreating in an orderly fashion. We push them past the base, and as they move further out, the mechs of the local forces warm out, and start blasting them. They hit and destroy four enemy mechs before they can mobilize. Catapult Company flies in to help protect them from a charge. With us in their rear, they cannot afford to get bogged down attacking the ambushers, so they flee down the river between them. Another few mechs are legged or destroyed by the planet’s defenders or Catapult Company and our foes have lost about 15 or 16 mechs today. With the losses in previous battles with us, they are down about two companies now. The planet gets their mechs from the ambush to replace attrition from the war they have been fighting for months.


April 20 – They set up camp fifty miles away, but without many of the supplies from the camp we captured, time is running out for the Lancers. They lost supplies, armor, food, and more. They have lost two companies out of nine. They have lost men, mechs, and every battle. We don’t believe it will be long before they will surrender. This is a group that likes long, defensive campaigns, and not losing a lot of materiel.

[Abe Sargent]

April 22 – The Fury Unbound has arrived again, after the Sirius and Procyon battles are over. 40 fighters, plus Catapult Company, bomb and strafe their camp at night. As the morning lifts, Kage Battle Armor scouts discover that we took out at least seven of their mechs and much of their remaining supplies.

After a night of bombardment, and with the promise of future ones. The Lancers radio their surrender. We allow them to leave the planet peacefully and to return to Capellan Space.

What we gained:


Stinger H, LT, RT, LA, RA, LL, RL
Wasp, H, RT, LT, LA, LL, Rl
Spider, RA, LA, H,, LL, RL


Albatross, missing LT
Atlas, missing RT.
Phoenix Hawk, missing LA, LT
Battle Hawk, missing RT, repair gyro, engine
Orion, missing RT, RL, LA
Longbow, missing H
Centurion missing LT.
Hermes, gyrox2, engine x1
Locust, missing RL
Jackal, hipx2, footx1
Huron Warrior missing LT, LA
Battle Hawk missing RT
Awesome, gyrox2, enginex1, missing LT
Grand Titan, missing RT, RL
Rifleman, missing RA, enginex3


We replace our Stinger with another from our garrison.

So, we gain 15 mechs, all level 2 mechs.


The forces on planet can finish the job against the local Liao infantry. Duke Abraham contacts Duke Essex, and admits that he and Epsilon Indi, will not be joining the Celestial Coalition. They will be going independent. Our troops will leave and return and be ready for action May 15.



End of the First Epsilon Indi Campaign




.

[Abe Sargent]

Back to the regular campaign.


March 1 – We agree to terms with a mercenary contract on Outreach. We have hired Smithson’s Chinese Bandits. This unit was just decimated on the nearby world of Nanking, captured a lot of materiel on the way out, and jumped off planet. Then Thomas Marik refused to refit their captured mechs to replenish their forces. He gave them some refit packages and XL engines and cancelled their contract. They arrived on Outreach and were forced to trade an Overlord DropShip to the Dragoons for a company of IS OmniMechs, and two companies of upgraded mechs. He gave the field refits to more than 100 soldiers, and his two regiment commend was reduced to two battalions, four fighters, a company of infantry and still three Overlords, one more than they need. We have agreed to take on a large number of ex-Chinese Bandits to fill our ranks with the empty mechs we have. Meanwhile, the Celestial Coalition is hiring the Chinese Bandits for a two year garrison deal for Terra Firma. They are rated A- on the Dragoons rating, and are a very high quality unit, that needs some time to refit, repair, get used to being just two battalions, and more.


Not all ex-Bandits agree to come to our unit, but many see us as the best option of many choices. They have field refit kits to help them get employment with various merc units, but we don’t need them, and give them back to the Bandits.

[Abe Sargent]

Our new units:

(Includes mechs from the Epsilon Indi campaign, and thus will not be up and ready until May 15, 3058 You can see we are continuing to use the mechs we found from the Star League)


Bandit Company


AS7-K Atlas, Lt. Mena Kuang
DRG-5N Dragon, Harvey Masruq
STC-2D Striker, Janghyun Sankrant
Hatchetman, Carly Dahl

LGB-7V Longbow, Sgt. Corneles Pruvost
WHM-7S Warhammer, Nyla Martínez
VND-3L Vindicator, Marc D'Isles
Gunslinger, Virginia Pitti

ALX-1kc Alexander, Sgt. Wrocislawa Zelenohorskyj
VLK-QD Valkyrie, Manchu Hu
WVE-5N Wyvern, Isaac MacKintosh
BUM-1 Bumblebee, Vlasta Benda


All former Bandits are veteran. Hatchetman is level 1 tech.

[Abe Sargent]

Kevlar Company


Behemoth, Lt. Cornel Comaneci
Phoenix Hawk IIc, Callan Stötzer
Thunder, Mejin Izvitsky
KTO-19 Kintaro, Hung Tsou

AWS-9M Awesome,Sgt. Reba Bunescu
WHM-7A Warhammer, Brad Helton
TBT-7M Trebuchet, Norma bin Dhul Fiqar
EXC-B2 Excalibur, Jean-Philippe Legrand

ALX-1kc Alexander,Sgt. Ahomana Horesa
Sentry, Lois Turczany
PXH-3M Phoenix Hawk, James Dharr
BUM-1 Bumblebee, Mejin Kwon


Behemoth and PHX IIc are clan mechs.

[Abe Sargent]

Iron Company

Guillotine Iic, Capt. Andrey Vihorev
CGR-1A5 Charger, Kuana Suzuki
ON1-M Orion, Kyung-Soon Kim
KGC-000 King Crab, Nira Umar Khel

Mad Cat Prime, Sgt. Oscar Theyer
EXC-B2 Excalibur, Jon Aga
DV-7D Dervish, Ema Richardson
GOL-3M Goliath, Evangeline Morishita

ALX-1kc Alexander, Sgt. Harley Sergeant
Shadow Hawk IIc, Lucy Quenery
CLNT-2-3U Clint, Fergus Kaisaris
CMT-1 Comet, Tähti Noronen


The Shadow Hawk IIc, Guillotine Iic and Mad Cat are clan mechs. The Charger and Comet are level 1 mech 2.

These companies are moving to Delta Regiment, and Shadow Battalion is moving back out. Conner ward remains at Delta Regiment though. We offered to have all of their unit join us, and incorporate their two battalions along with more than 100 MWs that were disposed and just add tow regiments to our force but they wanted to keep their independence, which we understood.. About one third of their dispossessed MWs joined us and gained mechs again.


