The BattleTech Dynasty, Chapt 7,Consolidation and Preparations – 3059-3062 - Complete

[Abe Sargent]

This is chapter 7 of the BattleTech Dynasty, which I have been doing slowly overtime. There are just 8 chapters total, and the other 7 are in the Dynasty threads. I'll link to them in a bit.

This dynasty begins at the same time as recent Chapter 6.5 and will end sometime after it ends, and dovetails with it. After getting a B Tech bug, I went ahead and ran one aspect of Chapter 7 early in that chapter, but no i want to hit this one up full time and see it through. Expect to see updates over the next few weeks until I've done Chpt 7.


So what is this dynasty? If you are new, great!

I am using several programs, books, and more to sim a character, mercenary group and more in the BattleTech universe. It began in 3030 and has progressed to 3059. It ends in 3067.

If you are familiar with the universe via books, video games, the cartoon, the RPG or the wargame, then yay! If not, I spend some time describing the universe and its uniqueness in other threads. Basically, humanity expanded outward magnificently, but ran into no intelligent life. Life itself is abundant, but intelligent life is just human.


And humanity brings with it to the stars all of the various problems it contains. Much like people huddle together at lunch tables by religion and ethnicity, they have colonized worlds and settled them by creed and race. The slowness of travel in space has resulted in a reemergence of monarchies to rule many worlds and states.


Thus the Inner Sphere is divided and wars with various states, planets, nobles, merchants, pirates, corporations, clans, militaries and mercenaries battle for supremacy.



Into this chaos our good lead character, Colonel Braham Essex has built one of the premier mercenary units in the Inner Sphere. In the last chapter, he used this force and the various political allies he made in his career to found a new state, the Celestial Alliance, with him at the head. The CC now has several worlds under its control.

And now, as the chaos of the Inner Sphere embroils around the area, expect more opportunities to follow, and defenses to be erected.




Welcome to Chapter 7 - Consolidation and Preparations

[Abe Sargent]

Previous Chapters:


Chapter 1 - The Beginning, 3030-3038 - The Battletech Dynasty, Chapter 1 - 3030-38 - Front Office Football Central


Chapter 2 - The War of 3039, 3039 - The BattleTech Dynasty: Chapt 2, 3039 - Front Office Football Central


Chapter 3 - Solaris VII, 3040-3042 - The BattleTech Dynasty: Chapt 3, Solaris VII, 3040-3042 - Front Office Football Central


Chapter 4 - The Explorer Corps, 3043-3049 - The BattleTech Dynasty: Chapt 4, Explorer Corps - 3042-49 - Front Office Football Central


Chapter 5 - The Invasion, 3050-3056 - The Battletech Dynasty: Chapt. 5 - The Invasion, 3050-3056 - Completed - Front Office Football Central


Chapter 6 - The Opportunity of Chaos - 3057-3058 - The BattleTech Dynasty, Chapt 6 The Opportunity of Chaos (3057-58) - Chapter Complete - Front Office Football Central


Chapter 6.5 - Of Dogs and Cats - 3059-3061 - The BattleTech Dynasty, Chapt 6.5, Of Dogs and Cats - Front Office Football Central


And here we are!


All of these chapters usually have some interesting beginnings. They include a strong dramatis personae, descriptions of various planets and so forth. You can pick up the story and various informational posts in them.

[Abe Sargent]

January 1, 3059 – Duke Essex meets with the head of his nascent realms new intelligence agency created about nine months ago. Chief Ingrid Foster was the head of the intelligence network for the Epsilon Eridani government before being promoted to run the agency for the realm, connecting the networks at the other systems and installing some in places like Acamar. Codenamed the Apollo Office, after the Greek deity of wisdom and oracles, Chief Foster had regularly scheduled meetings with Duke Essex on the state of things in the IS abroad as well as the Chaos March nearby.

As the only state of more than three systems in the Chaos March, the Celestial Coalition was formed by three initial systems – Epsilon Eridani, Capolla and Terra Firma. Soon others were added diplomatically – Fletcher, militarily – Acamar, defensively – Epsilon Indi, colonially - Asmodeus or in liberation – Ingress. It has many wealthy systems, including Acamar’s vast mineral wealth as a mining planet, Epsilon Eridani as one of the strongest economies in the Chaos March, the healthy economies of Terra Firma and Capolla, the rich potential of new colony Asmodeus, the agricultural wealth of Ingress and the sheer independence and sustainability of Fletcher . No system is economically a drain on the state.

Now, several rebuilding projects are underway on Capolla, Acamar, and Terra Firma after major battles were fought there as the place erupted into chaos. Dropports were destroyed, and buildings razed in many places, and many projects are already completed at the beginning of 3059.

Additionally, the state is placing some central facilities on Asmodeus. It is building just a few DropPorts, and central buildings. It costs billions of C-Bills to build a colony, and so the state has instead just a few hundred million. Using the vast mining contacts on Acamar, Capolla and Epsilon Eridani, three mining consortiums have agreed to open up mining on Asmodeus, and are already building facilities there. Mining should begin in about two years.

Each system has their leader on a council, and each three years, the council votes someone to take over the reins ,but they have a subordinate running the planet mostly. Running a multi-system state, even a small one, has a lot of work. It requires meetings with intelligence officers, leaders from other states, military leaders, media, corporations and more.

[Abe Sargent]

Chief Foster has compiled a report on every non-CC planet in our section of the Chaos March, no matter who currently controls them. Here are the briefings of that report:



Small World – Currently the capital of the Duchy of Small, the ruler here created his own nation and grabbed Ingress for it. Then, we agreed to release Ingress and they joined us. That military operation was just completed. They are very expansionistic, and not that wealthy compared to other planets in the March. Small population of just 250 million. It is conquerable if we wanted to.


Sheratan – A world that was not wealthy to begin with, the vast forests of Sheratan were set ablaze in the battles at the beginning of the Chaos March. This planet suffered greatly. It was recently captured by the Duchy of Small, and then we took Ingress from the Dukedom, so they are back to two systems.

Northwind – A wealthy world, independent, and home of the powerful merc unit, the Northwind Highlanders. There are several industries on planet. It needs no central government and would be nigh impossible to conquer and keep.

Outreach – Like Northwind times three. The Wolf’s Dragoons are here, and it is the hiring location for reputable merc units. It has even more resources and wealth, and would be even harder to take, and even less desiring of being with a state.

Bryant – A relatively poor planet, with few resources, and has taken to raiding nearby systems, such as Epsilon Indi, Caph, Keid, New Home, and Carver V. the world has a turbulent atmosphere and rumors of many LosTech caches. It was a prison planet for the Capellan Confederation until a few decades ago. It has at least a regiment of mixed forces (mechs + tanks) on planet. It is a thorn in the March that someone will need to pluck soon.

Sirius/Procyon – We arrived at the Sirian Holds, destroyed their navy, and they had been taken over by some anti-science and anti-technology cult that was murdering professors and burning books. We want no part of the liberation of these worlds, so far from our own.

New Home/Keid – Both of these nearby planets have been secured in the name of locals who are decidedly pro-Steiner. Right now we have not incurred the wrath of any major state, but taking these worlds might stir up some trouble with the Lyran Alliance. Keid, in particular, is firmly Lyran. There are still pro-Liao forces in New Home, but the pro-Lyran forces are slowly gaining ground on them.

Caph – With four different factions still fighting on planet – this is an incredibly nasty military place to try to take. It was made toxic in the Succession Wars, an only recently started to recover, but still has not come close. Not a wealthy planet by any stretch and not under central authority. The people might welcome us. Right on the border with the Combine.

