The BattleTech Dynasty: Chapt 4, Explorer Corps - 3042-49

[Abe Sargent]

Oct 7, 3044

Daniel Four


80% Water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
High temp
Birds

Climate: Cool Earth

This is great, perhaps a bit too much water, but otherwise fantastic.

Specials? I add four to my roll. Let’s see what I can pull….

I rolled an 11 + 4. What’s that get me?

Roll again 3 times. Wow, okay:

8
14
16

I get roll again twice for 14

11
6

Okay, here is what we got:

Star league facility abandoned, habitable satellite, star league facility (occupied).


This is going to be a bunch of stuff, so let’s go.

Our Satellite quickly shows a small habited area with a DropShip, even though we noticed no JumpShip in system. We order our ships to land, and we will take the cover of LosTech Prospectors again.

As we begin to approach, several AeroSpace Fighters scramble from the area and begin to harass us. Thinking they might think we are pirates, we quickly radio them and tell them we are just LosTech prospectors. They radio back “Good, maybe you’ll something we can take from your corpse.”

Looks like they are the pirates.

ComStar wastes no time and soon 8 fighters are buzzing around (the other two are back at the JumpShip). I order them (remember, I have military command) to attack the lance of pirate fighters, who scramble away, and I order them to chase.

We are going in hot. Our DropShips land, and I order the infantry and other people to stay inside the Santos-Dumont while my company plus me of mechs begins to exit our ship. Within a moment, are presence is contested by a large number of mechs with black paint on them.


For the first time in almost two years, we are going to be in real combat. Time to earn our keep. I order the AeroSpace fighters to break off and guard the opposing DropShip, in case the pirates want to leave in a hurry.

The Pirates:

2750 Flashman 8K
Starslayer
2750 Phoenix Hawk 1B

Commando
Vulcan
BattleMaster
Clint
Crusader
Grasshopper
Stalker
Centurion
Locust
Banshee
Hornet

The BM pilot is a vet, the rest are regular.

There are several mechs here I am interested in. The Hornet is an old Star League design that did last the Succession Wars but does not have LosTech. It would be nice to have a rarer mech. The Starslayer is a Star League design that you don’t see anymore. It has CASE, Endo, ferro, an 2x HS. The Flashman is still found in armies in a few places as stripped down tech, but this is its original tech with an XL engine, 2x heat sink, and an anti-missile system. The Phoenix Hawk is a Star League variant with a XL engine, 2x heat sinls, ER PPC and ER Large laser in addition to close range weaponry. It also has a Guardian ECM suite and CASE for MG ammo.


This 20 ton mech is the Hornet we are fighting. It features an LRM5, medium laser and small laser, moves 5/8/5 and has full armor.

[Abe Sargent]

We are fighting near some scattered woods and a small pair of hills and a large creek.


Remember we have a lighter selection of mechs. And the pirates won’t give up easily.


We win init. Their Clint falls down from some damage.

We lose init. I hop our Ostscout by their Clint just in case it can‘t stand. It does stand though so I hop our Spider next to it. I hop a few mechs near their Starslayer - Jenner, G Hopper. Our Spider hits and destroys the Rear Right Torso of their Clint, then hits its AC5 ammo and it explodes. Dead Clint. One kill. One of the things I am trying to do is find out which mechs my large number of scouts can 1:1 and then let them do so. Their Starslayer absorbed four PPCs plus several medium lasers and did not fall or go internal anywhere. Our Ostscout punches the Starslayer in the head and dizzies the pilot.

We win init. I hop our G Hopper next to theirs. I hop our Ostscout behind their Crusader. Just exchange of fire. We push their Grasshopper into water but it does not fall.

We lose init. I run our Jenner behind their Crusader. I order our Grasshopper to charge their Banshee. After taking 6 PPCs including a glancing shot to its head, their Stalker falls. The charge hits and the Banshee is forcefully smashed into the water, and a breach occurs, shutting it down. Our Grasshopper falls though.

We win init. I stand up our G Hopper. Ostscout to the rear of their Hornet. Spider to rear of Starslayer. Their Stalker rises. Their Crusader was kicked twice by my Jenner and Grasshopper and falls.

We win init. One thing I won’t have to worry about are ammo explosions and running out of ammo. Their Crusader hit’s a JJ on my Jenner. Our Warhammer hit’s a leg actuaotr on their Stalker. Our G Hopper hit’s a leg and LRM15 on their Crusader. Their Stalker falls and destroys its own RA. Their Stalker pilot is knocked out in the fall. Our Jenner kicks and hit’s a foot actuaotr on their Crusader. It falls and hits two more actuators.

We win init. Their Crusader fails to stand. Their Commando destroys the RL of my Charger. Our Ostsol hit’s the Crusader’s ammo and it explodes. Their Stalker is still asleep.

We lose init. We manage to stand the Charger. Our Mercury destroys the CT of their Commando. Their BattleMaster falls after losing much armor from PPC blasts. Their Flashman took 5 PPCs from my Awesome and Warhammer. Stalker pilot wakes up.

We win init. I flee with the Charger. Their Stalker fails to stand. Our P Hawk destroys their Flashman’s LA. Their Starslayer destoryw our Jenners H and kills the MehWarrior. Our Mongoose destroys the LT of their Flashman, and since it has an XL engine It is destroyed. Their Grasshopper falls.

We win init. Their hopper stands. So does their Stalker. Our Warhammer hits their Grasshopper’s LRM 5 ammo and it goes up. Our’Hopper ignites their Stalker’s SRM ammo and it also lights up. The engine blows up and tears off the RL of their Hornet.

We win init. They are trying to rally behind their Battlemaster,and I’m not having it. I have 11 mehcs to their 6. Their Hornet fails to stand. Their Starslayer falls after my Grasshopper kicks it and hit’s a foot actuator.

We win init. Their Starslayer stands. Our P Hawk falls after taking some hits.

We win init. I stand up the P Hawk and run into the woods. RA on the Centurion destroyed by a PPC from Braham Essex’s Awesome. Our Ostscout punches and destroys the RT of their Centurion.

The 14th round is here and we win init. Their Starslayer tries to stand, fails, and the pilot blacks out. Our Warhammer destroys the Centurion’s CT. It is recoverable (I rolled a 10 on 2d6). Our Mongoose destroys the RT of their BattleMaster. Our Grasshopper kciks and destroys the Rl of their Vulcan.

With a Vulcan and Hornet legged, a blacked out Starslayer pilot, and a BM missing a RT and RA, only their P Hawk is still alive and virtually undamaged. They surrender and we take their mechs.


We lost a mechwarrior, and that’s never good.

