The BattleTech Dynasty: Chapt 3, Solaris VII, 3040-3042

[Abe Sargent]

One of the things I like to do when I roll a contract is try and see what is going on right now. Currently, the Draconis Combine is under a “Death to Mercenaries” proclamation, although a few barons, dukes, and Theodore Kurita himself will sometimes do so when it is needed.

When I rolled the Planetary Assault for the Dracs, I knew there would only be one assault going on right now they would want help with - Galtor III, so I put that up as possibility.

Galtor III was lost by the Fed Suns to the Combine in the Fourth Succession War when they were busy attacking Capella. Over the next few years, Davion poured a lot of money in Galtor III in terms of guerilla and propaganda. When the War of 3039 broke out, Davion sent several mercenary units to Galtor III to liberate the populace while the machine moves forward with gobbling up planets.

This worked marvelously, and the planet quickly moved to Davion’s flag.

Galtor III was missing by the Draconis counterattack. While Combine units ran quickly and decisively to the captured and disputed worlds, they missed Galtor III. On planet was the mercenary unit Clifton’s Rangers. The Rangers and the populace had been scouring the world of any sign of the Draconis Combine.

Galtor III was still under the control of the mercenaries and Davion forces when the Exeter Accords were signed in early 3040, ending all hostilities. The Draconis Combine did not know that Galtor III had switched, nor did the Federated Commonwealth armies.

The withdraw order had been received by the Rangers, but it read withdraw if you are facing Drac opposition, which had never materialized on Galtor III. The economic, political and social structures erected by the Draconis Combine over the past ten years were being eliminated peacefully by a populace fully believing themselves to be Davion again and welcoming it.

It was not until late 3040 that the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns (AFFS) realized that they were still being sent status reports from Galtor III. By then, the borders had been fortified on both sides, making any incursions into Drac space to support Galtor III a difficult proposal at best. The AFFS began to covertly move merchant ships into the Galtor III system in order to evacuate refugees, and bring in supplies. Four Fed Suns Jumps Ships were cycling in, one a week, in order to help out ht people of Galtor III. They purchased Galtorian supplies for trade and helped their economy while also bringing in volunteers.

This trade lasted for months into 3041 until the Draconis Combine realized that Galtor III had fallen off the map. In May 3041, the Combine sent in bureaucratic scouts to find out what happened.

Well, now they know. They are planning an invasion in October of Galtor III to dislodge the mercenaries. Meanwhile, the mercs have been recalled to the FedSuns and they refused, instead accepting a new contract from Galtor III itself in order to defend it.

I am choosing to steer clear of this conflict. We all know that Galtor III is going to fall to the Dracs. It is their planet and by treaty with the Fed Suns and Lyran Commonwealth ,the planet is still theirs. Still, I feel for Galtor III and the Rangers, and I’d love to send some help, but we’d lose, and they don’t have the $$ to pay us. I’m not going to send forces to actually join the Drac Assault on Galtor III.

[Abe Sargent]

I appreciate that Davion still wants us for a Retainer contract, but I know he understands that I intend to keep turning him down for now. I don’t want to do the Periphery contract either, which leaves us the Pirate Hunting one near Breed.

However, before we can take it, another unit has accepted it and negotiated for it. Suck.

Another contract is scrounged up to replace it, for a Corporation. They want a company of mercs to garrison for three years. No thanks.


August 1, 3041:

Alright, let’s see what contracts we can pull this month

Draconis Combine - Defense Contract
Capellan Confederation - Retainer
St. Ives Compact - Objective Raid against Capellan world of Randar
Fed Suns - Obj Raid against Drac world of Fomalhaut

That last one definitely interests me. Let’s take a look:

Fomalhaut - 1 jump from Epsilon Eridani, we hit it last year if you’ll recall, for the Suns already once. We are to go back and hit the areas we already hit once before. A company should be sufficient for this task.

Aleph Company
Phaeton Company
Trinity Company - Not Currently Taking Contracts
Delta Company
Cinq Company - Due Back June 27, 3042
Hex Company
Defender Company
Typhon Company - Due Back Jan 2, 3042
Garrison Units - Infantry, tanks, and Ted and his Stalker.

Vehicle Company - Currently garrison contract, will return on May 16, 3042.


After seeing who is available, decide to send Defender Company.


Contract:


Salary: x3.7, x1.6, x1.4
Command: Independent
Salvage: Full
Transport: 50%
Remuneration: No
Support: Battle Loss: 50%
Length: 2 months
10% Bonus

[Abe Sargent]

August 23, 3041 - Defender Company lands on Fomalhaut. It is a world we know well.

After our assault and raids last year, the Dragon has increased their presence. They have created a new listening post, much like the one we destroyed last year, only this time, they have put it on a truck and move it around in order to avoid being destroyed. We begin to scout out.

August 25, 3041 - AFFS intel has discovered the location of the mobile listening post. We have a chance to take it out right now. We move out.

We discover a mixed company of vehicles and a lance of mechs as support. Our goal is to destroy the truck with the Listening Post before it can run away. However, killing these mechs and vehicles would be great too, because they will help us get out of here.



Our foes:

Quickdraw 4G - veteran
Whitworth - veteran
Charger 1A9 - elite
Centurion - veteran

Goblin Medium Tankx2
Von Luckner x2
Ontos
Partisan
Hunter Light Support Tank x2
Drillson x2
Hetzer x2

This is not a normal company as a garrison or scout, it is an convoy, and it has a lot of slower heavier units designed to harm those who have to come close to hit its target.