On Terra Firma will remain Brawler Company, the infantry and tanks. Flame Battalion will return on April 30 from there.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT March 7 – Word of Blake has gained control of all of the Terra system, save for the Titan Ship yards., which remain under ComStar control. ComStar will not assault Terra, because they are focused on the clan threat and fighting clans.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT March 15, 3058 – A giant Jade Falcon force arrives at the major industrial world of Coventry, and the Coventry Campaign begins. With countless troops on both sides, this Campaign bogs down into many battles. Both sides pump in more troops over the early stages of the campaign, defending troops move to a guerrilla campaign until reinforcements arrive.

[Abe Sargent]

March 23 – After learning about yet another defeat from us, Sun-Tzu Liao has decided to take matters into his own hand, and has hired a mercenary unit to attack Capolla to try and retake the planet, and if not, to deal us some serious damage.

[Abe Sargent]

Beginning of the Second Capolla Campaign



A regiment of troops and another of vehicles have secured a landing and arrived at Capolla. On planet we have six companies of mechs plus various infantry and the force we were building for the local planet. We tell that force to keep things calm and quiet on their end, while we will handle the mechs. We send a message via the HPG station for aid. And get ready to play defense for a while until aid gets here – which won’t take that long when you are one jump away.

Expecting us to wait for reinforcements, they decide to hit us quickly. Amazon battalion is about three hours from their landing site, and both regiments begin moving toward us. Knowing that we are the target, and not the local planet, we inform the local authorities that we are moving to prevent any damage to the infrastructure or people.


After an hour, we are in the hills about one hour north of our original position, and this enabled them to close to within two and a half hours. We continue and soon we are one hour away from them, and four hours from the city we were at. Night falls, and both units hole up for the evening.

[Abe Sargent]

March 24 – Meanwhile, the other battalion gets airlifted to near us, and then we begin to move out predawn. Now that we have put enough space between us and the mercs, we move in the opposite direction. The regiment of vehicles stays behind so that they can keep up with us over these hills with mechs.

They combine several scout units together that are faster than our slowest mechs ad speed up to harass us. If we turn and fight, it will take too long and we will get caught, one battalion to an entire regiment. We have no choice but to do the same. They have every scout lance, so nine lances of mechs, plus a few faster mechs in other areas, so about 30-35 mechs closing down. Sure , our heavy and fire support mechs would cut them down in a slugfest. But right now, we have a speeding unit about the same size as ours and if we turn, then the other two thirds of their unit will smash us.

The only way we can get out is to slow down their scouts, and there is only one way to do so. We need to dispatch some mechs as a rearguard to secure our exit. If we send out some scouts of our own they will get massively overwhelmed. We have one option – to drop some mechs significant enough to scare them off and force them to face them. It’s a suicide mission, because whoever is given it, will get destroyed and captured.

Mustang, Hex, Raven Company. We decide to send units from Hex Company back as a rear guard. Just four will be quickly circled around, so we have to send back eight mechs to keep them back.

ON1-K Orion
BNC-3E Banshee
WTH-1 Whitworth
ENF-4R Enforcer

SDR-5V Spider
PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk
CMT-1 Comet
COM-2D Commando

Those are the scouts and fire support mechs of Hex Company. The other lance will continue. The goal of this stand is to destroy and delay our foes as long as possible. If possible, a fast mech such as Spider or Phoenix Hawk could manage to get away if the mission is successful.

[Abe Sargent]

Hex’s Final Stand


Our foes are many and varied. Just assume that we are facing 30 light and medium scout and scout-ish mechs, and no list will be given.

Hex Company has been with us a long time, and it includes the Fehr twins, Marsha and Mara, plus many others.

We will fight until destroyed. Any salvage is given to our enemies, and that includes our own. There is no reason to eject from a fighting mech to surrender. We have 33 enemies from Shadow Hawks and Griffins down to Darts, Locusts and Hermes. They are about half level 1 mechs and half level 2 ones. We begin in the north and they in the south.

This sacrifice play will only work if we hold out for at least SEVEN turns. Otherwise, they blow through us and manage to catch up with the main group.

We are fighting on the general BattleTech map that came with the game I like to pull it our every so often. Here it is:




(This is the later fancier version of the one I played on and still have)

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 1 – We lose init. I set up in the two corners, the Banshee and Orion in the woods and the others in the hills. I move my Commando behind a level two hill to hide it and keep some of my guys in sniping positions and hop my Enforcer to a heavy woods for another place to camp. A Dart of theirs falls when walking backwards. Our Orion destroys the LA of a Commando. Our Whitworth nails the Commando’s armor and it blows up. One mech killed. They focus a lot of fire on my Comet, but mostly miss. Their Enforcer sets a fire in the heavy woods hex that our Banshee its it – this is okay, we can take the extra heat, because it only makes 11 heat but has 16 heat sinks for some reason, so we can take it. I’s good because it put smoke in the Orion’s Hex, so it makes it harder to hit that mech if they want to fire at it.

Turn 2 – We lose init. A group of fast mechs, such as Locusts and Cicadas charges our Banshee and orion’s position. A Dart runs above and adjacent to my Enforcer. Some of their mechs move into the water int eh middle of the map No failed piloting skills for them this time. 5 heat is made for staying in a fire, so my Banshee can fire the PPc and AC5 with ease and still be cool. A lot of their fire goes the Whitworth;s turn. Our Enforcer unloads on the adjacent Dart and destroys its RL and it falls.


Turn 3 – We lose init again. The smoke and fire are spreading. The Dart can’t stand, but when it falls, it falls down facing the Enforcer, so it can fire at him from close range with its Pulse Lasers. Two Locust base my Banshee. Our PXH hops over ot help, basing two Locusts. Our Spider moves over and bases one too. A Wasp bases th Enforcer. I run my Commando out to help. Our Orion destroys the LA and LT of a Locust. Our Whitworth the LA of a Wasp. Our Banshee hit sthe hip of another Locust. Our Enforcer the LA of the Wasp that based it. Our Banshee kicks, destroys the LL, goes internal, and this the engine once and gyro twice of a Locust. Our Enforcer kicks and destroys the LL of a Wasp. Our Spider punches and destroys the RA on a Locust. Four of their mechs fall.


