The Battletech Dynasty, Chapter 1 - 3030-38

[Abe Sargent]

While pushing onwards towards the Marik positions, we come across a heavy lance of mechs from the 15th. Because they are heavier, they are attacking us, but they will flee if our seven mechs can hit theirs hard. Their Lance:

Awesome
Orion
Ostsol
Locust

They are regular, although the lance commander, in the Awesome, is a vet.

[Abe Sargent]

Here we go.

The first turn is just positioning.

Our Awesome misses two of its three PPCs when we need fives to hit their Locust, we could have killed it this turn.

I order our Dervish to charge their Orion when it turned its back to us. We exchange fire until we resolve close combat attacks, when our Dervish connects with their Orion, dealing 22 damage to its rear. Both charging mech and charged fall to the ground and take damage.

I stand the Dervish back up and run away. Their Orion tries to get up and fails. Then it manages to stand. More exchange of fire.

The Orion gets a through armor critical on the Awesome and hits two actuators on the LA, which has no weapons in it. Our Awesome kicks and destroys their Locust’s LL. Their Orion cracks open the leg on our Rifleman and hit’s a foot actuator.

Our Rifleman moves behind the Orion and goes way overheat to attack it, and blows off the head. Our Rifleman does not shutdown from overheat. Their Locust pilot ejects from the legged mech and is picked up by their Ostsol as the two mechs left flee.

[Abe Sargent]

Salvage:

Orion H
Locust LL



To Fix:

Rifleman actuator
Awesome arm actuators x2


Armor: 80,000
Ammo: None

I kept myself from using any LRMs. The Rifleman is out with leg damage and the Phoenix Hawk was savaged. This leaves just five mechs and two infantry. Awesome, with no left arm weapons the actuator damage there is minor, Dervish, Catapult, Falcon and Panther. That’s an Assault, Heavy, Medium and two Lights.

Techs bolt armor on these five mechs really quickly. It’s ugly, but the mechs are ready to go after a fifteen minute break. The other two mechs will help with salvaging the Orion and Locust.

[Abe Sargent]

We hit another lance, again from the fifteenth.


Orion
Vulcan
Whitworth
Wolverine 6M


We need to hit them hard. The Wolverine variant is better than the normal 55 ton machine with a large laser instead of the AC5. It also fits on two more heat sinks, more armor and a second medium laser.




Our Catapult gets a Through Armor Critical on the Wolverine with its medium lasers and hits its engine and gyro once each. It manages to stay standing.

Their Wolverine falls after jumping away from our Catapult and I follow with the Catapult. We pepper it with weapons from the Panther and Catapult.

The Wolverine cannot stand back up and takes some damage. Our Awesome is finally in a position to bring some weaponry to bear. Their Orion cracks open the arm of our Falcon and hit’s a lower arm actuator. Their Orion falls under the onslaught of PPCs from our Panther and Awesome.

The 4th round arrives. They manage tp stand up their Wolverine this time, so I jump the Catapult next to it again. We exchange fire again.

5th round is here. Their Orion falls again under another onslaught of weapons. Our Catapult kicks and hit’s the Wolverine’s hip. It falls again, and the pilot blacks out. Our Motorized Rifle Platoon was in a building when it collapses, and they take some damage.

Their Orion manages to stand. Our Dervish hit’s the ammo on the Orion and it explodes.

With one mech down to a blacked out pilot and the other just down, the Vulcan and Whitworth jump away.

[Abe Sargent]

Salvage:

Wolverine two actuators, gyro, engine.



Parts:

Orion H



To Fix:


Falcon, RA lower arm actuator, upper arm


The Falcon is out, and again we did not use any ammo.


Armor: 60,000
Ammo: Nothing

[Abe Sargent]

Again our techs staple and secure armor piecemeal to our remaining four mechs. We head out with four mechs and one infantry platoon.

We come across a company from the Tenth but allow them to retreat without attacking. Then we come across a single mech from the 15th, a Locust, but it runs away from us and we cannot pursue it with our mechs. Even later we hit the Ostsol and Awesome that were part of a lance we destroyed before, but both are husks on the ground, having been destroyed by Andurien forces prior to our arrival.

We hit the outskirts of the city, and the Defenders of Andurien are mopping up. The Tenth Defenders managed to withdraw but they have been savaged down to about battalion size. The Fifteenth Defenders are spread about so numbers left on them are unknowable right now. The green Head Hunters mercenary force will be arriving soon to help bolster the destroyed Marik troops and create a line.

The Defenders have actually gained a lot of mechs from the battle, since salvage was really good from the fleeing Marik troops.

