Tuesday, April 26, 2011

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Monday, April 18, 2011

Yunnah Campaign

The Yunnah Campaign is a player driven target based campaign between two sides (Rebels vs. Garrison).

The objective of the Rebels is to successfully cause an insurrection of the world by defeating the Garrison's means of controlling it. They do this by performing the insurrection mission or by rendering the entire mercenary garrison force inoperable. The Garrison's objective is to ground the Rebels into a non-effective fighting force until they leave the world.

Mission selection is decided by tracking initiative. The rebels start out with 3 initiative and so long as they have initiative to spend, they may select the target/scenario. If they ever have 0 initiative or less, the Garrison may select a mission from it's list. Rebels earn 1/2 initiative per weight class for every unit forced into a forced withdrawal but loose 1/2 for each unit of their own damaged and scored in the same way.

The Garrison thus usually defends and the more the rebels get battered, the more they loose initiative (loosely represented as repair time and public opinion).

Before scenario selection, the Garrison must decide what assets he is going to deploy to guard which targets. Then the Rebel player chooses the target he is going to attack with what assets he decides to use against it.

For simplicity the rebels can only strike 1 target at a time. Undefended targets are assumed destroyed. If so desired, players can move on and declare the combat to be fluid and move to the next target during any session, but the week does not move forward nor is ammo considered expended for the Rebels.

Rebel Perks:

Recon: Before choosing a target, the rebel player may always choose to use any unit with a cruise/walk movement of 6 or better to recon. If he does so the unit may not be used in the following combat. If the unit has a Beagle active probe, the Garrison must show what he has chosen to defend with. If not, roll 2D6, on 6+ the unit returned with the data. Otherwise, the unit is MIA for the combat and did not return with target defense data.

Informant: A flat fee to rebel informants of 100,000cr can always be paid to get recon information of the target.

Rebel Artillery: Using a series of liberated rocket batteries the Rebels have become adept at firing a few salvos from the mountains before abandoning the equipment and the eventual retribution. The Rebels may always elect before a battle to spend one initiative to get a (4|7) battery of 3 Arrow IV launchers firing cluster rounds 10 maps away. If on a spotting roll of 2-3, they have abandoned the tubes and cannot be used again for this battle.

We Have the Time: The Rebels may always opt to fight during the night or day when attacking.

Rebel Training: The Rebels may always opt during a week of inaction, to train the locals to fight. Doing so will create 1 (5 gunnery) XCF equipped rifle foot platoon of 28 men in the rebel service for free. They may recruit additional foot platoons for 10,000cr each for a maximum of 4. For an extra 30,000cr each, they may be standard SRM, LRM, or MG infantry.

Sabotage: During any week in which the Garrison opted to Loose Face, the Rebels may spend 1 initiative and sacrifice a Yunnah Rebel infantry unit to attempt to destroy the reconstruction effort. On a 4+ with a 1D6, the target remains destroyed. The rebels must choose how many attempts they will make against any 1 reconstruction before they roll.

Uprising: The Rebels may always spend an initiative to get 1d6+1 (4|7) XCF rifle foot platoons setup hidden at the target of choice when attacking. They setup after the Garrison has deployed.

Garrison Perks:

Rebel Scum: Captured enemy pilots and crew are killed even if they successfully eject but are on board at the end of combat.

Elastic Defense: Though units not assigned to a target do not start on the board, they arrive on the turn 10 minus the walking/cruising MP of the unit. Subtract 2 from the MP if it is any non-mech, non-VTOL MP unit. Add 1 to the MP if it is a mech with jumping MP. (IE a Wasp will respond to the conflict on turn 4, and a Awesome would arrive on turn 7). Aerospace assets always enter on turn 1 of the aerospace low altitude map so long as the starport is operational. Otherwise they enter on as normal with half fuel.

Artillery Parks: The Garrison may always opt to keep a unit off board if it started in Elastic Defense defending another target. That unit is assumed to be 6 map sheets away.

Divisional Support: For every turn after turn 10, the Garrison may roll a die. On a 6, a 4|5 Po Heavy tank has arrived on their side of the board and operates under forced withdrawal. After turn 15, the new Po Heavy tanks reinforcements become Behemoths.

"Surplus" Equipment: The Garrison may purchase any standard equipment at cost. Po Tanks may also be purchased on world (though experienced crews may not).

Loosing Face: The Garrison may give the Rebels a point of initiative during any non-combat week in return for allowing Quickscell corporation to hastily reconstruct a damaged target. The target takes 1 week to repair.