Turn 4 – We lose init. More of their mechs swarm up to us. A Dart bases the Banshee, an Assassin jumps up, etc. A Dart fails to stand, and the mech’s pilot passes out in the fall. Our Whitworth is reeling. A Hitman bases the Banshee. I move my Orion from behind the Banshee to its left, where there is no smoke or fire. Some severely damaged mechs retreat and others take their place. A Cicada bases my Enforcer. Their Wasp right next to it does not stand. A Hermes moves in and bases it too. A Locust moves in to base my Orion. My Commando moves up to it and bases it . I hop my Comet over to assist the Enforcer. Our Banshee destroys the LA of a Jenner. Our Whitworth hits the gyro on one of the injured Wasps, and destroys its LA. Their Jenner destroys the RA of our Banshee. Our Enforcer destroys the LA and his the gyro on their Hermes. Our Comet destroys the RT and hits the engine onf their downed Wasp. Our Commando destroys the CT of their Locust that based our Orion. Their Dervish blasts the LT of our Whitworth. Our Enforcer falls, as does their Wasp and Hermes. Their Cicada kicks and hit the large laser on my Enforcer. Our Comet kicks and destroys the CT of their damaged Wasp. The engine blows up on the Wasp. It destroys our Whitworth, smashes the engine on their Hermes twice and Dart twice, Our PXH legs a Locust and it tumbles, as does their Hitman for being kicked. Our Enforcer hits their Cicada with a jump jet attack from the ground.


Turn 5 – We finally win init. Their badly damaged Wasp cannot rise and falls back down. Our Enforcer gets up and spins. A Stinger jumps in and bases the Enforcer where the now destroyed Wasp was. A locust bases my Orion. As does a Firestarter. Cicada bases the Banshee. Their Hermes tries to stand, fails and the pilot blacks out. Their Hitman rises. Hussar bases the Orion. They leap in a PXH next to the Enforcer. They replace their Dart with a Javelin next ot the Banshee. They leap their damaged Jenner next to my PXH. I leap my Spider back into the melee. I jump the Comet by their dart. My Enforcer tries to aim at the H of their Hermes. Their Cicada hits an leg actuator on our Banshee. Their PXH destroys the LA of my Enforcer. Our Orion destroys the RL of a Locust of some sort. Their Commando hits the engine twice of our Enforcer. Our Banshee hits the gyro once on a Hitman. Our PXH destroys the wounded Wasp’s CT. Our Spider hits the engine once on one of the billion of Locusts on the battlefield. Their Shadow hawk destroys our Enforcer’s CT. Our Banshee and the legged Locust tumble. Our Orion kicks and destroys a Locust’s H who is on the ground. Our Spider kicks and destroys the RT and hits the gyro once on a downed Locust.


Turn 6 – We lose init. Their Dart pilot awakens, but it can’t move. With the death of the Enforcer, one flank has fallen. A Locust fails to stand. As does their Hitman. Our Banshee rises. A Cicada moves to the spot of a dead Locust to base the Orion and Banshee. A Firestarter hops adjacent to our Commando. I hop our Spider to the space the Enforcer of ours was. I want to keep the mechs there busy for a turn. Our Spider succeeds where the encforcer failed and blasts the head off the their Hermes. Our commando destroys the LL and RA of their Hussar. Their PXH hits the hip of ours/. Their Hussar destroys its LA in the crash. Our PXH tumbles. Our Banshee kicks and destroys the RA of their Hitman. Our Spider kicks and destroys the RL of their Stinger. Their Jav punches, hits the H of our Banshee ,knocks the pilot unconscious, and it falls. Their STG destroys its LA in the fall.


Turn 7 – We must survive this turn in order to “win”. We win init. Their Stinger fails to rise. They aren’t even moving most of their mechs. Our PXH manages to stand. Smelling blood, they leap their PXH next to and above mine. They base me with their Commando too. I leap our Spider back ot the scrum. Their CDA hits the engine once on our Banshee. Another destroys its RL. Our Commando destroys theirs Hussars CT. Their Wolfhounds destroys the CT of our Banshee. Their PXH nails the H of ours and hits the life support. Their Firestarter destroys the LA of our Commando. One of their Shadow hawks destroys the LL of our PXH. Our Orion hits the gyro twice on their Firestarter and destroys its LL. Clearly, our PXH falls. Their CDA kicks and legs our Commando, and the damage travels to its torso, hits the ammo, and it explodes. The engine blows up, nails the Orion for 15 damage, and then sprays a bunch of their mechs., Destroys the LA of their Hitman, hits the hip of a Cicada, etc. Our Orion kicks and destroys the RL of another Cicada. Both Cicadas fall and one hits its gyro.


Turn 8 – We win init and have kept them away from our group long enough to keep them alive. Mechs basing my Orion include Locust, PXH, Wolfhound, Javelin,, Firestarter and many more. I hop my relatively unscathed Spider to the edge of the board, and hope to flee next turn. Their Jenner moves in on my downed PXH. I move our Comet next to the badly damaged Dart from long ago. Let’s see if we can’t finish off another mech before we go. Their Centurion moves up and bases my Comet. A Cicada hits the Orion;s ammo and it goes up. Our Orion, before it goes, destroys the CT of another Cicada and it is dead. Jenner destroys the LA of our PXh. Our Comet destroys he RA and RT of their Dart. The Jenner kicks and destroys the RT of our PXH ., Their Commando destroys its CT and it sis gone. Our Comet punches and destroys the Dart’s CT and it sis gone too. Their Centiurion’s kick destroys the RL of our Comet.


We flee with the Spider, they destroy the Comet, and we have lost seven mechs. The MWs have been captured. Five of our pilots leveled up, but we won’t be able to do that, until or unless we get those pilots back, such as via a POW prisoner exchange.



And just like that, we are down seven mechs on Capolla already. However, they are down a lot more. This was a very costly battle for them. Numerous mechs were legged, destroyed, and more. Some can get up pretty quickly. Many cannot. One of their warriors was killed, the pilot of the Hermes.

[Tellistto]

Revenge is going to be so sweet on these guys once the hammer comes down on them. Tough battle, but good result for the loss.

Tell

[Abe Sargent]

March 26 – They had to pull back due to the number of losses they encountered. Pushing forward would have been madness. This enabled us to put a lot of distance between them, and now we are joined by the other battalion. Because all of our mechs were left behind, all we had to fix was some minor armor stapling to the Spider which had taken less than 10 damage, and we were up and ready. It will take weeks to get all of their mechs fixed. Some are completely destroyed. Most of ours were as well, so they have little salvage to repair on our end.