[Abe Sargent]

Our techs fix up the salvaged Wolverine 6M pretty quickly and in a day it is fixed and ready to go (Cost in armor and ammo, 120,000)

We fix the Falcon, and it is ready.

We are unable to fix the Rifleman leg actuator and have to replace it, a fix that will take a week.

The Awesome arm actuators are fixed.

We salvaged an Orion missing a head, and an Orion H. In two days, the salvaged Orion will be up and running.

The Assassin and Griffin are each fixed.

Later we try to fix the engine and gyro on the salvaged Spider and none are fixable, making that a massive replacement project.

We have a Javelin RA in storage to replace the RA on our Javelin variant. That will be ready in three days.

13 February, 3037 - Our Javelin is now repaired, and the Orion and Wolverine are ready to be used. The Thunderbolt pilot is assigned to the Orion in the meantime, and the Rifleman pilot is assigned to the Wolverine.

The Andurien troops are still spending time rebuilding and refitting salvage.

We get good news!

The arrival of the brand new Phaeton Company! They have joined us, and are starting a contract with the Duchy as well. The details are the same as ours, but their four months begins today.

[Abe Sargent]

So here is the issue. This is the first decisive victory Andurien has had. The Free Worlds League can rotate troops against the Duchy, and continue to pressure with fresh troops, while the Duchy has just five battered and beaten regiments that are very experienced, and the League can just toss new troops after new troops.

The Duchy of Andurien has been on the defensive for a while now, and now they are rebuilding instead of becoming aggressive. The 10th Marik Militia is encamped elsewhere on the continent and has less than a battalion of mechs. Here is what the Free Worlds League will do. They will drop new troops on the planet, those troops will distract us, and then they will lift off the damaged and beaten 10th and 15th, then spend six months or a year refitting them and send them against us yet again with fresh new equipment.

The 15th is down to about half strength, or four and a half companies. The 10th is down to under three companies. The green Head Hunters are at full strength. What the Defenders need to do is push forward and hit the Marik militia now. But they aren’t.

We will.

Because we are currently under house control, and not independent or liaison, we submit our battle plan to them. We will move against the battered 10th Marik Militia with our two companies moving as distinct units, one at the 10th’s ten o’ clock and the other at the two o’ clock. Then we will force them into battle and continue to push.

After talking with the Duchy of Andurien, they okay our plan. What we need is some distraction for the green, questionably loyal Head Hunters, that will pull them away from defending the position of the 10th for long enough for us to assault their position.

The Defenders agree to send some light scout units numbering several companies plus harass them with some fighters they have and force their fighters to attack the Head Hunters, encouraging them to push and attack the Defenders. Then we hit the 10th while the Defenders distract the Head Hunters. It is a good plan, and one we hope will work.

Later in the day, the plan is initiated, and the Head Hunters are pulled away, allowing our Phaeton and Typhon companies to push towards the 10th’s position. Radar shows them splitting their defenses and hitting our companies. Each company is a reinforced one, with 16 mechs. 16 veteran MechWarriors in 16 mechs for each of our companies. Here we go.

They have to meet us on the field instead of running, since they have numerous meches, ammo, armor, techs, and more to protect.

[Abe Sargent]

Typhon Company has two infantry squadrons plus the Orion and Wolverine in place of a Thunderbolt and Rifleman.

Their Forces:

Javelin
Phoenix Hawk
Waspx2
Whitworth
Thunderbolt
Griffinx2
Rifleman
BattleMaster
Hermes IIx2
Crusader
Stalker
Grasshopper
Locust


Two assaults (Stalker, BattleMaster), four heavies (Crusader, Rifleman, Grasshopper, Thunderbolt), six mediums, and four lights.

Twelve of the mechs are vets, and four, two lights and two mediums, are regulars.

They are ahead in battle value. (We have 14500, and they have around 15700).

The Marik troops are committed out here on defense, which they did not expect on their excursion to Xanthe III. I want to remove the 10th Marik Militia as a fighting force.

We start on an extra long map, giving us plenty of time to set up on the map.

[Abe Sargent]

We start on an extra long map, giving us plenty of time to set up on the map.

We position and exchange long range fire on the first round.

The second turn we see more exchange of fire and positioning.

More exchange of fire.

On the 4th turn, our Orion cracks open their Rifleman’s leg and hit a pair of actuators. Their Battlemaster gets a through armor critical on our Orion and hit’s the engine once, which makes five heat a turn and ruins the mech. The Catapult adds a third leg actuator on the Rifleman, and it falls.