As we approach, four VTOLs can be seen that we did not see before. They must have been nearby and picked us up on their sensors:

Peregrine x2
Warrior x2


The mobile post is represented by a 20 ton truck.


All vehicles are veteran.

Battle value wise, this is a close matchup, but I don’t think it will be anything of the sort. I think we are going to crush them.


Here is Defender’s Hermes II. These scout mechs were built once the LosTech needed to make Hermes was so rare that they had to increase the weight. This particular Hermes II weighs 40 tons, has 7/11 movement and features several medium lasers, 2 machine guns and a flamer with good armor at 7.5 tons for a 40 ton mech, which is almost maximum you can put on its frame. Other variants are slower and carry an AC5, bit that is not as good, but it is more common.

[Abe Sargent]

We lose init. Exchange of fire.

I win init. Our Archer destroys their Peregrine Attack VTOL. Our Whitworth destroys their Hetzer. They really took some armor off our BattleMaster.

We lose 10 to 9. We concentrate a lot of fire on their Centurion. Their von Luckner’s AC20 hit’s the Orion and hit’s an actuator in its foot. Their Ontos hits three actuators in our Stalker’s leg. Our Locust hits he ammo in their Peregrine and it explodes. Our Stalker hit’s the ammo in their Centurion and it explodes. Our Warhammer destroys the other Hetzer. Their Drillson jots the SRM6 and Large Laser on our Stalker. The Stalker falls.

We lose init again. We stand up the Stalker. Our Grasshopper jumps over and lances its lasers into the portable listening post and destroys it. Contract completed. Their Charger hits more leg actuators in our Stalker. Our BattleMaster hit’s the AC20 ammo on one of their Von Luckners and it explodes. Boom! Their Von Luckner hit’s the engine once on our Battlemaster. Their Ontos destroys the RA of our Stalker. Our Stalker falls and destroys its RT and hits its engine twice. That engine escalates the Stalker’s heat significantly, and its ammo explodes from the heat. Boom! Dead mech.

We win 8 to 4. We hop our G Hopper behind their Charger. Their Charge hit’s the Life Support on our P Hawk. We stun the Von Luckner crew.

We win 5 to 2. Captain Matthew Humphries’ Archer destroys the other Von Luckner. Our Orion’s LRM15 is hit by a Goblin Medium Tank. Their Drillson hit’s the head of our Orion and shears it off. Haisha Slater has died. Our G Hopper kicks their Quickdraw’s hip, it falls and hits two more actuators on its RL.

We lose init 6 to 9. Their Quickdraw hits our BattleMaster’s head and that mech is destroyed and Maureen O’Brien dies. With her last barrage, she destroys the RA and RL of their Quickdraw back. Our Hunchy destroys a Goblin Medium Tank. Our Warhammer destroys a Drillson by destroying its fuel tank.

We win 11 to 7. Normally, they would have quit by now, but after taking down three of our mechs, they are going to keep going. Their Partisan destroys the RA and RT of our Locust, an done of their Hunter’s destroys its CT. Our G Hopper hits their Q Draw’s ammo and BOOM! Our Griffin destroys the Ontos Heavy Tank.

We win 9 to 5 and they keep pushing. They took out a fourth mech just now, so I get it. They have destroyed a third of our starting BV. Our Firestarter hit’s the MG ammo on their Partisan and it goes up.

With the loss of their remaining assault tank, they begin to move off, and we totally let them.

We lost two Mws, one mech completely, and I don’t think we’re going to make out financially.

We’ll need about 40 tons of armor.


Salvage:

Hetzer x2
Goblin
Von Luckner
Ontos
Truck
Centurion LA, RA, RL
Stalker LA, H, RL
Quickdraw LT, LL

To Repair:

Orion, missing head.
Battlemaster, missing head
Locust missing RT and RA and CT

Dispossessed Michael Henry is reassigned to the Battlemaster, Locust pilot Sun Chen to the Orion.

Madison Tolteca, in the Warhammer, is promoted to Sergeant.

[Abe Sargent]

Contract:


Losses:

2.4 mill - To fix Orion, BM and Locust, which is then transferred to the Garrison.
400k armor
285k ammo
100k transport
240k salary and upkeep


Gains:

350k salary
35k bonus
50k transport
4.9 million as our battle loss



Total We Got: 1,910,000

We will be back on Sept 29, 3041 (Defender Company arrives back on EE)

[Abe Sargent]

Sept 1, 3041 - More contracts:


Caps want a Recon Raid
Free Rasalhague Republic wants an Objective Raid
Lyran wants Extraction
St Ives wants Garrison
Periphery for Garrison
Periphery for Defensive Contract


Let’s look at One, Two and Three. What are the targets:

1). Quemoy is the target, 6 jumps away. I’m listening
2). Accrington, a Lyran World. 8 jumps away. I’m listening.
3). Bordon, a Marik world just 3 jumps away.


All are close. Awesome. Let’s do it.

1). We are to recon a group of units on the Fed world of Quemoy. Not anything wrong with recon, Davion probably won’t get pissed with that.
2). The FRR wants us to retake some supplies on Accrington that the Rasalhague movement squirreled away there long ago before they became a nation.
3). Bordon is just a Marik world near the border, but Lyrans sent a merc unit there a few months ago and never heard back, so we are being contracted to go in after them





Aleph Company
Phaeton Company
Trinity Company - Not Currently Taking Contracts
Delta Company
Cinq Company - Due Back June 27, 3042
Hex Company
Defender Company - Sept 29, 3041
Typhon Company - Due Back Jan 2, 3042
Garrison Units - Infantry, tanks, and Ted and his Stalker.

Vehicle Company - Currently garrison contract, will return on May 16, 3042.