We have set up a base just outside of a large mine complex, with two entrances to the base from trails along the mountain on each side, and a large mining complex behind us to retreat into if needed. It’s easy to defend, because both trails converge right at the front of our base, so we can defend the front more easily, and we have three routes of retreat to cover us. This mine is so important it has its own private DropPort.


March 31 – After some quiet days, a large force of the enemy arrives. It appears that they have sent all of their mechs that were either untouched in that earlier battle, such as Centurion, Shadow hawks, or Scorpion, or they were not in the battle. It appears to be about 80 mechs. Scouts tell us their tank regiment is moving in as well. We have 57 mechs. They clearly want to push us around before reinforcements arrive.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Tellistto

Revenge is going to be so sweet on these guys once the hammer comes down on them. Tough battle, but good result for the loss.

Tell

I hope so!

[Abe Sargent]

April 2 – With all of their available troops ready, they create two giant tongs. Each has a battalion of tanks and mechs. The rest of their troops have left, and my guess is that they are covering the two exists to the mine on the other side of the mountain or they are coming in. We head into the mine.

As we do, the mine branches off in various directions. We cannot keep all of our troops together, so we break off into smaller units. Once we have done that, we have companies and lances moving throughout the mine, and slowly moving towards the other exits. We have extensive maps of the mine from the locals, and we are not sure if they do or not. As we continue to move, several of our units run into our foes coming the opposite direction, and they have also splintered their vehicles and mechs into smaller units. We will be having several smaller battles in this mine.

For these battles, we will be using the Ishiyama maps. This is the arena for the Draconis Combine on Solaris VII, and it’s a giant fake mountain with fake tunnels and show running through. Here you can see what some of these look like:

[Abe Sargent]

Running almost smack into each other are Raven’s anvil company, scouting about sixty hexes ahead of the rest of the company, and an enemy unit. Here are our mechs:

ATA-2 Attila
HBK-4G Hunchback
BLR-1D BattleMaster
DRG-5N Dragon

We run into a bunch of vehicles moving through the mine. We’ll just ignore them for now. Here is our Dragon. The Attila pilot is elite, the Dragon regular, and the others vets.





Our foes are all regular. We begin on the south, and they on the north. We begin on smaller maps than normal to represent the metal in the mines preventing us from seeing each other until visual range is detected. They have 7 tanks.

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 1 – We lose init. Our first visual scan detects a Bulldog Medium Tank and a Harasser missile Platform. We carefully move in. A Plainsman Medium Hovertank moves in. Our BM moves p and spies a Von Luckner, another Plainsman, and Rhino. Their final tank moves up, a second Bulldog. Our Hunchy and B Master each reduce the movement on some tanks by one. The Attila falls and hits its hip.


Turn 2 – We win init. I run up our Hunchback to cover the fallen Attila. IT stands. Our Attila nails the fuel tank on their Bulldog and it explodes. An AC20 to the face immobilizes their Von Luckner. Our BattleMaster follows up and destroys the Von Luckner’s front side while machine gun fire from it destroys the Harasser’s turret and its down too.

With three tanks gone, our enemies leave. We roll and are able to salvage both vehicles:

Von Luckner, Harasser

We do not pursue because we don’t want to run into more trouble and our Attila is damaged.

[Abe Sargent]

The next battle is company wide. Laser Company smashes into a mixed force of mechs and tanks in the mines. Here is Laser, almost all regular:

ATA-1A Atilla
CTF-3D Cataphract
CTF-1X Cataphract
OSR-2C Ostroc

LGB-7Q Longbow
TBT-5n Trebuchet
GRF-1N Griffin
ARC-2K Archer

JVN-10N Javelin
LCT-1E Locust
CMD-2A Commando
SDR-5V Spider


Our foes entail eight mechs from a company that lost its scout lance, so heavier ones, and that has been supplemented by a lance of tanks.

Mechs –

CRD-4k Crusader *
STK-5M Stalker *
Victor
Hatchetman
Trebuchet
JagerMech
Orion
Marauder


Tanks –

Hetzer
J. Edgar Light Hover Tank
Pegasus Scout Hover Tank
Plainsman Hover Tank


We begin on the west, and they on the east. They have a lot of Plainsmans. Asterisks are level 2 mechs.



This is their Plainsman, a 35 ton hovertank made in the Taurian Concordant but sold in the Inner Sphere. It has 2 SRM6s and an SRM2

[Abe Sargent]

We are fighting over a large pit that opens up and we can see each other on each side. The Pit is about 6x6 hexes in the middle and goes down about four elevations.


Turn 1 – We win init, and on a 10x10 map, this is going to be very fast. I hop my Spider next to many of their fire support mechs in the back. My Jav hops in as well. We fire at their Jager and Orion. Our Longbow hits the JagerMech’s ammo and it explodes. A few of their mechs carve deeply into our Trebuchet. An AC20 from the Victor destroys the RA. Our Locust hits the head of their Stalker, smashes the cockpit, and slays the pilot inside. Their Hatchetman destroys the RT of our Trebuchet. One of our Cataphracts hit the gyro and hip on their Orion. An AC20 from their Hetzer destroys the LA of our Trebuchet. Both their Orion and our Trebuchet tumble. Our Javelin kicks and halves the movement on their Hetzer. Our Spider kicks their Trebuchet and it falls.

They shoot the ceiling over our Javelin, and then use the cover to leave, after losing two mechs in one turn, one by lucky Locust fire, and having serious damage to the Orion, plus a wounded Hetzer.


JagerMech - LA


Stalker, cockpit hit


Trebuchet, missing RA, RT, LA

[Abe Sargent]

Another battle begins with the remains of Hex Company run into an entire company of enemy mechs, and we flee immediately without any losses.


A fourth battle begins. Sabre Company’s scouting lance runs into the scout lance of one of our foes that survived the battle with Hex a few days ago.


Sabre Company –

Shadow Hawk Iic
Dasher D
JVN-10F Javelin
PXH-3k Phoenix Hawk



Them


ASN-23 Assassin *
Javelin
Phoenix Hawk
WLF-2 Wolfhound *


This is their Wolfhound

[Abe Sargent]

They in the west, us in the east. We are in a small cavern.


Turn 1 – We lose initiative. Our mechs move to their side. I hop our Shadow Hawk IIc by their Wolfhound. Their PXH bases my Dasher. I unload on their PXH, but only their Wolfhound falls. Kicks don’t do too much.