The next round is more exchange of fire.

Our Awesome cracks open their BattleMaster’s chest and hits an engine. Our Panther hit’s a pair of leg actuators on their Javelin. Our Catapult hit’s a second engine on the BattleMaster. The Dervish’s missiles take off their Rifelman’s head. Their Javelin falls to the ground.

The 7th round is here. Another exchange of fire.

This is turning out to be one of those epic long battles. Just one mech has been destroyed on either side in seven turns. The next turn sees their Javelin fall down again after jumping on its bad leg.


Then the unthinkable happens. We have a brown out, and the computer goes down. I reload my save, but I cannot connect the bot again. I can play as the opponent, but that takes a really long time and gives unrealistic results. I had destroyed the Rifleman, with the BattleMaster, Crusader and Javelin hurt badly, and none of my mechs were hurt except the Orion;s engine which was a through armor critical, not a sandblasting of armor until the components were exposed.

We would have won the scenario, no question. The only question is what would be salvaged, and what of our would be destroyed. I roll randomly to make some determinations.

Our Assassin is destroyed in an ammo explosion, but the pilot is alright.

Our Falcon’s gyro is hit and we ejected it.

The Dervish gets its LL shot off.

The Griffin loses its RA and PPC with it.

Our Javelin get three leg actuators damaged.

The Wolverine gets hit in the head with a PPC, it goes internal, and hit’s the sensors.

We destroy the Crusader through an ammo explosion.. I randomly assign
that kill to the Wolverine, formerly the Rifleman pilot.

The Javelin destroys its own CT by getting up, falling and repeating several times.

We destroy the BattleMaster by hitting its engine a third time when it falls after we took out its LL.

A Wasp is blasted by our Awesome and the SRM ammo explodes.

We savaged the Grasshopper and blast off both legs. The second leg is destroyed by our Assassin before it was destroyed.

Their Whitworth is destroyed by us in an ammo explosion. The Panther pilot gets that kill.

Another Wasp gets legged when it is kicked by our Orion. It’s not a kill, but the pilot blacks out and does not reawaken.

One of their Griffins is just downright blasted by us, losing most of its parts. It is ultimately killed by having its second leg destroyed. Kill by Dervish

[Abe Sargent]

Salvage:

Rifleman, H, three actuators.
Javelin, CT?, LT, LA, RL
BattleMaster enginex3, LL
Grasshopper, RL, LL
Wasp RL
Griffin RT, RA, LA, LL, RL, engine

Parts:

Assassin RT, LA, RL
Crusader RA
Whitworth LA, RT, RA



To Fix:

Orion engine
Falcon gyro
Dervish LL
Griffin RA
Javelin three actuators
Wolverine sensors

We overrun them and the remaining seven mechs retreat. Time for the second battle.

[Abe Sargent]

Phaeton Company features three assault mechs, but one is the crappy Banshee, which our Lieutenant Miguel Juarez is using as his own.

Our foes:

BattleMaster
Archer
UrbanMech
Stinger x2
Whitworth
Locust
Shadow Hawk
Spider
Wasp
Awesome
Hermes II
Scorpion
Flea
Banshee
Rifleman

They are rocking three assaults, and just two heavies.

We will be fighting on a normal sized map, allowing for pain on the first turn.

The BattleMaster is elite, and holds their CO. Three light mechs are regular pilots.

Here we go.

[Abe Sargent]

Our Awesome falls after an assault in the first round.

Then it falls once trying to stand before it is fully upright. Three arm actuators on the Awesome’s LA are zarked. Our Trebuchet hit’s a duo of leg actuators on their Archer. Our Javelin destroys their Hermes II’s RT. The Archer falls. Our Awesome kicks and destroys their Flea’s RL. Our Awesome falls after being kicked twice and hit’s a pair of leg actuators.

The Awesome fails to stand up again and falls. It does not have enough movement left to try again. Their Awesome gets a TAC on our Atlas and hits its LRM20, so that it no longer functional. Our Warhammer destroys both of their Flea’s arms. Our Catapult blew the RL off their Archer with a 12 critical. Both their Archer and Rifleman fall to the ground and the Archer pilot blacks out.

