BattleTech Simulator

Battle of Kilgour:
BattleForce Campaign

by William H. Keith, jr.

SIMULATOR CAMPAIGN

This month's Battle Tac column describes the Battle of Kilgour, in the Corellan system along the Davion-Liao border. MechWarriors desiring to sharpen their strategic and tactical skills may wish to use this engagement to generate training simulator combat modules.

Those with access to FASA's new campaign simulator BattleForce may wish to use the information presented below for the 2nd Kearny Highlanders and the Scotian Highlanders to recreate the entire second day's battle at Kilgour. Several specific tactical incidents in that battle are then presented as standard BattleTech combat modules. These various modules may be set up independently of one another, or they can be combined into a grand tactical and strategic recreation of the battle.

TIMING THE PROPER MOMENT

Timing is all-important in the successful handling of a full-scale battle. At Kilgour, the Scotian Highlander plan required that one section of the defending force hold superior numbers at bay until the attackers had been drawn into a vulnerable position. If the Scotian commander waited too long, however, his center would be broken, his army divided, and his force defeated piecemeal.

If he struck too soon, the surprise effect of having fresh 'Mechs strike the enemy rear and flanks would be minimized by the fact that the enemy still had large numbers of fresh 'Mechs in reserve.

This scenario allows opposing players to judge the proper timing of Kilgour's second day for themselves. The special rules outlined below are designed to balance play, allowing for the fact that, in the real battle, neither commander knew what the other commander was up to or how large his forces were.

Second Day: July 6, 3027 Corella II

GAME SET-UP

The map represents the terrain south of the town of Kilgour, on Corella II. MechWarriors who do not have access to fully programmable holographic simulators may recreate the terrain of the battle by transferring the map below onto a blank hexgrid sheet, or they may use the map sheets provided in BattleForce, with the important terrain features (woods, ridges, hills) marked lightly in pencil or indicated using counters, transparent overlays, or cut-out sections of blank hex grid paper.

The Table of Organization for both the 2nd Kearny Highlanders and the Scotian Highlanders are provided on the following pages. Players should use BattleForce counters or make counters of their own. The initial set-up is determined by the players, within the following framework:

2nd Kearny Highlanders:

    Both the 2nd and 31d Battalions begin the battle on or west of Kilgour Heights.

Scotian Highlanders

    1st Battalion: On or behind Sumner's Ridge
    2nd Battalion: Hidden in the woods on or southeast of Grierson's Hill
    3rd Battalion: Hidden in the woods on or east of Venable's Ridge

All hidden units mustbe positioned within dense woods hexes.

During the night of July 5th, Colonel Graham redeployed approximately half of the strength of both his 2nd and 3rd Battalions to the center of his line.

The players should feel free to introduce their own variations to this initial deployment. In particular, the Scotian Highlander commander may wish to redeploy more or fewer of his forces, to adjust the balance of 'Mechs held in reserve.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

Players use the standard BattleForce victory conditions.

In addition, the Kearny commander must attempt to conserve his forces on planet. The total tonnage of the Kearny BattleMechs exceeds 3600 tons. Once the Kearny forces have lost BattleMechs totaling 2000 tons (over half their force, or an average of 8 to 12 'Mech lances), then further Kearny operations on the planet will be compromised, and the Kearny forces must retreat off the north or west side of the map area.

Such a retreat is considered to be a decisive victory for the Scotian Highlanders, whatever their own losses. Once the Scotian Highlanders have lost BattleMechs totaling over 2000 tons, then the Davion forces on the planet are considered to be broken and will be of little further use in the campaign. If the Kearny Highlanders can inflict such casualties on their opponents without taking similar losses themselves, then the Kearny Highlanders are considered to have won a decisive victory. However, the Scotians will win even if they lose over 1000 tons worth of Mechs, provided they inflict similar losses on the enemy.

This fact may be an additional motive for the Kearny commander to hold half of his forces in reserve and to attempt to break the Scotian line with a single Battalion... Just as it almost happened in the actual battle.

SPECIAL RULES

Both commanders are operating under certain handicaps which deter- mine the nature of this battle. The Scotian commander must carefullyjudge the best time to unleash his hidden reserves. The Kearny commander suspects a trap set by his opponent and must withhold sufficient forces to counter any unexpected attack by the enemy's reserves. Training simulations of the Battle of Kilgour should use the following re- strictions:

Scotian Commander

At the beginning of the simulation, those units designated as "hidden units" have their positions secretly noted by the Scotian player. They are not placed on the board, and their locations are not revealed to the Kearny player. These hidden units are stationary and well-camouflaged in the woods north and south of the main battlefield. They may not move, and they may not engage in combat unless activated by an enemy unit.