Turn 2 – We win init. I hop my Jav by theirs. Their Wolfie rises and our PXH moves to it but one level up. Our Dasher moves over to it as well and their PXH jumps to our Jav. Their Assassin destroys the RA of our Javelin. Our Shadow hawk IIc destroys the LT of their P Hawk. Their Wolfhound gets a RL blown off critical on our Dasher. Our PXh kicks punts and destroys the Wolfhound’s H. Our Jav punches the internal CT of their PXH twice but hits nothing.


Turn 3 – We win init. Their Assassin does not move, to try and kill the Dasher I assume. I jump the Shadow Hawk IIc over to it. Their Assassin hits the gyro once and engine twice on the mech. Our JHav hits the engine once on their PXH. Our Shadow Hawk Iic destroys the LT on their Assassin. Our dasher hits three leg actuators on it. It falls, and the IIc kicks it in the CT and destroys the mech. Their two remaining mechs jump away, and we are left with some damaged mechs of our own to nurse.

[Abe Sargent]

Repair us:

Javelin missing RA
Reattach Dasher RL, gyrox1, enginex2


Them:

Assassin H, RL, LL, RT, RA, LA

Wolfhound, missing H

[Abe Sargent]

Another battle begins when our Fire Support lance of this company, left behind as the others scouted, is surprised by a group of tanks.


Sabre:

Supernova
Galahad
Vulture Prime
Rifleman Iic

They have six tanks.

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 1 – Us on the north, they on the south. We are in a narrow two hex wide corridor that hits a T ahead. We win init. Our Supernova jumps out and discovers a Zhukov, Rommel and Plainsman. I run the Rifleman IIc to their Plainsman. Our Vulture does the same. A 2nd Plainsman moves in. I move my Galahad up to a sniping position. A Scimitar Medium Hover Tank moves up as well as a second Zhukov, so they have some heavy guys here. Our Supernova immobilizes and stuns the crew in their Rommel. Our Rifleman IIc destroys a Plainsman’s front. Our Galahad immobilizes the other. Our Supernova took 60 damage and fell.


The remaining tanks retreat. We have captured three tanks.

Gained - Plainsmanx2, Rommel

[Abe Sargent]

The last battle is a major one by the exit. A large force of a company of mechs and another of tanks is at the south exit of the mine. The north one is free, they must not have known about it, and many of our troops get out that way, but communication in and around the mine is weak at best. So we must face their force. We have congealed, and fully two and a half companies of mechs are ready to push out. As we move in, we begin to hit mines and their tanks push back at us. Four Shreks PPC Carrires and two AC2 Carriers, clearly chosen for this mission, begin to harass us at long range. Sabre Company got out the north. With exploding mines, a quickly weakening mine, and long range fire sniping at us, we are in a real world of hurt.

We can’t push forward. Their position is too strong, even with numbers. We pull back and as we do, we shoot some of the mines, and explode the walls, caving it in to prevent them from following any time soon

Our combined unit moves through the mine, and smashes aside a couple of tanks that flee from the engagement with Sabre Company. Soon, if we stay here too long, we’ll run into the advancing units from the other side. We have to make for the other exit here, which is luckily clean, and we meet up with the other force. We spend 15 minutes destroying the exit and move off, carrying, salvage, body parts, destroyed tanks, and wounded mechs.

[Abe Sargent]

Apr 5 – Our foes have switched strategies. It appears that they expect our reinforcements to arrive any time and have moved to a defensive plan until they arrive, to see how many we get. They have built a nice base in the mountains.


Apr 15 – Our reinforcements arrive. The Swift Justice WarShip has arrived in orbit, and it brought a few friends. In addition to bringing fighter support, it brought several units to help. All nine companies of Alpha Regiment have arrived. One company is still on Terra Firma. We also brought the other two units of Kage Battle Armor.

We now have one full regiment of mechs, two battalions of mechs minus the seven we lost, and massive amounts of aerial support. We should be able to blast our foes from this rock.

[Abe Sargent]

Apr 19 - Fighters reveal that our foes have moved deep into the mines in order to keep from being aerially attacked. We move a DropShip of troops over and capture their old base. We establish pickets at every exit of the mine with reports required every five minutes. The Kage armor penetrates the mines, trying to find them. The combination of the local metals plus the stealth armor in the units prevents them from being located down there save by sight. We set up boosters for communications to talk up, but if they are found, they are easily destroyed and give away out presence.


They discover the central smelting plant inside one of the mines. Ore moves there, is smelted, and then moves to cool and eventually moves out – it’s almost all automated. It has giant shafts that create a lot of light and space. They find at least half of the vehicles in here – about 50 all told. Only a handful of mechs are here, maybe a company total.

We have one squad keep spying while the other moves out to find more of our enemies. We set up two more communication boosters along the way. As we move in, we arrive at a large central relay, with the remaining forces it seems. They have established several maintenance bays for refitting, and they are stripping metal from various equipment to make into patchwork armor, barricades, and more. They are building an encampment down here. It would take us months to break through. We can only attack with small numbers of mechs at a time, and they could defend with a lot. After trying to smash through barricades, gun emplacements, explosives, and weapons fire from tanks and mechs. The tanks in the other room are bringing equipment from the mines over to use in their defense, guarded by the mechs. This just got really bad

There are three mines that connect to this mountain. On Capolla there are over 100 mines currently in operation. Duke Essex talks with the representatives from Capolla, and we are forced to make a major decision.

[Abe Sargent]

Apr 20 – We use the communication relays to open channels with the mercs below. They are listening, but not talking. Duke Essex informs them that they have one hour to surrender. IF they do, they will be allowed free passage off the planet back to Liao space, and we will exchange prisoners. Otherwise, we will destroy them completely in six hours.

After a few minutes, a person responds, and laughs at his proposal. How could we do such a thing? Clearly this is mere puffery. Duke Essex just calmly stares at the unknown person on the other side, and speaks two words. “Orbital Bombardment.”

The person looks a little less happy, but points out that only a capital WarShip has the guns and the ability to fire from orbit on the planet. Braham smiles, and agrees. He sends an order. Within five minutes, Captain Lewis of the WarShip sends a volley of naval class weaponry into the mountain. OIt shakes the communications.

“I will bring down the entire mountain on your heads. Or you can surrender. The terms still stand.”

Less than one hour later the mercs have emerged and prisoners are exchanged. They blast off Capolla and leave.