Our Awesome pilot blacks out. I am not killing mehcs fast enough, and my Atlas and Awesome are getting hurt because of it. I move up all of my assets, with the intent of focusing all weapons on their Awesome for the turn. I move up my Warhammer, everything. I move the Catapult adjacent to their Archer to try and blow off its head, but everything else will target their Awesome. I have to take it out. Their Awesome hits and destroys the RT of our Awesome. Their wounded Rifleman hit’s the PPC in the LT of our Awesome. It now has no weapons but the superfluous small laser. Our Black Knight destroys their Awesome’s right arm, so that’s one PPC of theirs that is down. Their Wasp hits our Awesome’s gyro. Our Hermes II hits and destroys the RT and CT of their Flea. Our pilot in the Atlas is knocked unconscious and falls automatically, giving us a very bad position. One assault is as good as the dead, and the other blacked out, (We needed a five to stay awake), and our medium lasers on their Archer failed to take off its head. Our Awesome pilot does not wake up, so we cannot eject. Their Archer wakes up, though.

This is looking very bad.

Their Rifleman destroys our Awesome’s CT section. Our Warhammer destroys the RT section of their Awesome, taking out another PPC from their side. Their Banshee hits our Atlas’s AC20. Our Catapult destroys the RT and LA of their Archer. Our Trebuchet hit’s a pair of leg actuators on their Awesome. Our Javelin adds a gyro, engine and a third actuator on their Awesome. It tumbles. Our Black Knight kicks and destroys the RL of their Hermes II. Our Crusader punches the LL off their Locust with a 12 critical. Our Warhammer kicks and destroys the LL on their Stinger. They all fall. Our Atlas does not wake up (needed a 6 to wake up) Argh!

Their BattleMaster hits and destroys the Atlas’s RT. Our Black Knight destroys their Rifleman’s RA and adds an engine hit. Our Catapult hit’s the Archer’s engine twice. Our Crusader destroys the Locust’s RA. Our Hermes II destroys the RA of their Stinger. Their Banshee punches and destroys our Spider’s head and it crumples to the ground. Elite MechWarrior David Adkins dies in the damage. Our Banshee kicks and destroys the LL of their Wasp. Our Warhammer kicks and destroys the RT of their downed Stinger. Then our Hermes II destroys its CT with a kick. Their Wasp falls and destroys its LT. Our Atlas still does not wake up.

This turn I want to use my missile boats to finish off the Rifleman, Awesome (not the Archer which can’t move and we’ll get if we win the scenario) while my energy weapons are to be aimed at their BattleMaster. I want to slice it open. Their Banshee hit’s the gyro twice and engine one on our Atlas. Our Black Knight hit’s the Rifleman’s ammo and it explodes. Our Warhammer destroys the LA of their Awesome. Our Javelin destrosy the LA of their Spider. Our Banshee falls under the onslaught. Our Black Knight kicks and destroys the head of their Hermes II. Our Atlas pilot remains unconscious. Jeez. I coulda ejected it and saved the mech, but nope. Not going to happen.

We stand the Banshee back up. Their Banshee destroys the LL of our Atlas. Our Black Knight destroys the LT and CT of their Awesome. Their BattleMaster falls under the assault. Our Banshee kicks and destroys the CT section of their downed Wasp. Our Atlas pilot continues to remain unconscious (rolled a 5 this turn). Man.

Their BattleMaster destroys the CT section of our Atlas. Our Crusader hit’s a leg actuaotr on their BM. Our Catapult destroys its RA, so there goes its PPC. The BattleMaster falls and CO Garibaldi blacks out! We need to get some mechs there and blow off the head. In addition to getting a good mech, we would guarantee the removal of their CO. Our Hermes II kicks their Spider and it falls.

Our Trebuchet is out of LRM ammo this turn, and our Crusader is out next. Our Black Knight destroys the Whitworth’s LT and causes its ammo to explode. Our Wasp destroys their BattleMaster’s head with its Medium Laser. Our Javelin adds two gyro hits, just in case the Wasp failed. The CEO of the 10th has officially died in combat!

With their dead CO, the 10th chooses to leave the battlefield. Their Locust pilot is still blacked out, so we get that, and the Archer has no movement, so we get that as well. This was tougher than it should have been, and we lost two of our three assaults.

They leave with a Scorpion, Urbie, Spider, Stinger, Shadow Hawk and Banshee. Their six mechs join the seven mechs left from the other group, and are absorbed into the 15th.

We overrun the 10th’s position and capture numerous mechs that are in various stages of repair, plus ammo and armor and parts. We capture these, and a contract clause sells them to the Duchy, who really needs the materiel. We make 6,500,000 from the sale of these captured items.

Our two companies retreat with the salvage and head back to the city for a well-earned respite. The 10th Marik Militia has been destroyed as a fighting unit.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s do some math and salvage stuff.