[Abe Sargent]

Salvage:

Clint RA, LL, LT
Banshee
Crusader RA, H, LL
Commando RT, RA, RL, LL, LT, LA, H
Flashman w.o LA, LT and 3 engine hits.
Grasshopper LA, RT, RA, RL
Stalker H
Centurion w/o gyro
Battlemaster RA
Starslayer



Repair:

Charger RL
Jenner H


It’s going to take a long time to get our mechs repaired. It will take about 40 tons of armor. We strip the armor off the Clint, Crusader, Commando, Grasshopper, Stalker and BattleMaster and manage to get almost enough from that and our stores, but the Jenner and Charger are beyond our ability to repair.

We look at our contract, and all forces our mech battle become our salvage, so even the surrendered units become ours.

Phoenix Hawk 1b
Vulcan missing Leg
Hornet missing Leg
BattleMaster missing RT, RA




Like I said, the ComStar Explorer Corps contracts are better than normal in several ways, they have to be. Most contracts would take surrendered units, but not ComStar.


The ComStar infantry spread out and locate several techs and administrators and one doctor. It appears that the pirates found a really nice planet here, with a lost Star League outpost and another abandoned facility on the other side of the planet. It’s going to take a while to explore Daniel Four.

[Abe Sargent]

Oct 17, 3044 - ComStar has discovered several Brian Caches of mechs that the pirates were unable to find on the planet. This planet appears to have been a supply depot for the Star League equivalent of the Explorer Corps.

There were two facilities here. One was the outpost itself, and the other various storage and supply caches. One of those was found by the pirates, and the others were not, they were all hidden.

While ComStar does a lot of on world stuff, the satellites are repositioned around the habitable moon.



Daniel Four A

80% Water
Standard pressure
Breathable
Warm
Amphibians

Climate - Z4-6 Jungle, Z3 Arid, Z2 Warm Temperate, Z1 Cool Temperate


Anything special here?

We see some ruins and buildings and will have to go check them out too.

[Abe Sargent]

Nov 23, 3044 - Daniel System was a gold mine. The main habitable planet had not one but TWO Star League era outposts, while one had been taken over by pirates, so they went through the work of getting it operational. They tell me that the Star League name for this system was Da Gama. Then, on the moon around Da Gama were some ruins from the Star League era, but that planet is so warm and wet that the ruins are not really identifiable. The computer on Da Gama says it was an old listening post, though. It was kept away from the planet in order to isolate it a bit from the noise of Da Gama.

ComStar has found a ton of mechs, tanks, fighters, equipment, ammo, parts, and more. They are gracious enough to use the found stuff to fully repair our mechs, although we do not have a pilot for the Jenner. As such, they are having us leave the Jenner behind.

ComStar is leaving behind an infantry platoon and several eggheads, and we are heading back to Columbus with a report. It will take a while, and we will take a route that brings us through more uncharted systems. At the end, however, we will give a report, and then the Columbus will send our recovery teams and get our salvage back to Columbus, including the Jenner, where we can end the contract in a few years. In the meantime, the space the Jenner and other supplies took up they bring aboard some of the discovered equipment from the caches.

If we actually were LosTech prospectors, we would have just won the jackpot.

[Abe Sargent]

Nov 29, 3044:

Shadrach System:

Class B Blue White
Class III Ordinary Supergiant
No planets


Nov 30, 3044:

Meshach System:

Class B Blue White
Class VI Subdwarf
No planets


Dec 15, 3044:

Abednego System:

Class M Red
Class II Bright Giant
6 planets, 1 habitable


Dec 18, 3044 - The Fall of Andurien is honored

[Abe Sargent]

Dec 23, 3044 - We arrive at Abednego One.


30% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Composition
Medium Temp
Microbes

Climate: Z1-4 Arctic, Z5 - Boreal, Z6 - Cool Temperate


Special? Nope


Dec 30, 3044:

Esther System

Class A White
Class VI Subdwarf
One Planet, Not habitable

[Abe Sargent]

Jan 2, 3045:

Mordecai System

Class G Yellow
Class V Main Sequence
7 planets
2 habitable


Jan 13, 3045 -

Mordecai Three

50% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmos
High Temp
Reptiles

Climate - Z1 Cool Temp, Z2 Warm Temp, Z3 - Arid, Z4-6 Jungle


We see something on the ground. It looks like a monument?

Dec 31, 3044 -

We arrive on the ground and find a giant monument erected to the Star League. Apparently, something of consequence happened here, but the information as to what is faded. Even the giant Star League symbol is eroded in the tainted atmosphere.

Jan 5, 3045 - Nothing else on Mordecai Three was found.

[Abe Sargent]

Jan 7, 3045 -

Mordecai Four:

90% water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Medium Temp
Mammals

Climate - Z6-4 - Jungle, Arid, Warm, Z1 - Cool


Special? We get to add 5 to our roll….

SHIT. I actually rolled it naturally. I have a 1 in 36 chance to roll this.

The chart goes up to 17. The maximum bonus you can ever have is a +5 for a Yellow Star and either III, IV or V luminosity. That means whenever you enter a system, there is just a 1 in 12 chance of the maximum bonus. If there is more than one planet ,only the first one gets the maximum bonus, and the others get lesser bonuses. Then, when I roll for special, I roll the dice and add the bonus. 17 is the best to get, but you can only get it in a perfect system - Yellow star, of Supergiant, Subgiant or Main Sequence luminosity.

Then your chance of rolling that 1 in 36 is highly difficult. Only a boxcars on a maximum bonus world can give you this super rare thing.

The chance of finding this is 1 in 432. That doesn’t sound too bad, but when you figure that you are only going to do maybe 10 - 15 systems a year, it would take you a while to find one. Actually, the odds are a bit better. The next numbers give you more rolls, as you may recall from the Da Gama System.


Now, I have rolled a Star League Outpost with Star League Personnel still running it.

I roll 1d6 on the chart to tell me what era the people here are from.

I roll a 2 - Star League’s heydey.


That means we found a Star League Outpost still being run by Star League personnel. That is not only a super amazing find, it is an Inner Sphere changing find. Do you realize what technology you could unleash if you had an actual Star League Outpost with actual descents of Star League personnel still running it?

It would change the Inner Sphere. The Helm Memory Core alone shattered the Inner Sphere, but it was only a small amount of data. Now, I could try and alter the information in several ways:

1). Perhaps the Star League Outpost is no longer functional and the personnel have devolved. That seems like cheating, but it would give you a planet that did not impact the Inner Sphere.
2). The “Star League Era” Personnel could be the Kerensky Fleet. And by that, I mean the Clans.
We could fight them right now, giving us a heads up on the rest of the Inner Sphere, and that would be cool. If we destroyed them, it would keep us quiet. If we lost, it would be the Outbound Light incident only 3 and a half years too early, which would massively change the Inner Sphere’s history.
3). I could do something like the Star League Era Personnel have gone crazy but the technology is still there, making it a good find, but the most sensitive stuff was destroyed. Still a find for ComStar, but much less so.