Air Superiority: So long as the starport is operational, the Rebels may not get any off world support after the first insertion and may not use hot drop rules even if they have a drop ship. They may not leave the world either using any means.

Questionable Loyalty:The Garrison may opt before scenario selection to payoff a rebel informant for 100,000cr. If so optioned, roll 1D6 and subtract the Rebel's current initiative. On a 3+, or a 6, an additional amount of equipment equal to the tonnage, or any 1 unit, already at the target (and may have even been deployed elsewhere) can setup hidden on the defender half of the board.

Targets:

Garrison: The rebels always have the option to attack the garrison directly. If they do, the garrison will always deploy with all of its assets on his half of the board. After deployment, for every unit, roll 1d6. On a 5 the unit starts out in Elastic Defense and taken off the board. On a 6, it is on board and shutdown. It will activate on a 8+ during the end phase. In this scenario, roll for Divisional Support from Turn 1 on.
If the Garrison ops for the informant, they may still setup as normal with units shutdown and in Elastic Defense. However, units in Elastic Defense are instead setup hidden and the shutdown units may activate at the end phase of any turn.
Alternatively, if this mission is selected the Garrison has the option to forgo its Divisional Support and may instead do a stand up fight with the Rebels with all of its forces. In this Search and Destroy mission the rebels may setup half their units up hidden on their half of the board with the others. The garrison's informant has the effect of revealing 1d6 hidden units of the garrison's choice after they have deployed.

StarPort: The hub of commerce and the principle means of authoritative control over Yunnah. The Starport contains 500cf worth of hardened buildings that need to be destroyed for it to be considered inoperable. The Rebels earn 2 initiative for destroying.

Geo-Thermal Plant: This 300cf light building powers most of downtown Sindh. Loosing it would be a huge disgrace for the Garrison. The Rebels earn 2 initiative for destroying it. In addition, the elastic defense for the Garrison arrives 1 turn later than they normally would due to the diminished infrastructure. Civil unrest prevents the upgraded Behemoths from ever arriving in Divisional support as they are otherwise used in peace keeping, and instead get Po Heavy Tanks per normal.

Cappellan PR Building: A 100cf building located in down town Sindh, When not the focal points of parades and faux accolade, it's usually pretty sparsely defended. The Rebels earn 2 initiative for destroying it. In addition, when recruiting rebel infantry, they 1 free infantry in addition to the normal allotment.

The Quickscell Mines: A series of 50cf buildings in the northern mountain ranges, the Quickscell Mines present an easy prey for the Rebels. The Rebels earn 100,000cr for every destroyed building.

Insurrection Mission: If the Rebels have 7 or more initiative, they may attack the palace. The palace estate in the southern ranges represents the epitome of authority on Yunnah. It is a 400cf building that must not be destroyed. Rebel infantry must enter it and keep it free from Garrison control for 5 consecutive turns.

Garrison Operations:

Search And Destroy: The Garrison mobilizes into the wilderness to cut off their base of operations. The Mission is a standup fight, with all Rebel cargo at stake, against both forces unless the Rebels opt to flee. If they do, it becomes a chase and the Rebels must use cargo carrier rules regarding their own equipment. The Rebels loose an initiative if they withdraw for any reason, but gain 4 if they win the fight.

Cull the Unrest: The Garrison mobilizes to quell the rioters and suspected dissidents directly and permanently. A series of 2d6 30cf buildings must be nominated on the board. For every building destroyed, the Rebels loose 1 initiative. The Rebels use the "Elastic Defense" Garrison rules. If they have any Rebel trained Yunnah infantry, they setup in the buildings.

Emergency Evacuation: If the Rebel Initiative is -5 or greater, or the last fight was a Seach and Destroy where the Rebels lost, the Garrison may opt to shove the Rebel mercenary assets off world. Play the scenario using Chase rules with the Rebels using cargo carrier rules for their assets. However instead of exiting off board, the mercenaries must contract a sufficient number of drop ships for the emergency evacuation that begin play on the opposite board. Anything not collected before lift off is salvage for the Garrison.