Carver V – Another planet with multiple forces and multiple loyalties and split. More wealth that Caph though. A bit farther away.

These are expanding in different directions than previously:

Hall – Past Outreach, awkwardly geography to get to. Two sons of Pavel Ridzik have declared Hall as the new home of a new Tikonov Free Republic. But they have no other planets under them. The former CO of the FedCom troops stationed here led a coup against the local government and took over, but fell to the Ridziks, who are looking to expand.

Elgin – Near Capolla, large oceanic world, islands divvied into various clans each in control of their own fiefdoms. Wide variety of economy – tourism, manufacturing, sea farming. Heavy investments by Caps and FedCom gave it a robust economy. The local troops were subverted by Cap intelligence. Five different nobles have their own fiefs.


Hsien – Near Elgin. Another planet abandoned by the successor states, the Baron Luis Montong V has repeatedly asked for aid from the FedCom to no avail. Still has Cap forces on world. The mighty McCarron;s Armored Cavalry arrived on planet and blew away the local pro-Davion forces. Then they left. The Baron personally slew the governor appointed by the Caps and threw the world back into dispute. The forces here are small – two companies, one companies and a regiment of infantry. It would not take a lot to tip it into anybody’s balance.

Very outside the box:

Genoa – A wealthy mining planet on the other side of the Fed Com and isolated from the rest of the March next to one other March world. Also exotic pets from the world knocked off its normal orbit by a passing meteor millennia ago. The Genoan president was killed by Liao forces while an unknown number of forces are fighting for control of mines and cities alike, and no one is in charge centrally.


Arboris – The other world out here. 9 regiments of infantry of farmers and locals, plus 2 battalions of mechs and 1 regiment mixed. Split between locals, FedCom and Caps. Fierce independent streak. The locals refused to be bullied by Liao forces and rallied to build their large regiments of infantry. But they are fighting the Davion forces as well, and trying to oust both off planet. It would be rough, in this climate, to take and hold with that many people angry at off worlders.

There are two FedCom planets in the March – Nanking and Zurich. Arboris and Genoa are on the other side of N and Z from us, but still just one jump from Acamar for both worlds and Terra Firma for Arboris.

All other planets near us are simply too far away to be of value.

[Abe Sargent]

What are good targets of opportunity for future expansion?

We must handle Brant soon, because no one else can/will. They are growing stronger. The Duchy of Small is an issue to deal with later.


So, in terms of financial value alone, the best targets are Genoa, Elgin, and then perhaps Carver V, Hsien, Keid or New Home.

In terms of military value – Bryant, due to ending threat, Small World for ending threat, and Hall for ending threat.

In terms of ease of taking it – Hsien, followed by perhaps Elgin or maybe Keid.



What are the best targets in terms of ease, economic value, military value and proximity?

Elgin
Hsien
Genoa
Bryant
Carver V




Elgin – Within one jump of Capolla and Terra Firma

Hsien – Within one jump of Capolla, Terra Firma as well


Expect these as new targets soon.

[Abe Sargent]

Chief Foster confirms that she dispatched the message to each of the great houses regarding us. If a house makes a major move against the Celestial Coalition, we will immediately swear fealty to their enemy. At the crossroads of the IS, we are near all of the spaces of all five houses, and we can join any of them if someone makes a play for us. So if the Combine moves against us, we move to the Federated Suns, and so forth. We’d rather join a great house under our terms, which would be rather nice if we chose our state, than be forced back in under theirs.



Diplomatically, we received recognition as an official state from the Free Rasalhague Republic just a few weeks after we formed the CA. A few days later, ComStar officially recognized us as well. A few months later, the Free Worlds League joined. No one else has until now.




We spend the first few months of 3059 gathering force,s fixing things, and restoring order on Ingress and bringing them into the CA.


We have no major incidents here at the K&C unit or with the CA< no attacks or anything.


So, let’s head back to the two missions we have funded to explore nearby planets and systems to see what may be out there. Then we’ll head back and, offload, and more.

[Abe Sargent]

During the campaign, as events happen in the Inner Sphere, they are placed in these EVENT posts:


EVENT, February 27, 3059 – The clan of Burrock has been absorbed by Star Adder.


EVENT March 1, 3059 – Clan Ghost Bear has begun secretly moving their assets to the Inner Sphere.

[Abe Sargent]

I don't want to get stuck in with battle just yet, so instead I will head to our exploration missions. We have outfitted two explorer groups with JumpShips, DropShips, and various military units to explore the areas near the Celestial Coalition to see what can be seen.


Exploration Expedition #1:



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

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



It had jumped back out from Epsilon Eridani on January 11, 3059


As reminder, due to the nature of many of these planets being seen, all habitability rolls are reduced by 2, and all interesting things rolls are increased by one. We’re going to head back out and sim the two expeditions for one year each.

[Abe Sargent]

January 12, 3059 –


Delaware System

Class M Star (Red), Class 1a (Bright Supergiant), 3 planets, none in life zone


There‘s nothing of interest here, so we are jumping back out.



January 21, 3059 –


Miami System

Class A Star (White), Class VI Luminosity (Subdwarf), 3 planets, 1 in life zone, Subtype 1

47 days to the habitable planet from the zenith and nadir points of the system. We decide to not spend three months exploring this system, but mark it to come back to a pirate point in the future

[Abe Sargent]

February 1, 3059 –


Shawnee System

Class G (Yellow), Class V (Main Sequence), 8 planets, 2 in life zone, Subtype 6 – 7 days to habitable planets


February 8 –


Shawnee III
Small
0.8 Gravity
60% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
High Temperature
Amphibians highest life form
Climate Arid



This planet shows something interesting, so our scientists land to scan.


February 12 –

Our scientists reveal that a small colony tried to form on this planet in the early Pre-Star League era. However, soon after beginning here, the planet’s poles began to shift fairly quickly, and it played havoc with electronics and other devices, so they all left. There are few signs, almost 700 years later, of anything ever being here.

We head to the next planet


February 15 –


Shawnee IV
Large
1.0 Gravity
30% water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Fish Highest life form
Arid Climate


Our doctors note that the atmosphere would, after about a week or so, react badly in someone’s lungs, so breathers are needed on world, as on Shawnee III, but there the atmosphere was a bit oxygen light, here there are odd chemicals in the air in small numbers, but over time, would accumulate and damage the breather.

Nothing unusual is on planet.

[Abe Sargent]

February 23 –


Pawnee System

Class M, Luminosity III (Ordinary Giant), 6 planets, 1 in life zone, subtype 9 – 2 days to the planet.


February 25

Pawnee IV
Small
0.9 gravity
0% water
Standard Pressure
Breathable Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Microbes
Temperate Climate



Massive dust storms engulf the planet. A quick survey team finds little of value and nothing appears to have been here previously.


March 2 –


Mingo System

Class K (Orange), Luminosity IV (Subgiant), 4 planets, 1 in life ring, 5 days to planet



March 7 –


Mingo II
Medium
0.8 gravity
20% water
Low Pressure
Breathable Atmosphere
Low Temperature
Lizard Life
Cool Temperate Climate


As our fleet arrives outside the world, something can be seen on the sensors. We land after determining that the planet is safe.


March 11 – Our scientists determine that this was once a prison planet hundreds of years ago for the Star League. They shipped prisoners out here, off the trade grid, and kept them in three different institutions that can be found. Searches turn up nothing else, leaving the planet dry of anything useful beyond its initial use. The agricultural expert points out that nothing Earth-native could grow in the low pressure and gravity combination. And the local vegetation does not seem like it could yield anything if farmed. Produce from the land seems like a dead end. There are no mineral deposits to speak of. There are no exotic animals or woods that could catch the imagination of customers. There seems to be no major redeeming value here at all, save that one could eek out a sustenance level survival if they had too.