We could spin #2. What if the clans on the planet were not your normal clansman, but actually Clan Wolf Wardens, the sort that would be willing to keep this contact a secret? That would still give us a major heads up, though. I don’t know if it would be right to let us in on the big secret five years in advance. It would also give ComStar a heads up, and they did not have that, so as much fun as it might be to run 2, it simply cannot be that.

Which leaves us with something like 3. Okay, let’s do it.

[Abe Sargent]

Jan 9, 3045 - It is obvious after landing that the people here are descendants of Star League personnel. Several of them are wearing SL badges around their neck. They are also wearing data chits like jewelry, and it looks like the most interesting information has been destroyed by being worn and used as jewelry for centuries by now savages.

Because the data is lost, we can’t tell what happened to cause this state. However, they fear us, and won’t come near us.

Jan 17, 3045 - After securing a base of operations, we found the Star league facility. Although it has been heavily used and the computers are destroyed, there is still a lot of equipment here that could be restored. It’s still a good find for ComStar, but not as much as it could have been.

[Abe Sargent]

Jan 28, 3045:


Nehemiah System

Class M Red
Class II Bright Giant
2 planets, zero habitable


Jan 30, 3045:

Jonah System

Class K Orange
Class I bright Supergiant
0 planets

[Abe Sargent]

Feb 7, 3045:

Malachi System

Class K Orange
Class II Bright Giant
3 planets, 1 habitable


Feb 12, 3045 :

Malachi Two

60%
Standard pressure
Tainted composition
Medium Temp
Amphibians

Climate: Earthlike

Specials: Nothing

Feb 19, 3045:

Zachariah System

Class A White
Class II Bright Giant
0 Planets


Feb 21, 3045 - Back at Columbus. Whew. We are informed that this was one of the most productive trips ever, with LosTech and outposts and colonies, and more.

May 3, 3045 - After some resting, restocking, and creating a new plan of attack, we jump back out from Columbus.

[Abe Sargent]

Zephaniah System

Class F Yellow White
Class I Bright Supergiant
0 planets


May 5, 3045 -


Gideon System

Class K Orange
Class III Ordinary Giant
5 planets, 1 habitable

[Abe Sargent]

May 8, 3045:

Gideon One

60% Water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Warm Temp
Reptiles

Climate: Earthlike

Special: Habitable Satellite


May 10, 3045:

Gideon One A

70% Water
High Pressure
Tainted Atmos
Warm
Reptiles

Climate: Cool Earthlike


Special? Nothing

[Abe Sargent]

May 16, 3045:


Samson System

Class B Blue White
Class III Ordinary Giant
1 planet, not habitable


May 17, 3045:


Delilah System

Class A White
Class IV Subgiant
2 planets, 1 habitable


June 5, 3045:


Delilah Two

5 % Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Comp
Medium Temp
No Life

Climate: Earthlike

Special: Severe Seismic Activity

[Abe Sargent]

June 26, 3045:

Ehud System

Uh oh. First of all, we jump into Ehud System and it is quite noisy out here. Someone is here.

Class G Yellow
Class V Main Sequence
4 planets, 1 habitable

After some scanning, we find two JumpShips at the Nadir jump point (We are at Zenith). Who are they? Let me roll.

We hail them, using the LosTech Prospecting Story. They hail back. They also claim to be LosTech Prospectors. Let’s meet up! A JumpShip can move in a system, and it can move at about the speed of a DropShip at 1G, so we can get to their point in twice the number of days it takes to get to the planets. Looks like 14 days to get to them. In the meantime, we can send one DropShip to the planet to scan it - the Santos-Dumont.

[Abe Sargent]

July 3, 3045 - The Santos-Dumont arrives at Ehud Three.


60% Water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Warm
Reptiles

Climate: Warm Earthlike

Special? We get a +5 to this roll….

I roll a 10. I get extra rolls:

MERDE. I actually rolled BOXCARS A SECOND TIME. Then I rolled an 8 which goes up to 13 (Lost Colony - inhabited).

So according to our rolls, this has BOTH an inhabited colony AND an inhabited Star League Outpost with…let’s see…Colony is Pre Star League and Outpost is Colonists who fled around the time of the First Succession War.

There is no escaping it a second time. Something is up here. Either we found one of the biggest finds in Explorer Corps HISTORY, bigger than Columbus, bigger than Alfirk, bigger than the Jarnfolk, OR, we again screw the dice and say it’s worse than it appears. How can this planet have both a colony and an outpost? Let’s see if there is anything I can jack into.


Say hello to a planet of my own creation, since nothing seems to work.

[Abe Sargent]

The History of Cimmeria - In the mid 2300s, a large, well funded group of colonists left the Terra System for parts unknown. After traveling for three years, they found the Cimmerian System and loved the planet we call Ehud Three. It was slightly warmer than Terra, but otherwise it was perfect.

For 300 years, the colonists of Cimmeria built up a civilization with cities, industrial and agricultural concerns on the Ijawi Continent located on the north of the planet. The Faylor and Greshin Continents had been deemed sacred by the colonists, and were not disturbed.

In 2680, the first Star League Explorer Team discovered Cimmeria. They made contact with the locals, who were quite surprised to find anyone in their star system. Initial contact went very well, and the SLET decided to use Ehud One as an Outpost for both future SLET missions and as an embassy for the Cimmerians. However, they chose to settle the Faylor Continent, which made many Cimmerians uncomfortable.

For 34 years, the SLET and Cimmerians lived in peace, as a liberal contingent of Cimmerians was in power. Then, on November 14, 2714, there was a coup in the Cimmerian government, and more conservative and religious elements took over. They used the SLET presence as an excuse to take over the military, and now the various tanks, infantry and conventional fighters of the Cimmerians were in the hands of the same people who were against the Star League Exploration Team’s presence.

During those 34 years, the SLET had expanded their base significantly. It had drydock, several barracks, storage depots, observation posts, medical facilities, and defensive facilities, including turrets and towers. They also had power armor infantry, AeroSpace Fighters, tanks and some BattleMechs. Since they had known for decades that some members of the Cimmerians did not like their presence, the SLET had plenty of time to have a nice garrison, just in case of a rainy day.

For the next seven years, the new conservative government continued to consolidate power and agitate against the SLET presence.

Then a highly unusual event changed things of Cimmeria forever. An asteroid was observed as being directed for its orbit in the system and headed towards Cimmeria. As it drew closer, religious furor increased. The leaders said it was the Vengeance of God, and that only an attack against those that would defile holy ground would force God to stay his vengeance.

Within a few days, rioting began. SLET officers and even family members found on the Ijawi Continent were imprisoned, and after a few days trial began. The first trial was quite public, of an infantry platoon member. After two days of a largely kangaroo court, the member was sentenced to death.

Before they could carry out the sentence, that night, a large number of SLET BattleMechs, fighters, tanks and infantry broke into the jail and freed all of the Star League personnel and their families and took them back to their bases o the Faylor Continent.