Assignments:

Phaeton Company to Quemoy and the Recon Raid - Arrival Dec 5, 3041
Delta Company to Accrington and the Obj Raid - Arrival Jan 2, 3042
Hex and Aleph are both sent to Bordon for the Extraction - Arrival September 29, 3041

Defender Company is back by the end of the month. Trinity is here but not taking contracts.

[law90026]

That's a ton of salvage!

[Abe Sargent]

Sept 24, 3041 - A group of enemies has appeared on our screen and is moving quickly to Kressly Warworks. We have a few vehicles there to slow things down, and meanwhile, Trinity Company is scrambled to hit them hard. Ted Izumo is loading up his Stalker and joining them. In the meantime, our VTOLs are dispatched to join the fray and slow them down without getting in the way of fire.

While moving there, the raiders break out and surround Trinity Company, so TC will be starting in the middle of the map, the raiders can be anywhere around us.

Here is our foe:

Victor
Banshee
Quickdraw 5A
Catapult
Grasshopper
Vulcan
Vindicator
Hermes II
Locust 3V
UrbanMech
Firestarter
Scorpion


Here is our foe’s UrbanMech. Sometimes called a walking trash can, this 30 ton light mech only moves 2/3/2, and features an AC10 and small laser. It is way too slow, and even good armor for its weight is not that good coverage. For a better slow light mech with one big weapon, see the Panther with its PPC and SRM4, 4/6/4 movement and good armor. Anyway, there is the Urbie.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by law90026

That's a ton of salvage!

Oh but yes!

[Abe Sargent]

They are a mix of veteran and regular. The Victor pilot is elite.


If they are smart, then they will surround us instead of coming in on one side, that way they can reliably get in our rear arcs.

They do set up around us. We win init 9 to 5. We try to move around so that not every mech is exposed, but they started many of their mechs behind hills, and I do not know where they all are (smart on their part). We run our Cicada behind their Banshee. We savage their Quickdraw, its falls and blows off its own Right Leg.

We win init 9 to 4. I move our Zeus to a place where it can punt thee Firestarter’s Head. Cicada behind the Grasshopper. Our Hatchetman destroys the RT of their Urbie, which destroys its only real weapon. Our T Bolt hit’s the ammo on their Quckdraw and it explodes. Our Ostsol hit’s the AC20 ammo on their Victor and it explodes. Their Catapult kicks and destroys the LL of our Hatchetman. Their Vindicator falls after missing a kick.

Since they are just raiders, with two of their mechs destroyed, another savaged so badly it has nothing but a small laser left, and damaged Vindicator and Banshee, they retreat. As they do, Ted Izumo in his Stalker and numerous academy students in our garrison mechs arrive to contest them. Instead of surrendering, they choose to flee, and we destroy a few more mechs in eviscerating and quick combat before the rest make it away.

Were they mechs? Pirates? House units? Enemy corporation? ComStar? We don’t even know.



Salvage:

Quickdraw RL, RA, LA
UrbanMech RA
Victor RA, RL, LA


To Repair:

Hatchetman LL

Bonita Endicia gets her 8th kill for us in her Thunderbolt. She gains Edge: 1



We trade the more valuable Quickdraw leg for a less valuable Hatchetman one in order to get our guy fixed.

Armor and ammo losses are about 200k

[Tellistto]

Would think that after awhile they'd stop going after that corp with you making it known that it's off limits. Going to take more than a company to take anything major there.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Tellistto

Would think that after awhile they'd stop going after that corp with you making it known that it's off limits. Going to take more than a company to take anything major there.

Luckily, right now it's not too valuable, since all it does is make a few parts here and there, and a couple of tanks. It has some value, but that much. Not yet....

[Abe Sargent]

Let do contracts for Hex and Aleph companies that are going to Bordon.


Length: 3 months
Salary: x3.7, x1.3, x1.6
Remuneration: No
Salvage: Full
Support: Battle-Loss: 50%
Transport: 50%
Command: Independent
15% Bonus


Sept 29, 3041 - We arrive at Bordon. A mercenary company, Death Denied, was hired by the Lyrans to destroy a command lance of mechs in Bordon. The unit arrived on planet several months ago, and then was unheard of since then. We are tasked with finding out what happened to the unit, and if they failed to complete their task, we are to do so if able. If we can find them, and the task is complete, then we are to aid their extraction.

We land in Cerulean City and try to follow the same steps and the same places that Death Denied took.

Sept 31, 3041 - We still have found no sign of Death Denied. We try a different tactic. Was the command lance destroyed?

Oct 2, 3041 - It does appear that several mechs were ambushed and destroyed a few months ago by an unknown force. Were they the right mechs? We don‘t know yet.

Oct 3, 3041 - It looks like the command lance is confirmed as destroyed by several people talking in a bar near one of the Marik bases. This happened several months ago. So what happened to Death Denied?

[Abe Sargent]

Oct 5, 3041 - Well, we found Death Denied. This is not going to be pretty. It appears that Death Denied was contracted by Marik first, and then did a false contract the Lyran Commonwealth as a double agent. They did not destroy the command lance, but simply set out a few rumors that they did. They waited to see if Lyran would send anyone, and lo, they did - they sent us.

Now the Death Denied are going to try and destroy us before we can report back and they are charging our DropShip at Cerulean City. What they did not know, is that we have, not one, but two companies. This is going to be easy.

Well, actually, as they get closer, a few tanks and vehicles from the DropPort militia join Death Denied. We split off one company for Death Denied and another for the vehicles.



Aleph Company will be taking on Death Denied.