Edit: 041911, Rebel Infantry recruitment numbers updated, increased. Garrison Informant altered to allow for use on a 6 and clarified hidden unit tonnage. Altered MP allowances in Elastic Defense. Free infantry allotment added for destroying the PR building. Geothermal plant altered to slow down response from Garrison, reduce the availability of assault tanks. Added Loosing Face for Garrison. Add Sabotage for the Rebels. Undefended targets and target resolution clarified. Artillery Park added for Garrison.
Edit: 050311, Changed rebel init scoring for causing forced withdrawals. Removed Rebel mandatory init loss. Added optional discretionary mission for garrison when it is the target of a Rebel attack (it boils down to having immediate support and shutdown units, or searching for the rebels with all your units and they setup hidden).
Edit: 061611, Kenny pointed out an artifact in the infantry process where the rebel infantry start out better than trained infantry. It's been fixed to 5 gunnery - no AntiMech Skill.

FWL: Insurrection

"The LIAO AGGRESSION must be stopped! At all costs if need be! While we, the proud citizens of our now fractured Free Worlds League, piddle away our time with our very own neighbors in pointless conflicts, the Cappellans have found the time to seize world after world of our very own birth right to seed their own desires in greed and malice! Just yesterday we received word on the HPG grid that Cappellan forces are martialling against the world of Suzano. Are their grain shortages not enough? A father must now choose between feeding his family or clothing them. Generous League aid shipments are arriving as fast as they can, but its not enough. And did they not suffer enough already when they overthrew their imposter dictator just 2 short years ago? Their price for freedom has already been paid in blood and sweat! Yet the LAIO, who seek only to increase their backwards fiefdom and bring us honest civilians into treacherous serfdom, wish to add another world to their family dynasty capitalizing on the spilled blood of honest League citizens. That very same father, whom is choosing between food and shelter, is now pressed to another end! Safety or DEATH! He must face enlistment in the planetary militia or face certain enslavement of his family to work in the Cappellan slave mines like so many before him! This CANNOT STAND! WE ARE THE LEAGUE! We do not stand by idly while so many good citizens face the axe of a cruel oppressor!

Fight them I say. Fight them in the air, on the ground, and on their very own soil!"
- Marcus Vigile, FWL Senator- interview from "Hamilton LIVE"


Sponsorship from various undisclosed agencies within the FWL are recruiting well equipped "aid workers" to perform "humanitarian" activities within the Cappellan Confederation world of Yunnah under a strict non-disclosure and non-official basis. Acceptance of contract in no way guarantees extraction or aid in event of failure.

Mission Type: Guerrilla Warfare
Resistance: Variable
Composition: Variable, Planetary Militia/Mercenaries
Refit: Field/Non-existant/Unsupported
Support: Initial insertion via Trans-Star Care Packages dropships. Local rebel support consisting of infantry.
Retainer per mission: None.
Bonus: 100Mcr to be paid on successful Insurrection.
Salvage: All
Length: Undetermined.

Mission pay depends on contract assignment taken.

CC: Anti-Insurgency

"Hello Tom this is Naomi speaking on site, We're entering day three of the standoff between the Yunnah miners union and the Quickscell corporation executives. Though neither side has come to an agreement on the working conditions in the northern mining ranges, the mining union has agreed to work temporarily until such an agreement can be made. Tensions have been high since the Cappellan edict to open up the mineral reaches of Yunnah, but it hasn't been without contest. Many of the peaceful people of Yunnah have begun resenting the influence of a government that has only recently shown interest in the world and the foreign influence it brings. Some have even taken up arms in the outer reaches and begun fighting the Cappellan peace keepers in earnest, raising the question of whether or not Quickscell could even maintain a presence in the face of a potential coup, or even maintain profitability. The Cappellan PR minisiter Shao-Sao Wuang has assured us that any resistance is 'Non-Existant' and 'The Product of Sensationalism'. He was also quoted as saying, 'Anyone linked to such non-traditional Cappellan thoughts should report to the political center in downtown Sindh for a questionnaire'. Back to you Tom."


The Cappellan Confederation has authorized the use of funds to supplement the search and eradication of rebel resistance on the world of Yunnah. Contract terms are expected to be light with extra payment made for combat assignments. Salvage is expected to stay with the local military, however contractees have an option to purchase the salvage at 50%.

Mission Type: Anti-Insurgency
Resistance: Variable
Composition: Rebels/Suspected Mercenaries
Refit: Field
Support: Planetary Garrison called upon by request.
Retainer per mission: 100,000cr per weight class. 10,000cr per weight class per non-engaged week or in the event of a non-successful defense.
Bonus: None.
Salvage: At 50% Cost after the first Divisional Garrison arrives.
Length: Undetermined.