[Abe Sargent]

Hex Company:


BLR-1G BattleMaster
DRG-1G Grand Dragon
VND-1R Vindicator
KTO-18 Kintaro

STK-5M Stalker *
EXC-B2 Excalibur *
RFL-5M Rifleman *
TBT-5N Trebuchet

SDR-5V Spider
WLF-2 Wolfhound *
CMT-1 Comet
ALX-1kc Alexander *


All of the mechs we captured were put in here. We lost mechs in this campaign, we lost seven, and gained just the Wolfhound, Trebuchet and Stalker. The remaining four lost mechs were replaced from our garrison.



Levels up for Hex:

Angel Herrera, Stalker, now a 2/4 pilot
Sgt Jose Cortez, Excalibur, now elite
Sgt Natalie Bronson, Spider, gains Melee Specialist
Steve Ovango, Wolfhound, now veteran
Patricia Enckbayar, Comet, now elite


Alpha Regiment and the various units that arrived to help out will return to EE on May 12.



End of the Second Capolla Campaign






'

[Abe Sargent]

Rewind.


April 1, 3058 – Pirate raid from Byrant hits Terra Firma and steals from a local company and leaves.

Bryant was taken over by a local warlord, who has been sending his troops out on raids to Epsilon Indi, Keid, Terra Firma, New Home, and other planets. The pirate raids from Bryant have become an issue. Duke Essex assembles the Council of the Coalition, and they discuss answers. So far, Bryant has only been a minor issue to the Coalition, Indi and New Home are the major powers to suffer. Right now, it’s not an issue that bothers us. The planet is also rather poor. It has a subsistence level economy, and not much there.

The major future issue is the Duchy of Small. The Duke captured Ingress by sending a large number of troops and inviting them to join, and they’ve not liked it ever since. The Duke has been hiring mercenaries, doing raids of neighbors, and appears ready to invade nearby systems. There’s not a lot of high quality planets there. Let’s look at the planets local to the Duchy of Small

Sheratan, a planet literally on fire, as its vast forests are set ablaze by the mercenary unit, Fist of Mokal, as they lost and left. It has been blasted severely by this war.

Fletcher – A planet with a large population but known for nothing save being self-sufficient – Imports and Exports very little. Virtually no value added to an Empire, and to be fair, very littlecost in having it either.

Northwind – No waaaaaay they will attack Northwind, home of the Highlanders.

Epsilon Indi – Further away, but a legitimate future target for the Duchy.


Junior partner of the Duchy, Ingress, would make an ideal addition to our Coalition. It’s a massive economy, with heavy agricultural exports of seafood, plants, meat and lots more. It has light industry and manufacturing, but the sheer diversity of agricultural exports makes it a jewel. Envoys from Ingress have arrived in several capitals hoping to get help to shed the Duchy of Small’s tight grip, which is sucking their exports without compensation and the politics is a bit stifling. They have not come our way yet, but we would really be willing to listen if they did.

The Duchy will be left alone for now. The only major planets in the Chaos March near us that are left are Northwind, Outreach, home of the Dragoons, and Keid and New Home, currently under the control of Lyran Alliance forces. Well, one of those is, the other has a stalemate between Lyran forces and Capellan ones.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT April 10, 3058 – Troops from merc units such as Wolf’s Dragoons, Eridani Light Horse and Waco’s Rangers arrive on Coventry to protest the Falcon presence here. After heavy fighting, some of the units, including some Dragoons are forced back off planet in a loss.


April 13 – A raid occurs on Epsilon Eridani, and Benson easily smashes the troops. It was not Bryant though, but someone else – a mercenary group, but no clue who hired them

[Abe Sargent]

The Arrival of Level 3 Technology

In the 90s, while the BTech universe was in the late 50s, several books were published that added to the rules. One added a level called Level 3 rules, which were optional rules and equipment. Many added equipment to the game.

The idea of these various additions was that after the collision of the IS and the Clans, each military invested heavily in the developed of new technology and ways of building mechs. Last year through the next few years, all of these new technologies are released, and some are marked as level 2 standard technology, and others as level 3 “experimental” technology. A few have already been released. Mechs with the new equipment are just a few months from being released. I thought it would be useful to put, in one place, all of the new equipment, weapons and methods for building mechs which we will be seeing over the next few years. Some level 3 tech will become level 2 tech in a few years, while others will sort of disappear into BTech’s history. I will be looking through books such as Maximum Tech and the Tactical Handbook and informing you as to what will be added to the universe we have. We are including all level 2 additions, as well as level 3 additions that I consider fair game. I have also included those items that are added to the IS in the next ten years of major consequence such as Stealth Armor and the iNarc (I have not checked to see if these will work with the construction programs I have or to the game. These just work in theory). This is an IS-only list. There are a ton of these so get ready. Let’s begin:

[Abe Sargent]

Construction:

Armless Mech – A mech may be made intentionally armless. Shots that would hit the arms miss, but it has +4 to attempts to stand

Turret – A mech may add a turret to the shoulder, or to the head if missing the cockpit, see below and a quad mech can have one as well. Takes a critical slot, weights 10% of total weight of weapons in it.

Armored Component – By spending a half a ton of armor, one ton for cockpit, can armor an internal component. This destroys the armor the first time it takes damage – armored Hips and Shoulders prevent a limb blown off crit with the armor being lost.

Small Cockpit – Weighs two tons, frees up one of the life support crits in head, pilots get +1 to all PSRs.

Center Torso Cockpit – Weighs extra ton, puts Sensors and Cockpit crtis in CT, and moves Life Support to RT and LT. Head has two sensors, and four slots. +2 to hit for first sensor hit, +4 for second one. Hits to H or CT do not deal damage to pilot, but takes more damage from going overheat due to proximity to engine.

Compact Gyro – Weighs an extra 50%, takes up just two crits in CT.

XL Gyro – Takes up two extra slots in CT, weighs half as much

Heavy-Duty Gyro – Weighs twice as much, first gyro hit is +2 PSR, but no rolls for running or jumping, 2nd is +4, takes three hits to shut down movement of a mech.

Composite Structure- Another alternative to Endo, weighs half as much as does Endo Steel, does not use 14 crit slots, but all hits to the internal structure do double damage.

Reinforced Structure - Makes it weigh twice as much, takes twice as much damage to destroy.

Laser-Reflective Armor – Released this year by the Lyrans, takes up ten crit slots, 16 points per ton like normal armor, halves all energy attacks against the mech, but doubles all damage from physical attacks and falls.

Reactive Armor – 16 points per ton, explosive weapons (such as missiles and artillery) have damage halved. 14 crit slots for it, 16 points pe3 ton, and a crit to the section where this armor appears is rerolled, but can result in an explosion of the armor in the section and internal damage.
Examples of good ones in this list are armored components, CT cockpit, and the various gyros. I consider the components available now if we want, and the CT cockpit was used successfully in Solaris Vii in 3055 and can be used too.