Atlas
Marauder
Zeus 6T (the one with a PPC instead of AC5)
Scorpion
Locust 1E (The best variant, with two MLs and two SL)
Spider
Stalker
Warhammer
Rifleman
Banshee
Cicada
Shadow Hawk


Atlas is elite, several vets and several regulars.

[Abe Sargent]

We are fighting in a DropPort area with a lot of pavement and roads plus a few service buildings. There are also a few fuel tanks in the area.

We lose init 7 to 8. I move some of our jumping units through a small set of houses in order to flank their forces. Their Locust skidded and fell. You have a chance of skidding whenever you run and turn on pavement, not walk and turn, or just run in a straight line. You make a Piloting Skill Roll to see if you skid or not, and the Locust did. However, when someone skids, it is +2 to hit them that turn, so that’s not happening. Our BattleMaster hit’s the Zeus just once with a Medium laser before our Hunchback fires its AC20 at it. The AC20 hit his RT, destroys all of the external armor, gets a critical, hit’s the LRM ammo, and the Zeus explode without being touched by our Hunchy.

We lose init 7 to 9. Firestarter behind their Rifleman, We focus fire on their Marauder. Their Rifleman falls.

We win init 9 to 6. Their Rifleman stands. Our Jenner alpha strikes their Locust. Our ‘Hammer destroys the RT of their Marauder. A medium laser from our Hunchback seeks out the left torso of their Marauder and hit’s the AC5 ammo - BOOM! Their Stalker ignites Michael Adkin’s LRM ammo on his Centurion and it explodes too and we are down a mech. Our Striker hit’s the AC ammo on their Rifleman, and it explodes. Our Jenner destroys the RA of their Locust. Our Mercury its LA.

With three of their mechs dying in one turn, and another mech already dead, they decide to turn and leave, with a savaged Locust and everything else untouched. We allow them to leave since we may have to see if our fellows need any help.


Salvage:

Zeus RA
Marauder RA, LA
Centurion LA, RA
Rifleman LA, RA



About 10 tons of armor needed

[Abe Sargent]

Hex Company against the militia vehicles here in the DropPort.


Striker Light Tank
Bulldog Tank
SRM Carrier
Goblin Medium Tank
Galleon Light Tank
Harasser Missile Platform
AC2 Carrier
Patton Tank
Maxim
Saracen
Devastator
LRM Carrier

That 5 heavies, 1 assault, a few mediums and lights, but a very powerful group as a whole, even with some weaker members like the AC2 Carrier.

They are all regular.

[Abe Sargent]

We lose init 4 to 10. We start wih some of our legit her mechs a distance in front and our heavier mechs in the back, and then the light ones walk backward while the heavy ones run through. Our Enforcer kicks and destroys the RS of their Harasser.

We win init 8 to 4. Just an exchange of fire.

We win 11 to 6. Our Grand Dragon destroys their LRM Carrier. It’s fuel tank blows up. Our Banshee hits and blows up a fuel tank near their people. A bunch of buildings collapse and our Enforcer and Spider each took ten damage. A bunch of their vehicle stake damage, like 30 to their Striker, 20 to their SRM Carrier, etc. He destroys the Galleon Light Tank’s RS from the explosion. It cannot be recovered. It then causes an adjacent fuel tank to explode. Their Striker’s Front side is destroyed. Not recoverable. SRM Carrier, Goblin Medium Tank, Saracen Hover Tank and AC2 Carrier are also destroyed. That’s officially 6 kills in one turn. Our Thorn destroys the crew in their Devastator. Our Enforcer falls. We destroyed 7 of 12 tanks in one turn overall. No question they leave now.

Their Patton is immobile. We get it too.

Jose Cortez gains skill in gunnery.


Salvage:

Harasser Missile Platform
SRM Carrier
Goblin Medium Tank
AC2 Carrier
Devastator
Patton

Galleon Light Tank weaps
Striker Tank’s weapos too
Saracen weaps



We need about 10 tons of armor

From our garrison, we are assigning a Grasshopper to Michael Adkins who previously had a Centurion.


We are blasting off from Bordon now.

We arrive back at Epsilon Eridani on Nov 11, 3041

[Abe Sargent]

What we spent:

337,881 - Salary and upkeep
600k - Transport
200k - armor
370k - ammo


What we received:

614,660 - Salary inc bonus
300k - transport
100k - battle loss ammo
1.5 mill - Battle loss Centurion


Total: 1,006,779 made


The $$ money and mech parts we recovered are going to Hex Company.

[Abe Sargent]

Okay, let’s do the next contract from September.

Phaeton Company to Quemoy and the Recon Raid - Arrival Dec 5, 3041


Before Phaeton company pulls out, I swap the Falcon, a rare but not that great mech for a Jenner, which is a lot better. I just didn’t like the Thunder Lance here, and think this is better, although it has a not that great Hermes II, at least it doesn’t have two sucky mechs.


Contract:

Length: 2 months
Salvage: Full
Remuneration: No
Support: 50% Battle Loss
Transport: 50%
Command: Independent
Salary: x3.7, x1.2, x1.6
15% Bonus


Here is the Boomerang Spotter Plane. It has no weapons, weighs just 5 tons, can be collapsed rather quickly, has light armor, and has over 1000 pounds of specialized cameras, sensors and communcaiton gear. This one is controlled remotely.

[Abe Sargent]

Dec 5, 3041 - We brought a Boomerang and two platoons of infantry to help us. Our goal on the Davion
world of Quemoy is to test its defenses. I am to avoid combat, and instead just focus on getting some information for Liao.