With armed action against them known, the Cimmerians declared war with the SLET. Predictably, just a few days later astronomers announced that new information showed that the Vengeance of God would miss Cimmeria by a slim margin. The leader proclaimed that God was on their side, and it was hard for anyone to argue that. Of course, the SLET had known it was going to miss all along, and they suspected that the leaders knew too, they just used its close range to their advantage.

Despite the declaration of war, the SLET continued much as normal. The Cimmerians did not have the technical advantages the Star League personnel had. Additionally, the SLET had BattleMechs, which could level any fight, plus they still had their DropShips that they could send out to get reinforcements if needed.

A quiet ceasefire had settled on the situation when one day, a small group of highly motivated but suicidal Cimmerians blew up the Hyper-Pulse Generator in the Faylor Continent. They were all killed in the explosion that followed.

Now the SLET were pissed off and ready to actually begin war. 2724 was the year war truly began on Cimmeria. The natives used tanks, infantry and fighters while the Star League forces used all of those but better, plus BattleMechs.

Within a year, the SLET base had barely been breached, but several settlements on Ijawi Continent had been destroyed when the SLET had tried to send messages.

Then a clever raid by the Cimmerians combined with an assault by force with most of their assets resulted in the Cimmerians taking two Star League BattleMechs away.

After that, hostilities began to die down, and the SLET, who had never wanted this conflict in the first place, was willing to let things die down too. For years, the war, although never officially cancelled, was in name only. The HPG was fixed, new forces were rotated in and the size of the SLET garrison was doubled, just in case.

Then, on 2748, the SLET was attacked by a renewed assault force, and they discovered that the Cimmerians had built their own BattleMechs, and a company of Mechs joined the assault. The SLET was initially surprised, but manages to destroy two of these mechs before the Cimmerians fled.

After some discovery, the SLET found out that the Cimmerians did not have a factory that they used to build these mechs, but instead had built them all by hand using the two captured in 2725 as blueprints for how to build a mech. The SLET send for more reinforcements, since they had lost some tanks, three mechs of their own, and more.

In early 2749, a Star League DropShip with new mechs and materiel for the battle arrived at the planet, but as it began to descend, the Cimmerians sent every single conventional fighter they had at it. Despite the technical superiority of the Star League fighters and pilots, the DropShip was forced down on the Greshin Continent due to numerical advantages by the Cimmerians.

A scramble began, and the leaders on the Ijawi Continent announced that God had told them the holy ground was for just them now, as a reward for their service, and then sent a team to collect the DropShip. The first group to find and recover the DropShip was sure to gain some significant materiel.

In order to secure their DropShip, the SLET sent a large number of their BattleMechs and fighters to the Greshin Continent while the Cimmerians just sent infantry and tanks. The Ijawi mechs and conventional fighters swung over to the SLET bases and began to attack while the bulk of the SLET forces were away. Forced with either losing materiel, or losing buildings and people, the SLET chose to retreat back to their base, and of course, as they left, the Cimmerians mechs retreated as well.

With the DropShip secure, the Cimmerians put guns to the heads of the Star League Personnel and forced them to fly it back to their capital, where they executed the personnel. They now had a DropShip plus all of the mechs and supplies that the DropShip had been bringing. With the 12 new mechs, plus ammo, armor and parts, the Cimmerians now boasted around 22 mechs, while the Star League had two companies, minus the three lost in battle, so 21. The forces began to look even.

It is 3045. The Star League fell and no more supplies were ever sent to the SLET base. Over the centuries, the fighting has moved from attacks on each, to fighting on the Greshin continent as more mineral deposits are found there, and the Ijawi ones became largely exhausted. No side has ever won other the other, and the sides have alternated between open conflict and hostility, or just lapses for a few years in the fighting punctuated by the occasional skirmish.

The Faylor Continent has one city that grew up around the SLET base. It is fully functional. They have farms on the southern outskirts of their city. There are several mines on the Faylor Continent, all working well.

The Ijawi Continent has a large number of cities, fishing, farming, and a few mines that are left, but most have dried up.

The Greshin Continent has several mining outposts by both sides, and looks like nature has been devastated by centuries of conflict.

Each side still has BattleMechs. A few go back to the Star League era, but most are actually made by techs out of the parts of destroyed mechs, or altered with materiel as time goes by. Each side has a large number of infantry. The SLET still has a handful of AeroSpace fighters, and both sides have tanks, and conventional fighters.

The level of technology here is pretty good. The SLET is at Star League level of technology, but they have lost some things, like their HPG station. The Cimmerians are at about the same level of technology as the Inner Sphere right now, with some LosTech due to their association with the Star League for years, plus raided things off of them.

[Abe Sargent]

When we arrive to drop satellites and scan the surface of Cimmeria, both sides hail us. There has not been a ship or any sign of life in the Cimmerian system except twice there were these highly decorated JumpShips that jumped in, and then jumped out, without ever investigating. Therefore, we are really unusual. They also think the LosTech prospector JumpShips are ours and that we are all together.

Each side wants us to land in their area and trade with them. We suspect that both want military supplies.

Cimmeria is a highly unusual situation. ComStar could land, join one side, with our mechs we could get one side to win, and then ally with that side permanently. They’d probably do that with the Star League side for a chance for their information.

On the other hand, we could visit both sides, do some non-military trading, and then initiate relations with each side, and then blast off again.

Or we could just leave. Which one sounds like the most fun?

[Abe Sargent]

July 5, 3045 - We land at the SLET outpost. We are greeted by many descendants of the original Star League that stationed this post. We are led to a central room in the old base where we meet Capt. Jake Hardesty. Capt Hardesty is the leader here, they apparently still run their side like a military organization. ComStar takes the lead on all communications, but Colonel Braham Essex and Lt. Amber Revleron are there as well.

We are warmly greeted, and ComStar begins trade, but not for materiel, but for medical supplies, food, and more. On several occasions, they imply that they want us to help them, and they ask for ammunition twice, but other than that, they are quite pleasant.


July 6, 3045 - We blast off from the SLET outpost and land in one of the fields surrounding the second largest city. Because we were planned to land here, large crowds have gathered, with signs. As we disembark, the crowds erupt in applause and cheering. They are holding signs like Welcome Servants of the Lord and Welcome Home Angels.

One of their leaders ushers us into a nearby farmhouse that has been taken over by the government for this occasion. They want to know when we will strike their enemies, and how soon. ComStar begins by saying that we did not trade any weapons, ammunition or armor to the Star League descendants, which makes them happy. However, ComStar continues by saying that we also will only be trading food and supplies to you as well, because they don’t want to take sides, at least not yet. At that, the leader gets quite upset, visibly so.

She types something on a communication device she has, and then gathers herself, before continuing. She asks when we will be able to pick a side. ComStar says we have to go back and talk to their superiors, that they cannot simply make a choice for their entire organization. Meanwhile, we can trade, explore.