Salvage:

Flea, CT?, RT, RA, LA, RL
Stinger CT?, RT, RA, LL
Hermes II H, RL
Awesome, RT, RA, LT, LA, CT?,
Wasp LT, LA, CT?, RL
BattleMaster H, RA, gyrox2
Locust RL, RA
Archer LT, LA, RA, RL, enginex2



Parts:

Hermes II RA
Archer RL, LA
Awesome RA
Locust LL
Atlas RA
Wasp LA
Whitworth LA, RL

To Fix:


Awesome three actuators, two actuators. RT, RA, PPC, CT?
Spider H, RA
Atlas RT, RA, LL, CT?

On our Awesome - we fixed the PPC and actuators, but have to get a new CT section, which is pricey. Cost to fix the Awesome: 1,280,000 engine, 900,000 gyro, 600,000 for PPCs, 1,900,000 for internal structure, armor and pieces. 4,580,000 to repair.

On our Atlas - We failed to recover the CT section. 2 mill for engine, 900k for gyro, 200k for AC20, 2,450,000 for replacement parts, internal structure, ammo and armor. 5,550,000 to repair

Spider - 450,000 to repair

[Abe Sargent]

Salvage:

Archer - We reattach the RL. Repair the engine. 1,875,000 to repair, rearm, and rearmor.

Stinger - 650,000 worth of parts, 1 million to repair.

Hermes II - 600,000 to repair

Battle Master - We fixed the gyro. 1,200,000 to repair, rearm, and rearmor

Awesome - 1,100,000 worth of parts, 5,750,000 to repair

Wasp - 650,000 worth of parts, 1,075,000 to repair.

Locust - 200,000 to repair.

Flea - 450,000 worth of parts, 980,000 to repair


We gained 6,500,000 from salvage. I use that money to fix the BattleMaster, Hermes II and our Awesome. The rest will lay stagnant until we get more fundage. They will be ready in about a month or so, maybe a bit longer

Ammo: 360,000
Armor: 280,000

[Abe Sargent]

LEVEL UP - As you may have noticed, Maggie Frattacelli notched four kills in her Black Knight in just one battle, so she will be gaining Edge: 1. In Typhon Company, we had two pilots notch four kills. Edgar Lopez, the Warhammer pilot, grabbed four kills. He is also gaining Edge: 1. David Delgado is the other one, and he gained five kills in his Rifleman. His gunnery gets one better. He is just three kills away from elite status.

[Abe Sargent]

Back to Typhon Company:

We repair all reparable damage on our own mechs, from actuators to the gyro and engine.


We order parts to place the Griffin arm and Dervish leg. 750,000 gone. They’ll be here in a month or so.

Ammo: 270,000
Armor: 380,000

I want to get a few mechs up and running. Let’s get a Hunchy, (750,000) and Banshee (950,000). These are just emergency mechs that we can use as mechs get wounded and blasted.

[Abe Sargent]

15 February. 3037 - The Defenders are discussing an assault on the 15th similar to our assault on the 10th. The success has bred discussion of another assault. Then we get news of trouble.

Thomas Marik has assumed the Captain-General ship of the FWL, and ordered a nearby unit, the First Fusiliers of Oriente have dropped onto the planet. As they land, the Fifteenth breaks and moves for DropShips and leaves the planet. We now have the new, freshish Fusiliers and the Head Hunters on planet.

These are the same Fusiliers that were wounded on Shiro III. They are not at full strength. As they arrive, all they can do is keep the Defenders from a full out assault on the Head Hunters.


March 4, 3037 - The Duchy of Andurien activates the Emergency Powers Clause in the Typhon Company’s contract. As expected in an assault like this.

For the past several weeks, the Marik troops have allowed us and the Defenders to rebuild forces salvaged from the recent battles.

March 18, 3037 - More troops have arrived on planet, but this time, they are not Marik forces. Another mercenary unit, the Tooth of Ymir, is an under strength regiment. They have contracted to the Duchy of Andurien for a brief few months, and are a welcome relief force.

March 20, 3037 - Several of our mechs are now repaired, including the Atlas, BattleMaster, Hermes II for Phaeton Company. The Thunderbolt and Rifleman, Griffin and Dervish from Typhon Company are also repaired, plus salvage like the Hunchback and . I am assigning our Assassin pilot the Hermes II, which I know switches a mech from one company to another, but that’s the way we roll sometimes.

The fresh Tooth of Ymir makes several raids and the additional troops they provide allows us to discuss offensive operations again.

March 26, 3037 - The Iron Guards have arrived. This regular Marik unit reinforces the FWL position. They are content to sit about, and the occasional raid is all of the action that is seen.