World: Yunnah



World Name: Yunnah
Star Type: K3-III
Position in System: 6
Time to Jump Point: 3 days
Recharging Station: None
Population: 843,000
Allegiance: Cappellan

A largely uninhabited world, Yunnah recently became a large medical/repair/recovery world for persons and machines seriously injured in combat. It has the distinction of being relatively untouched during the Jihad and the center of attention because of it. An influx of tourism and industry to the world has encouraged the local populace to voice their previously unheard sentiments of the Cappellan Confederation.

Agricultural development is minimal, nor are there significant coordinated plans to develop the mineral loads in the vast mountain tracts that cover most of Yunnah's land area. Some seafaring activity exists on Yunnah, but it appears to be part of a quasi-religious movement based as much on spirititual harmony with the elements as on extracting a living from the sea.

Planetary Conditions (pg. 61 TacOps):
Yunnah is always enundated in a fairly cold winter like climate. Treat all non-paved hexes as containing thin snow.

Roll Twice (2D6) (once for time of day, again for condition):
Time of Day: 2-8: Day, 9-10: Night (Full Moon), 11-12: Night (Moon Less)



Freezing: The temperatures have dropped to -30C or more. Vehicles loose 1 cruise MP, non-XCT conventional infantry cannot be deployed, -1 heat for other units.



Wilderness: The map is considered to be covered in the vast overgrown taiga woods. All clear hexes are now considered level 1 woods and woods hexes are upgraded to heavy woods and ultra heavy respectively.



Thin Ice: All level 1 water hexes are covered in ice (see pg. 50 TacOps).
Thick Ice: All water hexes are covered in ice (see pg. 50 TacOps).


Conditions:
2 - Blizzard.
3 - Thick Ice, Freezing, Wilderness, Moderate Snow
4 - Thick Ice, Freezing, Wilderness, Light Snow
5 - Thick Ice, Freezing, Wilderness
6 - Thin Ice
7 - Clear
8 - Thin Ice
9 - Thick Ice
10 - Thick Ice, Freezing
11 - Thick Ice, Freezing, Deep Snow
12 - Thick Ice, Freezing, Wilderness, Deep Snow

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Rules:: Dropship Perks, IS repair

Immediate Disbursement:

During the week in which you used a dropship for transport, the cargo it carries can be used immediately for that week in the destination that it was sent.

Thematically though, I suggest hot drop missions from that ship and its mechs for the week.

Airborne:

The owner of a drop ship may always option for their mechs to be hot dropped onto the target area.

Repair:

Mechs repaired with the dropship cubicle bays are always assumed to be available for mechs to be repaired up to the capacity you have available. I.E. 4 cubicles can repair 4 mechs for that week. This allows the mods for dropship repairs to be used when otherwise field or worse may be used.

Field IS Repair:

Internal structure repair (and limb replacement) can now be done in the field when dropship or better facilities are present. Doing so must be announced on the campaign impulse that it will done in and takes the mech (and respective cubicle) out of service for the duration of that week.


Notes: These are some things we've been discussing, hopefully it will bring some use to dropships and keep more mechs in the fight longer. ( and you know... actually document this stuff.)

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Sunday Orders:: 041011

Sunday Orders:: 041011
Orders:



Assassin ASN-21 arrives on Outreach using civilian shipping.

$353,000cr is spent in civilian shipping sending the company back to Outreach.


Turtle Bay's MON-66 and STG-5R make it to Outreach using civilian shipping.

$240,000cr is spent in civilian shipping sending the company back to Outreach.


The bulk of Itar's Aces' equipment make it to Outreach successfully using civilian shipping.

Recap:

Moonlit Wind and Turtle Bay Irregulars are dispatched on Al Duwayd to halt the last desperate attempt by the pirate clans to leave the world. Reduced through constant infighting to a core group of regulars and the well equipped members of Rodney's Raiders personal contingent, the band made a raid on a local dropship component warehouse in an attempt to replace critical maneuver drive components that had been damaged in a tragic Mr. Pibb related accident and prevented the dropship Misdemeanor from fully acting in the conflict in the skies above.

This fortuitous drink spillage had cast the Misdemeanor from becoming orbital wreckage and into a potential last saving grace for the Pirates. This is a desperate gamble for the now loosely aligned group. Loosing here means an eventual confrontation with a DCMS firing squad. They do not operate under forced withdrawal.

The local militia is operating a Calliope in the area. But between their indiscriminate firing discipline and poor training they unreliably hit nearly everything in their vicinity.

Due to the ponderous and slow nature of the assault mech that the Turtle Bay Irregulars fielded, the Pirates got a free turn of movement. They seized the initiative with early grabs at the parts contained within the warehouses.