Once a unit is activated, it is placed on the map at its designated location. It may then move and fight normally.

At any given point during the battle, the Scotian commander may choose to activate his reserves. At this time, all hidden units are placed on the board in their designated hexes. They may then move and fire normally.

Scotian Tactics:

The Scotian Commander can pursue any of several possible courses of action:

  • He may wait as long as he dares in hope that the Kearny Commander will release some or all of his reserves against the center, trusting that his reserve forces will be large enough to trap the entire enemy force.
  • He may choose to hold his line on Sumner's Ridge, hoping to inflict sufficient casualties on the enemy that the Kearny forces will be forced to retreat (see: Victory Conditions, below).
  • He may activate his hidden units and use them as mobile reserves, threatening or attacking the enemy reserves or targets of opportunity (such as small numbers of Kearny 'Mechs moving up to the battlefield from the rear). If the battle has moved east of Sumner's Ridge and the enemy reserves are still at Kilgour Heights, this mobile reserve could interpose itself along Sumner's Ridge in order to interdict Kearny reinforcements.

Kearny Commander

At the beginning of the action, the Kearny commander places his 3rd Battalion forward and holds his 2nd Battalion in reserve.

At any time, the Kearny Commander may release all or part of his reserves to join the battle. What he cannot do is blindly probe the woods on the Scotian Highlanders' flanks. Before entering the heavy woods to the north or south of the Scotian center, the Kearny forces must use infantry or light scout forces (such as the Scout Platoon of Norris's Rangers) to discover the enemy positions.

Each time a Kearny scout unit enters a hex adjacent to a heavily forested hex, the Scotian player secretly rolls 1 D6. On a roll of 1, he must activate all units in any adjacent hexes. On a 2 - 4, he must activate any one unit in any adjacent hex. On a 5 - 6 (or if, in fact, he has no forces in that hex), he says nothing. The Scotian player always has the option of deliberately activating any of his units at any time, at which point they are placed on the board. Activated units may engage in combat with the scouting forces, or they may move to an adjacent hex and "vanish." Their new position is recorded by the Scotian player, and they are deactivated. Units remain activated so long as they are engaged in movement or combat or as long as enemy scouts are in an adjacent hex.

Once the Kearny commander has exposed the positions of at least three different Scotian BattleMechs, he may, if he desires, attack the position normally. Scotian 'Mechs will remain hidden until a Kearny 'Mech enters an adjacent hex or until the Scotian player chooses to reveal them by moving or attacking.

Kearny Tactics

The Kearny commander knows there are Scotian forces in the woods. He does not know how strong those forces are or precisely where they are located, and to charge in headlong with valuable 'Mechs is irresponsibly foolhardy. He must choose between several courses of action:

  • He may hold his reserves in order to guard against a Scotian counterat- tack.
  • He may scout the approaches to the Scotian flanks, then attack to engage the hidden Scotian reserves.
  • He may ignore the flanks and concentrate on the Scotian center, hoping to break the enemy line before the Scotians can muster their reserves.

Map

2nd KEARNY HIGHLANDERS

The 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 2nd Kearny Highlanders began the second day's battle deployed west of the line of ridges south of Kilgour, along a gentle rise known locally as Kilgour Heights. As shown on the simulator maps, the 2nd Battalion was held in reserve on Kilgour Heights until too late to be of any use in the battle. MechWarriors engaged in their own simulations of the battle of Kilgour may deploy the Kearny forces along Kilgour Heights as they choose.

The Kearny T.O. appeared as follows:

2nd Battalion

Battalion Headquarters-11(16)/9-3 5 Vet
Major Martell Longheart; Elite Atlas
Brian Stewart; Veteran Vindicator
Jean McPherson; Veteran Phoenix Hawk
Morton Johnston; Veteran Commando

Kernighan's Company


Command Lance -11(13)/8-3 4 Elite
Captain Robert Kernighan; Elite Stalker
Charles Douglas; Elite Vindicator
Ian Telford; Elite Vindicator
Pamela Kernighan; Veteran Commando

Fire Lance-9(12)/8-3 5 Regular
Lieutenant Stuart McDonald; Veteran Archer
McCauley Peterson; Regular Shadow Hawk
Quentin McFarland; Regular Vindicator
Charles Gunn; Green Commando