[Abe Sargent]

Mar 17 –


Seneca System

Class F (Yellow-White), Luminosity 1b Supergiant, no planets



Mar 29 –


Tamaroa System

Class M, Luminosity II, 4 planets, 1 in life zone, 4 days to reach it



Apr 2 –


Tamaroa IV
Large
0.9 gravity
10% water
Trace Atmosphere
Tainted Atmosphere
Hot Temperature
Plant Life
Warm Temperate Climate


There is nothing of value here, and it’s a pretty stale planet.



Apr 7 –


Choctaw System


Class O (Blue-White), Luminosity VI, 1 planet, none in life zone

[Abe Sargent]

April 16 –


Shakori System


Class M, Luminosity II, no planets



April 24 -


Pamlico System


Class G, Luminosity III, 3 planets, 3 in life zone, 8 days away


May 4 –




Pamlico I
Small
1.0 Grav
50% water
Standard Pressure
Breathable
Medium
Fish
Temperate


Pamlico I has a few major things going for it. In addition to being interesting itself, it seems to have a rare habitable satellite, a double planet with a very large moon. We’ll check that out in a second, after dropping a survey group here.



May 6 –


Pamlico Ia
Large
1.3 Grav
60% water
Standard pressure
Tainted Atmos
Medium Temp
Plants
Boreal Climate


We unload more scientists here while continuing to explore on Pamlico I. This looks like a nice little place to set up a colony. Good materials, lots of tree-ish structures, but no animals to fertilize them so they have evolved special ways of germinating seeds without the help of bees and birds.



May 8 – Two people on the survey team on Pamlico I have fallen ill to a disease. We quarantine them and quarantine both the planet and the moon.

May 10 – One person on the moon has developed the same symptoms.


May 13 – It appears we have localized the virus, some bug which has been unable to be seen with our normal detection, but we have localized it. All of the people who came down with it have died.

May 15 – 2 more have come down with it on the planets.


May 16 – We order the JumpShip to leave the system and retrieve some special supplies.


May 18 – Since we are doing nothing else, we send out research satellites around the other two planets here.


Pamlico II
Medium
1.1 grav
20% water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Low Temperature
Plant Life
Warm Temperate Climate


This planet seems to have nothing major on planet of value, but the plants are similar to those on the
moon.



May 20 –


Pamlico III
Small
1.0 grav
40% water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Fish
Warm Temperate Climate

Some compensation would be needed for pressure, and breathing, but the planet is fine.


All three planets and one moon are habitable to varying degrees.



May 23 – Remote probes have found the disease cause on the other two plants as well.



May 24 – Our JumpShip has arrived and unloads a medical DropShip.


June 2 – Our DropShip has unloaded the equipment


June 5 – We have developed a cure for the disease. All told, 12 people died on both expeditions combined. The disease can mutate quickly, and more could be exposed, so we end all missions.


June 15 – We arrive at Epsilon Eridani, buy a few satellites to warn people away, and then dispatch people to set up disease buoys in the system. A system that good for colonization had to have a bad mark some where.

[Abe Sargent]

June 22 –


Chickasaw System

Class B, Luminosity II, no planets


June 30 –

Saponi System

Class M, Luminosity VII (white dwarf), 2 planets, none habitable


July 8 –


Okchai System

Class M, Luminosity IV, 3 planets, 1 habitable, 4 days away


July 12 –

Okchai III
Small
0.7 grav
50% Water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmos
Low Temperature
Plant Life
Arctic Climate


The cold rigidity of Okchai III belies a calm refreshing planet that tumbles quietly in the night. We land and begin exploring. On the planet are signs of recent disturbance. Our scans show the possible pressure of valuable minerals.


July 17 – After trying to lock on the minerals, it appears we got ghost scans from orbit and were unable to find anything planetside. It appears that others were here checking on the same scans and seeing nothing.

[Abe Sargent]

July 22 –


Sauk System

Binary system

Star One – Class M, Lumin III
Star Two – Class F, Lumin IV

Number of planets – 2 planets. None habitable.




Aug 1 –


Esopus System


Class M, Lumin III, 4 planets, 1 habitable, 3 days away


As we arrive, a few minutes pass and we detect something at this jumpoint, the nadir one. It’s another JumpShip. It has its sail unfurled, so it is charging at the nadir point here. It is a Merchant class Jumpship, with rings for two DropShips. It has room for some cargo and 2 small craft.


Attached to the Merchant JumpShip is one DropShip - A Leopard CV fighter carrier. We hail the ship, but it does not respond. Seeing us as an easy target, it sends out six fighters from the CV. They will intercept with us in a few minutes. These must be pirates.

[Abe Sargent]

Their fighters are:

2 Sparrowhawks
2 Sholagar
2 Hellcat


We dispatch a surprise. Two escort small craft we made are flying out from our Merchant class JumpShip. These are the Taurus Class Small Craft, escort


Here are our escorts:

The Taurus (Escort), 200 tons, Aerodyne Small Craft
SI – 12, 5/8 thrust, 40 tons of ferro-aluminum armor
20/40 heat sinks
2 Large Pulse Lasers in nose
1 Medium Pulse Laser in each wing
1 LRM20 2/ Artemis, 18 shots, in each wing
3 machine guns and ½ ton of ammo to aft
5 tons of fuel
Cost – 22,057,00 C-Bills after markup


This is designed for weapons duty. With massive armor, it is expected to be deployed for long sorties, and has a lot more durability than an Aerospace Fighter. It should be sent out along DropShips or JumpShips (or even WarShips) for days with that amount of armor. The pulse armament is designed to help it strafe in atmospheric battle, when needed. It can also hold and drop a massive tonnage of bombs due to its size. With value in dogfighting, escorting, strafing, and more, this is a small craft that we like a lot more than that dumb ol’ Aquarius.


Here are our foes:

Hellcat – 60 tons, 3 large lasers, 5 mediums, armor value 4
Sparrowhawk – 30 tons, av 3, 2 mediums, 2 smalls
Sholagar – 35 tons, av 2, SRM4, 2x mediums


Now, if this was a mech battle, our two 200 ton mech monstrosities would outclass the 6 other mechs in the 30s, 35s and 60s. But in Aerospace, fighters tend to be a bit more fragile, although not as bad as tanks. In terms of durability, it goes mech, aerospace fighter, tank, conventional fighter, VTOL. But still, you can drop their speed, rift, and more.


We are not guaranteed a win, or a loss. But if we lose, this JumpShip is not equipped with a rare K-F battery that enables it to jump twice after storing up a jump. So we have to wait for days to load up. They can capture us easily, but we do have a backup plan in case that happens.

[Abe Sargent]

While our escorts move in, we release both dropships.


My PC crashed and I lost the battle I was writing. Basically we won, lost one Taurus to engine damage, and they have a damaged Sparrowhawk and pristine Hellcat fleeing. Our other Taurus is lightly damaged. We don’t chase them back to their ship, because the combination of two fighters turning on our one escort ship plus the guns of their Leopard CV are a bit much to face.


We were moving our DropShips off in case we lost the dogfight. We move the Fortress over the salvage of the battle, to protect it. They don’t have enough ships to face us. We do some analysis. Can our Taurus plus Fortress take on their injured Sparrowhawk, Hellcat and Leopard CV?