After a few minutes of this, I begin to become wary. Excusing myself, I get up and take a look around. The people that were here a few moments ago have disappeared. “We need to go,” I announce, and I begin moving to the DropShips. The ComStar folks are not sure what to make, but Amber follows my lead immediately. I order the ComStar armored infantry off the Santos-Dumont immediately.

Within a minute, they begin disembarking as the ComStar dignitaries finally understand my command. Suddenly, we begin to hear the sonic boom of fighters overhead. The Cimmerian guards are fleeing. I order our infantry to cover the dignitaries as we begin to load up.

Gunfire begins to rain down from above and our DropShip weapons begin to open up into the sky. I order them to lay down a barrage of fire, just keeping the fighters from us. Meanwhile, we begin to load back up. One of the ComStar dignitaries is killed by strafing but everybody else makes it out. I order our DropShips to rise, and as they do, we can get enough elevation to launch our 8 AeroSpace Fighters.


After a few moments, the fighters launch, and I order them to screen us back into space.


Well, that was not…civil.

We are back in orbit around Cimmeria. We have several options. We can go back down and join the Star League side and try to win the war, but even if they were to win the war, the entire Cimmerian populace is against them. They have been indoctrinated. I don’t think the battle on the planet could ever end.

We say good bye to them, and launch back out.

[Abe Sargent]

July 14, 3045 - We arrive at the LosTech prospectors location and have a meeting.

July 15, 3045 - They have told us about an interesting system one jump from here that has a double star. Our techs want to analyze it, so we are going to jump there.


July 17, 3045 -


We arrive in the Esau System

Star #1

Class M Red
Class III Ordinary Giant


Star #2

Class G Yellow
Class III Ordinary Giant


# of planets: 3
Any habitable? One


Aug 2, 3045:

Esau Three

30% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmos
Medium Temp
Plants

Climate: Warm Earthlike

Special - Nothing


It is unusual to find a habitable planet in a binary system. The presence of a binary star makes it much harder to support life as a general rule, because the life band is smaller and the likelihood of having a planet in there is not as good. Here you have one that is not great, because of the tainted atmosphere, but it is quite livable.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 20, 3045:


Deborah System

Class A White
Class V Main Sequence
0 planets


Aug 21, 3045:

Othniel System

Class G Yellow
Class I Bright Supergiant
3 planets. 0 habitable


Aug 31, 3045:


Elon System

Class M Red
Class IV Subgiant
8 planets, 0 habitable


Sept 2, 3045:

Shamgar System

Class F Yellow White
Class II Bright Giant
4 planets, 0 habitable

[Abe Sargent]

Sept 12, 3045:


Tola System

Class A White
Class II Ordinary Giant
3 planets, 1 habitable


Oct 1, 3045

Tola Two

40% Water
Low Atmosphere Pressure
Tainted Atmos
Low Temperature
Microbes

Climate: Z1-6 Arctic

BRRR

Special: Severe Weather and Storms. Must be Ice storms. Cold.

[Abe Sargent]

Oct 20, 3045:

Jephthah System

Class K Orange
Class IV Subgiant
5 planets, 2 habitable


Oct 25, 3045:

Jephthah One

80% water
Standard pressure
Breathable
Medium Temp
Amphibians

Climate - Z 4-6 Jungle, 3 - Arid, 2- Warm, 1- Cool


Special: Nothing

Not a bad planet at all for habitation, except it’s a bit on the warm side.

Our scans show tremendous mineral wealth here, and ComStar marks it for future explorations.


Oct 29, 3045:

Jephthah Two:

30% Water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Medium Temp
Amphibians

Climate: Warm Earthlike

Special: There is a habitable satellite


Oct 31, 4045:

Jephthah Two A:

40% Water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Medium Temp
Amphibians

Climate: Warm earthlike

I keep rolling the same things.

Special: Nothing


That means in this system are mineral riches and three easily colonizable places. Jephthah is a great system! It’s too bad no one ever found it. It would have been a dream to colonize.

[Abe Sargent]

Nov 8, 3045:


Abdon System

Class M Red
Class II Bright Giant
5 planets, 0 habitable


Nov 10, 3045:

Jair System

Class M Red
Class III Ordinary Giant
7 planets, 0 habitable

[Abe Sargent]

Nov 17, 3045:

Ibzan System

Class A White
Class VI Subdwarf
1 planet, 1 habitable


Dec 18, 3045: We honor the Fall of Andurien


Dec 24, 3045:

Ibzan One ( I am subtracting 2 from each roll, which usually ends up in a lousy planet)

40% Water
Standard Atmos. Pressure
Tainted Atmos
Low Temp
No Life

Climate: Z1-3 Arctic, Z4 Boreal, Z5 - Cool, Z6 Warm

Special - Nothing


Not a bad planet for here, but no life and tainted atmosphere make is hard to want to settle.

[Abe Sargent]

Jan 30, 3046:

Eli System
Class F Yellow White
Class IV Subgiant
5 planets, 1 habitable


Feb 12, 3046

Eli Four

60% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmos
Medium Temp
Amphibians

Climate: Cool Earthlike

Specials: Roll again twice and select one. There are some ruins here and we land to investigate.


Feb 17, 3046 - After five days of investigation, we find no major structures, just some ruins of an age and nature we cannot identify.

Feb 20, 3046 - While returning to our JumpShip, someone else jumps into the system. After an hour, they appear to be launching a lance of fighters at the King Arthur, which launches its two fighters in defense. We launch ours because they can accelerate at a much higher G rate. We also increase our speed to 2 G. Very uncomfortable.

The unknown JumpShip scrambles 6 more fighters, giving them 10 total and they will probably beat the ComStar fighters. The King Arthur recalls their fighters, and just as soon as they have returned, the King Arthur begins to jump. A few minutes later, they are gone. We will continue to the jump point. With their LF battery, the King Arthur can jump back into the system later to see if we won, and then jump back out again if we lost. Our fighters come back and join us at 2 Gs

Feb 21, 3046 - Our fighters and our DropShips arrive at the Nadir jump point, and the unknown ships launches its ten fighters. Due in part to some Star League technology on the ComStar fighters and greater piloting, they manage to destroy four of the unknown fighters, but two of theirs have been destroyed. The unknown party withdraws their fighters.

We recall our fighters and hold our ground. The unknown entity must be well equipped because the jump back out, indicated an LF battery.

Feb 28, 3046 - Our ComStar Merchant-class JumpShip arrives back, and we load up.

[Abe Sargent]

March 1, 3046 - We arrive at Alfirk. This is a system and lost colony that was discovered by ComStar 50 years or so ago. Every few years, ComStar visits Alfirk and brings them news, trades, and so forth.

March 22, 3046 - After a week of R&R on Alfirk, we head back out.