Recon Lance-8(10)/5-2 6 Regular
Lt. Angus MacLeod; Veteran Warhammer
Morton Kernighan; Regular Commando
Ruben Skeat; Regular Stinger
Patrick Mifune; Green Locust

Braxton's Company


Command Lance-11(13)/8-3 5 Veteran
Captain Fergus Braxton; Elite Crusader
Ian Fraser; Veteran Rifleman
Charles MacKinnon; Regular Vindicator
verard McKenzie; Regular Spider

Fire Lance-9(13) 7-3 5 Regular
Lieutenant Ramsay Stuart; Veteran Rifleman
Gregory Kirk; Regular Vindicator
Angus Braxton; Regular Phoenix Hawk
Marcus Ullman; Green Commando

Recon Lance-4(7)/6-2 7 Green
Lt. Gordon McNair; Veteran Shadow Hawk
Douglas MacLeod; Green Spider
Erland Talcott; Green Wasp
Kathleen McNair; Green Locust

Minoku's Company


Assault Lance-12(16)/8-2 4 Veteran
Captain Ohiro Minoku; Veteran Charger
Kathleen Stewart; Veteran Marauder
Dennis MacGregor; Veteran Warhammer
Gregory Freeman; Regular Vindicator

Attack Lance-9(13)/8-3 5 Regular
Lieutenant Marcia Horowitz; Veteran Archer
Jahled Hammadi; Regular Shadow Hawk
Douglas McClintock; Regular Phoenix Hawk
Andrew O'Hara; Regular Commando

Recon Lance-5(8)/6-2 7 Green
Lt. Toshiro Redfield; Veteran Phoenix Hawk
Siegfried Kirchner; Green Spider
David Ross; Green Wasp
Stewart MacCleod; Green Locust

3rd Battalion

Battalion Headquarters-13(16)/8-3 5 Vat
Major James D. Cochraine; Elite Stalker
Angus McDonnell; Veteran Warhammer
Jeremy Nourse; Veteran Wolverine
Gordon Cochraine; Veteran Commando

McFarlane's Company


Command Lance-7(13)/8-3 5 Elite
Captain Stewart McFarlane; Elite Grasshopper
Heinrich Nicholson; Elite Hatchetman
Ramsay MacLeod; Elite Blackjack
Manuel Gonzalez; Veteran Ostscout

Fire Lance-7(10/8-3 6 Regular
Lt. Robert MacDougall; Veteran Shadow Hawk
Megan McFarlane; Regular Vindicator
Adam Gomez; Regular Phoenix Hawk
N'Gama M'botu; Green Cicada

Recon Lance-6(10)/6-2 7 Regular
Lt. Kathleen McDonnell; Veteran Phoenix Hawk
Arthur Kent; Regular Spider
Kirk MacNab; Regular Commando
Francois DuPlessis; Green Wasp

MacDouglall's Company


Assault Lance-12(15)/9-3 4 Veteran
Captain Angus MacDougall; Elite Marauder
Niki Carter; Veteran Archer
Marshall Corrigan; Regular Rifleman
Ramsay James; Regular Shadow Hawk

Medium Lance-9(12)/8-3 5 Regular
Lieutenant James Corrigan; Veteran Crusader
Ian MacDougall; Regular Shadow Hawk
Pamela Edwards; Regular Vindicator
Giles Howard; Green Spider

Recon Lance-4(7)/6-2 7 Green
Lieutenant Morgan Li; Veteran Shadow Hawk
Michael Gunn: Green Spider
Kathleen MacDougall; Green Wasp
Douglas Cromartie; Green Locust

Prate's Company


Command Lance-11(15)/9-3 4 Regular
Captain Richard Prata; Veteran Thunderbolt
David Kingsley; Regular Catapult
Cameron MacCorrie; Regular Rifleman
Ivan Toruchev; Regular Shadow Hawk

Fire Lance-9(12)/8-3 5 Green
Lieutenant Cecil Wyndham; Regular Ostroc,
Yashar Eisenstein; Green Vindicator
James MacRae; Green Vindicator
Kathleen Fraser; Green Commando

Recon Lance-5(8)/6-2 7 Green
Lieutenant Sharon Gray; Veteran Phoenix Hawk
Tristan McFarland; Green Spider
Charles McDonald; Green Stinger
Stewart Kirk; Green Locust

At Kilgour, the Kearny Highlanders had numerous non-'Mech armored units attached to the 2nd and 3rd Battalions as scout or recon groups. It was one of these units (the Scout Platoon of Norris's Rangers) which made contact with hidden 'Mechs of Graham's right flank force. According to the best reports, these forces were held in reserve with the Kearny 2"1 Battalion or deployed towards the enemy flanks in attempts to determine the Scotian Highlander's positions. MechWarriors using this information to set up training simulations of Kilgour may deploy these light forces as desired.