Our infantry get off first, and begin to settle into the seedier area of the main trade city on Quemoy. After a few hours, we confirm that Liao intel is correct, and the areas on the world they think are guarded actually are.

Dec 7, 3041 - We finish building the Boomerang Spotter Plane, and then take it with us to the northern continent’s farming areas. For the next few days we will be sending it out at various times of day to see if there are any forces that are gathered in the area, and if so, when, where and how big.


Dec 16, 3041 - We have finished scouting the vast farming areas for the northern continent ,and have seen nothing.

Dec 17, 3041 - We begin the same for the coastal regions for the Northern Continent. We are avoiding the highly populated areas that we already know about, as well as Castle Martin, an old Star League-era fortress that serves as the HQ for the Quemoy militia and planetary Baron Martin.

Dec 18, 3041 - We pause and remember the 2nd anniversary of the Fall of Andurien.

Dec 24, 3041 - We finish scouting the coastal areas.

Dec 26, 3041 - We arrive on the southern continent and begin scouting the farming areas here.

Jan 10, 3042 - Nothing here either

Jan 17, 3042 - We finished the hills on the southern continent and found a few areas under patrol regularly by their milita, but not much.

Jan 23, 3042 - We finish the coasts here.

Feb 4, 3042 - We have finished scouting the islands and are ready to disembark. Nobody finds us. We forward the info on to the Caps.

We will arrive back on Epsilon Eridani in May 1, 3042

[Abe Sargent]

Contract Results:

426k salary and upkeep
600k transit


300k 50%
286k salary +bonus

Result - Lost 440k

[Abe Sargent]

Phaeton Company - Due back May 7, 3042
Trinity Company - Not Currently Taking Contracts
Delta Company
Cinq Company - Due Back June 27, 3042
Hex Company - Due Back Nov 11, 3041
Defender Company
Typhon Company - Due Back Jan 2, 3042
Garrison Units - Infantry, tanks, and Ted and his Stalker.

Vehicle Company - Currently garrison contract, will return on May 16, 3042.


Okay, let’s do the other September 3041 contract:

Delta Company to Accrington and the Obj Raid - Arrival Jan 2, 3042

This is for our friends the Free Rasalhague Republic, which does not normally contract out to mercs, but we are an exception because we helped them get started in the Ronin Wars back in the mid 30s.

Part of me would like to be the McCarron’s Armored Cavalry of the Free Rasalhague Republic, but that is not, ultimately, what I want, but I have had offers for Retainers from them before.

Also known as The Big Mac or simply abbreviated MAC, McCarron's Armored Cavalry is one of the largest and most successful mercenary units in existence with an excellent, near legendary reputation. They have been in service to the Cappellan Confederation for decades and are one of their best units since 2996 when they started their contract for the Confederation. We could have tried to have been the same for the FRR, but destiny has another path before me.

And yet, I am happy to assist my friends in the Republic when I can. Let’s get a contract done.

Length: 1 month
Transport: 50%
Remuneration: No
Salary: x3.7, x1.6, x1.2
Support: 50% Battle Loss
Command: Liaison
Salvage: Shared
22.5% Bonus


Okay, let’s do it.

[Abe Sargent]

Jan 2, 3042 - We arrive on Accrington, and begin to move out. They world has a ton of militia but no major BattleMech units garrisoning it. The world is sparsely populated, so although it has traditional infantry and vehicles, it doesn’t have a need for mechs.

Jan 3, 3042 - We have left the small DropPort behind in our mechs. No one has bothered to stop us.

Jan 5, 3042 - We arrive in the forested area that was used by the Free Rasalhague movement 10 years ago when they had agents on this planet.

Jan 17, 3042 - We finally discover the cache after our initial intel was off by Rasalhague. We call our DropShip and it arrive. We use our weapons to clear out an area for the DropShip and loading.

Surprisingly, no one has come by to protest our presence, or our loading of the supplies. Probably because they either didn’t see us (unlikely) or didn’t care (possible) or decided we weren;t worth the effort (possible) or have a trap yet to spring (possible) or called for reinforcements and are waiting for them (doubtful).

We jet off in the evening and leave Accrington behind. Weird that. I wasn;t expecting it at all.


Contract:

400k paid on transport after 50% taken out
I do the salaries and make the changes on my financial page.


We will arrive back on EE on May 27, 3042.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s roll back to October. Here are our units:


Oct 1, 3041 - There are no contracts for our units of quality this month.


Aleph Company - Due back Nov 11, 3041
Phaeton Company - Due back May 7, 3042
Trinity Company - Not Currently Taking Contracts
Delta Company - Due back May 27, 3042
Cinq Company - Due Back June 27, 3042
Hex Company - Due Back Nov 11, 3041
Defender Company
Typhon Company - Due Back Jan 2, 3042
Garrison Units - Infantry, tanks, and Ted and his Stalker.

Vehicle Company - Currently garrison contract, will return on May 16, 3042.

Nov 1, 3041 - Luckily, we roll a milk run for Defender Company to disembark on. Pirate Hunting for the Taurian Concordat. Normally I would not want to send someone so far away, but it might be just the thing for Defender Company.

It will take a while to jump all the way out there, but let’s do a contract:

Salvage: Full
Salary: x3.7, x1.1, x1
Remuneration: Nope
Command: Indy
Transport: 50%
Battle-Loss: 50%
Length: 4 months


Defender Company will arrive in April 21, 3042 in the right system. Then the Taurians will fill us in as to what is happening. Let’s go ahead and rock it now:

[Abe Sargent]

April 21, 3042 - Defender company arrives in the Taurian system of New Vandenburg. They’ve been having problems with pirates in the area between the Magistracy of Canopus and the Concordat. They circle six systems on our map that they have narrowed the pirates too. All of them are uncharted and should be unsettled.