Fortress Weapons:


6 x PPCs
2 x AC/20s
5 x AC/5s
4 x LRM-20s
4 x LRM-10s
6 x SRM-6s
8 x Large Lasers
16 x Medium Lasers



Leopard CV Weapons:

2 x PPCs
3 x LRM-20s
5 x Large Lasers
7 x Medium Lasers


Plus the Fortress has a lot more armor, and their Leopard is still attached to their JumpShip.


We push the Fortress forward, with the Taurus behind it to cover against runs by their fighters. This has some risks, because we are hoping that a lucky shot or two doesn’t take down our more valuable Fortress.


After three rounds, we have blasted a hole in their Leopard, and with guns under the Merchant, it signals its surrender.


We board it and capture everything on board. We move some of the crew of our Merchant to theirs to run it back home.

Our Fortress was lightly damaged and it needs some repairs.


Still in this system, on the moon of a gas giant, is a company of mechs by these pirates and their Union DropShip. We find out that it is an upgraded Union with new technology. They are stranded in this system but mobile. We dispatch out Fortress DropShip to the moon.

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 6 – We arrive at the moon of Esopus II. We see their Union and drop to the ground about 25 miles away and begin unloading. Jericho Company rolls out.



We arrive at the pirates and they have also unloaded from their Union to face us. Stranded in the system, they hope to smash our company and get two DropShips.


Jericho Company

Daishi A
GLT-3N Guillotine
FLS-8K Flashman
Loki D-UK

GRN-D-01 Grand Crusader
RFL-3N Rifleman
Mad Cat Prime
SHD-5M Shadow Hawk

WVR-6M Wolverine
WLF-2 Wolfhound
WTC-4M Watchman
SDR-5V Spider


Other small enemies seeing a bunch of star league era mechs and clan mechs get nervous, but our foes are coming full throttle. They must see dollar signs as a pirate band.


Our foes


Hercules *
WTH-2 Whitworth *
WVR-7K Wolverine *
WLF-2 Wolfhound *
ENF-5D Enforcer *
Wasp
BattleMaster
Centurion
Commando
Stalker
Merlin
Hunchback


Mechs with asterisks are upgraded with level 2 tech. This unit has pilots of all levels of skill form on elite to two green. The elite pilot is rocking the Hercules.



This is their Hercules, a decent mech that came off the lines about 5 years ago-is hand rocking some solid weapons. It's built around both long range and short range weapons of various types, and features solid speed, but a fragile extralight engine (XL Engine) that can cause the mech to be a bit too fragile.




The area has some rolling hills, but nothing else.

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 1 – We win init. I set up three fire support mechs- Rifleman, Shadow Hawk and Grand Crusader behind a slight hill, and move the rest of my team up. They hold back and we charge their position with 8 of my mechs. I keep back the FS mechs and a light jump-capable mech the Spider to guard them. We concentrate fire into their best mech – the BattleMaster. A large laser from our Flashman cuts into the BattleMaster’s torso, nails the machine gun ammo and it explodes. None of our mechs took more than 20 damage.


Turn 2 – We barely win init. I run our Wolfhound next to their Whitworth. We rush the Daishi in to scare them and collect their weapons while we move in elsewhere. Flashman next to their Wasp. This time we begin by targeting the Stalker. I also target a few lighter mechs here and there. Our Guillotine destroys the RA on their Whitworth. Our Grand Crusader strips off their RA of the Commando – our Rifleman follows by destroys its RT and LA. Our Shadow Hawk destroys its CT and finishes it off. Our Wolverine hits the gyro and engine each once on their Whit. Our Loki destroys the LA of their Stalker. Our Daishi took 60+ damage and fell, as did their Whitworth and Stalker. Our Flashman kicks and destroys the LL of their Wasp.


Turn 3 – We lose init. I stand the Daishi. Our Mad Cat bases their Wolverine. Their Whit does not stand. Their Stalker stands though. Flashman behind their Hunchback. It’s a melee around the Daishi. Loki gets into the Hunch-s rear arc. Our Loki tears into the Hunch-s rear armor, smashes its AC20 ammo and it lights up. Their Wolfhound nails the H of our Daishi and blacks out the pilot. It falls. Their Enforcer hits the engine once on the Daishi. A Laser Laser from our Rifleman shears off the H of their Wolverine and it is down. Our Wolfhound this the Wasp, hits the engine x3 and destroys its LA and LT. Our Daishi smashes the Stalkers ammo and it lights up. Our Flashman and Daishi fall, as does their Wolfhound. Our Guillotine kicks and gets a limb blown off on the LL of their Wolfhound. We have destroyed 5 mechs, including both assaults, as well as legging two more of their mechs and severely damaging their Whitworth. That leaves them just the Enforcer, Hercules, Centurion and Merlin – two heavies and two mediums that are still kicking. Meanwhile, we have one damaged Daishi and that’s it. We radio them to surrender. But they refuse.


Turn 4 – We win init. We rise the Flashman and run away with it. Our Guillotine bases their Hercules. Spider leaps behind their Centurion. Our Loki bases their Herc. Watchman bases Centurion. Mad Cat bases Centurion. Their Whitworth tries to stand, fails, and smashes its gyro, shutting down any movement. Our Loki blows the RA off their Herc. Our Flashman nails the engine once on it. Our Spider goes internal and nails the engine one on their Centurion. Our Mad Cat destroys the RT, LA and hits he engine twice more on the Centurion. Our Guillotine destroys the RT of their Herc and it shuts down – XL Engine.


Now they accept and surrender.

[Abe Sargent]

Whitworth missing RA, gyrox2, engine
Wasp missing LL, LT, LA, enginex3
WVR-7K Wolverine missing H
Centurion missing RT, LA, engine x3
Hercules missing RT
WLF-2 Wolfhound reattach leg
Merlin, pristine
ENF-5D Enforcer, pristine


BattleMaster RA, LL
Commando H, LL, RL, LT
Hunchback RA, LA< H
Stalker RA, H


There were a few buildings here on the moon that had supplies and items they had raided but not sold. We capture the Union DropShip after radioing them. We might lose one or two mechs assaulting it, but with no JumpShip to land at, it really has no options to lift off.

[Abe Sargent]

We have captured two DropShips, one JumpShip, their supplies and raided stuff, and quite a few mechs and fighters and such. This was a very profitable raid on this pirate band that was hitting local Chaos March worlds for stuff.





In a couple of weeks, we have jumped back to EE, brought back things to collect and cavneg and here was the total haul:

Sparrowhawk
Hellcatx2
Sholagar

WTH-2 Whitworth
Wasp
WVR-7K Wolverine
Centurion
Hercules
WLF-2 Wolfhound
Merlin
ENF-5D Enforcer



Rechristened:

River of Fate, Merchant class JumpShip
Galvanic Arc, Leopard-CV class DropShip
Charon’s Message, Union class DropShip



We sell the stuff that we found – supplies and such, and use the money to fix, rearmor and rearm the downed mechs, plus fixing and repairing the DropShips, our Taurus, and more., We lost 11 mill CBills in all, even after sales, to get everything up and running.

[sterlingice]

"Chapt 7: Consolidation and Preparations"

BattleTech, the Bankruptcy years?

SI

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

"Chapt 7: Consolidation and Preparations"

BattleTech, the Bankruptcy years?

SI

Lol!

[Abe Sargent]

Sept 15, 3059 –

We jump back out with Expedition #1.