March 27, 3046:

Abimelech System

Class K Orange
Class II Bright Giant
9 planets, 2 habitable



April 1, 3046:

Abimelech Four

40% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted
Low Temp
Plants

Climate: Z 1-4 Arctic, Z5 Boreal, Z6 Cool Temperate

Special: Nothing


April 4, 3046:

Abimelech Five

30 Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted
Medium Temp
Fish

Climate: Ze 4-6 jungle, Z3 Arid, Z2 - Warm Z1 Cool

Special: Severe Storms

[Abe Sargent]

April 12, 3046:

Isaiah System

Class M Red
Class I Bright Supergiant
1 planet, habitable


April 16, 3046


Isaiah One

0% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted
Low Temp
Plants

Climate: Cool Earthlike

Special: Nothing


That was a planet created with a -2 and yet it came out almost perfect except for the tainted atmosphere, and I’ve seen a lot worse.


April 22, 3046:

Ezekiel System

Class A White
Class III Ordinary Giant
4 planets, 0 habitable

[Abe Sargent]

April 23, 3046:

Jeremiah System

Class K Orange
Class VI Subdwarf
6 planets, 2 habitable


April 29, 3046

Jeremiah Two

30% Water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Medium Temp
Fish

Climate: Warm Earthlike

Special: Nothing

Just a nice, habitable planet

May 2, 3046

Jeremiah Three

20% Water
Low Pressure
Toxic Atmos
Low Temp
Amphibians

Climate: Earthlike

Special: Nothing

Those are some weird lifeforms to be in this planet.

[Abe Sargent]

May 14, 3046:

Baruch System

Class B Blue White
Class VI Subdwarf
0 planets


May 15, 3046

Elijah System

Class B Blue White
Class II Bright Giant
No planets



May 25, 3046

Elisha System

Class A White
Class III Ordinary Giant
1 planet, habitable


July 1, 3046


Elisha One

30% Water
Low Pressure
Toxic
Low Temp
Microbes

Climate: Cool Earthlike

Special: None

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 10, 3046

Hosea System

Class G Yellow
Class I Bright Supergiant
1 planet, not habitable


Aug 12, 3046

Amos System

Class A White
Class I Bright Supergiant
No planets

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 27, 3046

Micah System

Class M Red
Class V Main Sequence
7 planets, 2 habitable



Sept 1, 3046


Micah One

50% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted
Medium Temp
Fish

Climate: Earthlike

Specials: There appears to be a large magnetic something on an island in the Warm Temperate Zone.


Sept 2, 3046:

We land and begin searching.

Sept 4, 3046: After some searching, we uncover a small Star League listening post, long since covered by the sand and waves. The tainted atmosphere, beating waves and sand has broken through the walls of the post and covered everything. None of the electronics here will work, and there is nothing salvageable.


Sept 7, 3046

Micah Two

20% Water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmos
Medium Temp
Amphibians

Climate: Cool Earthlike

Special: Severe Storms

[Abe Sargent]

Sept 15, 3046:

Obadiah System

Class B Blue White
Class VI Subdwarf
No planets



Sept 16, 3046:

Nahum System

Class G Yellow
Class V Main Sequence
4 planets
2 habitable


Sept 19, 3046

Nahum Two

80% Water
Standard pressure
Breathable
High Temp
Amphibians

Climate: Z1-3 Arctic, Z4 Boreal, Z5 Cool, Z6 Warm

Special: Nothing

A bit cold, but a nice planet to settle.

[Abe Sargent]

Sept 24, 3046

Nahum Three

90% Water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Very Warm Temp
Birds


Climate: Earthlike

Special: I roll a high number and add a huge bonus. I get two rolls and get to keep both. Here we go:

I roll…

A 2, which plus 5 is a 7, nothing. And a ten, which +5 is 15 and more rolls:

6, which +5 is 11 and that’s Star League facility abandoned
8, which +5 is 13, which is Lost Colony - inhabited. From when? Recently


There are a large number of DropShips on planet, and a lot of signs of recent activity. We are hailed as we deploy the satellite. Baron Sven Jorgensson of the Free Rasalhague Republic has claimed this planet and has set up shop here, with a large, self-sustained LosTech recovery operation. We claim we are mineral surveyors looking for planets for a corporation. We give them a name of a corporation that acts as a cover for ComStar.

After a few minutes, they welcome us down.


Sept 25, 3046 - We land on the planet. In addition to recovering LosTech from old caches, the FRR also appears to be using the planet to sustain itself, with mining, light industry, and heavy fishing getting enough food and supplies to keep the operation running. It looks like the planet is rich in fossil fuels as many off shore platforms can be seen.

We are welcomed, but told that this system has been claimed by the Baron, and we cannot explore any of the planets here for mineral rights until they have left. However, once the operation here is over, they will leave the system, and we can come back.

They expect to be here for another ten to fifteen years. They say they found it by accident when a Rasalhaguan JumpShip, misjumped and arrived here, and moved to scan the system to find out where they are. After scanning and finding what appeared to be massive Star League era caches, they plotted a route back home and initiated scouts and later companies to come out here. They’ve been here since 3037.

They claim to have found over 30 LosTech mechs and some Star League era battle armor.


Sept 30, 3046 - We lift off from the planet. ComStar can do nothing here, and it is obvious that everything here will be stripped away. However, ComStar will check back in 20 years or so, just to make sure.

[Abe Sargent]

Oct 7, 3046:

We arrive back at Columbus. There are some instructions waiting here for us.


ComStar system CS356 is a way-station for supplies but recently a band of pirates have taken over the planet, and we have to go there and tell them to knock if off. CS356 is 52 light years from Haven, so after we take out the pirates, we are to go to Haven via an uncharted system, and check up on the locals there. Then come back.


Oct 14, 3046: After restocking, we are back in the saddle. Because we are expecting combat, we have a lot of extra armor and such in the ships.


Peter System

Class M Red
Class II Bright Giant
6 planets, none habitable

[Abe Sargent]

Oct 15, 3046:

John System

Class A White
Class VI Subdwarf
2 planets, 1 habitable



Nov 23, 3046:

John Two

20% Water
Low Pressure
Toxic Composition
Medium Temp
Microbes

Climate: Z1 Warm, Z2, Arid, Z3-6 Jungle



Dec 18, 3046 - We honor the Fall of Andurien.

[Abe Sargent]

Jan 3, 3047:

Judas System

Class K Orange
Class V Main Sequence
1 planet - yes habitable


Jan 9, 3047

Judas One - 60% Water, standard pressure, Breathable, warm, Reptiles

Climate: Z 6-4 Jungle, Z3 Arid, Z2 Warm, Z1 Cool

Special: Habitable Satellite


Jan 11, 3047

Judas One A

90% Water
Standard pressure
Breathable
Warm
Reptiles

Climate: Warm Earthlike

Special: There are some buildings here.