Norris's Rangers


Command Platoon-8(7)/10-3 Q Green
Captain Charles Norris; Regular Rommel
James Kellogg; Green Patton
Karl Doenitz; Green Rommel
Jameth Black; Regular Patton

Fire Platoon-10(8)/7-3 4t Green
Lieutenant Ivar Tomlinson; Regular Manticore
Jeremy Wolf; Regular Manticore
Shari Cramiston; Green Manticore
Strepan Josslic; Green Manticore

Scout Platoon-5(5)/4-1 8h Regular
Lieutenant Kannic Franklin; Regular Pegasus
Brad Hadley; Regular Pegasus
Andrew MacDonald; Regular Skimmer
Morgan Bearclaw; Regular Skimmer

Unattached Scout Platoon-5(5)/4-1 8h Vet
Lieutenant Scot Kendall; Elite Pegasus
Americ Penric; Veteran Pegasus
Arturo Gonzales; Veteran Skimmer
Charles Smith; Regular Skimmer

Unattached Fire Platoon- 10(8)/7-3 4t Reg
Lieutenant Raymond Grissman; Veteran Manticore
Zelas Newton; Regular Manticore
Ian Fairfax; Regular Manticore
Kalis Burton; Regular Manticore

Unattached Light Platoon-4(3)/4-2 4t Regular
Lieutenant Jordan Helmuth; Veteran Galleon
Charles Grenville;. Regular Galleon
Michelle Rochmont; Regular Galleon
Robert Durant; Regular Galleon

SCOTIAN HIGHLANDERS

The Scotian Highlanders began the second day's action deployed along the line of hills and ridges south of Kilgour. Though afull three battalions are listed, the unit had entered the campaign understrengthed and had already suffered considerable losses during the intiial Liao invasion and during the first day's fight for the town.

Graham placed the 1st Battalion in the center along Sumner's Ridge, as shown in the simulator maps of the action. The 2nd Battalion was hidden in the woods covering Greirson's Hill to the south, while the 3rd Battalion was positioned in the woods along Venable's Ridge and Graytop to the north. In both cases, approximately half of the flank battalions' strength was then drawn to the center to reinforce the 1st Battalion.

According to the best available information at this time, the Scotian combat T.O. appeared as follows:

1st Battalion


Battalion Headquarters- 12(14)/7-2 3 Elite
Colonel Ramsay Graham; Elite Stalker
Gregory McPherson; Elite Marauder
Ross McDonnell; Elite Rifleman

Company A-Randall's Raiders


Command Lance-8(14)/8-2 5 Elite
Captain Stuart Randall; Elite Victor
Lieutenant Kara Stewart; Elite Shadow Hawk
Douglas Graham; Elite Phoenix Hawk
Larry Murdock; Veteran Vulcan

Fire Lance-5(8)/6-3 4 Veteran
Lieutenant Ryan Kelly; Elite Shadow Hawk
Randal McPherson; Veteran Enforcer
Ross Cromartie; Veteran Valkyrie

Recon Lance-4(6)/5-2 6 Veteran
Lieutenant Ian Douglas; Veteran Panther
Jean Fife; Veteran Stinger
Douglas Keith; Veteran Wasp
Kazuko Matsumil Veteran Locust

Company B-Macarron's 'Mechs


Command Lance-9(13)/8-3 6 Elite
Captain Ian Macarron; Elite Archer
Lieutenant Andrew MacRae; Elite Dragon
Philip Thatcher; Elite Phoenix Hawk
Charles Gordon; Veteran Spider

Fire Lance-6(10)17-3 5 Veteran
Lieutenant Angus Hawkins; Elite Shadow Hawk
Robert Keith; Veteran Enforcer
Donald Fife; Veteran Valkyrie
Megan Radcliff; Veteran Commando

Recon Lance-5(6)/4-2 5 Regular
Lieutenant Brian Graham; Veteran Whitworth
Russell Morton; Regular Spider
Ian McFarland; Regular Locust

Company C-The Black Douglas


Command Lance-14(17)/8-3 -4 Veteran
Captain Keith Douglas; Elite Warhammer
Lieutenant Heather Fife; Veteran Archer
Ramsay Douglas; Veteran Rifleman
Kirk McIlvain; Regular Rifleman