April 4, 3037 - The Duchy again activates the Emergency Powers Clause on the Typhon Company, which we expected.

April 12, 3037 - The Fifth Marik Militia arrives on the planet, and the 12 Atrean Dragoons have arrived in system and will land in a few days.

The Defenders, Tooth and Us meet in council. With the Dragoons and Militia landing, in addition to the Head Hunters, Fusiliers and Iron Guards, we are simply outnumbered. The decision is made to retreat from Xanthe III and leave to other postings. They will chase us, no question. We begin plans.


April 21, 3037 - After drawing the short stick, the Tooth of Ymir takes to the field and fights a delaying action while the Defenders and us move for the DropShips. The Tooth gets savaged and they leave for Outreach, their contract complete. They’ll probably badmouth the Andurien as employers but it was their own fault their CO died in the delaying action, not Andurien’s.


The Typhon Company is released from their contract a few weeks early, and the Phaeton Company, which has two months left, is relocated to Lopez.

[Abe Sargent]

The Typhon Company’s Finances:


Costs:

287,184 Upkeep of Unit for Six Months
3,770,000 Ammo, Armor, Parts
1,700,000 Fix Banshee, Hunchback


Incomes:

619,638 Base Salary
193,697 1st Emergency Powers
242,046 2nd Activation
1,885,000 Battle Loss Compensation
30,982 Remuneration

Total Losses: -2,785,821

Current War Chest: 7,660,491

You expect to lose some money on full salvage contracts, but the sheer amount of salvage we have is nice, top notch stuff.


The Anduriens offer us another contract, but we say no thanks for now. We need to get back to Outreach and do some recruiting.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT - May 5, 3037 - Thomas Marik, the new Captain-General of the Free Worlds League, has begun to consolidate power and is using the Andurien crisis to gather more political power under his office. He announces today that he is reopening diplomatic channels with the Duchy to attempt to bring the wayward worlds back under the fold of the Free Worlds League. All offensives are suspended pending a diplomatic release.

[law90026]

Exciting campaign there!

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by law90026

Exciting campaign there!

I thought so. Lots of fun and we had a real impact.

[Abe Sargent]

June 13, 3037 - Due to the announcement by Thomas Marik of diplomatic channels being used, no attacks have come, and the Duchy releases the Phaeton Company when their contract runs out.

Math for Phaeton Company:



Costs:

339,045 Upkeep of Unit
640,000 Ammo and Armor
5,950,000 To Fix Atlas and Spider


Incomes:

5,585,000 50% Battle Loss Compensation
631,976 Salary
31,599 Remuneration


Total Loss: -680,470

Current War Chest: 1,439,530

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT - In order to provide morale to her staggering troops, Duchess Catherine Humphreys has created the Andurien Star, an award given to units and soldiers that have displayed courage in the face of the enemy. In a magnanimous move, she has given the Andurien Star to the Phaeton Company for killing the CO of the Tenth Marik Militia despite battle losses at 25% of our troops.


We have a standing offer to rejoin our friends in the Duchy anytime we need a contract. All we have to do is contact them.


August 15, 3037 - Phaeton Company arrives back on Outreach.

[Abe Sargent]

Going to an interview in NJ today, be back over the weekend.

[Abe Sargent]

Back in time…

March 31, 3037 - Aleph Company arrives back on Outreach. Time for some recruiting by Adele and Braham, and then we can find a nice contract.

This time, I try to recruit an aerospace transport asset instead of our normal efforts to recruit mechs, mech warriors, vehicles, infantry, and such. Now, in order to recruit a JumpShip or DropShip you have to put all of your eggs in one basket, and make all of your recruiting efforts in one. However, once you get it, you will not need to pay to rent one every time, you just have to pay to upkeep it. It is hard, and not easy, but I’d like to take a crack at it this month. Unfortunately, it fails. We move to contracts.

Offer #1: Free Rasalhague Garrison. Yuck

Offer #2: Lyran Commonwealth objective raid on Free Worlds League.

Offer #3: Pirate Hunting by the Outworlds Alliance

Well, it looks like the Lyran contract is, by far, the best one. We take it.

We have to hit a small planet at the back of the Commonwealth called Somerset. It’s a minor planet where a noble family has been being ornery, and we are tasked with arriving and fighting the private force they are building there.