We will jump into each, and then scour the system for pirates, before jumping to the next, and so on.

April 23, 3042 - We jump to the first system.


After a quick scan, we find a lot of traffic on the communication network, suggesting someone is here. There is a habitable planet in system so our DropShip disembarks from the JumpShip and we move in.


April 26, 3042 - As we near the planet, our scans show that there is an area that looks industrial with buildings, mines, and more.

April 28, 3042 - After setting down, just as we begin to disembark, we are hit by a large unknown number of pirates. Found them on the first try.


Here they are:

Mechs
Veteran
15 of them

We begin to get some of them on our HUD. Wait a second. What the…?

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s roll them up

Wasp
Panther
Firefly
Flea
Assassin
Griffin
Whitworth
Lynx
Archer
Catapult
Thunderbolt
Orion
Rampage
Stalker
BattleMaster



They definitely have some rarer mechs there. Rampage? Firefly? Lynx? These are not normal mechs. They look battle-worn just like any other. Did they raid them from a Brain Cache from the Star League? If so, they have been used for a while. Veteran pirates? What is this?

This is the Rampage. It is an 85 ton assault mech, 3/5 movement, 23 heat sinks, 14 tons of armor, LRM10, AC10, large laser, 2x medium laser, flamer, MG. This pilot is elite and she has tactical genius. Ouch.

[Abe Sargent]

We start in the middle and them on the edge. I want the Lynx, Flea, Firefly and Rampage. Those are all in various degrees of rare.

This is not what we thought we were getting ourselves into when we took the pirate hunting contracts. They have virtually the same BV as us.

We actually win init with our 9. I start to move out some of my mechs to grab positions. Our BM hits an engine on their Orion, but they hit an LRM10 on our Whitworth. Our Hunchy destroys the RT of their Flea. Their T Bolt falls. Our P Hawk kicks their Flea and gets a limb blown off critical for the LL.

We win init again with our 11. The forest my Jav hopped too was accidentally set on fire last turn, so I hop back out before I get too hot. They stand their T Bolt back up. Ou rP Hawk hit’s the AC10 on their Orion. It falls.

We lose init. BattleMaster behind their Rampage. Out Stinger destroys the RT of their Orion. Our Ghopper destroy the RA of their T Bolt. Their Wasp gest a Limb Blown off critical on our Archer’s RA. Their panther hits an LRM20 on our Archer. Our Hermes II hit’s the cockpit of the Orion and the pilot dies. With a machine gun. Their Rampage falls and its pilot blacks out. Nice. Our Archer kicks and destroys the LL of their Wasp.

We lose init. I push our Jav waaaay overheat to take some SRm6 shots at the exposed CT of their T Bolt. Our BattleMaster uses its Machine gun and decapitates the Rampage. Their Griffin destroys the LA of our G Hopper. Our Jav hits the T Bolt engine once. Our ‘Hopper falls.

We lose init. Our Archer hits their T Bolts gyro. Theur Stalker blows off the RL of our G Hopper and their Lynx its RA. Our G Hopper hit sthe head of their Lynx, goes internal and hits its sensors and life support. Our ‘Hammer destroys the T Bolts LA. Our Griffin destroys its CT - dead mech. Npot recoverable. Our Hermies II hits he Lynx’s head with medium lase,r and after the damage the ‘Hopper did, it dies. 2nd heat shot kill by our Hermes II but this is the variant that is better, so it’s understandable. Their Stalker kicks and destroys the LL of our Firestarter.

We lose init 4 to 7. Our Grasshopper has been absolutely savaged, so there is no question that I am ejecting with it this turn. I eject the Firestarter too. Our jav has barely been hurt, but one of those places is its CT where it has just one internal point of damage left, so I jump away with it for now. Their Whitworth manage sto hit the CT of our Javelin from behind and destroy it. Suck. It is recoverable (I rolled an 11). Our Hunchy destroys the LL of their Firefly. Their BattleMaster hit’s the hop and destroys the LA of our Stinger.

We lose init 9 to 10. Our Stinger hops behind a hill where it can’t be seen right now. Their Firefly fails to stand, falls, and the pilot blacks out. Our Battlemaster hit’s the LRM20 and ammo on their Archer, but it was out of ammo. Their battle master gets lucky and teras into our Phoenix hawk and then destroying my Archer’s RT and hitting its gyro. Our Hermes II hits their Battlemaster’s gyro twice, and that’s a third kill for him. Their Archer falls.

We lose init 7 to 10. I back up the Archer behind some woods. I have three main units left - Warhammer, Orion and BattelMaster and all have taken some damage. Behind them I intend to drive my foes into submission. Their Archer stands, Their Catapult hits an engine and gyro on my ‘Hammer. Their Stalker takes some damage in the head from an LRM10 shot by our Griffin and the pilot blacks out and the mech falls.

We win init 8 to 3. I want to get someone next to their Stalker while the pilot is out. Our Orion took some serious damage last turn so I back it up while keeping my Battlemaster out so it can be the target this turn. Griffin behind their Assassin. Our BattleMaster hits the LRM20 on the Archer and this time its there and the mech explode.s Our Hunchy destroys the RL of their Panther. Our Griffin punches and destroys the LA on their Assassin. Our BattleMaster kicks and destroys the LT of their Whitworth.