Hardened Armor- Available now. Only has 8 points of protection per ton. All damage dealt is halved, can put more than normal tons on mech, reduces running speed by one, prevents armor piercing weapons seen later, and +1 PSR modifier.

Stealth Armor – Weill be level 2 and available soon, and when that happens, tons of mechs will follow with it. Will be available in roughly 4 years. Requires Guardian ECM in unit to work. 16 armor/ton. Requires two crit slots in every place save for head and CT. Can be activated at end of turn, and when it does, 10 heat made each turn. +1 to be hit at medium range, +2 at long range to hit this mech. Cannot be secondary target while active.

Light Engine – Available with Lyran in 3062m and via Dragoons earlier, this gives 75% of the weight of a standard engine and just two engine slots in the right and left torso, allowing a mech to survive a destroyed torso like a clan mech does.

XXL Engine – Weighs just one third as much, takes up twice the space in the RT and LT, and creates double the heat when walking, running or jumping.

Compact Engine – Reduce volume in CT by half but 50% heavier.

Compact Heat Sink – Count as single Heat Sinks, not as double, but two can fit into one critical location. Weigh 1.5 tons each.

Improved Jump Jet – Won’t be available for a while. Allow jumping to run length, weight twice as much and take up twice as much crit space. Heat from jumping also halved.

Underwater Movement Unit - Allow a mech to move with speed when fully immersed underwater. Will be introduced in 7 years.

MASS – Underwater ejection system developed in later 3040s, and allows cockpit and pilot to eject safely underwater. Weighs 1.5 tons and takes up one crit in H.

[Abe Sargent]

Weapons:

BattleMech Taser – Will be introduced in 3065. +1 to hit penalty, has a minor chance to shot down B Mech with a hit. 6 heat, range of 1/2/4, 5 tons, 3 crits. Deals one damage when it hits. Even if the shut down mech fails, it can mess with its ability to hit for a while.

Binary Laser – Available now. Basically two large lasers laced together. 16 heat, 12 damage, 5/10/15 range, 9 tons 4 crits.

Claw – Available now, level 2. Replaces hand actuator, 1 point of damage per 5 tons. (Or 7 for later rules). +1 to hit penalty. One crit per 15 tons. (In old school, it locked up a mech and gave you a -2 to hit it later, but that was not a later rule).

Flail – Available now. Deals 9 straight damage which cannot be bumped. +1 to hit penalty. If rolls a 2 when attacking, deals 5 damage to front side of mech, roll to determine where, and also PSR to remain standing.

Heavy Flamer – Not yet available. Range of 2/3/4, deals 4 damage or heat, creates 5 heat with user, weighs 1.5 tons and uses one crit.

Heavy Gauss Rifle – Available on 3061, 2 heat, 6/13/20 range, minimum 4, 18 tons, 11 crits, Does 25,20,10 at short, medium and long ranges.

Heavy PPC – Available in 9 years, 15 damage, 15 heat, 6/12/18 range, min 3, 4 crits, 10 tons.

Hypervelocity Autocannon – Released next year. Like Ultra, Rotary ACs, cannot use other ammo. Increases range significantly. There is no HV AC 20. Larger and heavier. 2 rolled to hit causes it to jam.

Improved Heavy Gauss Rifle – Available 3065, does 22 damage at all ranges, weighs 20 tons, 6/12/19 range, 11 crits needed.

Improved Narc Beacon – Will be developed in four years by ComStar and level 2. Range 4/9/15, 5 tons, 3 crits, 4 ammo per ton. Comes with many options for specialized pods.

Lance – Melee weapon, not available yet. 1 crit per 15 tons, 1 damage per 5 tons, chance to deal damage to the internal structure after a hit and roll for a crit if you do with a -2 modifier.

Light Autocannon – In modest production now as a prototype, won’t be available for years generally. Only available as AC2 and AC5 caliber. Shaves off range for lighter weapon – LAC2 is 6/12/18 for 4 tons and 1 crit and 1 heat, LAC5 is 5/10/15 for 5 tons, 2 crit, 1 heat. Light can use alternate AC ammo, unlike other AC variants.

Light Gauss Rifle – 1 heat, 8 damage, 3 minimum range, 8/17/25 range, 12 tons, 5 crits used. Available now.

Light PPC – Available in 9 years. 5 heat, 5 damage, 3 min, 6/12/18 range, 3 tons, 2 crits

Mace – Level 2, available now. 2 points of damage for every 5 tons of mech. 1 ton and crit per ten tons of mech. +1 to hit penalty due to weight. If you miss must make a PSR to stay standing, just like with a missed kick.

‘Mech Mortar – Arcing fire immune to Anti-Missile Systems. There are MM/1, MM/2, MM/4 and MM/8, which go 7/14/21 with a minimum range of 6. 2 damage per shell. Available now. +3 to hit modifier, no intervening terrain is a negative. Can be fired indirectly.

Medium-Range Missiles – Level 2, available in a month or two. There are four racks MRM 10, 20, 30 and 40. They have no guidance systems. 3/8/15 range. Designed to replace various missile launchers in field refits. +1 to hit. Weigh, use crits, and make heat in this order: 3/7/10/12 tons, 2/3/5/7 crits, 4/6/10/12 heat.

Multi-Missile Launcher – Won’t be available for ten years. Can fire both LRM or SRM weapons, based on need. Made in MML 3, 5, 7 and 9 units. Can also use either special ordinance.

Plasma Rifle – Available in ten years, which is my cutoff. 10 heat, 10 damage, 5/10/15 range, 6 tons 2 crits. Deals random heat to target and scatter damage.

Rocket Launcher – Cheap, unguided, one shot weapons. Come in RL 10,RL 15, and RL 20. Range 3/7/12. Weigh .5 to 1.5 tons, and have the chance to unfurl a barrage of one shot missiles at a target. Will become adopted in the IS to a great degree in about ten years, but available in 6.

Rotary Autocannon – Won’t be out for a while, will be level 2 when released, and there are just RAC 2 and RAC 5. Can shoot up to 6 times as many shots as a standard AC. Heat is per shot fired, roll to see how many hit. Reduced range – RAC2 is 6/12/18 weights 8 tons, and RAC5 is 5/10/15 and weighs 10 tons. 3 or 6 crits for the weapon

Silver Bullet Gauss Rifle – Adds cluster damages a la LB X to the Gauss. Functions basically like an LB-15-X. But the conversion prevents the Rifle from also firing a traditional slug, unlike the AC which can do 10 damage or 10 spread damage. Does not change any stats from the traditional Gauss, such as weight or crits. Already available.