Tappan System


Class F, Lumin Ib, 2 planets, 1 in life zone, 15 days to it


Sept 30 –


Tappan II
Small
.65 grav
20% water
Standard Pressure
Toxic Atmosphere
Low Temperature
Microbes
Boreal Climate


Not a healthy planet. We can’t even land on it. It appears that there are nasty storm that swirl constantly at hundreds of miles per hour. It’s a toxic soup of gases lethal to humans.



Oct 16


Esopus System

Class K, Lumin VII,no planets


Oct 25


Raritan System

Class M, Lumin 0 (Extra Bright Supergiant), 9 planets, none in life zone


Nov 2

Cayuga System


Class O, Lumin IV, 1 planet, 1 in life zone, 210 days to it


No thanks, we’ll skip checking it out….

[Abe Sargent]

Nov 14

Pequot System

Class M, Lumin III, 6 planets, 2 in life zone, 2 days away


Nov 16


Pequot I
Large
1.2 grav
10% water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Low Temperature
Amphibians
Warm Temperate

We spend some time scanning, and it shows that there are some unusual amphibians. They live in waterfalls on large mountains, and fly like pterodons. It’s very interesting. We land and explore and our scientists spend several days examining this animal, since no other amphibians here are anything similar to it. We take back several samples.



Nov 23

Pequot II
Medium
1 grav
10% water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Plant Life
Arid Climate


Pequot II looks pretty nice from orbit, and we land to explore. It appears to have what is needed for colonization, other than atmosphere. It’s mineral poor and water light, but otherwise, it has a lot of good growing land. We mark it down.

[Abe Sargent]

Nov 30 –

Wendake System

Class B, Lumin 1b, 8 planets, 2 in life zone, 75 days to them

I want to check them out, but to spend five months doing it? No thanks



Dec 11 –

Micmac System


Class G, Lumin IV, 3 planets, 1 in life zone, 4 days away



Dec 15

Micmac III
Medium
1.1 grav
30% water
Standard pressure
Breathable Air
High Temperature
Reptiles
Arid Climate


Our arrival at Micmac III brings news of something on the surface already built. We land on the surface and find several old Star League era caches. They have been emptied eons ago and the doors left open. They were originally hidden from sight by counter electronics. We manage to get the system up and running and experiment with it. Even if deep scans of the area known to contain the materiel are done, they cannot be spotted from either orbit or locally unless one is within about a mile of the location. The Star league really knew how to make this stuff. This is a good location to keep in the back of our head, in case we want to hide something. We could be here in one jump from Terra Firma, 2 from EE, and then come here from a jump point. You could jump from TF and arrive at Micmac III in four or five days. That’s really close for a nice stockpile kept secure against a rainy day. The planet is nice too, it is one of the few places that have nothing negative at all – breathable, air pressure, animals, water, and more. This is a nice place too.



Dec 29, 3059 –

Ojibwa System


Class M, Lumin VI, 7 planets, none habitable


We continue out, but for now, we’ll move to the second expedition of 3059 by us, and then roll back the clock and move forward with the story already in progress.

[Abe Sargent]

February 15, 3059 – After unloading and getting things fixed, we head out for another exploration. Here are the units of the 2nd Expedition


Expedition 2:

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

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



Feb 15 –


Racine System

Class M, Lumin VII, 7 planets, 1 habitable, 3 days away


Racine VI
Small
0.8 grav
40% water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Nothing
Cool Temperate


We arrive at the planet, and it’s quite unimpressive. It’s very small, and it has nothing of note. All of the life died about 140 years ago from a mass extinction level event. An asteroid crashed into the planet and smashed all of the life here. We cannot tell if it was inhabited prior to the collision or not, but all of the life died. Our scientist scan just find fish skeletons, so that appears to what was the highest natural life form here. The crash released some toxic gases into the atmosphere, some of which have since bled off but no new life looks to have begun yet.

[Abe Sargent]

Feb 26 –

Point Pleasant System


Class F, Lumin II, 0 planets



March 9 –

Greenbriar System

Class K, Lumin VI, 6 planets, 1 habitable, 5 days away


March 14 –


Greenbriar III
Large
1.4 grav
20% water
High Pressure
Toxic Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Microbes
Boreal Climate

This giant planet is just not the sort of place humans would want to live. The gravity is too much, the pressure too much, the toxic atmosphere eis horrible, and more. There appear to be no major metals or anything either. It’s just a waste of space

[Abe Sargent]

March 22 –


Logan System


Class A, Lumin IV, 2 planets, 2 habitable, 27 days in


April 19 -


Logan I
Medium
1.1 grav
30% water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Fish
Temperate


We arrive at the planet and something appears on the map in orbit around the planet. We move to investigate. We find the hulk of a DropShip, from at last three hundred years ago. It is so old and decayed it cannot be restarted or fixed. We might get a few million C-Bills from salvage, but that’s it.

Meanwhile, we check out the planet with a survey team. Logan I has an old DropPort that was built of ferrocrete near the equator. We land and explore. It has been unkempt for a very long time and is long since unable to be used for Aerodyne landings. The dates on the skeleton of the ship in orbit plus this are Star League era, around 2600

We investigate the planet thoroughly with a variety of scans, and keep hoping to run into something, but this place is a mystery. We cannot tell what it was, nor can we find anything on the planet other than the old Drop Port. If there were buildings or structures we could usually tell, but we can’t here. Considering how odd this is, we spend two weeks exploring but still cannot find anything else.



May 5 –

Logan II
Small
1 grav
40% water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Low Temperature
Fish
Warm Temperate Climate



We hoped that Logan II would provide more clues, so we dropped some satellites here a couple of weeks ago, and now have landed our survey teams from Logan I. But there are no additional clues here either.

[Abe Sargent]

June 5 –


Cornstalk System


Class M, Lumin Ib, 5 planets, none habitable



June 16 –


Hinchcliffe System



Class F, Lumin III, 4 planets, 1 habitable, 14 days away



June 30


Hinchcliffe II
Medium
1.1 grav
40% water
Low Pressure
Toxic Atmosphere
Medium Temp
Plants
Warm Temperate Climate


Nothing here of worth.

[Abe Sargent]

July 15 –


Cooper System

Class K, Lumin V, 10 planets, 3 habitable, 6 days away


July 21 –


Cooper III
Small
0.8 grav
50% water
Standard Pressure, Breathable Atmos, Medium Temp
Mammals
Cool Temperate Climate


We land and study Cooper III. It’s an oddly shaped planet, it looks more oblong that most elliptical planets. Cooper III has the most fleshed out animal life we’ve seen out here in a while.

After studying it, our scientists find that the animals here are from Earth. They were added to the local population hundreds of years ago, and then took over most of the local niches in the ecology, and now almost all animals are their descendants. With such a large amount of natural Earth life surviving here, it seems like it would be a good place for a colony. Experts find some tin deposits, and some silver, but nothing amazing. It’s probably not worth building a few silver mines all the way out here.




July 26 –


Cooper IV
Medium
0.9 grav
40% water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Low Temperature
Amphibians
Boreal

Interestingly, none of the Earth animals were introduced here. The biology of these animals is very different from Cooper III. Our scientist show that they live off a local plant that has a lot of copper in its body, from absorbing it from copper rich water. Then the animals actually use the copper as an essential mineral in their eating of the plants. It’s small amounts of copper in a dissolved form, not ingots of copper or anything. Our animals and planets would die out in such a copper rich biosystem. There are many enormous copper deposits under the ground. Copper isn’t exactly a major metal in the universe, but this planet has it abundantly, if someone were interested. We keep track of it.