Jan 14, 3047 - After some investigation it appears that a colony was settled here, but slowly, after decades, failed to take hold and died off. It looks like they never really tried too hard, because a lot of the buildings and infrastructure you would normally expect to see is either really small or absent.


Jan 23, 3047:

Matthew System

Class B Blue White
Class VI Subdwarf
No planets

[Abe Sargent]

Jan 24, 3047 -


CS346

There are no JumpShips in system, so we burn fast for their planet.

Jan 27, 3047 - We arrive at the planet. There is a lot of activity in a small group of hills. That appears to be the pirate base. We don’t know if they noticed us or not, there is no DropShip here. We drop our DropShips nearby and send out fighters just in case. The Fighters hit them and force them to stay in one spot until we can arrive.



We load up our mechs and move out.


We arrive and see a large number of pirate mechs - 12 an exact company. They are not pirates at all. They recognize the crossed black sword and gun on a red tartar background of Kilts and Commandos and they yell at us. “We have a death oath against you. Prepare to be exterminated. The Beta Company of Vinson;s will kill you.”


What are they doing out here? Anyway, as you might recall, I accidentally killed their CO’s son in a Solaris VII match, and now the have sworn to kill me. They don’t know this is me out here, but they have sworn a Blood Oath.


This match will be using Blood Oath rules. That means:

1). There is no surrender for either side. You fight until one side has no more mechs
2). You may not flee. No one can flee a mech from the edge of the board.
3). No pushing off. Normally, you can push a mech off the side of a board and they are removed from the game, but it’s cheesy and I rarely do it. It cannot be done today.

We are fighting by a mountain lake with a few trees.


Our foe:

Stinger
Catapult
Hunchback
Javelin
Dervish
Thunderbolt
Atlas
Shadow Hawk
Rifleman
Wolverine
Firestarter
JagerMech JM6-S (the one with AC2 and 5s)

The Atlas, Rifleman and Firestarter are veteran

[Abe Sargent]

We win init. They are all hiding behind the mountain. Wimps. Just weapons fire

We win init. I hop our Ostscout above their Stinger so that I have a chance to punt the head. We exchange fire. The Ostscouts and….destroys the head. The Stinger falls to the ground. It’s not often that an Ostscout gets a kill with its little jinky medium laser, but hey, I just got a nice one.

We win init. I jump our Spider to get a chance at punting a Rifleman’s H. Weapons fire exchanged. The Spider kicks…hits an arm.

We win init with Tactical Genius. More weapons fire exchange.

We lose init. We’ve been firing at their Hunchback T Bolt and Rifleman when they expose them. Our Awesome hits their Hunchy’s gyro. Then our Ostsol destroys its CT complte.y

We win init with Tactical Genius. We hop our Spider into another head punting chance on their Rifleman. Our Marauder destroys the RT of their T Bolt. Their Atlas’s needs an 11 with their AC20, rolls a 12 and hits our Spider right in the CT. Dead Spider. Not recoverable. Their T Bolt hits an engine on its way down.

We win init. Their T Bolt tries to stand, falls hits its Lrm ammo, and explodes. I jump our Ostscout next to their JagerMech. We miss the kick.

We win init. They have moved their forces behind the hill, so I move my forces from the hill to force them over. Our Awesome (me) destroys the Rifelman’s head with a PPC. Our Warhammer destroys its RT too.

We lose init on round 9. Minor exchange of fire.

We win init. Our Warhammer destroys the RA of their Shadow Hawk.

We win init again.

We lose. We hop our Ostscout by their Firestarter, Our Awesome hits an LRM15 on their Catapult. Our Ostsol gets a Limb Blown Off Critical on their Shadow Hawk;s LA. Our Grasshopper destroys the S hawks RT and the Catapult’s LA. Our Charger falls after taking some hits. Their Firestarter kicks and hits two leg actuators in our Ostscout.

We win with tactical genius. Their S Hawk, severely damaged, moves into the lake. One of their mechs fell into the water and was breached, but I don’t know which. My Awesome hits two jump jets on their Cat. Our Grasshopper gets a Limb Blown Off critical on their Dervish’s LA.


Init is lost this turn by us. Our Ostsol destroys the Dervish;s RA and LT.

We lose init again. My Awesome destroys the Dervish CT. It is recoverable.

We lose init. My Awesome hit’s a FS’s engine and gyro. Our Marauder destroys the LT of their JagerMech. They set the woods we were hiding in on fire. Little bastards.

We win init. Nothing much this round, I need to reposition.

We win init on rnd 18. I hop our Grasshopper by an elevated hill early in the round in order to entince one of their mechs to jump on the hill to try and punt my head and their untouched Jav takes the bait and jumps there. My Awesome destroys the RL on their Javelin.

We win init by a score of 12 to 2. I’ve never seen that before. Our Marauder destroys the LL of htehir Jav so that is salvage too,

Rnd 20 - they have four mehcs left - Atlas, Wolverine, Catapult and JagerMech. We win init. I order my scout forces to speed up and out flank them on the east.

We win again. Our scout units hammer their bruised Cat but it still stands. Our Warhammer and Grasshopper have taken the hill and are keeping their Wolverine and Atlas busy. I hop our G Hopper behind their Atlas. Our Mongoose hit a foot and engine oon their JagerMech. Our Mercury destroys the LT on their Cat. Our Ostsol hit’s the Cat’s engine twice and gyro once. The Cat falls an destroys its own CT. Our Hopper pushes their Atlas into the water but it doesn’t fall.


We win init. Our Ostsol destroys the JagerMech’s RA. It falls. So does their Wolverine.

We win init. Their JagerMech tries to stand, falls, and hits its AC 5 and explode.s That leaves just their Atlas and Wolverine.

We lose init. I have moved my Awesome and Marauder to where they can fire at the Atlas too. Our Maruader hits is LRM20 and SRM6. It hit’s a PPC on my Marauder. Our Grasshopper kicks and destrosyt eh LA and LT of their Atlas.

Rnd 25 and we win again. Our Marauder hits its engine and gyro. Our Ostsol hit sits gyro, dead mech., It tumbles and destroys its CT. Their Wolvie falls after being kicked by my ‘Hammer.

We win init. Our Hammer destroys the Wolvie’s RA, RT and hits its engine and gyro once each. It falls and it’s CT is breached and it is destroyed. All enemy mechs are defeated.

[Abe Sargent]

Salvage:

Stinger missing H
Hunchback missing engine with gyro hits
T Bolt RA, LA, LL, RL
Rifleman missing H, RT
Shadow Hawk LA
Dervish missing RA, LT, RT engine with gyro hits
Jagermech LA
Javelin missing RL and LL
Atlas H, RT, RL, RA, LL
Catapult with lots of gyro and engine hits, missing LT, RT, RA, LA
Wolverine with gyro engine hit once each, missing RA, RT
Firestarter with engine and gyro x1




Our Own Salvage:

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



Lot of repairs coming. No body parts though, just weapons, actuators, armor, etc.