We lose init 4 to 7. I don’t; know why they continue to push, because after last turn, with them losing pieces and mechs everywhere, and their Stalker is still blacked out, I would have conceded, but not these pirates, they know death has come for them. They are desperate. I back our Orion up into some smoke. I hop our P Hawk next to their Stalker in the hope we can slice off its head. Griffin in the rear arc of their Assassin again. I run our BM up to their Catapult. This is a Cat with a bunch more LRM ammo but no Mls, so close against it is quite good. Their Panther fails to stand. I send my P Hawk massively overheat to end the Stalker’s life. Our Warhammer hit’s the Catapult’s ammo and it blows up - boom! We missed on the Stalker.

With the death of the Catapult, they concede. We found our their Wasp fell and had a breach easlier in the game, we just didn’t see it. We salaved their Wasp, Flea, Lynx, Orion, Rampage, BattleMaster, Stalker, Firefly. The mechs we didn’t kill, the Panther, Whitworth, Assassin, and Griffin, are turned over o the Taurian Concordat.






Salvage:

Flea missing RT
Orion RA
Archer RA, RA, LT, LL
Orion missing RA and RT with cockpit hit
Rampage missing H
T Bolt H, LL, RL, LT, RT
Lynx missing H
BattleMaster with 2 engine, 2 gyro hits,
Whitworth LA
Catapult RA, LA, LL
Stalker
Wasp missing LL
Firefly missing LL, RT

Repair:

Grasshopper LA, RL, RA
Archer RT, gyrox1
Firestarter missing LL
Javelin missing gyro, fixed the engine
Stinger hip and LA
Warhammer gyro and engine once each

[Abe Sargent]

Contract Stuff:


We have to pay the following to fix our folks:

4,460,000 this includes armor, parts, fixing, and replacement gyro
320,000 - Ammo
1.5 million - transport
804,276 - upkeep and salary


What we made:

2,230,000 - Battle Loss Compensation
750,000 - transport
412,355 - salary w/ bonus




Our Total Losses: 3,691,920


That is without selling any salvage.


To fix the mechs we salvaged: 5.4 million

We spend it. Total Loss: 9,091,920

We may have lost money, but we salvaged 8 mechs including some very rare ones. That was totally worth it.



Defender Company will arrive back on Epsilon Eridani on October 28th, 3042.

[Tellistto]

Ouch, tough fight that. Some good salvage at the end, though!

Tell

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Tellistto

Ouch, tough fight that. Some good salvage at the end, though!

Tell

Yeah, overall good, but it was tough.

[Abe Sargent]

Okay let’s roll it back to December 3041.


Here is where our people are:


Aleph Company -
Phaeton Company - Due back May 7, 3042
Trinity Company - Not Currently Taking Contracts
Delta Company - Due back May 27, 3042
Cinq Company - Due Back June 27, 3042
Hex Company -
Defender Company - Due back Oct 28, 3042
Typhon Company - Due Back Jan 2, 3042
Garrison Units - Infantry, tanks, and Ted and his Stalker.

Vehicle Company - Currently garrison contract, will return on May 16, 3042.


Dec 1, 3041 - We have our 9th BattleMech company created this month. We are now officially a BattleMech regiment today.

We have five graduates from Essex Training Academy plus 6 recruits from Solaris VII plus we are transferring Sgt Grant Hollis from Aleph Company to our 9th company, and promoting him to lieutenant. He won’t be taking his Warhammer with him, however. Aurelia Jenson is promoted to Sergeant.


Our newest company, the 9th company of mechs in Kilts and Commandos:

This company is named Heliades Company

Typhon, Phaeton and now Heliades are names that come from characters associated with the Eridanus River in Greek mythology. That river is where our home planet, Epsilon Eridani, gets its name. The Heliades are the daughters of Helios whose tears fell into the Eridanus after Phaeton was slain by Zeus’s thunderbolt while driving his father’s Sun chariot and fell into the mighty river Eridanus.

[Abe Sargent]

Heliades Company


Anvil Lance:

Lieutenant Grant Hollis, elite, Awesome
Mabel Ellis, elite, Stalker
William Mkapa, green, Hunchback *
Isabelle Mendez, elite, Grand Dragon


Hammer Lance:

Sgt. Beulah Hashimi, elite, Archer 2S
Galen Knox, regular, Marauder
Eliezer Cohen, regular, Whitworth *
Raymond Kinder, elite, Ostroc


Thunder Lance:

Sgt. Dianne Holstein, elite, Phoenix Hawk 1K
Thuong Nguyen, green, Wasp
Marquita Giannopoulos, regular, Wolfhound *
Seymour Martin, veteran, Valkyrie *


All veterans and elites other than Grant Hollis were recruits from S7 while all green and regular troops are from the Essex Academy.

Mechs with an * indicate a mech I purchased, rather than pulled out of storage, because I wanted a well rounded company with good mechs, as well as versatility.

[Abe Sargent]

Okay, now that I have some rocking units, let’s see where we are right now:


Aleph Company -
Phaeton Company - Due back May 7, 3042
Trinity Company -
Delta Company - Due back May 27, 3042
Cinq Company - Due Back June 27, 3042
Hex Company -
Defender Company - Due back Oct 28, 3042
Typhon Company - Due Back Jan 2, 3042
Heliades Company -

Garrison Units - Infantry, tanks, and Ted and his Stalker.

Vehicle Company - Currently garrison contract, will return on May 16, 3042.

Any good December Contracts?

Free Rasalhague Republic wants us for garrison
Capellan Confederation wants us for Obj Raid on Davion world.
FRR also wants us for retainer. I know, I love you too.
A Duke in the Draconis Combine wants us for Obj Raid. Target? Davion world
Corporation wants security contract in Free Rasalhague Republic.