Snub-Nose PPC – Won’t be available for 9 years. When it is, makes 10 heat, deals 10/8/5 damage at short-long range, 9/13/15 hexes away, weighs 6 tons and uses 2 crits.

Spikes – Introduced way back in 3051. Melee damage inflicted to area with Spikes deals 4 points less. Plus, attacker takes 2 damage back unless from melee weapon. Any time a location with Spikes takes damage, chance to destroy them. Take up one crit per location.

Sword – Does a little less damage than hatchet but gets -2 to hit. Otherwise, basically same stats as for hatchet.

Thunderbolt Launcher – Been available for a while. Fires large missile which deals 5, 10, 15 or 20 damage. Does AC level damage at range, in a converted LRM launcher. Have reduced range and more changes.

X-Pulse Lasers – Available a few months ago. These are upgrades to pulse lasers. Have increased range, significantly increased heat. Take up no extra weigh, deal no extra damage use no more crit space. For example, Large XPL is 5/10/15 and makes 14 heat. MXPL is 3/6/9 and 6 heat, SXPL is 2/4/5 and 3 heat.

[Abe Sargent]

Munitions:

Autocannon – Armor Piercing – Available now. Every hit gives a chance for a critical hit at that location, wit hpenalty on the roll equal to size of AC (AC20 is -1, -4 for AC2). One ton of ammo is half as many shots, and +1 modifier to hit.

Autocannon – Caseless – Available now. Twice as many shots per ton. A to hit roll of 2 jams the weapon and has a chance of an explosion. When used, cannot be combined with any other AC ammo.

Autocannon – Fletchette – Available now. Does half damage to mechs or vehicles or fighters or armored infantry, but double damage to unarmored infantry.

Autocannon – Precision – Available in four years, this has have the normal shots per ton, and gives a -2 to hit bonus.

LRM – Swarm-I – Level two, available now. Like Swarm, but use IFF id to keep from targeting friendlies.
LRM – Semi-Guided LRM – Also level 2. Use TAG like artillery does. Target movement and indirect penalties do not apply when unit is TAG-ed.

LRM – Incendiary – Level 2 – can combine with another LRM ammo, get better chance to set fire to forest hexes.

LRM & SRM – Anti-Radiation – Home in on electronic systems and signatures. +1 to hit mechs for each special electronic system they use, such as ECM, C3, Beagle, etc. Without any, -1. Will be available in a few years from FWL and available from Clans right now.

LRM & SRM – Fragmentation – Level 2, available now, deals very little damage outside of infantry, but smash hammers unarmed infantry.

LRM & SRM – Heat Seeking – Level 2 available now. Gets easier to hit more heat target has, less heat worse chance.

LRM & SRM – Magnetic Pulse – Level 2, available now. (Used massively in Operation Guerrero by FWL). Raise target heat by a bit, sometimes make it a bit harder to hit by target next turn due to a minor ECM-ness to it. Deals no damage.

NARC – Explosive Pods – Level 2 Equip right now. Deal 4 damage when they hit someone.

NARC – Bola Pod – If hits arm or leg, then PSR at +1 or fall if leg, +1 to hit with arm for one turn If hits elsewhere, no effect.

SRM – Acid – Available now, level 2. Deals 3 damage vs ferro fib armor, 1 damage against other armors.

SRM –Tandem-Charge – Available now. Deal 1 damage to external armor, 1 to internal armor, but no critical chance. Only have half as many shots per ton of ammo.

SRM – Tear Gas – Already ready, level 2 tech. Can be targeted at location, instead of unit, useful only in anti-riot roles.

[Abe Sargent]

Equipment:


Angel ECM Suite – Not quite available. Stronger than ECM and fights Bloodhound, Artemis V, C3 and others.

Artemis V Fire Control System – Not yet available, this will weigh 1.5 tons, take up two slots, give a -1 to hit modifier and gives +3 to determine how many missiles hit.

Bloodhound Active Probe – Introduced in 3058, this is bulkier than the Beagle and weighs two tons, takes up three crits. It has twice the range, finds stealth targets such as Kage Battle Armor and Exterminator, and can spot hidden infantry.

Blue Shield Particle Field Damper – Prototype done in 3053, available any time now. Weighs three tons, takes one crit in every location save H. Creates shield which reduces damage from enemy PPCs against mech by half. Can only be used for six rounds total in battle before it gets a 7+ chance on 2d6 to fail each subsequent round, can be turned off, does some minor internal damage if hit.

Coolant Pod – Available now. Weighs one ton, one crit on the torso somewhere. When used, each heat sink sinks an additional heat. So a mech with 15/30 would dissipate an extra 15 heat with this.

Improved C3 Computer – Weighs 2.5 tons, 2 crits, is both slave and master, invented by ComStar in 3062.

Laser Anti-Missile System – Already available. Uses a random amount of heat to shoot down the incoming missiles.

PPC Capacitor – Makes 5 heat, weighs one ton, uses one crit. Damage by associated PPC increases by 50%. Attack roll of two burns out PPC. Must spend one turn to charge the Capacitor before unleashing it later.

Targeting Computer – The IS will develop a version in 3062

Numerous mechs rolling off the lines this year and the next, such as the Garm, Barghest, Blitzkrieg, Black Watch, Enforcer III and others will be using next technology from LBX, SRM Streaks, and even the light gauss rifle.

[Abe Sargent]

May 3 – The Celestial Coalition is proud to announce a new three year garrison deal with the mercenary unit The Bouncers. The Bouncers are a combined arms regiment that was garrisoning a world and fought against Jade Falcon in their invasion. While they ultimately lost, they fought well. They just finished rebuilding and announced they are ready for a new contract. They have some clan tech, are rated B, and have one battalion of mechs, one of tanks, one of infantry and several wings of fights, plus about 40% of their force is level 2 tech and 10% clan tech. The Bouncers are moving to assist in the defense of Capolla. They will join the local unit we are building plus our own military.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT May 12, 3058 – Katrina Steiner officially requests aid from her brother to fight on Coventry. She gives him flawed intelligence in order to try to get him killed on planet. He takes forces from various realms, including Free Worlds League, ComStar and Capellan Confederation and arrives on planet a few days later (The speed of these moves is made possible by using Command Circuits)