Aug 3


Cooper V
Large
1.1 grav
20% water
Low Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Low Temperature
Plants
Arctic Climate


Cooper V does not hold any keys to unlocking why the Earth life was brought here. We guess it was some form of easy terraforming to prepare the world for colonization in a few decades. No one ever came back though. Cooper V has one very interesting feature. It’s a double planet with a large, habitable moon roughly 22% of the planet. In fact, this double planet is bigger than Cooper III. Let’s
take a look



Cooper Va
Small
1 grav
30% water
Standard Pressure
Tainted Atmosphere
Medium Temp
Fish
Warm Temperate


We land on the double planet and investigate. This place has long salty shores from an ocean that once covered a much larger part of the planet. Giant salt flats fill much of the land. Our scientists can only guess at what happened with little time to research it. They are split into two theories – water was siphoned off by humans perhaps for Cooper III or the planet’s tainted atmosphere allowed more sun to evaporate the ocean water after the atmosphere’s natural protection decayed.


This was an interesting little system

[Abe Sargent]

Aug 18 –


Vale System


Class M, Lumin O, 4 planets, none habitable


Aug 25 –


Boone System


Class M, Lumin II, 6 planets 1 habitable, 4 days



Aug 29 –


Boone II
Medium
1 grav
10% water
Low pressure
Toxic Atmosphere
Medium Temperature
Plant
Arid Climate


We arrive and after a few fruitless days, leave this place behind


Sept 6 –


Kanawha System


Class A, Lumin VI, 1 planet, not in life zone

[Abe Sargent]

Sept 18 –


Putnam System


Class B, Lumin III, no planets



Sept 28 –


Fairmont System


Binary System

Class K, Lumin IV
Class M, Lumin 1b


5 planets, 1 habitable, 12 days to it



Oct 10 –


Fairmont V
Small
0.9 grav
0% Water
Trace Pressure
Toxic
Low Temperature
No Life


Well, there you are. Nothing here either, no massive metal heaven or anything either

[Abe Sargent]

Oct 26 –


Bridgeport System


Class G, Lumin II, 3 planets, 1 in life zone, 6 days away


Nov 2 –

Bridgeport II
Large
1.3 grav
Standard
Tainted
Low
Fish
Arctic Climate


We arrive at Bridgeport II and deploy some satellites. As we do, we uncover a large rock structure. We land and investigate. Someone built a giant statue. It’s at least 300 feet tall. We can make out the inscription. Some sort of battle was fought in this system near the JumpPoints in the Amaris Civil war, and the Star league won, and built this statue to commemorate the victory and for the fallen comrades . We don’t see any other things in the place.

However, having been keyed into the battle. We head back, not for the Nadir JP where we arrived but for the Zenith one.


Nov 11 –

At the Zenith point we spot some minor wreckage. People came in here and cleaned out most of it. We find some blasted hulks, broken space armor, a few broken weapons, and more. After spending two days trying to bring much of it inside, we cannot find any more pieces and we leave and head back to the other JumpPoint


Nov 22 -

We blast back to EE to drop off a lot of heavy salvage. We found more than a hundred and thirty tons of stuff, much of it looks broken. We can salvage some nice things here. There are no fighters we can fix up or anything. We do find a case of old, still operational, side arms. They are quite powerful stuff, and there’s about two hundred in the large case. We also find a few heat sinks, a fusion power plant we believe we can repair, and other assorted and sundry items.


December 15 , 3059 – We head back out into space for another run at seeing what we can uncover. We will pick up that story later


Overall we made about 4 million on the husk and 2 million on this salvage.


Back to our campaign, already in progress…

[Abe Sargent]

March 13, 3059 – A raid strikes a factory on Epsilon Indi from nearby Bryant


March 28 – A raid on Capolla is stopped by The Bouncers, the merc unit we hired to protect and garrison it.


April 5 - We have launched a military strike. Alpha Regiment, minus Brawler Company, plus Gold and Bronze companies, will be striking Elgin.

[Abe Sargent]

Beginning of the Elgin Campaign


Like many other March nations flung into the sea of chaos, Elgin has no central authority as various power group struggle for the top of the line. There are multiple powers in place. They are:


Count Fenchow, with the Greyton Regulars, 2 companies of mechs
Count Novgorod, with the Blue Guard, 2 companies of mechs
Baron Haman, Haman’s Hussars, 1 company of mechs
Baron Hart, Kpay Lancers, 1 company of mechs
Baron Men Hou, Second Daman Rangers, 1 company of mechs



In the fracas of this stalemate of classic nobles, we also have pirates now raiding the planet, taking away slaves ,food, and doing damage to the infrastructure. These nobles are smart, they are keeping the fighting away from cities and DropPorts and such, but still, Elgin is suffering from a lack of law and peace for a year and a half. The Apollo Office believes that Elgin would fight a long term attack by a large force, such as us. But a quick attack to end everything and bring back order and stability would be welcomed.


Our goal is to hit all five nobles at once, in one great coordinated strike. Even if our intel fails and we hit just three, if we can end three overnight, the other two will be easy to finish off . Failed intel by one noble surely would not result in everyone knowing, because it would be in their interest to let us blast their enemies.

[Abe Sargent]

May 1 – We have landed in various isles around the oceanic world. We have two companies of mechs at all of the targets, with gold company kept in reserve with a DropShip set to head off and unload to chase down escapees.

Tomorrow at noon, locally (dark elsewhere) we will strike. We cannot get them all at night, but this gives us one in broad day, two at night, one at dusk and the other in the early afternoon. That’s the best we can do.


May 2 – Each of our companies has arrived at their targets and moves in. Let’s roll some dice….


The estate at noon happens to have just one company of mechs. It’s Men Hou’s Rangers. All of these units are green, btw. We march Bronze and Delta companies from opposite angles. Their company moves out and escorts the Baron off the estate, fearing for his life.

We move to follow and catch them at the mouth of their estate. We let the Baron flee, and they hold back to keep us from following. They do not know that they are our target, not the Baron, figuring us for a rival noble.


We have 24 mechs to their 12 and they do not retreat easily. Rather than play this through for hours, we’ll just quick sim it.


We destroyed seven mechs of theirs. We captured three in pristine condition. We lost two mechs. One was to its RT being destroyed on an XL mech, the Huron Warrior in Bronze Company, and the other was a CT being destroyed on our Wasp in Delta Company.


We send the five mechs to begin to create a new force in Elgin for defense and take a few mechs for ourselves. They are all low tech – Javelin, JagerMech, Crusader, and Crab


Our next attack is in the afternoon local time. We smash in two companies – Trinity and Butler. This is Baron Haman’s force. They are scouting when we arrive, and they move out to smash us, until they see the other unit come out. They try to flee, and suddenly a group of 15 VTOLs buzz overhead while we are chasing them. Soon a group of 6 conventional fighters zoom up. We shoot down some, take light damage, but it allows their company to flee.

[Abe Sargent]

The third attack is at dusk on Count Fenchow’s property. We have sent out Tethys and Typhon companies to handle our two companies of enemies. They both hold down at the complex after they warm up, and get ready to hold the fort. We move in.


This is Tethys Company


BLR-1G BattleMaster
TDR-5S Thunderbolt
HBK-5G Hunchback
AS7-D Atlas

ARC-2R Archer
JM6-A JagerMech
WHM-6R Warhammer
STC-2C Striker

CMT-1 Comet
SDR-5V Spider
CDA-2A Cicada
LCT-1E Locust


They are coming in on the SE wing.



This is our foe, all green save for a veteran leader. Only two asterisked mechs are uptech


Assassin
Banshee
Blackjack
Victor
Rifleman
Stinger
Firestarter
Dervish
Enforcer
Grasshopper
PXH-3D Phoenix Hawk *
Penetrator *





I think I have given pictures of all of these mechs before.