Okay, 1, 2, and 4 are out because I don’t want a garrison contract and I can’t attack Davion for obvious reasons.

The Corporation?

On Susquehanna. Where is that? If you look at your map it is in the FRR in the top of the area. It would take us quite some time to jump there and back.

Remember that Trinity Company can now take contracts again.

Dec 18, 3041 - We honor the 2nd anniversary of the Fall of Andurien.

After some consideration, I decide to break down and begin negotiations with the Free Rasalhague Republic for a retainer contract.


Retainer Contract for Trinity, Hex and Heliades, as a battalion. Jason Thomas, CO of Trinity Company, is promoted to Captain.



Support: Battle Loss 50% AND Straight Support 50%
Length: 4 years
Remuneration: No
Command: House
Salvage: Shared
Transport: Full
Salary: x3.7, x1.1, x1.3
13.5 % bonus

We will be stationed on Kempten, a system in the middle of the FRR, but on the Drac border. We are very close to Radstadt which is the capital of this march.


We will arrive on Kempten in 4 and a half months, on April 30, 3042. Then our contract begins and runs through May 1, 3046.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT, Jan 1, 3042 - The Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth, in a continued union of their two realms, have reached the point that the major news agencies and diplomatic folks are now just calling them the Federated Commonwealth. As a continued combination of their military, they now run under the AFFC - Armed Forces of the Fed Com banner, so we only have one potential employer from them now. A liaison also tells us that our “Stay Away” clause also affects the old Lyran half of the Commonwealth, so we are discouraged from taking contracts against the Fed Com as long as Epsilon Eridani is our home.

[Abe Sargent]

Jan 2, 3042 - A new class of just 7 enrolls in the Essex Training Academy. Typhon Company arrives back from their first contract.

Okay, let’s take a look at our peops:


Aleph Company -
Phaeton Company - Due back May 7, 3042
Trinity Company - Contract Begins April 30, 3042, ends May 1, 3046
Delta Company - Due back May 27, 3042
Cinq Company - Due Back June 27, 3042
Hex Company - Contract Begins April 30, 3042, ends May 1, 3046
Defender Company - Due back Oct 28, 3042
Typhon Company
Heliades Company - Contract Begins April 30, 3042, ends May 1, 3046


Garrison Units - Infantry, tanks, and Ted and his Stalker.

Vehicle Company - Currently garrison contract, will return on May 16, 3042.



Here is our new rolling chart for the mid 3040s.

2, 3 - Fed Com
4 - St. Ives Compact
5 - ComStar
6 - Cappellan Confederation
7 - Federated Commonwealth
8 - Free Worlds League
9 - Free Rasalhague Republic
10 - Draconis Combine
11, 12 - FedCom

Contracts:

Drac wants us for Obj Raid on Fed Com.
FRR wants Cadre work
ComStar wants Defense Contract
CC wants garrison
FWL wants Obj Raid on Fed Com
Drac Baron wants Pirate Hunting in Periphery

[Abe Sargent]

Here’s the problem with the 3040s for us.

During this time, there are minor flare ups, but there are not a lot of major conflicts. The 3030s, which came right on the heels of the Fourth Succession War still had the Duchy of Andurien and Magistracy of Canopus invading the Cappellan Confederation, and then after that was done, the Free Worlds League hammered the Duchy. You also had the independence of the Free Rasalhague Republic, and then the subsequent Ronin Wars. Finally, you had a major conflict in the War of 3039.

Although there are some raids and such in the 40s, there are no major conflicts. The Great Houses use this as a time for several things. First of all, all of them save the Cappellan Confederation need to continue to consolidate holdings. The Free Worlds League was missing the Duchy of Andurien for the entire decade, and they need to settle things down, reinvest money in its infrastructure, and get its house in order. The Draconis Combine took three systems in the War of 3039 and Quentin came with a major mech manufactory that they need to solidfy. Plus, many of their planets suffered a lot from the War of 3039. Take Marduk, for example. After he left the planet, Sandoval took everything that he could and destroyed much of the rest. It will take a while to rebuild Marduk and the other planets attacked by the FedCom forces. Davion and Steiner need to consolidate their new nine systems from that war, as well as continue to invest money and time into the large number of planets taken from the Cappellan Confederation back in the Fourth Succession War. Even Cappella needs time to continue to rebuild its forces and morale from that conflict.

Also, militaries are taking this time to begin to distribute LosTech to the highest profile units. Packages called “Refit Kits” will become available for mechs, allowing techs to refit existing mechs with LosTech. This means that the first wave of LosTech mechs will not be new designs that try and take advantage of endo steel or better armor or extra light engines, but will replace AC10s with LB10X, and AC5 with Ultra AC5 and large lasers or PPCs with ER versions of those. For example, a field refit kit will be made to strip off two of the medium lasers from a Whitworth and add two Artemis IV FCS to the mech to help it hit with more missiles. You will see these refits all over the place soon enough.

However, there are going to be low-tech mechs for a really long time, perhaps forever. They are cheaper, and they are not going to be dismantled or anything. There is nothing wrong with the better low-tech designs at all. There are disadvantages to many LosTech weapons and equipment, and there are many reasons not to use a new weapon over the old.

That’s one of the reasons I did the retainer contract for the FRR. They will probably see some battle at some point, and there simply may not be enough to go around for my mercs, so they get a retainer contract. That still leaves me 6 merc companies to find contracts for regularly. And by 6, I mean five, and you are about to find out why.


End Solaris VII campaign

[Abe Sargent]

This campaign continues here:

The BattleTech Dynasty: Explorer Corps - Front Office Football Central