Contract:

Transport: 50%
Salvage: Shared
Salary: 3.4x
Remuneration: yes
Support: 50% Battle Loss
Control: House Liaison
Length: 3 months

[Abe Sargent]

July 16, 3037 - Aleph Company arrives at Somerset. We are going into battle without knowing what our opponent has for forces, but that’s not really unusual. Apparently the local forces we were to hit have been put on guard. We suspect someone in the LCAF let them know we were coming, so we have a hot landing. Looks like at least a company of mechs, perhaps more.

On the first turn, four of our mechs, chosen randomly, emerge from the DropShip and set up a parameter while they advance. An enemy Zeus hits my Cataphract in its ct, but that’s the only fire exchanged.

The next turn sees another four distributed. Long range missiles pepper out mechs from afar. We can tell that our opponents are either veteran or elite, because they are hitting well. Adele’s Firestarter has leaped into some foliage and fired at an opposing Locust that ran up. She destroyed its LL and it falls.

Most of the rest of our forces arrive while we try to position ourselves and prepare for the worst. Their Locust stands up. My LRM20 hit’s the downed Locust and tears off its LA and LT, leaving just its right side. They are concentrating their fire on my Cataphract, and it takes some damage from various sources, including getting opened in the right torso, where I keep my LRM ammo, so next turn I need to back off.

They move up several mechs including a Hunchback, Orion and Panther and expose them for us to fire at this turn. I move back my Cataphract into some heavy woods in order to present a worse target. An enemy Javelin jumps beside me. The Javelin launches SRMs into my mech and they seek out and find the open hole in the right torso, in a blinding explosion, the LRM 20 ammo goes up, and my Cataphract goes with it.

When I go to roll to see if my MW escapes okay, I only need to avoid a 2, but I roll a 3. I used up all of my edge when I was hit several times and then once on the ammo explosion, which was rerolled, so I am not dead (that would be a 2) but I am not completely free (that would be a 4+).

I am flung from the mech and land awkwardly among the shrapnel. My body is wounding and deep cuts and broken bones speak to massive injuries. Immediately, Adele Thompson takes command of the unit. Within a round, she has organized a ring around my broken body and orders Liu Chen to pick up my body with her Spider and head back to the DropShip. While Liu Chen goes back, a company of tanks flies out from hidden locations around the map and along with the company of mechs, pushes hard against Adele and the remaining members of Aleph Company.

[Abe Sargent]

After a few rounds, Nadia Romanov’s Stalker is destroyed by an ammo explosion. Jacob Ovango’s Wolverine has its head blown off and he is killed. Adele begins to order a retreat, but Roger Stephens’ Wolfhound has its legs blown off and he is unable to follow. Adele cannot hold the field and abandons him.

Adele loses her right arm off her Firestarter. Elena Stoyovich had the right torso and right arm off her Mercury blown away. They went internal against David Bungurion’s Striker’s head, but he narrowly avoided losing it. Several other mechs went internal in various places. The company was savaged.

Adele’s gets most of the company on board our transport, but Justine Dempsey’s modified Phoenix Hawk, the one with the medium pulse lasers, gets her gyro hit twice just before the mech reaches the DropShip. Opposing forces are closing too quickly for anyone to go out and get it or her, and the Aleph Company lifts off, away from their first real loss in seven years, while Justine continues to fire her lasers at the enemy until her mech goes overheat and shuts down.

[Abe Sargent]

A list of all of the injuries that I have sustained, both major and minor, would take pages. From broken and smashed bones in numerous areas to cuts and scrapes and burns that cover my body, I remain in a coma for two months while the DropShip returns to Outreach with head hung in shame.

My doctors say that it is a miracle that I am not dead. After trying to save my left leg and left arm, savaged by battle injuries, the doctors have lost, and have replaced both with myomer limbs. Although the latest technology can be used to enhance the healing process, the body will heal at the same rate it always has, and an injection of some material or other will not accelerate it much.

It will takes months for me to regain my mobility and months more to acclimate to my limbs. My gunnery skill is increased by two and my piloting by one. Those can be improved again through the same battle proven method.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT - July 23, 3037 - Upon hearing of my medical state, Ted Izumo has returned from his job as headmaster of the academy overseeing construction, and taken over the Kilts and Commandoes mercenary organization. He has ordered all units to regroup and recalibrate back on Epsilon Eridani. Ted believes that the failure of Aleph Company to win after I fell was due, in part to us recruiting people from around the Inner Sphere with various backgrounds and training, and failing to act as a unit. In other words, without the direct commands of someone like myself, the unit fails because they cannot operate as a unit.

After several months, most of the companies have arrived at the central area on Epsilon Eridani that the mercenary group was using as storage and adjacent by the academy under construction. Ted uses some of the money the unit has to purchase nearby buildings and lots, and begins a series of field training. He also continues to build the academy.