This is their Assassin. It’s a 40 ton scouting mech that has an LRM 5 for range and a few close up weapons.

[Abe Sargent]

We begin in the NE edge of the map, and they in the SW one.


We are playing on the Scattered Woods map at the edge of the estate outside of buildings.

[Tellistto]

Good to see this back, Abe. I'll be following.

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 1 - We lose init. No one can see anyone. I hop my Spider to get a bead on them, and move my snipers into position. This turn’s fire is really about finding any sort of a firing lane. Very little damage is done, no one takes more than 20 damage and forces a PSR.


Turn 2 – We win init. I create a firing lane, and then I jump my Spider next to it, to entice one of their mechs to base my Spider and move into the firing lane. I have my Archer, BM, and Thunderbolt all in line. Sadly they did not take the bait. More minor fire, nothing major happens.


Turn 3 – We lose init. Atlas bases their Penetrator after it jumps out. I put the BattleMaster to its rear. Our T Bolt bases it too. Their PXH bases our Hunchback after I move it close to their Penetrator. I leap our Comet to the rear of their Assassin. Our Spider leaps to base it too. We concentrate a lot of fire on their Penetrator. Our Atlas destroys its RA. Both their Penetrator and our T Bolt tumble. Our Atlas kicks and destroys the Penetrator’s RT> Their Assassin was kicked and fals, and our BM misses akick and falls. We missed the 3 to kick the downed mech and then missed a 5 to stay standing.

Turn 4 – We lose init. Our Bm can’t roll that 5 to stand and falls, and then we stand it again. Hunchy in the rear of a Firestarter. Their Penetrator stands. Locust bases Firestarter. Our T Bolt rises and backs up into light woods. Their Assassin leaps next to my Striker. Our Spider bases their Dervish. I unload my Atlas on their Stinger. In one salvage, their Stinger is destroyed by the AC20 of the Atlas destroys its LT and hitting the ammo in the CT and it goes up. Our BM hits and destroys the CT of their Penetrator and its down. Their FS gets a LL blown off crit on our BM and it falls hard. Our JagerMech kicks and destroys the LL of their Assassin, and then damage travels to its LT, hits the ammo and it lights up. Boom! Our Hunchy kicks their FireStarter to the ground. Our Locust misses a kick and falls too.


Turn 5 – We win init. Their FS fails to rise. I eject the BM pilot. The Locust drops once, and then rises and rushes into heavy woods by the Archer. Spider ot the rear of their Enforcer. Our T Bolt blows the LA off their Stinger and then gets its gyro hit by the Grasshopper. Both T Bolt and PXH fall.


Turn 6 – We lose init. Their PXH runs away after rising. I turn our T Bolt but leave iton the ground as a target to attract people to close with it. I run my Warhammer to their PXH. Their Dervish hops next to our striker. I run my Cicada to base it. Protect our Striker! Our Locust bases their PXH. Their FS stands this time and moves a bit. I hop our Comet ot their PXH as well. Their BJ bases my Hunchback. Our Bolt nails the gyro on their Firestarter. Both their BJ and FS fall. Our Warhammer kicks and destroys the LL of their PXh. It falls, destroys its LT and is dead due ot the XL engine there. Their Dervish falls as well.


Turn 7 – We lose init. Their BJ manages to get up. I leave my Hunchy next to it and do not move back. I leap my Spider in the rear of their Rifleman and my Comet next to it. Their Dervish can’t get up. Our Archer this and destroys their FS CT. Their FS< befor going, this the gyro on our T Bolt and that’s a second hit and its down. Our Hunch destroys the RT of their BJ. After taking more than 60 damage, their Rifleman falls. Our Come kicks and destroys the RA of their Rifleman – our Hunchy destroys the LL of their BJ. Their Banshee hits two leg actuators on our Striker sand it falls. Their BJ pilot blacks out from the fall.


Turn 8 – We lose init. Their Dervish stays on the ground. I run my Cicada over ot it. Their Rifleman stirs. Our Striker gets that 7 and stands. I move some of my mechs in the vicinity of their Banshee. Their Banshee takes 40+ damage and falls and the pilot blacks out. Our Atlas takes a bunch of damage and tumbles too. An AC20 shell smashes the Rifleman’s LL. Our Cicada kicks and destroys the RL of their Dervish.





They call it

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Tellistto

Good to see this back, Abe. I'll be following.

Yay!

[Abe Sargent]

Banshee blacked out pilot
Firestarter H, RL, LL, RA, LA, RT, LT
Penetrator LT, H, LA, LL, RL
Stinger LA, RT
Assassin H, LA
PXH missing LL, LT
BJ missing RT, LL
Rifleman missing RA, LL
Dervish missing RL



We ejected our issues and can easily fix them


We gained their healthy Enforcer, Grasshopper, Victor for the local forces. We get the rest.

[Abe Sargent]

Our other company is…


Typhon Company


WHM-6D Warhammer
HBK-4G Hunchback
STK-5M Stalker
AWS-8Q Awesome

MAD-3D Marauder
CLPT-A1 Catapult
RFL-5M Rifleman
Ostsol

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


Not only are we lacking any clan mechs or technology, it's pretty low tech as far as companies go. Typhon is one of our oldest companies, created before the spread of LostTech became common.


And our foes


Still all green save for three regular pilots.

Anvil *
Hammer *
Jackal *
SDR-7M Spider *
Wasp
Wolverine
Crusader
Awesome
Griffin
Hatchetman
Marauder
Clint


The Hammer and Anvil were mechs paired and sold together. The Anvil is a good closing in mech but the Hammer is a sucky light mech with some LRM5s. Once again, for all opponent's lists, an asterisk stands for a mech that uses higher levels of technology.

Hammer:




Anvil:

[Abe Sargent]

When I look over forces, I often like to see where my path to victory lays. For example, sometimes I have a lot of heavier mechs with great armor against mechs that are more fragile, so I'll fight a slugfest, moving my mechs slowly up the middle and try to force them to come at me. If I have some dancing mechs and my foe has good mechs, then I will often use terrain to leap around and hit my foes from various angles. If I have better technology, then I will move my mechs into ranges that best fit the better tech - such as clan tech - there are ranges where a clan weapon is short range or medium range to an Inner Sphere's medium or long range. If I have better pilots I will position myself in a good place and then just stop moving, camping my foe as they move about and try to hit via lighe woods or partial cover or whatever while I don;t move at all, enhancing my ability to hit them with better gunnery. I try to exploit my advantage.

Here I have a skill advantage over the green pilots, so I will try to force piloting skill rolls and get to where our penalties to hit each other are roughly equal, so I have the better chance to connect over turns.

[Abe Sargent]

We are on the NW and they in the SE

This map has a few koi ponds and a bit of foliage, but not nearly as much as the gardens on the other side of the estate.


Turn 1 – We win init. I order my forces to create a massive wedge with the Awesome in the middle and drive at our foes. I hop or PXH next to their Jackal. PPC fire from our Awesome slices into the Clint’s ammo and it explodes. Our Hunchy nails the gyro once on their hammer. It spins to the ground. Our PXH kicks their Jackal to the ground.


Turn 2 – We win init. They manage to rise their Hammer. Their Jackal stands, and bases our Jenner. I hop our PXH above and adjacent to their Hatchetman. I concentrate a lot of fire on their Marauder. It takes more than 80 damage and falls. Our PXH kicks and destroys the RA of their Hatchetman. Our Jenner kicks nda destroys the RL of their Jackal. Jackal falls but the Hatchetman manages to keep on his feet. .