About 45 tons of armor needed for our peops.


Vinson‘s Vigilantes were apparently guarding this ComStar depot when the unit stumbled on it earlier while exploring for mineral resources for a corporation. They actually thought it was a Star League cache not ComStar. ComStar will have to move it before Vinson’s can return.


Feb 8, 3047 - After cleaning out the Vigilantes, we launch from CS356.

[Abe Sargent]

Feb 15, 3047:

Bartholomew System

Class M Red
Class VI Subdwarf
6 planets, 2 habitable

With such a small star, and a Class M, it only takes 2 days to get in and out.


Feb 17, 3047:

Bartholomew Five

40% Water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Low Temp
Fish

Climate - Z1-4 Arctic, Z5 Boreal Z6 Cool


Special: Nothing


Feb 20, 3047:

Bartholomew Six

10% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmos
Medium Temp
Fish

Climate: Cool Earthlike

Special: Nothing.


Feb 24, 3047:

We arrive back in the Haven system. That old JumpShip is still here. We make for Haven.

[Abe Sargent]

March 2, 3047:

We arrive at the moon they populated. We are warmly greeted again. There has been no one else come by here. We do some trading and give them some news. We also warn them about Vinson’s Vigilantes.


March 26, 3047: We leave Haven behind:


Andrew System

Class M Red
Class III Ordinary Giant
9 Planets, no habitable


March 27, 3047:


Thomas System

Class B Blue White
Class VI Subdwarf
2 planets, 0 habitable


April 5, 3047:

James System

Class F Yellow White
Class I Bright Supergiant
1 planet, 0 habitable

[Abe Sargent]

April 7, 3047:

Phillip System

Class G Yellow
Class III Ordinary Giant
4 planets, 2 habitable



April 15, 3047


Phillip Two

40% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmos
Medium Temp
Amphibians

Climate - Z1-4 Arctic, Z5 Boreal, Z6 Cool Temperate

Special: None

April 18, 3047


Phillip Three

50% Water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Very Warm
Reptile

Climate: Cool Earthlike

Special: Habitable Satellite

Let's go check out that satellite


April 20, 3047:

Phillip Three A

50% Water
High Pressure
Breathable
Warm Temp
Reptile

Climate: Z1-3 Arctic, Boreal, Cool, Warm

Special: Looks like signs of life here.


We land and find some buildings. We spread out and initiate discovery.


April 24, 3047:

We find no sign of human habitation. This appears to be a colony set up in the past hundred years or so, but it looks to have never took. We suspect they left for some reason. Probably only here a few months, perhaps a year.

[Abe Sargent]

May 4, 3047:

Simon System

Class B Blue White
Class IV Subgiant
1 planet, not habitable


May 5, 3047:

Paul System

Class G Yellow
Class V main Sequence
6 planets, 0 habitable

It looked good until we saw that none of the planets fell within the life ring.


May 14, 3047:


Mark System

Class G Yellow
Class I Bright Supergiant
2 planets, 0 habitable

[Abe Sargent]

May 16, 3047:

Matthias System

Class A White
Class IV Subgiant
3 planets, 1 habitable


June 30, 3047:

Matthias One

40% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Composition
Medium Temp
Amphibians

Climate: Warm Earthlike

Special: Nothing


August 16, 3047:

Silas System

Class K Orange
Class II Bright Giant
4 planets, 0 habitable


August 18, 3047:

Barnabas System

Class G Yellow
Class I Bright Supergiant
3 planets, 0 habitable


Aug 29, 3047:

We arrive back in the Columbus System. Our contracts ends in a few months, so we begin to settle up.

[Abe Sargent]

Here we go:



As a reminder, here was our contract:

Contract:

Length: 5 years
Salary: x3.7, x1.3, x2
Support: Battle Loss 50% and Straight Support 100%.
Salvage: Shared
Command: Integrated
Remuneration: No
Transport: Full
Bonus 20%
What we paid:

5,272,992 Salary and upkeep of unit including time spent getting to and back from contract.
850,000 Armor
1,100,000 - To fix Spider


What we got:

550,000 Loss of Spider Compensation
425,000 Armor Battle Loss
38,898,662 - Salary + bonus
1,024,560 - 100% upkeep of unit

[Abe Sargent]

Shared Salvage:

Clint RA, LL, LT - 1.2 mill
Banshee - 9.5 mill
Crusader RA, H, LL - 1.5 mill
Commando RT, RA, RL, LL, LT, LA, H - 1.2 million, 750k to buy engine, CT and gyro and put back together
2750 Flashman w.o LA, LT and 3 engine hits. 15 million, 3.5 mill to fix
Grasshopper LA, RT, RA, RL 1.4 million
Stalker H - 750,000
Centurion w/o gyro - 3 mill, 350k to fix
Starslayer 4.8 mill
Phoenix Hawk 1b - 8.6 mill
Vulcan missing Leg - 3 mill: 400k to fix
Hornet missing Leg - 1.1 mill: 200k to fix
BattleMaster missing RT, RA - 7.1 mill: 1.4 to fix
Stinger missing H - 1.5 mill, 450k to fix
Hunchback missing engine with gyro hits -2.6 mill: 800k to fix
T Bolt RA, LA, LL, RL 1.6 mill
Rifleman missing H, RT - 3.7 mill, 1.4 to fix
Shadow Hawk LA 350k
Dervish missing RA, LT, RT engine with gyro hits 3.55 mill: 1.35 mill to fix
Jagermech LA - 750k
Javelin missing RL and LL - 1.8 mill: 600k to fix
Atlas H, RT, RL, RA, LL 2.3 mill
Catapult with lots of gyro and engine hits, missing LT, RT, RA, LA 3.2 mill : 2.4 mill to fix
Wolverine with gyro engine hit once each, missing RA, RT - 3.7 mill, 1.1 mill fix
Firestarter with engine and gyro x1 3 mill

Totals:

Total Salvage Value: 86.2 mill

Salvage allowed: 43.1 million



I take:

Starslayer
Phoenix Hawk 1b
low-tech Hornet
Catapult
Hunchback
2750 Flashman
Centurion
Javelin
Firestarter

Exactly 43.1 million


To fix: 7,850,000


Totals:

What we paid:

5,272,992 Salary and upkeep of unit including time spent getting to and back from contract.
850,000 Armor
1,100,000 - To fix Spider
7,850,000 - To fix salvage

What we got:

550,000 Loss of Spider Compensation
425,000 Armor Battle Loss
38,898,662 - Salary + bonus
1,024,560 - 100% upkeep of unit
43,100,000 - Shared Salvage Value

Total Made: 68,925,230


We also got 9 mechs, including three LosTech and one rare

[Tellistto]

Nice going on not getting anyone preggers in that company, too. I still don't believe the man went 5 years without getting any!

Tell

[Abe Sargent]

He's a bit older these days.