The complex includes barracks, workshops, rec areas, storage, med bay, and areas converted to training areas, all built around and near the academy.

Ted uses the time to fix the mechs from Aleph Company, unifies the medical staff, technical and administrative staff, and works to create one group of people.

[Abe Sargent]

For months I am convalescing and removed from the damage. On February 3, 3038 - I emerge from the medical facility to take my first tour of the new complex, with all of the soldiers, officers, tank companies and infantry, support staff, techs, and medical staff of the Kilts and Commandoes assembled for my tour. Deafening applause greets me as I leave behind the med lab, and I salute the troops.

March 14, 3038 - I get back behind the controls of a mech and join my troops in combat exercises set up by Izumo. I remain under the command of Ted Izumo, not being ready to reclaim my role as CO of the unit, although I am involved in the major decisions.

June 24, 3038 - The Free Worlds League has paid a company of mercenary MechWarriors to assault the Kressly Warworks on Epsilon Eridani. This is a private company that makes parts for tanks, as well as producing two lines of tanks. They have a lance of mechs for defense plus a company of tanks, and they are not going to be able to stop this company of mercenaries.

We could, however. Ted wants to let the Mariks raid the company, and we continue to regroup, retrain, and rebuild. I disagree however, and convince him to send a company of mechs to join the Kressly defenders. It is a good live training exercise. The company is able to push back the surprised mercenaries, who had not expected us to join Kressly‘s defense. I will protect my planet, and I don’t think Ted understands that. We do not loose a single mech and gain some valuable battle experience to see if Ted’s training is working.

Adele is able to secure a defensive contract for us while we are on Epsilon Eridani. Hanse Davion is beginning to move his troops in preparation for a major offensive on House Kurita. We take a garrison contract for the planet for six months, allowing him to rotate and move troops around.

One of Ted’s areas of emphasis are on recruiting more traditional units, including infantry and vehicles, giving us more of a combat team approach during our training.

On October 1, 3038, over a year after I was injured in the Battle of Somerset, I reclaim the COship of the unit from Ted. We have added some MechWarriors, mechs, tanks, infantry and more to the unit.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT - October 13, 3038 - After several days of negotiation, Adele Thompson and Braham Essex have announced that they have successfully negotiated a contract with Kressly Warworks. For the next ten years, Kilts and Commandos will take control of the security of the company, and in return, the company will give Kilts and Commandos their defensive units (one company of tanks, and four mechs) plus give us a 20% discount off any tanks we want to buy from them. By doing this, Kressly frees us the money they spent on purchasing and up keeping their defenses, and we gain 16 military units plus a bonus on future tanks. Kressly Warworks is located 31 kilometers from our complex and training academy.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT - January 1, 3039 - The Essex Training Academy is completed, and the first class of MechWarriors have enrolled. It is a small class, but should grow over time. They will graduate in three years.

We are approached by Hanse Davion’s military complex. They are planning a joint assault with the Lyran Commonwealth against the Draconis Combine in order to permanently end the threat of the Dragon. In order to defeat the undermanned but fervently loyal Draconis troops, Davion wants to employ a large number of mercenary troops and unleash the fury of the Federated Suns, Lyran Commonwealth and mercenary units against the Draconis Combine, all at once. It is believed that this will easily overwhelm the defending troops and gain massive ground. We are being contracted to join the offensive.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT - January 4, 3039 - The Duchy of Andurien is reduced to a single planet, Andurien. They send us a call asking for help to defend their final planet against the combined might of the Free Worlds League.

[Abe Sargent]

EVENT - January 5, 3039 - It appears that Ted Izumo’s intensive training has paid off. Every MechWarrior in the unit has had one skill improve. For most it is gunnery, but for many it is piloting. This includes me, and my gunnery decreases by one.

[Tellistto]

Wow, lots occurred in the past week. Glad to see that your still alive after that ambush. Looks like the training complex paid off for more than you really expected it to in the beginning.

Good stuff!

Did you get the job?

Tell

[Abe Sargent]

Nope. I will restart the year of 3039 in a new thread sometime this week, is my guess. We'll see how things go.

[Tellistto]

Would love to see this return, Abe. Just so you know you still have a fan for this.

[Abe Sargent]

Later than I anticipated, but continued here:

The BattleTech Dynasty: 3039 - Front Office Football Central

[Abe Sargent]

And then the next chapter is here:

The BattleTech Dynasty: The Solaris VII Years - Front Office Football Central