The battle goes well for the Pirates at first as the handless mechs are bid into the meat grinder to buy time while the more capable machines raid the warehouse. But time runs out as the machines are reduced to slag and the Turtle Bay Irregulars begin to take the hands off of all the remaining raiding mechs. The Turtle Bay Awesome pays its weight back many times over, absolutely raking the armor off of every Pirate mech under its cross hairs.

But the Pirate's pull part after part off in multiple runs as they run interference against the main body of mercenary units. It comes down to the wire with the battle nearly lost for the Mercenaries when Moonlit Wind attempts to cripple the remaining mech with hands in a charge.



He fails. And assessing the damage, the Moonlit Wind subsequently withdraws from the field.

Pressing on the attack the Turtle Bay Irregulars hold the field dealing crippling blows to the rest of the Pirate forces, but not before pressing hard to stop the remaining Pirate Pheonix Hawk with their damaged Commando in one last bid to turn the tide, and loosing it in return fire.

The Pirates just barely get the parts they need and flee off world.

Moonlit Wind earns 120k (60k TBT-5N, 30k JR7-F, 30k PNT-9R) in retainer for the mission.

Turtle Bay Irregulars earns 210k (120k AWS-8Q, 60k DV-6M, 30k COM-2D) in retainer for the mission. A bonus of 600,000cr is paid out for destroying 60 tons of Pirate assets. In addition for holding the field, they now have a damaged custom Locust and a Whitworth WTH-1H.

All pilots get 1xp. Ayami Kyudo gets an extra XP for noble but flawed heroism in what could have been the defining moment of resistance. "Mark Walhberg" and the Commando Pilot both get an extra for displaying above par heroism and, in the case of the Awesome, nearly holding the entire flank by himself. (Can you kindly send me the names of your pilots again?) :)

As the campaign has ended, the escrow accounts are paid out and the mercenaries are kindly asked to leave the hollowed Draconis ground immediately.

Note: (This can be redressed to different locations, I'm assuming a trip back to Outreach for refit. A new campaign will be setup shortly. Also, restate any sales now that the actual mechs are on Outreach in case you changed your mind.)

Monday, April 4, 2011

Sunday Orders:: 040311

Orders:



Moonlit Wind recruits Ally Mae 4|5 and Yuk Foo 4|5 on Outreach, $300,000cr. A jenner leg for a JR7-D was purchased on Outreach for $316,192cr.

Also purchased on Ad Duwayd:
15t Standard Armor $187.5k
4 Heat Sinks $10k

Shipping
Assassin ASN-21 to Outreach $45k.

Total Costs: $858,692cr



Turtle Bay Irregulars ships its Stinger STG-5R and Mongoose MON-66 back to Outreach. Civilian transport costs $45,000cr. Mention was made to purchasing equipment off of local market to repair mechs. The clerks assume its 20 tons of standard armor @ 12.5k each.




Itar's Aces pulls most of its forces off of Blue Hole toward Outreach leaving behind the Black Knight and the spare hardware. Civilian transport costs $155,000.00.

Recap:

Itar's Aces (Gordon) hot dropped onto Blue Hole interdicting a Clan Jade Falcon Recon element (Kenny).



Putting up stern resistance the Itar's Aces punish the clan with an early loss of a Dasher and brutalizing a Puma. In return the mercenaries face nearly crippling damage across the board. Rebuked at the river crossing the Puma makes a running gun battle and narrowly escapes off the board to complete its objective. The Cougar avoids the river and swings wide right. The mercenary Clint attempts to interdicts the Cougar and ends up in a gun to gun battle with it. Despite the heroism he looses the mech in the attempt.

The clan succeed in taking most of their forces across the board for a marginal victory. The clan commander avoids being thrown out the air lock for what started out as a near catastrophe.

Itar's Aces earned $900,000cr paid out immediately since he is withdrawing. Salvage was one Dasher Prime. Itar's aces earned Jolanta 3|4 as a bondsman to Itar (went ahead and rolled for it, 8+, rolled 8. Gordon made a good point about it and it has literary precedent. Though in the future there may be more concrete rules, feel free to suggest any.). All pilots earn 1xp with the Clint pilot (Cortex?) getting another for his aggression.

Moonlit Wind earned $500,000cr (retainer for 5 light assets) for playing OpFor and winning.

Edit: 4/4/11 13:43 - Change up in shipping for Itar's Aces, Incorrect shipping tonnage.