Fire Lance-5(9)/6-2 8 Regular
Lt. Angus Macarron; Veteran Phoenix Hawk
Robert MacRae; Regular Cicada
Stuart MacLeod; Regular Ostscout
Toshiro Kogo; Regular Spider

Recon Lance-4(7)/5-2 7 Green
Lieutenant Gregory McKenzie; Veteran Panther
Douglas Fairfax; Green Spider
Charles Keith; Green Wasp
Roberta Douglas; Green Locust

2nd Battalion

Fraser's Company


Command Lance-6(10)/5-2 4 Elite
Major Laurie Carlisle; Elite Charger
Captain Kendric Fraser; Elite Rifleman
Eric Stewart; Veteran Assassin

Fire Lance-7(12)/8-3 6 Regular
Lieutenant Ian Keith; Veteran Shadow Hawk
Agnes McFarlane; Regular Enforcer
Gregory Fife; Regular Phoenix Hawk
Robbie McNair; Green Cicada

Recon Lance-3(5)/3-1 Regular
Lieutenant Dan Raeburn; Veteran Cicada
Grayson Campbell; Regular Spider
Beth Ann Gregor; Regular Locust

McFarland's Company


Command Lance-11(15)/9-3 5 Veteran
Captain Angus McFarland; Elite Archer
Rodney Smith; Veteran Rifleman
Charlie Cromartie; Veteran Shadow Hawk
Lee Stuart; Veteran Phoenix Hawk

Fire Lance-6(10)/7-2 4 Regular
Lieutenant Jeanette Ramsay; Veteran Wolverine
Victor Vlad; Regular Enforcer
Milton Coroleone; Regular Phoenix Hawk

Recon Lance-3(6)/4-2 6 Green
Lieutenant Stuart McLean; Regular Cicada
Lewis McDonnell; Green Ostscout
William Sutherland; Green Spider

3rd Battalion

Keith's Company


Command Lance-7(11)/6-2 4 Veteran
Major Kirk Livingston; Elite Victor
Captain Heather Keith; Veteran Dragon
Brian McPherson; Veteran Scorpion

Fire Lance-4(7)/5-2 5 Veteran
Lt. Gregor MacRae; Veteran Phoenix Hawk
Louise Crawson; Veteran Assassin
Milo Sorenson; Veteran Ostscout

Recon Lance-4(7)/5-2 8 Green
Lieutenant James Fraser; Veteran Cicada
Rhett Stewart; Green Ostscout
Russel Greene; Green Spider
Jess Mason; Green Locust

McKenzie's Company


Command Lance-4(10)/5-2 4 Regular
Captain Sam McKenzie; Veteran Warhammer
Lieutenant Russell Douglas; Regular Quickdraw
Douglas Ridley; Regular Locust

Fire Lance-4(7)/6-2 5 Green
Lieutenant Keith Fraser; Regular Wolverine
Jame Fairfax; Green Shadow Hawk
Doran Alberts; Green Locust

Recon Lance-2(4)/3-4 4 Regular
Lieutenant Bradley Carlisle; Regular Assassin
Henry McDonald; Regular Spider

At the Battle of Kilgour, the following armored units were attached to the Scotian Highlanders. Though normally fielded with specific companies, they were held in reserve on the Scotian Highlander's northern flank, against the possibility of a Kearny infantry attack or flanking move. The Scotian comander may field these units as he pleases in combat simulations.

Opple's Raiders


Command Platoon 10(9)10-3 4t Green
Captain Hap Oppenheimer; Regular Patton
Ardan Griffith; Green VonLuckner
Valery Biggs; Green Patton
Vince Marcuso; Green Patton

Fire Platoon 9(8)9-2 4t Regular
Lieutenant Douglas Innes; Regular Rommel
Valery Chernenkov; Regular Rommel
Jarvis Haggsworthy; Regular Rommel
Roger Hammer; Regular Rommel

Light Platoon 4(3)5-2 4t
Lieutenant Grath Davias; Regular Galleon
Hatsuko Grady; Green Galleon
Silas Smith; Regular Scorpion
Paula Fraser; Regular Vedette

Unattached Scout Platoon - 4(3)4-2 4t Vet
Lieutenant Jason King; Elite Galleon
Ahmed Khaled; Veteran Galleon
Stanley Osserman; Veteran, Galleon
Robert Langley; Veteran Galleon

Unattached Scout Platoon - 5(5)/4-1 8h Reg
Lieutenant Jamie Kendall; Regular Pegasus
Hans Leider; Regular Pegasus
Josef Waldheim; Regular Skimmer
Bradley Simmons; Regular Skimmer

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