Turn 3 – We lose init. Our Ostscout bases their Jackal. We leap the PXH to the rear of their Crusader. Hunch bases Anvil. Ostsol in the rear of their Wolverine. Our Catapult nails the LT of their Hammer and blows it up. Their Anvil and Marauder fall.


Turn 4 – We win init. We have been charging in all of these turns and now we are at melee range. Ostscout jumps above and adjacent to their Griffin. Their Hammer fails to rise and destroys its gyro. Hunch follows their Anvil, which stood. Their Marauder rises as well. Jenner rushes to the rear of their Wolverine. Grasshopper bases Anvil too. PXH adjacent to and above their Hatchetman. This turn our target of opportunity is the Crusader. Our Rifleman hit the dreaded AC5 ammo on the Marauder. Our Awesome smashes the LRM15 ammo in their Crusader. Our Ostscout kicks and hits the cockpit of their Hatchetman and it falls silently to the ground. Our Hunch destroys the LL of their Anvil with a kick and the Grasshopper kicks and destroy the RL of it. Dead Anvil


With five mechs left and none of our mechs even touched, they call it.

[Abe Sargent]

Hatchetman missing RA, H
Clint RA, H, LL
Jackal missing RL
Hammer missing LT, gyrox2
Marauder RA, LA, LL
Crusader LA
Anvil missing LL, RL


We hand Griffin, Awesome, Wolverine, Spider, Wasp to local garrison later.


We get the restored Hatchetman, Jackal, Hammer, Anvil and pieces


We have taken this estate well.

[Abe Sargent]

The fourth estate attack occurs a bit before midnight at their local time. This is an attack on Count Novgorod. The two companies of his troops, green, are caught totally unaware.


Attacking here are Heliades and Styx companies.


Heliades Company

AWS-8Q Awesome
STK-3F Stalker
CN9-D Centurion
DRG-1G Grand Dragon

ARC-2S Archer
MAD-3R Marauder
TBT-5N Trebuchet
OSR-2C Ostroc

PXH-1K Phoenix Hawk
WSP-1A Wasp
WLF-1 Wolfhound
VLK-QA Valkyrie


We smash into their compound, which is smaller than the others, and it’s a ferrocreted bunker instead of gardens and ponds and such. So we are fighting by a few minor buildings and on ferrocrete. Styx Company came down the middle road and gate while Heliades just smashed down a wall to hit them from their east flank. Again, they believe that we are here for their leader, one certain Novgorod rather than them. Our goal is to capture the planet militarily and install a new government, and we do that by smashing the defenses.


Our foes:


Cataphract
Quickdraw
UrbanMech
Valkyrie
Goliath
Cicada
Centurion
ARC-5S Archer *
PXH-3D Phoenix Hawk *
ZEU-5S Zeus *
BNC-5S Banshee *
Lineholder *



Again asterisk’d foes are those with uptech mechs. The Goliath pilot is elite, the rest green.


This is their Lineholder, a mech made by Kressly Warworks Inc on our home planet of Epsilon Eridani (EE). It’s a pretty cheap 55 ton mech with not a lot of updated tech. They’ve sold very well in the Chaos March. It’s the best selling medium mech in the Inner Sphere the last two years. It features 1 large laser, 2 LRM5s, 4 medium lasers, 14 regular heat sinks, 10 tons of regular armor and solid speed.

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 1 – We are on ferrocrete breaking in from the east. We lose init. I keep some scouts by smalls buildings, but for the most part, it’s just run at each other and smash face. Our Stalker destroys the RA of their PXh. The LB10X AC on our Centurion gets a limb blown off LL for the PXh as well. Our Stalker falls under 60+points of damage.


Turn 2 – We lose init. We stand up the Stalker. We hop our Wasp behind their Lineholder. Their Urbie bases my Wolfhound. I was flanking it behind a building and ran into the Urbie parked there. Both their Cicada and Centurion tumble and skid on the pavement. Our Wolfhound nails the A10 on their UrbanMech. No other major things in weapons fire happen. No one on either side even took 20 damage. Our Wolfhound is kicked to the ground.


Turn 3 – We win init. The WLF rises and bases their Urbie. Their Cicada stands, runs, and skids and falls again. I run our Centurion up to it. Our Ostroc bases it too. While running their Cat falls too. Our Marauder peppers their Archer with PPC fire, hits the LRM ammo on its LT, and that’s an engine shutdown with CASE. Our Ostroc destroys the LT of their Cicada. Our Centurion kicks and destroys the Cicada’s CT. Our Wolfhound kicks their Urbie to the ground and their pilot blacks out.


Turn 4 – We lose init. We back up our folks but push the Wasp behind their Lineholder again. Their mechs rises. Our PXH hits the Centurions ammo in its LT and it is gone. Boom! Our Wolfhound takes careful aim and slices off the H of their Urbie. Their Banshee falls under some damage.


Turn 5 – We lose init. They stand the Banshee and move it out. Our PXH runs in and bases it. Our Centurion falls and skids on the ferrocrete. Both their Banshee and Cat suffer some damage, an our G Dragon nails to leg actuators in the Cataphract. Both of their mechs fall.


Turn 6 – We win init. Our WLF bases their downed Cat after it fails to rise. I stand and run with the Centurion. Their Banshee stands. Our WLF smashes the gyro on their Cat twice. Their Lineholder tumbles. Our Wasp kicks the L of their Valkyrie and nails its hip and it falls.


Turn 7 – We lose init. Their Valkyrie rises, runs and falls again. Our Grand Dragon bases their Banshee. Our Osty does as well. Their Lineholder rises. Their Zeus destroys the RL of my Wasp. Our Awesome destroys the LA of their Valkyrie. Their Banshee tears into our Grand Dragon, opening it up and igniting the ammo and it goes boom! Our Ostroc destroys the CT of their Valkyrie. Our Awesome and Wasp and their Lineholder fall. Our Valkyrie kicks their Quickdraw to the ground and our Ostroc does the same to their Banshee.


Turn 8 – We win init. The Awesome stands. Our Marauder now bases their suddenly standing Banshee. I eject the Wasp. Wolfhound runs next to the Banshee as well. Ostroc next to their risen Lineholder. Centurion by it too. Their QD fails to rise. PXH by their Lineholder as well. Our Awesome sheers the RT and RA off their Banshee and it shuts down due to an XL Engine. Missile fire also destroyed its LL. Our OStroc destroys the LA of their Lineholder. It falls again, and the pilot blacks out. Our Centurion kicks and destroys the Quickdraw’s LL,


And with that they radio us and surrender.

[Abe Sargent]

PXH-3D Phoenix Hawk missing RA, reattach LL
ARC-5S Archer missing LT
Cicada RT, H, LL, RL, LA, RA
Centurion LA, RL
UrbanMech missing H
Cataphract gyrox2
Valkyrie LT, H, RT, RA, LL, RL
BNC-5S Banshee missing RT, RA, LL
Lineholder missing LA
Quickdraw missing LL


Wasp missing RL
Grand Dragon LA


We turn the Goliath and Zeus over to our building forces. We salvage a Phoenix Hawk, Archer, UrbanMech, Cataphract, Banshee, Lineholder and Quickdraw. We replace the Grand Dragon withte Cat in this company.



Styx comes crashing in and they radio their surrender after seeing us blast through the other company and have 10 free mechs to push them from the flank. We turn over the company of mechs to the local garrison we are building.


Attack #4 is successful